《Dungeon Inspector: A TTRPG Inspired Fantasy》


 Chapter 1 - Inspection

    Blood dripped onto my shoulder. At least, I thought that¡¯s what it was supposed to be. It certainly smelled like blood, but it was hard to tell when it was smothered in a dull blue spotlight. I stepped lightly to the right, avoiding a puddle filling a dip in the stone floor. The spotlight followed my action and cut through the equally dull orange that lit the rest of the room.


    If that was blood, it was both gross and impressive. Rivulets of the red liquid beaded randomly on the ceiling, though the majority of them seemed to congregate above four large basins set on black stone console tables. Obsidian, perhaps? There was a volcano dungeon two weeks away from here. Getting the tables would have been easy enough.


    My attention turned to the focal point of the room: a wide dais. Stone steps led upwards to the raised platform on which a sacrificial altar rested. A terrible looking affair made of black stone with cracks of red light pulsing towards the top. I couldn¡¯t see too well from where I was standing, but it looked like there might have been a dagger sitting on it.


    On either side of the platform were two supernaturally beautiful women. Humans, by the looks of them. They were wearing lingerie that accentuated their curvy figures. The black fabric, hair, and deep red lips would have made a great contrast with their pale skin if it weren''t for this distracting orange glow.


    They looked nervous. Their eyes flitted from me, to each other, and then to the altar between them. I was about to speak when a peal of thunder roared through the cavernous room and a cloud of bats appeared above the altar. The orange light intensified, muting the blue spotlight until it took on a grayish hue.


    The bats coalesced into a human form floating in the air. A cloaked man, just as pale and attractive as the women flanking him, descended slowly. His red eyes stared into mine with a deep, smoldering intensity. Though threatening, he wouldn''t be able to hypnotize me at this distance.


    His feet hit the ground with a gentle tap. The women surged forward, the one on my right stepping just a tad bit slower than the other, and they removed the cloak from the man to reveal a rather sharp looking suit. Getting a better look at it, I decided it looked more like a mantle. More authority than a simple cloak would demand. They laid it gently across the altar.


    "Fools!" The man boomed. His deep, rich voice echoed nicely through the room. "You''re too late! The ritual is nearly complete and there''s no stopping it now!"


    I crossed my arms, watching as he waved his arms about. He spoke with his hands as well as his voice. Very animated.


    "Soon the Blood Rain will be upon us! The storm will cover the sun for a thousand years and welcome us night walkers back to the surface! We will reclaim this country and spread my name far and wide! The world will know the evil of Count Sarolious Etomine Falsavar!" He threw his arms into the air. More thunder crashed from the dais, this time accompanied by the sound of hundreds of flapping bat wings.


    "No," I said dryly. "Your ritual isn''t done yet, Count Falsavar. We''ve come to stop you and save the Oracle of Storms."


    "She is already nearly dead, heroes! And your deaths will be the statement upon which your rebellion ends. Have at thee!" Count Falsavar brought his hands down and pointed them directly at me. Nothing happened.


    I stared at him for a few moments, collecting my thoughts and how best to deliver them. "It was¡­" I began, scratching my head. "It''s okay."


    Sarolious'' hands dropped to his sides as his face went from intense and intimidating to shocked. "Just okay?" He whispered incredulously. Despite the distance, I still heard him. The acoustics on that dais were amazing. His sound guy did really good work.


    "Yeah, I mean, you have some good stuff here," I admitted. "The blood drip is a nice touch, sure to unnerve the squeamish and faint of heart. Can we turn it off, by the way?"


    "Absolutely! Pardon me, where are my manners?" Sarolious said. He snapped his fingers and the dripping slowed to a stop, the pools of blood quickly evaporating. That was a neat trick. "It''s part intimidation and part practical. The blood provides us a power boost, as you know.¡±


    "Yes, I''m quite aware of how Vampires work," I said with a nod. I began walking around the room now that I was unimpeded by the blood. "But, and this part is really throwing me off here, what''s with the orange and blue lighting?"


    Sarolious clapped his hands and the room''s lights changed to a harmless sunlight equivalent. "I thought that was the new thing, right?" He looked to the women flanking him. "Right? Orange for the bad guys and this grayish blue for the good guys? Girls?"


    While the girls looked at each other, not sure what to say to their boss, I sighed. "Sarolious, the dichotomy of orange and blue was a fad that only lasted about three years, if that. No one uses the orange-blue look anymore due to how obnoxious it was."


    "Well, I''m going to have words with Steve, my lighting technician. He assured me that it was all the rage!" Sarolious snapped. I knew he wasn''t mad at me. I just happened to be there telling him something he didn¡¯t want to hear.


    "I guess I don''t understand why you''d want to change things up to be more modern," I said. "The Vampire plotting to blot out the sun is a classic trope for a reason. You don''t need to fix it."


    I stopped beside one of the basins and peered in. Just like the floor, the blood inside seemed to evaporate despite there being no drain. That made cleanup a lot easier. I wondered if it would work on spilled adventurer blood.


    "I just¡­ I guess I just feel like I''m out of touch," Sarolious admitted. "I''ve been doing this for such a long time. Sometimes it feels like I¡¯m doing the same dog and pony show I did during my second century as a dungeon owner."


    "I know, Sarolious, but you¡¯re a brilliant builder. People talk about your dungeons for decades after they¡¯ve passed. The Department of Dungeons still uses your Rathelin dungeon as a standard for Vampire-owned dungeons." I shook my head and smiled. "Kidnapping princesses by itself is overdone, but allowing the adventurers to take a Vampire back to the castle? Priceless."


    "That was one of my finer moments, wasn''t it?" Sarolious smiled. He looked away and I could tell that he was reminiscing. I cleared my throat and brought him back to the present. "Do you think moving away from the more monstrous Vampires was a good idea? Candrovis was irritated, but I think it was the right call in this regard. What do you think of Marly and Janus?" He indicated the two women beside him. They smiled and gave a small wave, seeming to have regained their nerves.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Union?" I asked, leaving the basin behind to approach the dais. It was tall enough that I would have to climb to get on top, but a human sized creature could make it up with much less trouble. That came with the territory of being a Halfling, however. Many things were made with tall folk in mind.


    "Oh, no," the one on the left answered. "Not yet. Marly and I graduated from VU just last year and this is our first gig."


    "Go Bats," Marly said shyly, raising a fist to shoulder level.


    It wasn''t unheard of to hire right out of a henchman school. Union workers were more diligent and reliable, but there was something to be said about the enthusiasm of youth. If the dungeon boss had not been Sarolious, I may have had some choice words. For a veteran like him, I just nodded.


    "I think moving away from the Nosferatu types is a good call, even if they put up a stink. There is a place for them, but I don¡¯t think they add anything in particular to your style of dungeon," I said, giving the two a critical eye while looking at their garments and watching their body language. "Are you two alright with what you''re being asked to wear?"


    "I absolutely am," Janus said immediately, leaning over slightly into a confident, suggestive pose. "I majored in Femme Fatality, so this is right up my alley."


    I looked at Marly, and she seemed to wither under my gaze. "Yes, I have no problem with it, either."


    "Marly," he started, his tone supportive as he picked up on her hesitation. "If there''s anything troubling you, don''t hesitate to let me know. I''ve been doing this for centuries now. I''ve heard and seen it all before."


    Marly looked up at Sarolious and searched his face. Then she smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mr. Falsavar."


    "Yes, thank you, Mr. Falsavar. Shall we move on to the next point?" I asked. It would have been well within my rights to push the point, but Sarolious had very few complaints on his record despite how long he had been active for. I trusted him to conduct himself in both a professional and gentlemanly manner.


    "Of course, of course." He returned his attention to me.


    I nodded. "As I was saying, Nosferatu have their place, but at the moment more conventionally attractive Vampires are very popular. Opinion is currently split between if Vampires should shine in sunlight, but this won''t come up in an underground dungeon. You chose well, if I may say so." My gaze traveled to the women again. "Nothing salacious meant, of course."


    "No worries," Janus claimed, waving it off. "Marly here is a Shiner, actually. I am sooo jealous of her skin. Mine gets super blotchy within seconds of exposure to natural sunlight."


    "Janus, stop," Marly whispered. I could tell that she was pleased, though.


    "Your sound guy also did way too good a job on the acoustics in here," I said, returning to where I had stood in the middle of the room. "Usually that¡¯s not a complaint, but I could hear your whispers no matter where I was.¡±


    Sarolious nodded. "I understand. I''ll fill up the room with a few more things to help with that. But¡­" he hesitated. Out of character for the great Count Falsavar. "What of my monologue? You said it was okay. I tried to keep it short; adventurers these days lack patience, and some have the audacity to skip over pre-battle banter entirely!"


    I sighed. "Yeah, those are getting more and more frequent. We''ve started labeling them as A-MH. Adventurer class murder hobo. I''m not a fan, either." I shook my head. They really were a plague in the industry. "The speech is fine. It''s short and succinct. Maybe add in an insult and threaten something specific?"


    "If I can get away with it," he accepted. "I''ll have to watch them closely to know if I can. If they have a bard, then definitely."


    "If not, it''s basically a coin toss," I agreed.


    I turned my gaze to the ceiling and thought about the dungeon, Sarolious'' boss room, and his appearance within it. There was nothing unfair about the dungeon that I had seen, and it would provide a challenge worthy of the area.


    I nodded to myself before addressing the trio. "Alright, everyone, I''m giving you the green light."


    "Yes!" Sarolious shouted. The girls jumped in place and clapped their hands. Excitement all around. "Thank you so much."


    "You''ll receive an official notice when the paperwork goes through. After that you can open the dungeon at your leisure. You can expect it in three to five business days." I held up a hand as Sarolious opened his mouth. "But I do highly recommend ditching the lights for something less obnoxious and adding to the space."


    Sarolious left the dais and walked towards me. "From the bottom of my shriveled heart, thank you, sir." He reached down with his hand. Sarolious towered over me, so he had to lean forward to do it.


    "It was my pleasure, Sarolious," I said. "I look forward to hearing the stories this dungeon will pump out."


    "Would you like an escort out?" He asked.


    "No need, it''s mostly linear. I''ll have no trouble finding my way. Goodbye and good luck." With a quick wave, I spun and started heading towards the door.


    Sarolious turned to the girls as I made my exit. "Okay! Let''s figure out what to do with this room. I''m thinking we need more basins. Thoughts?"


    As I walked through the dungeon, nodding my greetings at the minions as they lounged, my pocket started to vibrate. My Sending Stone. I pulled the thin, gray stone brick out and swiped my thumb in a swirling pattern before holding it up to my ear.


    "Dungeon Inspector Badger speaking," I answered.


    "How did things go with Falsavar?" The voice coming from the stone sounded like its owner chain smoked for a century and a half, and I immediately pictured the surly, aging dwarf that had been chief inspector since before I was born.


    "Chief Inspector Brackenhorst,¡± I greeted. ¡°I just finished up. Sarolious Falsavar has the green light, and I''m heading back to the inn now."


    "We''ll take care of the paperwork, I have another assignment for you not too far from where you''re at. Small town called Thatcher. Apparently, a new dungeon has popped up under a local tavern run by someone proclaiming themselves the Rat King."


    "Thatcher?" I asked. That was more than a half day''s ride out from where I was. "Surely there has to be someone closer? Wasn''t Kaelmourn out that way? He¡¯s got a few years under his belt, let him take care of the new dungeon."


    "Kaelmourn could do it," Brackenhorst agreed. He hesitated, which was something he didn''t do often. People like him preferred to barrel through their conversations with reckless abandon. I wasn''t looking forward to what was next. "But I really want you heading back to New Frausta once you''re done with the Rat King. I''ve got a subjugation coming up and the paperwork''s nearly done."


    "The proper paperwork this time?" I asked, frowning. "Because the last time you sent me to subjugate a dungeon I had to wait in the field for over a week for everything to be in order."


    The Chief snorted. "Yeah, everything''s going to be in order," he confirmed. "This one''s just... strange. We''re fast tracking it, which is why we''re pulling you back so soon. There is one more thing, though. I''m sending you to Thatcher but your assignment isn''t just the dungeon or the Rat King."


    Oh no, I thought, not liking the way he said that.


    "Your full assignment-" No, no, no."-is to keep track of the rookie. You''ll meet her there."


    "Just great," I sighed. "Just... fantastic."


    I hated rookie watch.

 Chapter 2 - Rookie

    After returning to Elease, the city closest to Sarolious'' latest dungeon, I had time for a quick nap and meal. The next wagon heading towards Thatcher would be leaving at dawn.


    I needed the time to cool down, anyway. Brackenhorst sticking me on rookie watch certainly ruined my whole day. More and more people trying to become dungeon inspectors have been retired adventurers. Some had been gems, of course - I came from adventurer stock myself before sliding into this role - but not all.


    The problem was that more than a few fell into the category ready to handle everything with force even though it was rarely the correct approach. It sullied people''s trust in the Department of Dungeons, which was something we couldn''t afford. I had been assured this rookie was not like that at all.


    Of course, that''s exactly what you would say to placate a disgruntled employee.


    I almost told him I was too old for this, but I stopped myself. Complaining to the chief wouldn''t get me anywhere on this. Leaving the small inn I had slept in, I headed towards the stables to meet my transport.


    The driver wasn''t much of a talker, which was fine. I spent the time watching people traveling the roads and, when civilization started tapering off, reading. We were making good progress, too. All efficiency, barely any gab. Five stars.


    We arrived at Thatcher a few hours before sundown. It was a quaint village, and didn¡¯t seem like a terrible place to settle down. The rest of the buildings in the area all had thatch roofing. It was easy to tell where they got the name from.


    I was dropped between a trio of solid wooden structures in the center of the village. These were the only buildings that had shingled roofs, and were much nicer than the rest. I spared a few extra coins to the driver who grunted in appreciation before riding off.


    Taking a look around, the first thing to catch my eye was the church. It was a well made building that obviously had a lot of care put into its construction, and seemed to be the home of worship to three deities. I could see signs of respect to Cheroske, the Goddess of Community, and Kartup, God of the Hunt.


    Based on the myriad gourds placed in front of the entrance, Thatcher was observing Takalaphor, which was a week-long holiday giving thanks to Takala, the Goddess of Harvest. Seeing these deities being worshiped told me a lot about the village and what values they held. It was obvious that the community was fairly tight knit.


    Beside the church was a two story manor. It was not large, but far more opulent than any surrounding buildings. I guessed this was the town hall. Finally, across from both of those, was the new dungeon. A hanging sign designated it as "Tavern - We Have Alcohol."


    "Charming," I muttered, and took a deep breath. Most of my frustration had seeped out over the long ride, but I was still irritated. Before hitting the tavern and finding the Rat King, I had to see the mayor to get the paperwork in order. As I started heading that way, a blonde mop leaned out of one of town hall¡¯s second story windows.


    "Are you Dungeon Inspector Badger?" the mop asked, the voice feminine and melodic with a slight drawl. I stopped and stared. She pulled back her hair to get a better look at me. Not a mop, an Elf. She looked young.


    This was the rookie.


    "Yes, I am Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I answered.


    "Exactly as described! Hold on, I''ll be down in a second!"


    The Elf pulled her head back in, said something to whoever was inside, and then jumped out of the window. I allowed an eyebrow to raise, but I made no effort to catch her. It turned out that she didn''t need it; she floated down to the ground only to land with a graceless stumble.


    She had long blonde hair, dark green eyes, and her pointed ears had a slight lift to them. Based on her tan skin and light dusting of freckles, I could tell that she was a Forest Elf. From her melodic, slightly drawling accent, it seemed likely that she was from Athir near the center of the continent.


    A dark purple mage''s robe, trimmed in yellow that matched her hair, flowed around her with a loose, comfortable fit. Yellow stars were tossed haphazardly onto the garment. At her waist was a simple wand made of rich red wood that dangled from a stitched-in holster. It seemed like it would be easy to snatch, but looks were always deceiving with mages.


    After my first look over, I met her eyes. They were definitely bright and, if she had a tail, it would have certainly been bushy. "Wizard?" I asked, my thoughts lingering on the wand. Certainly rude as we were just meeting, but I was still irritated.


    "Nosirree!" She said enthusiastically. "Star Sorceress."


    I swallowed, but only to keep myself from sighing. If she were a wizard, then I could have at least distracted her with a shiny new book for a while. You never knew what you were going to get with their spontaneous counterparts, the sorcerer. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "And you are?"


    The Elf stopped in front of me and took on a serious expression. She stood up straight and studied me. "Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae Anne Runelara, reporting for duty," she said before quickly adding, "Sir." Her unruly hair fell in front of her face again, but she ignored it.


    "Ferrisdae Anne Runelara," I said slowly, rolling it around. "And what do you go by?"


    "Oh, my friends call me Ferry," she responded, starting to relax.


    "And what do people who know you but aren''t friends call you?" I asked dryly.


    That caused her to stiffen, but she grinned down at me anyways. "Ferrisdae, if you''ve gotta," she answered. Chipper, that''s how I''d describe her. It wasn''t making my irritation go away. "Brack told me about you, you know."


    I raised an eyebrow. "Brack? That''s no way to address your boss."


    "No, it''s cool. I asked and he said it''s fine," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear to get it out of her face now that she was looking down at me. She was short, for an Elf. Barely breaching 5 feet if I had to wager a guess.


    ¡°I see,¡± I replied with a frown.


    "He said you were a cantankerous old coot, but if I managed to put up with you then I''ll become one of the best inspectors he''s got." I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off. "He also said, and I quote, it doesn''t do any good to butter up a molding bread roll."


    I stared at her. I didn''t want to give her the satisfaction of a reaction, so I switched gears. "I assume you already spoke with the mayor?"


    "Yes! Mayor Gerald Underson," Ferrisdae responded. She didn''t skip a beat. "According to him, there hasn''t been a dungeon in or near Thatcher for seven generations. It''s all very exciting. The blacksmith is getting ready to make armor and weapons for all the coming of age quests. Standard issue stuff."


    "As they should," I said. A dungeon here would, without a doubt, be a financial boon.


    "I''ve got all of the required signatures and forms filled out by the mayor. I was just waiting on you so that we could talk to the Rat King together. I did let the bartender, Frescan, know that we''ll be coming." She smiled down at me and offered her hand. "I''m very excited to be working with you, Mr. Badger."


    I eyed her hand and sighed. "You''re going to be an annoying ball of sunshine the whole time, aren''t you?" I asked. Regardless of my feelings, I was still a professional; I took her hand and shook it.


    "Obnoxiously so, sir," she said with a wink.


    "Pah," I exhaled, dropping my hand out of hers. "We should get in there. In my experience, kings don''t tend to like waiting whether they''re actual royalty or self proclaimed. I''ll let you do the talking, and I''ll chime in if I feel it''s necessary."


    "Yes sir!" She was still smiling. How could she stand it? "Oh, I''m so excited! My first time out, I can barely stand it!"


    "Wait, first time out?" I asked. A cold dread crept into my mind. "I know you''re a rookie, but you''re right out of training?"


    "That''s right!" Ferrisdae exclaimed as she stood up a little straighter. "I am the youngest junior inspector ever hired by the department at a Human equivalent age of 18." She leaned in a little bit, freeing her hair from her face, and brought her voice down to a stage whisper. "I''m only 124, isn''t that just insane?"


    "Teenager," I grunted sullenly. Over twice my age and still just a kid. "Insane is certainly one word for it."


    "I know!" Ferrisdae said, straightening up. Trying to curb her enthusiasm, she raised her hand to her mouth and gave a small cough. "We should go in right now, right? We should, I think. Let''s go in."


    Waving my arm in the direction of the tavern, I indicated that we should, in fact, go. She squealed. Squealed! But she ran to the tavern door and stopped to compose herself.


    I looked around. Plenty of the locals were staring at us. The mayor was looking down from the second floor, a balding old Half-Elf by the looks of him, and I gave him a small wave. He waved back, grinning. I suppose this would have been an interesting event to the people so far removed from civilization.


    We entered the aptly named Tavern together. Like the town, the inside was rather rustic. The bar looked like it was made of a single piece of wood, which was impressive as it had to be at least 25 feet long. The alcohol selection on the wall seemed varied, but upon closer inspection it turned out that there were several repeats spread out to make it look more impressive than it was. A stove could be seen through the door between the stairs and the bar, and a balcony let those upstairs see the main room.


    The tables and chairs were well made. By hand if the little imperfections in each one would be believed. Sometimes magic woodsmiths would do that and claim they did it manually for higher labor costs, though. Opposite the stairs was an unlit fireplace and a small stage in the corner. Hanging on the wall was the head of a rather large, though not direly so, moose. No doubt a wonderful trophy in this neck of the woods.


    Finally, my eyes settled on the table in front of the stuffed moose head. Ferrisdae was already halfway there, of course. At the table sat a middle aged Human man with leathery, sun-kissed skin and slashes of gray in his dark hair. He stood up to greet Ferrisdae as I approached the table.


    "This is Dungeon Inspector Badger. Mr. Badger, this is Frescan," Ferrisdae introduced. We shook hands and the three of us sat at the table. There were a few empty cups and a large loaf of bread on a plate.


    "It''s very nice to meet you, Inspector Badger," Frescan said. "As requested, I brought up the Rat King for you." He reached for the loaf of bread and picked it up, revealing a hollowed out interior and a crowned rat.


    I investigated the "Rat King" before us. It appeared to be a regular rat. Well fed, based on its round belly, but that didn''t make it special. Its crown, though¡­ I realized it wasn''t a crown. Instead, it looked like the rim of a mug that had been broken, with glass jutting out randomly.


    Frescan looked at the rat to us. "Sorry, Krad always gets sleepy after a big meal," he explained. Then he started poking it. "C''mon, Krad, those guests for your dungeon are here."


    I mouthed the name, Rat King Krad. That was something new. The rat did start stirring as his belly was prodded.


    "Who dares awaken the Rat King?" he said with a high-pitched squeal. He didn¡¯t even bother opening his eyes.

 Chapter 3 - Rat King

    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other before I gestured towards the talking rat. I had told her that she had the lead on this one. Nodding to me, she cleared her throat again before smiling down at Krad.


    "Hello, your majesty," the Elf greeted. She was hunched over in her chair so she was on his level. "It''s an honor to meet you. My name is Ferrisdae, but you can call me Ferry. My associate is Badger. We''re from the Department of Dungeons."


    The rat gasped, eyes flying open. He looked back and forth between the two of us rapidly before attempting to roll onto his feet. After a short struggle that made it clear he wasn¡¯t going to succeed on his own, Frescan helped him up. "You have answered my summons!" Krad exclaimed. "This was much faster than I had been told!"


    "Well, your majesty, your case is a very special one," Ferrisdae explained. "There hasn¡¯t been a dungeon in Thatcher for over a century and a half. We were very curious."


    "Thatcher?" Krad repeated. "Ah, yes! The land outside of my kingdom. I cannot wait to conquer it!"


    "He gets really excited sometimes," Frescan said. "He hasn''t even tried to leave because I keep feeding him when he comes up."


    "Frescan! You cannot just say that about your liege!" Krad looked back at Ferrisdae. "I annexed this kingdom, Tavern, not long ago during my first expansion, but the transfer of power has not gone as smoothly as I hoped. Frescan does still pay me tribute, so I allow him his life."


    "You''re very well spoken," Ferrisdae started. "I haven''t met any of your kind that can speak, how did it happen?"


    "Ah, you are right to be amazed by me. Let me regale you with the tale," Krad said as he stood up straighter and cleared his throat. "Once upon a time, roughly a month and a half ago, a wizard came to this kingdom of Tavern for its food and drink. Then, I ate that wizard and became the powerful Rat King Krad!"


    "Oh my, a whole wizard?" Ferrisdae asked. I could tell from her tone that she was enjoying herself.


    "Er, almost right, Krad," Frescan chuckled before looking at Ferrisdae. "A wizard did come through, but he was in a hurry. He had a quick meal and dashed right out, leaving his spellbook. He was already gone by the time I noticed, so I threw it in the kitchen. A week later he was back, and when I retrieved it for him, it was all chewed through. The wizard was pissed. Raving mad, really, but after he left Krad came up from the cellar and started yelling about taking over my kingdom."


    "You should have seen his face, Ferry, it was hilarious," Krad claimed.


    "I''m sure it was," Ferrisdae said with a smile. She looked at me, a question in her gaze. I shrugged.


    It was rare, but a familiar could retain its sentience after its spellcaster died. If the wizard had a dungeon then it wasn''t unheard of that the familiar takes over depending on a number of factors. To gain sentience and power by eating a spellbook, though? This was new territory for everyone. It was a strange feeling, being surprised by something new like this. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about it.


    "So, tell me about this Department of Dungeons and how it can help me in my conquests," the Rat King demanded.


    "Of course, let me start off with what we do," Ferrisdae said as she sat up straight. Her demeanor shifted slightly. ¡°The Department of Dungeons is in charge of, as you can guess, dungeons. It¡¯s not wrong to say that our economy relies heavily on them. People like yourself create the dungeons, adventurers dive into those dungeons, and the spoils they come out with are introduced to the market.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that seems like that¡¯s no way to run a kingdom''s finances,¡± Krad said. He looked up at Frescan. ¡°Perhaps I should move up the hostile takeover of Thatcher.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just let the pretty miss talk, Krad,¡± Frescan said. He reached out and stroked the rat¡¯s back. Krad allowed it.


    Ferrisdae beamed and continued. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course. It is a fine line that¡¯s walked every day, but the crystals that they can gather in dungeons power a lot of magical items from weapons and armors all the way to some of the vehicles used for long distance travel. They¡¯re paid very well for each, and that money often goes back into the economy for food, smithing services,¡± she gestured to the second floor. ¡°Lodging. Then it¡¯s all spent again. I¡¯ll be the first to admit that it¡¯s not a perfect system, but the merchants and nobles who have prospered off of it for years are unwilling to see it pass.¡±


    ¡°I see, I see,¡± Krad said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what constitutes a dungeon. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not as knowledgeable about my kingdom as I would like to appear, though if you tell anyone, I will deny it vehemently and find you for revenge.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, your majesty,¡± she responded. ¡°There are many ways to make a dungeon. Most are made on purpose with ritual magic or magical items, but some are made spontaneously based on a deep desire, others slowly form around a powerful center over the course of time. Though that method is usually most common with dragons, there are other powerful beasts that have done the same.¡±


    ¡°That must be what happened!¡± Krad exclaimed. ¡°My dungeon formed around me, the powerful beast at its center!¡±


    ¡°If I may be able to speculate, and this is just an educated guess as I don¡¯t remember a case like this before, but the creation of your dungeon is likely tied to the spellbook,¡± Ferrisdae said, trying not to put a damper on Krad¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°There might have been a ritual for a dungeon inside, and during your transformation into the Rat King the spell may have been triggered.¡±


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. That sounded like the most likely theory, but also an alarming one. Dungeon rituals were a heavily guarded secret due to how lucrative they could be. If some wizard was walking around with it in a spellbook and left it lying around, things could get dangerous very quickly. Krad seemed harmless in the long run, but it could have ended up in worse hands.


    ¡°So I open my kingdom to the outside world, they come and try to plunder my treasure, and what do I get out of it?¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°Power, fame, and wealth. One of the most powerful effects of a dungeon is that the owner of a dungeon is functionally immortal while inside of it. That would be the best way to put it. Outside of the dungeon you are powerful, yes, but inside you¡¯ll revive if you¡¯re killed. You would take the position of being a boss monster."


    ¡°I like the immortality part of it, but I can¡¯t say I care much for assassins coming for my throne,¡± Krad said dubiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable, but having your own dungeon makes you stronger by the virtue of, well, having one.¡± As Ferrisdae continued explaining, I found myself nodding along more and more. I had to admit, she knew her stuff. ¡°As you go through the process and accumulate experience, you can make your dungeon larger, gain more minions, and make yourself more powerful. Once you pass a certain threshold of power you''ll even be able to shape your dungeon according to your whims. Eventually, you may even become too strong for this area and get to upgrade to a larger dungeon."


    Krad tilted his head. ¡°What does that mean, too strong for this area?¡±


    ¡°Thatcher and the surrounding villages are what we consider low level areas. You head outside into the woods, you¡¯re likely to come across boars, snakes, bears. A moose like that,¡± she gestured to the mounted head, "could be the most powerful thing out there. If it had a dungeon, Thatcher would be almost perfect as a starter zone. In higher level forested areas you may run into fairies both benevolent and malevolent, Treants, Dryads, and the like. You would select a minion to inherit this dungeon if you wanted to go and create a larger one. We would be able to help facilitate that for you.¡±


    The rat seemed to be contemplating. It seemed as though he was understanding at least some of the things that were being thrown at him. By the way he spoke and acted, I didn¡¯t think it odd for him to retain some of the information that had been in the spellbook he consumed. That knowledge seemed spotty at best, however.


    ¡°But what makes the Department of Dungeons relevant?¡± Krad asked. ¡°What do you do?¡±


    ¡°We help dungeon owners like you by facilitating contracts between yourself and minion unions, schools, and dungeon builders if needed. Our main job is to make sure that dungeons live up to the levels relevant for the zones they¡¯re in so that adventurers don''t get killed due to unfair circumstances," Ferrisdae explained. "Let¡¯s say that you were a wizard capable of casting mighty spells and you set up your dungeon under this very tavern. You would be vastly overpowered, right? At most here you¡¯d find a ranger that¡¯s just starting out, and most who will be delving are going to be fresh faced adventurers. We would have to either relocate you or destroy your dungeon.¡±


    ¡°You can destroy dungeons?¡± Krad asked, eyes wide. His tail began to twitch nervously.


    ¡°We can,¡± Ferrisdae said with a nod. ¡°But we try not to. If you are that powerful then you¡¯d have to appoint a proxy boss to fight for you in your place so that the dungeon¡¯s expectations match up. Generally, that will come with compensation from us in one form or another to make up for the inexperienced adventurers coming through until we relocate you."


    ¡°Then is the opposite true?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re still that mighty wizard, but your dungeon is in a dense jungle far from civilization. The general level of the area is higher than you, but you want to make it work. If we can¡¯t convince you to head to a safer location, then we try to help raise the general level of your dungeon by providing expertise and materials, sometimes monsters. This is generally inadvisable, though. Adventurers tend to continue hitting dungeons like those over and over again in a process we call farming. The area ensures that there¡¯s plenty of magic for the dungeon to feast on, creating more magic crystals than there would be elsewhere. They¡¯re easy to grab because the overall power level is low. Does that make sense?¡±


    Krad nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in, but I think I¡¯ve got enough of it for now.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Ferrisdae said, clapping her hands together. She had to move her hair out of her face again. ¡°If there¡¯s no more questions, shall we go look at your dungeon and see if it¡¯s up to code?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I, the Rat King Krad, formally invite Inspector Ferry and her servant boy Budger to my dungeon kingdom, Ratopolis.¡± Krad swept into a low bow.


    Ferrisdae stifled a laugh and glanced in my direction. Budger, she mouthed. I tried to ignore her glee at the rat¡¯s unintended slight. Certainly, I didn¡¯t expect it to remember something like my name after I hadn¡¯t said anything this whole conversation. Especially after being hit by that wall of exposition.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ferrisdae giggled. ¡°Come, Budger. We have a kingdom to peruse.¡±


    I swallowed again. She wasn¡¯t going to get the satisfaction of an exasperated reaction. It didn¡¯t seem to matter either way, she was giggling like a madwoman regardless of how much disdain I conveyed.


    Damned kids.

 Chapter 4- Dungeon

    Ferrisdae and I followed the lumbering rat to the kitchen where the stairs to the cellar were. Despite my stony demeanor, Ferrisdae could not contain her laughter. That stopped the moment she stepped on the stairs.


    I felt it too, once I started descending. A familiar, unwelcome feeling tickled the back of my mind. That was a staple of dungeon magic that we called the DTER: the Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response. It affected everyone differently, but it functioned as a built-in warning that the place they were entering was dangerous and kept those intruding alert.


    Back when I first started delving into dungeons I had hated the feeling of it, like dread wrapped in anxiety. Now it just felt natural. Ferrisdae had to shake her head to brush off the feeling, then fixed her hair again.


    Sighing, I reached inside my jacket. Stitched into the lining was a Dimensional Pocket, and from it I pulled a simple black hair tie.


    "Here," I said. Ferrisdae turned around and looked surprised at the offering. Her eyes flicked from the hair tie to the short brown hair atop my head. Her eyes damn near twinkled. I already knew what she was going to ask, and I nipped it. "Do you want it or not?"


    The Elf snatched it from my hand, grinning, and immediately started putting her hair in a ponytail. "Aww," she said. "You''re a big softy, aren''t you?"


    I leveled my best scowl at her. "Do you know what happens to hair when it gets caught in a trap or hazardous mechanism?" She opened her mouth, but I spoke over whatever she was going to say. "You lose the scalp the hair is attached to. Ripped clean off. Your hair doesn''t grow back even after a healer gets to you. I''d rather not report back to the chief with a hairless rookie. You''re welcome."


    Ferrisdae seemed sufficiently chastised. "Thank you, sir," she said. Based on the way she took the rest of the stairs two at a time with light steps, I didn''t think my scowl had the effect I wanted.


    I reached the bottom of the creaky wooden stairs and joined Ferrisdae in scrutinizing the room. This one was exactly what you would expect from a tavern''s cellar. Bottles lined the shelves hanging on the stone wall over stacked casks. A cold box sat against the wall opposite that, no doubt filled with meat for the kitchen. If Krad had malevolent intentions, this could have been much worse for Frescan.


    "Come on out, my loyal subjects!" Krad called from the middle of the room. At his command, rats started popping their heads out from behind the tallest stack of casks. A few at first, then a dozen. The rats kept pouring out until the room was half full of them. Two exceedingly large rats, definitely dire rats, came plodding out last, climbing and resting atop the casks. None of them moved to attack, but waited calmly. "These are those dungeon guys I was telling you about."


    The rats started talking amongst themselves at that. Not in our language, of course, but it was obvious the dungeon was imparting some kind of intelligence to them. Some dungeon rituals would do that, but it was incredibly rare for a spontaneous dungeon to grant its denizens some form of higher intelligence.


    "I''m thinking¡­ two large swarms," Ferrisdae said after having taken a rough estimate of the sheer number of rats before us.


    "Swarm size categories are hard to eyeball starting off," I told her. "I''d say one large, then either a medium or two small sized. Big, but not considered large."


    Ferrisdae''s swept over the rats one more time, and gave me a nod. "Hello, everyone," she said, stepping forward. "Please let me be the first to congratulate you all on the making of this dungeon. This will be a big first step for everyone here." The rats cheered.


    "Now, we''re not here to step on anyone''s toes," Ferrisdae continued. "We''re just here to help his majesty the Rat King set up this dungeon to everyone''s standard. We''ll help with the initial layout with suggestions, your king will have some time to set things up, and once a representative comes back for final checks we should be able to open your dungeon to the public. You''re going to be a lot of people''s first dungeon, so you have a lot to be proud of."


    A cacophony of squeaks erupted at her words as the rats cheered again. After a few moments, Krad lifted his hands and the crowd settled down. "Thank you, wise official. Do you want to give your suggestions first? Or can I tell you what I have planned?" he asked. The rat was trembling with excitement.


    "We''d love to hear your thoughts, your majesty," Ferrisdae said with a small curtsy. She showed more respect to Krad now that we were in front of his subjects.


    "Yes!" Krad yelled. He scurried up one of the casks to be with the dire rats. "Alright, so imagine, you open up the cellar and come down the stairs. You know there''s rats, and you descend slowly, keeping an eye out. You hit the stone floor, and that''s the cue for Sasha," he gestured to the larger of the two dire rats beside him. "To climb onto the cold box. Make it look like she was trying to get in.


    "You and Sasha lock eyes, and she bellows a war cry. The two of you start fighting. That signals Rat Pack 1 to come out of the crawlspace behind these casks and join the fight. With me so far?" Krad asked.


    Ferrisdae nodded. "A dire rat and a swarm is a classic encounter. You also leave a hint on where to go after the fight with the Rat Pack''s entrance. Approved."


    Another round of cheerful squeaks. "Excellent, then let''s go deeper. You''ll have to move the casks here in the corner." Krad jumped down behind the stack.


    Ferrisdae looked at me, but I just gestured onwards. We started moving towards the casks, the rats parting to avoid our feet. I watched as the rookie moved the casks and set them down beside her. They didn''t seem heavy. One fell to the floor and rang hollow. That was considerate; there was no chance of accidentally destroying Frescan''s stock.


    The crawlspace was revealed. It was roughly two and a half feet both tall and wide. I could crouch, one of the many benefits of being a Halfling, but Ferrisdae was going to have to crawl through. She knelt down to get a better view of the small tunnel.


    It looked like a dirt tunnel, the inside dark, but there was light at the end of the tunnel, perhaps 30 feet away. The floor was riddled with parchment scraps, empty bottles, and what appeared to be chicken and pig bones. Hidden amongst the trash was a tripwire. I followed it with my eyes to the shelf above the hole. It was meant to drop full bottles onto whoever was careless enough not to check. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Ferrisdae hummed, tapping her chin. "Hmm¡­" She started, staring at the tripwire. "That''s a bit difficult to see for a first dungeon, let alone right at the beginning. A rogue or ranger has a decent shot of finding it, but not everyone would be so lucky." I nodded along.


    ¡°What do those mean?¡± Krad asked. ¡°Rogue or ranger?¡±


    ¡°For adventurers, they typically fall into broad categories that we call classes,¡± Ferrisdae explained. ¡°This helps keep things that are usually chaotic stay ordered. A rogue is someone who specializes in stealth and dexterous expertise, like disabling traps. A ranger is someone who gets along well in the wilderness, and learns abilities to help bolster that.


    ¡°Barbarians, fighters, and paladins are some of the other martial classes. Instead of spells, like that wizard who left the spellbook or a druid, they have access to powerful techniques called Martial Arts. Like spells, they have varied effects like devastating attacks, reinforcing their armor or bodies, or special movement options. Too many to list, really.


    ¡°I am a sorceress,¡± Ferrisdae said as she started winding down. ¡°I use magic that I naturally know. I can¡¯t learn spells like a wizard can, but I also don¡¯t have to consult a spellbook whenever I want to prepare magic for the day. This explanation does throw a very wide net. There are specializations inside of each class, and there are more class categorizations, too. I can go into more details, if you like.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I think I¡¯ve got it,¡± Krad said unconvincingly. He lowered his head in thought for a few moments, then looked back at Ferrisdae. "For the trap, what do you recommend?"


    The rat was humble in matters he wasn''t sure of. That was a nice change of pace for a self-proclaimed king.


    "Two things come to mind," Ferrisdae responded. "You can either remove some of the trash here, make it easier to see, or you can remove or empty some of the bottles meant to fall so it does less damage. Dungeons are meant to be challenging, but fair."


    Krad nodded. "I understand. We''ll get that fixed after the tour. The second room is halfway through." He turned and disappeared down the tunnel.


    Ferrisdae hesitated, but only for a moment. She got onto her hands and knees and began crawling. I hunched over and followed her. The trash was graciously pushed aside for me by the rookie, giving me a clear path.


    In the middle of the tunnel was a small dome. I could stand up straight, but Ferrisdae could only crouch. Four holes led to small alcoves. "This is where Rat Pack 2 will be stationed," Krad explained. "Once they get to the Nest here, they can check the holes if they want to, we have coins in some of them so it''s worth sticking an arm through. Rat Pack 2 will come out regardless, fight for a few rounds, then escape under the cellar stairs."


    "It''s too short," Ferrisdae said, indicating the ceiling. "I do like the setup, but rooms like this have to be at least a standard 4 feet tall."


    "Why?" Krad asked.


    "Because swarms are notoriously difficult to take on with melee weapons," she explained. "We try to give the medium size adventurers a little more room to swing while still keeping it difficult. I do appreciate that the Rat Pack only spends a short time as a danger before fleeing, though. And the treasure, of course. Feel free to let them fight longer against small sized adventurers."


    Stroking his chin, Krad looked thoughtful. "Okay," he said. "Understood. Fix the bottle trap and expand this room. Any other notes?"


    "No more for this room."


    "Then let me show you my throne!" Krad yelled. His excitement had officially reached its crescendo. Unfortunately for me, Ferrisdae fed off of that. She, too, let out a cheer as she resumed the crawl.


    The final room was lit by natural light. I glanced up, seeing the darkening sky above through planks of wood. It looked like we were underneath some kind of open air structure.


    "You''re not worried about adventurers sneaking in from above?" Ferrisdae asked.


    Krad looked up. "Nope. Frescan said there was a gazebo up there; a monument to the kingdom of Thatcher. Anyone breaking it would be severely punished."


    We both nodded and continued our sweep. A large pile of empty bottles and refuse sat in one of the corners opposite the tunnel, but I could see a few glints of metal and gold inside. It would take some digging but, as far as treasure hoards went, I had seen worse.


    Cushions and cloth scraps littered the floor. It was easy to tell that this was where they slept. Despite the ventilation, the smell of rats hung heavy in the surprisingly large throne room.


    The throne itself sat to the wall left of the tunnel opening, as if to watch over both the treasure and the tunnel. It was a rocking chair. Well made, but the fat rat was having some trouble climbing on it due to his potbelly. He finished his scramble before we finished investigating.


    "Behold!" Krad said. He spread his arms out wide. "My throne."


    We beheld at his behest. He was practically sinking into the cushion. Ferrisdae gave a small clap. "Let me guess, you''ll be here on the throne, the other dire rat will be¡­ on these cushions here, and Rat Pack 3 will be dispersed until they enter. The smell will cause some form of distraction or sickening." She looked at the king. "Did I get it?"


    Krad nodded. "Most of it. Some of the Rat Pack will be scouting the tunnel to see what the commotion is about, then come back. I''m not sure what you mean by smell, though. Smells normal to me."


    Ferrisdae opened her mouth to speak against the assertion, but I knocked a hand on her leg, shaking my head slightly. The smell was light enough that it probably wouldn''t sway an encounter. Probably.


    The elf stared at me like she wanted to argue, but let it go. I''d explain it to her later. She turned her attention back to Krad. "Similar to the first room, but with a boss battle. So what about you, your majesty? What''s your most powerful attack?"


    "Thanks to the wizard I ate, I''ve gained magic powers!"


    "Oh, that''s simply wonderful!" Ferrisdae said. She pulled her wand from where it was hanging on her hip. It detached easily. "As I said before, I¡¯m a sorceress, myself. Please, cast your highest level spell at me."


    "Are¡­ are you sure?" Krad asked nervously. All of the bravado had left his voice. "I don''t want to hurt you or anything."


    Ferrisdae smiled at the suddenly bashful rat king. It was kind of cute, I guess. "Please, I insist. I have plenty of potions in case I get hurt."


    "Okay¡­ If you''re sure¡­" Krad stood up on his hind legs. His hands waved, fingers wiggling, and he squeaked loudly. Two shimmering orbs of force unerringly flew from his hands towards Ferrisdae. Magic Missile.


    The elf didn''t miss a beat, she intercepted the missiles with her wand, dissolving them as their magic was undone and leaving her completely unharmed. "Very nice, your majesty," she praised. "Low level caster, dire rat, and a swarm. Tough, but not unbalanced."


    I nodded along, noting that she didn¡¯t bring up the smell this time. The warning that there was one last swarm sealed it to me. Three swarms was rough, but that could be hinted at so smart adventurers could prepare.


    "So it''s approved?" Krad asked hopefully.


    "Very close to it. Once those changes are made and you''re given clearance after a final check, certainly." Ferrisdae gave Krad a thumbs up. "You''ll have a couple weeks to do the alterations."


    "Huzzah!" Krad yelled. He started scrambling off his chair and made a beeline towards his loyal subjects in the first room. "We got it! We got it!"


    Ferrisdae and I were left in the throne room. She looked at the ceiling. "You know, this smell will really suck for anyone trying to enjoy the gazebo."


    I looked up at the ceiling as well, then nodded. "Yup."

 Chapter 5 - Aftermath

    The rooms Frescan gave us for the night were surprisingly nice for an establishment in the middle of nowhere where the name was just what it was. The human sized bed was plush and spacious, and our host had even brought up a bar stool so I would be comfortable writing at the desk.


    The whole inn was reserved for us and Krad. A bold move but, as an official quest giver, Frescan would be making no small amount from the Rat King''s dungeon. He could afford it, and those in town that knew what was going on didn''t mind. They''d be rolling in coins, too. Dungeons were known to shock economies into new life.


    Another round of applause followed a holler and the rushing crackle of magically conjured flames. I had given Ferrisdae the night off since she had done most of the work in the dungeon. That would leave me with the paperwork, which I didn''t mind. It was calming. It made sense to me. I looked it over one more time.


    Kingdom of the Rat King, Ratopolis


    Recommended party size: 1-2.


    Boss level: Low.


    Boss race: Rat.


    Boss category: Animal, Spellcaster.


    Dungeon type: Reoccurring.


    Repeatable: Yes.


    Location: Under "Tavern" in Thatcher.


    Primary quest giver: Frescan, tavern proprietor.


    Status: Second check in 2 weeks.


    That''s what I wrote on my Sending Stone, anyway. The record keepers at the DoD would file the basics and I would add the rest of the documents once I got back to headquarters.


    I rolled the parchment detailing the dungeon and Ferrisdae''s talk with the mayor and secured it in a scroll case. Setting it off to the side, I grabbed the next scroll. Now it was time for a map. While most inspectors were poor artists and absolutely hated cartography, I always said they shouldn''t shirk their responsibility and needed to practice more. A poor dungeon map could be a dangerous thing in the wrong circumstances.


    I switched quills to one better suited for drawing and produced a thick, flat stick from my cartographer''s kit. Not a single detail of the floor plan was out of place in my head. I began, adding every little thing from the amount of casks, where and what the trap was, even drawing out the individual pillows on the ground from the throne room.


    By the time I switched to an even finer quill to dig into what some would call unnecessarily deep details, I heard someone stumbling up the stairs. Someone light, but stomping nonetheless. Ferrisdae. She had been with Frescan and Krad downstairs, celebrating a fine first mission with all you could drink booze and, from the sounds of it, drunk casting.


    Her footsteps stopped right outside my door. I hesitated, holding the tip of my quill in the ink. Then, as I feared, she stumbled into my room. We locked eyes and I had to stop myself from laughing. Her entire face, from her neck to the tips of her ears, was bright red. She looked like a tomato covered in hay.


    "Budger," Ferrisdae slurred. She was having trouble keeping her voice a consistent pitch. Her head tilted as she leaned against the door frame. "Badger. Badger, Badger, Badger. Hi"


    "Hello," I responded, failing to keep my amusement out of my voice. "Yes, I am Badger."


    She paused. "I''m gonna come in."


    "Please don''t, your room is next- okay, sure, come on in." Ferrisdae shuffled to the bed despite my protest and sat down. I got a huge whiff of what she had been drinking; if she thought Krad''s throne room would sicken adventurers, she wasn''t ready for the morning.


    "Badger, I gotta ask you a question and you gotta answer it, okay?" She said, leaning against the bed''s footboard. "Ya gotta."


    I raised an eyebrow at her. "I''ll wait to hear the question before accepting that my answer is inevitable, thank you."


    "You''re welcome," she said without hesitation, like a reflex. "I just got off the Stone with Brack and-"


    "The chief called? You answered like this?" Adrenaline and panic rushed through me at the thought of a drunk teenager trying to report all of this to the chief.


    "No, no, no," she giggled, waving a hand dismissively. My nerves began to calm. "I called him."


    I rested my face in my hand. "Okay, so you called the boss while drunk. Great. Did he say anything important?" I was no longer amused. She wouldn''t be so calm if it hadn''t gone well though, I reasoned. Probably something dwarf related.


    "He said congrats and to have another drink for him." Her eyes widened and she scooted forward. "I gotta go have another drink. For the boss man."


    "You already had enough, Ferrisdae," I chided. "Anything actually important?"


    "Oh yeah, I did drink a lot, didn''t I?" She leaned back against the footboard and tapped her chin. "Something important."


    "Or everything important. Frankly, I''d settle for anything important."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Ferrisdae shook her head, then nodded. "He said we gotta come back to headquarters in New Frausta. Something important, he couldn''t talk about it over stone."


    "He mentioned something about getting a subjugation fast tracked the last time I spoke to him," I told her before looking up, thinking about the route we''d have to take to get back to base. "I guess we''ll have to take a wagon back to Elease and hook up with a caravan back to New Frausta. Shouldn''t take more than four days. Anything else?"


    "Something else? Yeah! There was a question." Her face lit up as she pointed at the table I was sitting at. "Why are you acting so mean?"


    That caused me to sigh. It was practically a reflex at this point. "Acting? Ferrisdae, I am mean," I claimed.


    "Nuh uh. I told Brack what you did and what you said and he said you were a big softy and I knew that when you gave me the hair tie that I lost and I don''t know where it is." Ferrisdae took a deep breath after that. I glanced at her head; sure enough, it was still keeping her hair in a ponytail.


    "That''s okay," I told her. "I''m sure it''ll turn up. Would you like to return to your room and go to sleep? I still have more work to do."


    "You''ve done enough work," she pouted. "Come and drink with me. Frescan already went to bed and Krad''s a loaf of bread again."


    I scowled at her. A quick goodnight would have been fine. This was just annoying. "How about this," I said. "I''m going to keep working, but I''ll talk with you while I do it, okay? But no more drinking, you''re already going to have a killer hangover."


    "Deal!" Ferrisdae said with a nod so exaggerated she nearly threw herself back on the bed. She shrugged off her mage''s robes, revealing much more comfortable purple and yellow garb for exploring dungeons. "Whatcha want to talk about?"


    I spun on my bar stool and pulled the quill from the inkwell before speaking. "Why don''t you tell me why you wanted to join the Department of Dungeons?" That should keep her talking for a while.


    "Cause I wanted ta." I raised an eyebrow, but she continued without further prompting. "Why I gotta tell you about me when you don''t tell me about you?"


    "Fine," I said. I pretended to give in; she''d be too sleepy to care soon. "You tell me, and I''ll tell you. Fair?"


    "Yeah, good deal," she said. "I joined the DoD because my family sucks."


    "Mmhmm. Family trouble?"


    "No, they''re amazing and I love them. Even Cairosin, even if he''s a little demon toddler. I mean, c''mon, you''re 32, you aren''t gonna die walking through the dark to use the toilet."


    I chose to ignore that. "I''m confused, Ferrisdae, because you told me they suck. Just now." The words flowed from my mouth, but I was hardly paying attention. This treasure hoard wasn''t going to draw itself.


    "You don''t understand, Badger!" She whined. "I''m a prodigy. I could do whatever I wanted. Be an adventurer, an adjudicator, an accountant, and other things that start with the letter A, probably."


    At the very least, I was impressed that she managed to slur her way through the word adjudicator. "So, too controlling?"


    "Not even! They were too supportive! I could do whatever I wanted and they''d say they believe in me. Never coddled like Cairosin, but he''s the baby so it''s cool."


    I couldn''t help it, I sighed. This damn girl. "That sounds horrible. Just ghastly," I said as dryly as I could.


    "Yeah, yeah," Ferrisdae said. I heard her settle in on my bed. "Yeah¡­"


    The room became quiet. I could clearly hear every scritch and scratch of quill and parchment as well as her slowing breath. "I''m in it for the money," I said softly.


    "Hmm? Whatcha say?"


    "I said goodnight, Ferrisdae."


    "Call me Ferry¡­" She said before interrupting herself with a snore. That got a chortle out of me. An Elf snoring.


    I worked for another half an hour or so before I deemed the map was up to my standards. The Quickdry Stone that I used from my cartographer''s kit completely dried the ink and I rolled it up to put it away.


    Turning around, I frowned at Ferrisdae. She was half sitting, half laying on the bed and its footboard. That really couldn''t be comfortable, but I remembered being young. Relatively, in this case. The youth could sleep anywhere.


    I couldn''t just leave her like this. Well, I could, but it didn''t sit right with me. After taking off her boots, I rolled her so that she was actually laying in the bed. It was easy even though I was small compared to her. Elves were surprisingly light, though I suppose she was also small by their standards. I readjusted her pillow and covered her with her robe. She clutched it immediately.


    "Big softy Badger," she murmured.


    "No, this is just a dream," I told her. She nodded and began snoring again.


    I tossed a baleful glance at the cases full of paperwork. Fatigue rushed over me and I stifled a yawn. It could be dealt with tomorrow. I left my room and went to Ferrisdae''s, changing into night clothes. I fell asleep quickly after my head hit the oversized pillow.


    ******


    "Wakey, wakey!"


    The cheerful voice roused me from my slumber, and I turned towards the wall. "Gimme another hour, Tabs," I murmured through my foggy mind.


    The door opened and closed again as she entered. The room was filled with the smell of eggs and meat. That started waking me up. "Wow, the great Inspector Badger is not a morning person. Who could have guessed?"


    My eyes fluttered open, trying to get used to the light pouring through the window. I turned my head to see Ferrisdae standing by the table holding a plate of food. "Why do you keep barging into my room?" I grumbled.


    "If you don''t want breakfast, I-"


    "I didn''t say that." Slowly, I started to turn the rest of my body. Even more slowly, I swung my feet off of the bed. Ferrisdae continued to smile at me, and I squinted at her. "Why aren''t you dying?"


    She barked a laugh. "I was when I woke up. Then I fixed it." I kept staring at her. Probably scowling, it was hard to tell this early. "I took a hangover potion to get rid of it."


    "Bah. Don''t let the chief hear you admitting that," I said. "Crazy Dwarf thinks hangovers are things to be earned and worn like a badge of honor. He once took on this legendary Orcish bar crawl, and I don''t know if you know about Orc alcohol but it''s basically nothing that should be consumed by any living thing. He made it to the end, leaving four dozen drinkers crashed behind him, and fell into a coma for seven days. Woke up with a hangover that lasted another¡­ two¡­"


    I was suddenly aware of Ferrisdae''s grin. Bright eyes, bushy tail. "... What?"


    "You get really chatty in the morning," she sang. "Can''t help yourself, can you?"


    I groaned and waved her towards the door. "Just go. Leave the food and go bother Frescan or Krad."


    "Sure thing, Badger," she said. As she was leaving she stopped in the doorway and looked back at me. "And don''t think we''re leaving behind last night''s conversation. I''ve got a lot to explain, and so do you. I''m also very interested to hear about this Tabs person."


    She shut the door just in time to avoid the pillow flying at her face. I could hear her laughing even after she descended the stairs.

 Chapter 6 - Bardic Timing

    After eating and saying goodbye to Frescan and Krad, I attempted to discuss travel arrangements with Ferrisdae. Attempted because it turned out that she could conjure transportation with magic.


    The Skymirror Carriage was a powerful spell that conjured animals and an enclosed wagon. As the name suggested, it mirrored the sky, which was a bright blue with few clouds sprinkled about. The carriage matched that, and even changed to a fluffy white color as we passed underneath those clouds.


    The animals, a pair of astral horses, were beautiful creatures. I was enamored with them at first because I could see the stars moving along their hide and could even pick out a few constellations. My attention wasn¡¯t on them for long, however.


    I''d like to say that I was a rock. Completely incapable of flinching in the raging torrent that was Ferrisdae''s sunny disposition. That I fended off all of her attempts to return to that conversation at Tavern. Her cheerful demeanor and persistence annoyed me. That''s the story I was selling myself, anyway.


    I''d like to say that, but it wouldn¡¯t have been completely true..


    Thankfully, my Sending Stone started to vibrate. I waved Ferrisdae off and brought it to my ear. "Dungeon Inspector Badger speaking."


    "Hello, Badger," Brackenhorst responded. My eyes flicked to Ferrisdae, who was staring at me, and then to the road.


    "Chief Inspector Brackenhorst, I am en route to New Frausta now with Ferrisdae."


    "I had hoped so, and did she cast her Skymirror Carriage spell? And are you currently on the Old Queen''s Road?"


    I scowled. These kinds of calls were pure torture. "Yes to the carriage, no to the road. I directed her to Calis Pass because I wanted more traveled roads to avoid roaming monsters so we could get back faster." Ferrisdae gave me a questioning look and started pulling out a map of the area. I shook my head at her.


    Brackenhorst barked a laugh. "You know it''s no use lying to me, Badger, you never practiced enough to pull the wool over my eyes," he said. "We''ve got word that there''s a strike in progress by workers of the Green Union. They don''t have anyone they can send right now, so they requested our help."


    "You know I hate it when you do this," I said through my teeth. "So why do you keep doing it?"


    "Sorry, can''t talk anymore. I have to give Flonk a call. There''s a dungeon in need of subjugation he''s about to pass. Good luck!"


    "Don''t you lea-" I felt the magic disperse from the Stone and I sighed.


    "No," Ferrisdae said. She was still looking at the map, pressing down on the area we should be in. "We''re definitely on the Old Queen''s Road. I knew we didn''t deviate from the path."


    "That''s because I was trying to lie to him," I explained. "Take a right at the next fork."


    "But that''ll take us farther from New Frausta," she started. I could feel her eyes on me even as I stared into the forest beside the road. "What did Brack say?"


    "He changed my schedule. Again." I released a deep breath. Ferrisdae didn''t need to be ¡ª shouldn''t be ¡ª the focus of my anger. I just so happened to like it more when my schedule was clear, concise, and unchanging. "The chief wants us to check out a dungeon nearby, and says there''s a union strike going on."


    "Wow, that timing is literally perfect," Ferrisdae said. She looked impressed. My scowl deepened.


    "Don''t give him too much credit," I said. "He''s a Stonesong Bard. Not much of a showman anymore, but he thoroughly enjoys his sense of dramatic timing."


    "Really?" Ferrisdae snorted. "He''s got a sixth sense for, what? When to best interrupt an ongoing wedding?"


    "Yes. It''s an actual bard ability they call Sense of Drama," I explained. She had a dubious look on her face. I cocked an eyebrow. "What?"


    "That just seems¡­ kinda useless, I guess," she admitted.


    "Then let me educate you," I said as we turned the corner. It would be a straight shot forward on this road. "Everything you think you know about bards, throw it out of the carriage. Sure, some go from tavern to tavern playing for coins, but great bards? Hell, even just good ones? They know how to play political games better than anyone. Any rebellion or renaissance you''ve heard of was probably started by a bard."


    "Really?" Ferrisdae asked, incredulous.


    "A good bard can be terrifying," I said. "Think about it. He called us back from Thatcher. This road is well out of maintenance, so wagons and caravans avoid it. Most would have to swing to Elease and add another day to their trip."


    Her eyes narrowed. "But¡­ he knew what spells I could cast and predicted I''d summon the Skymirror to get back faster since the horses and magic carriage wouldn''t care about the road. He knew we''d come this way."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    I nodded along. "Yes, and he does this for every Inspector under his jurisdiction. I hate it when he does it. A schedule is made for a reason and mine''s already been changed! I''d much rather him just let me do my job!"


    "That''s rough, Badger."


    ******


    The cart stopped in front of the union workers. Putting my anger aside, I stood on the seat so I could look down at them. I saw several wide mushroom tops tilt back and even more beady eyes staring into mine. The smell of freshly tilled soil hung in the air. Fungus Leshies.


    The nature spirits known as Leshies comprised the bulk of the Green Union. They came in many shapes, sizes, and types, but Fungus Leshies were the most common in dungeons with carnivorous beasts that would prefer to eat meat. They would act like minions and in return gain nourishment.


    "You cannot pass," the lead Leshy said, his voice squeaking like a rusted hinge. "This road is off limits until the dungeon is restored to full functionality."


    I reached into my Dimensional Pocket and pulled out a gold badge in the shape of two large doors with an ornate key emblazoned in the center. "I am Dungeon Inspector Badger and this is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae," I said. "We''re from the DoD, and we were asked for by the Green Union. If you''re the one in charge, I''d like you to come with us to the dungeon entrance and explain what''s happening."


    "I am the one in charge, yes," it said, moving towards the carriage door. "I am glad you are here. We want to return home as soon as we can."


    "That''s the plan," Ferrisdae chirped. She helped the Leshy up; it was even shorter than I was. "What shall we call you, and what''s the situation?"


    "Thank you. My name is Bokolako. We are the minions of the great and especially terrible Dread Weaver, Sevensleg." The carriage began moving again as the Leshies made way for the astral horses.


    Dread Weavers. Massive monstrosities born when Dream Spiders, which were already huge, were taken over by the spores of a Nightmareshroom. Most spiders attempt suicide before the process finishes and they lost themselves. Poor bastards.


    "Last I heard, Sevensleg was recently relocated here from his first dungeon, wasn''t he?" I asked. It had been a big event at the time. I wasn''t there to witness it myself, but I listened to the story nearly a dozen times. They had to march it through the streets of New Frausta to get it out of the city.


    "Yes," Bokolako confirmed. "He got too big for the sewers. This is where they brought him, and his lair is not too far from here."


    "What made you all go on strike?" Ferrisdae asked. If she was in New Frausta recently, maybe she saw the event. Instead of fear, though, she looked giddy.


    "He began eating us," Bokolako said.


    Ferrisdae lost her bounce and I sat straighter. This kind of thing wasn''t unheard of with evil creatures and beasts. In fact, it was part of the job for some minions because of their ability to revive inside of dungeons.


    "Was that in your contract?" I asked. Devouring was something that both parties had to give full consent on. It was one of the more severely punished crimes a dungeon owner can commit.


    There were strict rules about it, however, and when it was appropriate. Like during boss fights for extra stamina or to make adventurers think they''re extra evil. It always seemed too edgy to me, personally. The fact that Sevensleg was eating Leshies when he himself would be a carnivore was also strange.


    Bokolako shook his head, causing the wide brim of his mushroom to throw spores over the carriage. "No, it is not," he said gravely. "This is a new development. Ever since the first time we have been avoiding him. Now, he has started to hunt us."


    "And that was why you contacted your union," I stated . The road was beginning to narrow as the trees began to grow into the road. Spider webs became more common the deeper we went. These were regular spider webs; Dread webs were pitch black, hard to see, and were laced with spores that made you panic if it made contact with skin.


    The cave mouth was huge, big enough for two or three of our carriages to fit through. The inside was unnaturally dark, like the sun''s light was forbidden in such a place. I started digging around in my pocket.


    "We''re going to take care of this for you, Bokolako," I promised. Finding what I was looking for, I pulled a vial of viscous green liquid out. "You have an antifungal?" I asked Ferrisdae.


    "Of course I do," she snorted. Like I made a joke. The spores of the Dread Weaver were not a joke. I made sure she could see me rolling my eyes. She childishly stuck her tongue out at me before asking, "Do you want me to knock?"


    I uncorked the vial and downed the antifungal, watching my hand as my skin flashed green for a brief moment. It was tasteless by design. Alchemists found that there was no way to make it taste good, so nothing was literally better. Ferrisdae did the same beside me. Returning the empty container to my pocket, I nodded. "Go for it."


    From the inside of her robe Ferrisdae pulled a black metal rod nearly three feet long. A Dungeon Doorknocker. It was used to get the attention of a dungeon''s inhabitants for peaceful negotiations. Mostly peaceful, at least.


    Ferrisdae had a confident gait as she moved to the cave entrance. We''d see how brave she really was in a minute. Bokolako took a few steps back. I remained planted in place. With a look back to me and my nod, she struck the inside wall with the rod.


    The forest became quiet. It lasted an uncomfortably long amount of time, as silence was prone to do, and we finally heard the movement of something large coming from within.


    The first thing we saw were its glowing eyes, each the size of Ferrisdae''s head and focused on her. It made a noise that sounded like it had rocks tumbling in its throat. Those eyes blinked furiously as it took its steps into the light.


    Sevensleg was, indeed, too large for the sewers. If I had to wager, I''d say he was too large for most cottages. Spores shook off of the black mushrooms embedded on its back with every irregular step that was caused by its missing leg, its front left, which was now nothing more than a dangling stub. He approached Ferrisdae and leaned down close enough for her hair to move from its breath.


    To her credit, the rookie didn''t flinch when she was face to face with teeth that were at least as tall as I that dripped with a potent insanity venom. I knew she wasn''t stupid, but this bravery was pushing it.


    More rumbling growls came from Sevensleg as it tried to find its voice. "You''ve best got a good reason to call me forth, Elf," it finally thundered. "I haven''t tasted your kind in a long time, and my hunger is so very deep."

 Chapter 7 - Dread Weaver

    Ferrisdae hesitated but didn''t back down despite Sevensleg''s breath in her face. It hit me from fifteen feet away, and smelled of rot, pungent mushrooms, and sewage. "Salutations, Mr. Sevensleg," she said with just a hint of a tremor in her voice. "I am Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae and-"


    "They sent a junior?" Sevensleg asked, chelicerae snapping in laughter. "Did they think me soft due to my relocation? That a life without constant battling caused me to lose my edge?"


    Ferrisdae let him finish, which was more than I would have done. She showed patience. That was necessary in situations like these. "I''m here because the Green Union is delayed and they asked the Department of Dungeons to help," Ferrisdae responded. She kept her voice even now. "So I speak with the weight of both parties."


    "You cover your words with the weight of power but they ring hollow in my ears. I can smell your fear." Sevensleg leaned in further, his every breath caused Ferrisdae''s hair to move.


    I slowly began reaching for my pocket. The spider''s eyes shifted this way, squinting in the light.


    "And I smell you, Bokolako, and you¡­" Sevensleg sniffed deeply, his eyes trying but failing to focus on me. Dread Weavers had excellent night vision but were supremely nearsighted in the sun''s bright light. "Who is that?"


    While Sevensleg was distracted, Ferrisdae wasn''t idle. She mumbled under her breath, working her fingers into arcane sigils. Her body briefly shimmered red as some form of enhancement effect took hold.


    The flash of light was enough to regain Sevensleg''s attention, but by then it was too late. Ferrisdae reached out and grabbed the hair on the spider''s face, pulling his head down so low that she was the one that had to look down.


    "This is a reminder that subjugation of an out of control dungeon boss is the next step after negotiations have failed, Sevensleg." Ferrisdae was smiling. Not a I''m going to enjoy ripping you apart kind of smile, but just a regular run of the mill cheery smile. Her eyes remained cold. I was impressed.


    Sevensleg jerked back, grunting as the act left a fistful of hair in the Elf''s hand. He stared at Ferrisdae and slowly rose to his normal height. His face was now out of arm''s reach. "What is it that you came here for?" Sevensleg grumbled.


    "Bokolako here has been telling us that you''ve been eating him and his Leshy friends," Ferrisdae started coldly. "We''re here to tell you to stop."


    Another rock tumbling rumble. "Is that why you are here?" Sevensleg asked, sounding surprised. "That is not my fault."


    The Elf scoffed. "How is that not your fault?" she spat. "You''re the one eating them."


    "Not by choice!" Sevensleg yelled and stomped two of his legs. The ground shook. Dark yellow spores were all over Ferrisdae now. "They don''t even taste good! All fungus, no meat! I have been upholding my end of our contract, it is the union that has been failing me!"


    Ferrisdae looked back at Bokolako, who turned away. Sevensleg continued. "I am to be paid tribute in food, every week! I have not seen a messenger with food in two months. I am starving, Elf." The spider lowered back down so he was eye level with Ferrisdae. "And it is by the rules of your organization that I am not allowed to go hunting unless the weather''s right."


    "Because the spores you carry are a danger to the forest," Ferrisdae guessed.


    Sevensleg rumbled. "Yes. I stand at the apex of the Emerald Forest and yet I am stuck here in this cave like some tamed animal until I grow strong enough to be moved again."


    "I''m very sorry to hear that, Mr. Sevensleg." Ferrisdae was back to being polite now, and I saw her relax and drop the fistful of hair to the ground. Her knuckles were white from her own grip. She turned back to Bokolako. "Why has the Green Union been failing in their duties in delivering food?"


    "I do not know!" the Leshy claimed, throwing its arms in the air. "Communication has been lacking as of late. We have sent a messenger to the local Green Union chapter, but they have not returned. That was three weeks ago."


    "And why didn''t you tell us this?"


    "Because it is a union business for us to deal with." The mushroom was getting defensive.


    "And why haven''t you gone hunting?"


    "The Green Union is against its members acting out against nature, by our contract we cannot hunt."


    I watched as an exasperated Ferrisdae blew out a breath. She placed a hand on her face and went silent as she thought about the circumstances. "Okay, it''s obvious that both parties have some fault here, though I don''t appreciate whatever had to happen at the Green Union for us to get involved," she said slowly. Then her voice became more powerful.


    She pointed at Bokolako. "You are going to go to the nearest union chapter house yourself. No sending messengers or waiting for a response. This is now your mission. Failure will result in a null contract with the DoD. Understood?" He nodded vigorously.


    "Good, and you, Mr. Sevensleg," she rounded, pointing in his face. He jerked back slightly. "I understand that you are hungry, but that is no excuse. Especially not for as long as this has been going on. I am going to issue you a provisional hunting license that is good for tonight only and only under the condition that you shake yourself free of spores in the cave first and leave no webs behind. The DoD will bring a shipment of food for you before the week is over. Tonight only, clear?"


    "Crystal," Sevensleg rumbled. He sounded excited now rather than trying to be intimidating.


    Then she looked at me. "Do you find anything lacking with my judgment, Dungeon Inspector Badger?"


    Before I could even open my mouth, Sevensleg hissed wildly and took a few steps back. "Badger?!" He snapped. "Is that who else I was smelling?!"The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Hello again, Sevensleg," I said. I had not been looking forward to this part. "Yes, I am Badger."


    The Dread Weaver tucked its legs close to its body and backed to the cave, putting some of its legs on the walls like it was going to climb. "I meant no disrespect to your junior, Badger. I can''t help it when I''m hungry. I-"


    "Just stop, Sevensleg," I sighed. I could feel Bokolako''s gaze on my back, but I was worried about the look on Ferrisdae''s face. Some mix of wonder, surprise, and what was no doubt a dozen different ideas about what could have happened. "Yes, Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae, that compromise will be acceptable. Sevensleg, back to your dungeon. Bokolako, you''d best make good speed."


    I watched as Sevensleg scrambled into his cave. I heard Bokolako shuffle backwards a few steps. "I have¡­" I heard the Leshy audibly swallow. "I have never seen Sevensleg like that before. Who are you?"


    "I''m just another Dungeon Inspector," I said. Then I turned around to fix Bokolako with a level gaze. "I did say make good speed, didn''t I?" The Leshy quickly nodded and started sprinting back to the group.


    Ferrisdae approached me. "No," I preemptively declared, starting to head back towards the carriage.


    "I have so. Many. Questions," she exclaimed. "What''s the story? I have to know!"


    "Nothing worth telling." I said. "We should get back on the road, we''re burning daylight."


    "Oh no no. You have been avoiding a conversation for far too long, Badger," Ferrisdae sang. She moved in front of me and started walking backwards. I cursed my stubby legs."I am high on life right now! You can''t escape me."


    "It could have been much worse, Ferrisdae," I said. "I suppose you could be proud of yourself."


    "Wooooow, that''s high praise coming from you!" She stopped in front of me, causing me to stop, and spun on her heel. With a wave of her hand the Skymirror Carriage was slowly conjured into existence, starry horses and all. We both climbed on and took our seats.


    "I mean, did you see me grab him by his face?" She squealed. Again. "My heart was pounding! I thought he was going to eat me! And when he said he could smell my fear? I knew I had to take control of the situation."


    "It was a bold move," I admitted. "I''m glad it worked out this time."


    Ferrisdae nodded, her whole body bouncing. She was going to have one hell of a crash when the rush disappeared. "But you! You! As soon as he heard your name he was ready to flee the country!" she laughed. "C''mon, it''s just one story. If you tell me, I won''t try to make small talk until we''re back in the city."


    That caught my interest. A short story in exchange for a day and a half of silence? That, I could get behind. But not before I got a little extra out of it. "Throw in writing the report about this incident and you have a deal."


    "Done!" She reached her hand out and we shook on it.


    I sat back as she settled in cross-legged opposite of me. "So this happened about three, maybe four years ago," I started. "Brackenhorst calls me into his office and tells me that one of the new dungeon bosses in the sewers is coming to the surface and causing panic."


    "Sevensleg," Ferrisdae whispered.


    "Not yet," I told her. "He was killing and eating children when he was only supposed to eat people traveling through the sewers and monsters from other dungeons. We thought it was because the local Thieves Guilds, the Half-Pints, had been scaring him to the surface. There wasn''t any confirmation of that, just what I thought at the time. But that''s neither here nor there. I waited for the culprit to ascend to the surface. It was always in the same area, so I just had to wait.


    "Unfortunately, I had set up too late. By the time I discovered the Dread Weaver, he was on his way back to his dungeon. He was carrying a child with him, passed out.


    "I struggled to keep up with him in the sewers. Of course, I''ve got short legs and, while he wasn''t as big as he is now, he was still the size of a horse. I followed him all the way to his lair. It was small back then, barely a dungeon. Basically a hallway and a big room that was really only used during the heavy rain season to prevent flooding.


    "The hallway was barren, nary a trap to be seen. Amateur, honestly. I found him just past there, in his huge boss room. He went by the moniker The Dreaded Web back then, which I honestly never approved of. Just seems stupid, right? I mean, what kind of name is that?


    "That''s irrelevant," I waved it away even as Ferrisdae opened her mouth to cut in. "Naming convention aside, he was still terrifying and he was hovering over the child, who was covered in black webbing and stuck in a nightmare because of it. I knew there wasn''t much time left. I had to do my job.


    "So I jumped in there, all flair and bravado. Trying to get him to come after me and leave the kid alone. He doesn''t take me seriously. Why would he? I''m a Halfling an eighth his size. That changed when I managed to get on his back and began slicing him up.


    "And you got a good handful, you know how much hair he has. I stabbed my blade one more time and hung on for dear life. He kept bucking and flailing, rolling this way and that, trying his best to get me off of him. But I''m tenacious and stubborn.


    "He rolled over onto his back one more time. But I''m not there, I''ve grabbed my blade and jumped off for this moment. I jump up onto his stomach, and I slice him from his head all the way down. In his pain and panic he tries to right himself. I''m bucked off, but once he''s right side up his guts start spilling to the floor.


    "His body disappears, leaving me and the child alone with some magic crystals, as is normal, you know." Ferrisdae clapped a couple times, excited. I hesitated. "And we''re to the part of the story where my heroics end."


    Ferrisdae''s excited smile waned. "What do you mean?"


    "I walked over to the child. Panting, limping, bloodied from most of the fight that I left out. After getting all of the webbing off of him, I picked up most of his body. In all its flailing, the weaver had severed one of the boy''s legs.


    "I was outraged. I brought the child and his leg up to the surface. Took him to one of the nearest temples. They were able to save him, got all the spores out of him, but they couldn''t do anything about the leg. I wasn''t going to let this happen again.


    "So I went back down there and I waited. I had my DoD badge on me so he revived despite my presence, and I saw where. In my mind I kept thinking that this spider wouldn''t stop. If dying would cow him, then the adventurers coming by to clear it would have put the fear of the Gods in him.


    "No, putting fear in him was my job. I killed him again, and again, and again. Mercilessly. He began laughing. Not out of insanity, but because he thought this was all I could do. Ferrisdae, I don''t think I''ve ever been mad at anything more than I was mad at that. So, I made sure to send a message that would stick.


    "I beat him within an inch of his life. I drank a strength boosting potion."


    "Oh no," Ferrisdae said softly. The jubilant expression was long gone by now. She knew what I did, just waiting for me to say it.


    "I started dragging him. He had no more fight left in him, couldn''t stop me. It took me four potions and a lot of time to avoid potion sickness, but I got him into that hallway. I dragged him out of his dungeon. He could revive inside his lair in perfect health. If the injury happens outside of that area of influence, though¡­"


    "Sevensleg," she whispered again. This time it was a completely different tone.


    I nodded. That''s exactly what happened. "I told him that the little boy lost his leg, and now he was going to suffer the same fate. I cut his leg off, threw it in the filthy sewer sludge and rolled him back into the hallway. I didn''t kill him that time. No, the wounds took care of that for me. Slowly, like he deserved."


    I looked into Ferrisdae''s eyes. They were wide, trembling. "Don''t look at me like that," I said, soft but firm. "It''s like I told you: I''m a mean son of a bitch."

 Chapter 8 - Mission Briefing

    The Walled City of New Frausta had been the home of the Department of Dungeons for the past 400 years. The abundance of dungeons dotting the countryside and sewers appealed to both new and veteran adventurers. The nostalgia for their lower level days and the city''s position near the center of the continent also meant that it was a great city for high level adventurers to begin staging their expeditions.


    White stone buildings rose from the center of the city tall and proud, with shorter towers surrounding those, and even smaller ones around those. From afar they appeared to make a large dome. You could see them from anywhere in the Frausta Plains surrounding it.


    The silence of the journey had been exactly what I wanted. With Ferrisdae drawing up the papers for Sevensleg I was free to lose myself in my books, meditation, sky watching, or whatever else I wanted to occupy my time with. There had been times where she obviously wanted to ask about my books or some such, but she upheld her end of the deal.


    The line to get into the city was long and full of adventurers, merchants, and other travelers. We trudged alongside them like royalty, and I assumed some must have thought that we were after seeing the magic steeds and Ferrisdae sitting regally in the back. Others scowled at us skipping the line.


    We showed off our badges at the gate. After a cursory glance, we were let inside. I could see Ferrisdae shaking. The very moment the carriage cleared the gates, she burst. "That''s very sneaky of you, saying that all your talk is small because you are," she blurted, as if that had been on the tip of her tongue for the past day and a half.


    "Maybe you should have read the contract first," I said cheekily.


    In response, she stuck her tongue out at me. Her attention was then immediately glued to the city. This close to the wall didn''t feel as claustrophobic as it did deeper in, but we were still surrounded by three story buildings on all sides. The streets were lively and bustling as people came and went along with their business. A group of children ran alongside our carriage, awestruck by the magic. One of them was brave enough to touch one of the astral horses before the whole lot of them ran off, laughing.


    "This city is amazing," Ferrisdae said. "Every time I come through here, it''s like¡­ how could someone build something as awesome as this?"


    "Poor city planning," I told her. She laughed like I had told a joke, and I continued. "When the gnomes came from the southern continent, they helped rebuild Frausta into New Frausta. Since the walls were still strong, they decided it would be easier to build up than expand."


    "Why didn''t they just build communities outside of the walls?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "The Gnomes wanted to, but Humans are stubborn and refuse to look past their own lifespan, so they told the Gnomes to build within the walls," I answered.


    "Ah. That¡­ that does make sense," she admitted. "Alright, let''s chalk it up to poor city management. Still amazing to look at."


    ¡°Only from the right angles,¡± I said with a shrug. "Take a right up at the next street."


    As the buildings got taller, the streets began to split with ramps to accommodate. The tallest building in the city was ten stories tall, and that was where King Kezler and the royal family lived. The ones around it were seven stories, except for one. There were three levels worth of roads and the higher you went, the more opulent things got.


    Of course, the opposite was true, and those who lived in false sunlight instead of the real deal had it hard. There was always something to strive for, I suppose. A lot of great adventurers pulled themselves up from the Bottom. No one liked to mention all the ones that didn''t.


    The second tier of New Frausta was called the Middle, and was where the Department of Dungeons¡¯ main office was located. People tended to get out of your way if they thought you were someone powerful, and the ostentatious magic Ferrisdae cast to make our transport was certainly that. We made it to headquarters faster than I ever had before, so maybe riding with Ferrisdae wasn''t so bad. This time.


    We disembarked in front of the open doors of the department and Ferrisdae dismissed the spell. The carriage disintegrated into stardust and slowly faded out of sight along with the horses.


    The lobby of the Department of Dungeons was wholly unremarkable. The first view one saw was a plain black desk. Sometimes there was a Human behind it. Sometimes, a Dwarf. It didn''t look out of place with the dark gray carpet and the light gray walls. Two white doors flanked the desk.


    I greeted the receptionist, Merlk the Dwarf, with a nod and turned to Ferrisdae. "You go ahead and turn in the paperwork we¡¯ve drummed up. Meet me in Brackenhorst''s office when you''re done."


    "You got it!" Ferrisdae said. She went left and I went right.


    I opened the door and the relatively quiet lobby was filled with the sounds of shouts, screams, and someone crying. Several rows of desks filled this large room, each hosting a member of the DoD. Darting between desks was a mousy Human woman, her light curls bouncing as she was constantly being pulled in several directions at once.


    "Hang in there, Millicef," I called as I walked past the zoo. She lifted her head and glanced at me, but quickly went back to work.


    I walked towards a set of double doors, and it was here that I knocked.


    "Unless you have the answer to how the exiled son of Sultan Jareet turned his father''s palace into his own personal dungeon, I don''t have time for you!" Brackenhorst yelled from his office.


    I thought about that for a moment. "It''s the Laroda Jareet Desert, so it has to be item based,¡± I yelled through the door. ¡°Rituals wouldn''t work because it''s been a magic starved zone ever since the Third Sultanate tried to summon their dead god to prove it was still alive. He probably got the item from the neighboring kingdom of Alashroe, if I had to wager. They¡¯ve been pissed ever since the sultan said a banshee¡¯s singing would be more palatable than their queen¡¯s."


    Silence. Then, "Badger?"


    "Yes," I confirmed. "I am Badger."


    "Well, come in already!"


    I opened the door and slid into the chief''s office. Papers littered the desk, appearing to be tossed on top of it haphazardly. A stack had fallen into one of the chairs meant for guests. It looked like no effort was made to clean it off; clean any part of the office, really. Behind the desk and taking up the entire wall was a parchment map of the continent with several small, glowing dots indicating where dungeons were. In front of the map was Brackenhorst.


    Brackenhorst was old even for a Dwarf. His face had much in common with a bulldog, jowls and all, and his bald head was waxed with nothing hiding his many liver spots. The magnificent white beard he proudly showed off, however, commanded respect. Nine braids dangled from his chin, one cut short, and from there it split into more and more braids to signify his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    He squinted at me. "Have a seat, Badger," the Dwarf said, taking a seat himself. "How is it that you always have these tidbits of knowledge in your head?"


    "There''s trivia night at The Bottoms Up every Wednesday and Saturday," I explained with a shrug. I didn''t sit down.


    "Weird place to learn things, son," he said. His eyes flickered to the closed door and then to me. "Where''s the rookie?"


    "Authorizing a provisional license for a night in the forest for Sevensleg," I answered.


    Brackenhorst nodded. "And how is she doing? Keeping up with you?"


    I thought this question over. Ferrisdae certainly showed promise, but I only saw her in action twice. While she could have made some unnecessary calls in Krad''s dungeon, she clearly retained most of her training. The bravado she showed Sevensleg could have backfired spectacularly, but I had no idea how strong she really was. These were all things that could be rectified with time.


    "She needs experience," I told him honestly. "I''d recommend pairing her with Justisius or Liddy. Both have extensive knowledge of de-escalation and have written some of the best dungeon critiques I''ve seen."


    "Both are excellent choices," Brackenhorst admitted. "But, no; she''s staying with you. There''s no getting away from it this time just because of your record. It has to be you."


    I scowled, then schooled my face so that it was just a frown. Despite wanting to protest, I didn''t say anything. I knew it wouldn''t do any good.


    "Don''t get all twisted, Badger. You are literally the only Dungeon Inspector without a rookie under their wing. Hell, most have two. Justisius and Liddy both have four because they''re so reliable."


    I sighed. "Should have just said she was terrible."


    "That wouldn''t have worked," Brackenhorst said with a chuckle. "I vetted her personally. She''s a diamond." I didn''t say anything to that, and the Dwarf slumped in his chair.


    "That bad around here?" I asked after the silence settled.


    "Bah." Brackenhorst waved his hand. "The sultan is one thing. We haven''t seen this many spontaneous dungeons in nearly four centuries. That was the Southern Continental Dungeon that forced the Gnomes to flee here."


    That made me pause. The Southern Continental Dungeon had been an extinction level event that left the whole landmass barren for centuries. The colonization effort to reclaim the land was less than a half century old and news coming back had not been good.


    The worst part was that the Gnomes made terrible witnesses. We had no idea what caused the dungeon or who its owner was. The reports all varied wildly from a dragon who exhaled poison, to an exploding man clad in leather, to a gigantic walking volcano. Everyone had a different story, and not a lot of them made sense.


    Brackenhorst must have sensed my thoughts because he barked a laugh. A fake one, but he tried. "Don''t you fret, Badger," he said. "We''re a lot more prepared for something like that than they were. We''re coordinating and-" A knock on the door interrupted him.


    "Brack, it''s Ferrisdae," she called through the door. I scoffed at the use of her name for the chief.


    "Come in!" he instructed, and she entered the room. She had a big smile on her face that only grew as she looked at me, like she wanted to say something. Ferrisdae sat in the lone remaining chair as Brackenhorst waved to it. "Straight to business, then I''ve got to kick you out and get back to work."


    The chief leaned against his desk and looked to Ferrisdae. "Are you familiar with the Land Pirate Raitheus Razorbeak?" She shook her head, and he looked at me.


    "Raitheus Razorbeak is a high level scoundrel," I answered. "Him and his crew of brightly feathered Avians, a humanoid bird race, circle the continent in his caravan. They''re one of the few mobile dungeons. They are under strict orders to only steal money, goods, and cause property damage, not take the lives of citizens. They''ve been unusually cooperative for the past year or so, though. We would have gotten rid of him, but he''s the distant cousin of the northeastern continent''s emperor. Not close, but related enough that it could cause an international incident."


    Brackenhorst nodded. "Some time in the past month, we''re not sure when, he added four more dungeons to his caravan." He looked at Ferrisdae. "Each wagon is a separate dungeon in its own pocket dimension. The way he has them set up, you have to enter the rear car, find the key in that to the next one, then the next. Normally he has 8 wagons, but this brings him to 12."


    "That doesn''t seem like too much trouble, though," Ferrisdae said, looking between the two of us.


    "Normally I''d agree with you. Per the rules, he has been eligible for a larger caravan for a while now, as reluctant as we may have been to grant it," Brackenhorst replied. "Unfortunately, reports from a few days ago state that the caravan is back down to eight. Four of the carts are missing. Would you like to take a stab at which ones?"


    The answer dawned on me immediately. This was not good. "The lead wagons," I said. "The Land Pirate Raitheus Razorbeak has gone rogue."


    "That''s right," Brackenhorst said. "As I was telling Badger before you arrived, Ferrisdae, everyone is busy. I''ve got people looking into the Zaruv Dungeon Cluster because two of them evolved on their own recently. I''ve got people trying to dive to the bottom of the Crurak Reef because a local fish god had a dungeon form around it. There was a complaint about adventurers being attacked with numbers by some blue haired Human woman. Can you believe that? Numbers! Sounded like a hoax but I sent Deresca anyway, and that turned out to be nothing at all."


    After shaking his head, Brackenhorst looked at Ferrisdae. "Badger is going to be your permanent mentor. And," he paused, turning his head to me. "He won''t complain about it in my presence."


    Ferrisdae clapped her hands. "I''ll keep him in line, chief," she claimed. I rolled my eyes.


    I pursed my lips in an attempt to show how unhappy I was with this arrangement. It didn''t have any effect; they already knew I was. "So we''re trying to find Razorbeak and, what?" I asked. "Return him to his caravan?"


    "No," Brackenhorst said, scowling. "We''ve subjugated his caravan, and it¡¯s been decided that you''ll do the same with him. He stole something from the city-state of Berald and left a lot of bodies in his wake. He''s going to be removed, politics be damned. The royal family has already signed off on it."


    ¡°What did he steal?¡± Ferrisdae asked, leaning forward.


    Brackenhorst shrugged. ¡°Berald didn¡¯t think it prudent to tell us. They were being very nervous about the subject, though, so it can¡¯t be anything good.


    "If his caravan is gone, then do you have any clues of his whereabouts?" I asked.


    "We followed his tracks into the Thousand Year Blizzard," Brackenhorst said, pointing to the very top of his map. "This is only the 757th year, so we can''t wait it out, obviously."


    Ferrisdae had a strange look on her face, so I explained what it was. "The Thousand Year Blizzard was a spell cast by the winter witch Scelara. It was meant to cover the world in snow but she was betrayed by her mother, and now it only affects the northern region of the continent. It''s such a huge magical storm that tracking of any sort is nigh impossible."


    A pause. "So Razorbeak''s a needle in a haystack?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "Basically," I confirmed.


    "But there is one who could help," Brackenhorst said. "Oristrella."


    I groaned. "Noooo."


    "It''s the only option, Badger," Brackenhorst said. He turned to Ferrisdae again. "She lives in the Ice Caverns of the White Wyrm."


    "Because she is the White Wyrm," I huffed, turning to Ferrisdae. "Chromatic dragons are some of the worst dungeon bosses to talk to. Most won''t negotiate until you''ve beaten their dungeon and often them. You can swing the Doorknocker until you die and, after telling you to sod off, they''ll ignore you until your corpse dissolves."


    "It''s also after the Winter Solstice, which means her annual kidnapping has taken place," Brackenhorst added. "Oristrella always captures a noble around this time of year. Then adventurers are sent to get them back. She may be too busy and want to send you on your way quickly."


    "That''s an insane thing to hope for," I said.


    "I''ve always wanted to meet a dragon," Ferrisdae said at the same time as me. We both looked at each other, then back to Brackenhorst.


    "Great, then it''s settled," Brackenhorst said with a clap of his hands. "I''ve already talked to the Mage''s Guild, they''ll be able to teleport you to the city of Crystal Snows tomorrow morning. Be there at dawn. You''re both dismissed."

 Chapter 9 - Liaison

    Despite Ferrisdae''s best efforts, we parted ways upon leaving the DoD. I spent my time preparing for the extreme cold of the Thousand Year Blizzard and our upcoming icy adventure in general. After that, I visited The Bottom''s Up tavern, ate good food, and slept like a baby. The next morning, I was woken up early and prepared for the day.


    The Mage''s Guild building was situated near the center of the city on the Top. From the streets, it looked like it stood just as tall as the Royal Tower, and it nearly was. It was actually a few inches shorter out of respect, which also showed how powerful and necessary the guild really was.


    Ferrisdae was waiting outside of the building, sitting in a chair tall enough so that she could, and was, swinging her legs. She looked disheveled, robe half open and still brushing her hair with the tie I gave her hanging from her mouth. I approached.


    "I don''t think it''s worth showing up early if you don''t show up prepared," I said. She jumped in her seat, dropping her brush.


    "Don''t sneak up on me like that!" Ferrisdae exclaimed. Her face was red as she picked up the fallen brush.


    I arched my eyebrow. "I walked directly in front of you," I stated. "Are you not awake? Did you get here by sleepwalking?"


    "No. I just have a lot on my mind right now," she said, frowning. "And I look like this because someone tried to mug me when I came out of The Inn Royale."


    My eyebrow remained arched, perhaps even more so. Morning muggers this close to the Royal Tower was fairly unsettling, but the Inn Royale was the place where foreign dignitaries and the wealthy stayed when visiting New Frausta. To stay there meant you dropped a lot of gold to do so.


    Ferrisdae saw me staring incredulously and rolled her eyes. "Some kid tried to steal my wand," she huffed. "I got knocked over but the wand is bonded to my robe with a magic spell that makes it hard to remove for anyone who isn''t me. I chased him, and he disappeared into a hole in the ground in an alley."


    That wasn''t the question on my mind, but I nodded anyway. Her finances were none of my business. Instead, I thought about the mugger. "If they''re operating up here, it was likely a member of the Half-Pints," I explained. "It was probably a Halfling disguised as a Human child to throw off the guards. They''ve been known to pull off stunts like operating on the Top for bragging rights."


    A sour look formed on Ferrisdae''s face. "Oh, that''s gross. He grabbed my butt right before trying to snag my wand."


    I arched an eyebrow as a dark look crossed over my face. Theft was one thing; if you couldn''t protect it then don''t flaunt it. Harassment like that was too far for me, however. I pulled out my Stone and began writing on it with my finger. "Unacceptable," I said, my disgust evident.


    "What are you doing?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "The Half-Pints operate in the sewers, which is why the thief disappeared into a hole in the ground," I said. "Because of that, they have some quest giver qualifications. Their leader has been floating the idea of a thieves guild dungeon. So I''m sending a message to the chief to make sure they know just how big of a mistake they made."


    "Oh¡­ You don''t have to do that for¡­" Ferrisdae trailed off as I shot her a glare. "Thank you?"


    "You''re welcome," I replied. I swiped the Stone and the words I wrote disappeared. "Done. Get yourself back in order, I''m going inside."


    Ferrisdae scrambled to her feet as I started walking towards the mage guild tower, and I heard her adjusting her robes as we walked.


    The black tower contrasted with the white stone towers surrounding it, joined only by the amethyst purple of the Royal Tower. The air started to cool as we approached the entrance, and we were greeted by a cold blast when the doors opened for us without our input.


    The inside walls of the tower were imbued with illusion magic so that you could see outside despite the lack of windows. A massive library was set behind the darkwood desk that covered most of the foyer. People in robes darted from bookshelf to bookshelf, grabbing books only to have them float and follow after letting them go.


    By the time we reached the desk, the library scene had changed. We were treated to a bird''s eye view of the city, flying slowly over the streets. The people below looked like insects.


    "Good morning," the Elf behind the desk said. His voice was slow and unhurried, giving it a strangely deep quality. He spoke to Ferrisdae more than to me. "Welcome to the guild."


    "Good morning," Ferrisdae greeted, smiling.


    "Yes, morning," I said, frowning. I took a look at the nameplate on the desk. "Halsar, I am Dungeon Inspector Badger, this is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae. We have an appointment with Sophia Blair. The wicked witch is expecting us."


    Halsar looked from Ferrisdae down to me. His face betrayed him for a moment, showing a moment of displeasure before his customer service facade returned. "Of course, Inspector. Please, have a seat in the next room, I''ll send word to Lady Blair to have someone come fetch you." He gestured towards one of the doors behind the desk.


    "Snooty magician asshole," I said, not bothering to hide my words. The guild as a whole tended to look down on those without magic. There were some good ones, of course, but it was hard to change an organization''s culture. With a gesture to Ferrisdae to follow, we walked into the waiting room.


    The square room had chairs in rows in the middle and against every wall except one which had the same images dancing across it as the foyer''s. Several people were already seated, taking most of the chairs against the wall and forcing us to take chairs in the middle.


    We sat, and I kept my eyes glued to the viewing screen. My foot tapped heavily against the tile floor. Coming to the guild always made me restless. The magic pervading the air made it seem like you were always being watched, and that was generally true. It always seemed rather oppressive to make it thick enough that non-spellcasters could feel it surrounding them.


    Ferrisdae kept glancing at me. Of course she¡¯d have questions. I did my best to ignore her gaze. It was easy; we were already being watched anyways, what was my curious apprentice''s gaze compared to constant magical surveillance?


    To her credit, she didn''t ask. Our wait was only a few minutes, though, so the willpower it took wasn''t too impressive. Everyone in the room looked at the door when it opened. A pale, freckled Human woman with deep red hair tied up in a tight bun scanned the room before settling on us. She didn''t wear robes, but a sharp looking black suit instead. The woman looked at the clipboard, then back at us. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Dungeon Inspector Badger and chaperone, Lady Blair is ready to see you now," she said without humor. Ferrisdae choked down a laugh, and I shot her a look of warning. Now, she was actively avoiding my gaze.


    I didn''t respond to the provocation other than to get up and head to the door. Those who had been waiting longer than us grumbled, but we ignored them. "Maribelle," I greeted the woman as I passed her.


    "Good morning, sir, madam," she said.


    "Good morning," Ferrisdae said. She offered Maribelle a hand. "I''m Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae."


    Maribelle shook it. "A pleasure to meet you, I''m Maribelle, secretary to the DoD liaison," she said. Her gaze tracked to me. "Dungeon Inspector Badger, if you''ll wait for me, please."


    I was already halfway down the hall on my way to the stairs. "I know the way, Maribelle," I said, not slowing down. The two tall people caught up to me easily, anyway; there was no need to wait.


    We ascended the stairs for three stories, went down a few hallways, and ended up inside a rather large corner office. The walls here were covered in the same magic as the ones leading outside in the lobby, showing the surrounding buildings and the street below.


    Hanging on either side of the door were aged tapestries covered in squiggly lines. Anyone taking a closer look would see that the lines were, in fact, small sentences containing illegible nonsense.


    The centerpiece of the room was a tall standing desk with a depiction of New Frausta carved into the front. Stacks of papers covered one side, and an ornate gold dagger sat in a display case on the other. Maribelle walked ahead of us to stand by the desk, giving a nod to the woman behind it.


    Sophia Blair was taller than anyone else in the room, but also the most slender. Her slanted brown eyes looked down on us with judgment. She drummed on the desk with long, red painted nails before running her hand through thick black hair. It really did look like we were on trial based on the setup.


    "Badger," she said. Her voice was throatier than one would expect, and her accent left her hanging on the Rs. "I see Brackenhorst finally followed my advice and assigned you a babysitter. It''s about time."


    "Sophia," I responded, scowling. "I was surprised to hear you still had a job. Everyone knows that Maribelle could do your job better, and then you could get back home to Hell."


    We stared at each other, neither of us willing to look away or blink first. The room fell silent until Maribelle looked at Ferrisdae. "This posturing may go on for a while, Ms. Ferrisdae," Maribelle said. "Would you like some refreshments?"


    "No, thank you," Ferrisdae said. Then she waved her hand between Sophia and I. "But what is¡­ this?"


    "The culmination of years of rivalry and what they would call bad blood," Maribelle explained. "Don''t let it fool you, though, they-"


    "Hey!" Sophia and I both said, snapping our necks to look at Maribelle.


    "That is quite enough, Maribelle," Sophia chastised.


    "You''ve already said too much in front of Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae," I added.


    "They both joined the DoD as Junior Dungeon Inspectors," Maribelle continued, unperturbed. "Badger was promoted before Sophia, but she was promoted to guild liaison first."


    "I never wanted to be a liaison," I said, my voice biting.


    "That''s because you always felt more at home with the monsters than the people," Sophia said. "Makes sense, you never were a people person."


    "That''s rich coming from an actual monster."


    Sophia snarled, her eyes flashing red for a moment. "You know that''s conclusively untrue you ignorant swine."


    "Hello!" Ferrisdae suddenly yelled. We all turned to look at her. "I am Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae, Dungeon Inspector Badger is acting as my mentor at this time. It''s very nice to meet you, Lady Blair."


    Silence descended on the room. Sophia and I glanced at each other, then I shrugged and took a step back. The tall woman cleared her throat. "It''s very nice to meet you as well, Ferrisdae," she said.


    The Elf smiled as the situation started coming under control. "As you already know, we''re on our way to the Mage''s Guild in Crystal Snows," Ferrisdae explained. "Will you be the one teleporting us? Or will we have to head to the teleportation floor?" Maribelle made a disapproving noise, but it was Sophia who spoke.


    "I will be the one teleporting you both, yes," Sophia confirmed. I pursed my lips so that I wouldn''t derail the conversation further. "You''re going to see the White Wyrm, Oristrella, correct?"


    "Yes, ma''am," Ferrisdae said, beaming. "And then it''s off to find Razorbeak."


    Sophia looked Ferrisdae over before turning to me. "Did you bring her books?"


    "Of course I did," I said dismissively. "Cross referenced the titles with what we already have on file. She''s been enjoying romance novels for the past decade, so that''s what I brought."


    "I''m sorry, books?" Ferrisdae asked.


    Sophia snorted. "You know, if you don''t mentor her then she really is just a glorified babysitter for you."


    Instead of saying anything unhelpful, I answered Ferrisdae''s question. "Oristrella collects books and manuscripts instead of gold. So, we bring her an offering when we have to get on her good side."


    "I was often the one sent when things started going sideways," Sophia cut in. "She actually gave me those tapestries on my wall in exchange for the original manuscripts of the Monster Fighter series."


    "That''s really impressive," Ferrisdae said with a smile. "What''s written on them?"


    "The fundamental rules of how magic interacts with the world," Sophia bragged. "Incredibly rare items; I''ve never seen another set."


    I rolled my eyes. "Allegedly," I said.


    "It says what it says, pipsqueak," Sophia snapped. I smiled, and it was her turn to roll her eyes.


    "No one can read it," I told Ferrisdae. "She''s taking an evil dragon''s word on it."


    "That is quite enough out of you," Sophia said. She pointed a finger at me menacingly, but I couldn''t wipe the grin off of my face.


    "It''s nearing time, Lady Blair," Maribelle said. I had to hand it to her, no matter how outrageous her boss decided to be, she remained professional. "I haven''t received word back from the Crystal Snows'' guild, but no one else from New Frausta is booked for today so there shouldn''t be any problems."


    "No response?" Sophia asked. Her eyes widened and she made a disgusted noise and ran her hand down her face.


    "Is that bad?" Ferrisdae asked. She looked between the three of us for some clarification. I just shrugged.


    "I spoke with Helfredalker, the Master of Teleportation of the tower you''re heading to, a couple of days ago," Sophia explained dismissively. "He mentioned that they were throwing a party for one of the senior evocation researchers. They probably got too drunk and are nursing hangovers. But it''s fine, you''ll make it there."


    "Very well," I said. Then I turned to Maribelle. "I trust you specifically, Maribelle; if you say it''s fine then it''s fine."


    Maribelle nodded and began walking towards the door, but Sophia stopped her with a gesture. "We''ll just do it here, Maribelle," she said. "No real reason to show Badger to the guild''s teleportation chambers."


    "Other than the rules about teleporting into and out of the tower, Lady Blair?" Maribelle asked.


    "Yes, it''s fine," Sophia claimed with a frivolous wave of her hand. "What''s the use of accumulating power if you don''t use it?"


    Maribelle appeared to struggle with herself for a moment, but returned to the desk. "Very well, Lady Blair," she conceded.


    "Ferrisdae, are you ready to go?" Sophia asked.


    "Yes, ma''am," Ferrisdae said, sounding somewhat nervous. "Whenever you''re ready."


    Sophia locked eyes with me. Silence hung in the air as I waited for her question. It didn''t come.


    Instead, Sophia spoke the words of power and waved her hands towards us. Ferrisdae and I seemed to collide against each other as our bodies warped away from New Frausta. It felt as if we were fruit being juiced, wrung out, and reformed from liquid at a new location. I had been used to teleporting so it wasn''t as rough on me. Ferrisdae took this opportunity to throw up on the floor upon reintroducing our bodies to reality.

 Chapter 10 - Tower

    ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s fun,¡± Ferrisdae said hoarsely. She placed a hand on her head and tried to steady herself. Teleportation sickness was common, but something that could be acclimated to with repetition. Ferrisdae, obviously, was not used to teleporting.


    I looked around the room we found ourselves in. It was quite large; big enough to hold four raised stone platforms that, at a glance, could fit nearly twenty people on it. A nearby sign designated the platform we were on as New Frausta.


    Curiously, no one was here to greet us. The only signs of movement were the flames above us lighting up the room and Ferrisdae¡¯s vomit, which suddenly started to move off of the platform as the self-cleaning magic started kicking in.


    Crystal Snows was far from the central regions, but the silence filling the teleportation room was not what I was expecting. Hubs like this one were required to have at least one attendant no matter how unpopular the destination, but there was no one in sight.


    "Come on," I told Ferrisdae. She was still checking her robes for any errant sick. A spiral staircase was set in the far corner and I headed towards it.


    Once she was sure she didn''t have any puke on her robes, she began following. "Where is everyone?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "Hopefully, hungover like Sophia claimed," I said. Honestly, I didn''t mind. This just meant we could move on to our objective all the faster.


    We ascended the stairs and into the lobby. The walls outside were the same as the ones back in New Frausta and we could see the white and gray landscape outside. There was one inhabitant in this room, a Snow Elf man with pale skin and white hair was sitting at the reception desk and scribbling away on something. He looked up at us and nearly jumped out of his seat.


    "Oh, I''m sorry," Ferrisdae said sweetly. "We didn''t mean to startle you. I''m Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae, and this is Dungeon Inspector Badger. We teleported here from your New Frausta branch. We were scheduled, but no one was there to greet us so we came up here."


    "All teleportations should have been canceled," the Elf said, frowning as he looked between us. "The guild is closed today. I''ll take your names and report them to Mr. Helfredalker upon his return."


    "Then we''ll take our leave," I said, heading towards the door.


    "What happened to everyone?" Ferrisdae asked. I sighed and came to a stop.


    "One of the researchers detected an anomaly in the Thousand Year Blizzard," he explained. "So it was all hands on deck. Except me, I have to watch the lobby."


    "Thank you," I said, resuming my walk to the door.


    "Do you know what kind of anomaly?" Ferrisdae asked. I stopped again. I was so close to the door. Could just leave. She''d catch up.


    "No," the receptionist replied bitterly. "They don''t tell me anything. Just because I got my degree in advanced magical structure from a community college doesn''t mean I have to be the receptionist. I''m just as qualified as anyone else."


    This time I waited. Ferrisdae was a people person. I don''t know why that took me so long to figure out, but the late revelation only made me frown. Perhaps Sophia was right, she had been sent to chaperone me because I was not a people person by any measure.


    I dismissed that as soon as I thought it; there was no way I was going to seriously admit that Sophia was right about something like this.


    "That''s really rough, friend," Ferrisdae said in a compassionate tone. "What''s your name?"


    "Hellisby," he answered.


    "That''s really rough, Hellisby," Ferrisdae repeated. "Did they at least tell you what direction they''re going in? We have business at the Ice Caverns of the White Wyrm, but if we''re going to disrupt their research¡­"


    Hellisby shook his head. "The cavern is on the outskirts of the blizzard in the zone we call the Ground. They were heading deep into the storm, passing the Whiteout Wall."


    "That is quite deep," I said.


    The Ground was named so because snow didn''t fall from the sky in that area; any snow there was all kicked up by the heavy winds and made it look like a blizzard was occurring. It was bearable when you took the entire storm into consideration. Miles deep into the storm was the Whiteout Wall and it was exactly as it sounded. You wouldn''t even be able to see a person standing next to you.


    "That sounds very exciting, I''m sorry that you have to miss out on it, Hellisby," Ferrisdae said. "Though you may want to get word out, a dangerous land pirate named Raitheus Razorbeak was tracked going into the storm. He might have some trick up his sleeve."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "The only way to reach them would be to go and physically get them," Hellisby said. "The magic of the storm interferes with any kind of magical communication going in or out of it."


    "We need to get moving, Ferrisdae," I said. "As interesting as this is, we have a job to do."


    "You''re right, sir," Ferrisdae conceded. She sighed, then made eye contact with Hellisby. "After talking to the White Wyrm we were planning on heading into the storm. If we find the mages we''ll let them know the dangers."


    "I''m not too worried, the chances of them running into each other are astronomical," Hellisby said. "The storm is quite large, after all." My frown deepened at his words. That kind of talk jinxed everything.


    Ferrisdae just smiled. "Thank you for talking with us, Hellisby," she said before ushering me out of the door with her. Might as well have picked me up and took me outside.


    The world was gray, white, and had a biting cold that wouldn''t take its time reaching your bones. Snow blew down from the north, but it was a gentle covering. It could, and would, get much worse.


    "We have to get moving. Right now," Ferrisdae said. She immediately started conjuring her Skymirror Carriage.


    I watched her carefully. She fumbled over her spell, groaned, and then performed it perfectly. This time the carriage was cloud-gray and enclosed in glass for visibility. Ferrisdae stepped onto it and sat down, looking back at me. "Well? Come on, Badger."


    "Don''t rush me," I said, keeping my tone even. The moment I stepped into the carriage it took off at speed, forcing me to stumble into my seat. "Do you know where we''re going?"


    "Yes," she said, determination in her voice. "Since I''m the one with the carriage, I spent some time last night picking out the fastest route to the cavern."


    I looked at Ferrisdae''s face carefully. She was turned around in her seat and staring out of the front window. "And¡­ How long will it take us to get there?"


    "About four hours, but I can probably shave off an hour from that." As if to give her words meaning, the carriage started to speed up.


    "Do you plan on staying vigilant the entire time?" I asked.


    "What if those researchers decide to go into Razorbeak''s caravan?" Ferrisdae asked. "We have to get in there."


    I sighed. "Ferrisdae, I''m about to give you the most important advice you''ll ever get as a member of the DoD."


    The Elf blinked at me slowly, then shifted in her seat so that she was sitting properly. "Okay, hit me."


    "I will do no such thing," I told her. My deadpan delivery made her snort. "My advice is this: you are not an adventurer."


    Another slow blink as Ferrisdae processed that, then she looked at me with an angry expression. "With all due respect, that''s a load of crap," she retorted.


    "Oh?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.


    "Yes, Badger, that''s a load of crap," Ferrisdae repeated, crossing her arms. "But I''m going to give you the chance to elaborate before I get mad at you."


    "You''re already mad at me based on what you think I''m going to say," I told her. I could see the anger in her eyes and the way she clenched her fists.


    "Yes, but I''m being diplomatic and giving you a chance," she said. Her tone was anything but.


    Now it was my turn to snort. She looked so serious. "Our job is not to save people," I said. "Our job is to deal in dungeons."


    "Those people might be going into a dungeon that we have a responsibility to destroy," she countered. "So, that makes them our responsibility."


    I shook my head. "And what if we go into the blizzard and they''re nowhere near Razorbeak''s caravan?" I asked. "Are you going to go out of your way to find them?"


    "No," Ferrisdae said quickly. "It would be nice to find them but we have to take care of the dungeon."


    "Exactly," I said, snapping my fingers and pointing at her. "I know you''re worried about them finding the caravan, but the odds of them doing so are really, really low. The dungeons are our responsibility, yes, and we are taking care of them as fast as we can, but our job is not to dive into dungeons and rescue people. That''s adventurer work."


    "Our job is to protect people by regulating dungeons so that the least amount of people die," she said. "In this case, there''s a dungeon that poses a safety hazard to anyone who comes close to it. If they die, then that''s on us."


    "How many people do you think are going to die because of your decisions about a dungeon?" I asked. "How many new adventurers are going to die in Krad''s dungeon? Or against Sevensleg? It''s not going to be zero."


    "Well, that''s-"


    "Exactly what our job is," I interrupted. "Our job is to even the odds and make sure that if people die or get hurt, it''s because it''s their own damn fault. Our job is not to save people with questionable judgment like jumping into an immensely powerful magic snowstorm and boarding some random wagons that shouldn''t be in there."


    "You mean the strange random wagons in the storm that has abnormal signs?" Ferrisdae spat. "The ones that may be causing the change? The strange random wagons that they might investigate because they''re new and therefore worth researching?"


    I frowned. That made a lot of sense. I wasn''t thinking of this from the perspective of a curious magic researcher, but my own as a Dungeon Inspector. "You''re right," I admitted. "There is a chance they''ll find and enter the dungeons."


    "Yes, and-" Ferrisdae started angrily. The steam left her face as she realized what I said. The wagon slowed down in accordance to her shift in mood. "That''s right," she finished softly.


    "But my point still stands," I said. "Our job isn''t to save people like adventurers do. We''ll go do our job, without a doubt we will, but if we are late that''s not on us."


    Ferrisdae exhaled, and the carriage ride became supernaturally smooth. I hadn''t realized how fast we were going. "But if they need it and we can, we''re going to save them, right?"


    "Of course," I said. "That''s just the decent thing to do. I''m mean, not a monster."

 Chapter 11 - Adventurer

    Nearing the halfway point of our journey, both Ferrisdae and I were surprised by a knock on the carriage door. I had been going over the map of the Ice Cavern and she was buried in writing in her own untitled tome. We both looked up at the tapper.


    It was a moose. I furrowed my brow, frowning, before noticing that there was a leg encased in snow-covered furs that tapped on our glass again. It blended in well against the animal¡¯s brown hide. Ferrisdae and I looked at each other in confusion.


    We belatedly noticed another carriage stopped in the road ahead of us. "Bandits?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "If they are," I started. "Then they''re doing a poor job of it." The foot tapped again, and a head came into view.


    It was a young Human man. Tall, with pale skin and red stubble adorning his head. The furs he wore matched that of the moose he rode. "Would you mind if I came in?" the man yelled, voice deep and boisterous.


    Ferrisdae and I shared one more glance before she reached over and opened the door. Cold air and snow blew in, quickly coating the floor. The man adeptly swung off of his moose, through the door, and into the seat next to me in one smooth motion.


    He paused, shifting on the cushioned seat. "This is really nice," he said. "Heated, too. This is as nice as the princess'' carriage."


    "Who are you?" I asked, closing the door.


    "Ah! My manners are missing," the man said, flashing a big grin. "I am Cojisto, the world''s greatest adventurer!"


    "You''re Porolo Sitchken, Gnomish explorer of the unknown, and the most prodigious cartographer the world has seen in 300 years?" I asked without missing a beat. "You''re much taller than I expected. And much younger."


    Cojisto laughed. "Perhaps the world''s greatest is still a way off, but it''s good to have aspirations, no?" He didn''t seem to take any offense to my words that I could tell. "I have just stopped to ask if you were going to the Ice Caverns of the White Wyrm?"


    "Yes, that''s where we''re going," Ferrisdae confirmed. "I''m Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae and this is Dungeon Inspector Badger."


    "Dungeon Inspectors!" Cojisto roared gleefully. I thought Ferrisdae''s optimism was too much, but this guy was worse than that. "So you''re already aware that it''s closed. I apologize for taking up your time."


    "Closed?" Ferrisdae and I asked at the same time.


    Cojisto paused, looking at both of us. "You two are in sync, that''s nice," he said.


    "What do you mean closed?" I scoffed.


    "I guess you aren''t already aware," he said. "I unapologize for taking up your time. The dungeon is closed." We waited for him to elaborate further, but he didn''t.


    Instead, we were distracted by another carriage passing ours. I immediately noted its excellent craftsmanship. Inside was a white haired Elf woman, young by the looks of her, with an expensive looking gold tiara sitting on her head.


    "Princess Koritha?" Ferrisdae asked. The princess was regarding our carriage with curiosity as we passed, and I saw a look of recognition flit across her face.


    "Yes, my group and I were the ones who came to rescue her," Cojisto confirmed. "Well, they did, Moose and I happened to be in the right place at the right time and sort of crashed their contract."


    "You named your moose, Moose?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "More important than that, why is the dungeon closed?" I asked, scowling at Ferrisdae. It was not the time to be asking about an animal.


    "No, Moose is always the most important topic of conversation," Cojisto said matter-of-factly to me before turning to Ferrisdae. "Moose is not my moose, we are friends. He''s a magic moose."


    "And the dungeon?" I asked loudly before Ferrisdae could ask about the magic moose.


    "Right, yes. It was closed," Cojisto said. "But we aren''t sure why. Our party got to the entrance, started casting magic to empower ourselves, when a big Kobold came out."


    Cojisto put his arms out wide. "I mean big. As tall as the Junior Inspector and as thick as a horse. He came out with the princess and said that the dungeon was closed until further notice, thanked us for picking up the princess, handed us some magical crystals and politely asked us to leave. You don''t just say no to someone giving you everything you came for."


    "Did the princess have any idea why?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "Some guy showed up, she said. Clad in purple and green and with a big hat and a weird wand in a sheath on his belt," Cojisto said. "She didn''t hear their conversation, but the man left the White Wyrm some kind of glowing rectangle. After that, she was ignored."


    "That doesn''t make sense," I stated, frowning. "The records on Oristrella are old and thorough. She''s never just¡­ given up like that."


    "That''s what happened, though," Cojisto said with a shrug. "We can talk to the princess if you like."


    Ferrisdae sucked in a breath. "She and I aren''t on the best of terms right now¡­" I raised my eyebrow at her, and she shook her head. It was none of my business, anyway. "I''m sure Cojisto gave us all the pertinent information."


    "I''m sure," I repeated, shaking my head and rolling my eyes. ¡°We can trust this random stranger traveling the roads.


    ¡°Yes, I am not known to lie. Though I suppose to people who don¡¯t know me, they could think that me saying I am not known to lie is a lie,¡± Cojisto said. He turned to Ferrisdae. "You know the princess?"


    Ferrisdae fidgeted in place, clearly uncomfortable. "That''s not something I want to get into right now," she said.


    Cojisto hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. What are you two here for if not for this, then?" He asked.


    "Department of Dungeons business," I said. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Raitheus Razorbeak''s caravan has gone rogue and entered the Thousand Year Blizzard," Ferrisdae said. I shot her a disapproving look. "The mages from the Crystal Snows guild caught wind of an anomaly and went after it. We were sent to subjugate his dungeon."


    "That''s not the whole story," I chided.


    Cojisto chose to fixate on the wrong part. "Razorbeak''s caravan is getting subjugated?" He asked, suddenly excited. "I wish to help, I''ve always wanted to try my hand on taking down his dungeon."


    I ran my hand down my face, then gave Ferrisdae a withering stare. "No," I started firmly.


    "Why don''t you meet us there?" Ferrisdae asked quickly.


    My eyes shot open. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    "We can all go together and save the day and the people who may or may not have gone into that particular dungeon," Ferrisdae continued, the words practically falling out of her mouth in her effort to get them out.


    "Done!" Cojisto said loudly, standing and pumping a fist. "We''ll escort the princess home and meet you there! This is going to be great!"


    "Wait!" I yelled, but it went unheeded. In as smooth a move as his entry, Cojisto opened the door and mounted his moose, or¡­ just Moose, and started galloping away. I glared angrily at the rookie. ¡°Why did you do that, Ferrisdae?¡±


    ¡°Well, you know,¡± she said quietly. ¡°He was kind of cute and I¡¯m just a teenage girl. I couldn¡¯t help myself, you know?¡±


    I stared at Ferrisdae, who suddenly couldn''t meet my eyes, and didn¡¯t believe her for a second. "You''re a bad liar, Ferrisdae," I told her. "You know this can only go poorly."


    "Yeah, probably," she admitted sheepishly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever pull this kind of thing without giving it serious thought again,¡± I warned, pointing a finger at her. ¡°There are proper channels to go through to request outside assistance for both your safety and theirs. Subjugation runs are especially dangerous. That¡¯s one of the first things they teach you at the DoD, so I know that you know that.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s all the more reason to ask for-¡± Ferrisdae started, but I cut her off.


    ¡°Why are subjugation runs especially dangerous, Ferrisdae?¡±


    She looked like she wasn¡¯t going to answer me at first, but I remained silent and she broke first. ¡°Dungeon owners who realize that their time with dungeon-granted immortality will soon be over don¡¯t take kindly to having it ripped away suddenly,¡± Ferrisdae answered. ¡°It makes them desperate and erratic, and desperate foes are more inclined to cause widespread damage.¡±


    ¡°That kind of desperation is powerful,¡± I continued. ¡°Like a cornered animal, there¡¯s no telling what they¡¯ll pull off. It means the difference between a temporary death or a permanent one. Adventurers are not meant to see that side of dungeons, that¡¯s something that we have to deal with as Dungeon Inspectors.¡±


    ¡°If it really is all that dangerous, then why didn¡¯t we request backup in the first place?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t Razorbeak supposed to be a big name in dungeon bosses? We¡¯re not expecting him to go quietly after all he¡¯s schemed already, right?¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t need help, Ferrisdae,¡± I said. ¡°They sent me. The job¡¯s going to get done one way or another, just like always. And we could have done it without some fool adventurer and his damn moose.¡±


    ******


    The ride became rough near the end as we had to climb down a steep, winding path. I was amazed at how versatile this Skymirror Carriage spell was, though I didn''t voice it out loud. Ferrisdae didn''t get praise for knowing such a high profile spell. Not after what she pulled, anyway.


    The entrance to the Ice Caverns of the White Wyrm was a large opening at the bottom of a frozen ravine in the Ground. It was protected from the blowing snow by several walls of ice placed by Oristrella. Standing in front of it was intimidating. Just knowing that a dragon big enough to require an entrance six wagons wide was enough to scare off all but the most stalwart of adventurers.


    We stepped out into the cold. It was a jarring contrast from the cozy carriage, and I watched as Ferrisdae started to turn red, shivering as the cold affected her. She retrieved and put on a slender blue ring, and her face slowly started turning back to its normal color.


    I hadn¡¯t been bothered by it as she had. One of the enchantments my jacket had, aside from the Dimensional Pocket stitched to the inside, regulated my temperature. As long as the weather wasn¡¯t outrageously hot or cold, I would be comfortable.


    We strode towards the entrance. Protocol dictated that we had to try the Dungeon Doorknocker before entering even if we were sure that the dungeon''s owner wouldn''t heed its call. There was no need this time; a tall, wide Kobold came to greet us.


    Cojisto hadn¡¯t been kidding. I had met many Kobolds before and they were usually around my height. This one had to have something else in its ancestry. Based on its white scales with an almost imperceptible blue tinge and its breath not showing in the cold like ours were, I guessed it was a Half-Dragon.


    "It is odd to have two adventuring parties in one day," the Kobold rumbled. "But I''m sorry to say that we are closed for the foreseeable future. We also gave the Elf princess to the last group with the spoils they would have gained going through the dungeon. We have nothing for you here."


    "Hello," Ferrisdae said with a smile, taking a few steps forward. "I''m Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae and this is Dungeon Inspector Badger. We came for unrelated reasons, but we met with a member of that group and they mentioned you were closed."


    The Kobold''s beady eyes narrowed. I saw his body language shift to something more defensive. The atmosphere changed, suddenly becoming just a little colder. I couldn''t tell if it was the weather or the mood.


    "We initially came to the Ice Caverns to ask Oristrella for a boon," I said, moving so that I was standing slightly in front of Ferrisdae. "There''s something in the Thousand Year Blizzard that we need to get to. We brought books to bargain with, including a manuscript I know she''ll love."


    The Kobold let us speak, and a silence followed. We waited patiently. It took a minute, but he spoke again. "You were not meant to show up this quickly," he said. "We were supposed to have more time. That was what he told us."


    "More time for what?" I asked. "Who said that?"


    "The conversion," the Kobold answered. "Our queen has partnered with a strange Human who had brought an appropriate tribute."


    ¡°Conversion?¡± I frowned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t communicated to the DoD.¡±


    Conversion was the term for transferring a dungeon from one owner to another. It was a monumental undertaking that required a lot of resources and oversight from the Department of Dungeons. It wasn¡¯t something that could simply be done with something as simple as a spell, especially not with a naturally formed dungeon like this one. The Ice Caverns sprang up around Oristrella specifically.


    ¡°I am aware of your methods, inspector. It¡¯s being done through different, less intensive means,¡± the Kobold explained. ¡°Oristrella is still going to be the boss of the dungeon, as she rightfully deserves, but it will be under the direction of this strange Human, which is shameful.¡±


    "Who is it?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "I do not know his name," he claimed. "But I do not think he is what''s best for our clan."


    "What''s your name? The name of your clan?" Ferrisdae moved forward so that she was beside me again. I saw her glancing at me every so often, but I tried to ignore her. I didn''t have any answers for her this time.


    "I am Corez, proud Warchief of the Coldspring Clan," he said.


    "Warchief Corez," Ferrisdae said. "What do you know about this man?"


    "He speaks strangely, and has an aura of power about him," Corez answered. "He wears strange clothes, and comes bearing the greatest tribute our queen has ever received."


    I thought back to what Cojisto said the princess told him. "Purple and green with a big hat?" I asked.


    Corez''s tail raised and slammed down, splintering the ice underneath him. Anger filled his eyes. "Yes. He came to court our queen," he spat. "The soft fleshed male is undeserving."


    "If you feel that strongly about it, then let us pass so that we can speak to your liege," Ferrisdae reasoned. "Let us find out who this strange man is and do something about it."


    "Things may be changing," Corez growled. "But we are still a proud dungeon. If you see it through to the end, you may speak to our queen yourself. Then you can gain all the answers your paltry tribute will earn you."


    "Is there no way to do this without bloodshed?" Ferrisdae asked.


    Corez rumbled again in laughter. He looked at me. "You should educate her about dragons before you enter. If she has to ask, she is not ready."


    Ferrisdae and I watched as Corez walked back into the dungeon, disappearing into the darkness.


    "That''s rude," Ferrisdae said with a frown. "I know about dragons."

 Chapter 12 - Equipment Check

    ¡°Equipment check before we go in,¡± I told Ferrisdae.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I have my wand ready.¡±


    I looked over and saw that she did have her wand in hand. That appeared to be her only preparation. ¡°Is that all you need to raid a dungeon?¡± I asked. I hadn¡¯t heard her cast any spells for protection or buffs, and I knew she had at least one spell that did the latter.


    ¡°I¡¯m a simple spellcaster,¡± Ferrisdae claimed with a shrug. ¡°All I need is a solid grasp of the situation and a wand to use as a focus. What else would I need?¡±


    ¡°Simple isn¡¯t what I would refer to any spellcaster as,¡± I said with a scowl and a shake of my head. ¡°No protective spells or empowerments you want to cast?¡±


    Ferrisdae shook her head. ¡°No, I know a short term shielding spell for emergencies,¡± she replied. ¡°But it¡¯s not like I can pop off to the store and purchase new spells. What I have is what I have.¡±


    I nodded. She had specified that she was a sorceress when we first met after I had asked her if she were a wizard. Unlike a wizard, all of her spells came from the magic source within her called a wellspring. She could still use magic items that could cast spells, but since she had not done so, I assumed she didn¡¯t have any.


    ¡°But you do have offensive spells, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course I do!¡± Ferrisdae said as if she was scandalized. ¡°You think I¡¯d sign up for a job like this without an offensive spell?¡±


    I waved her off. ¡°Okay, I believe you. As long as you¡¯ve got¡­¡± My eyes narrowed as I realized what she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, an offensive spell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not a big deal, is it? I¡¯m quite good with it,¡± she claimed. ¡°Don¡¯t even have to aim it or anything, just fire it off and it does the rest.¡±


    ¡°Is your only offensive spell, by chance, Magic Missile?¡± I asked flatly.


    Magic Missile was a spell that never missed its target, but didn¡¯t have a lot of force behind it. Variations of the spell were common, but I had never seen a variation that packed a substantial punch.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t be dense,¡± Ferrisdae said, scoffing. ¡°It¡¯s a variant of Magic Missile called Shooting Star. It¡¯s way more powerful and way cooler.¡± She watched as I put my hand over my face. This girl was a headache. ¡°What? You have a problem with Shooting Star?¡±


    ¡°Not with Shooting Star, no,¡± I said slowly into my hand. I stopped looking at her. ¡°I was just assuming that you had more punch than a single offensive variant spell.¡±


    ¡°Aww, are you worried about me?¡± Ferrisdae asked, leaning down so that she was in my face.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried about you,¡± I told her. Ferrisdae¡¯s face brightened at those words, and I shook my head. ¡°Do you know how much paperwork I¡¯d have to do if you got hurt or, Gods forbid, killed? It¡¯s not a walk in the park being a mentor to a Junior Dungeon Inspector.¡± I expected her to change her tune after that, and I dropped my hand to see her staring at me with an amused look on her face.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to know you care,¡± she said, laughing and standing up straight. There was a hesitant tone in her voice when she next spoke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check your equipment, too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to it, just had to check on you first,¡± I said sullenly. It was then that I noticed she was staring at me quite intensely. ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Merlk said that you used a sword and shield,¡± Ferrisdae stated. ¡°I was just waiting for you to pull them out. See what kind of equipment you use.¡±


    I leveled a flat stare on her, but she just grinned. ¡°When we get back, remind me to give that Dwarf a good talking to about passing around my personal information.¡± While I was talking, I started pulling my equipment from my pocket. The first thing I pulled out was an unadorned leather buckler that I strapped to my wrist.


    Although it looked like a normal buckler, it was anything but. I slapped my hand against my chest, and magically concealed metal plates extended out to produce a large round shield. From the outside it looked to be made of some plain steel, but when looked at from the wearer¡¯s side it was transparent. This allowed me to retain my vision even when it was necessary to cover my face with the shield. It had been a trusted companion for a long while now. I tapped my chest with the hand again and the magic metal plates slid back into the buckler.


    Reaching back into my pocket, I pulled out a metallic green sword hilt. It fit into my hand perfectly, protecting my fingers with a sweeping half-basket designed to look like leafed vines growing from where the blade was supposed to be. The pommel was a plain disc with eight notches cut into it.


    I thumbed a rune near the top of the grip and a two foot long blade ending erupted from the hilt. ¡°Ignite,¡± I told it, speaking in a commanding tone, and it did. From the clipped point down to the hilt, flames sprung forth from the blade and radiated a heat that felt gentle to us but would rage against my enemies.


    ¡°Ohhhh,¡± Ferrisdae said, sidling up to my blade. ¡°That¡¯s more in line with what I expect from you.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, you want to know my opinion all of a sudden?¡± Ferrisdae teased.


    ¡°We¡¯re going in,¡± I said with a scowl. I began walking towards the entrance.


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ferrisdae apologized as she fell in line behind me. ¡°I just thought you¡¯d have something cool. And you do. How many blades do you have in that Hilt of Holding?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I said. Then I sighed. I supposed it might be time to give up some secrets and mentor this child properly. Throw her a bone, at least. ¡°Seven, almost full. I have this one and an ice sword just like it, a dagger that magically injects poison into whatever I stab, a rapier that enhances my speed, one that¡¯s just a club but corrodes any metal it strikes, a scimitar that drinks blood but before you ask, no, I have no idea where the blood goes nor is it a cursed item, and finally, my favorite letter opener.¡±


    Ferrisdae listened and approved of everything one by one until I got to the last blade. ¡°A letter opener?¡± She asked incredulously. ¡°You can¡¯t remove swords, or clubs I guess, from a Hilt of Holding, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but I did say that it was my favorite letter opener,¡± I said. Then I raised a hand and shushed her; we passed the threshold into the Ice Caverns.


    As I passed into the dungeon, that familiar chill rushed over me. Not from the actual cold air all around us, but from the magic that made up the dungeon itself. A gold plaque in the white, frost covered stone entrance caught my eye. I approached it, and read the engraved text.


    Welcome to dungeon ¡°I¡¯ll Name It Later¡± (17).


    Please excuse our mess, this dungeon is currently being converted. Conversion will be paused if anyone not of the dungeon enters. Rest assured, we are working hard to turn I¡¯ll Name It Later (17) into a dungeon worth delving into.


    Any complaints can be directed to the Dungeon Boss, Oristrella the White Wyrm.


    We appreciate your patience.


    Best regards from the Secretary to The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons.


    I read through the text with a furrowed brow, and I felt Ferrisdae behind me reading the plaque as well. It was strange, I had never seen anything like this before in my time as a dungeon inspector.


    ¡°This is highly unprofessional,¡± I seethed. ¡°This is exactly why the Department of Dungeons is so damn important. Who the hell do they think they are?¡±


    ¡°You okay, Badger?¡± Ferrisdae asked hesitantly, voice low but warm.


    I huffed, took a moment, and then nodded. ¡°Yes, I will be,¡± I said, turning away from her. ¡°It said to direct all complaints to Oristrella, and I have a lot to say about this new guy.¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon Master,¡± Ferrisdae said, nodding. ¡°Master of Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a real mouthful.¡± Putting my feelings off to the side, I fell back into my work.


    Kobolds were always tricky henchmen to deal with. They were crafty and scrappy, utilizing traps and scurrying off when battles they were in turned against them. I swept my eyes along the floor, walls, and ceilings to check for anything dangerous they might have set up. A few of them were evident such as bear traps jutting out of the ice-covered ground and camouflaged by snow, or light cracks that indicated the floor wasn¡¯t as sturdy as expected. Something seemed off, though. Something, aside from the obvious, wasn¡¯t right.


    I switched my sword to my shield arm and pulled out the map of this place. It was supposed to be a long, winding tunnel with areas dug out to the sides where the Kobolds made their warrens and then a large room at the end with an unfreezing spring that Oristrella made her lair. I checked the map against the dungeon¡¯s foyer and realization hit me.


    ¡°It¡¯s been altered,¡± I said. ¡°This map is useless.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ferrisdae asked. She moved to look over my shoulder.


    I put out my flaming sword by retracting the blade before continuing. Using the hilt, I pointed to where we were. ¡°The entrance is only supposed to have one path inward, and there¡¯s supposed to be both Kobolds and traps here. I¡¯ve found the traps, but now there¡¯s two paths and no Kobolds.¡±


    Ferrisdae hummed, thinking. ¡°It¡¯s been about three months since the last inspection, right? Could they have changed it in that long?¡±


    ¡°These are natural caverns, but with magic it is possible,¡± I mused. ¡°But does that mean this Dungeon Master is-¡±


    ¡°Master of Dungeons,¡± Ferrisdae said, interrupting me.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow as I looked up at her.


    ¡°Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons,¡± she corrected. ¡°That¡¯s his title.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unwieldy is what it is,¡± I countered. ¡°I¡¯m not saying all of that every time I need to reference him.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but I just think it¡¯s rude to dismiss his name, is all,¡± she said right back.


    I shook my head at her. ¡°Okay, but does this mean the owner has been around for that long?¡± I asked, avoiding the mouthful of a title. ¡°Or is this a more recent development?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d think the latter, if Warchief Corez¡¯s reaction to him was anything to go by,¡± Ferrisdae stated, tapping her finger to her chin as she continued to think. ¡°If he had months to cope, he might not have been so angry. Also, Oristrella probably wouldn''t have kidnapped Kori. Princess Koritha, I mean."


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± I said with a nod, ignoring her familiar way of addressing royalty. ¡°That¡¯s a good observation. But if it¡¯s more recent, then we assume, what? A few weeks max? It takes a long time for dungeon shaping magic to do its thing, so what method is this guy using?¡±


    ¡°We could stand here and think about it, or we could go lodge those complaints you have and get information,¡± Ferrisdae said before taking on an impish grin. ¡°I know which one I¡¯d rather do.¡±


    I nodded. I was going to have a whole slew of complaints once we got there. If it would be worth airing, however, that was another story. Dragons were capricious and prone to dismiss completely valid complaints from what they perceived as lesser races.


    ¡°You want to take the vanguard, sir?¡± Ferrisdae asked as she turned her attention back to the dungeon.


    ¡°No,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ll use this sword and shield to protect you from the back. You¡¯ve got this. I¡¯ve got full faith in your one offensive spell and short lived defensive ones.¡±


    ¡°Sarcasm, nice. You¡¯re starting to sound more like a person every day.¡± Ferrisdae laughed and stuck her tongue out at me before taking the map from my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take this just in case. If we come across any of the old parts of the dungeon, then it¡¯ll still come in handy.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± I told her, turning my gaze back to the large, icy room before us.

 Chapter 13 - Ice Caverns

    The trap-filled cavern had two paths we could take. The tunnel on the left sloped upwards. Depending on how much the dungeon had changed, this would be the wrong path. Oristrella¡¯s boss room was deeper underground, not closer to the surface. The path on the right did dip out of view, sloping downwards. It was closer to where the map indicated the path would be, so I surmised that it hadn¡¯t changed too much.


    ¡°We¡¯re going by the left-hand rule,¡± I told Ferrisdae.


    ¡°Left-hand?¡± She asked. I opened my mouth, ready to explain, when she shook her head. ¡°I know what it means, I just like the right-hand rule.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t something we¡¯re going to argue over,¡± I said. ¡°My shield is on the left, so that¡¯s the way we turn.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± Ferrisdae sighed. I gave her a look, and she stood up straighter. ¡°I mean, yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Stay close, keep your wand ready.¡± Instead of indulging her further, I started walking through the cave. The bear traps were easy to spot, hidden under clumps of snow that only occasionally looked natural. The cracked ice indicating pitfalls were harder to see and navigate.


    Someone had tried to be clever, I realized, and perhaps the placement and camouflage of the bear traps wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought they were. I stopped and took a look around the room again. Once under a scrutinizing gaze, I could see where some of the snow that drifted from outside dipped into the ice, just slightly.


    ¡°This is better designed than I initially thought,¡± I said to Ferrisdae. I moved my sword to point out the paths. ¡°Take a look.¡±


    Ferrisdae paused and followed my sword to where I was pointing. She squinted as she took in the room, and then started looking all around us. ¡°Ohhhh,¡± she said. ¡°Oh that¡¯s devious.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your assessment?¡± I asked, resuming my trek across the room.


    ¡°The bear traps are meant to be found, as are some of the cracked ice pitfalls,¡± Ferrisdae responded. ¡°Almost all of the paths lead to a pitfall, but the snow around the bear traps hide their own pitfall underneath. An adventurer would see the trap on top and think that¡¯s all there is to it, but it¡¯s just a cover. If you avoid the easily seen pitfall traps by going over the bear traps, you¡¯re still falling in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s a simple setup, and any competent rogue or ranger of an appropriate level would spot it, but it¡¯s still a not so nice little surprise.¡±


    My pace was glacial as I moved forwards, panning my gaze over the floor. I stopped about halfway through the room and looked towards the ceiling. Nothing out of the ordinary that I noticed. With all these traps on the floor, putting one high up where a party was unlikely to look would have been downright evil.


    We followed the only path to safety that I could find, which involved a small section of slippery ice between two rather large cracks. It was hard to spot, the only indication being the fissures in the ice stopping abruptly.


    ¡°Seven out of ten,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯ll catch parties who don¡¯t have the right skill set, but for those who have the skills for it, it¡¯s just tedious.¡±


    ¡°At least we know why there¡¯s no one waiting for us at the entrance,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°If there weren¡¯t any rules, the Kobolds could just keep archers against this back wall to harass any invading adventurers.¡±


    Dungeon rooms that were more than 80% traps were designated as trap rooms. These were only allowed to have a few combatants in order to keep things fair for adventurers. This was definitely a trap room, but I shook my head at Ferrisdae¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of regulations,¡± I said. ¡°If they were still following regulations, then we wouldn¡¯t have the problem of them changing the dungeon around without notifying us. The adventurers that come to this place are going to be powerful, a few archers or spellcasters aren¡¯t going to be a big deal unless the party in question is woefully unprepared.¡±


    Ferrisdae thought about it as we reached the wall between the two paths forwards. ¡°That makes sense,¡± she agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, that flight magic is so hard to come by. With such a high ceiling, that¡¯d make this room pretty much inconsequential.¡±


    ¡°Flight magic makes a lot of things inconsequential,¡± I said. ¡°And makes a lot of things that aren¡¯t normally possible, possible. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s hard to come by, it¡¯s that it¡¯s well regulated to prevent misuse, just like long range teleportation spells. There¡¯s a reason why the Mages Guild has a monopoly on that.¡±


    ¡°Some noble families and royalty, too,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s just how the world works,¡± I scoffed. ¡°You can get just about anything if you¡¯re wealthy.¡±


    We made our way to the pathway on the left and both peeked around the corner. The uphill slope was gradual for the first twenty feet or so, and then sharply increased. Not impossible to climb, just tiring. The floor was made of stone and went on for roughly a hundred more feet before ending in a thick wall of ice. Small ridges took up half the path, alternating from left to right, and on those ridges stood Kobolds.


    A quick count put the number of ridges at 5 with 25 Kobolds in all. A literal uphill battle.


    One of the Kobolds on the lowest ridge spotted us peeking and raised a crossbow, firing with a shout. We both pulled our heads back to safety as the bolt ricocheted off of the stone wall, landing harmlessly near a bear trap.


    ¡°The intruders are here!¡± the Kobold yelled, its voice too high pitched to take seriously in the rumbling, guttural language of dragons.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Do you speak Draconic?¡± I asked Ferrisdae, and she shook her head. I nodded before poking my head back out to shout in their language. ¡°We are Dungeon Inspectors! Any who are willing to speak to us will be exempt from our subjugation!¡±


    I heard murmurs as the Kobolds spoke amongst themselves. ¡°What are they saying?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re wondering how best to respond to me asking for anyone to surrender,¡± I said, pulling my head back to look at her. ¡°You know, what insult would devastate my feelings the most.¡±


    ¡°Go die in the snow, softskin!¡± a Kobold yelled back. I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°These guys aren¡¯t the sharpest in the bunch,¡± I told Ferrisdae. Slapping my hand against my chest, I conjured my full shield again. ¡°Are you ready to fight our way up there?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I think I noticed something all the way in the back of the tunnel,¡± Ferrisdae said hesitantly.


    ¡°The ice wall?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s magical,¡± she stated. ¡°I can see the magic flowing through it and that wall is very suspicious.¡±


    I nodded. The ability to detect magic around them was a relatively common skill to all mages. It was something that would always be useful.


    ¡°Alright, so what do you want to do about it?¡± I asked. Peeking my head around the corner, I took a look at the ice wall again. It seemed innocuous, but it didn¡¯t fit with the rest of the stone tunnel. I pulled back as another crossbow bolt struck the wall, this one much closer to hitting me.


    Ferrisdae blinked. ¡°You¡¯re going to let me call the shots?¡± She asked, surprised. ¡°I kind of thought you¡¯d want to do things your way.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not that bad, am I?¡± I asked, somewhat insulted. ¡°If you have a plan, and it¡¯s not crazy, then let''s do your plan. What kind of Dungeon Inspector would I be if I didn¡¯t let my junior grow?¡±


    ¡°The Badger kind of Dungeon Inspector,¡± Ferrisdae answered.


    I scoffed. ¡°Do you have a plan or not?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. Can you cover me?¡± Ferrisdae asked quickly. I nodded and raised my shield towards her. ¡°Okay, then once you have their attention, I¡¯m going to cast a spell. It could be something, it could be nothing, but if it doesn¡¯t work then all it¡¯s cost me is some magic power.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll go on three,¡± I told her. I positioned myself so that I could pick up some speed easily. The terrain favored the defenders, but their window to hit me with my shield up was smaller than usual due to the angle. ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three!¡±


    I barrelled around the corner, my head covered as I worked my way up the gentle part of the slope. Crossbow bolts rained down on me, those that were more accurate hitting my shield. I could see them bouncing off thanks to the transparency enchantment, but I had faced down worse and didn¡¯t flinch.


    Ferrisdae jumped out behind me, and I heard her quickly cast a spell while the Kobolds were distracted. A roar filled my ears as a spinning five pointed star the size of my full shield sailed over my head, almost causing me to lose my balance out of surprise. I watched as it arched upwards, spinning faster the further it went, and slammed into the ice wall. The spell sunk into it without slowing, sending shavings all over the nearest Kobolds.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Magic Missile variant?¡± I half-yelled.


    Before my junior had a chance to respond, the ice cracked and buckled under itself. The Kobolds took one look at the wall and immediately began panicking, shouting, and starting to run towards us with fearful eyes.


    The ice began surging down the slope. It hadn¡¯t been just a wall, but a dam holding back the unfreezing water of the Coldspring. Stumbling to a stop, I turned around. Ferrisdae was staring at the danger coming towards us. I could hear the sound of ice breaking apart, the roar of the water as it filled the tunnel.


    ¡°Move!¡± I shouted, gesturing towards where we came from.


    That seemed to shock her into motion. Ferrisdae dove behind the wall as I pumped my legs as hard as I could. Time seemed to slow as I heard the Kobold¡¯s fearful shrieks disappear one by one behind me; they were being caught by the sudden deluge. What could possibly have made the owner think this was a good idea?


    Despite my panic, I wasn¡¯t too far from safety. I made it around the corner with a few seconds to spare. We both watched in horror as the Kobolds we were supposed to fight were pushed out of the tunnel and into the traps. A loud crack ripped through the cavern as the ice shattered, sending the water and Kobolds into the pitfall traps, dragging some of the bear traps down with them.


    ¡°That¡­ was¡­ awesome!¡± Ferrisdae cackled after a few moments of silence. ¡°I knew something was up but I wasn¡¯t expecting that!¡±


    ¡°You did good, kid,¡± I told her, giving her a nod.


    I shuffled my way close to the pitfall trap, trying not to agitate the ice, and looked inside. It was deeper than I expected, around 30 feet, but there were only puddles of water at the bottom with the corpses. I saw holes in the wall and at the bottom of the trap, likely to gather the water and make sure that no one could swim out of the pit.


    I grunted, then shook my head. ¡°Three out of ten.¡±


    ¡°Gotta give them some credit,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°Henchmen placement was good, what with it being a slog to work your way up into melee distance. Five out of ten, I¡¯d say. The biggest question being the purpose of this? Was one of the Kobolds in charge supposed to set it off if they were losing?¡±


    ¡°That or it was a trap for something when you¡¯re near the top,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s still reckless and dangerous and stupid. I¡¯ll stick with my three out of ten. This new owner seems incompetent.¡±


    Ferrisdae shrugged, I retracted my shield, and we started moving up the tunnel. It was wet and slippery, but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle by being careful and taking our time. At the top of the slope there was an alcove a few feet from the jagged remains of the ice wall. A door was set there with a key and a note hanging on it. I tried the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge, so I took the key.


    It was a gold key with four teeth on one end and a stylized dragon head with horns on the other. There wasn¡¯t a keyhole on this door, so it must have been for another room in the dungeon. I read the note. It was written in Imperial Standard, but I read it aloud anyway so that Ferrisdae wouldn''t have to read it over my shoulder.


    ¡°This part of the dungeon has not yet been formed. Here is the key you will need to enter the boss room. Just know that the rooms beyond will be epic, and you really missed out on some cool things by showing up early.¡± We stood in awkward silence for a moment, and I pocketed the key.


    ¡°Two out of ten, final answer,¡± I sighed, ripping the note off of the door and throwing it away.


    I turned my attention to the room behind the remains of the ice wall, which still had a few puddles behind it. It was vast, which explained why there had been so much water. This had to be one of the traps the dungeon itself reset with magic; there was no way anyone would be filling this room with buckets. In the back of the room was a deep gouge, like something had impacted it and started cutting through.


    I leveled a flat stare at Ferrisdae as I recognized the aftermath of her Shooting Star spell. ¡°Just a variation on Magic Missile, huh?¡±


    ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t a big deal,¡± Ferrisdae said with an impish grin.

 Chapter 14 - Blunder

    With the key safely tucked away in my Dimensional Pocket, Ferrisdae and I stood in front of the tunnel heading deeper into the ground. My mood was still sour from the poor execution of what could have been a great encounter in the other tunnel and the dungeon suddenly stopping because it hadn''t been built further yet.


    "Are we going to go down?" Ferrisdae asked, staring down the tunnel.


    This path sloped downwards, disappearing out of sight to the right. I ran my hand through my hair and tapped my flaming sword on the ground. "Yeah, yeah," I said sullenly. "I just need another minute."


    "We''ve been here for five already," she pointed out.


    "I''m just nettled," I told her. "This is completely unprofessional and it irks me to no end."


    Ferrisdae snorted, and I looked up to see amusement in her eyes. "Sorry, I shouldn''t laugh," she said, holding up a hand. "But almost everything irks you and this is one of the things that sets you off the most?"


    "Yes, this is one of the things that make me irrationally angry," I snapped. "Oristrella''s kidnappings are like clockwork. I don''t know if she keeps a calendar or it''s some kind of Draconian sense but she knew it was coming and she did the kidnapping. The adventurers came and went and for what?"


    "I think it''s safe to say that the appearance of the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons-"


    "Please shorten their name," I requested.


    "No, thank you," Ferrisdae replied before continuing. "But I think it''s safe to say it''s a recent change to the dungeon. She could have just holed up and waited it out, but instead went and did her job."


    I thought about it and found myself nodding. It made sense. That meant this change, these changes still happening, were less than a month old. There hadn''t been anything out of the ordinary when an Inspector had come out last, either.


    "So it''s unprofessional, sure, but only because of recent events," Ferrisdae continued. "That just makes me more curious about what kind of gift she had to receive to change what she¡¯s been doing for so long.¡±


    That made me pause. What kind of gift could it have been? Cojisto had said that it was a glowing rectangle, but that didn¡¯t give many clues as to what it was.


    Our attention was suddenly arrested by the sound of a pair of clawed feet walking towards us in the tunnel. I activated my shield and took position in front of Ferrisdae.


    A robed Kobold stepped around the corner with their arms up. Black facial tattoos, piercings, and a thick wooden staff identified them as one of the Kobold leaders, likely a shaman of some sort.


    "I don''t mean to intrude on your riveting conversation about our queen''s intentions, Dungeon Inspectors," he said in the Imperial Standard. His voice sounded old, though his body language showed that he was still spry. "I just came to tell you that you don''t have to take your time. One of the youngsters tripped a new trap in their excitement and, well, you''ll see when you come down."


    My arm dropped, and the shield struck the ground. "You''ve got to be kidding me," I said, exasperated. "Really?"


    The Kobold bowed his head. "As unfortunate as it is, it''s true. With all due respect, Dungeon Inspector, you are intruding during a time when renovations are in full swing. We were not ready for you."


    "You shouldn''t even have renovations!" I said, perhaps a little louder than I meant to.


    "We are aware," he responded. "And yet that is where we find ourselves irregardless of the rules we have bound ourselves to."


    I grumbled unhappily, and Ferrisdae rested a hand on my shoulder, stepping in. "I''m Ferrisdae, and this is my senior, Badger," she said. "May we have your name?"


    "I am Elder Serily, Inspector Ferrisdae," he said. "Once you two leave, the dungeon will start resetting itself and we can move on. In order to expedite this, I would direct you to the other tunnel. At the end is a key that you will need to continue."


    "We have our DoD badges on us, it should reset over time even when we''re inside," Ferrisdae said.


    "That is the way it should be," Serily acknowledged. "But it is not how things actually are. We minions can feel the difference, but we do not understand it. Our queen will have answers for you."


    "This dungeon is fucked up," I spouted angrily. "There''s going to be a lot of explaining to do."


    "Also, we already have the key," Ferrisdae said as she squeezed tightly on my shoulder. I sighed, leaving the rest to her as I tried to reign in my irritation. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The Kobold looked us over, tilting his head in confusion. "You do not look battle worn," he remarked. "And yet you already have the key? I would expect more damage on any adventurers that came through, let alone a solitary pair."


    "Something¡­ not dissimilar to what you mentioned happened on the other side," Ferrisdae said with an unapologetic grin. "Badger, the key?" At her request, I pulled the key from my pocket to show him.


    "Hmm." Serily scratched at the white scales on his chin. "Well, I can''t deny your efficiency. At the bottom of the spiral you''ll find Warchief Corez inside the Coldspring, our boss chamber. I may be old enough to know when to step back, but he''ll stand in your way to the bitter end, I''m sure."


    "We''ll take that," Ferrisdae said lightly. "Won''t we, Badger?"


    "Sure," I said through gritted teeth. Shrugging Ferrisdae''s hand off of my shoulder, I began trekking down the tunnel. Serily gave us another bow as we passed, but didn''t try anything to stop us. Ferrisdae fell in line behind me and I could hear Serily''s clawed feet shuffling behind her.


    The aging Kobold''s description was spot on as we turned the first corner and continued turning as we descended, the flames of my sword lighting our way.


    We passed by a few sets of palisades along the inner wall of the corkscrew. There was a scattering of Kobolds tending the wounded behind the walls. Some grabbed their weapons at the sight of us, but a quick yap from an elder caused them to pause and get back to work.


    While I was diligently watching the Kobolds, Ferrisdae whistled appreciatively behind me. I took a moment to glance at her. She was looking along the outer walls, her green eyes glowing light purple. That was probably whatever ability let her see magic.


    "This is pretty advanced stuff," Ferrisdae said absently. She noticed me staring and quickly explained. "There''s magic trap runes in the walls. They''re all set to fire fist-sized icicles indiscriminately towards the inside wall if any creature that doesn''t have scales or a specific talisman affixed to them passes by."


    I took a closer look at the injured Kobolds. They had large chunks of their flesh missing, and I now noticed the ice chunks that had been pulled out of them. Although bloody, they blended in with the frost ridden stone.


    "That is quite right, Inspector," Serily confirmed.


    "Then what set it off?" I asked, still looking at the impromptu triage. There were moans of pain coming from further down the spiral as well. It seemed like this was a very long trap. "And why is it so big?"


    Serily coughed and scratched his chin. He seemed embarrassed, and rightfully so. "The trigger is at the end, and it''s wide so that it can catch any stragglers . You know how some less tactically minded adventurers are," he said, and I nodded at his words. "As for how it was tripped, well, we have a long standing tradition with the Ice Behemoth Tarvrel¡­"


    As his voice trailed off, I barked a laugh but it was Ferrisdae who responded. "The Beast King of the Yeti, right?" Ferrisdae asked. "His prestige is lower than that of your queen''s, but he''s far less amicable to people. What''s this tradition?"


    "A Minion Exchange Program," I answered. "Right? Off the books? According to the records, it was discontinued three decades ago when a Yeti got a little too rough with a nobleman."


    "That is quite so, Inspector, though we acquired permission to start it back up just this year" Serily said with a nod. "A youngster named Rarataramine is the Yeti in question. In his haste to get into position, he had forgotten the talisman that marks him as one of us. This was going to be his first combat encounter but, alas, you can see the type of damage it had done to us."


    If they did receive permission, then it wasn''t in their records. That was disheartening, but not inherently suspicious. Not everyone had such strict standards when it came to paperwork, and oversights like this were common to an unfortunate degree.


    Still, I mulled it over before shaking my head and resuming the path deeper underground.


    The tunnel didn''t descend all too much lower. The Kobold forces the whole way down were ravaged by the trap, a scant and lucky few were unhurt, but an accident of this magnitude was nothing but a disaster. At the bottom of the spiral was a smaller path of worked stone and, a few feet from that, a massive white-furred humanoid stained with blood. A shocked, pained expression could still be seen on its hairless face.


    We stopped in front of the scene, Ferrisdae looking down sympathetically at the Yeti. "Beyond this doorway is our warren," Serily explained. "Our women and children are in there since the dungeon is not yet complete. Warchief Corez allowed me to come get you and appeal for their safety. He will be waiting for you beyond that."


    My now perpetual frown deepened. "We¡¯re not going to attack your women and children," I spat. ¡°And I know that you know that''s wildly against regulations, Serily.¡±


    In cases where dungeons were home to those who would not fight, those non-combatants were meant to be protected out of sight and safe from adventurers at the dungeon owner''s expense. They weren''t often afforded the protection that the dungeon imparted on minions unless the owner was sufficiently powerful.


    "It is, Inspector," Serily acknowledged. "But we also both know that we are not up to code given the circumstances, so I''m not sure why you keep bringing it up."


    I shook my head. He was right; there was no point discussing it right now. "Corez is down there?"


    "That is correct, he''s guarding our queen''s chambers," Serily confirmed.


    "Then one more question, are the renovations Oristrella''s doing? Or are they the machinations of The Dungeon Master?"


    "Master of Dungeons," Ferrisdae added unhelpfully, causing me to scowl at her. She didn¡¯t even pretend to look chastised.


    "As far as I know, everything was prompted by the visit of that Human," Serily answered. Then he leaned in. "Between you and me, and no ill will to our queen, but I''m not sure how involved she is in the conversion process. She hasn''t come out of her chambers behind the Coldspring since receiving that gift."


    "The glowing rectangle," Ferrisdae said, absently. She was still staring at the Yeti. I cleared my throat, and she snapped out of it.


    "The very one, Inspector," Serily confirmed, nodding.


    "Lets go, Ferrisdae," I said, activating my shield so that it opened again. "One more stop before we get answers."

 Chapter 15 - Warchief

    The long, winding hallway I led Ferrisdae and Serily into had doors lining either side. Further ahead, I could see Kobolds peeking out at us as we proceeded, some were about my height, while others were obviously children. The doors slammed shut as we neared them.


    The deeper we went, the more doors slammed, and the worse my mood got.


    "We already know something''s wrong, Badger," Ferrisdae said soothingly. "You don''t have to get yourself worked up about this."


    I huffed, but nodded without turning to face her. She was right, of course. The dungeon irked me, but in the grand scheme of things we were saving a lot of time here. I had plans for when we faced Oristrella, however. Getting through this dungeon with only one real combat would mean we''d be faster than any other Dungeon Inspector team who had attempted this dungeon.


    That would be worth rubbing into Sophia''s face when we got back.


    My mood started to stabilize and with stability came clarity. I understood why they didn''t want to let the adventurers in here even without the dungeon being complete. Not all of them were righteous heroes; while killing non-combatants in a dungeon was illegal, it didn''t stop some of them from doing so. It takes a special kind of person to be an adventurer, but it didn¡¯t necessarily take a good one.


    The hallway ended by opening up onto a large cavern. The center was filled with a short layer of glowing water, filling the room with dancing blue light. Kneeling in the water was Corez, eyes closed as if in prayer and holding a two handed morning star in front of him.


    "This is as far as I go," Serily said from behind us. "Warchief Corez was very adamant about facing you two alone, and I''ll respect his wishes. Should you win, the key will allow you to pass through the door on the other end of the cavern."


    I looked past Corez, but all I could see was darkness. The glowing water was coming from that direction in a small stream, but it was too dim for me to make out any details from this distance.


    "The boss door," Ferrisdae said, and I turned to see her squinting. "I can barely make it out but it looks quite lovely."


    "Yes, we''re quite proud of it," Serily claimed. "I was the one to commission and retrieve it, actually. We had it made special from the Forest Elves and gave it to our queen for her 300th dungeon anniversary."


    "I''m sure it''s fantastic," I said to them both. "But we need to keep moving. Aren''t you in a rush, Ferrisdae?"


    Ferrisdae sucked in a breath and clutched her wand tightly in her hand. "That''s right, we have to get to Razorbeak''s caravan," she said.


    I could see the resolve in her eyes as she looked down at me. That kind of youthful determination was trouble, but that''s something I wouldn''t try to take out of her during this apprenticeship.


    "Stay on your toes," I told her, holding my hilt but not having any blade summoned. "I''ll try to take it easy so you have a chance to shine."


    "You think you''re strong enough to take it easy, Dungeon Inspector?" Serily snorted. "Warchief Corez has been protecting that door for decades, and he''s only been beaten by teams much larger than yours."


    "I can take it easy," I said. Not bragging, just stating a fact. "If it weren''t for my junior being foisted on me, I''d have been sent to handle this dungeon alone."


    Without waiting for a response, I began walking towards Corez.


    I got a response anyway. "Well, that''s rude," Ferrisdae huffed. I heard her follow after me, however, quick steps echoing through the cavern until she was right behind me.


    "Stay out of the water," I told her, ignoring her comment. "I''ll keep him in it so that you can shoot spells from a safe distance."


    "I''m not a little princess to be displayed in a glass case, you know," Ferrisdae snorted. "I can fight."


    I stopped and shot her a confused look. "You''re a Dungeon Inspector," I said like it was obvious. Because it was. "Of course you can fight. But I¡¯m a defender and you¡¯re a spellcaster. Let¡¯s stick to our roles, shall we?"


    Some of the wind left her sail. ¡°Um, right,¡± she said with a nod. Apparently, that seemed to be some kind of trigger for her.


    ¡°If you two are done bickering,¡± Corez¡¯s rumbling voice said. He hadn¡¯t even looked up yet and we were standing by the edge of his pool. We both turned our attention to him. ¡°I have a request before we begin.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, Warchief Corez,¡± Ferrisdae said. She stood up straight and watched the Kobold for any signs of deception.


    Corez opened his eyes and began standing up. "These Dungeon Inspectors are honorable, that is good," he said.


    "We wouldn''t even be fighting you if you had the sense to ditch tradition and stand aside," I scoffed. Ferrisdae gave me a look, but I ignored it.


    Despite being the one to insist on us slogging through the dungeon, Corez nodded. "I do agree, but Dungeon Inspectors make good combat practice. The one assigned to us previously, though, liked to do so with petty tricks and sneaky spells. Fighting you should be worth it."


    "I know what you mean," I groaned, shaking my head. "Sophia never knew how to get into a fair fight."


    "Sorry, petty tricks?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "I guess you wouldn''t know," I said, looking towards her. "Sophia is a spellcaster focusing on enchantments and illusions. She couldn''t fight her way through a toddler if she lost her magic."


    Corez snorted amusement. "Yes, that was always my assessment. It was so frustrating losing to her year after year."


    I nodded. "I completely understand, she''s terrible."


    "You shouldn''t bad mouth your coworkers," Ferrisdae chided. "Does this even have anything to do with the request?"


    "No," Corez admitted with a shake of his head. "I humbly request that, should I be bested, you two try to talk our queen out of her dalliance with this strange Human. He is unknown and highly suspicious." The Kobold began to shake in rage. "What right does he have? To come in here and offer gifts to our queen and steal the rights to her dungeon? Just look at the trouble he is putting the Coldspring Clan through. Who does he think he is?"Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I saw Ferrisdae start opening her mouth and, guessing what she was going to say, spoke up first. "We''ll attempt to the best of my ability," I said. "It''s not exactly out of our way. I had already made plans to address this matter. I make no promises, though."


    "That is all I need to hear," Corez said. He spun his two handed morning star in his hands before pointing it in our direction. "Then there''s nothing else to say. Come, attack me and get this over with!"


    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other. I noted the steely look in her eyes. Corez wasn''t a bad guy, but someone who was seriously concerned about his leader and the state of his warren. I had held some concern about whether she would hesitate to take down a dungeon''s denizen she had interacted with. It was something that came up a lot with rookies, but I could see that she wouldn''t. It''s not like he would be permanently dead, anyway.


    Raising my shield, I ran into the water towards Corez. True to its name, the water of the Coldspring was freezing. I felt it splash into my shoes and onto the legs of my pants, squishing and clinging uncomfortably. I once again praised my magical jacket for granting resistance to elements like this. For me it was only uncomfortable; I wouldn''t have to worry about frostbite or hypothermia in the battles to come.


    I kept my head down behind the cover my shield provided. The Kobold''s eyes shifted from the bladeless hilt in my hand, to Ferrisdae, and back. It was natural to be wary of a blade he couldn''t see as well as the spellcaster. He raised his morningstar in front of him and gave an exploratory poke.


    Ducking, I met his thrust with my shield. The large spikes of his weapon didn''t cause so much as a scratch as I knocked it into the air, trying to throw Corez off balance. Instead, he flowed into it, raising his massive clawed foot into the air and bringing it down on my shield.


    His claws clamped down over the top with an iron grip and tried to push my protection and, by extension me, to the ground. I struggled against his size and weight, but managed to hold firm. The ground wasn''t too far down for me, anyway. Instead of trying to withdraw the shield into its buckler form, I slowly, deliberately, raised my hilt into a striking position. I aimed for his leg.


    Corez was still wary of my sword, and rightfully so. Invisible blades weren''t common by any means, but he must have encountered a few in his time here. He released his grip on my shield, planting his foot firmly back on the ground, and swung his arm towards my sword. Ice seemed to ooze out between his scales to form armor.


    The look on Corez¡¯s face when his arm slammed into nothing soothed me on a deep level. His momentum set him on the wrong foot, causing him to stumble. I finished the arc of my swing low to the ground, and reached out with the hilt to snag Corez¡¯s leg. Then, I pulled.


    The Kobold became unbalanced, but only for a moment. His powerful tail struck the water behind him and acted as another leg to stabilize him. He stepped inwards to match my pull, his foot stepping on mine, and pivoted. His tail swung towards me from the left. That was my shield arm, so I wasn''t worried about damage, but despite my efforts I couldn''t move my foot.


    Leaning against Corez¡¯s leg, I used it as a brace as I took the blow head on with my shield. My ankle hurt from the angle that put it in, but most of the damage had been mitigated. Without warning Corez leapt back. His claws were in my shoe, but that was something I noticed too late. I was dragged into the air foot-first only to be let go halfway through the Kobold''s lengthy jump.


    A glowing, spinning yellow star veered around my head, Ferrisdae''s Shooting Star spell. A moment of panic flitted through my mind as I remembered the sheer destructive power of the spell, but it went right around me without harm. Corez had tried to use me to intercept it, the sly bastard.


    I controlled my landing to the best of my ability, twisting in the air, and managed to land with only a knee on the ground. By the time I scrambled to my feet, the spell had struck Corez dead center on his chest.


    It continued spinning brutally, blood flinging off with every rotation dyeing the pool we stood in. He screamed as his ice armor and even scales from his chest were shredded off of his body. Shooting Star was doing a number on him, but the spell blinked out before it could finish the job. The Kobold''s back arched, and his armor glowed with an icy light.


    ¡°Martial art!¡± I called. Martial arts were the spell equivalents known to martial classes, and just like spells they had countless varied effects. This one caused Corez¡¯s blood to coagulate and draw from his icy armor. They formed into spikes that grew out of the wound, each pointing at Ferrisdae.


    I sprang into action and ran towards the Elf. She looked ready to cast another spell, but I wasn''t sure if she''d make it in time. With a glance back at Corez, I tried my best to time my cover.


    Bloody icicles fired from the wound directly towards Ferrisdae like arrows, but I was there. During my jump I pulled my limbs in close to hide them behind cover. I had put myself in harm''s way, and several of the icicles slammed into my shield.


    The force knocked me back into Ferrisdae, who in turn stumbled and we both landed on the ground. I managed to block the majority, but she was still hit. A grimace plastered itself on her face as she gingerly touched the icicles, one in her shoulder and the other near her liver.


    "That''s some really sturdy armor, Corez," I told him, standing up. I wasn¡¯t worried about Ferrisdae¡¯s wounds, though. She''d drink a potion if need be, but I didn''t expect she would go down from just two blows like that.


    Corez breathed heavily and traced his hand across his wound. Ice covered it, staunching the bleeding. The blood he had already spilled covered his torso and stained the water underneath him. Regardless of the wound, he stood up straight and looked back at us.


    ¡°That would have cut me in half if I had not stopped it,¡± Corez praised. ¡°Your brutality is impressive, Elf.¡±


    Ferrisdae still hadn¡¯t stood up yet, but I could hear her breathing heavily and grunting as she shifted into a new position. I didn¡¯t want to take my eyes off of Corez. ¡°Plenty more where¡­ that came from,¡± she managed to say through gritted teeth.


    The Kobold smirked and started to breathe in, puffing out his chest. I immediately recognized it as the start of a breath attack. Corez had to be a Half-Dragon, then; I was sure of it now. I rushed forward, shield before me, in an attempt to head it off. This time, Ferrisdae was one step ahead of me.


    I heard her short incantation and slid to a stop as shining sand erupted into existence around Corez. It coated him from head to toe, mucking up the water. More importantly than that, Corez just breathed in a whole lot of it. The Warchief started hacking and coughing as his breath weapon was interrupted, frozen sand spitting out from his mouth. That was certainly one way to stop the attack, and I heard Ferrisdae snort in amusement behind me.


    Blinded and choking, Corez stumbled backwards and swung his morningstar in front of him to fend me off should I approach in his moment of vulnerability. That didn¡¯t stop me, though. I resumed my approach and summoned my flaming sword from the hilt. He could hear me stomping through the water, but didn¡¯t seem able to pinpoint my exact location.


    I ducked low again as Corez swung his morningstar at where he thought I was, bouncing it off of my shield into the air. He used his tail for balance again, but I ignited my sword and thrust it through the ice covering his chest. My blade sank into Corez, though not without considerable effort to break through his magic armor. In moments the Kobold slumped to the ground, his heart pierced.


    ¡°Is he dead?¡± Ferrisdae asked from dry land. I turned to face her, and I saw her back on her feet, trying to remove the icicles that were still embedded. Only the one in her shoulder was still there, and she looked like she was having trouble preparing herself for the pain.


    I returned my blade to the Hilt of Holding, which was easier than pulling it out of a dead Kobold, and moved to help her. Behind me, Corez''s body slumped into the water.


    ¡°Good thinking with the Glitterdust,¡± I said. Retracting my shield, I grabbed the icicle. She winced. ¡°Get a potion ready.¡±


    With a nod, she did as I said. ¡°Another variant,¡± she claimed. Variant spells were rare for new spellcasters. Generally, it took a lot of practice in order to raise a base spell into something both new and specialized in a mage¡¯s manner of spellcasting. In her case, what she called a Star Sorceress. It was, frankly, impressive that she had two. ¡°It¡¯s called Stardust, and it acts as an irritant to skin in addition to- AHH!¡±


    While Ferrisdae was talking and distracted, I pulled the icicle out of her shoulder. She screamed in pain, but immediately drank the healing potion. I watched as her wounds started to close on their own. Curiously, her starred robe started to stitch itself back together, the bloodstains starting to fade from it. Self-healing and cleaning was always a useful enchantment to place on your equipment when adventuring and inspecting were on the table.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mean son of a bitch, you know that?¡± Ferrisdae said through gritted teeth. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk at her.

 Chapter 16 - White Wyrm

    We took a few minutes after the fight with Corez. I looked over the wooden door to Oristrella''s sanctuary while Ferrisdae rested and drank some water. The carvings etched into and painted over really were as magnificent as Serily had claimed.


    The door depicted a naked white haired Human woman holding an open black tome while sitting and looking at the viewer. No matter where I moved, it looked like she was staring down at me with blue, reptilian eyes, and I had to wonder if the taller races got that, too. The woman was no doubt Oristrella in her Human form. Depictions of her were varied throughout the ages, but if she was anything like this carving then they did her no justice.


    Behind her was a library. The amount of detail carved into the door was magnificent, with each book having their own titles. Some of them were small enough that I couldn''t read them even when squinting. In the far distance of the library was a white dragon, perusing the bookshelves with interest, reaching for one of the books with a long claw.


    By the time Ferrisdae approached me, her robes had fully repaired themselves. Her face was still white, but she looked a lot better than she had when she took the potion.


    "How are you feeling?" I asked.


    "Cold, but ready to go," she answered.


    "So your ring doesn''t offer you complete immunity to cold?" I asked, thinking that it would be good to know.


    Ferrisdae shook her head. "Not immunity, those are far too expensive," she claimed. I agreed with her there, it was prohibitively expensive for most people. Still, I wasn''t sure what scale of wealth she was working on if she could stay at places fit for nobles and royalty.


    "Fair," I told her as I fished the key out of my Dimensional Pocket. "Can you hit me with that spell you used to boost your strength against Sevensleg?"


    "What happened to being able to do this alone if I weren''t foisted on you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.


    "She''s a dragon, Ferrisdae," I scoffed. "It doesn''t matter how strong I get, she''ll still be a dragon. Plus, this saves me a potion and possible potion sickness if negotiations break down."


    She considered this for a moment before nodding and casting the spell. Red light crawled across my skin as the magic took hold, and I felt my strength surge. It felt wonderful, like I could have burst through this door if I wanted to. That''s not how it worked, of course, with the dungeon''s magic protecting it, but it still felt like it.


    "You think we can negotiate?" Ferrisdae asked skeptically. "What happened to a dragon''s pride and all that nonsense Corez was saying?"


    "Every dragon has their price, and I brought something irresistible," I replied confidently. As I spoke, I inserted the key into the door and unlocked it. Ferrisdae already said she was ready to go, so I didn''t hesitate to open the door.


    The room beyond was lit up by the glowing water of the Coldspring stream flowing into the room we just came from. Where Corez''s arena was a natural cavern, this room was far larger and smooth from the floor all the way to the top of the dome. In the center, the Coldspring bubbled soothingly from the ground.


    Oristrella was nowhere to be seen.


    With a frown, I looked around for any sign of her. ¡°Where the hell is she?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s resting?¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°We¡¯re not really supposed to be here, and the Kobolds said that they hadn¡¯t seen her for a while.


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t respond. There was another door almost on the other side of the dome with a faint glow coming from it. "Come on," I told Ferrisdae as I marched towards it, avoiding the water.


    We crossed over the threshold into a dimly lit library. I no longer felt the cold being neutralized by my magical items. It was comfortable here, actually. That made sense; the books would be ruined if they were held at temperatures well below freezing.


    "Is this Oristrella''s hoard?" Ferrisdae asked in wonder. The room was lit by channels of Coldspring water, and was absolutely massive. Far bigger than the boss room was. The stone bookshelves, haphazardly placed, still managed to make it seem claustrophobic somehow.


    "Some dragons hoard treasure, Oristrella hoards first printings and written manuscripts," I answered. "What a dragon considers worthy of its hoard varies greatly from individual to individual, and books aren''t even the strangest thing. I have to imagine that there''s not a lot of entertainment this close to the Blizzard, either."


    Ferrisdae nodded, paused, and then giggled. "So you could call her-"


    "Don''t you say it," I warned, already knowing what was on her mind.


    "- A Book Wyrm?" she finished anyway, laughing at her own joke.


    "That thing you just did?" I groaned. "Don''t do that. For the love of everything, don''t do that."


    Ferrisdae snickered but fell silent as we searched the library. It went on for bookshelf after bookshelf, the sheer size of the room making it a wonder all on its own. When we finally reached the end, we heard a soft snore coming from a pile of books left on a large stone table. I approached them and climbed onto the table from a chair.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Inside the book fort was Oristrella in her Human form, completely indecent, slumbering under several tomes while clutching a stone tablet in her hand. The first thought to pop into my head as I looked upon her face was that the depiction on the door really didn''t do her justice.


    The second thought I voiced out loud. "Really?" I asked, scowling.


    "Is she in there?" Ferrisdae asked. She was too short to see into the book fort, but there wasn''t enough room on the table for all three of us.


    "Yes," I said as I looked her over. Dark circles under her eyes were prominent against her marble white skin. "Do you have any more of that hangover cure potion?"


    ¡°I have one more bottle,¡± she confirmed. Then she took on an amused tone. ¡°Is that why she wasn¡¯t waiting for us? She¡¯s hung over?¡±


    ¡°No, I think she¡¯s exhausted,¡± I said slowly. I began moving the books out of my way so that I didn¡¯t have to keep leaning over them. Oristrella snored loudly and shifted, but continued to sleep. ¡°So unless you have a Pep-Up Pot, one of those hangover cures will have to be the next best thing.¡±


    The Pep-Up Potion was a marvel of modern alchemy. No matter who drank it or how tired they were, it would knock them awake as soon as they finished it. It was on many restricted item lists due to its potency and several people abusing them to stay up for weeks or months in a row. Now, you could only purchase a few of them at a time, which was strictly enforced. They were still very popular.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯ve got one of those lying around, hang on,¡± Ferrisdae said, reaching into her Dimensional Pocket.


    ¡°Just lying around, huh,¡± I muttered. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so rambunctiously sunny all the time?¡±


    ¡°No, silly Badger, that just comes naturally,¡± she teased. ¡°Here you go, boss.¡±


    I eyed her critically. ¡°Don¡¯t call me silly Badger again,¡± I told her while grabbing the potion.


    It was silver, sparkled, and, when I popped the cork off of it, it smelled of raspberries. I did my best to maneuver it through the remaining books to take Oristrella¡¯s head and tilt it so that I could pour it into her mouth.


    The moment the vial emptied, Oristrella¡¯s blue, reptilian eyes shot open. They darted around, taking in her broken book fort before focusing on me.


    As soon as a look of concern crossed her face and her body tensed, I introduced myself. ¡°I am Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I said as quickly as I could. ¡°My junior and I went through your dungeon and found you knocked out in this pile of books. We have some things to discuss with you once you¡¯re decent, and we¡¯ve brought tribute that I believe you are going to love.¡±


    Oristrella¡¯s concerned look changed to one of confusion, and she looked around once more. She lifted the stone tablet she was holding into the air, and sighed in relief. ¡°You mammals and your clothes,¡± she muttered. Her voice was deeper than I had expected it to be, but it had a pleasant, husky quality to it.


    Oristrella fixed me with a critical eye, but dropped it almost immediately in favor of a languid stretch. The books covering her fell onto the table, revealing more of her alabaster skin. I averted my eyes out of courtesy. ¡°Very well, allow me time to prepare myself, and then we will discuss your¡­ intrusion.¡±


    Not wanting to anger her, I quickly jumped off the table. ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting at the entrance to your library,¡± I told her. Behind me, Oristrella stood up, knocking books all over the table, and I saw Ferrisdae¡¯s face turn red before I passed her. She followed after me swiftly after that.


    "Wow," Ferrisdae breathed. "The depictions really don''t do her justice."


    I grunted without committing to her words one way or the other, unwilling to admit that I had thought the same thing.


    We waited near the door as promised. It only took a few minutes of waiting before Oristrella joined us.


    She wore a light blue ball gown that shimmered silver in the light from the water. It exposed her shoulders and spread out into a bell shape under the waist, with matching sleeves covering her arms from wrists to elbows. I had expected her to put on some kind of illusion and call it a day, but I could tell by the way it swished across the floor that it was real. Oristrella clutched the stone tablet to her chest with both hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful dress,¡± Ferrisdae said in awe. ¡°It suits you very well, Lady Oristrella.¡±


    Oristrella flicked her eyes towards Ferrisdae, taking her in before settling on me. ¡°This is your junior?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes, she is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Oristrella looked her over once more, then sighed. ¡°What is it that you two want here? The dungeon is closed, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it.¡±


    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other, frowning at the proclamation. ¡°Lady Oristrella, I admit that we didn¡¯t know what happened with your dungeon. We came here to ask for your help only to find that things were¡­ not in the state we expected,¡± I said, trying to be diplomatic. ¡°We do have questions about that, however.¡±


    ¡°Then let us discuss your original intentions, shall we?¡± Oristrella said, leading us to one of the nearby tables. She indicated that we were supposed to sit, and we did, though she remained standing. Ferrisdae had a small amount of trouble with the heavy stone chair, but managed to pull it out enough to sit without being uncomfortable. ¡°What is it that you came to see me for?¡±


    ¡°We originally came for your help to track down a caravan of marauders and their leader, Raitheus Razorbeak,¡± I explained. The stone chair was surprisingly comfortable despite the lack of cushion, which was a nice surprise. ¡°They are supposed to be traveling in an approved circuit around the continent, as they have been doing for nearly two years now, but Razorbeak took four of his dungeons and found his way into the Thousand Year Blizzard. We would like your help in tracking him down.¡±


    The shapeshifted dragon¡¯s eyes locked onto mine, but I didn¡¯t flinch away. ¡°That will be a difficult request,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Not because it¡¯s impossible, I could help and give you sight through snow and ice. That would be trivial. Unfortunately, there¡¯s a lot going on behind the scenes with those birdbrains and the reasons why they are here.¡±


    Based on her tone, I could tell she didn¡¯t think very highly of Razorbeak and crew. Then again, that could just be a Draconian reaction. They were ¡°forced¡± to share the sky with Avians, after all. At least the Kobolds had the common courtesy to stay grounded. So what was this between Oristrella and Razorbeak?


    ¡°If I may pry, could you tell me why this would be difficult? What kind of politics are happening behind the scenes that we¡¯re not aware of?¡±


    Oristrella grinned fondly, showing off two rows of deadly sharp teeth. She leaned over the table, one hand keeping the tablet clutched close and the other keeping her steady, tapping away at the stone with long, blue nails. ¡°Why, because that would put you closer to my new darling,¡± she answered. ¡°The Dungeon Master is the one who asked Raitheus Razorbeak to bring him into my domain in the first place.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Blessing

    My eyes went wide. The Dungeon Master had brought Razorbeak up here? So many questions popped into my head all at once, but it was Ferrisdae who spoke first. ¡°The Master of Dungeons?¡± she asked.


    I was about to say something when Oristrella giggled like a teenager, swaying back and forth. That¡­ hadn¡¯t been the reaction I was expecting. It was pretty shocking, actually, coming from what was supposed to be a scary, evil Dragon.


    ¡°The very same,¡± she confirmed with a nod. ¡°He came not too long ago. I was wary, of course. I mean, who has ever seen a Human with that much raw magical power, you know? But he didn¡¯t just talk, and¡­ Oh, I can¡¯t tell you two, this is a professional meeting.¡±


    By the way her face turned red and she looked away, the implications were obvious.


    ¡°We¡¯re very curious about him, too,¡± I said, placing my hands together on the table. ¡°And your followers are pretty worried about you because of him. They say they haven¡¯t seen you in quite some time.¡±


    That gave Oristrella pause, her grin slipping, and she stood up straighter. ¡°That may well be a fair cause of concern,¡± she admitted. ¡°But, you see, I¡¯ve been reading.¡±


    I waited for her to continue, but it seemed like that was the end of her statement. ¡°Is that what¡¯s on the glowing rectangle we heard about?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°More books?¡±


    ¡°More than you can imagine,¡± Oristrella said with a nod. ¡°And I¡¯ve been spending night after night here learning the languages required to read the books on this tablet. It¡¯s been quite the thrill.¡±


    ¡°More books than you have here in your marvelous library?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. I felt that I was in the right to be skeptical, but she just laughed at my disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, little Halfling,¡± she said smugly. ¡°And from unknown languages I¡¯ve never seen nor heard of before. I take trips out into the world between kidnappings, you know, so I have seen quite a lot over many of your lifetimes. I have not encountered these languages anywhere. I knew I most certainly had to have it the moment I laid eyes on it and its mysterious text.¡±


    ¡°And you offered up your dungeon for it?¡± I asked incredulously.


    ¡°I offered up everything for it. Material things are just that, I can always get more,¡± Oristella said defensively. ¡°However, he was only interested in the dungeon and myself. He had to work extra for the latter, but he didn¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I believe you,¡± I said, holding my hands up. My gaze traveled to the stone rectangle she called a tablet. From her reaction to it, I was more curious about it than before. ¡°May we see the tablet? You have me curious about it now.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Oristrella said quickly and forcibly. She clutched onto it with both hands. ¡°It¡¯s mine, and I won¡¯t let it out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Did you fall asleep because you were studying it for so long?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    Oristrella hesitated, but then nodded. ¡°Like I said, it is quite thrilling.¡±


    I had to stare at her for that. Dragons could stay awake for days, possibly even weeks at a time. If she had gone on to the point of exhaustion, who knew how long she had been awake? I coughed, averting my eyes when I realized I was being rude.


    ¡°Warchief Corez asked us to come and see if there was any way to break up your, what was the phrase he used¡­¡± I paused, thinking. ¡°¡®Dalliance with the stranger,¡¯ right. The Coldspring Clan is worried about you.¡±


    The Dragon huffed and pulled out one of the stone chairs easily before sitting down. ¡°Corez doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about,¡± Oristrella said dismissively. ¡°He never takes breaks and never leaves the clan by itself. If anything, he needs to find a mate far more than I do.¡±


    ¡°But you haven''t left your library in weeks, right?" I asked. ''You can see how they could be worried?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she conceded, after a few moments. ¡°I suppose I can see how my attitude towards the clan and my dungeon could be somewhat alarming to them. But that is outside of your purview, Dungeon Inspector. People far older than you have come in here trying to tell me what to do, and they didn¡¯t last very long. I won''t take demands from what is essentially a toddler."


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make waves,¡± I said, holding my hands up again. I didn''t take offense to her words; she was a Dragon, it was natural. ¡°It was a request from Corez that I¡¯m honoring, is all.¡±


    Oristrella scoffed and crossed her arms. ¡°Fine, I can see that,¡± she said. ¡°But you came for my help, not to lecture me in place of my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, and while I¡¯m very disappointed with what¡¯s going on here¡­¡± That earned me a sharp glare from Oristrella, which I ignored. ¡°... We still need to make it to Razorbeak¡¯s caravan in one piece.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said what I said, and I¡¯ve told you that it would be difficult to allow you a path forward.¡±


    I nodded, and began reaching into my Dimensional Pocket. ¡°I didn¡¯t come without tribute, Lady Oristrella, and I think it¡¯s something you may value quite highly,¡± I said, smiling for the first time. She didn¡¯t look convinced, likely because of the sheer amount of books she claimed to receive, but I was optimistic. ¡°As you know, the writer known as Norsky perished earlier this year.¡±


    Oristrella stiffened immediately. Strangely, I noticed Ferrisdae did the same. I continued. ¡°Norsky was hard to track down, as it was just a pen name, but Sophia Blair laid down the groundwork to find his widow before the fox became liaison to the Mages Guild. With her leads, we did find Norsky¡¯s wife. She had a mostly finished first draft of the final book of his bestseller series, Of Dragons and Dungeons.¡± I pulled the scroll case out of my pocket and laid it on the table between us. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you that draft today.¡±


    Both ladies erupted from their seats.


    ¡°You had that on you this entire time and you didn¡¯t tell me?!¡± Ferrisdae shouted, standing and slamming her palms on the table.


    ¡°You had such a precious artifact and you were carrying it around with you in an ordinary scroll case like some fool?!¡± Oristrella shouted at the same time. She also slammed a fist on the table, but her strike caused it to crack along the middle.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I looked between the two women, confused. Sophia¡¯s notes had said that there would probably be a strong reaction to the manuscript, but this was unexpected. ¡°Ferrisdae, you didn¡¯t ask,¡± I told her, then shifted my gaze to Oristrella. ¡°And this was how it was given to us, Lady Oristrella. Had I known that there were¡­ problems with the method of transportation, I would have rectified it.¡±


    ¡°I could have told you that!¡± Ferrisdae huffed. ¡°Norsky''s death was one of the worst things to happen in the literature world since Filfren tanked his Bride of the Prince series with senseless drivel!¡±


    I looked at Oristrella, who was nodding vehemently. Clearly, I was the one in the wrong here. "I''ll file a formal complaint once we''re back in the office, then," I said, trying to cut whatever this was off before it could grow.


    "I am terribly sorry, Lady Oristrella," Ferrisdae said. "If I had known, then things would have been different."


    "I can tell," Oristrella replied. She looked me over in disdain. "I''ve always said Halflings were just tamed Goblins. I bet this one has never even read Tigrest, let alone Pojlok."


    I opened my mouth to rebut her claims, but realized that it would have been in anger. I stopped myself. Nothing good would come from an outburst no matter how enamored she was by the tribute. It would be better to keep my mouth shut.


    "He''s usually far smarter than this," Ferrisdae said. "Honestly, I wasn''t expecting him to have such a disdain for peak literature. I may even have to switch mentors at this point."


    I fixed Ferrisdae with a flat stare, but she was too busy with Oristrella to notice. I was starting to feel like this was getting personal.


    "That''s right, you''re a Junior Inspector, aren''t you dear?" Oristrella asked. She took a seat and Ferrisdae did the same.


    "Yes ma''am," Ferrisdae said proudly. "Youngest to be accepted. Well, based on Human age equivalencies."


    Oristrella waved her hand dismissively. "Humans, just as bad as Halflings," she claimed, looking at me as if daring me to refute her. I continued to keep my mouth shut. Her eyes wandered to the scroll case between us. "This is an excellent tribute. Ferrisdae, please give my regards to little Sophia when you next see her."


    "I absolutely will," Ferrisdae said with a smile. "And now, I have to ask¡­"


    Oristrella returned the smile. "Come back for the next inspection," she said, apparently knowing what Ferrisdae was going to ask. Not as though it wasn''t easy to tell. "Bring me some of your favorite books and I may let you read it."


    Ferrisdae''s face brightened. "Absolutely, Lady Oristrella, I''ll make sure to let the chief know that I was specifically invited back."


    "That''s a good girl," the Dragon cooed. She kept one hand on the tablet and now her other hand on the scroll case, protective of both. "You know, this whole situation reminds me of the fourth Of Dragons and Dungeons book."


    "The Saturnine Mirror," Ferrisdae said excitedly. "Do you mean when S¨¦bastien meets with the Queen of the Shae over the ocean''s territory dispute with Ralk?"


    I arched an eyebrow. Ocean''s territory dispute? What in the world was a Shae?


    "Almost, darling, though I can see where you''re coming from," Oristrella said. "The ocean arc was one of the greats, wasn''t it?" Oristrella and Ferrisdae nodded along with one another. I continued to sit still and let whatever this was run its course. "But no, I''m talking about Sayyas and the enigmatic Mr. Frost."


    "Of course you would love Mr. Frost," Ferrisdae practically sighed. "I will admit that I had some reservations about that storyline when it first started, but when he used the Saturnine Mirror to save Sayyas and thwart S¨¦bastien, I cheered. Almost got kicked out of the library. I had no idea that having the villain, sorry, antagonist, win would lead to such a delightful kerfuffle."


    "In Barquala, on the northeastern continent, they have a troupe who act out scenes from Of Dragons and Dungeons almost exclusively," Oristrella said. "They''re wonderful, the magical duel after S¨¦bastien and Mr. Frost work together to finish off the rampant nature god is so well choreographed that I invited them to perform here, once. None of the Kobolds appreciated anything but the fighting."


    What the hell was this story? Ferrisdae finally glanced at me. She looked amused. Amused! I couldn''t help it. I scowled.


    "I hope you''ll forgive me, Lady Oristrella, but I think we''ll need to be moving sooner rather than later," Ferrisdae said apologetically. "Would this be sufficient in helping us traverse the blizzard to get to Razorbeak''s caravan?"


    "It is more than sufficient, little Ferrisdae," Oristrella said, standing. "Come over here so I can give you a gift. Just you, however. My mood has soured on your senior."


    I did my best to not say anything. To just let it go. Oristrella¡¯s boon would impart Ferrisdae with one or two magical abilities that would help us get through the storm. We were getting what we came for. I had to let it go.


    Ferrisdae stood and walked around the table. She was beaming as she looked up at her fellow reader. "I really appreciate your help, Lady Oristrella," she said. "Please, call me Ferry, if it pleases you."


    "Think nothing of it, little Ferry," Oristrella replied with a smile. "And, now that we have bonded over mutual love of great literature, Ori is fine."


    How did she keep getting away with this?!


    Oristrella looked down at Ferrisdae, nearly two heads taller than the short Elf, and reached out. Her palms covered my junior¡¯s eyes, and her fingers intertwined with blonde hair. There were no words of magic spoken, no signs made; Dragons had an innate magic within them that bypassed all of the preparations the lesser races had to do to perform magic. Instead, after a few seconds of holding Ferrisdae¡¯s head, Oristrella leaned down and kissed her on her crown.


    I stiffened, knowing exactly what the Dragon had done. She pulled away from Ferrisdae, and when my blushing junior opened her eyes I noted a silver sheen in her emerald green eyes.


    ¡°Dragon''s blessing?¡± I asked, almost not believing it.


    A Dragon¡¯s blessing was a rarity. In all of my travels I could count the number of people who had received them on both hands. It was something that could only be given every century or so, though only Dragons knew the timing and they were fine with letting us lesser races guess. It showed other Dragons that a person had been favored by one of their kind, as well as imparting other gifts.


    Ice sight, for one, would allow Ferrisdae to see through any kind of snow or ice, magical or mundane. That was one we knew about and came specifically for, though that was less a blessing and more a temporary boon. This one was going to last a lot longer than we needed it to.


    The receiver would also instinctively know what kind of magical gifts they received, so I made a mental note to ask her about those later.


    Ferrisdae gasped at my words, causing her benefactor to laugh. ¡°It may be capricious of me, but I have been in an extraordinarily good mood lately,¡± Oristrella claimed, plucking a few of Ferrisdae''s errant strands of hair and tucking them behind the Elf''s ear. ¡°And your tribute is worth it, little Ferry. The blessing looks good on you.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you so much Lady¡­ Ori,¡± Ferrisdae stammered before composing herself. ¡°Thank you, Ori. I¡¯ll be sure to bring you more to read at the next inspection. I¡¯m not sure what I can give you that you don¡¯t already have, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°The Department of Dungeons has an extensive list of the items in my library,¡± Oristrella said dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can find something to pique my interest.¡±


    It was true, too. As much as I hated to admit it, Sophia had done an extraordinary job of organizing everything we had on the White Wyrm.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Ferrisdae promised, bowing her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Oristrella said with a smile. ¡°Now, I have given you what you need to make it to the caravan, and I have told you all I¡¯m willing to about my newest darling. Now it¡¯s time for you both to leave so that I may enjoy this story.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, Ori, thank you again,¡± Ferrisdae said with a another very quick bow. Smiling, she spun on her heel and started moving towards the door.


    I quickly got up, facing Oristrella first with a bow of my own. ¡°Thank you, Lady Oristrella,¡± I said, keeping my voice civil. There was still the list of complaints to go through, but I recognized that this wasn''t the time anymore.


    Oristrella waved me off dismissively, but by then I was already following in Ferrisdae¡¯s footsteps.

 Chapter 18 - Magic Moose

    After telling Serily about Corez''s request and Oristrella¡¯s response, Ferrisdae and I left the dungeon for the bleak, frozen landscape of The Ground. Due to the series of unfortunate events that involved the broken dungeon, by my reckoning it was only early afternoon when we emerged.


    I put away my sword and shield so that I could pull out my Sending Stone, when I saw Ferrisdae staring at the blue ring in the palm of her hand. That was what granted her safety from the cold of the storm, but she looked to be just fine now.


    "I¡¯m guessing Oristrella''s blessing is protecting you from freezing?" I asked.


    "Huh?" she asked, looking down at me and clutching her ring like she had forgotten that I was there. "Oh, yes, it doesn''t feel like downright immunity to cold, but the resistance is so high that it might as well be."


    I whistled appreciatively. "That''s pretty nice. Anything else going on for you other than that and Ice Sight?"


    "I can empower my spells with ice magic, I think," she said, then frowned. "I''m going to need to spend some time with this."


    That was understandable. Intuitive or not, the blessings of a Dragon could take some muddling through, especially if the creature in question wasn''t holding back. Which, apparently, Oristrella was not. I became lost in thought. The biggest question was why?


    She had already been hesitant to give up the location of this Dungeon Master guy, but flipped so easily. You could chalk it up to her inherently chaotic nature, but even the most chaotic of Dragons had reasons for what they did. Now she was sending Ferrisdae off to her suitor with boosted spells and a flurry of new buffs?


    Was it really just because of the book? Sophia was never much of a reader, I knew. She could fake it - she was really good at faking a lot of things due to her inherent style of magic - but could she fool Oristrella?


    Ferrisdae, at least, was nothing if not enthusiastic, especially about this story. Oristrella may have enjoyed that youthful enthusiasm. She may have also wanted to make sure she had her choice of Inspectors in the future, and Ferrisdae was a fair choice to her.


    "- stand there?"


    I snapped my head towards Ferrisdae. She was staring at me, my hand still in my pocket, from inside the Skymirror Carriage.


    "Come on, sir," she urged. "Stop staring off into the snow and get in. You can stare off into space while we''re on the road."


    Nodding, I pulled out the Sending Stone and stepped into the carriage. Once we were both seated, the astral horses began meandering forward. "I''m thinking about Oristrella, the blessing, and why she gave it to you."


    ¡°I don''t know," Ferrisdae admitted with a shrug. "I believed her when she said she was in a great mood. Blessings also feature prominently in Of Dragons and Dungeons, so that could factor into it."


    "Is the story really so good that a centuries old Dragon with a massive library would fawn over it?" I asked skeptically.


    Ferrisdae scowled. That was a new one; I had never seen that look on her face before. "Of course it is, you''re the one who''s odd in this situation," she said with conviction. "I mean, I''m not going to ask for a new mentor over it, that was just a bit for Ori, but you''re on some seriously thin ice here, mister."


    I arched my eyebrow at her. The color drained on her face as she realized how she just spoke to me, but I waved her off. I didn''t need stammering apologies. "While I certainly don''t appreciate being talked to like that," I said with a slight warning in my voice. "I''d rather you stick to your convictions and passions than become a foolish yes man. But, and take this to heart, don''t you call me ¡®mister¡¯ like that again."


    Ferrisdae gave me an uneasy smile, and then bowed her head slightly. "I''ll try, sir," she said. "You should give it a try, though. The book, I mean. I feel like you could enjoy it."


    "I prefer my books to be non-fiction," I said, beginning to fiddle with the Sending Stone. "We have to report in. The chief needs to know about this."


    I swiped my thumb across the stone, moving it in a swirling pattern that would connect it to one in Brackenhorst''s office. The chief wasn''t the one who answered, but Millicef, his assistant and leader of the administrative team. Before I could even say anything, she was already talking.


    "I don''t have a lot of time so we''re going to have to make this quick, Badger," her voice said, emitting from the Sending Stone. "Why do I have a member of the Adventurer''s Consortium vehemently claiming that one of their members was invited to subjugate Razorbeak''s caravan?"


    I leveled Ferrisdae with a disappointed look, and she sighed. "Sorry, Mils," she said. "I had a¡­ momentary lapse in judgment while thinking about how everyone but the secretary of the Mage''s Guild went into the blizzard because there were new signs of changing magic. I thought they might try to shelter in the caravan, so I invited one of the adventurers who came from Oristrella¡¯s dungeon."


    There was a pause from the stone. "Well, now you''re stuck with him," Millicef started. "We''re all too busy trying to put out all of these fires and, whoever this adventurer is, he has some high connections. You''ll meet him in Crystal Snows before heading into the blizzard."


    "If only bureaucracy could have slowed that down," I lamented. I felt the carriage slow and change directions, no doubt now heading to the city.


    "There''s a time for bureaucracy and there''s a time for action, we''re firmly in the latter and we aren''t going to clean up Ferrisdae¡¯s mess," Millicef said coldly. "Speaking of action, what happened with Oristrella? You reported back faster than we anticipated, was it cleared out by those adventurers?"Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Ferrisdae and I shared a glance. "No, they were sent back with the princess and the loot with no fighting necessary," I said. "Someone calling themselves The Dungeon Master¡­"


    "Master of Dungeons," Ferrisdae said, like I knew she would. I rolled my eyes at her.


    "... Is in the process of converting Oristrella''s dungeon. It''s an unprofessional, anger inducing mess in there, and of course the Dragon is unrepentant," I said with a scowl.


    "Ori said that she traded ownership of the dungeon for a glowing rectangle that had hundreds upon hundreds of books on it in languages she didn''t know," Ferrisdae explained. ¡°She called it a tablet.¡±


    Another pause. "That brings up a few questions. First, Ori?"


    "They bonded over a book series and a disdain of me for not having read it," I answered. "Ferrisdae also received Oristrella¡¯s full blessing, if you could believe it."


    "You''re saying it, so I''m going to believe it," Millicef said. "Congrats, Ferry. Also, hundreds of unknown books make sense as a gift to her, but why did he want her dungeon in the first place?"


    Ferrisdae coughed slightly. "Well, it''s¡­"


    "He''s a suitor, and apparently it worked," I said. "But we didn''t ask. The guy''s apparently the reason why Razorbeak''s up here."


    "That''s¡­ big news," Millicef mumbled. I could almost see her face scrunched up in thought. "Maybe it was a good idea for us to not bother denying the Consortium."


    "We''ll see," was all I had to say about Cojisto.


    "That''s exactly right," Ferrisdae responded at the same time, as if her invitation was some prescient move on her part.


    "Well, you best figure out what his intentions are," Millicef said. "We have some guy showing up laying Dragons and changing dungeons? And now we have dungeons springing up everywhere, too. Isn¡¯t this how the Continental Dungeon began?"


    "That''s just an unfounded rumor, Millicef," I sighed. "More of a legend, at this point; it''s been centuries since the event and you know how the Gnomes were about bookkeeping back then. You know how the Gnomes are about bookkeeping now."


    "I suppose. Just be safe, okay? And swift, but mostly safe,¡± Millicef said. "Okay, I really have to go, but I''ll put this in the chief''s urgent bin. Pick up the adventurers and get some rest while you have the chance. Good luck Badger, Ferry."


    The stone went silent, leaving us both staring at it. "I know I''m new, but it seems like there''s been fire after fire since I started at the DoD," Ferrisdae mused.


    I began removing parchment and ink so I could start my report while the details were still fresh. "You get used to it," I told her. "The problem with dealing with dungeons is that it''s almost all fire fighting. It''s a feature of the job.


    "Speaking of the job," I continued, tapping the parchment. "Let''s talk about form 15.3, Dungeon Delving For Non-Subjugation Purposes¡­"


    ******


    The ride back to Crystal Snows was not a quick one, but I lost myself in writing the report. This was usually not something I would do in a carriage, but I was becoming spoiled by Ferrisdae''s spell. The ride was just so damn smooth, I didn''t have to worry about spilling ink or jostling causing errant markings.


    "They''re out there," Ferrisdae said, staring out of the front of the carriage.


    "Hmm?" I asked, looking up at her.


    "Cojisto and Moose," she said, pointing. "They''re talking with the guard."


    "Cojisto is talking with the guard," I corrected. I looked out of the window to see that the boisterous man was now waving at us from the city''s gate. The moose was beside him. It had to be at least seven feet tall, dwarfing both men, with an impressive set of antlers.


    The carriage slowed down to a stop in front of the open gate, and Cojisto opened the door to the carriage. "That was really rude, but I forgive you," he said, giving Ferrisdae an easy smile.


    My junior looked taken aback. "Excuse me?" She asked.


    "I have already forgiven you, so you are excused," Cojisto claimed. "I was ready to go into the blizzard, told everyone my intentions, and they all said it was a bad idea without magic. Moose could have died out there."


    Not him, I noted, just the moose named¡­ Moose. "You did tell him to meet us there," I said. "That could have been very dangerous. Easily could have really ended poorly."


    "I-I¡­" Ferrisdae stammered.


    "That is why I made sure to get in contact with the Consortium and had them send a messenger to the DoD, so you would know to come get me," he continued. "Moose and I have been waiting with Guardsman Greg."


    "We could have been a lot longer," I said. "I''m surprised you were waiting for us in the cold."


    "I had faith in you two," Cojisto said with a wave. "Are we going now? Or do you two need some time?"


    Ferrisdae looked at me, and I shook my head. "As important as this is, we''re going to rest and leave in the morning," I said. "We don''t exactly know where we''re going or how long it''ll take us to get there. Wandering aimlessly in the dead of night will only be a detriment."


    "That is very fair," Cojisto said. He looked at Ferrisdae. "Princess Koritha was very interested to learn that you were about to storm the dungeon. She said that you were both welcome to stay with her for as long as you find it necessary."


    I saw Ferrisdae cringe; bad terms indeed. "We should," I said to her. "We''ve spent nearly eight hours on this thing today and we need to be fresh for tomorrow. A night''s rest won''t hurt as much as it helps."


    "And if you get a room at the inn, then she''ll be extra cross with you," Cojisto pointed out.


    "Or we could go to the Mage''s Guild and spend the night there?" she asked me hopefully. "They have to have a lot of space now that their members have run off."


    "No, you''d be able to stay there," I replied. "I''m just an ordinary non-magical person, even if it''s just one guy there I''d probably end up coming into the city for an inn."


    "Magical overbearing pricks. Won''t even let Moose in and he''s magic!" Cojisto said. He looked at us both in turn as we looked at him incredulously. That was the second time now that he said Moose was magic. "What? He is!"


    "How is he magical?" I challenged.


    "When Moose is around, things happen," Cojisto said with a grin. "Things that can only be explained by magic."


    "Such as?" I urged, wanting the man to continue.


    "Sometimes, when I feel hurt, Moose comes over and everything is better again," Cojisto explained.


    I glared at him, but he just smiled back. I couldn''t tell if he didn''t care that I was glaring or if he was just too oblivious. Either way, what he just described was an emotional support animal and I was done entertaining this line of questioning.


    Instead, I looked at Ferrisdae. "We''re going to take the princess up on her offer," I told her. She groaned, but gave a silent assent. "Cojisto, will you lead the way?"


    "Of course!" the man shouted before moving away from the carriage with a little hop.


    ¡°He¡¯s just going to be loud the whole time, isn¡¯t he?¡± I whispered to myself.


    "Guardsman Greg!" Cojisto shouted loudly, confirming my fears. "My friends and I are off to see the princess, keep up the extra fine work you are doing here!"

 Chapter 19 - Crystal Snows

    <div>


    Crystal Snows was the capital of the Snow Elf country of Despa. Because the Mage''s Guild tower was outside of the walls, we hadn''t gone through the city on our way to the Ice Caverns, and we had missed out on a lot of sights that made it famous.


    In the dreary, cloudy gray of the far north, Crystal Snows was a cornucopia of colors. The buildings were brightly painted with greens, purples, and pinks in abundance.


    It wasn¡¯t just the architecture, either. The citizens, predominantly Elves, wore vibrant blues, reds, and yellows that would be considered garish in other cultures, but did a lot to contrast the snowy world around them.


    "Did you know that paints and dyes are Despa''s primary export?" I asked Ferrisdae while staring out at the city. "They learned how to make them long before the Thousand Year Blizzard started. There''s a cave system you can only access from under Dyer''s Guild buildings that stretches for miles that has everything they''ve learned to use from plants, to minerals, and especially oozes."


    When Ferrisdae didn''t respond, I moved away from the window and looked at her. She had her head down, staring at her twiddling thumbs. I rolled my eyes, but reached across the carriage and kicked her gently. She jerked in response.


    "We don''t really have to go, you know," I told her.


    "You said we were going to take Koritha up on her offer," Ferrisdae quietly replied.


    "Yeah, and?" I asked. When she looked confused, I shook my head. "Ferrisdae, you''re a grown-ass woman. Barely one, maybe, but you''ve still passed the threshold. If you don''t want to do something, then don''t. I''m only here to do the job, not make social decisions for you."


    "Then why did you decide to say it?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "Because I thought it was going to be some stupid teenager problem that would be solved with time and distance," I said.


    "It''s deeper than that, she and I-"


    I held up my hand to stop her. "It''s no one''s business but yours, so you don''t need to explain," I said. "But you''ve been brooding for the past ten minutes and I never thought I''d say this but I much prefer it when you''re chipper and full of rainbows."


    That drew out a small smile. "Oh? You like it when I''m overly enthused about this or that, then?"


    "If you tell anyone I said it, I''ll vehemently deny it, and only the chief will believe you," I warned. "I''ve spent a lot of time cultivating this image, and I''m not going to let some young upstart dash it."


    "Why?" she asked. "Why go through all that trouble to be unlikable and surly all the time."


    I had given her too much slack, I realized; she was getting bold. Well, bolder. "Oh, I guess I misheard you earlier," I said. "I guess we are taking the princess up on her offer."


    That just made her chortle. "What happened to me being a grown-ass woman who doesn''t have to do anything I don''t want to do?"


    "Don''t use my words against me," I said, shaking my head. "Try to cheer up my junior and this is what I get? Never again. Brood if you want to."


    "Okay, okay, fine," she said with a laugh. "It''s not yet time to learn about the irritable old mentor, I''ve got it."


    The carriage started slowing down to a stop. We were in the middle of the road, but there wasn''t that much traffic during this time of day. We weren''t holding anyone up.


    It didn''t take long for Cojisto to come to the carriage and enter uninvited again. "Why have we stopped? Is everything okay?"


    "Everything¡¯s fine, Cojisto," Ferrisdae said. "We''re not going to see Koritha."


    "Oh, but Badger said¡­"


    "I''m cantankerous and ornery, kid," I snapped, putting some extra bite into my words. "Expect me to change my mind a lot. So what''s the best inn in town? I want something warm in my stomach."


    "Yeah, he''s a real mean son of a bitch," Ferrisdae said with an almost straight face. I don''t think Cojisto noticed, but I could see the smile tugging at her lips.


    "Oh, well," Cojisto started, thinking. He took it in stride, at least. "Me and those adventurers I worked with this morning were staying at the Frosted Froth, but they have some kind of trivia going on and those bookish types never-"


    "Then it''s settled. Good work, Cojisto," I said, not trying to contain my excitement. "Lead the way to the Frosted Froth."


    ******


    The Frosted Froth was a large inn and tavern in the center of town. The outer walls of the building were painted to look like a beer from an ale brown on bottom to a washed out white near the top. From the windows I could see that there was an almost full house, and a sign out front indicated that there was an event going on every night. There were darts, arts, and trivia, among other things. The people of Crystal Snows sure knew how to keep themselves busy.


    The inside was even more vibrant than the outside. Colors from all sides of the spectrum were scattered about haphazardly, as if cans of paint had been tossed about. It wasn''t just on the walls, but all over the tables, chairs, bar, and even some splatters on the ceiling.


    "They hold an event to paint the interior every year," Cojisto explained as he saw me looking. "That happened two months ago and the theme was chaos."


    I nodded at the large man and glanced back outside. Moose had gone to stand at the stables outside without any prompting from Cojisto. I had to admit, he was a surprisingly tame and well-trained animal. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Thirty minutes until we begin, folks!"


    I turned my head towards the woman who stood on a platform near the bar. She was a Snow Elf, like the majority of the people here, with white hair and a pair of spectacles sitting on her nose. She had that look of aging about her, so she had to be much older than Ferrisdae.


    "Once again, the Mage''s Guild folks aren''t here tonight, so everyone has a fair shot at winning free drinks until our next trivia night," she announced. "You need at least three to a team! We''ll have ten questions tonight, entry is five gold coins, and, because I have to say it every time, no praying to the Goddess of Knowledge for answers. I''m looking at you, Cerik." The crowd collectively chuckled, but that was a serious offense that happened at bar trivia across the continent. It was always infuriating.


    "I''m paying," I told the other two. "And it sounds like you''re staying with us, Cojisto."


    "We''re not even staying here for that long," Cojisto said, bemused. "Why do you want free drinks?"


    "It''s not about the drinks," I answered, looking for a table. It was hard to see with all these tall people around. "It''s about the trivia. That''s what I care about."


    "I see a free table," Ferrisdae pointed out. I started following her after telling Cojisto that our team name was The Inspectors and giving him enough coins for entry, food, and drinks. He grumbled, but went along with it.


    We passed by a table occupied by three Humans and a Dwarf who weren''t dressed in the vibrant colors of the locals. A dark skinned woman and the Dwarf looked back at us, and we nodded at each other. We didn''t look like locals, either. Ferrisdae could pass for it, but even if I weren''t a Halfling my earthy brown and green outfit would have immediately given me away as a traveler.


    We sat and waited. "You know, I wasn''t expecting this to be something you enjoyed," Ferrisdae said. "But now that we''re here, I gotta say, it makes a lot of sense."


    "I like being right," I told her honestly. "And this way, I get to win while doing it."


    "Oh my. Confident, are we?" She said wryly.


    "Very," I responded with confidence. "It¡¯s my job to come up with the trivia questions for¡­"


    A moment passed by as I suddenly shut my mouth. I could see the sparkling curiosity in her eyes. "Well? You come up with the trivia questions for what?"


    "I''ve already said too much," I said. "And Cojisto knows some of the competition." I pointed, and she looked to see Cojisto conversing with the table of travelers we passed by earlier.


    "That must be the adventuring party he attached himself to," she offered.


    ¡°Must be.¡±


    "Do you think he does that a lot? Randomly join different adventuring parties?" Ferrisdae wondered.


    ¡°It¡¯s more common than you might think. Though, I wouldn¡¯t expect it on as high profile an adventure as Oristrella, but weirder things have happened.¡±


    "Well, that''s how he got in with us, so it makes sense that he¡¯s become quite practiced at it." She glanced away from the pointed stare I gave her, pretending not to notice. "What, you forgot about how he invited himself and Moose along without being asked?"


    "Sure," I said sarcastically. "That''s exactly how it happened and it was certainly no fault of a Junior Inspector. Not at all."


    "I''m glad we both remember this incredibly factual event exactly the same way," Ferrisdae said.


    Cojisto left the other table and approached with three mugs in his hands. He set them down on the table in front of us before taking a seat. "Okay, so, bad news," Cojisto started.


    "Adventurers, probably smart ones?" I asked, bringing my beer close. I looked at Ferrisdae before she had a chance to drink. "Take it slow, lightweight. I don''t want to see a Tavern situation tonight."


    "It was one time," Ferrisdae mumbled before taking a sip, froth clinging to her upper lip when she set the mug down.


    Cojisto nodded when I returned my attention to him. "Krylie, the Human woman, is a member of the Mage''s Guild out of Crurak. She''s smart as a whip and likes to talk circles around people and show off how smart she is, but has a mean streak," he explained. "The Dwarf is Gatzi, he''s a priest of Mjrestar."


    "God of Magic, brother of Chuelda, Goddess of Knowledge," I stated. "So there could be some favoritism because of the relationship between the two."


    Cojisto nodded. "This trivia night stuff, it''s kind of your thing, isn''t it?" he asked.


    "You could say that," I said. "What about the other two?"


    "Dalsar and Dalvar, they''re brothers," Cojisto said. "I don''t expect them to know anything Krylie and Gatzi don''t, unless it''s about frogs."


    "Frogs?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "It''s weird, right?" Cojisto exclaimed. "But Dalsar is obsessed with them for some reason."


    "Couldn''t you answer any questions pertaining to moose?" Ferrisdae asked. I watched her, frowning. She sure was sipping at her beer faster than I would have liked.


    "Yes, definitely. Why do you ask?" Cojisto asked. He was already halfway in his mug, but I wasn''t expecting much out of him, honestly. His self awareness could use some work, too.


    "Just curious," Ferrisdae claimed before giving me an amused look.


    "How are we doing here, The Inspectors?" Like a ghost, the woman making announcements was next to us, causing Ferrisdae to jump slightly. I admit I may have been ready to reach for my pocket; I hadn''t heard her coming at all, and I wasn''t going to blame that on the ambient noise. I was alert.


    Only Cojisto seemed unperturbed by her sudden appearance. "Forstra!" Cojisto said loudly. "This is the new team I was telling you about. Badger and Ferrisdae, they''re Dungeon Inspectors. Team, this is Forstra, she owns the Frosted Froth."


    "Dungeon Inspectors on business, I have to add," I said to Cojisto as a warning. I turned to Forstra and held out my hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Forstra."


    She shook my hand and did the same with Ferrisdae. "Don''t you worry about it, I''m not one to talk, even if young Cojisto here speaks before his mind has a chance to get a say in the matter."


    "What can I say?" Cojisto said with a grin and a shrug. "Action is my first instinct and talking is free."


    "Sure," I told him before leaning my elbows on the table. "So, Forstra, who do you think has it tonight?"


    "Well¡­" she started, lowering her voice and leaning into the table. "You didn''t hear it from me, but between the locals it''s a toss up between the Dyers and the church of Chuelda, divine cheating or not." Forstra pointed out a group of Elves wearing even tackier colors than most and a group in blue robes.


    I nodded as she spoke. The groups made sense to me. The Dyers had the money to throw around on education while Chuelda acolytes were a staple group at the Bottom''s Up Tavern I frequented as well.


    "But those adventurers Cojisto came with gave the Mage''s Guild a run for their money last time,¡± she continued. ¡°If I was allowed to bet on my own games, I''d put money on them."


    "Thanks a lot, Ms. Forstra," I said, slipping a gold piece across the table to where she was leaning.


    It disappeared into her palm and, when she opened her hand again, it was gone. "Mrs. Forstra," she corrected with a smile. "I appreciate it. If you need anything, let Ramanelle know. She''s the serving girl, and we''ll get it out for you right quick."


    With that, Forstra left our table and easily made her way through the crowded tavern towards the bar. "Fifteen minute warning, everyone!" she yelled. "Fifteen minutes until we start, we''re still taking in teams, so jump on it, folks!"


    I nodded, looking around the room at the groups of people huddled together over their tables like they had some great secret.


    "Still feeling confident, Badger?" Ferrisdae asked between sips.


    I took my first pull of my own beer before nodding, wiping the foam from my lips. "Always, Ferrisdae," I said. "Always."

 Chapter 20 - Trivia

    The lamb and salad we had Cojisto order for us came as we waited for the event to start. Parchment and ink had also been delivered to each table for answers, with ours headed by our team name, The Inspectors. By the time we finished, Forstra was back on her platform.


    The main room''s ruckus died down as everyone became quiet. Everyone except the bard in the corner gently strumming on a harp. I noticed that he wasn''t half bad now that we didn''t have to strain our ears to hear his music.


    Once the room became silent, Forstra began. "Welcome everyone, to trivia night at the Frosted Froth!"


    The people cheered, including Ferrisdae and Cojisto. I remained silent, though I was excited, too.


    "As always, we have a slew of different topics today from art and literature to foreign countries," she continued. "For those of you who are new or just too drunk to remember, I''m going to rattle off ten questions. Your team will have one minute to answer them before I move on to the next question. Afterwards, the judges will take your answers and figure out who had the highest score! And, please remember, legible handwriting only! If the judges can''t read it, it''s automatically wrong! Any questions?"


    Another round of mostly drunken revelry, but no one had any questions. I also found myself shaking my head, thinking back to all the times clear handwriting would have won games, before I spoke to the team.


    "Whispers only during discussion," I ordered. "We don''t want to give away any answers." Ferrisdae nodded, a look of determination on her already slightly red face. Cojisto gave me a sloppy salute.


    "Our first question, then!" Forstra announced. She had pulled several small pieces of parchment from her apron and was now holding them in front of her. All noise sans the harp quickly dispersed. Forstra cleared her throat. "What is the height difference between the two tallest towers in New Frausta?"


    Immediately, I turned to Ferrisdae and put three fingers down on the table, hiding them from the sight of other tables using our plates. This was a softball question for us, but was probably good for stumping teams who lived here.


    Ferrisdae raised her eyebrow. "Only that much?" she whispered. Cojisto craned his neck to see my hidden digits, but didn''t say anything.


    "Yes," I confirmed quietly. "At the time of construction, the royals and Mage''s Guild were feuding, so when the Gnomish crews came in, the latter spent quite a lot of money to get around the royal''s rule of their home being at least one story taller than all other buildings. They also made some modifications this year, making the height difference smaller."


    "Power move," Cojisto commented.


    "If you say it''s right, then I believe you," Ferrisdae said. I nodded and filled in the answer on the parchment, then folded it backwards once the ink was dry enough.


    Once we were locked in, I paid attention to the room. Many were whispering, but some rambunctious, drunken tables were speaking aloud. I heard answers from two stories to three feet to no difference at all. The confidently incorrect mutterings of those people made me smile.


    "Next question!" Forstra announced. "What was Sir Sampson the Righteous'' weapon of choice during the Continental Crusade?"


    "Oh, he used a big, two-handed hammer, didn''t he?" Ferrisdae asked. "He led the supporters of Segrech to the continental dungeon."


    The mention of Segrech, God of the Sun, made me scowl, but I nodded nonetheless. "You''re right," I confirmed. "His was the biggest and most public expedition to fail at quelling the continental dungeon."


    "It was¡­ luminous¡­ something, right?" she asked.


    "Luculus Rex, Maul of the Luminescent King," I said. "It was never recovered, which the church of Segrech is still angry about because it was a divine treasure." I looked at the team with the quill ready, and they both nodded. The answer was added.


    A lot of the people got the words Luminescent and Rex right, but failed to come up with the full title. A lot, but not all. I noticed a lot of the older Elves knew. That made sense. They would have been alive during that time and heard news about it.


    "Moving along!" Forstra said. "Athir, home of the Forest Elves, is the world''s largest supplier of what export?"


    "That''s not fair," Ferrisdae complained with a frown. "Largest as in volume or as in most lucrative?"


    "Go with your gut," I told her. "You''re from there, aren''t you? I''ll go with what you think."


    "You don''t already know the answer?" she asked.


    "I know that it''s either sugar or the Hajidi Paper used to make spell books and scrolls," I answered.


    Ferrisdae stared at the table in thought. "Let''s go with the Hajidi Paper, then," she finally said. I nodded, and wrote it down.


    Just in time, too, because Forstra was ready with another question. "Next up! The Flowing Ship Style of martial arts is widely attributed to have been created by Bull Barracks, but new records show that its actual creator is who?"Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I pursed my lips. I had a passing recollection of the Flowing Ship Style, something about evading attacks and retaliating with all the force of a cannonball. I didn''t recognize the name Bull Barracks, though.


    "Captain Brother Rabbit," Cojisto whispered excitedly. He tapped on the parchment. "Write it down."


    "Yeah?" I asked Cojisto with a raised brow. "You''re sure?"


    The man nodded repeatedly. "Very sure," he claimed. "He was a monastery leader on a boat called The Great Shenanigan. Bull took over after he died. I tried to learn from them, but I didn''t have the kind of flow they were looking for."


    "That sounds very made up," I told him honestly.


    "Everything is made up, that doesn''t make it false," Cojisto claimed. Looking into his eyes, I could tell he thought he was right. Ferrisdae shook her head when I switched to her, and I shrugged. An answer was an answer.


    "Time''s up, next question!" Forstra yelled. "What year did Crystal Snows very own composer Gaius Stopherlyn compose his magnum opus, Violin Concerto #3?"


    "727," I said.


    At the same time, Ferrisdae said, "726."


    We both looked at each other for half a second before she explained. "Historians say it was 727, but it was finished and put to review in the last month of 726," she said quickly. "My grandmother, Arabella Anne Runelara was the one who performed as the violin''s first seat in its first performance in the counsel."


    I watched Ferrisdae carefully as she spoke. She bounced with all the enthusiasm of a child who knew the right answer and wanted to share it. But was she remembering it correctly?


    Slowly, I nodded. I decided to trust her.


    I wrote it down and began paying attention to other tables for the last few seconds we had left. No one was talking about it anymore. That made sense. This question was about one of the city''s historical figures, it was obviously a free question.


    "Next!" Forstra yelled. "What creature did Sultan Jareet Sal Buradar liken the singing of Queen Tanta of Alashroe to, causing a standoff in the desert province that has played out for the last decade?"


    "Banshee," Ferrisdae and I both said, on the same page about this one.


    "Not a mandrake?" Cojisto asked. We both leveled our eyes on him, and he chuckled. "It''s the only other creature I know that screams constantly."


    I wrote the right answer on the parchment while still staring at Cojisto. Funnily enough, about half of the other patrons were on the fence between banshee and mandrake. Apparently, those were the only two well known screaming monsters. Well, at least that would make some people correct. We had answered that rather quickly, with plenty of time left.


    "Next question! The House of Fire and Fate is a well known adventuring guild based in countries all over the continent, what are the ancestries of the three founding members?"


    "I hate those guys," I groaned.


    "You know them?" Ferrisdae asked.


    "Gnome, Lamia, and¡­ Devil, right?" Cojisto mused, talking to himself more than us.


    "Tiefling, not Devil," I corrected. "Which is a person with Devilish ancestors. And their head boss, a Gnome named Teladora Whizzlefizz, is a nightmare. She¡¯s a fire specialist mage who doesn''t care about collateral damage coupled with a get shit done attitude. Teladora is strong enough to burn dungeons down, magic protections be damned."


    Ferrisdae''s eyes went wide. "That''s¡­ not what I was expecting," she admitted. "Fire magic can do that?"


    "No!" I exclaimed, a little louder than I meant to. I returned my voice to a whisper. "No, it can''t, she''s a little freak of nature. The other two aren''t bad, though. Really nice folks."


    Forstra called for the next question, and I swiftly wrote my answer down. "Who was the Dwarven sheriff who brought law back to the desolate Thieflands?"


    "The legendary Dwarven Sheriff Flint Stranglebeard," Cojisto whispered excitedly. This time, I knew he was right. "He''s my inspiration."


    That gave me pause, and I shook my head. "Wasn''t Flint Stranglebeard notoriously an idiot? Basically a box of rocks with big muscles, a long beard, and insane grip strength?"


    "Yes, I love the stories they tell about him," Cojisto admitted. "I followed Flint''s path of the grappler after learning I couldn''t make it as a monk, anyway."


    A martial artist. For Cojisto, that made sense. I hadn''t noticed any weapons on him, but I figured that was just because he also had an extradimensional space like we did.


    Regardless of Cojisto''s fighting prerogative, I wrote the answer down.


    "Second to last question, everyone!" Our host announced. "Where do the legends say the fabled Heart of Magic resides?"


    "Saralorsa, capital of the Southern Continent and heart of the Continental Dungeon," Ferrisdae said as I looked at her for her answer.


    "Excellent, Ferrisdae," I said, writing it down.


    "That''s two questions about this continental dungeon," Cojisto said, stroking his chin. "I would like to visit it someday. It sounds like a great adventure."


    "No, you don''t. It''s a very deadly one," I said. "A scant few that have gone have come back. It''s an unregulated death trap."


    "That just sounds like a good time," Cojisto said.


    "Adventurers," I muttered, shaking my head. They were almost all like this. How the Consortium hadn''t gone out of business due to members dying was a miracle made possible only by the work of the DoD.


    "Last question! Last question, everyone!" Forstra called. The room went quiet, and the harp player changed his tune from soft and pleasant to something a little more sinister for effect. "Here we go! The best selling book series Of Dragons and Dungeons by Norsky primarily takes place in what fictional country?"


    I groaned out loud as Ferrisdae bounced in her seat. Why was this following me all of a sudden? "What is it, Ferrisdae?" I asked.


    "Runathir," she blurted out in a stage whisper. Then she spelled it out for me to make sure I had it right.


    "I''ve been meaning to start those books," Cojisto said to Ferrisdae. "Are they really all that good?"


    "Absolutely," Ferrisdae said vehemently. "They''re an absolute wonder of literature. I actually keep a set of them in my Dimensional Pocket if you want to try them sooner rather than later."


    "I may take you up on that, but maybe after I''m sober and after the job," Cojisto said with a chuckle.


    "And that''s it! Ramanelle and I will collect the answers, and we''ll be back with you shortly to announce the winner!" The young barmaid was already collecting the answers closest to the bar, and true to her word, Forstra started helping her. I handed our folded up parchment to Ramanelle when she passed by.


    I was feeling confident about this.

 Chapter 21 - The Calm

    During the wait, Cojisto had wandered off somewhere and Ferrisdae decided that she had put off drinking in earnest for long enough. She finished off her mug, then ordered more beer. I had long since finished mine and wasn''t looking for more. I had requested tea when Ramanelle came around asking for orders.


    I waited patiently. The tavern had gone back to how it normally was: loud, rowdy, and rambunctious. The only ones who were waiting for the results, other than myself, were the two from Cojisto''s old group, a young man from the Dyers, and the whole of Chuelda''s clergy. We were all waiting.


    "You look surprisingly at peace here," Ferrisdae noted, halfway through her second mug. Her ears were starting to turn as red as her face. What a lightweight. "I don''t know why but I got the impression that you''d hate being in places like this."


    I looked around instead of answering immediately. All in all, I didn''t mind the atmosphere. "In small doses, it''s not too bad," I admitted, sipping my tea. "I''m still going to go get rooms for us after the winners are announced, though. I''m assuming you''ll stay down here for a bit?"


    "Probably," Ferrisdae said. "Get to know some people, socialize. You know, like someone normal."


    "By all means," I said with a smirk and a gesture towards the crowds. "Don''t let me hold you back. Go and be free, young Ferrisdae."


    As Ferrisdae was in the process of standing up, Forstra''s voice punctured the din of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen!" she cried out. The tavern hushed as the people turned their attention towards the host. Those who continued being loud got told off by those closest to them.


    "With nine out of ten questions correct," she announced, pausing. I scowled. Which one could we have gotten wrong? "We have a three way tie between Chuelda''s Clergy, The Shadowsmashers, and The Inspectors!"


    The sober Dyer stood up and threw something in the ground. I couldn''t tell what it was from here, but he was mad. The church was ecstatic, and Cojisto''s other party were reserved, but smiling.


    What question did we get wrong?


    "If each of you could send up a representative, we''ll have one final question in a lightning round!" Forstra announced.


    "Go get''em, Badger," Ferrisdae said, punching me on the arm.


    I nodded, and got down from my seat. The clergy sent one of their older members, a balding Elven man in white cloth. The Shadowsmashers sent up Krylie, the Mage''s Guild woman. We stood at the foot of Forstra''s platform.


    "Mrs. Forstra, what lovely questions you had tonight," the priest said. "Would you be able to tell me what question we missed?"


    "Father Derrick," Forstra greeted with a nod. "Both you and the Shadowsmashers got the same question wrong, which was the Flowing Ship Style question. The correct answer was Captain Brother Rabbit."


    "That''s a stupid name," Krylie said bitterly. Derrick just nodded.


    "According to Cojisto, he had a ship-bound monastery called The Great Shenanigan," I said. "So it was probably all stupid."


    Krylie looked at me in confusion. "Cojisto got that right?" she asked, huffing when I nodded affirmatively. "Stupid knows stupid, I guess.


    That made me frown, but it wasn''t my fight. Plus, I wasn''t about to defend the guy who said Flint Stranglebeard was his hero. Instead, I asked the same question Derrick did. "Which one did we get wrong?"


    "The height difference of the buildings in New Frausta," Forstra said.


    "It''s three inches," I said with a scowl.


    "The records show it as six," the hostess countered. I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off. "The host''s word is final."


    I stewed, but closed my mouth. Forstra went looking for her last question, and Krylie leaned in to whisper. "The New Frausta branch of the guild only added the top three inches in the last half a year with a metal ritual plate used to help make teleporting easier," she said, seeming to relish in knowing something I did not. "It''s not well known outside of New Frausta, and I assume it''s barely known there. You were hoisted by new information. I figured they wouldn¡¯t know, that¡¯s how I got it right."


    I scowled. That made sense. This was a small event, unless it was run by the clergy of the goddess of knowledge then there was a chance that things would be like this. It was unfortunate, but it happened. My mood started to cool down. At least we were still in this thing.


    "Ready, everyone?" Forstra asked loudly once she pulled the last piece of parchment out of her pocket, and each of us nodded. She read it to herself first, the room still quiet, before looking back up.


    "Earlier this year, Crystal Snows had a problem between two members of the Dyer''s Guild," she shouted. My mood immediately soured; there was no way I would know this. "What was their feud about?"


    I looked up at Krylie, but she looked confused, too. This was a gentle question for Derrick, obviously playing favorites. I started walking away, though I could hear the answer while I did.


    "Ah, Tolleto and Fallowstar were arguing about who got credit for a new shade of purple that they were going to offer the king," Derrick answered quickly. The crowd erupted in cheers as Forstra claimed them as the winners.


    I went straight to the bar and got Ramanelle''s attention. "How much for two rooms?" I asked angrily. She looked at me with surprise at my tone before glancing towards the platform, then back down at me.


    "One moment, please, sir," she said before hurrying to the back.


    "Are you alright?" Ferrisdae asked from behind me.


    "I understand it. That we''re passing through and they need to keep their regulars happy and coming back," I seethed. "But there is such a thing as integrity."


    I turned to regard her, and she looked worried. Like she''d been drinking, but worried nonetheless. I released a breath, and tried to smile. "It doesn''t matter, but thank you."


    Ferrisdae looked at me, and then to her drink. "I didn''t think I had enough alcohol to start thinking Badger could smile," she said.


    "And the moment is over," I told her, turning away from her to see Ramanelle had been standing there waiting for us to finish. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "We have rooms nine and ten for you two, sir," she said, nervous.


    "How much do I owe you?" I asked, reaching for my pocket.


    "Mrs. Forstra is going to cover it, on account of how you stomped off because of the question, sir," Ramanelle answered.


    Frowning, I turned around to see Forstra giving me an apologetic smile. Giving a non-committal wave, I turned back to Ramanelle and set a handful of coins on the counter. "That¡¯s to pay for our rooms. I¡¯m not here for handouts. Make sure Ferrisdae here doesn''t get in any trouble and that she makes it to room ten tonight."


    "Softy, ain''t even drunk yet," Ferrisdae said. She reached over me and placed her empty mug on the bar. "I''ll take two more, thanks."


    Ramanelle looked from Ferrisdae and then back to me, then gave me a determined nod. "Yes, sir, I''ll make sure of it."


    She handed me the key for room nine, pocketing Ferrisdae''s key for safekeeping, and I said my good nights before heading upstairs. A quick glance over the tavern from the second floor balcony showed that Cojisto hadn''t returned yet. With what little I knew about the man, I figured he was probably with Moose in the stable.


    Rooms nine and ten were two of the farthest from the tavern and were relatively quiet. As I entered, I found a stack of blankets of varying sizes on top of the desk. The room felt warm even though there wasn''t anything visibly heating it. As I disrobed and fell into the bed, my mind went back to the events of the day.


    It really had been eventful, even if most of it had been traveling. We started in New Frausta, spoke with that harpy, Sophia Blair, teleported across the continent, and delved into an unforgettably terrible dungeon for Ferrisdae to receive a Dragon''s blessing.


    Also, Cojisto was now joining us with a moose. That was going to be¡­ interesting was certainly a word for it.


    Alone with my thoughts, it didn''t take long for me to fall asleep in the soft, warm bed.


    ******


    It felt like seconds passed before I was interrupted by the sound of someone barging into my room, bringing with them the smell of cooked meat.


    "Rise and shine, Badger!" Ferrisdae chirped.


    I wrapped myself even deeper into my blanket. "Just five more minutes, Tabs," she continued, taking on a deep, gruff voice.


    "Oh, Tabs?" she asked innocently. "Who''s that, Badger?"


    "It''s none of your beeswax, girl," she continued in that deep voice. Was that supposed to be me? "Now begone, and leave the food."


    "Yessir, mister Badger, sir," she said in her chipper voice. "We''ll be downstairs waiting for you. We want to get this show on the road by sun up."


    "That''s too early," Ferrisdae-Badger retorted. "I don''t get up any earlier than dinner time."


    "Oh, Badger, for such an old coot you sure do act like a rascal."


    Slowly, I pulled the blanket down off of my face to fix her with a sleepy glare. "Are you finished?" I asked.


    "Yeah, pretty much," Ferrisdae said with a mischievous grin. "You have twenty minutes, sir, otherwise we''re leaving without you."


    "Hate you," I said. "Hate you so much."


    Ferrisdae cackled as she left the room, shutting the door behind her.


    ******


    I left the Frosted Froth to find Ferrisdae, Cojisto, and Moose loitering outside. Both Ferrisdae and Cojisto were in their battle gear, her starry robes and his thick fur armor, respectively.


    When I looked up at Moose, the towering behemoth stared down at me. This was my first chance to take a proper look at him, and he just seemed like a regular moose to me. Maybe he was bigger than a normal moose? I didn''t have any references for this sort of animal. It snorted at me before nudging Cojisto in the shoulder.


    Cojisto turned and glanced at Moose, then looked down at me. "Ah! The prodigal Badger joins us at last!" the boisterous man exclaimed. "And before the sun broke over the horizon, just as I said you would. Ferrisdae said you would drag your feet, but you have won me ten gold this morning, friend."


    I scowled tiredly at Ferrisdae, but she just grinned unapologetically. "What?" she asked, playing innocent. "It seemed like a safe bet."


    Grumbling, I shook my head. "So how are we traveling?" I asked. "In the Skymirror Carriage, obviously, but what about these two?"


    "Oh! That reminds me, you two haven''t been acquainted yet," Cojisto said, turning to the moose. "Moose, this is Dungeon Inspector Badger, Ferry''s boss."


    The moose snorted at me.


    "Badger, this is my best friend, Moose," Cojisto said.


    Once again, I stared at the moose. All I knew about them was that they were durable creatures with a foul temper towards those in its territory. This one seemed downright civil by comparison. I gave it a nod as a greeting, mostly because Cojisto was still watching me. To my surprise, it nodded back.


    "Right," I said, turning to Ferrisdae. "And traveling with these two means what for us?"


    "One of the blessings Ori gave me will help them," Ferrisdae said excitedly. "It''s the last one of four. I''ve taken to calling it the Snow Globe."


    I was patient, but it was obvious that she wanted me to ask. For the sake of expediency, I did. "What does the Snow Globe do, Ferrisdae?"


    "I''m glad you asked, Badger," she said jovially. "It does this!"


    Ferrisdae snapped her fingers, and the snow covering the ground flew away from her in a large circle. She moved around the area; everywhere she went the snow parted and was effortlessly pushed aside.


    "That''ll come in handy," I said. I could appreciate the application of this blessing. "You said it was the last, so there''s the ice sight, almost cold immunity, cold damage spell infusion, and now this Snow Globe power?"


    "Not bad for a sudden meeting with an evil Dragon who counts their age in centuries, huh?" Ferrisdae asked smugly.


    "Yeah, if you completely disregard any ulterior motives she had when she gave them to you," I said evenly. "Just don''t get too attached to them."


    "Which means abuse them as much as you can," Cojisto added. I had expected him to have questions about what had happened, but by the way he was acting relaxed I guessed they had already discussed it. Or, this was just Cojisto being Cojisto.


    "How long can you keep that up for?" I asked.


    "A long time," Ferrisdae claimed. "It lingers as long as I pay the magic cost up front. I should have no problem keeping it active along with my Skymirror Carriage. Because of that, and to answer your earlier question, Moose and Cojisto are going to follow us on the path we carve out with the Snow Globe."


    I nodded before turning to the man. "Are you sure you want to come with us?" I asked. "It''s probably going to end up being really boring. Subjugation runs usually are."


    "We have said that we''re coming, so we''re coming," Cojisto answered, crossing his arms. Then he grinned. "Plus, with a line like that so confidently spoken, you know that everything will go to hell the moment we step foot in the dungeons."


    ¡°I sure hope not. Still, this is your last opportunity to back out,¡± I said, giving Cojisto a harsh glance. When the man opened his mouth to protest, I held up my hand. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re a brave adventurer, I get it. We¡¯re going into the unknown to a place where some guy is messing up the natural order of things. It is not unreasonable to be wary.¡±


    ¡°Everything you said just makes this seem like it won¡¯t be as boring as you want me to think it is,¡± Cojisto replied. ¡°We will still come. I do have to ask who you think this Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons is, though.¡±


    Great, now Cojisto was saying his full title.


    ¡°We¡­ aren¡¯t really sure,¡± Ferrisdae admitted. ¡°By all accounts, the DoD hasn¡¯t really come across anyone or anything that can just change a dungeon like he apparently can.¡±


    ¡°Is he not just another bad guy?¡± Cojisto asked, looking between Ferrisdae and myself.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s really hit or miss right now,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°Their values might align with ours, but there¡¯s an equal chance that the opposite is true. We already know that they¡¯re going to be strong, and from what little we know about him I don¡¯t think he can leave the dungeons. Hence, asking Razorbeak to bring him up here for¡­ some reason. We don¡¯t know the reason for that, either.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we need to be cautious,¡± I said. ¡°Because this person has already started to alter dungeons, we know that he has some way to mess with them. That takes a lot of power and knowledge to do after the dungeon has already been settled. So we know that he¡¯s very powerful, doesn¡¯t regard the rules we¡¯ve set in place as important, and has a thing for Dragons, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cojisto said, mulling it over. ¡°Odd, but it changes nothing for me. This is Moose and I¡¯s next big adventure, you know, and we are going to see it through.¡±


    Moose snorted, as if agreeing with Cojisto.


    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other again, and I shrugged. That was an adventurer for you.

 Chapter 22 - The Storm

    The Ground was the area on the outskirts of The Thousand Year Blizzard. Over the years, the storm had fluctuated in size and shape, engulfing much of the Snow Elf kingdom of Despa, before settling into the blizzard that persisted today. It had been unchanging for nearly five centuries, if one were to believe the Mages Guild scholars who studied it. But to those who were there in person, that¡¯s not really the first thing anyone thought of.


    ¡°This is really, outrageously big,¡± Cojisto stated, looking off towards the giant white wall of constant snow and ice.


    The three of us and Moose stood outside of the Skymirror Carriage and stared at what was commonly known as the Whiteout Wall. When I first heard it, I had thought of a small section of the blizzard where it got snowy enough that you couldn¡¯t see any further than your nose. My imagination was lacking in this regard. As snow tried to buffet us from the ground, rebuffed by Ferrisdae¡¯s Snow Globe, we all stared awestruck into the sky.


    The Whiteout Wall was both enormous and immediate. It wasn''t a gradual transition, but a full on cliffside of snow. It was the perfect name. We craned our necks to try to see the top without success; it disappeared into the dark clouds high into the sky. Pulsing veins of lightning could be seen inside the wall, like blood pumping through a person.


    Honestly, it was a little intimidating.


    "Very big, Cojisto," I agreed. "Ferrisdae, how did you come to the decision that this was the best way forward?"


    "I visited Hellisby last night after you had gone to bed," Ferrisdae explained. "Sober, of course, and remind me when we''re in town that we need the ingredients for more hangover cures. I only have one left."


    "They do seem very handy," Cojisto commented.


    "They are, and fairly easy to make, it''s just that some of the ingredients are expensive," she said.


    "What are the-"


    "What happened to taking care of things in the morning?" I asked, cutting Cojisto off. That wasn''t the line of questioning that we needed right now.


    "Put it off for the morning?" Ferrisdae snorted. "I was excited. I am excited. I couldn''t wait."


    She looked at me like she was expecting me to argue, but I felt she did the right thing. There was no danger in that decision, anyway. "And what did Hellisby say during your visit?"


    "Right, he said that this is the path that will get us closest to the center, which is where the mage expedition was likely to head," Ferrisdae explained. "Didn''t take much to get him to agree. It seemed as though he was really lonely there all by himself."


    "Makes sense, he did have that air about him," I said. And I wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest that the Mage''s Guild also looked down on those who they thought didn''t get a proper education.


    "Are we ready to go, then?" Cojisto asked after we were silent for a few more seconds.


    "Yeah, I think it''s time," Ferrisdae said. "I just wanted to see the Whiteout Wall up close. It didn''t disappoint."


    I agreed with her, but didn''t voice it. The fact of the matter was that this storm was supposed to be much, much larger. That it was stopped meant saving countless lives, perhaps even the continent itself. Just thinking of the alternative had my head spinning.


    Ferrisdae followed me into the Skymirror Carriage while Cojisto mounted his moose, and then we took off. Ferrisdae knelt on the front seat to look through the glass. She was very excited, and not without reason. I also felt a thrill as we passed into the Whiteout Wall.


    The driving snow and ice immediately tried to engulf us, but Oristrella''s blessing prevented it. I took a look through the rear window to see Cojisto looking around while mounted on his moose. He had assured us that the cold wouldn''t be a bother to either of them, and it looked like that was true.


    Moose caught my eye and then snorted, promoting Cojisto to look down at me. He gave me a thumbs up, to which I nodded back. I returned to my seat.


    Unfortunately, that was the most exciting thing to happen for a long time. The storm continued to rage around us, lightning cackling and roaring nearby, but that was it. White walls lit by our own lights, the sound of high speed winds, and a path worn down by centuries of storming weather. If it weren''t for the fact that we weren''t sure what kind of creatures lurked here, though it was likely to be elementals of some type, I would have started reading.


    But whether by good fortune or the Snow Globe, we traveled for five hours unmolested and drove directly into the eye of the storm.


    Suddenly, we were surrounded by a lush green scene. Grass and trees grew here, separated from the storm by mere inches of bare brown stone. The sky above was blue, and we could see the sun reaching its apex in the sky. It would be around noon at this point, so that made sense.


    In the center of the Eye was a gigantic crystalline obelisk. It shone in the sunlight and had to be at least 40 feet tall. It reflected blue, purple, and green light, and did so unevenly. Surrounding it were four closed-roof wagons, three blue and then an overly ornate red one. I didn''t see any Avians guarding it, but there was a group of ten or so Elves wearing mages robes.


    The majority appeared to be studying the obelisk. Was that all of them? I hadn¡¯t realized the Crystal Snows tower was undermanned like this.


    Our entrance didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and as we approached the wagons and obelisk a member of the group came to greet us. The carriage pulled to a stop not far from the man, and we disembarked.


    "This area is off limits, I simply must tell you to leave immediately, " the Elf said in a shrill voice. Now that we were closer, I could see the wrinkles on his face and his white hair receding into an unfortunate widow''s peak.


    I looked at Ferrisdae as the only mage here. She nodded at me, then stepped forward. "Hello, I am Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae," she greeted. "This is Dungeon Inspector Badger, and our allies from the Consortium, Cojisto and Moose. We''re here on official Department of Dungeons business with those wagons."


    "Unfortunately, I must still turn you away," the Elf snapped. "The wagons are a big part of whatever the obelisk is doing. This area is dangerous, and it''s of the utmost importance that we study it."


    "And I''m telling you that it''s not possible for us to simply turn around and go back," Ferrisdae insisted. "The Mage''s Guild is not above the Department of Dungeons, no matter where we are. Unless you''d rather us escalate this to a higher power? Perhaps one befitting a joint venture between the DoD and Adventurers Consortium?"


    The Elf scoffed. "What higher power? There''s no one out here but us."


    Ferrisdae smiled, then looked down at me. "Dungeon Inspector Badger?"


    The Elf looked down at me expectantly. I snorted derisively at him, and then started walking towards the nearest wagon. "Where are you going?" the Elf asked. "I just told you that you can''t go over there! Listen to me!"


    Ignoring the man''s yells, I heard him scramble after me. He made the mistake of grabbing my shoulder. I snatched his hand and squeezed. Hard. The scholar immediately let go, but I didn''t. I continued walking with the Elf leaned over behind me.


    "Let go of me!" he yelled. "You can''t do this to me, I''m a high ranking member of the- ahhh!" the Elf screamed. I was getting close to breaking a finger.


    I stopped next to the closest wagon and finally let him go. The Elf shook his hand in pain, scowling. "I''m filling an incident report with the Department of Dungeons the moment we''re back at the tower!"


    Scowling, I finally turned to face him. "For a mage, you really are amusingly stupid," I told him.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What''s this now?" he spat, face turning red.


    "If you file a report, friend, then you''re going to have to explain exactly what happened and why," I explained calmly. "Are you ready for the shitstorm that will be brought down on you for obstructing what my junior succinctly put as a joint venture between the DoD and the Consortium? Do you think you can handle that?"


    The Elf reached peak rage and, just when I thought he was going to lash out, he turned towards his group and began running. "Serto!" he yelled. "Serto, we have ruffians in our midst!"


    "Nice work, Badger," Cojisto said. "It''s always nice seeing mages get knocked down a peg or two."


    "Hey," Ferrisdae huffed.


    "Present company excluded, of course," Cojisto quickly added. "Both Moose and I think you''re wonderful, Ferry."


    "I''d rather not wait for this Serto guy," I said, pulling out the long Dungeon Doorknocker from my Dimensional Pocket. "So let''s get to work."


    "Or, that Serto guy could already be in your midst," came a voice behind Cojisto.


    We all turned to face the newcomer. He was another Snow Elf with white hair and pale skin, but he wore a black, unadorned robe. I would guess that he was middle aged. I would also guess that this was Serto.


    Serto was switching his gaze between Cojisto and Moose before settling on the man. "Aren''t you the guy who showed up to the tower claiming that you had a magic moose?"


    "Yes," Cojisto said proudly. "But you and yours would not even entertain the idea."


    Serto''s gaze changed to me. "This is the kind of guy you want to take into dungeons with you, Inspector?" he asked incredulously.


    "It wasn''t my decision," I told him honestly. "But we are here on very important business."


    "I would have to assume so, considering how far out of your way you had to come to get here," Serto mused, then turned to Ferrisdae. He squinted, and his eyes glowed. "Am I right to assume that you carry Oristrella¡¯s blessing, young lady?"


    "Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae," she gently corrected. "And yes, we visited her prior to entering the Thousand Year Blizzard."


    "Junior Dungeon Inspector, my apologies. It seems I''ve been quite rude myself," the Elf said. "I am Archmage Serto Sercrello, Master of the Crystal Snows Mage''s Guild."


    "It would have helped if you didn''t send your guard dog to snap at us the moment we walked in," I muttered.


    "Yes, well, unexpected guests in the middle of a powerful magical storm don¡¯t have a tendency to end well," Serto said. "I''m sure you would be wary as well, given the circumstances."


    Wary, he calls it. More like downright hostile. I let it slide for now. "The reason we''re here is for Raitheus Razorbeak¡¯s caravan dungeons," I explained. "He''s not supposed to be here, he stole something from a city-state''s treasury, and now he''s here because of some guy calling himself the Dungeon Master-"


    "Master of Dungeons," Ferrisdae chimed in.


    "- who also took over Oristrella¡¯s dungeon," I finished. I didn''t even bother giving her a chastised look, why should I put in the effort if she won''t learn?


    ¡°I had wondered about the caravans, and the Avian who emerged from the red wagon to attack us,¡± Serto said, his voice and face grim. ¡°Honestly, we didn¡¯t know what we were getting ourselves into at the time.¡±


    My blood started to run cold. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    My eyes scanned the scene again. There seemed to be a lack of manpower here if the entire tower left. These men all looked haggard, I noticed. Their eyes darted towards the wagons, and they were stiff and jumpy. Then, I saw them.


    They had been obstructed at first, but I now had a clear view of them. Coffins made of ice were piled up by the red wagon, four side by side and four tall. Sixteen dead. My eyes shifted to Ferrisdae, who was staring with a hand over her mouth. She obviously saw them, too.


    ¡°A tall Avian wielding a blunderbuss came from the red one and yelled at us to leave his caravan behind and return to our tower,¡± Serto said. Suddenly, he looked very, very tired. Like he earned each of his many years today alone. ¡°Before we had a chance to respond, he started firing. Over and over again, faster than seemed possible. We fought back, of course, but most of our mages are not used to combat. When I finally realized what was happening, I had managed to force him back into his wagon, but only barely.¡±


    ¡°If there was a big battle, then how come it looks like everything is absolutely fine?¡± Cojisto asked, looking around in confusion. It was true. Until I saw the coffins, there hadn¡¯t been any indication of an attack.


    Serto sighed. He turned towards Razorbeak¡¯s red wagon and raised his hand. Without any words, he bent his fingers and a visibly cold gust of air headed that way. The grass it passed frosted and withered under the frigid winds, creating a straight line to the wagon. When the air contacted the wood, there was a loud crack and in an instant the cart was frozen solid with inches of frost coating it.


    The mage raised a finger to us so that we would wait, then pointed towards the grass. My brow furrowed as I watched the grass return to life like time was being reversed. At the same speed that it had withered, it refreshed. The iced wagon didn¡¯t even melt, it simply stopped being frozen like we hadn¡¯t just seen it freeze over.


    ¡°We don¡¯t yet know what¡¯s causing it,¡± Serto admitted with a sigh. ¡°But a few moments after Raitheus returned to the wagon, that started happening. I had frozen the wagon countless times, but eventually I gave up. I may be an archmage, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it up indefinitely.¡±


    Serto¡¯s voice dropped, and he sounded just as tired as he looked. ¡°When I attacked him, when we all attacked him, he didn¡¯t seem to have any sort of magical protection. None that I could sense, anyway, or see. It seemed like, more or less, he was simply¡­ taking our attacks. Like they weren¡¯t anything to defend against. I haven¡¯t seen anything like it from any man. Beasts, sure, but not a person.¡±


    Silence hung over us at Serto¡¯s statement. Ferrisdae¡¯s fears had been half founded; they hadn¡¯t gone into the wagons for shelter, but that didn¡¯t stop it from being dangerous. Over half of their group was gone because of the appearance of the Land Pirate Raitheus.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I asked, crossing my arms. ¡°If it¡¯s that dangerous, you should have left and requested help.¡±


    ¡°Because we have work to do, inspector,¡± Serto said curtly. ¡°I have been vigilant ever since the attack, and I have plans for the next time that horrendous bird decides to leave the safety of his nest. Until then, we are trying to figure out what the obelisk has to do with the wagons.¡±


    "What do you have so far?" Ferrisdae asked, her voice low and shaking. Her hands trembled loosely at her sides. I could see it though; the grim determination to see this through. It wasn¡¯t her fault, I knew that, but I hoped that she knew it, too.


    Serto looked over our group before looking out towards the obelisk. "We''re still in the preliminary stages," he admitted. "But we''ve had a little over a day to study it, since the attack, and I can safely say that it seems to be made to be some kind of magic battery, but that''s it. It''s connected to each of these wagons, these dungeons, but we''re not quite sure how."


    "So it''s acting like a huge magic crystal?" Cojisto asked.


    "That very well may be the case," Serto said. "But we''re just not ready to say that''s all it does. We don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s providing magic power or draining it away. Not yet, anyway; this was the reason why the whole guild left the tower, after all."


    "Except Hellisby," Ferrisdae said. "Being left behind and all."


    "Please, that boy is only happy when he''s miserable. He''s there because he said he''d stay behind and for no other reason,¡± he scoffed, shaking his head. Then Serto waved towards the wagon we were nearest to. ¡°Before the attack, I was planning on sending an expedition in after another day or so of research to see what was going on inside and how it¡¯s affecting the obelisk, but it seems there''s no need for that now, is there?"


    "No, you don''t have to send anyone," I agreed, nodding. "But I do have to warn you that we''re on a subjugation mission. I have no idea what destroying the dungeons will do to the obelisk. I¡¯m also not sure if destroying the dungeons won¡¯t cause Raitheus to emerge again."


    "We can cross that bridge when we get there," Serto said. Despite his fatigue, I could see the fire in his eyes. He was ready to watch these wagons burn. "I''m very interested in seeing what will happen to the obelisk during your time in the dungeon and destroying them will be another extension of that. It''ll be data that other branches would kill for."


    "I''m sure," I said. I left the group to approach the wagon. "Then you don''t mind if we move forward now?"


    "By all means, subjugate to your heart''s content," Serto said.


    I threw open the double doors at the back of the wagon, revealing a shimmering white portal. According to the DoD archives, the inside of Razorbeak''s dungeons were supposed to be bastardizations of their surroundings. Different seasons, different coloration, different wildlife; it all could vary.


    All I could think about is what the Dungeon Master would have in store for us here that he couldn''t get by making his own dungeons. Unless, of course, he couldn''t make his own. Wouldn''t be much of a master of dungeons if he can''t even create one.


    Snapping out of my thoughts, I swung the Dungeon Doorknocker at the side of the portal. It bounced off with a clear, loud tone, and we waited.


    And waited.


    And waited some more.


    "I don''t think they''re coming out," Cojisto said. "Perhaps we should just go in?"


    I sighed and put the Doorknocker back into my Dimensional Pocket. "It looks like it," I responded. The Doorknocker was only reliable in announcing your presence. It in no way compelled a dungeon boss to appear on command, so events like this weren''t unheard of.


    "Be safe in there, inspectors," Serto said. "I''ll have more information for you once you''re back."


    "Take care of yourself and your people, Serto," I said. The portal in front of me pulsed, and I walked through it.


    I stepped through the portal and into an office full of knick knacks. There was a chair in front of me facing a desk, and behind that desk was a gorgeous Human woman with deep blue hair in a bright yellow sundress.


    "Welcome, Dungeon Inspector Badger," she said with a smile. Her voice was flat, but strong. She shuffled some papers on her desk and gestured towards the seat in front of the desk. "My name is Himia, and I''m very excited to work with you. We have some things to discuss first, however, about you and the dungeon. Let''s chat about your status as a Fallen Paladin first, shall we?"

 Chapter 23 - Secretary

    "Would you like to take a seat, Dungeon Inspector?" the woman, Himia, asked as I stared at her from the doorway. My mind was processing what she just said, but wasn''t doing a very good job of it. I reached for my Dimensional Pocket to grab a weapon, only to find that I was no longer wearing my jacket anymore.


    "Apologies, Dungeon Inspector," Himia said, watching my movements. "Your gear is not on the list of topics. Would you like a seat?"


    I looked at my clothing to see that I was wearing a white linen shirt, brown trousers, and black shoes. Nothing I wore was something I recognized. Panic started to well up from my chest, but I took a deep breath, quelling the feeling before it could intensify. Anger quickly replaced it, but I shoved that down, too. My equipment did not define me, after all.


    "What is this place?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.


    "Excellent emotional control," Himia praised. "Exactly what I had come to expect from you."


    "And what do you know of me, Ms. Himia?" I didn''t make any moves to sit down, instead hovering near the doorway.


    "Of course, I suppose I should answer your questions before we start the discussion," she conceded. "I am the secretary of The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons."


    I groaned. That really was this guy''s full title, wasn''t it? "So he''s actually here, then?"


    "He is in every dungeon he owns, but I suppose I should be more specific than that as you likely need more pertinent information," she started. The way she spoke was strange, like every word was crisp and new and was still having a definition attached to them.


    "The dungeon cluster you know as Razorbeak''s Caravan has been linked together to create a dungeon unlike anything your world has ever seen before," she said. Then she smiled, showing off a full mouth of straight, white teeth. "But getting into that will be entering spoiler territory, Dungeon Inspector, so please forgive me when I say I won''t be discussing it in detail."


    "You still didn''t answer my question," I noted.


    "You''ll find him in the lead caravan, which won''t unlock until the other dungeons have been completed," she stated. "Would you like to have a seat?"


    "No," I said. "I''d rather stand by the door."


    Himia glanced at the wall behind me, then met my eyes. "What door?"


    Slowly, hesitant to take my eyes off of the strange woman, I glanced backwards. Instead of a doorway, I was face to face with a blank white wall. "I don''t like feeling trapped," I warned, barely restraining my words from coming out as a snarl.


    "Completely understandable, I know a lot of people are like that," she said. "But after this discussion, you can head on your way to the dungeon and get on with your job. Would you like to sit?"


    "You still haven''t answered all of my questions," I said. I walked to the seat but didn''t sit down, instead opting to stand behind it. As I put my hands on the furniture, I noted that it felt sturdy; it would make a decent improvised weapon.


    "Ah, once again, please forgive me, sometimes I answer questions in my head and forget to say them out loud," Himia confessed. "You wanted to know where we were first, to which I''ll tell you that we''re in a nexus hub connecting the four caravan dungeons. Think of this as a dungeon office of sorts."


    I thought about that. Serto had said they were all connected somehow, so that gave me a possible answer. "Are we in the obelisk?"


    "A very astute observation, Dungeon Inspector, but no," Himia said. "And, since the next logical question is what the obelisk is for¡­ well, you don''t have access to that information yet. Shall I move on to your next previous question?"


    "My¡­ next previous question," I repeated slowly, trying to digest the order of the words. "Was ¡®what do you know of me, Ms. Himia?¡¯"


    "Of course, the answer is nearly everything," she said, causing me to freeze. "Not from spying or anything so mundane. I use a simple mixture of magical aura imprint deep dives, soul reading, and surface thought gathering to learn everything I can about a person. Your life has been very interesting despite its brevity, Dungeon Inspector."


    The hair on my neck bristled. I couldn''t tell if she was lying to me with her face plastered into this look of nonplussed, patient politeness. And she called that mixture of highly invasive magic simple.


    "You know that soul reading and mind reading are illegal magics for a reason, right? And what do you know about how short my life is? You barely look like you''re in your twenties!" I tried not to raise my voice, but my anger was spilling out. The privacy breach would normally be enough to make me lash out in anger, but this situation required more finesse than that. I took another deep breath.


    "First, I recognize that pointing out the youthful looks of my chosen appearance is a compliment, so while it is ultimately unneeded I will thank you for it," she said, still smiling.


    "That wasn''t my intention," I said flatly.


    "I understand," she claimed. I wasn''t sure if she did. "Now we have two more questions. The first of which is that I did not know that those forms of magical information gathering techniques were illegal, and I will not perform them on you again without your consent or the express order of my boss."


    "That sounds suspiciously like you''re going to use it on other people," I said.


    Instead of responding, she moved on. "For your second question, I am not a Human, but an artificial intelligence made to help my boss with various tasks." When she noticed my confused look, she shook her head. "Apologies again, Dungeon Inspector. If it helps, then think of me as an Information Elemental. I am thinking, living data."


    "So you''ve¡­ been around for a while," I guessed.


    "Yes, but I understand that it is rude to ask a lady her age," she said. "So while I am not an actual lady, I would appreciate it if you didn''t ask."


    The panic I had quashed at the beginning of this conversation had disappeared at this point, replaced by confusion. I didn''t like that any more than I did the panic.


    "So if I have this right, then," I began slowly. "We''re in the dungeon, it''s all connected, you''ve used illegal techniques to gather information, you''ll do it again, you''re the secretary of the guy running it, you''re actually just information in the shape of a lady, and you want to discuss the dungeon?"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "A roundabout explanation, but not incorrect," Himia said. She dropped her smile, taking on a more serious look. "It is a shame about Tegril, though. For a God of Justice he really didn''t do right by you. I mean, all you did was-"


    "That''s enough about that," I snapped, anger evident in my voice. This whole situation was already something that I was calming myself down for, but that was a line she had no right to cross. "I don''t want to hear that from anyone, let alone you."


    "Of course, Dungeon Inspector, please excuse my lack of decorum," she said. I almost believed it, but it was spoken just as mechanically as the rest of her speech. "The problem lies thus. The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, has taken an extreme liking to the Dragon known as Oristrella. Then, your Junior Dungeon Inspector comes walking in with her blessing and he wants to show his favor to Ferrisdae and company as well."


    "Why?" I asked skeptically. "We''re here to raid his dungeons and destroy them, why help us?"


    "That''s what dungeons are for, correct?" Himia asked. "He is not malevolent, not towards your group, at least. He''s actually very eager to meet you at the end of your adventure."


    "If he''s not acting with malevolent intent then why did he go through with dungeon takeovers through improper channels?"


    "Ignorance, mostly," Himia said. "Which pains me to admit, for reasons I''m sure you can deduce. We haven''t been awake for long, and our interactions have, thus far, mostly been limited to dungeon dwellers. There have been a study of adventurers, but initial contact had not gone well."


    I thought back to when Brackenhorst mentioned adventurers were complaining about a blue haired Human that attacked them with numbers. My gaze traveled to her head. Himia certainly resembled their description.


    "Okay, sure, let''s say that is the truth, then what''s the end goal for you two?" I asked. "What''s the point?"


    "That''s something he would love to discuss with you once your group has arrived to meet him," she claimed, once again smiling.


    "Of course," I muttered. "And I¡¯m assuming there¡¯s no way to skip all that, then?¡±


    ¡°You assume correctly.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Then let''s get on with it. The sooner this is over, the faster I can meet this dungeon master guy."


    "Of course, Dungeon Inspector," Himia said with a nod. "It has been decided that you four are going to receive what we like to call a tier two transition. I know you have concepts like fighter, barbarian, rogue, ranger, wizard, sorcerer, and more. Some like to fancy up their titles, like Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae calling herself a Star Sorceress, but this is just a Sorceress with the Starborn bloodline. Are you with me so far?"


    "Sure," I grunted, folding my arms. I could tell this was going to get complicated.


    "Excellent, these are all what we would consider to be tier one classes," she explained. "We have a whole system in place, but when we showed it off to some early entrants they were scared off by ''floating numbers'' so now it all works in the background."


    That confirmed what Brackenhorst had said during the briefing. He mentioned the official he sent didn''t find anything out of the ordinary, but there was no doubt in my mind anymore.


    "Everyone also has a magical affinity, which makes things easier," Himia continued. "For the Junior Dungeon Inspector, it is ice because of Oristrella, but that didn''t factor much into her class upgrade. Cojisto''s affinity was force, and Moose''s affinity is holy."


    "Wait," I said. I couldn''t have heard that right. "The moose has a magical affinity? And it¡¯s holy? Like, divine holy magic?"


    "Oh, yes," she confirmed. "It was just one ability, but he had a calming aura power that increased natural recovery speed. Quite remarkable, really. I haven''t seen anything like it before."


    I couldn''t think of anything to respond with, and Himia took that as a sign to keep going.


    "Moving along, a tier two class will allow them to specialize and grow even more powerful than one normally would as time goes on. Depending on how things pan out, The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons will be rolling out tier two upgrades on a wide scale, and maybe someday even introduce tier three upgrades."


    Tiers were a concept I understood, but every statement led to more questions. Like how that was even possible, for starters. No, I needed to stay on track first.


    "Okay, that''s way in the future," I said, waving her off. "What does that have to do with me?"


    "Of course, the problem with you is that you''re already as strong as a tier two individual," she started. I didn¡¯t let her sudden flattery get to me, though that statement did give me a good baseline to use between tiers. "So there''s a lot to unpack there, but that''s why I mentioned your very eventful life. Dungeon Inspector, sure, but you''ve also been an adventurer and even a dungeon owner at one point. You have a very storied history."


    I ground my teeth as I was reminded of the explicit breach of privacy on my personal history. "Get to the point, Ms. Himia," I angrily urged.


    "If you''d like to become a tier two paladin, a Justicar, then the Goddess of Community, Cheroske, has been keeping an eye on you and wouldn''t mind your loyalty," Himia said.


    "I''ll pass," I said immediately. I would not be beholden to the gods. Not again.


    "We thought as much, though we have reserved your right to return to service should you change your mind in the future," she said. "Instead, we propose that your job title would become your new class."


    "And what would that mean?" I asked.


    "Your class would be Dungeon Inspector," she said. "It makes sense, since your magical affinity is for dungeon magic. An odd one, but not unheard of. Your class would be based on meta knowledge and exploration, but retain your fighting experience."


    "Just had a Dungeon Inspector class on hand then, did you?" I asked.


    "No, this one was tailored for you specifically given your past," Himia answered.


    I scowled. Or perhaps the one I still wore deepened, it was hard to tell. "Okay, sure, but why?"


    "Since you all will be receiving these upgrades, in order to test the balance of the dungeon, we have confiscated all of your belongings until you either leave or enter a zone that is closer to your experience level," she said, ignoring my question.


    "But why?" I asked again.


    "Because he wanted to give you all gifts, like I had previously stated," she answered.


    "But to what end?" I continued.


    "You will have to meet him at the end for more answers," she said with what I think should have been a coy smile, but it just looked arrogant.


    "Okay, fine," I said, throwing my arms into the air. "Dungeon Inspector, I am what I am."


    "Excellent, then you are the last of your group to have selected an option," Himia said.


    "The last? I was the first one in," I complained. "And I didn''t get much of an option."


    "The others were easier to deal with, even Moose," she claimed. "There was much deliberation on what to do about you. You were much more surprising than a holy moose by far, Dungeon Inspector."


    Moose was a magic moose. I was suddenly reminded of this fact, and it still felt like it was a lie. "So I was and still am a Dungeon Inspector, what now?" I asked, crossing my arms.


    "Now you may leave the way you came in," Himia said, gesturing behind me. "And explore our dungeon at your leisure. This first one is going to be a bit on the easy side for you all with your class upgrades, though. It''s meant to give you time to get settled into your new powers. I do hope you have fun."


    I turned around to see a large wooden door in the wall where there hadn''t been one before. "I still have more questions for you," I said. When I turned to ask Himia about what was going on, I found that both the woman and the desk were gone, leaving me in a room with two empty chairs.


    With realization dawning in my mind, I quickly patted down my chest. I still wasn''t wearing my jacket. "Wait a minute, what about my stuff?" I shouted at the empty room. I was met with nothing but silence.


    My anger welled up at being dismissed in such a disrespectful manner. In fact, the whole thing had been a farce. I needed more information, and now the only one with answers had disappeared. With a roar of rage, I punched the desk. The solid wood broke under the force of my fist, cracking before the entire thing fell to the ground in two pieces.


    Placing my hand over my face, I took a deep, calming breath. It didn¡¯t work.


    "Great. What a fantastic turn of events," I muttered sarcastically.


    My attention turned to the door again. With a sigh, I approached it, throwing it open to see another swirling portal like the one I used to get into the dungeon. "Here goes nothing."


    I stepped into the portal.

 Chapter 24 - Wilderness

    I exited the portal, finding myself on a game trail leading through a lush forest. The trees looked to be mostly evergreens, pines and spruces, with a smattering of birch. The trees weren''t closely packed, and brown needles littered the ground.


    Razorbeak''s caravan dungeons were known for taking the landscape around it into consideration when conjuring the extradimensional space inside, and it appeared as though that was still a feature. This was a boreal forest, like one you would find in the north if a magical blizzard wasn''t constantly on the rampage.


    Based on the cool, but not uncomfortable, air, I guessed that it was around springtime in the dungeon currently. Feeling the cold, I reached for my chest with both hands. Still no jacket, still no equipment. Just the white linen shirt, brown trousers, and black shoes. Well, at least the shoes were mildly comfortable. Taking in my surroundings was instinctual, but what came next was pure rage.


    ¡°What the fuck,¡± I muttered, unable to help myself. My blood pounded through my head as anger took over. ¡°What the fuck was all that?!¡±


    The interaction with Himia played through my mind. My gear was gone, there was no exit in sight, and apparently if there was then the damn secretary could just remove it? All sorts of regulations, guidelines, and codes were being broken here willy-nilly.


    And then just casually changing classes and subjecting people to illegal magic? Himia was clearly incredibly dangerous but she still answered to this Dungeon Master guy, so how bad was he? Seducing Dragons, casually sending dangerous dungeons way off their mark with no concern for the societies they pass through, and tinkering with things that ought not to be tinkered with. Willy-nilly!


    ¡°I bet I would have gotten through to her with a less diplomatic method,¡± I said to a nearby tree, kicking at its trunk. ¡°But no, Brackenhorst says ¡®be more diplomatic, Badger,¡¯ and ¡®that¡¯s the fourth dungeon owner to complain about you in the past month, what are you telling them?¡¯ Next time I see that dwarf, I don¡¯t even care that he¡¯s my boss, I¡¯m going to show him the kind of diplomacy that involves sticking my foot right up-¡°


    Needles and pine cones cracking caught my attention, and I turned to see a moose coming towards me. It was staring straight at me before it stopped around forty feet away. A yellow aura outlined it, which I didn''t understand. What was the purpose of that? Was yellow the color symbolizing Moose''s magical affinity for holy energy?


    "Moose?" I called. My rage died down as it was replaced by no small amount of shame at my next words. "Where are Ferrisdae and Cojisto?"


    The moose bellowed at me.


    "Great," I sighed. I began walking towards the moose. "Of course they didn''t offer the ability to understand the language of the moosefolk. That would be too easy, wouldn''t it? Here¡¯s an alleged upgrade, Inspector, but you can''t talk to moose. Or, Moose."


    As I got closer, the moose lowered his head and began stomping. "What''s wrong?" I asked. "Do you need Cojisto around to behave yourself?"


    The yellow aura around the creature turned orange, and then changed to red. I had only closed about half the distance before the moose bellowed and charged at me.


    I took a defensive stance, and then immediately noticed the error of my ways. I didn''t have any of my items, the chances of me being able to stop a charging moose were-


    The moose hit me straight in the chest with its antlers. I was sent flying, the wind knocked from my lungs and at least a few of my ribs felt like they were broken. I rolled across the ground, finally coming to a stop against a pine tree. Despite the blow and the tumble, it wasn''t as painful as I expected.


    The moose snorted and stomped, then lowered its head again. Standing up, I began to shuffle towards the other side of the tree to deny the moose its charge lane while looking for any thing that could be used as a weapon. Nothing immediately looked like it would work, but my field of view was limited since I refused to take my eyes off of the enemy.


    Apparently, this was all it needed to resume aggression. It began charging at me. I spun around the tree, and a flash of white and brown passed me by on the other side.


    I turned to see Cojisto facing off against the charging moose. His aura was blue, and I saw that his arms were covered in rippling purple energy. There wasn''t time to think about that, though. He had positioned himself directly in front of the charging moose.


    Cojisto didn''t flinch, at least not that I could see, and reached out for the antlers. The purple energy around his arms also appeared around his legs, and he slid backwards instead of getting knocked down.


    The charging moose, head down, was stopped in its tracks.


    "Don''t make this difficult," Cojisto said, his voice strained with effort. "You are not the first moose I have wrestled."


    The moose bellowed, pushing against the unmoving man. All it managed to do was kick up detritus from the forest floor.


    "Okay, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t I warn you."


    Cojisto yelled as he turned the moose''s head, planting its antler in the ground. He sidestepped, grabbing the other side of its antlers and tugged. The moose, thrown off balance, fell to the ground. Letting go, Cojisto punched his fallen enemy in the chest before backing off.


    The moose laid there, panting, before scrambling to its feet and running off in the direction it came. Cojisto turned to me and flashed me a grin. "Such wonderful creatures, aren''t they?" he asked jovially.


    "That¡­ wasn''t Moose, was it?" I asked. Testing my wounds, I gingerly touched my chest only to suck in a pained breath. It felt like it had hit my whole chest with its antler. There was going to be a massive bruise that I wasn''t looking forward to.


    "Best not to touch that," Cojisto said. "I''m an expert in moose related injuries, and you took a really nasty blow there."


    "Just assessing," I muttered, trying not to snap. He had just come to my aid and I didn''t doubt his claim about injuries related to moose. I shouldn''t be angry at him. "It''s not as bad as I think it should have been."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Cojisto nodded. "You are surprisingly durable, then," he said. "And lucky I came along. There were moose tracks, so I followed them, because I was hoping they would lead me to Moose."


    "So that wasn''t Moose, just some random moose?" I asked again. Once I was done prodding my wound, I took a closer look at Cojisto. He was wearing an outfit identical to my own. They must have stolen his gear, too.


    "Heavens no, of course not," Cojisto said, his tone implying that the difference was obvious. "He wasn''t nearly big enough to be Moose, and his antlers were still coming in from the winter shed. That''s why I could throw him around so easily."


    "Okay, not Moose, just a moose,¡± I said before eyeing the Human critically. ¡°Why is your aura blue? And what''s going on with that purple energy?"


    "Blue aura?" Cojisto asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked at his arms. "I don''t know, I can''t see any aura."


    "There was a red one on the moose," I said. "You didn''t see that, either?"


    "No, it just looked like an ordinary bull moose to me," he said with a frown. "Do you have a concussion? You got tossed awfully hard."


    "My head is fine," I said, this time I did snap. But I reminded myself again that he had helped and was just concerned. "What about the energy?"


    "That''s a power granted by what Himia said my class update was," Cojisto explained. "Arcane Wrestler, she said, with a magical affinity for force. It''s all pretty intuitive, and I can use it for a variety of offensive and defensive purposes, though I''m still getting used to it. It takes a lot out of me."


    I nodded absently. The¡­ Information Elemental has said that about Cojisto''s affinity. ¡°You seem really calm,¡± I noted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t what Himia did piss you off?¡±


    Cojisto looked at the sky for a moment in thought, and then shrugged. ¡°No, not really,¡± he admitted. ¡°More power is nice, you know?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but not like this. Nothing about this warrants concern to you?¡± I asked, incredulously. ¡°Like losing our gear, or the invasive magic performed on us, or literally anything else?¡±


    The big, dumb idiot shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s a dungeon,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°So, just have to treat it like one, right? Go with the flow, roll with the punches. We¡¯ll make it out.¡±


    I stared at the Human. Adventurers were a different breed, but this guy had to be one of the most laid back morons I had ever met. Instead of arguing and trying to educate him on what was undoubtedly a terrible series of events we had been put under, I changed the subject. There was no use teaching a wall.


    "We need to meet up with Ferrisdae and talk about what¡¯s going on," I said.


    "Ferrisdae and Moose both," Cojisto corrected, emphasizing Moose. I rolled my eyes. "Do you know where we are?"


    I shook my head. "I do not," I admitted. "I think it''s some approximation of what the area the obelisk is in would look like without the blizzard, but most of the records from this area were lost so I''m not sure if there are any cities around."


    "I did see tracks belonging to people earlier," Cojisto claimed. "They were heading east, so there could be something there."


    "I guess that''s as good a way as any," I sighed. I glanced up at the sky to tell the sun''s location. Unfortunately, it was high in the sky, no way of telling which way it was going except by waiting.


    "East is this way," Cojisto said, interrupting my thoughts. "I don''t think Moose would have gone that way, but Ferry probably did.


    "Alright, then let''s get moving." I began walking in Cojisto''s offered direction, wincing with each step from the pain. I never thought I''d wish to find a magic healing moose at any point in my life, but here we were.


    After a few seconds of silence, Cojisto spoke. "So, Badger, where do you hail from?"


    I sighed. No matter how far we would travel, this was going to feel like a long trek.


    ******


    Cojisto had a disposition just as sunny as Ferrisdae¡¯s, and while we walked he took to singing. Faintly, so as to not attract unwanted attention, but what I did manage to pick up was mostly nonsense with no real melody. Just taking note about things around us when he felt like saying them. My patience, already threadbare, was running dangerously thin.


    It also didn''t help that the extradimensional space was incredibly large. Dungeons didn''t usually form on open ground, but even the ones that mirrored reality like I suspected this one did would be at most a mile wide.


    We had been walking for nearly two hours, and Cojisto stopping to collect herbs and plants every so often didn''t help. I know that my legs were short and I was injured, but we definitely walked more than a mile. I had no doubts about that.


    The first thing we heard was the sound of a hammer banging rhythmically on metal. Then, the sounds of men shouting, followed by dogs barking. We crested a hill to see a large wooden palisade before us.


    "See? I told you there were people in the east," Cojisto said confidently.


    I didn''t say anything in return; talking with Cojisto was only going to exacerbate my headache. Instead, I gave him a nod and started traveling around the palisade to find the entrance.


    The logs used to build the wall had seen better days, and something caught my eye. I stopped to investigate. The logs were splintered, dented, and gouged as if something had been trying to break through. I glanced at the ground to see if there were any tracks. The needles littering the ground were snapped, I noticed.


    Brushing them away with my foot, I revealed a huge footprint large enough for Cojisto to lay in. Instead of something Humanoid, it was bird-like in nature with three toes facing towards the wall and one facing backwards.


    ¡°It looks like a giant bird came through here,¡± I said, then added, ¡°Well, that or a Dragon. It¡¯s really surprising how similar their foot structure is to each other.¡± I turned to face Cojisto. He wasn¡¯t paying any attention to me, however, he was looking upwards at the wall.


    ¡°I agree that whatever it was is really, very big,¡± Cojisto confirmed, pointing towards the top of the wall.


    I looked up to see that the top of the palisade had been utterly destroyed. It had to be at least thirty feet high, but the top of each log making up this portion of the wall had been destroyed, resulting in the wall being a few feet lower in this area. I searched for more tracks, but only managed to find one more footprint next to the original. The creature that left them hadn¡¯t come from or gone anywhere, but if it could fly and land, then why did it bother with the wall?


    ¡°I think we need to head inside and get some answers,¡± I said, and we began to walk around the palisade once more.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°I¡¯d like to know if we¡¯re going to be fighting an abnormally large drake or a giant chicken.¡±


    ¡°Who says we¡¯re going to be fighting it?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°This isn¡¯t our problem.¡±


    ¡°It could be, though?¡± Cojisto countered. ¡°This is not like any dungeon I¡¯ve come across before. It¡¯s large, and we traveled for a long time, and we have no idea where the dungeon boss is. What if it¡¯s a giant chicken?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a giant chicken,¡± I spat. If I were honest with myself, those words were hesitant. Cojisto had a point; I hadn¡¯t seen a dungeon like this before either, and I knew I had a lot more experience than he did. ¡°If anything, it¡¯ll be one of Razorbeak¡¯s Avian henchmen running the show. If they could somehow grow in size, then their feet would look like that.¡±


    Cojisto frowned, and then released a heavy sigh. ¡°I understand your words,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m disappointed that our chances of fighting a thirty foot tall chicken are still very low. Could you imagine how great that would be?¡±


    ¡°Cojisto, I don¡¯t want to fight a thirty foot anything, why would I want to specifically fight a thirty foot tall chicken?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Because it would be amazing!¡±


    I ran my hand over my face. We really need to find Ferrisdae, and quickly.

 Chapter 25 - Camp

    Cojisto and I didn¡¯t have to travel far to find the entrance. The settlement wasn¡¯t very large. It only had one way in and out from a forked dirt road, one heading north and the other heading east. The door was made up of several tree trunks lashed together, and I found myself wondering who they hired to attach it to the palisade. That was bound to be incredibly heavy.


    Standing at the gate was a spear-wielding Human in leather armor that appeared to be of shoddy make. The weapon didn¡¯t seem all that great, either. Rust was starting to take the spearhead and the wooden shaft was beginning to warp.


    Regardless of the poor state of his equipment, he heard us trudging along beside the palisade and peeked out of the open gate. Once he saw us, he approached, taking on a nervous gait. As he got closer, I saw that his aura was green.


    ¡°Good afternoon, travelers,¡± he greeted. It was a young man, and his voice still cracked from youth. ¡°Are you, by chance, the adventurers that we sent for?¡±


    I looked down at my clothes and distinct lack of weapons or other gear, but my hesitation cost me the chance to answer.


    ¡°I was not sent for, but I fancy myself the world¡¯s greatest adventurer,¡± Cojisto responded. ¡°So if an adventurer is what you¡¯re in need of, then you are in luck.¡±


    The young man¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, sounding hopeful as he stood up straighter. ¡°Then we need to get you in front of Mr. Carr right away, we have a lot of troubles that need a stronger hand than what we¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡°Before that,¡± I interjected, looking the man over. ¡°You seem really young, are you a part of a union? Have you had any contact with the dungeon owner recently?¡±


    ¡°Union?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°The miner¡¯s coalition is in charge of this venture, but I don¡¯t think that counts as a union. I¡¯m not sure about any dungeon owner, either. I mean, there¡¯s Mr. Carr, but he¡¯s just the boss, you know?¡±


    His words confused me as much as mine did him, but I didn¡¯t think he was lying to me. ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Jesuf, sir,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dungeon Inspector Badger, and this is Cojisto,¡± I said, introducing us. ¡°This dungeon was recently taken over by The Dungeon Master, and we¡¯re here to do some damage control. How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯d say about¡­ maybe half a year?¡± Jesuf said as if he weren¡¯t sure, scratching his untrimmed chin. ¡°I came here with my father, on account of him being a miner, but the only dungeon we knew of was the silver mine and I haven¡¯t heard of any Dungeon Master coming out of it.¡±


    I frowned, and turned to Cojisto. He looked back, and then shrugged. ¡°Where do you come from, Jesuf?¡± I asked. This wasn¡¯t adding up.


    ¡°Antrinarc, sir,¡± Jesuf answered, still confused. He started slouching again as his nervousness returned.


    I frowned. Antrinarc was the name of the capital city of the Witchlands, the place where the Winter Witch Scelara started the Thousand Year Blizzard. It was a name few cared to learn since it wasn¡¯t handy for anything other than debating the history of the storm. This Dungeon Master was thorough, I¡¯ll give him that.


    But the story wasn¡¯t adding up, and I still didn¡¯t think Jesuf was being duplicitous. His whole body was basically screaming that he didn¡¯t want to get in trouble by incorrectly answering the strange questions the strange traveler was throwing his way. I looked back at Cojisto, but he shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep looking at me,¡± he said. ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Sighing, I shook my head. ¡°Did another traveler come through here? An Elven woman with blonde hair named Ferrisdae?¡± I asked. ¡°Or a¡­ particularly large moose?¡±


    ¡°Moose is only a little taller than average, just a few inches,¡± Cojisto corrected. I tried to ignore him.


    Perhaps it was finally because I stopped speaking what he would consider nonsense, but Jesuf perked up. ¡°Yeah!¡± he almost shouted. ¡°A really pretty Elven lady came in with a moose not too long ago, maybe about a half hour or so. It was strange, but she assured me that the moose was harmless, and it followed her around. Never seen an Elf like that before, the ones around these parts all have pale skin and white hair.¡±


    ¡°Lucky her, getting the one that can¡¯t talk,¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Moose!¡± Cojisto said jovially. ¡°That is my best friend! Do you know where they went?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ moose is your best friend?¡± Jesuf asked slowly. ¡°And his name is Moose?¡±


    ¡°Yes on both counts,¡± Cojisto confirmed, grinning.


    ¡°Do you know where they went, Jesuf?¡± I asked before this could devolve into a conversation I could definitely do without.


    ¡°Oh, right. Sorry, sir,¡± Jesuf apologized. ¡°There¡¯s a building that functions as a mess hall near the center of the camp with stables attached, so that¡¯s likely where you¡¯ll find them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I said. I addressed Cojisto next. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s regroup with Ferrisdae and Moose, then we can start asking around about the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we ask Jesuf about the giant chicken?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather us be together first,¡± I answered. ¡°And once again it is highly unlikely that it¡¯s a giant chicken.¡±


    ¡°No, no he¡¯s right,¡± Jesuf said. ¡°Never seen anything like it. Just seems to conjure itself out of thin air once every week, but it¡¯s definitely a giant rooster.¡±


    I stared at Jesuf so intensely that he actually took a step back. The excitement coming off of Cojisto was palpable, and I didn¡¯t even need to look at him to feel it. ¡°Get information if you want, Cojisto, I¡¯m going to go find Ferrisdae,¡± I snapped. Without waiting for a response, I walked around Jesuf and entered the settlement.


    Jesuf really hadn¡¯t been kidding when he called this place a camp. Tents lined up around the circular palisade in neat rows, each big enough to hold at least twenty men. Only four wooden buildings stood in the middle of the camp, one of which had a roofed stable attached. It almost reminded me of Thatcher, though there was no church here and most of the buildings were replaced by tents.


    As I walked towards the mess hall, I noted that Cojisto had decided to stay. That giant chicken story was going to really rile him up. He was going to insist that we try to fight it, Moose would go along with it because of course he would, and Ferrisdae would insist that they shouldn¡¯t have to fight it alone. That¡¯s how I was going to get dragged into it, I knew. I could always say no, but if something happened to my junior on my watch then it would be my head.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The sound of a hammer striking metal came from the building closest to the entrance. As I peered in, I saw a large Orc man making what looked to be a pickax. Our eyes caught, and he gave me a congenial nod as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a muscular arm. I returned it, but kept moving.


    The next building looked to be some kind of equipment storage with plenty of racks for, what I assumed by context, mining equipment. It was quite large, but that made sense. There were easily enough large tents to fit more than a hundred men. This was a big operation out here in the middle of nowhere.


    I didn¡¯t bother looking too closely at the last building as I had arrived at the stables. I peered over the fence that kept the animals in and saw Moose chewing on a head of lettuce. Just like Cojisto, he was outlined with a blue aura. He paused to regard me, spitting out his food.


    ¡°You, uh¡­ you okay in here, Moose?¡± I asked, feeling really silly for asking an animal if they were alright. There was no reason for that, I knew; it was confirmed that Moose was, in fact, a magical moose, but the mind was harder to change.


    Moose stomped his hoof once and croaked. I didn¡¯t even know that was a sound they could make.


    ¡°Okay, so I was right about not getting some kind of moose translation power,¡± I muttered. ¡°Hey, so, apparently you met Himia? And could¡­ communicate with Himia? She said that you had a magical affinity for holy energy¡­¡±


    My voice trailed off. I couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Why am I asking an animal for healing magic?¡± I asked myself. ¡°This whole situation is throwing me off, I need to get a hold of-¡±


    A vibrant golden glow engulfed my body as Moose croaked again. I wasn¡¯t prepared for the magical healing and I tensed, but the golden light seeped into my skin to send a comfortable warmth through my body. It was, without a doubt, some kind of divine magic.


    Divine healing almost always felt like someone was comforting you, depending on the god or goddess that the caster worshiped. It wasn¡¯t universal, but it was a good rule of thumb since most healers would worship those that considered healing a worthy goal.


    Arcane and alchemical healing was completely different, however. On both counts, being healed felt like your wounds were being stitched back together at an accelerated pace. It was a fast, albeit unpleasant, experience.


    ¡°You really are a magic moose,¡± I said, flabbergasted. It wasn¡¯t often that I was speechless, but at this moment I didn¡¯t really know what to say. I was talking to a moose. ¡°Um, thank you, Moose. I really appreciate you helping me when I, I¡¯ll admit, never believed Cojisto about you.¡±


    Moose snorted, and shook his head.


    ¡°Uh, right,¡± I responded. ¡°Do you think that, after you¡¯re done with your meal, you could get Cojisto? He¡¯s talking to Jesuf, the gate guard, about the possibility of fighting a three story tall chicken. You probably know how he is better than I do¡­¡±


    Moose stamped his foot once and nodded. He resumed eating his lettuce.


    ¡°Excellent, good talk, I think¡­¡±


    The conversation left me confused and feeling really silly. I was having a really hard time wrapping my head around it. I asked a moose for healing, and he healed me. The facts were all there but they conflicted with my past experiences.


    I entered the mess hall as I gathered my thoughts. Inside, it was mostly bare, which made sense if they had only been here for a few months. The only thing hanging up was a dart board on the far side, which had just as many holes in the wall as there were on the board. The tables and chairs were almost all different shapes and sizes, made quickly rather than uniformly.


    There were only three people in the mess hall. A Dwarven man popped his head over the bar as I closed the door behind me. Our eyes met briefly before he nodded towards the other two sitting in the room, then he ducked back down behind the bar. I could hear the sound of glass being shifted. He was probably keeping busy since there were people present.


    Sitting at a table was Ferrisdae and another man. I approached, knocking on a table as I passed it. They both looked my way, and the man frowned while Ferrisdae¡¯s face lit up. She also wore the same outfit that Cojisto and I were forced into.


    ¡°Badger! You made it!¡± she exclaimed, almost jumping out of her chair. Coughing politely into her hand, she pushed her hair out of her face as she slowly stood up instead. It seemed that she had not been given a hair tie. ¡°I found Moose, but we arrived here before we could find you or Cojisto.¡±


    I pulled out a chair for myself and took a seat. ¡°Cojisto¡¯s at the gate talking to Jesuf about the appearance of a thirty foot tall chicken,¡± I explained. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Even though my words were directed to Ferrisdae, the man she was with kept my attention. The first thing I noticed was that his aura was orange, just like the moose¡¯s was before it charged. That immediately put me on guard.


    Other than his aura, he was a rather plain middle-aged Human wearing dark rimmed spectacles and a crumpled gray suit. There was some heft to him, especially around the middle, and despite his age his face still carried its baby fat. The handkerchief in his pocket was stained with sweat, and I had the distinct impression that he wouldn¡¯t be this far from civilization if he could help it.


    ¡°This is Mr. Carr,¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°He¡¯s the man in charge of running the mining operation. Mr. Carr, this is Dungeon Inspector Badger, my boss.¡±


    ¡°An honor to meet you, my dear man,¡± Carr said. ¡°The name¡¯s Keith Carr. Ferrisdae has told me a little about you.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully not too much,¡± I said.


    ¡°All good things, I assure you,¡± he responded with a smile.


    ¡°What was that about a really tall chicken?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Yes, that would be a great topic of conversation, Mr. Carr,¡± I said. The man¡¯s aura remained orange, and every so often his gaze would linger on Ferrisdae. It was unbecoming of a man in a position of authority, but not uncommon. I was pretty sure I knew why he was feeling unfriendly towards me.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to say,¡± Carr said. ¡°Every seven days, a big, thirty foot tall chicken attacks our wall in the evening. Always at the same spot, and it appears and disappears out of thin air. It¡¯s the damnedest thing, but none of my men are equipped to handle such a beast. We honestly don¡¯t have any clue what to do about it, but the wall has held beautifully so far.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t find it at all alarming?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, of course it¡¯s alarming,¡± Carr scoffed. ¡°But what am I supposed to do about it? I¡¯m too busy dealing with the mine and the dangers that lie within. The chicken, at least, has proven harmless to everything but the walls. One fire at a time, I say.¡±


    ¡°Before you came, we were talking about the mine,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°They¡¯re out here in the middle of nowhere because of a recently discovered silver mine that Mr. Carr acquired the rights to.¡±


    ¡°Quite right,¡± Carr confirmed. ¡°Once Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae introduced herself as such, I told her about the dungeon the mine had been turned into right away. It was low level, barely an inconvenience, really, and we managed to muddle our way through with what few weapons we had.¡±


    I sincerely doubted that the ¡°we¡± he used actually included him, but I noticed with distaste as he puffed out his chest as if it did. I tried not to let it show.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had different shifts going throughout the day and night,¡± he continued. ¡°So as to not allow the monsters to resurrect, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am aware how dungeons work,¡± I said, my tone causing the man to frown. ¡°Who was the dungeon owner?¡±


    ¡°He was one of those bird people. Oh, what were they called¡­?¡± Carr asked himself, trailing off.


    ¡°Avians,¡± Ferrisdae reminded him.


    ¡°Yes, Avians!¡± Carr said with a snap of his fingers. ¡°And that was a fight and a half, let me tell you.¡±


    I looked at Ferrisdae. ¡°That sounds like it might be where we¡¯ll need to head next,¡± I said.


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, but there is one more piece of information you should hear. Mr. Carr?¡±


    ¡°You would not believe what this Avian fellow was guarding,¡± Carr said, sounding excited. ¡°Why, I had never seen anything like it. I have my men bringing it here today now that we¡¯ve finally worked it out of the tunnel.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡± I asked, wanting him to get to the point.


    ¡°A towering crystalline pillar,¡± Carr said, practically bursting. ¡°We¡¯re going to have it stand in the center of town. An obelisk standing tall in the face of adversity, all for the glory of the Carr Mining Corporation.¡± the man sighed happily. ¡°Oh, truly this will be a wonderful day.¡±

 Chapter 26 - Meeting

    My eyes fell on Ferrisdae, but she only quietly nodded. I cleared my throat and turned back to Keith Carr. ¡°If you¡¯d like, Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae and I can take a look at the dungeon and clear it out for you at our earliest convenience,¡± I offered. ¡°That way your men don¡¯t have to worry about any monsters resurrecting randomly and causing you to have to shut down.¡±


    ¡°A generous offer,¡± Carr replied with the nod of his head. ¡°One that Ms. Ferrisdae had already spoken to me about, and I would be very thankful if you could do that. I can offer you two, this Cojisto fellow, and your moose companion a place to stay while you work. Two meals a day on top of it, and a reward for clearing out the dungeon as well.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll accept,¡± I said, offering my hand. Carr eyed it hesitantly, but shook it nonetheless. Ferrisdae offered her hand and he took hers without reserve, bringing it upwards and kissing it. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. ¡°You will need to empty the mine of all the workers so that the ritual to remove the dungeon will work properly.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ that necessary?¡± Carr asked. His eyes slid off of me and met Ferrisdae¡¯s, then returned.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I told him. ¡°Not only is time needed for the denizens to return, but it''s a very complex magical ritual that can be disrupted by the presence of your men and their activities. This is the proper protocol for a reason.¡±


    His face soured, and I could tell he was only worried about the money he was losing out on by shutting down the mine for the night. I did not care for Keith Carr, and I knew the feeling was mutual; his orange glow remained.


    ¡°I see. Very well, it shall be done. For now, I will leave you two to your discussions,¡± Carr said as he stood up. ¡°I will have the foreman escort you in the morning. Or, if you¡¯d like to strike off on your own, then you only need to take the western path outside of the gate and it¡¯ll lead you straight to the mine. It¡¯s a roughly twenty minute walk to get there. Had to find the perfect spot for the settlement, of course, you know how it goes.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Please enjoy the rest of your day if we don¡¯t see you again, Mr. Carr,¡± I said diplomatically.


    ¡°If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to send your junior to my office,¡± Carr continued. ¡°Anything you need at all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Carr,¡± I said, trying my hardest not to scowl.


    ¡°We appreciate your help, Mr. Carr,¡± Ferrisdae said, then she stood up once he started walking away. ¡°We should go find Cojisto.¡±


    ¡°He was at the gate when I left him,¡± I said, watching as Carr left the mess hall. A quick glance towards the bar showed me that the bartender was busy. I stood up, and lowered my voice. ¡°I do not like that man.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he has a really slimy feel to him, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Ferrisdae asked, cringing slightly. I followed her to the door and out into the open air. ¡°When it was just the two of us, he seemed way more interested in me than with whatever happens at the mine. He didn¡¯t even mention a giant chicken. Also, a giant chicken?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to push it with Carr because he seemed like the kind of person who would hide away every time it showed up. But, yes, a giant chicken. When Cojisto and I found this settlement, we ran into it from the back. There was a lot of damage to the palisade in multiple forms and, actually,¡± I paused, pointing towards the wall opposite the gate. ¡°You can see where it¡¯s been attacking from.¡±


    Ferrisdae squinted at the wall, and then nodded. ¡°I wonder why he doesn¡¯t find it as alarming as the dangers in the mine,¡± she mused. ¡°At least the mine¡¯s stuck outside of its resurrection cycle, this seems way more dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Money, probably,¡± I said. ¡°You know the type.¡±


    Ferrisdae pursed her lips at that, but said nothing. Then she did something I never saw her do: she started chewing on her thumbnail. Her attention wasn¡¯t on me, but instead staring off towards the gate. The long walk to get here and being able to take my mind off of things in a conversation with Carr had abated my anger, if only a little, but seeing her looking so unsure of herself raised it from a simmer to a boil.


    I took a few breaths with the intention of evening out my tone. ¡°Ferrisdae, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she asked, jerking to look down at me. Her thumb left her mouth and she quickly wiped it on her pants.


    ¡°I asked if you were okay,¡± I repeated. I tried to school my face away from the scowl I felt was appropriate for the situation and instead attempted to convey concern.


    Ferrisdae looked down at me for a few moments, and I saw something shift in her expression. One moment there was vulnerability, but then there was resolve. ¡°Yeah, of course! Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± she asked, obviously forcing a chipper tone. ¡°Fit as a fiddle Ferrisdae, that¡¯s what they used to call me, and that counts now, too.¡±


    That¡­ was a very unnatural sentence. But I didn¡¯t know how young Elven girls dealt with this kind of stuff, I didn¡¯t even know how I was supposed to deal with this kind of stuff, so I decided to trust her as an adult.


    ¡°Just wanted to make sure, since I¡¯m here for you and all,¡± I told her. ¡°Today has been something else.¡±


    ¡°Just another day on the job, right? Ya big softy,¡± Ferrisdae chuckled. I could hear the nervousness in it, but I didn¡¯t pry. If she wanted to talk about it, then she would.


    We made our way through the settlement towards the gate. It was a short walk, and we saw Moose standing in the gate with an animated Cojisto speaking with an equally animated Jesuf. When Moose noticed us, he nudged Cojisto in the shoulder and leaned his head towards us.


    ¡°Ferry!¡± Cojisto shouted. He said something to Jesuf that I couldn¡¯t hear, then bounded towards us. His companion sauntered after. ¡°Moose said that you were alright, but it is good to see you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, too, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae said with a smile. ¡°We have a lot to discuss, do we want to head back to the mess hall, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside of the walls and get to that mine. I¡¯d rather not spend any more time in this dungeon than possible, and we still have three more to go after this.¡±


    ¡°Weren''t we going to go in the morning?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°I won''t know for sure if we can complete the ritual tonight until we see it, but I''d rather get this over with than wait,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Badger, you want to head straight to the mine,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°But it seems to me like we are without armor and weapons and other gear for fighting whatever might revive when the workers clear out. What do you propose we do if we run into whoever the dungeon owner is?¡±


    I paused, considering Cojisto¡¯s words. That was an annoyingly valid point. I had to consider things more than I was. This whole thing, I realized, was making me flustered.


    ¡°Okay, first the blacksmith, then the mines,¡± I said.


    ¡°We have no money,¡± Cojisto reminded me.


    I scowled. ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s just find a place to discuss whatever new abilities that Dungeon Master-¡± I looked straight at Ferrisdae. ¡°-Master of Dungeons gave us, then we¡¯ll figure out if it¡¯s even necessary. Good? Good, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Without waiting for the others to agree, I started heading towards the gate, crossing my arms and letting my feet fall heavily to the ground.


    ******


    We set up in a small clearing with a few fallen trees in it. Ferrisdae and I took seats on a log while Cojisto began pacing and Moose started to eat some of the leaves off of a nearby tree.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re out of the camp¡¯s walls,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°I say the first order of business in these talks is to discuss how best to fight the giant chicken. It¡¯ll show up in three days, according to Jesuf.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the first order of business,¡± I said with a scowl. ¡°We need to talk about Himia and what they did to us.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Cojisto said, switching gears immediately. ¡°Honestly, I have never felt better before. I feel stronger, and this force stuff I can conjure has already paid off wonderfully.¡±


    ¡°She seemed strange to me,¡± Ferrisdae offered quietly. ¡°She looked like a person, but it seemed like something was off about the way she spoke.¡±


    ¡°When I asked her about it, she said that it would be helpful to think of her as an Information Elemental,¡± I said. ¡°Living knowledge.¡±


    ¡°That is strange,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°I regret not asking her more questions when I had the chance.¡±


    ¡°How did your meeting with her go?¡± Ferrisdae asked him.


    Cojisto paused his pacing and looked towards the sky. ¡°It wasn¡¯t very tense, Himia explained to me that our gear would be returned to us after the dungeon has been completed. Then she told me about my class upgrade, which I didn¡¯t think much of at the time. After that, I left.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can trust Himia¡¯s words, but I¡¯m going to be even more pissed if they don¡¯t return our equipment,¡± I said. I had a lot of things stored in that Dimensional Pocket, and not all of it was work related. There were personal items stored there, too.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll have to make do with what we can find in the settlement and the dungeon,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°Did she say anything specifically about our gear to you, Cojisto? Like why did they take it?¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°Himia said that we should already be able to breeze our way through the dungeon, so in order to get the most out of the experience we had to be slowed down.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°We¡¯re not here for the experience, we¡¯re here to subjugate Raitheus Razorbeak. We¡¯re not adventurers,¡± I said bitterly, then waved Cojisto off. ¡°Not all of us are adventurers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a dungeon that¡¯s been done up by The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°You can expect some showmanship from someone who carries such a title, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Showmanship? No, it''s pure arrogance,¡± I grunted before turning back to Cojisto. ¡°What about this Arcane Wrestler class that you told me about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s awesome, is what it is,¡± Cojisto claimed loudly. ¡°I got a lot better at all grappling martial arts.¡±


    ¡°All?¡± Ferrisdae asked, raising an eyebrow. I was confused by that as well.


    ¡°Himia¡¯s words, not mine,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°She said that I would be a little bit stronger during those moments, and anything I have grappled will find it harder to escape. My skills will get better the more things we defeat.¡±


    It all became clear to me, and I fixed Cojisto with a pointed stare. ¡°You just want to try to grapple a giant chicken, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    Cojisto grinned at me. ¡°What is life without challenges?¡±


    Ferrisdae and I both shook our heads. ¡°Never change, Cojisto,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Not the right attitude to have, Ferrisdae. Fighting a giant chicken should be at the low end of our priorities right now.¡± Cojisto opened his mouth to object, but I didn¡¯t let him. ¡°What about that arcane force effect?¡±


    "Right, that is something new as well," Cojisto said, nodding. "I can activate some kind of force effect around my body. It takes a lot out of me, though. I don¡¯t think I can sustain it for any lengthy period of time."


    "I''ve never heard of anything like that," Ferrisdae said. "Is it considered a martial art or a spell?"


    "I don¡¯t know," he said with a shrug. "I didn¡¯t ask."


    Sighing, I put my head in my hand. Cojisto needed to work on his information gathering skills. "I would say spell, I''ve never seen something like that as a martial art," I said. Ferrisdae nodded, and Cojisto continued to grin. No doubt thinking about how he was magic now. Or he was thinking about grappling a chicken. Either way, this was tiring. "Did you and Himia speak about anything else?"


    ¡°No, that was all we had talked about,¡± Cojisto said. It looked like he was about to start sulking, but then a smile appeared on his face and he started pacing again. I didn¡¯t like that, but we had more pressing matters to attend to.


    ¡°How about you, Ferrisdae?¡± I asked. ¡°How did your conversation go?¡±


    ¡°Himia was really excited to meet me,¡± Ferrisdae said with a nod. She immediately pushed her hair out of her face afterwards. That was starting to bother me again. ¡°I would go so far as to say unreasonably so. Apparently The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons is quite taken with Oristrella and wanted to match her blessing but with the whole team.¡±


    ¡°The whole tier one, tier two nonsense that she mentioned,¡± I said. "Did you talk about that?"


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°Tier zero would be most normal folks, tier one would be most adventurers and those who can cast magic, and then the highest most people get is tier two,¡± she said. ¡°For context, Himia put Oristrella in tier two, and also said that our very own Badger was near the top of the second tier. The Thousand Year Blizzard would be considered a tier seven spell¡±


    Both Ferrisdae and Cojisto looked at me, and I just shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the game for a long time,¡± I told them, not elaborating further. ¡°So we have an explanation of what Himia means by tiers, but what does that mean for us?¡±


    ¡°Well, apparently, there¡¯s a limit to how strong people can get that depends on a number of different factors,¡± Ferrisdae explained quickly. She was almost tripping over her words. ¡°So by artificially bumping us up, it somehow also moved the limits further down the line? I have to admit that I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m talking about, and I may be messing up something in my explanation.¡±


    ¡°Basically what it boils down to,¡± I started slowly. ¡°Is that you two, sorry, you three have been boosted up to the ranks of high level adventurers with the ability to surpass the limits that everyone has? Nothing so drastic has happened to me, but the goalposts on my limit have been moved as well?¡±


    ¡°I think so?¡± Ferrisdae said with uncertainty. ¡°I think I missed something, or Himia answered the question in her head and only gave me a little bit of explanation. She said she did that sometimes.¡±


    ¡°She said the same thing to me,¡± I said. ¡°She also said that your magical affinity had been changed thanks to Oristrella¡¯s blessing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°It had been changed to ice, but before then it was void.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to cut in,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°But what is this magical affinity thing that was mentioned? She said mine was force, but I didn¡¯t quite understand it and I was eager to get out of that small room.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has a magical affinity that that their soul resonates with, which is determined at birth,¡± Ferrisdae explained. ¡°It¡¯s generally only useful for magicians, though, and people who learn how to use magical items. Since your magical affinity is force, if you were a spellcaster then you¡¯d have an easier time learning the Magic Missile or Force Armor spell, and once you have it¡¯ll take less energy and time to cast it.¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°Magic Missile, right,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you for the explanation.¡±


    I had a feeling he didn''t understand it, but that was fine. He probably thought that as long as he could actually use his new powers then understanding it didn¡¯t matter. It sounded like he wouldn¡¯t become a proper spellcaster, anyway.


    ¡°What about you? You upgraded from Star Sorceress to what exactly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Celestial Enchantress,¡± Ferrisdae said bitterly. She looked down at her hands when she said it, twiddling her fingers. ¡°Despite the fact that I don''t even know any enchantment spells, that¡¯s what Himia called me.¡±


    ¡°Enchantress can also mean a woman who can cast magic,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Yeah, and it also has other connotations,¡± Ferrisdae responded, starting to chew on her thumbnail again. ¡°Go around and tell people that I¡¯m an enchantress and everyone will suddenly be on guard thinking I¡¯m messing with their minds. Whatever, it doesn''t matter. I¡¯ll figure out what to call myself later.¡±


    I noticed that Cojisto was staring at her as if he were confused. It surprised me that he noticed Ferrisdae¡¯s mood, but I just hoped he wouldn¡¯t push her. The situation needed more delicate handling than I believe Cojisto was capable of.


    ¡°What came with it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can feel that my magical energies have increased and become denser,¡± Ferrisdae stated, then looked to Cojisto. ¡°Spellcasters like me have wells of magical power inside ourselves. The bigger it is, the more magic you can cast before you collapse due to magic drain. The denser it is, the more you can fit, and the more powerful your spells become.¡±


    Cojisto nodded along with her words. ¡°Thank you for the explanation,¡± he said again.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae replied before looking back at me. ¡°So more magic, more strength in my spells, and I actually know how to cast two more spells now. A spell that protects me from bodily harm, mostly by concealing me, and another that allows me to shift gravity for an item or person. I haven¡¯t cast them yet, but I know what they are.¡±


    My apprentice looked back down at the dirt. In all the thoughts I had about our situation, I hadn¡¯t at all thought about how Ferrisdae¡¯s magic would have been affected. Oristrella offering her blessing was a bit intrusive, but it was generally accepted that the blessing of a Dragon was worth it. Socially acceptable, I¡¯d say, since she could decide whether or not to use it. Unlike what Himia had claimed, it was more like adding ice magic to Ferrisdae¡¯s magical affinity.


    But increasing her magic power like this? I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how different that felt. While not a magic user myself, I had extensive conversations about similar events with others who were. The wellspring from which casters like Ferrisdae drew from was a deeply personal connection they had to themselves. It would be like if I switched bodies with Moose; I wouldn¡¯t even begin to figure out what I was supposed to be doing with the new body.


    It was no wonder she was having such trouble and acting out of character. The only time she felt like herself was when she was working on a problem, being distracted from what¡¯s actually going on. This wasn¡¯t something that should be thrust on anyone, least of all on someone like Ferrisdae. It made me sick to my stomach, and I continued to push down my anger. Getting mad now would only hurt her, and that was the last thing I wanted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to cast them if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t care what they think they¡¯re doing, it isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Ferrisdae agreed. She stood up and started pacing with Cojisto, but I could see the conflict raging behind her eyes. I didn¡¯t know what to say so I was glad when she changed the subject, even if I didn¡¯t like said subject. ¡°And what about you? You were some kind of fighter before, right? What class change did you get?¡±


    I might not have wanted to talk about the subject, but I wanted to help distract her. ¡°I¡¯m Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I said, frowning and bitter. ¡°And I¡¯m a Dungeon Inspector.¡±

 Chapter 27 - Dungeon Inspector

    I stared at Ferrisdae, and she stared back at me. Neither of us looked amused, but only because it wasn¡¯t a joke. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell us, then you don¡¯t have to,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie. Himia seemed to enjoy breaking into my aura, soul, and mind in order to find out my past and decided to make a class upgrade specifically for me,¡± I snarled. Just the thought of the blatant disregard for my privacy was causing my anger to boil over. ¡°So now my class is Dungeon Inspector. According to her, it focuses on exploration and meta knowledge, whatever the hell that means. It¡¯s not intuitive at all, and the only thing to have come out of it is that I can see auras.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you can see auras?¡± Ferrisdae said, suddenly perking up. ¡°Not like magical auras that I can detect, but personal auras? What does mine look like?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s blue,¡± I told her flatly. ¡°Yours is blue, Cojisto¡¯s is blue, and Moose¡¯s is blue. I met a moose out in the wild, and it was yellow. Then, when I approached, it changed from orange to red, and it charged at me. Jesuf, the town guard, had a green aura. Keith Carr¡¯s was also orange from the outset, but it didn¡¯t change to red or yellow.¡±


    Ferrisdae hummed and looked towards the ground, kicking at the bed of needles. ¡°It sounds like it will be handy when we¡¯re trying to figure out who¡¯s friend or foe,¡± she said after a moment. Looking up, she caught my raised eyebrow, then sighed. ¡°Badger, I know you¡¯re my boss and I shouldn¡¯t say things like this, but you really need to stop and try to understand people better. Or at least try to pretend to. I know you would have gotten this by now if you weren¡¯t so focused on getting the hell out of this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Instead of a lecture, would you like to tell me what you meant by friend or foe?¡± I asked, trying to keep it nice.


    Loathe as I was to admit it, she did have a point. I was far too focused on getting out of this situation than I was about the situation itself, like trying to skip from one to four without two or three in the way.


    ¡°Certainly, sir,¡± Ferrisdae said, sitting straighter on the log. ¡°Just based on what you¡¯ve told me, we can assume that blue is for people who are actively helpful and can be considered allies. That¡¯s the three of us, since we don¡¯t know anyone else.


    ¡°The moose you encountered was probably ambivalent to you at first, hence the yellow color. Then you approached it, it changed to orange, unfriendly, and then red, hostile,¡± she continued. ¡°That¡¯s when it attacked you. Jesuf is just a sweetheart, so of course he would be friendly to you. He¡¯s young and wants to do a good job and you¡¯re not a thirty foot tall chicken that apparently wants into the town so badly.¡±


    ¡°Dumb chicken,¡± Cojisto muttered. ¡°Gonna find a way to fight you for sure.¡±


    We both ignored Cojisto¡¯s mumbling. ¡°Then what about Carr?¡± I asked her. ¡°Orange was one step away from being hostile, so am I supposed to think that he could change at a drop of a hat?¡±


    ¡°Probably not, people are way more nuanced than that,¡± Ferrisdae answered. ¡°But look at the context that you met him in. We both noticed right away that he has a lecherous side, and you came in to interrupt him while talking to me? A young Elf girl who is apparently exotic because most of the Elves here are pale and have snowy hair? Yeah, of course he didn¡¯t like you butting into the conversation.¡±


    That made a lot of sense, and I looked to the sky while I considered it. It would take some testing, but it may be possible for those auras to change based on the circumstances I found myself in. If I met Carr without Ferrisdae being the first to meet him, then he probably would have had a yellow aura unless I caught him in a particularly bad mood. Same for Jesuf; he would probably be far more wary of us if it had been the night of the giant chicken¡¯s appearance.


    Finally, I nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, but we¡¯ll need to do more testing to make sure,¡± I told her.


    ¡°You just couldn¡¯t see the forest for the trees,¡± Ferrisdae said dismissively. ¡°It happens, and we¡¯re in a dungeon with a lot of strange things happening. I know I wouldn¡¯t have been nearly so calm if it weren¡¯t for the time I spent trying to rationalize everything.¡±


    Moose croaked around some of the leaves he was chewing, and Cojisto chuckled. ¡°Moose says that you screamed bloody murder in the middle of the forest, and that¡¯s how he found you,¡± he said.


    We both turned to stare at Cojisto. ¡°Can you actually understand Moose?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    Cojisto stopped pacing to give Ferrisdae a questioning glance, then resumed. ¡°Of course I can, we¡¯re best friends,¡± Cojisto claimed. "I can understand him because we are best friends."


    "Cojisto, that''s not actually an answer," I told him.


    "It is for me," Cojisto huffed. ¡°And, for what is bound to not be the last time, Moose is a magic moose.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true, actually,¡± I said. Ferrisdae gave me a confused look, and I shrugged. ¡°Himia said that his magical affinity was holy energy, and he healed the wound I got from the other moose that attacked me. It was definitely divine magic.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ferrisdae asked after a few seconds of processing.


    Moose bellowed and croaked, this time going on for quite some time. Cojisto¡¯s brow furrowed, and he shook his head. ¡°You will have to repeat some of that back to me as I¡¯m telling them, that was far too much information for me to keep straight,¡± Cojisto claimed.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Moose says that his class was changed to Holy Beast, but doesn¡¯t like the beast part of the name on account of being a gentleman,¡± Cojisto claimed. ¡°Instead, he¡¯ll be calling it Holy Moose, because he is Moose and he has magic holy powers.¡±


    ¡°I was told that he originally had a calming aura that sped up natural recovery,¡± I told them. ¡°Is it safe to assume that he received an upgrade?¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°How does a moose get an aura power?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    Moose croaked a few times, and Cojisto nodded.


    ¡°He says that it did receive an upgrade. And, like Ferry, he got two spells as well. One is the healing spell, which Badger is acquainted with, and the other is a cleansing power for restoring one¡¯s health.¡± He turned to Ferrisdae. ¡°He also does not remember where or how he got his wonderful ability, it¡¯s just something he¡¯s always known how to do.¡±


    ¡°Moose¡¯s magic is divine, but does he worship a deity to receive it?¡± I asked.


    Another series of answers that Cojisto translated. ¡°No one in particular,¡± Cojisto shrugged. ¡°When he asked Himia, she said that the magic power came from within.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold up a moment,¡± Ferrisdae interjected. ¡°Divine power from within? Moose isn¡¯t some secret deity, is he? Or is he supposed to be a moose version of an oracle?¡±


    That was a valid question. Oracles were basically sorcerers but with divine magic. An oracle¡¯s curse was granted by the gods as either a blessing in disguise or as a literal curse, but the connection ended there. Some oracles worshiped the gods that gave them their power, but not all took that path. Not all could.


    ¡°Neither, Moose is just Moose,¡± Cojisto claimed. Then, hesitantly, he turned to Moose. ¡°You¡¯re not some secret deity, are you?¡±


    Moose stomped his hoof into the ground twice and snorted.


    ¡°Okay, okay! I wasn¡¯t making any accusations, I was just wondering,¡± Cojisto said as he held his hands up.


    ¡°So Moose is a magical, holy moose,¡± I said, not quite liking the taste of those words in my mouth. I needed to get over that, though. I should already be over it. The moose had healed me for goodness sake.


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Cojisto confirmed.


    Moose said some other things, leaving Ferrisdae and I sitting and waiting for his translator to do his job.


    ¡°Okay, so Moose also had a whole conversation with Himia,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°Moose and I have been through a lot of dungeons in our time, and he wanted to see what kind of trouble we¡¯re in. According to Moose who says according to Himia, this is a story dungeon.¡±


    ¡°A story dungeon?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of those in the DoD texts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not something that we categorize dungeons by,¡± I said. Then to Cojisto and Moose, I elaborated. ¡°Dungeons are lumped into two categories, Natural and Artificial. Those are pretty self explanatory, I think. Of the Artificial, they have subcategories like trap dungeons, monster dungeons, the rare prison dungeon, etcetera. Natural ones that form around a monster or, say, a specific rat.¡±


    ¡°Krad was a sweetheart, too,¡± Ferrisdae cooed.


    ¡°Yes, sure,¡± I said to her. ¡°Those are usually categorized by what type of creature they are. Dragon, chimera, fish god, and the like.¡±


    ¡°Are fish gods common enough to warrant their own category?¡± Cojisto asked.


    Ferrisdae jumped in to answer this one. The conversation about something she was well versed in seemed to be doing her some good. ¡°Surprisingly, yes,¡± she said. ¡°You would be shocked by how many large fish or fish monsters get prayers for a bountiful harvest. The belief of a group of people is a powerful thing.¡±


    ¡°Right, and that¡¯s why we haven¡¯t heard of a story dungeon,¡± I said. ¡°There are dungeons that have a story revolving around them, of course, but that¡¯s usually for a villain to return to and wait for heroes to come after them. Count Falsavar, the infamous Vampire, is a textbook example of this.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely textbook,¡± Ferrisdae added. ¡°I grew up on stories about his Rathelin dungeon. My parents used to use the story as a way to get me to behave, otherwise the evil Count Falsavar would come and steal me away.¡±


    ¡°Rathelin is really close to the Forest Elf territories, isn¡¯t it,¡± I said, more statement than question.


    Moose spoke again. ¡°Moose says that he has a definition,¡± Cojisto translated. ¡°A story dungeon is one that revolves around the events going on inside of them. The events go on whether we help them or not, and once something specific happens, that¡¯s the end of the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°So all we have to do is wait and the dungeon will take care of itself?¡± I asked with a scowl. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any damn sense.¡±


    ¡°Moose says that if we don¡¯t take care of the specific thing, then we¡¯ll get what Himia calls a Bad End, and it will make things far more difficult to escape,¡± Cojisto explained. ¡°And sometimes, the specific thing has to be something that we trigger, otherwise we¡¯re stuck in here until it happens.¡±


    That made me pause. I didn¡¯t like the sound of being trapped in a dungeon forever or this Bad End. ¡°Did Himia give any clues as to how to figure out what the ending of the dungeon is supposed to be?¡± I asked.


    Moose answered again. ¡°She said that it would be obvious,¡± Cojisto said with a shrug.


    ¡°If it¡¯s right in front of us,¡± Ferrisdae said, pushing the hair out of her face as she looked up. ¡°Then the answer is probably either the Avian in the mine dungeon or the giant chicken.¡±


    Of course the giant chicken could be part of the solution. ¡°Those are the two biggest problems we¡¯ve come across,¡± I conceded. I looked at Cojisto, opened my mouth, but then turned to Moose. ¡°Do you have any offensive capabilities? Or are you a focused healer?¡±


    Moose snorted. ¡°Moose says that, even though he has no offensive spells, he is still a moose,¡± Cojisto chuckled, patting his friend on the neck. ¡°Ah, so true.¡±


    ¡°Right, I should have guessed that,¡± I sighed. ¡°The mines are still our best bet as far as time goes, plus that''s where the obelisk came from. Cojisto, Jesuf told you that the chicken would appear in three days, right?¡±


    ¡°That is right,¡± Cojisto said with a nod.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s the second option since it requires waiting several days,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll just need to find some weapons and equipment, though I think the pickings will be slim. The blacksmith was making pickaxes, and we may need to default to that.¡±


    ¡°I am fine with my fists,¡± Cojisto said. He punched his fists together, and they crackled with purple energy.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Ferrisdae said, watching the arcane sparks.


    ¡°Thank you, I also think so,¡± Cojisto said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll need to learn how to use it effectively in combat, but something tells me that we¡¯ll be ready by the time we have to fight the giant chicken.¡±


    ¡°If we have to fight the giant chicken,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Yes, right, if,¡± Cojisto said unapologetically. ¡°What did I say?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°We need a plan.¡±


    ¡°We could ask Carr,¡± Ferrisdae said. When I raised an eyebrow at her, she shrugged. ¡°He seemed very willing to let us go into the dungeon to destroy it for him, if we take him up on it then he¡¯ll probably lend us gear.¡±


    ¡°If we have to ask for gear, then he¡¯ll wonder why we don¡¯t have any in the first place,¡± I countered. ¡°Then he¡¯ll want to see our badges, which we don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be a problem with him, honestly,¡± Ferrisdae claimed. ¡°After all, I¡¯ll be the one asking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, think you¡¯re clever then, huh?¡± I asked. She gave me a smug smile in return. ¡°Spoken like someone who just got a class upgrade to a Celestial Enchantress. It¡¯s nice to see you leaning into it.¡±


    The smug smile swiftly left her face, and I regretted it immediately. I gave her a smile that I hoped came off as reassuring.


    ¡°But, sure,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s try it, what¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡±

 Chapter 28 - Blacksmith

    Ferrisdae and I headed back into town alone. Cojisto and Moose had wanted to wander, so we gave them a scouting mission following the north road which was supposed to lead back to the Witchlands¡¯ capital city of Antrinarc. Since the city was in the blizzard, we weren¡¯t sure of its exact location. But, given the speed a moose could reach, they would likely be back before sundown according to Cojisto.


    ¡°I do want to speak to the blacksmith first,¡± I told Ferrisdae. ¡°To chat and see if there¡¯s any possibility of getting some kind of weapon and shield.¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°I¡¯m okay with it,¡± she said. ¡°We have a few days until the chicken attack so we could go about this adventure at a leisurely pace for your old bones.¡±


    I shot her a glare, but she just smiled again. ¡°Kids these days,¡± I said despite knowing she was almost three times my age.


    That never did make sense to me, though I made peace with my ignorance on the subject long ago. Elves had all this time before they were considered adults, but they just didn¡¯t mature as fast as the other races. Was it because they had centuries of life ahead of them? That didn¡¯t make sense, because Dwarves were the same although on a shorter timeline. Gnomes, too, but maturity was always hit or miss regardless of their age.


    ¡°Copper for your thoughts?¡± She asked, leaning down slightly to look at me.


    ¡°Do you even have a copper piece?¡± I asked, snorting.


    ¡°Yes, but I left them in my other robes,¡± she answered, then snickered like it was some great joke. It felt forced.


    I sighed, but didn¡¯t push it. The blacksmith was the first real building in town, and I stepped inside of it to be greeted with a blast of heat from the forge. It was enough to immediately make me sweat. I missed my jacket and its temperature regulation magic. Until recently I was always with it, so I had no idea how much I would notice it once it was gone.


    The blacksmith looked at us from where he was hammering on a red hot piece of metal and grunted. He was a burly, green skinned Orc. His head was bald, but his black eyebrows were very bushy. Dark brown eyes stared down at us, and his tusks kept his mouth slightly open. Dumping the metal into a barrel of water that immediately began to boil and sizzle, he set down his hammer and stood up to greet us.


    ¡°Welcome. I am Gar,¡± he said. ¡°This is my smithy.¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Gar,¡± I said. His aura was yellow. ¡°I am Dungeon Inspector Badger, and this is¡­¡± I turned to gesture to Ferrisdae to see her still standing outside of the smithy.


    ¡°And this is?¡± Gar asked.


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Are you going to come in?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unbearably hot in there. I¡¯m wearing a white shirt, and going to go speak to Mr. Carr after this. So, no,¡± Ferrisdae firmly started as she shook her head. ¡°No, I will not come into the smithy.¡±


    ¡°That is fair,¡± Gar said, nodding. ¡°Keith pays me well, but I would never trust him with my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was the distinct impression I got from him,¡± I agreed bitterly. I turned back to Gar. ¡°That¡¯s Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae, by the way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you both,¡± Gar said. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    I slipped into speaking Orcish since Ferrisdae wasn¡¯t joining us. It was rusty - I hadn¡¯t needed it in many years - but I felt it prudent today. ¡°Mr. Gar, I-¡±


    ¡°Just Gar,¡± he responded in Orcish. However, his yellow aura shifted ever so slightly towards green.


    ¡°Gar, yes,¡± I said, suddenly very pleased with myself. ¡°Through a series of trials and mishaps, my junior and I, as well as an adventurer and a moose, have arrived here with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Since we have experience with dungeons, we have offered our expertise to Mr. Carr, but we wanted to know the lay of the land before barging into the mines.¡±


    ¡°Why come to me?¡± Gar asked. ¡°You could ask Oakley at the mess hall all the same questions, and do it over an ale in a room that¡¯s not sweltering.¡±


    ¡°I could,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I also wanted to see how you priced things like swords and shields. For when we have more than just the clothes on our back, you see. I figured I could do everything at once.¡±


    Gar grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t make swords, I make pickaxes,¡± he said. ¡°I used to make swords, but now I make pickaxes for the miners. That¡¯s what Keith pays me for, so that¡¯s what I do.¡±


    It sounded as though Gar had more to say, so I waited. Then, the Orc scowled, running his hand over his bald head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± he spat. ¡°There¡¯s a damned giant disappearing chicken that attacks our walls, and he¡¯s insistent on me repairing all these broken pickaxes and reforging them into new ones. That thing¡¯s going to make it into these walls one of these days, I tell you, and I won¡¯t be here when it does.¡±


    ¡°You seem like a very prudent entrepreneur, Gar,¡± I told him. ¡°The short talk I had with Carr allowed me to pin him as very cavalier on the subject of the¡­ giant chicken. All we were able to learn about it was that it appears and disappears suddenly, and always in the same spot.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡¯s all anyone knows,¡± Gar said with a shake of his head. ¡°No one will get close to the wall when it¡¯s attacking. The only reason we know it¡¯s a damned chicken is because of its ungodly loud clucking.¡±


    ¡°That sounds really obnoxious,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°It really, really is,¡± Gar sighed. He moved back to his workbench, and I followed him. The Orc picked up a pickaxe with a point that was both blunted and bent.


    ¡°What is Carr mining for down there that can do something like this?¡± I asked, standing on my toes so I could see onto his workbench. There was a line of pickaxes just like it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad,¡± Gar said. ¡°Pickaxes breaking isn''t something uncommon, although it¡¯s not usually the sole focus of my work. They were digging for silver when they found some kind of crystalline structure. The miners tried to break it up, but they didn¡¯t even do so much as scratch it from what I hear.¡±


    ¡°A tall crystal obelisk, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That''s what I''ve heard,¡± Gar said with a nod. ¡°Haven''t seen it myself. The mining operation has sort of shut down everything in favor of widening the tunnels to get it out of there. He wants it back here as a monument to all we¡¯re doing, but I just think he¡¯s greedy. Not that I can complain; that¡¯s why I¡¯m out here fixing pickaxes instead of back home with my family.¡±


    I felt a twinge in my heart for that one. ¡°I know the feeling, Gar,¡± I told him honestly. ¡°My job keeps me away from mine for long periods of time, though I always try to visit them as often as I can, even if it means going out of my way to stay at home.¡± Luckily, I had been able to see them before coming on this subjugation run, but short visits were never enough.


    Gar looked down at me, giving me an assessing look, and I saw his aura change from a yellow-green to full green. ¡°We have to make that gold, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°The world doesn¡¯t run without it,¡± I said with a sad chuckle.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± Gar put down the pickax he was currently holding and placed his hands on the workbench. ¡°Does it have to be a sword?¡± he asked after a moment of consideration.


    ¡°It¡¯s my preferred weapon of choice, but I feel confident with most anything that isn¡¯t too exotic,¡± I responded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some of the good metal tucked away,¡± Gar confided. Then, he grinned, showing off a row of pointed teeth. ¡°Most of the iron that Keith ordered in is pretty crap, one of the reasons why I¡¯ve been keeping so busy, but I have enough to possibly make a horseman¡¯s pick sized for a certain Dungeon Inspector that¡¯s darkened my doorstep lately. Keith can¡¯t complain if I keep making picks, right?¡±


    ¡°A horseman¡¯s pick, you say?¡± I asked, considering. It was basically a warhammer with a pick on the end, and that made it a common weapon I wouldn¡¯t have any problems wielding. ¡°That would do nicely. I can make my own shield, all I would need are the tools and some pieces of leather.¡±


    ¡°I can supply you with those, no problem,¡± Gar said. "Even get you some good wood so you don''t gotta go out and chop down a small tree."


    "Much appreciated," I said. I looked from the pickaxes to the Orc. ¡°How much will the horseman¡¯s pick and the leather cost, along with the use of your tools?¡±


    Gar stroked his chin thoughtfully, then seemed to decide on something. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a proposal here, ready?¡± Gar asked, to which I nodded my head. ¡°You get your leather, your weapon, and get to use my tools free of charge, but you have to do something about that damned chicken before you leave our settlement.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°We hadn¡¯t been planning on staying that long,¡± I said slowly. Though it might end up that the mine angle was a bust and the giant chicken was the path out of the dungeon, then the deal would come to fruition. But if it wasn¡¯t, well I just didn¡¯t feel good about taking a deal that I might not uphold.


    Gar waved a hand at my indecisiveness. ¡°If you leave before then, just give it back, and I¡¯ll take whatever shield you make as compensation,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t want to keep you from your family if that¡¯s where you¡¯re heading next.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked him, genuinely confused at why he would be willing to help.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gar asked with a laugh. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t matter. If I bet on you and the chicken dies, then I¡¯ve secured my work here and could probably move my family in since the danger¡¯s gone. If you leave, then I¡¯ll have made a really good pick and got a shield to boot."


    "I could be a really shoddy craftsman," I argued. "Could be really bad."


    "I don''t think so. You strike me as the kind of guy who goes in, focuses too hard, and gets the work done right. But, honestly, and this is just between you and me,¡± Gar leaned down close to me, grinning like he was letting me in on a conspiracy. ¡°It ain¡¯t my materials, and it¡¯ll only take me three to four hours of time to forge one from scratch. Boss man Keith¡¯s already paid the bill, all I¡¯m giving is time and expertise.¡±


    ¡°When you put it like that, it really does sound like it¡¯s nothing but wins for you all around,¡± I said, smirking at the Orc¡¯s mirth. I reached out with my hand. ¡°Then you have a deal.¡±


    Reaching down, Gar engulfed my hand up to my wrist in his and we shook on it. ¡°Then come back tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll have it done and ready for you,¡± Gar said. ¡°Wooden shields don¡¯t take too long, either, so if you want to come early before you and your junior head out, feel free.¡±


    ¡°Badger, sir!¡± Ferrisdae called from outside. We both turned to see her pointing towards the entrance of the settlement. ¡°The obelisk is here!¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, Gar,¡± I told him, already stepping towards the door. ¡°I look forward to working with you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°And I with you, Dungeon Inspector, and I with you,¡± Gar said before giving Ferrisdae a wave and returning to his work.


    I stepped outside of the smithy to stand next to Ferrisdae. The cool spring air instantly cooled my body from the harsh environment that Gar worked in. My shirt clung to me, and I could see my skin through it. It was definitely a good idea for Ferrisdae to wait outside; I probably wasn¡¯t even presentable to anyone let alone Carr at this point.


    None of that mattered as soon as I laid eyes on the obelisk, it looked exactly like it did outside of the dungeon. Men pushed it while others moved logs ahead of it so that they could keep it moving. That was far more efficient than dragging it, and it looked like it would be too heavy for any kind of wagon.


    ¡°It really is the same crystal, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked out loud.


    ¡°Sure looks like it,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s important?¡±


    ¡°It has to be, I think,¡± I responded. ¡°Now we just have to figure out how important it is. That¡¯s the part I¡¯m not looking forward to.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Obelisk

    Ferrisdae and I made sure to stay out of the way of the workers bringing the obelisk to the center of town. The vast majority of them were Humans, though there were some Dwarves, Orcs, and Elves sprinkled in. Mostly men, too. We watched as they hauled it in front of the last building that I hadn¡¯t learned the purpose of. My ignorance did not last long, however.


    Keith Carr appeared from inside and started directing the men leading the obelisk. A cart loaded with shovels and pickaxes pulled by donkeys passed us by, and the leaders ordered the men to grab what they could and start digging in the center of the settlement. Whether by Carr¡¯s design or The Dungeon Master¡¯s design, the absolute center of town was free of buildings and had more than enough room for the obelisk while the hole was constructed.


    A few men also took axes and headed outside of the walls. There would need to be some structure built so that they could get the obelisk standing up before putting it into the hole. They would need plenty of wood for that. I wondered if they would be able to erect it before we, for lack of a better term, completed the dungeon.


    I spotted Carr heading our way, the man waving at us while dabbing sweat from his brow with his handkerchief. I had to wonder what he was sweating for; he wasn''t doing any physical labor and it wasn''t hot at all this far from Gar''s workshop. His men parted to let him through so that he could join us.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, Ferrisdae,¡± he greeted with a nod. I noticed that his aura was yellow now, no longer orange. ¡°What do you think of the crystal? Magnificent, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly something else,¡± I told him, not quite meaning it. He eyed me, and I could see just a little bit more orange in his aura. Interesting.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°You¡¯re putting it in the center of the camp?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Carr said, beaming at the Junior Inspector. ¡°The mining is going well, and things will only be better once it¡¯s not a dungeon anymore. With everything coming up in my favor, I¡¯ve been thinking of turning this camp into a proper town based around the mine.¡±


    We hadn¡¯t visited the mine yet, but towns had appeared for less than what Carr was talking about. I wondered if his confidence had enough to back it up to turn this into a fruitful endeavor, or if it was simply mired in greed.


    ¡°What would Antrinarc say about that?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how far away we are from them, to be honest, but wouldn¡¯t the nobility there have anything to say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about a day¡¯s ride on horseback,¡± Carr said, turning to face his digging workers. ¡°And the nobles that live in the city are out of the picture, now. I bought the rights to the mine fair and square, and they won¡¯t be saying anything about it except to complain that they didn¡¯t get to it first. We¡¯ve already had a small windfall with the silver that we have already mined, but I just feel really good about this crystal. It feels right to put it in the center of town.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the silver mine,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it, and we¡¯ll be ready to go in to destroy the dungeon first thing in the morning tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is excellent news!¡± Carr exclaimed. ¡°I said that I would make it worth your while, and I meant it.¡± His aura shimmered back to yellow with just a tinge of green. Then he took a good look at me.


    Carr must have had most of his attention focused on Ferrisdae and his men, because his nose crinkled when he noticed how sweaty I was. ¡°Dungeon Inspector, what happened to you?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with Gar in his smithy,¡± I answered. ¡°It was hot, so now I¡¯m like this.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Carr said distastefully. ¡°Gar is a good man, but I hate having to visit him in the smithy. It always makes me feel like I need to take several baths before I feel clean again.¡± He dabbed his sweaty forehead with his handkerchief again. If he was like this in the cool spring air, I didn¡¯t want to see what happened to him after a visit with Gar.


    ¡°A bath sounds really nice right about now,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°The men bathe in a river about ten minutes north of the camp,¡± Carr said to me, then he gave Ferrisdae a sideways glance. ¡°Although I don¡¯t believe it would be wise for Ms. Ferry to go out with the men. I have a personal bath with a heating stone for comfort, when you decide that you should need it.¡±


    I noticed Ferrisdae bristling at the man¡¯s words. ¡°Since we are going to have a working relationship, Mr. Carr,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°I would appreciate it if you called me Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae, or just Junior Inspector will work.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Carr soothed with a nod. ¡°We want everything to be professional for as long as we¡¯re working together.¡±


    I noted that his aura lost its green tint and went back to yellow, and then orange as he looked back down at me. This friend or foe aura reading power, as Ferrisdae called it, was a good indicator of mood. Most of the men who were working near us had yellow auras, probably because they didn¡¯t care about me in the slightest. Some were tinted green, and others orange, likely based on their disposition.


    ¡°So, turning the camp into a town,¡± I said, changing the subject. ¡°Have you come up with a name yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on calling it Carrage,¡± he said immediately, beaming as if he were being clever.


    ¡°A fine name,¡± I lied. It was vain, but I didn¡¯t expect anything more from the man. I had the feeling that he was the kind of person who would help his own self interests first, take care of a select few people under him, and leave the rest to their own devices. Every conversation we¡¯ve had with him only reinforced that fact. ¡°I, for one, look forward to seeing how the settlement thrives.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°As am I, Mr. Carr. For tomorrow, what time should we meet up in the morning?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°And what kind of sleeping arrangements should we be looking forward to?¡± I added.


    ¡°The men eat breakfast at sunrise, and usually head off to the silver mine within an hour of that,¡± Carr said. ¡°As for places for you to stay, I assume the moose is fine with the stables?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Moose will be fine there,¡± Ferrisdae said with a nod, emphasizing Moose as a name and not just as the moose.


    ¡°Then we can put up the Dungeon Inspector and your adventuring companion in one of the tents,¡± Carr continued. ¡°For you, Junior Inspector, I do have a spare room in my humble, very humble, abode. I can have it made up for you for tonight, if it pleases you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the offer,¡± Ferrisdae said. I was pretty sure she was lying. ¡°But I would like to stay with my companions. Those who adventure together, as they say.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course,¡± Carr said. Another quick glance at me, and more orange came into his aura. I wanted to ask him what I did to deserve this, but kept my mouth shut. Now that we had all we wanted from him, I no longer wanted a part of this conversation. ¡°Well, I would like to thank you once again for taking care of the dungeon problem for us. I really must speak with the foreman, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    I simply nodded to him. Ferrisdae gave him a nod as well, moving the hair out of her face when she finished the motion. ¡°We thank you again for your time, Mr. Carr,¡± she said. ¡°We look forward to a fruitful partnership.¡±


    Carr returned the nod, and then left to speak with a black haired Dwarf helping dig the hole.


    ¡°I do not like that man,¡± Ferrisdae admitted softly, making sure that none of the workers heard her. ¡°He looks at me like I¡¯m a slab of meat at a butcher¡¯s shop.¡±


    ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t think of you as more than that,¡± I said with a grunt. ¡°You just need to show him that vast cosmic power you possess, that¡¯ll make him think twice.¡±


    Ferrisdae shook her head, but chuckled. ¡°A man like that?¡± she asked, tucking her unruly hair behind her ears. ¡°Somehow I doubt it. An exotic Elf girl shows up and she can clear out a dungeon? I don¡¯t think he¡¯d stop.¡±


    I stared at Ferrisdae¡¯s hair instead of answering. It was like it had a mind of its own. If it was constantly getting in her way, how did she not have a hair tie before I gave one to her? Why did she let it grow out so much if it was such a hassle?


    She noticed me staring at her head and she shifted. ¡°What¡¯s up, Badger?¡± Ferrisdae asked, nervous because of my sudden intense gaze.


    ¡°Have you considered cutting your hair?¡± I asked, putting it out there without a second thought.


    ¡°What? My hair?¡± she asked, surprised. She reached up and ran her fingers through it. ¡°No? I¡¯ve been growing this out for fifty years, why would I cut it?¡±


    ¡°Fifty years?¡± I asked, not quite believing it. It was down to the small of her back, and she says it took fifty years.


    ¡°Elves grow slowly, okay?¡± Ferrisdae explained with a huff, crossing her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t hold me to the same time standards as those of you with a sub century life expectancy, okay?¡±


    I held up my hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know it was such a sore subject for you,¡± I apologized honestly. ¡°I won¡¯t bring up cutting your hair again.¡±


    Ferrisdae slowly put her arms back to her side and nodded. ¡°That would be for the best, sir.¡±


    Still, I frowned. ¡°Would you like me to braid it?¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°You know how to braid hair?¡± she asked as if finding out some lost secret.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a Halfling,¡± I said, as if that explained everything. When she looked expectant, I sighed but continued. ¡°The community that I grew up in was very tight knit. Everyone, whether they had been there for years or just moved in, was family. That meant I had to learn how to braid hair for a lot of little sisters when our older sisters were busy.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve read about those types of Halfling communities,¡± Ferrisdae mused. It seemed she was ready to latch on to anything from my past. I wasn''t sure how I felt about that, but allowed her this much given the circumstances. ¡°I had thought you might have come from one, but I didn¡¯t want to pry. Is that why your name is Badger? I heard that they had a name for when they were outside of the community and then a real name for their community. Their family, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was born into one of those,¡± I said with a nod. Giving her a little more would probably help her mood. ¡°Our real names aren¡¯t shared with anyone unless we have a deep connection with them.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone at the DoD know your real name?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t shared it with anyone at the DoD,¡± I answered, memories suddenly flooding my mind. I felt a sad smile creep onto my face, and I turned away before I could give away too much of what I was thinking. ¡°I¡¯ve been Badger for many, many years now. It¡¯s my name.¡±


    "That''s¡­" Ferrisdae started, but was interrupted.


    "Dungeon Inspectors," a voice greeted. I turned to see the black haired Dwarven man Carr had gone to speak with approaching to join us. "I''m Felder Rockcrusher, the foreman for the mine. Mr. Carr says you two and another are in need of lodging."


    Felder was stocky, even for a Dwarf. He wore simple browns and blacks, and his beard had been kept short, barely passing his neck. An ornate, jeweled pickaxe hung from a belt loop. His aura was green, but on the yellow side.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rockcrusher," Ferrisdae greeted. "I am Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae. And yes, Dungeon Inspector Badger is requesting lodging together with Cojisto, our companion. It doesn''t have to be anything out of the ordinary, just some beds to rest in."


    "Cojisto, isn''t he the guy with the moose?" Felder asked.


    "You know him?" I asked.


    "Not personally, no," Felder said. "He made quite the impression on young Jesuf. Wouldn''t stop talking about the man who said he''d take care of our bird problem."


    "Yes, I do quite imagine he would be blatantly saying things like that without thinking of the consequences," I said, sighing.


    "You know he means well," Ferrisdae chided.


    I shot her a glance before returning my attention to Felder. "Truth is, I was hoping that we would be gone before it arrived again."


    "We are uncertain of when we will be leaving, though," Ferrisdae added. "It all depends on how events go here."


    "I, for one, hope you guys stick around long enough to take care of things," Felder admitted. The Dwarf gestured for us to follow as he began walking towards the gate. "But that''s a problem for Future Felder so let''s just get you two situated for now. Come on. I had some of the boys go to install curtains so you''d have some privacy in the tent, Junior Inspector. Keith said you''d appreciate that."


    "He''s right," Ferrisdae confirmed. "If you see him before I do, please send my thanks. We appreciate your efforts, as well."


    "Mmhmm," Felder grunted, his aura shifting a little more towards green. It seemed like he had more he might have wanted to say, but held it in. We walked in silence towards the tent closest to the settlement''s gate.

 Chapter 30 - Thoughts

    There were eight large tents lining the interior of the settlement walls. Before, I had assumed they could hold about twenty men each, but when we entered our tent I saw that they were supposed to house more than that at the expense of space.


    Fifteen cots lined both sides of the long tent with barely enough space to stand between them. It didn''t look like every one was in use, though, and a few beds had been pushed together. In the back, two men finished tying a curtain around the last tent poles as promised.


    "How many workers are there?" I asked.


    "There are 112 right now," Felder answered. "We''re all spread out, so it''s not as bad as it looks. Keith wanted to make sure this would be profitable before really committing."


    "Calling in 112 workers isn''t committing? That''s a lot of people."


    "Aye, but that''s nobility for you," Felder said with a shrug. "He''s got the coin to throw around and, if there''s one good thing about Keith as a boss, it''s that he''s not frugal."


    "Usually nobles correct you when you call them mister instead of lord," I noted. He hadn¡¯t when we last spoke.


    "He doesn''t bring it up much unless he has to. Family history, you see," Felder said. "He''s surprisingly down to earth, for what he is. If he learned to stop being so lecherous, he''d be a proper scion."


    ¡°If only."


    Ferrisdae nodded to the men who put up the curtain as they made their way out, and left to see her new area. The divider was the same material as the tent and hung loosely to the ground. Behind it were two cots pushed together with a pile of blankets and pillows on it.


    "Truly, the life of luxury," Ferrisdae said sarcastically. "I guess you and Cojisto will be sleeping right outside the curtain."


    "Yes. I don''t care that you can brutally rip a man in half with a spell that emulates a spinning saw," I said, causing Felder to give me a confused, slightly alarmed look. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be leaving you alone in a tent full of miners. And Cojisto.¡±


    Ferrisdae chuckled to herself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m actually really good with kids.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to joke around about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got two meanings, since I¡¯m old enough to be the great grandmother of any Human here,¡± she said, wiggling her eyebrows.


    ¡°Yes, I understood it,¡± I deadpanned. ¡°I just didn¡¯t find it funny.¡±


    ¡°It was a little amusing,¡± Felder said.


    ¡°Mr. Rockcrusher said it was amusing,¡± Ferrisdae repeated, smirking.


    ¡°As the only one in the room with a sub century life expectancy,¡± I said. ¡°I assure you that it is not.¡±


    Felder chuckled, then looked towards the exit. ¡°Alright, I need to get back to my men. Dinner at the mess begins two hours before sundown, though I expect that Keith will want to invite at least one of you to a private dinner.¡± His eyes flitted to Ferrisdae, but there was no need to watch him to know what he meant. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll brief you on what to expect in the mines when we¡¯re on the way.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for showing us to our quarters,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°We appreciate your assistance." She suddenly looked very somber. I didn''t think a couple of jokes would lift her mood, but they were nice to hear.


    ¡°And for sharing information,¡± I said. ¡°If you have a map, then that will be handy as well.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I can do that for you,¡± Felder replied with a nod. ¡°One of the boys fancies himself a cartographer. It¡¯s not amazing, but it¡¯ll get you through alright. Now, I must be off.¡±


    Felder left the tent and Ferrisdae sat down on her bed. Silence descended on the makeshift room as we both thought about the things we just learned. ¡°Do you think Cojisto and Moose will be coming back before sundown?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°Carr said it was about a day¡¯s ride on horseback, but I don¡¯t know how fast a moose can run.¡±


    I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, either,¡± I answered. My tone turned bitter, and I sighed. ¡°But I don¡¯t expect this dungeon to extend that far. Not that my expectations have done anything but be wrong this whole time. I don¡¯t like not knowing things, Ferrisdae.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I feel that,¡± Ferrisdae said softly. I noticed something shift in her demeanor as some of her old sunshine came back. ¡°We¡¯re putting together the pieces of a brand new story. It¡¯s not going to be a swashbuckling adventure where we bust through a dungeon, thwarting every plan to stop us from doing our job quickly. Or at our leisure. Ori¡¯s dungeon was pretty tame if you consider that the death traps worked in our favor instead of theirs.¡±


    ¡°Just a big puzzle,¡± I repeated. It could work. While I would have preferred a quick and easy subjugation run, that clearly wasn¡¯t what we were getting. Simply wishing that things were different wasn¡¯t going to get us anywhere. Calming my mind, I nodded. ¡°I think that will do for now.¡±


    ¡°Atta boy, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae said with a grin.


    I stared into her eyes and it hit me: she was putting on a brave face for me. All of my complaints before were with my usual bluster, but the moment she thought I was actually deeply stressed by the situation she hid her own discomfort. How could she suffer openly if a friend is?Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    What a Halfling thing to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the river and get cleaned up,¡± I said, trying not to betray my emotions.


    ¡°I have the Clean spell, if you like,¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to bother with the river if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s how I¡¯m planning on getting away with not being ogled, as much good as that¡¯s done for me so far.¡±


    I immediately shook my head. ¡°No. I appreciate the offer, but no,¡± I said firmly. My body shivered at the thought of it. ¡°I hate the way it feels, the way it just¡­ travels down your skin. Ugh. No thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Ferrisdae said teasingly. ¡°It¡¯s just a light tingle and all the dirt just falls off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know how the spell works, thank you,¡± I said, still feeling grossed out by the thought of it. ¡°I¡¯m going to the river and I¡¯m washing up like a regular person.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot better like this, I think,¡± Ferrisdae mused, watching me with a hand on her chin.


    ¡°Clueless about the predicaments we find ourselves in and covered in sweaty clothes?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s an odd way to think of anything as better.¡±


    ¡°No, Badger,¡± she said, laughing. ¡°I mean you¡¯ve opened up a lot more. When we first met, you were just a golem getting the job done. Now I¡¯ve seen you happy, excited, angry, sad, anxious. You¡¯re not holding back, and you even trusted me with an answer that was different from your own. You¡¯ve come to enjoy having me around, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    I stared at Ferrisdae. She was right, of course. It was already a comfortable partnership despite the short time we had been working together. As far as people who could have been forced to work with me, this teenage Elf was a surprisingly good fit, and that had the stink of Brackenhorst and his schemes all over it.


    However, she had called me out on it and I had a reputation to cling to until my dying breath. I also thought an answer she''d expect would be better.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind your presence and I find you more tolerable than most,¡± I told her. ¡°There could have been worse juniors assigned to me, but there also could have been better.¡±


    ¡°High praise,¡± Ferrisdae whistled. ¡°I really liked that statement about how I¡¯m tolerable. I¡¯m going to hold on to that first part and discard the second, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I do mind, but I¡¯m not going to argue because I feel gross,¡± I told her flatly. ¡°I trust you can behave yourself for as long as I¡¯m gone?¡±


    ¡°Probably not, but I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Ferrisdae responded mischievously.


    "Will you be okay on your own?"


    Ferrisdae paused. I could see her facade falter before she tried to cover it with a grin. "I think I need some ¡®me¡¯ time, you know? You go get cleaned up."


    I nodded before heading to the entrance of the tent. Then I stopped, a thought suddenly occurring to me. I turned to face Ferrisdae. "If you have Clean, why did you make up an excuse not to go into Gar''s smithy?"


    Ferrisdae shrugged, smiling. "Must have slipped my mind," she claimed.


    I rolled my eyes and took my leave. Sassy brat.


    ******


    The place where the workers came to bathe was easy to find. It was a short walk from the camp¡¯s gates, and I followed a trail created by the footfalls of many people. It wasn¡¯t as developed as the dirt road leading to the silver mine or to Antrinarc, but it was a start. Someone had built a shed to keep supplies in, and I helped myself.


    It took me some time to get into the water. The air was brisk, and the water even more so, but after slowly inching my way in I managed to fully submerge myself. There was no one else around; I assumed everyone was still working, and I was able to relax and listen to the sounds of the forest.


    Birds chirped merrily, frogs croaked from the riverbank, and the wind rustled the trees whose branches on one side nearly touched the branches on the other. I allowed myself to relax, laying in the water with only my face exposed to the brisk air.


    After everything we had gone through to get to this point, relaxation was exactly what I needed. My emotions were clouding my mind, making me flustered, and that wasn¡¯t going to be good for anyone. I had to set a good example for Ferrisdae, and I certainly wasn¡¯t going to let Cojisto or Moose see weakness in me.


    My mind wandered; from my home in New Frausta, my family, my job, to the events that led me here. How I used my skills to become one of the best Dungeon Inspectors the DoD had ever seen, and how I was taking advice from a teenager who was older than my great grandparents.


    They said truth is often stranger than fiction, and I had to agree.


    Even this place, this so-called Story Dungeon, was something that I wouldn''t believe if I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes. Regardless of my frustrations at being stuck here, it was very impressive. I was loath to admit it, but the fact that he could command such mastery over dungeon magic truly made him The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons.


    What really sold it for me was the people, though. I wasn''t making an honest effort to make them break character, and I had no doubt I could if I put my mind to it, but they seemed like they were really into their roles.


    If this guy could raise people up in power on a whim, and had a creature that could learn everything about someone via illegal magic, what was stopping him from doing that to these people?


    In fact, where did all of these people come from? If over one hundred people went missing and it was Razorbeak¡¯s fault, we would have gotten that in the report. The alternative was that, just like the area, none of them were real.


    Which was a mind bending thing to even think about, but it was the only thing that seemed possible in my mind. No matter who Brackenhorst put on the job, there was simply no way "kidnapped a hundred or more people'''' could escape our notice.


    Who was this person? How could they create so many lifelike people? From our conversation about Himia, it seemed like we were all speaking to her at the same time, but I found it difficult to believe that. It was far more likely that she had put us in a magical sleep or stasis and talked to us individually. That was a more plausible scenario than dividing her attention four ways and learning how to speak moose. At the very least, I hadn''t sensed any hesitation during her answers.


    There were those times she claimed to have answered my questions in her head and didn''t say them out loud, which was odd, but I also didn''t sense any deception. But would I detect something from someone claiming to be an Information Elemental? Could I believe that? What in the world even was an Information Elemental?


    I groaned as I realized I was thinking in circles. All this amounted to was trying to figure out answers with the barest of facts and becoming stressed because nothing fit. In my frustration, I raised and slammed my hands down into the water, splashing it everywhere.


    "This world needs to start making sense," I growled.


    Then I paused as something else entered my mind. Something that had been bothering me this whole time, but I hadn¡¯t been able to put my finger on.


    It hit me all at once, and I scrambled out of the water. I needed to get back to town and talk to Ferrisdae.

 Chapter 31 - Discoveries

    The camp was bustling with activity when I returned, most of it centered around the obelisk. I was surprised to see it standing already. My expectations were that they would be digging for quite some time before getting to a depth that was safe enough for it not to fall on a nearby building.


    The first place I checked for Ferrisdae was our tent since it was closest to the entrance. She wasn''t there.


    So I wandered towards the center of the settlement. Although the crowd was starting to disperse, the smell of dirt and sweat lingered, a testament to the hard work required to put the obelisk into place. The juxtaposition between the beauty of the crystal pillar with the smell of men at work was almost sacrilegious. Almost.


    The crowd passed me by with curious looks that I pointedly ignored. I hadn''t seen any other Halflings yet, so I assumed I was an oddity just like my junior and moved on without fuss.


    Ferrisdae was sitting at a parchment-covered table near the obelisk. It looked like they had dragged the table out of the mess hall specifically for her. Keith Carr hovered over her shoulder, watching her write, but she seemed engrossed with her work. Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes glowed purple, the tell-tale sign of magic detection, and every so often she looked back up at the obelisk before returning to her work.


    As I came up beside them, Keith Carr noticed me first. He took a step back from Ferrisdae, as if he thought I might have thought he was standing too close to her. I didn''t have time for that right now.


    "Mr. Carr," I said in greeting. If he wasn''t going to insist on a noble title, I was just fine calling him mister. "I have some things that I need to speak with Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae about privately."


    "Dungeon Inspector Badger," Keith Carr greeted with a nod. "Of course, I should be returning to my duties. Ferrisdae''s insights into the obelisk have just been incredibly compelling so far."


    "I''m sure," I said dryly. I didn''t believe that what she found was what compelled him at all, but his aura was still orange so I didn''t want a confrontation. Not here, anyway.


    "Bye, Mr. Carr," Ferrisdae mumbled absently.


    With a few more words, Keith Carr took his leave and I looked over her work. Ferrisdae was writing in Elvish. My skill in the language was rusty as many places I was sent had adopted the Imperial Standard as their national language. Regardless, I tried practicing patience as I waited for her to reach a resting point.


    Elvish script was an artistic affair with many swoops and curves that could mean different things based on application and surrounding words. There was a lot that could be misinterpreted by simply not knowing enough about the language. It was said that it even took Elven youths upwards of sixty years to become fluent in the letters, words, and grammar.


    So when I started reading Ferrisdae''s notes and couldn''t decide if the obelisk was a lake of mongoose or mud that had been caked onto a wagon''s wheel after a sun shower, I decided my few years of learning didn''t cut it and waited for her to explain what she wrote.


    That didn¡¯t mean I had to be unproductive, however. "Do you mind if we share the table?" I asked, stepping back from her notes.


    Ferrisdae hesitated before pulling her notes to one side. She didn''t say anything, returning back to her work instead. The young lady really did throw herself into things.


    After a quick word to the bartender, I acquired a chair for myself and took over the free end of the table. Grabbing a few pieces of spare parchment, a quill, and an ink well, I got to work.


    It wasn''t often that I drew dungeon maps while still in a dungeon. I had a good eye for detail, and all but the most elaborate of dungeon layouts stayed with me for a long time. Since leaving the dungeon wasn''t possible because we hadn''t found the exit, this would have to do. We shouldn''t be attacked here in the settlement, at least.


    I let my eyes wander through the camp, taking in details I hadn''t noticed before as I began to draw. The wooden buildings were all made of the same wood as the palisade, but Keith Carr''s home was made of a darker material. Was his lumber imported? I guessed he had been serious about the town of Carrage from the beginning.


    Besides that, smaller details caught my eye. The fresh pile of dirt that was displaced by the efforts to plant the obelisk. Stamped dirt trails that showed that the most visited buildings were the equipment shack and the mess hall. The pile of "offerings" left for Gar in the form of broken pickaxes, haphazardly tossed near the blacksmith''s door.


    Just as Ferrisdae fell into a trance with the obelisk, I started doing the same with my cartography. Not having my usual tools made it go by slower than usual, but rather than being annoyed by it I actually found it refreshing to return to my roots. The settlement was small, anyway, and the work wouldn''t go on long enough for the novelty to wear off.


    By the time I snapped out of it, I was almost finished. Ferrisdae had been as well, apparently. She sat with her elbow against the table, resting her chin on hand, and stared at my map.


    "You have really nice handwriting for a boy," she said, running a finger along the building''s labels.


    I arched an eyebrow at her.


    "A man, I mean," she quickly corrected, jolting into a rigid sitting position. "Just a guy in general."


    I snorted and shook my head, and that was the only response I gave her on that front. "I had a revelation down by the river," I said, returning to my cartography. "I was laying on the river bank when I realized that I don''t feel the emotional response inherent to dungeons. I''m not sure if that''s just a feature of this new class that was thrust upon me or if it''s really not there, so I sought you out."


    "The DTER?" Ferrisdae asked, raising an eyebrow.


    The Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response, or DTER, was a feature of every dungeon. It stimulated a fear response in regular people to warn them of danger, and it kept adventurers on their toes so that they would stay alert. You would always know if you were in a dungeon because of this.


    "Yes," I answered.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Of course I feel it, we''re in a dun¡­"


    I watched as her face scrunched up in confusion."Well?"


    Her eyes seemed unfocused as she stared into the air, and she muttered words to herself that I couldn''t quite hear. "I don''t think so," she finally said, then nodded. "No, I''m sure. I feel apprehension at our current situation, but it''s different from a dungeon response. It feels more natural."


    I nodded again, then sighed. "Yes, it''s the same as I felt," I said. "Run of the mill anxiety towards the unknown situation we find ourselves in without the added sense of dungeon dread."


    "Yes, exactly," Ferrisdae confirmed. "Which isn''t supposed to happen, obviously, but I think I know why."


    Just as I was about to finish the last details on my map, I stopped and leaned back into my chair. My Human sized chair. Annoyingly, I had to scoot back. "I''m all ears," I said once I settled.


    Ferrisdae turned her chair to face mine and she leaned back. "Okay, so you know the reason for the growth of magic crystals, right?"


    I held back the urge to give my junior a glare for asking such a question. "It''s residual magic from the dungeon," I said, trying not to sound rude since it was obvious that I would know. "Once the dungeon regenerates its denizens, the excess magic built up from the process needs some place to go, and it shows up in the form of crystals. The energy released from clashes with adventurers are also gathered into these crystals, and both factor into the quality and purity of the magic power held within."


    "Absolutely right," Ferrisdae said. Then, she gestured towards the obelisk. "This is, by all accounts, an empty magic crystal."


    "Magic crystals disappear without any magic in them," I said tentatively. Of course, I''d rather believe her, it was just against every known law of magic.


    "That is correct, but¡­" she trailed off, gesturing towards the obelisk.


    "And magic crystals bloom like flowers, not start off empty," I continued.


    "Also correct, but¡­" Another gesture.


    "But a crystal that size would take hundreds of years to fill," I said, exasperated. "And if it weren''t being kept together by magic, it would collapse in a brittle heap of useless materials."


    "Badger. Sir," Ferrisdae sighed, then waved her whole arm at the obelisk. "Do you not see me waving at it? You can bring all the facts you want but it doesn''t change the fact that this is a huge, gigantic, empty magic crystal."


    "You forgot to mention impossible," I added. She just frowned and waved her arm even harder. "Okay, okay! I get it! I guess it''s not the most impossible thing I''ve seen lately."


    Ferrisdae smiled as I conceded, and blew her hair out of her face. "No, it''s not," she agreed. "And it is slowly being filled. Very, very slowly. Over the course of centuries, like you said. I would probably still be alive by the time it''s done, though."


    "Yes, rub it in, Elf," I said. "Is there any information you found out that would be pertinent to our situation?"


    "To our situation inside the dungeon? Not as such, no," Ferrisdae admitted. "But if it''s being fed magical energy from this wagon, then it''s likely being fed by the dungeons in the other three as well. If that''s true, then it''s being filled faster than it normally should."


    "We knew it had been turned into a dungeon cluster," I stated. "But that would only change the charging time from centuries to decades, depending on the quality of¡­" My brow furrowed as I thought it through.


    "Of the adventurers inside," Ferrisdae finished for me.


    "But even with a boost in our power - tiers, I guess - I can''t imagine the expenditure would be worth what they''re getting out of it," I said.


    "They might not be planning to use it for anything," Ferrisdae commented. I gave her a sharp glance. One did not gather power like this for no reason. "Well, the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons is new, right? I mean, no one¡¯s heard of him before? He may not know the rules governing dungeon magic."


    "It''s overwhelmingly clear that he doesn''t know the rules," I said, not bothering to hide my distaste. "But with the resources available to him, like the illegal magics that Himia commands, he absolutely should. He should have known about them since Oristrella, if not sooner than that."


    A silence descended on us. We both watched the obelisk, though her eyes were filled with curiosity while mine were filled with disdain. I didn''t like not knowing things. Though, I was glad she had something to occupy her mind. I took a look at her through the corner of my eye and she looked contemplative, like all of her energy was being spent focusing on this problem.


    "If my math is correct," Ferrisdae said slowly. "Then I''d put the charge time, with only one dungeon, somewhere around two hundred and fifty years, give or take thirty years. So I would definitely still be alive."


    "Cocky kid," I snorted. Tearing my eyes away from the obelisk, I returned my attention to my map. A few more strokes of the quill over the stables and I set it down. "Done."


    As I looked over my work, satisfied with how it turned out, dark ink began to cover my map. "What in the world?" I exclaimed. My first thought was that Ferrisdae knocked over the inkwell, but it was still standing. She wasn''t anywhere near it. Her gaze was stuck on the ruined map.


    I looked back at it in time to see the parchment start absorbing the extra ink. Only the lines I drew remained.


    "What was that?" Ferrisdae asked, leaning over my map.


    ¡°I think you already know that I have no idea.¡±


    Her eyes flashed purple as she looked down at the parchment. "You drew a magic map?" she asked, answering her own question with another question.


    "If you say it''s magic, then apparently I did," I said. "Somehow. Definitely not on purpose."


    Ink returned to the parchment in the form of dots that started littering the map. Most of them were small and black, one was a black star inside Keith Carr''s home, and two dots were green between the obelisk and the mess hall.


    A quick glance confirmed that the dots marked our location. I was hesitant to interact with it, but my junior had no such reservations.


    "Is that supposed to be us?" Ferrisdae asked loudly, excitement lacing her voice. She pointed at the green dots and touched one of them. Ink swirled from the dot.


    Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae Anne Runelara - Celestial Enchantress


    Ferrisdae gasped. "That is us!" she laughed, then tapped the other green dot. My green dot.


    Dungeon Inspector Badger - Dungeon Inspector


    I exhaled, releasing a breath that I didn''t realize I was holding. It said Badger. That wasn''t a conversation I wanted to have, especially with Ferrisdae.


    Who was currently tapping more dots with rampant glee, starting with the black star and the other dot in the residence.


    Viscount Keith Carr


    Maid Mizzorie


    Blacksmith Gar


    Foreman Vinh


    Miner Dahle


    Miner Renald


    Guard Jesuf


    "This is amazing!" Ferrisdae said. "Hold on, I''m going to go see if these people are really where the map says they are."


    Before I could say anything, the young Elf started running off. I shook my head, but did nothing to hamper her enthusiasm. Anything that distracted her right now was welcome. Ferrisdae was hiding it well, but I knew it was only that: hiding.


    My attention returned to the parchment in front of me. One of the green dots was now zipping all over the place. I contemplated what this would mean.


    If I had to make high quality maps, then using this ability could get annoying. If I could use other people''s maps, then it got much better. I was already looking forward to the ways I could apply it. This was going to come in handy, and it was time to experiment.

 Chapter 32 - Cartography

    The first map I made was two feet by two feet. It would be unwieldy to carry into combat, but the more I interacted with it, the more I figured things out.


    Using two hands, or even just two fingers, I discovered I could focus on specific portions on the map, enlarging those areas to see them better. Then, with a swipe of my fingers I could move the enlarged section to show me a different place.


    Without input, the map snapped to my green dot. When I found and tapped Ferrisdae''s dot, it would follow her around instead. That was interesting; it made me feel somewhat like a stalker, but interesting.


    I returned the map to its original state when I noticed Ferrisdae was heading back. Stowing away the supplies, I had everything ready to go in a scroll case that Carr had provided. I promptly told the Dwarf in charge of the mess hall, Oakley if the map were to be believed, that we were done with the table and chairs.


    Ferrisdae met up with me as I was heading to the tent. "Did you see me visit the people?" she asked breathlessly, her face flushed from running around the camp. "Everyone was where the map said they were!"


    "Yes, I saw you, Ferrisdae," I told her. "Let''s get back to the tent before you let everyone know we have an item that lets us spy on their location, shall we?"


    "Ah, yeah," Ferrisdae said sheepishly. "I suppose there wouldn''t be too many who''d be happy about the map."


    We walked the rest of the way to our tent in silence, though I couldn''t help but notice the bounce in Ferrisdae¡¯s step. That was good. I needed to keep her distracted.


    The tent was just as empty as it had been when we left, though there were signs that people had been there. Dirt footprints, things disturbed on some of the beds, and the smell of sweat lingering on the air. No doubt belonging to those who finished digging the pit for the obelisk. They were likely at the river now after a hard day''s work.


    I stopped at the foot of the bed closest to the curtain set up for Ferrisdae''s "room" and gestured towards it. "May I intrude?" I asked.


    "I don''t know, I haven''t ever invited a boy back to my room before," Ferrisdae said, clearly teasing.


    I didn''t push the issue or give her what she wanted. Instead, I started setting the scroll case onto the bed I was planning on taking.


    Ferrisdae snatched it up. "Sorry, what I meant was yes," she said. "Come on in."


    We entered the space and let the curtain block off the rest of the tent. It was very roomy, but with the thick material I could tell that it would get hot in here if the weather outside weren''t so nice.


    I started unpacking the contents of the case on one of the pushed together beds, but I left my map rolled up. Opening up the inkwell, I offered Ferrisdae the quill. "Let''s kill two birds with one stone," I told her. "Draw a map of the settlement."


    Ferrisdae took the quill. "Easy enough," she said, reaching for my map.


    I moved it out of her reach, ignoring the dubious look she gave me. "By memory," I said. "Let''s see how much you''ve retained and how good of a cartographer you are."


    The Elf said nothing, watching me push a blank sheet of parchment in front of her. Looking down at it, she sighed and began drawing.


    As Ferrisdae worked on her map, I helped guide her with advice. It was slow going. She was a passable artist, but took too much time with the details. Like she was afraid to get them wrong.


    I decided to remake my map when it became obvious that she would take her time. By the time she finished hers, I had finished two: one of middling quality and one that was deliberately crude.


    Ferrisdae''s map showed no sign of coming to life, but both of mine showed various degrees of information. The powers that the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons imparted to me weren''t my own, but there was a thrill in learning how they worked.


    The crudely drawn map, really just a poorly drawn circle with rectangles inside, did show some black dots in a small radius around my position. Seven dots were in the other part of the tent, which corresponded with the voices we had been hearing for a while, and two more right outside the entrance. The only one that showed green was mine, and Ferrisdae''s was black.


    Even when I handed it to Ferrisdae, my dot remained green. It showed no names when they were tapped, nor could I make any part of it zoom in.


    "This is just a map that makes it easier to find me specifically," I said with a scowl.


    "It shows other people, but you do stick out like a sore thumb," Ferrisdae commented. "But it would be handy for me in case we get separated somewhere. Not here, obviously, the settlement is way too small for that. I''m just saying that there''s still merit to a poorly drawn magical map."


    I grunted. She had a point, but that didn''t mean I had to like it. I turned my attention to the middling map. This one came out decently, with most things being close to scale but missing a lot of the finer details I liked to add.


    Like the poor map, this one had a radius where dots appeared. It was bigger, though, and showed people resting in the tents that flanked ours as well as a pair of people patrolling the walls. Their dots materialized out of nowhere as they entered the map''s influence, and we both watched as they left that influence, disappearing.


    Unlike before, Ferrisdae''s marker was green. Tapping at most of the dots yielded no information, but ours showed our titles, names, and classes like my good map did. Zooming in worked, but only on the areas inside the map''s area of influence. I couldn''t enlarge the mess hall from here, but I could get a closer look at the tent next to ours. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "This is much better," I said. "Not perfect, but it''s certainly serviceable and I can knock it out in twenty minutes."


    "I''m pretty sad that my map didn''t start coming to life," Ferrisdae said, pouting. I looked at her handiwork.


    It may have taken her a while, but she had an eye for details. I would put it squarely between my middling and detailed maps. "It makes sense," I told her. "I''m the one with the ability. But, that''s just part of testing this whole thing."


    Reaching out, I grabbed her map and pulled it in front of me. Slowly, it came alive just like the others did. I poured over the details, gleaning as much from it as I could.


    "It worked?" Ferrisdae asked, leaning towards me and craning her neck to see.


    "It did," I confirmed. Despite having more details than my middling map, it showed all of the same things. Comparable radius, allies in green, and it showed who those allies were when interacted with.


    "Yes!" Ferrisdae exclaimed giddily. The voices of the men outside the curtained off room stopped for a moment, but she wasn''t paying attention. She all but snatched the map away from me, eyes scanning it.


    And then all of the dots disappeared, leaving it as a mundane map. She looked confused, then crestfallen. Gingerly, I took the map back from her. It once again came to life in my grip.


    "Okay, let''s think about this. It¡¯s safe to assume that this mapping ability has some concrete rules," I said. "The better the quality of the map, the more information shows up. Things might even change with magically infused paper and ink, but we''ll have to check that later once we have some."


    "Your maps are always active," Ferrisdae continued. "Though I wonder if you have to be within a certain distance of them or if they''ll work regardless. You can also use other people''s maps, but the quality of those ones are diminished."


    I nodded. "If we assume there''s three categories - let''s call them poor, middling, and detailed - then a map I didn''t draw would be knocked down to the closest lower level," I said. "But that only works for me, and once it''s out of my hands it reverts to being normal."


    "So the map of the mine will still be of use to us tomorrow," Ferrisdae finished.


    "Unless it''s so poorly done that there''s no salvaging it," I snorted. "Felder did say that the boy only fancied himself a cartographer. Who knows what the actual quality is going to be."


    Ferrisdae wasn''t paying attention to me, I noticed. Her eyes were glued to my middling map. Following her gaze, I saw that two new green dots had appeared near the settlement entrance. I tapped them both.


    Adventurer Cojisto Finnigan - Arcane Wrestler


    Adventurer Moose the moose - Holy Moose


    "They''re back sooner than I expected," I said. While I wasn¡¯t sure what it meant, I noted that Moose¡¯s class was Holy Moose and not the Holy Beast one Cojisto claimed he received.


    "I''ll go and let them know where we''re staying," Ferrisdae said, standing up.


    "One more test," I said, gathering the sheets of parchment. Unfurling my detailed map, I placed it on the bottom of the stack with my poor map on top. I handed them to Ferrisdae. "If they''re up to it, take a lap around the settlement and see if any of them stop working if I''m too far away. I''ll stay here with yours, and I''ll meet you in the mess hall for dinner after I see you come back."


    "Yes, sir," Ferrisdae said, excited. She took the stack of maps and left the room.


    I watched her map as she walked with a measured pace, and then fell into a run as she made it out of the tent. Now that Ferrisdae was gone, I could feel those negative feelings start to swarm my mind again. I shook them away. Taking care of my junior was a higher priority. I turned my attention to my maps.


    Ferrisdae met Moose and Cojisto at the settlement entrance. They were standing with another person, who I guessed was Jesuf. Not being able to get information on dots that didn¡¯t signify allies was annoying, but it was what it was.


    Even without tapping on their dots, I could tell which one was who. Ferrisdae¡¯s was the one that had been standing still, while Cojisto¡¯s dot couldn¡¯t seem to help but move around. The dot for Moose was simply larger than all three of the other dots put together. The man¡¯s movement made me wonder just how precise the map really was.


    They started moving, walking around the outside of the settlement¡¯s palisade but sticking close. Soon, the dots disappeared as they left the map¡¯s sphere of influence. It was hard to tell using the map, but I guessed it would be a radius of somewhere around one hundred feet. That wasn¡¯t too bad.


    I waited for the group to make their way back around again. The rest of the settlement was becoming more active as people began to flock in from the direction of the river. Some stopped by the tents in range, but the majority were heading towards the mess hall. A river of black dots headed towards the center of town, and I could hear the men cheering about the break from work.


    That made sense. The dungeon wouldn¡¯t resurrect the enemies inside if there were people still inside. This way, it would be complete for us to run through it. It was good that Carr already knew that the dungeon needed to be in its default form when we arrived in order for the destruction ritual to take hold.


    My stomach rumbled, and I frowned. The wait for food was going to be long depending on what the chef, Oakley, was preparing. Then again, maybe not, I realized. I didn¡¯t know their schedule, just that they tried to keep people in the mine at all times. I¡¯d guess it would be hunter¡¯s stew because of all of the mouths he needed to feed. If that were the case then it would be as easy as grabbing a bowl, spoon, and whatever they¡¯re serving for drinks.


    I was snapped out of my thoughts of dinner as the green dots indicating my allies appeared on the map. They had made a full circle around the perimeter, and I rolled up Ferrisdae¡¯s map to head on my way.


    The men who were relaxing in the tent were surprised to see me, but I paid them no mind. Outside, the air was becoming cooler as the sun was beginning to set. The days were shorter compared to the real world outside of the wagon dungeon, which confirmed my suspicions that it was springtime here.


    Ferrisdae, Moose, and Cojisto passed through the gate, and the Elf waved at me. I gave a wave back, but she wasn¡¯t what I was focused on. Cojisto had left us wearing the same thing that Ferrisdae and I had: a white shirt, black pants, and black shoes.


    He had returned wearing a long-sleeved black coat. No, as I got closer, I noticed it was more than a coat, it was a gambeson. Thick, quilted armor. There were no insignias on it that indicated where it might have come from.


    Cojisto was also holding a large bag which prompted me to ask, ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°Badger!¡± Cojisto greeted me loudly. ¡°You would not believe this! There are dungeons out there in the wilderness!¡±


    My eyes flicked to Ferrisdae, who shrugged, then to Moose, who nodded. ¡°There are¡­ dungeons out there?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Dungeons inside of this dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± Cojisto said with a nod. ¡°And the best part is? They came with spoils!¡± He lifted the bag in the air, an obnoxious grin on his face. ¡°Come, let us eat and share in the loot together like a proper adventuring party! Hey, is that the obelisk? Why is it in here?¡±


    I stared as Cojisto laughed and passed me by on the way to the center of town.

 Chapter 33 - Storytelling

    Despite my demands, the two returning adventurers would not talk about what they had been going through without something to eat first. Well, Cojisto wouldn¡¯t; understanding Moose was just out of the question. Against my wishes, my stomach growled loudly, and Ferrisdae ushered us all to the mess hall.


    Any worries I had about waiting in line for food was alleviated almost instantly. Ferrisdae had told Oakley what we had wanted back when she had asked for a table and, with her previous meeting with Carr, the Dwarven chef had taken it to mean she was a priority. Eating in the mess would have left Moose unattended, though, which meant we had Cojisto demanding we eat out by the stables.


    So we sat behind the mess hall, on the ground, eating unfortunately bland pork and cabbage stew out of wooden bowls. Moose was given a big bowl of beets, lettuce, and cabbage, and happily munched away.


    ¡°Alright, we have food,¡± I said between bites. ¡°What happened out there?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm, mmhmm, sho Moosh an I-¡° Cojisto tried saying with a mouth full of food. Ferrisdae cleared her throat, and the man swallowed and gave her an apologetic grin. ¡°Sorry, Ferry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I would just prefer if you would stop losing your manners,¡± Ferrisdae said, referring to a line similar to the one he told us when we first met.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll try to make sure they don¡¯t go missing again,¡± Cojisto replied, smiling. ¡°So, Moose and I were going down the road that was supposed to go to Antrinarc, yes? We were galloping away quite fast, Moose is really fast, you see, and we were making what I assumed was good time.¡±


    Cojisto stopped talking to slurp some of his stew. Ferrisdae gave him another look, and he stopped slurping, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s a well traveled path, wide road, you know the type,¡± he continued. ¡°And everything¡¯s quiet for a while. It¡¯s peaceful, just me and Moose passing through the countryside. The weather¡¯s perfect. But, suddenly, men gathered in the road ahead of us!¡±


    Moose snorted, and Cojisto stood up from his cross-legged position without shifting first. ¡°Ten guys, all Human except a single Avian. He¡¯s short, about Ferrisdae¡¯s height, with colored feathers around his head.¡± Cojisto took a bite of pork, but waited until he swallowed this time to keep talking.


    ¡°I get excited, because it¡¯s an Avian, you know? We haven¡¯t seen one of those yet, but that¡¯s why we¡¯re here,¡± Cojisto explained. He paused as Moose snorted again, stomping on the ground twice, and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it wasn¡¯t Razorbeak at the time!¡±


    Moose croaked, but Cojisto shook his head again. ¡°I¡¯m ignoring you now,¡± he claimed. ¡°So I ask, ¡®Where is Raitheus Razorbeak?¡¯ Because we¡¯re in a dungeon, but it¡¯s also not a dungeon, right? It doesn¡¯t have the brain thing of the dungeon, but I felt it there around those people. Like there was a dungeon in the middle of the road. Never felt anything like it.¡±


    I had to put my head in my hand. Cojisto noticed that the DTER wasn¡¯t active. Cojisto! I exchanged a look with Ferrisdae, and her face told me that she was concerned that we took so long to figure it out, but Cojisto just knew it intuitively? Silently, we agreed to never bring this up if we could help it.


    The man in question didn¡¯t seem to notice this exchange. ¡°So the Avian laughs at us. He says we¡¯re at the end of the line, and says that we¡¯re decades away from fighting Razorbeak, centuries even,¡± Cojisto said, then looked down at me. ¡°Which is a problem for us men, right? Because we¡¯re not going to live that long. Ferry could take him, but the wait would be outrageous, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sounds right, Cojisto,¡± I said, exasperated. ¡°But please continue with the points of the story that are important.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all important, Badger,¡± Cojisto snorted, then turned to Ferry. ¡°He has no appreciation for storytelling, does he?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re all just a bit anxious, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae said diplomatically.


    Stopping, Cojisto considered this for a moment, then nodded. ¡°That is fair, okay. But I protested, and instead of bantering like a proper dungeon minion, the Avian said to attack. The nine men jumped into action, coming after us. I jump off of Moose, doing a front flip as I did, and charged at them in turn. Fight first, ask questions later, I could get behind that logic.¡±


    ¡°So you fought nine guys,¡± I said. ¡°Then got information from the Avian, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°You got information from the Avian, right?¡± I asked, my tone more serious.


    Cojisto set his bowl on the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll get there. So we were fighting, me and the nine guys. Now, I¡¯ve been in brawls like this before, you should know. I¡¯m ducking, I¡¯m dodging, weaving between people like no one¡¯s business, but¡­¡± he paused, as if trying to find words. ¡°But it was just disappointingly easy, you know?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°Like they weren¡¯t good at fighting?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Cojisto said, shaking his head rapidly. ¡°I could tell these guys were good fighters. Fight enough people, and you get really good at seeing it in the first few seconds. The difference between someone who¡¯s on your level, or better, or just plain worse. Right, Badger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± I said. ¡°But is a fight you win easily really disappointing?¡±


    ¡°It is if you¡¯re constantly trying to improve yourself,¡± Cojisto complained. ¡°They put up a fight, but I punched through them like they were made of thin wooden boards. Not through through, but it only took a couple of hits to bring them down. The Avian joined in, but it was a similar fiasco. I thought he could take some punishment, but he just¡­ couldn¡¯t. You know?¡±


    ¡°No, Cojisto, I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, trying to keep my tone even.


    Ferrisdae snapped her fingers. ¡°This is probably what Himia meant by the tiers,¡± she said. We both looked at her, and she explained. ¡°Well, Cojisto and I were supposed to get some kind of boost in our respective powers, right? This could have been what Himia meant. Cojisto, you said these guys weren¡¯t bad at fighting, but it was too easy. Easy in what way?¡±


    Cojisto exhaled. He crossed his arms and thought about it for a moment. ¡°It was like they were moving too slow,¡± he finally said. ¡°And those who did hit me with their swords, clubs, whatever, it didn¡¯t seem to do a lot of damage to me like it should have. I know I have some tough muscles, but a sword is a sword, right?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°You were probably seeing things like a top adventurer would,¡± Ferrisdae said, jabbing her spoon at Cojisto. ¡°Think about it, how many adventurers above your level have you seen shrug off attacks like it¡¯s no big deal, even though those same attacks would be devastating to anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± was all he said as he mulled it over.


    Ferrisdae turned to look at me. ¡°Himia said that you were in tier two, right? How durable are you?¡±


    ¡°Fairly?¡± I responded. ¡°But it¡¯s less about taking hits and more about moving my body so that attacks turn to glancing blows. I¡¯m pretty sure that if someone came at me with a sword, like Cojisto said happened, then I¡¯d be skewered as easily as anyone else if I just let it happen.¡±


    ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to shrug off a charging moose attack and go on to walk two hours to the nearest town without being very durable,¡± Cojisto said, rubbing his chin and looking down at me.


    ¡°I was in a defensive stance,¡± I said.


    ¡°You went tumbling twenty feet backwards into a tree,¡± Cojisto retorted.


    ¡°I weigh 45 pounds, Cojisto,¡± I snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want me to say, I¡¯m not going to defend myself for being a Halfling.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, it¡¯s pretty miraculous,¡± Cojisto mumbled, picking up his food from the ground. He frowned at it and brushed off some ants that were making their way up the side of the bowl. Then he continued eating.


    ¡°It¡¯s just something to think about,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°But, how about we move on to what happened next. The Avian couldn¡¯t take their lumps?¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a good way of putting it,¡± he said. ¡°So he jumps in after I take on a few of his men. A couple go after Moose, but he¡¯s Moose so he¡¯s fine. The Avian¡¯s wielding a very fine one handed sword. He¡¯s obviously better than the others, but he¡¯s still moving far too slowly. Still, he¡¯s the leader of these guys, so I take him seriously.¡±


    Downing the rest of his stew in a couple of gulps, he tossed the wooden bowl to the ground. Cojisto jabbed at the air twice, followed by a left hook and an uppercut. ¡°And that was it,¡± he said, looking down at us. ¡°Well, for the Avian. There were about three men left, and they ran off. The dungeon tingle disappeared after that, and with it, the bodies, too!¡±


    ¡°If the bodies disappeared, then how do you have the bag and the stuff in it?¡± Ferrisdae asked. I frowned as I thought things over.


    ¡°This stuff was left behind,¡± Cojisto said with a shrug. ¡°It was the damnedest thing. The bodies disappeared and there was stuff laying where they had been like they left it for me and walked away.¡±


    ¡°And the DTER,¡± I started, then paused. ¡°The dungeon tingle, that disappeared, too? Without any prompting from you? The dungeon was just gone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it felt like, right Moose?¡± Cojisto asked, turning to face the animal. It nodded, and snorted. ¡°Right! It was strange. The damnedest thing.¡±


    ¡°Nothing about this makes sense, but I suppose asking for sense hasn¡¯t worked so far,¡± I said, throwing my arms up in the air. I had since finished eating my poorly flavored stew, so I tossed the bowl next to Cojisto¡¯s. ¡°So did you make it to Antrinarc, then?¡±


    ¡°Tried to, but no,¡± Cojisto said. He fell back into his cross-legged position easily. ¡°But after we collected the spoils, which we¡¯ll get to soon, I promise, we tried to move forward. But there was an invisible wall in the road not two hundred feet beyond that. We ran right into it.¡±


    ¡°That must have been the edge of the dungeon¡¯s influence,¡± I said. I knew it couldn¡¯t have gone on forever, though it had already proved to be outrageously large. ¡°Do you have a rough estimate of how far it took you to get there?¡±


    Cojisto looked at Moose, who croaked and snorted. ¡°You¡¯re sure? I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to believe that number, friend,¡± Cojisto said. Moose nodded, and the man shrugged. ¡°Moose said that we were going for just over two hours, so even with me on his back then it¡¯s somewhere in the vicinity of forty miles? Though it was a winding road, so he thinks the distance is closer to forty miles from the settlement.¡±


    Ferrisdae spit out some of her stew back into her bowl. I had to agree with that sentiment. "Forty miles?¡± I asked, incredulously. ¡°The biggest dungeon Razorbeak had access to was his lead wagon and that was only around five square miles.¡±


    ¡°You were also gone for more than four hours, where did you go for the rest of your time out?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Look, you can doubt me all you want, but I won¡¯t have you doubting Moose. He¡¯s the heart of any team. Of all the teams,¡± Cojisto stated, and it was clear that he believed it. ¡°If he says we traveled forty miles, then I believe he is correct.¡±


    He turned to Ferrisdae. ¡°We rested, because Moose got tired from running for just over two hours,¡± he said. ¡°And then we decided to see about this invisible wall. We followed it for about an hour, and came across another dungeon, and then one more on the way back through the woods.¡±


    ¡°You came across three dungeons while you were gone?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Very well spaced out, but yes,¡± Cojisto confirmed. ¡°The one after the bandits was an ogre boss with some goblin minions. That was a harder fight than the Avian and his bandits, but the ogre only got one good hit in. Moose patched me up with his new Holy Moose magic. The third one was one of those natural lairs you guys told me about. There was a bear, but it was much larger than normal and had a head of an owl. Some kind of bear-owl hybrid.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I mean, I believe you when you say that you fought one, but why would anyone make a¡­ bear owl.¡±


    ¡°Owls are terrifying predators to things smaller than themselves,¡± I said, knowing all too well. ¡°There was a big nest of Dire Owls near where I grew up. They were mean things, and liked to take Halfling children who wandered out at night. Literally, it wasn''t just a story to tell young ones. I don¡¯t know who decided merging a bear and an owl together was a good idea, but they probably wanted a strong, competent predator.¡±


    ¡°It was really weird is what it was,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°But like the bandits, the goblins and ogre disappeared, and so did the bear owl. This gambeson is what was left in the bear owl¡¯s place once the body disappeared. That, and a big egg that I think will make for a fine breakfast.¡±


    ¡°If it had the body of a bear, why did it leave an egg?¡± Ferrisdae asked slowly.


    ¡°It was really, really weird, Ferry,¡± Cojisto said with a shrug. ¡°Anyway, here, I¡¯ll let you two look through the bag of wondrous body disappearing loot.¡± He took the bag off of the stable¡¯s post it had been hanging on and dumped its contents on the ground.


    There was indeed a speckled egg. It was bigger than my head and looked like it belonged to an owl. Further in I found a Human-sized round wooden shield, a gardening trowel, a rolled up scroll, a blue potion, a green potion, a tarnished silver ring, and several coins clattered to the ground.


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes flashed purple. ¡°Some of these are magical,¡± she said. ¡°The scroll, obviously, and the potions, but also the trowel. Did they drop magical crystals?¡±


    ¡°No magical crystals anywhere to be seen,¡± Cojisto answered. ¡°Which is weird. You¡¯d think there¡¯d be plenty all over the place.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t generally get magical items off of anything but corpses, either,¡± I stated.


    Normally, the only loot you get in a dungeon was the magical crystals needed to create and power magical items. Artificers and wizards were the most common to make use of them. Some dungeons that had a plot around them would give out some already crafted magic items, of course, especially if the dungeons were meant to be completed in a specific order, but that wasn¡¯t this.


    What this was doing was giving me a headache. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m a Junior Dungeon Inspector learning the ropes all over again,¡± I lamented. ¡°This Dungeon Master guy really is throwing the entire rule book in the trash.¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Ferrisdae responded, not bothering to complete the title. She was too busy staring at the magical items. ¡°Want me to identify them?¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not,¡± I replied, falling backwards so that I could stare at the cloudless sky. The sun was behind the trees now, and the first sprinkling of stars were beginning to show. ¡°Please, figure out what the magical items that appeared because the dead bodies disappeared are for. At least that should make sense.¡±

 Chapter 34 - Braid

    As Ferrisdae went about identifying the magical items, I was checking out the shield. It was a wooden round shield that had been painted white with a large black profile of a raven or crow. I wasn¡¯t sure what wood it was made out of, but it sounded sturdy when I knocked on it.


    I was halfway tempted to ask Cojisto to punch it, but immediately discarded the thought. He¡¯d probably end up destroying it.


    I adjusted the leather strap meant to keep the shield on its bearer¡¯s arm, and held it in front of me as if I were going to defend against a sword strike. It was larger than my magical shield. Heavier, too. The difference wasn¡¯t massive, though; this wooden one only added about six inches to the diameter I was used to. It was manageable.


    Removing my arm from the shield, I looked at the tarnished silver ring. It was meant for someone bigger than me, and I could fit two fingers through it. Either a large Human or perhaps an Orc wore this. There weren''t any markings adorning the ring, either. It was just a simple, tarnished silver ring. Odd.


    The coins were also odd. Most of them were silver, though there was a smattering of copper and gold. Each was embossed with the same crow that was on the shield, and a single feather was shown on the flip side. The Northeastern Continent, where Razorbeak originally hailed from, was unified and had coins with square holes in them, so these didn¡¯t come from there. I had never seen currency like this before, and had to assume that it came from the dungeon itself.


    ¡°Okay, so I have some good news and some bad news,¡± Ferrisdae said, clasping her hands together. ¡°So the good news is, I¡¯ve identified the scrolls and potions.¡±


    I set the coins down next to the ring and looked at her. Cojisto, who had been pacing, sat down next to Moose. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that the bad news is you haven¡¯t identified the trowel,¡± I guessed.


    Ferrisdae sighed and picked it up. It looked just like any regular trowel. It shined in the torchlight that had been lit throughout the town and had a wooden handle.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said, giving me a nod. ¡°It has an aura of transmutation about it, so it¡¯s supposed to alter something into something else, but I can¡¯t figure out exactly what that something is.¡±


    I reached out for the trowel, and Ferrisdae handed it over. Holding it in my hand, I flipped it over a few times. I confirmed that it was, in fact, a trowel. Something stung the back of my neck, and I swatted at it. I looked at my hand, but whatever bit me had already flown away.


    ¡°Damn bugs,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Perhaps we should go inside?¡± Ferrisdae suggested. ¡°It¡¯s getting a bit cold, anyway.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t get cold anymore after Oristrella¡¯s blessing,¡± I said.


    ¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t want to start getting eaten alive out here by bugs, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae said. She stuck her tongue out at me and stood, collecting the bowls and spoons.


    Cojisto stood up as well. ¡°You two do not need to worry about Moose,¡± he said. ¡°Moose has a thick hide, and any bugs would be no match for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really good for Moose,¡± Ferrisdae replied. ¡°But I¡¯m an Elf, I¡¯ll be fine getting away from things trying to bite me, thank you very much.¡± She started heading towards the mess hall¡¯s entrance.


    I stood while Ferrisdae returned our dishes, still staring at the trowel. Cojisto began returning the other items into the bag since we had nothing else to carry them in. I turned the gardening tool in my hands every which way, following after Cojisto as he made his way towards the front of the mess hall to wait for Ferrisdae.


    ¡°You look entranced by that thing,¡± Cojisto noted. ¡°It¡¯s not some kind of evil trowel, is it? Demanding your attention with the seductive whispers of dark secrets?¡±


    That snapped me out of my stupor. Blinking a few times, I looked up at Cojisto. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°You know how stupid that sounds, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, but now you¡¯re not staring at it,¡± Cojisto said with a grin. ¡°Which means that if it were an evil trowel, then that would be one point for Cojisto.¡±


    I shook my head at him slowly. Ferrisdae joined us. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, just Cojisto being Cojisto,¡± I sighed. We began walking towards our tent. The center of the settlement was both lively and full. Men were drinking at the prospect of a sudden day off, and a group of them were drunkenly singing catchy carols about witches, wives, and a hard day¡¯s work. The atmosphere was good all around.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably a Stone Scraper,¡± I said, taking my eyes away from the celebration. I lifted the trowel and waved it. ¡°It¡¯s a tool used to dig into solid stone. Only a little bit at a time based on the size, but it has its uses.¡±


    Ferrisdae gave me a strange look. ¡°How do you know?¡± She asked. ¡°Have you come across one of those before? Does your friend or foe aura sight let you see magical auras, too?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t see any aura around it,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°But it¡¯s a magical trowel, you said it had a transmutation aura on it, and a Stone Scraper is the only thing I can think of that hits that description.¡±


    ¡°Huh, okay,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I guess that will come in handy since we¡¯re going to be surrounded by stone in the morning.¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°It will be a great tool indeed, but what of the other items?¡± he asked. ¡°The scroll and the potions.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, I didn¡¯t tell you about those yet, did I?¡± Ferrisdae tapped herself on the forehead. ¡°The scroll is for a spell called Divine Purification, and we have a potion of Healing and a potion of Glow.¡±


    ¡°So we have a scroll that removes poison, curses, and disease, a potion to keep the dying alive, and a potion that makes the skin of whoever drinks it glow like a torch,¡± I listed off. ¡°Three out of four items worth using isn¡¯t bad, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Is the odd one out the potion of Healing since you think we¡¯ll be fine in the dungeon?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°What? No,¡± I scowled. ¡°The potion of Glow. Why would we need to bring attention to ourselves like that? Felder Rockcrusher, the guy who¡¯s in charge of the actual mine, would have put up lanterns for the Humans who have poor night vision to see. That¡¯ll be enough for us.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cojisto said, his voice skeptical. ¡°But if we do need it for whatever reason, I want to be the one to drink it. I shall be a bright star deep underground!¡±


    ¡°You want to shine like a star, Cojisto?¡± Ferrisdae asked with a laugh.


    ¡°Of course! I can¡¯t be afraid to burn brightly if I am trying to become the world¡¯s greatest adventurer, can I?¡± he asked loudly. ¡°What kind of man would I be if I was?¡±


    ¡°A sane one?¡± I offered. ¡°Look, we¡¯re going to have to fight whatever¡¯s in there anyway, glowing or no glowing. I¡¯d rather not give up the tactical advantage of stealth so that you can play at being a firefly.¡±


    Cojisto set a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I am hearing you, Badger,¡± he said. I shrugged him off. He didn¡¯t seem to take any of what I was saying personally. ¡°But I am still offering up my services.¡±


    ¡°Grand,¡± I said dryly.


    We entered our tent to see that most of the people had cleared out. A few men happened to be sleeping already, while a group of three played some kind of card game using a bed as a table. Each of them had yellow auras, and didn¡¯t give Cojisto or I a second look. Their gaze lingered on Ferrisdae, but one of the men took the opportunity to switch out a card, and another caught them in the corner of their vision. A hushed argument ensued.


    Cojisto took one of the beds closest to Ferrisdae¡¯s curtain, but I hesitated to take the other. Instead, I tapped the Elf on the arm before she could enter her private room. She stopped and looked at me. ¡°Did you want me to take care of that?¡± I asked, gesturing towards her hair.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Ferrisdae looked down at me blankly for a moment, but a sunny grin erupted onto her face. ¡°Sure, Badger,¡± she said. ¡°Please, for the second time, grace my chambers with thy presence.¡± With a big, sweeping gesture, Ferrisdae moved the curtain aside and motioned for me to enter.


    Instead, I just stared at her with a disapproving look.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not going to change,¡± she said. ¡°So you might as well accept it. This is just how your apprentice is.¡±


    ¡°This is just how my apprentice is,¡± I repeated sullenly under my breath. Then I sighed, kicked off my shoes, and entered her room. ¡°I figured we could¡­ chat, while I took care of your hair.¡±


    ¡°A chat?¡± Ferrisdae said, as if she were scandalized. ¡°Why, the people would just talk and talk if they knew you wanted a chat, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±


    I leveled a look at her. ¡°Okay, yes, your antics are probably amusing to someone,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m not the right audience and I¡¯m going to need you to tone it down a bit. Got it?¡±


    Ferrisdae laughed, but nodded. ¡°Sure, I can do that,¡± she said, taking a seat on the bed. She started to run her fingers through her hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that,¡± I said. ¡°We don¡¯t want it to get too untangled. We don¡¯t have anything to tie it with.¡±


    I got onto the bed behind her, and started feeling through her hair. It was thick and soft, and for a moment I felt very jealous of Elves. Just for a moment, though.


    ¡°While I¡¯m working, why don¡¯t you tell me how the maps worked?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they varied,¡± Ferrisdae answered. She tried to look back at me, but I pushed her head straight. ¡°The map you called poor stopped working as soon as I was out of the tent and didn¡¯t come back until you approached us. The middling map worked better, for about twice the distance.¡±


    ¡°Would you say that as soon as I left the radius where other dots would pop up, that¡¯s when they turned off?¡± I asked. Running my fingers through her hair, I decided to go with a Halfling-style crown braid.


    ¡°Accurate,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°The detailed map worked throughout the whole settlement, but stopped working if we stepped too far away from the walls. I¡¯d say about fifty feet or so. It¡¯s only good near and within the walls.¡±


    ¡°That bodes well for the dungeon map we¡¯ll get tomorrow, then,¡± I said. My hands got to work, parting her hair before grabbing three segments to begin braiding. ¡°Did you get a chance to talk to Carr about equipment?¡±


    ¡°Some, I told him that the most important thing we needed was chalk, and he said it wouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°But then he asked me what I thought about the obelisk. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was studying the crystal.¡±


    I grunted. ¡°Sure, as long as we have the equipment that Cojisto and Moose somehow got today, all we¡¯d need is the stuff to draw the ritual circles. So that works,¡± I told her.


    As I braided, I loosened some slightly. Her hair was long enough to reach the small of her back, and I would definitely need to continue braiding even after the crown was complete.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, so I didn¡¯t want to go and bother him again,¡± Ferrisdae said. Her head moved just a little bit in a nod, but she stopped herself before getting too far.


    ¡°And now that business is out of the way,¡± I said slowly before hesitating. This wasn¡¯t something I was good at. ¡°How¡­ are you feeling? After the scene outside, I mean.¡±


    Ferrisdae exhaled loudly. I continued to braid as she collected her thoughts. ¡°I know that it wasn¡¯t our fault that we weren¡¯t here for Razorbeak¡¯s attack,¡± she said. ¡°And I know that we wouldn¡¯t have made it in time unless we left Ori¡¯s dungeon immediately. But then we¡¯d get lost because we didn¡¯t know the way until I asked Hellisby about it.¡±


    ¡°But your logical side isn¡¯t helping to calm your heart, is it,¡± I guessed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°I keep thinking that we could have gotten that information before we left the mage¡¯s tower, and then if I wasn¡¯t so worried to send Cojisto and Moose after the mages, then we wouldn¡¯t have had to go back to Crystal Snows. And that means it was my fault that we weren¡¯t there for the attack.¡±


    I stopped braiding for a moment, and stared at the back of Ferrisdae¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re hiding it well,¡± I finally said, resuming wrangling her unruly hair. It was as if it had begun fighting back now, like how she was always pushing it out of her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a skill some people pick up really easily,¡± she said softly.


    Sighing, I stopped braiding enough to set what I hoped was a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°You are not to blame for this, but it¡¯s okay to grieve,¡± I said. ¡°No matter when we would have arrived, the window for us getting there and going into this first wagon was, what? Ten minutes at most? The odds of us arriving at the right time were not in our favor.¡±


    ¡°But we still could have,¡± Ferrisdae muttered.


    ¡°Or, we could have arrived without Cojisto and Moose, gone through the dungeon without the equipment they found, thus putting you in Carr¡¯s debt, and then left it to find that Razorbeak attacked the mages when we finished up here,¡± I pitched. Standing on the bed, I moved around so I could begin braiding on the other side of her head. Her eyes were red, but she was holding it in. ¡°It¡¯s tragic, yes, but you are not to blame.¡±


    ¡°But I''m supposed to be better than this," she protested. "I have to live up to expectations."


    ¡°You''re only as good as you are, Ferrisdae,¡± I said. ¡°Sod the expectations, the people who place high expectations are the same ones who are never satisfied. They''ll cloud your judgment. What we need to do now is forge our path forward so that it doesn¡¯t happen again. Instead of saying, ¡®I am to blame for this,¡¯ instead say, ¡®I will make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡¯ You are not to blame, got it?¡±


    "Yeah, I got it," she muttered quietly.


    It wasn''t convincing, but I''d take it. I was more worried about this next topic. "And what about¡­ the Celestial Enchantress stuff?"


    Ferrisdae seemed to shrink into herself. "You don''t want to hear about that," she whispered.


    "No, I wish that it never happened," I said. "But it did, and you''ve had a hell of a day with ups, downs, and a lot of pretending. I''m not going to force you to talk about it if you don''t want to, but I am genuinely concerned."


    Ferrisdae closed her eyes. Silence followed, and I kept braiding. She would either tell me or she wouldn''t. I didn''t have to wait long.


    "I don''t feel like myself," she said, her voice strained.


    I nodded. "From what I understand, a sorceress has a deep connection with the magic inside them. It''s that right?"


    "I always imagined it like another me, like how I wanted a sister growing up." Ferrisdae sniffed loudly. "Because that''s what it feels like. It feels like another person, a whole other being. When I want to cast spells, I just have to ask and they''ll support me no matter what I have to do, so long as they have the energy."


    "But now it''s like they''re gone and replaced by someone else?" I asked.


    "No, it''s worse than that," Ferrisdae said, choking back a sob. "I know it''s the same person, but it''s like they grew without me. I stayed by myself, but they went out and explored the world. I offered to cast Clean for you today, but aside from looking at the flow of magic I haven''t tapped into the well to cast anything at all since it happened."


    I continued to braid, not saying anything, and she continued. "It already feels foreign just sitting there, I don''t feel close to it anymore. What if I ask it for magic and it refuses?" Ferrisdae tried to lower her head, but I stopped her. "This probably doesn''t mean anything to you, it probably sounds stupid."


    "I don''t think it''s possible for you to be stupid, Ferrisdae," I chided gently. "And you are explaining it well. I¡­" Know exactly what you''re talking about.


    Ferrisdae sniffed again. "Badger?" She asked as I slipped behind her.


    "I knew a paladin," I started, speaking slowly. "He was a paladin of justice, of Tegril. Had been for many years, and used those powers to defend his people. He did so with the god''s blessings, and his adoration for the justice Tegril stood for knew no bounds. The long and short of it is that he protected his people until they no longer needed his protection. But then he had another problem, Tegril wanted him to go around the world as an emissary of justice, a high honor, but he wouldn''t leave his home."


    Ferrisdae still sniffed every few seconds, but I could tell I had her rapt attention. "Tegril was fine with this, of course. He¡¯s a just god, and only pushed when necessary. No, the problem was that the paladin fell in love. It was a problem because he never thought this could be an outcome, and gave a vow of chastity when he entered Tegril''s service. He broke away from the church to be with his love."


    I took a deep breath, glad that Ferrisdae couldn''t see the emotion on my face. "He said that losing that connection was one of the hardest things in his life. That the warmth of divinity had been with him for so long that the empty chasm where it had been in his soul was crushing."


    I finally made it back around, and I could see the tears running down her face. "So I understand what you mean when you say it''s different, Ferry, I know that it''s difficult. It may not be the same, but I know enough to empathize," I said. "But just like¡­ he had a big change, he had people to rely on. You do, too. If you don''t want to or can''t cast spells for a while, that''s fine. I''ll be there for you. Or Moose will, or Cojisto, I guess. But you''re still going to be Ferrisdae, even if it feels like you''re not."


    Ferrisdae sat still as she stared off into the tent''s walls. It took her a long moment before she spoke again. ¡°Badger?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I am Badger.¡± Using her hair, I dabbed at her tears and resumed braiding. I sped up here, braiding her hair across her hairline and merging it with the loosened braids I had started with.


    ¡°Did you just call me Ferry?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Ferrisdae,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make my apprentice feel better. Not doing a very good job, probably, because I''m bad at these feelings things, but I am trying.¡±


    Ferrisdae reached out and wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said again, awkwardly patting her on the head. ¡°The only thing you''re guilty of is being a bratty teenager who annoys me. Don''t worry, I can deal with that. Instead, worry about how badly I¡¯ll mess up your hair if you keep hugging me-EH.¡± Ferrisdae squeezed me tightly for a moment before letting go, and I braided the rest of her hair in silence.

 Chapter 35 - Punch

    "He really does sleep like a rock, doesn''t he?"


    "It''s so out of character, right!? I mean, he''s so vigilant and acts so worldly and then he''s like this in the mornings!"


    "I could just sling him over my shoulder and throw him on Moose."


    I rolled over in the bed, grumbling through my mind''s morning fog, and put the lumpy pillow over my head. My sleep had been fleeting and sporadic. With the terrible mattress, the carousing of the drunks outside, and the hundreds of thoughts flowing through my head, it was a miracle I slept at all.


    "That probably isn''t a good idea, Coji, but I love the enthusiasm."


    "I''m awake," I claimed, my voice doing little to be convincing other than existing.


    I felt someone sit on my bed, and I moved the pillow. Cojisto sat down, offering me a bowl. Peeking inside, it looked like oatmeal.


    Slowly, I worked to sit up. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and took the bowl. It smelled bland, but after dinner last night I wasn''t surprised. "Off my bed," I told Cojisto, and the man stood up.


    "I already spoke to Gar, and I picked up your hammer pick weapon," Ferrisdae said from my side.


    "Horseman¡¯s pick," I corrected, swallowing my first bite. I made a face. Oakley was not a great cook, and I wondered if he knew what spices were. "It''s used primarily by cavalry to pull opposing riders off of their horses by piercing the armor and flesh. The hammer side is for when you don''t want to lose your weapon in the process."


    "I picked up your horseman''s pick, then," Ferrisdae corrected, giving me sass. "I also told him that we got a shield for you, so we paid him in coins. He was disappointed that we may be leaving before dealing with the chicken¡­"


    "And he''s not the only one," Cojisto lamented.


    "... but he understands," Ferrisdae finished. "Wishes us the best of luck out there."


    "Gar seems like a decent fellow," I said. "How long have you been up? You always seem to have gotten things done by the time you''ve tried waking me up."


    "About three hours now. I''m a naturally early riser," Ferrisdae said. "And watching the stars fade away as the sun rises helps quell the rampant magical energies in my soul."


    "Wow," Cojisto said. "I had no idea that sorcerers and sorceresses had problems like that. Magic sure is something."


    "Oh, it''s something, alright," I said, shaking my head. "Don''t you trick Cojisto like that."


    "Sorry, Cojisto," Ferrisdae said with a grin. She did not sound sorry. "No, it''s just something I like to do in the morning. It grounds me. Sets me up for success."


    Cojisto nodded in understanding. "I have morning rituals, too. Moose helps."


    Despite the taste, the oatmeal disappeared quickly. Now that I was awake I wanted to get moving as quickly as possible. I removed the thick wool blanket, the only part of the accommodations that was halfway decent, and swung my legs over the side to jump down.


    ¡°What, do you two do moose calls at the rising sun?¡± I asked sarcastically.


    ¡°No, but maybe we should start,¡± Cojisto said, considering it. I hated that he was considering it. ¡°Perhaps we should change it to making moose calls at the stars, that way we can have a ritual of messing with Ferry.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Ferrisdae protested, punching Cojisto on the arm.


    An action that made him look at Ferrisdae like she was crazy. ¡°Ferry, what in the world was that?" he asked incredulously.


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes went wide at Cojisto''s tone. "A¡­ punch?" She responded meekly. I narrowed my eyes at Cojisto. My apprentice did not need any trouble right now.


    "That was a punch? Ferrisdae, don''t kid about such things," Cojisto said. My apprentice''s expression went from meek to confused. "Who taught you how to throw a punch?"


    Ferrisdae looked down at me. "Badger did?" Cojisto yelled, obviously scandalized. He put his hands on his hips and locked eyes with me. "I thought you of all people would be able to throw a proper punch. What are you teaching Ferry, eh?"


    "Cojisto, what the hell?" I asked, scowling and rubbing my temples. It was way too early for this.


    "No one taught me how to throw a punch, Cojisto," Ferrisdae said. "I''ve never had a need for it, I can cast magic."


    "Never needed to learn to punch?" Cojisto asked, putting his hands on his head.


    "Stop being so daft," I said, crossing my arms.


    Cojisto ignored me and held out his hand. "Ferry, hold out a fist like you were going to punch me."


    Slowly, Ferrisdae did as she was told. I immediately picked up on what Cojisto was going on about. He took her fist in both hands. "No, no," he said as he gently pulled her fingers apart. "Thumb on the inside? You''re going to break about every bone in your hand that way."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I''m not planning on punching anyone, Cojisto," Ferrisdae said. She didn''t pull her hand away, though, even as it was manhandled.


    "You never know!" Cojisto said perhaps a little too loudly. "The monks at the monastery I went to before realizing I wasn''t cut out for it always said, ''the first step to harmony is knowing one''s body. Peace with the mind and soul come naturally after that.'' Or something, I wasn''t paying a lot of attention. But Badger, back me up?"


    "Are you trying to say that knowing your body will allow you to harmonize the physical, mental, and spiritual?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Exactly!" he exclaimed. He was apparently done flexing Ferrisdae¡¯s fingers, because he let go to start throwing punches at the air. "Okay, so with your fist like that, throw a punch and really put your body into it, like this. Oh, don''t forget to plant your feet. Punching requires a solid base."


    Ferrisdae watched Cojisto¡¯s slow motion punch and took a similar stance, trying to mimic him. "Like¡­ like this?" she asked, getting close but not quite there.


    "Almost, twist your hips more, really put some oomph in it. No, not that much, you don''t want to throw yourself off balance. Yeah, that''s better. And move your shoulders like this."


    As I watched this man-child teach Ferrisdae how to throw a punch, I frowned. Not because of the activity, that was practical knowledge that everybody could use, but because I didn''t expect the guy trying to wrestle a giant chicken to have this level of emotional awareness.


    Exercise was good for the mind. He was going about it in a really roundabout way, but it could help Ferrisdae find the balance she always effortlessly had before. He had also picked up on something back during our meeting outside the gate, too.


    But I didn''t want to think about that. Something else popped into my head. "Your morning ritual is just exercise, isn¡¯t it?"


    Cojisto stopped punching the air to give me a thumbs up. "You got it, Badger. Exercise with Moose, then a dip to clean off. Nothing quite beats it so early," he claimed.


    "Ferrisdae, maybe you should join Cojisto and Moose," I said, looking towards her. She was holding her body at a weird angle, like she was still mid-punch. "It may do you some good."


    "Oh, umm, I guess I could give it a try," Ferrisdae said. She stood up straight and looked at Cojisto. "If that''s okay?"


    "Of course it is!" Cojisto exclaimed. "The more the merrier, and we can teach you proper form and everything. Badger, would you like to join, too?"


    "I have my own morning rituals, so I''ll decline your generous offer," I lied. Cojisto was about to call me out on it when I continued. "But I would like to hear more about how you wear yourself out the morning you''re supposed to go to a dungeon. Please, tell me about that."


    Cojisto stared down at me for a few moments before giving me two thumbs up. "You have your own rituals. I hear you, Badger," he said. Then he started backing away from us. "I''m going to go and get Moose and we''ll meet you two by the gate, yes? Yes. Okay! See you soon."


    We watched Cojisto leave, and I sighed. "Must be nice, being carefree and dumb," I muttered. The Human had left the bag of gear next to his bed. I grabbed it.


    "I don''t think he''s that bad," Ferrisdae said. She started heading towards the door, hand still held in a fist, and I followed. "He has his heart in the right place, and doesn''t dwell on things he can''t change. Cojisto¡¯s like a big, muscular puppy. I kind of envy his attitude towards life."


    "They do say ignorance is bliss," I told Ferrisdae. "I can''t see that, but I won''t burst your bubble."


    ******


    Ferrisdae and I waited by the gate in awkward silence. Even young Jesuf felt the strange atmosphere, barely saying anything after his initial greeting. Now he just looked at us when he thought we weren''t paying attention. I wasn''t quite sure what to say after last night, so I just waited.


    "Look at who we found!"


    We turned to see Cojisto and Moose heading our way with Felder Rockcrusher in tow. The stocky Dwarf was wearing plainclothes today, not the heavy cloth he would in the mines to protect his skin. He also had a few gems tied into his beard that weren''t there before.


    "G''morning, inspectors," Felder called, raising a hand in greeting as they approached. He carried a thick, rolled up scroll with him in his other hand. "Are you all ready to head to the mine?"


    "We are," I confirmed. "Please, lead the way to the mine."


    "Right to it, then? Come along," Felder said and led the way.


    We left the camp and followed the well traveled road eastward. It was a beautiful day out. The sun was out in full force, its heat contrasting nicely against the cool breeze. Not a single cloud marred the sky. Behind us, Moose croaked.


    "Yes, I''ll ask," Cojisto said. "Badger and Ferry, Moose suggests that we ask Felder here about any more information on the enemies."


    Felder slowed down to give Cojisto a strange look. "Please don''t ask about Moose," I told him. "You''ll get Cojisto started and that''s not somewhere any of us want to go."


    "It''s where I want to go," Cojisto said. "I can and would talk at length about the majesty of Moose and other moose."


    Sighing, I shook my head. Moose did bring up a good topic, though. ¡°Do you know how many denizens there are in there?¡± I asked Felder.


    ¡°Denizens?¡± Felder asked, sounding confused. He shook his head before I had a chance to explain it. ¡°Right, right, I know what that means. Sorry. But there should be somewhere between seven and fifteen of them. We aren¡¯t really fighters, and it was a miracle that we made it through with only being injured.¡±


    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other. That wasn¡¯t what I was expecting, and I could tell that she was thinking the same. ¡°By we, do you mean the miners?¡± I asked. ¡°Did the miners clear this out instead of some adventuring party?¡±


    ¡°Mostly miners,¡± Felder said with a nod. ¡°Me and a few of the boys tried our hands at adventuring in our youth, so we picked up some weapons and armor and trudged through. Mizzorie did most of the work, though."


    "Mizzorie?" I asked. The name was familiar, I had heard it before. Or seen it.


    Ferrisdae remembered first. "Isn''t that Mr. Carr''s maid?" she asked. She was right. My original map had her listed as the only other person in the nobleman''s house. Maid Mizzorie, it had said.


    "That''s right," Felder said with a nod. "She used to be an adventurer in her youth. A damn good fighter, from what I hear. She''s sworn herself to the Carr family for reasons I''m not entirely clear on, but she did most of the work while we took on the rabble."


    "Perhaps we should head back and ask her what she remembers, Badger?" Ferrisdae asked, looking down at me. "It would take less than an hour, and we can get a better picture."


    I thought about it. On one hand, more information was always good. That made everything safer, and with a loose cannon and his healing animal friend tagging along, safer was something I wanted.


    On the other hand, we were already on the road. Cojisto and Moose had already fought other pseudo-dungeons and came out fine. What had Himia said? That this first one would be easy? Really, I just wanted to get this over with. Spending a day in this place was already too much.


    "She doesn''t generally like to be seen by people," Felder said. "But I''m sure she''d make an exception for you two, inspector."


    ¡°No,¡± I said definitively after giving it some thought. ¡°At this point, it would likely just be a waste of time and I don¡¯t want to make this take longer than it needs to.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, suit yourself, then,¡± Felder said as he continued leading us to the mine.

 Chapter 36 - Avian

    Cojisto and Moose continued conversing as we walked, with Felder giving Ferrisdae and I questioning glances while they did. We could only shrug helplessly; just like him, we only understood Cojisto¡¯s side. After an excruciating ten minutes, we arrived at a large crag.


    The trees around the rocky outcrop had been cut down, leaving stumps and fresh dirt from where stumps had already been dug out. A building with a big opening had been constructed against the side of the crag, and I could see the hole leading downwards into the ground.


    ¡°So this is it, huh?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Aye, this is it,¡± Felder responded. ¡°The tunnels inside are natural, though we had been digging further in and we had to widen some of them to get the obelisk out.¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°That big crystal was huge,¡± he said. ¡°It had to take quite a lot of effort to get out.¡±


    ¡°Took us a few months, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Felder confirmed. He reached out to me with his hand, and tapped me on the shoulder with the map he was holding. ¡°Here.¡±


    I took it from the Dwarf and immediately started to unfurl it. Honestly, my hopes were not high. After seeing the state of Oristrella¡¯s dungeon and hearing about Cojisto¡¯s random disappearing dungeons, my expectations had bottomed out.


    ¡°Is this map current?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mostly,¡± Felder said. ¡°The only thing it doesn¡¯t show is the wider tunnels we used to get the obelisk out, but there should be an X marking where we found it, and we just took the route out with the shortest distance for obvious reasons.¡±


    Ferrisdae moved behind me and looked at the map as I opened it completely, and then turned it right side up. ¡°Well that¡¯s not too bad,¡± she said, to which I nodded.


    The mine only had one entrance coming from the east, but it split into three paths almost immediately. The first tunnel led north into a room that had little tables drawn in it. This part of the cave was labeled the ¡°Sorting Room.¡± The two others led deeper into the mine, with the second tunnel also doubling back to the sorting room.


    ¡°Your cartographer does passable work,¡± I told Felder honestly. Ferrisdae tapped my shoulder and pointed to the mine¡¯s entrance on the map. Four green dots and a single white one. Nodding, I folded the map and put it under my arm. ¡°Cojisto, my shield and weapon, please.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, buddy,¡± Cojisto said with a grin. Moose snorted, and he walked back his words. ¡°Sure thing, Badger. That¡¯s what I meant. Sure thing, Badger.¡±


    I sighed and turned to Felder. ¡°Thank you for leading us here,¡± I said.


    ¡°Just doing my job, inspector,¡± Felder said with a nod. ¡°But I appreciate the appreciation.¡±


    "Yes, yes, thank you very much, Felder," Cojisto said, his tone indicating that what he really wanted to do was rush headlong into things. "Shall we go inside now?"


    He began bouncing again after offering me the shield and horseman''s pick, and I handed the map to Ferrisdae to hold so I could take them. The pick was plain, but well made. That was perfect; it would do its job without making me worry. I was surprised to see that the handle was made out of metal instead of wood. Since it was sized for me, I figured Gar decided that a little extra iron spent on it wouldn''t hurt.


    I looked back up at Cojisto. "Take Moose and walk around the perimeter," I told him. "Make sure there''s nothing out there that will run in after us and attack from behind."


    "Will do!" Cojisto obnoxiously exclaimed, causing me to flinch. He was right next to me, why did he feel the need to shout? "Come on, Moose! Let''s take a look around."


    "Be careful!" Ferrisdae shouted after them. She shook her head, sighed, and turned back to Felder. "We''re sorry for our comrade''s lack of decorum, Mr. Rockcrusher."


    Felder just chuckled. "No, I understand the hot-bloodedness of youth," he said. "It''s refreshing, really."


    "We have different words for it, but that''s neither here nor there," I grumbled.


    ¡°Did you want me to stay in case you needed anything else?¡± Felder asked. ¡°Keith said to give you all my undivided attention. Not much else going on today, anyway.¡±


    Just as I was about to speak, something in the mine caught my eye. A glimmer of light in the darkness. "Thank you, Felder," I said, not looking at him. I set the head of my pick on the ground and began strapping on my shield. "Your services and knowledge have been truly helpful, but I must insist that you return to the camp."


    A brown- and white-feathered Avian emerged from the mouth of the mine. It wore brown studded leather armor, and its bushy eyebrows made it look perpetually confused. In its arms was a loaded crossbow, but it was currently being pointed towards the ground. A red aura surrounded them, just like the moose.


    "Aye, inspector," Felder muttered, catching sight of the Avian. He backed up out of my view. "I think I''ll head back immediately. Best of luck to you both." I heard him take a few more steps, then begin to run.


    The Avian lifted its crossbow and took aim for the fleeing Dwarf. Its weapon flashed red. "Martial art!" I called out. I raised my shield, which wasn''t very far considering it was oversized for me, and provided Felder cover.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    A crossbow bolt landed heavily against the wood, followed by another, then another, and then one more. Each bolt struck the last, and the wood splintered under the onslaught. By the time the art, some kind of ammunition replication by the looks of it, was over, I had a bolt halfway through my shield.


    Ferrisdae raised her hands to cast a spell, the map crumpling in her grip, but I stepped forward. "Stop, Ferrisdae," I said. The Avian started cranking the crossbow back to a readied position.


    "He just tried to kill Felder!" Ferrisdae shouted in outrage.


    "And failed, so we know that they''re terrible at their job," I responded. Standing in front of Ferrisdae, I rested the edge of the shield on the ground. When I addressed the Avian, I raised my voice to do it.


    "I am Dungeon Inspector Badger, and this is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae," I yelled to the Avian. "Do you know why we''re here?"


    "Yeah. I know who ya is, ya damn speck," the bird-man yelled. His voice was masculine, but young.


    His choice of words caused me to frown, and I heard Ferrisdae sharply inhale behind me. Speck was a commonly used derogatory name for those with smaller ancestries, like Halflings and Gnomes. It wasn''t the worst thing that you could call us, but it was meant to be offensive.


    "Then I''ll ask you to yield under code 17 dash 12 of the Subjugation Act," I yelled back. "You or anyone inside may choose to leave the dungeon before we destroy it, no matter how you decide you want to address us."


    The Avian barked a laugh. "Himia told us you were coming," he said. That surprised me. Himia was talking to these people? "That we''s just fodder to feed you all before you move on to harder challenges. We''ll ya know what? Fuck ya both. You, the Elf, the idiot with the dumbass animal. Fuck ya all. We''re gonna show ya all that we ain''t to be trifled with."


    "Hey!" Ferrisdae shouted. "You can''t talk to us like that!"


    "Fuck you, ya pointy eared whore. I''ll talk like this to whoever I want" the Avian shouted back. I picked up and slammed my pick into the ground, but the bird-man just looked at me in amusement. "We''re declining yer invitation to fuck off, and kindly telling ya all to do so instead. We''re ready for you, but I ain''t thinking you''re ready for us."


    Cackling, the Avian finished loading his crossbow and began backing into the mine. "So come and get us, ya filthy bitches!"


    We watched as the Avian disappeared into the darkness. As soon as he was out of sight, I hissed at Ferrisdae and dropped my pick. "The map, now!"


    I could feel the anger in her footfalls, practically stomping at this point, and she held the already unfurled map out in front of me. It shifted as I took hold of it, whatever magic this Dungeon Inspector class gave me caused it to come alive.


    The red dot indicating the retreating enemy took a left at the three tunnels inside, heading north into the sorting room. It disappeared after that. I had a feeling that was by design and not just that the Avian went out of range. It felt like having more information than that would be considered cheating.


    Two green dots appeared from around the rocky outcrop, and we turned to see Cojisto and Moose running into sight.


    "Moose heard shouting!" Cojisto yelled. He skidded to a stop in front of us, not even a little out of breath, and Moose stopped behind him. Both were looking around frantically. "Did you already take some of them out?"


    "No, Cojisto," Ferrisdae said with a shake of her head. "One of them came out, was incredibly rude, and left after we made contact."


    "Which was the important part," I told him. "Without a Dungeon Doorknocker, getting their attention would have been hard, and we have to give them the option to surrender first for the rules to be followed."


    Leaning down, Cojisto tapped the bolt that was still in my shield. "Looks like they were incredibly rude," he noted.


    "He attacked Felder," Ferrisdae said angrily. "If Badger didn''t have that shield, he would probably be dead right now."


    "Is that so?" Cojisto asked smugly. "Having a couple adventurers on the team sure did come in handy, didn''t it?" He raised his fist in front of Moose, who bumped into it with his snout.


    "Sure," I said sourly. "Thank you for finding it, Moose and Cojisto."


    "It is no problem, friend!" Cojisto said loudly, clasping his hand on my shoulder with an unnecessary amount of force. "This is what adventurers do for one another."


    I nodded, but didn''t linger on the topic. "Equipment check, then we''re going in," I told them. All three of them stared at me.


    Moose croaked, and Cojisto spoke. "Moose thinks you''re the only one with gear right now, Badger."


    With a sigh, I put my face in my hand and sighed. "Yes," I grunted. "Thank you for the insight, Moose. Thank you very much. Let¡¯s get going."


    Cojisto was the first to approach the mouth of the mine, followed by Moose. Ferrisdae began moving, but I held up my hand. "It''s probably too late to say this, but don''t feel obligated to take any lives in there if you''re not comfortable," I said. "Cojisto, Moose, and I can handle that part."


    Moose stopped and looked back at us. I waved him off, and he nodded before plodding after Cojisto. It still felt weird interacting with an animal like it was a person.


    Ferrisdae pursed her lips. "I knew what I was signing up for, Badger," she said.


    ¡°I know, but yesterday was hard for all of us,¡± I said, then I shook my head. ¡°Okay, just hard for you and I because who knows what those two are thinking, but for you especially.¡±


    Her posture changed to something more defensive. "I don''t appreciate the implication that you don''t think I''m prepared for this. This is my job, same as it is yours. I¡¯m going to see it through even if there¡¯s some maniacal overlord deciding to mess around in things they shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m fine."


    There was a lot I wanted to say, but I swallowed it down. Now wasn''t the time and I mentally chastised myself for waiting. "Okay, I believe you," I said. She looked surprised. "But be careful anyway. The first subjugation is always the hardest."


    That wasn''t strictly true; we both knew that it wasn''t, but I wasn''t about to start listing examples. I handed Ferrisdae the map and picked up my weapon just as Cojisto jogged back to us.


    "Are we ready?" he asked, bouncing from foot to foot like he was in a fight. Every time he flexed his hands, the purple light of his arcane force flashed. It seemed brighter than before, but I wasn''t sure if that was just my imagination.


    "We''re coming," Ferrisdae said. She tapped Cojisto on the arm as she passed him by. Another flash of purple erupted almost immediately after she touched him. "By the way, what are you calling that?"


    "Moose suggested Fluid Force, which seemed as good a name as any," Cojisto responded. We followed Ferrisdae to where Moose was standing guard.


    "The name is fine. Good job, Moose," I said, peering in to the tunnel. It sloped downwards gently, and torches were lit every ten feet. No smoke was escaping from the tunnel, so I assumed they were magical. That was good because there wouldn''t be a good way for the Avians to put them out.


    ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s do this.¡±

 Chapter 37 - Skirmish

    "What''s our marching order?" Cojisto suddenly asked, still bouncing. "I''m fine with going first, but I''ll defer to you, Badger."


    "Myself as the vanguard, you, Ferrisdae, then Moose bringing up the rear," I said. This would be the safest way to travel, with our spellcaster covered by two people in front and a literal moose behind. "We''ll follow the left-hand rule at the beginning, and then snake around to take out the rooms on our way to the dungeon''s boss room. Ferrisdae, did you get chalk for the ritual sigils?"


    Ferrisdae nodded. "It''s in the bag."


    "Good," I said, then I looked at Cojisto and Moose. "There''s only about six actual rooms according to the map, and generally we can skip hallways. After every combat or trap, I''ll be drawing a sigil to keep the dungeon''s magic contained. This will allow the dungeon to break down instead of perpetuating itself."


    Moose croaked, and Cojisto nodded. "You don''t need to explain yourself to us," he said. "But we appreciate you keeping us in the know. Really makes us feel like we''re part of the team, you know?"


    "I just don''t want you bouncing and distracting me with your impatience, Cojisto," I said with a scowl. Despite that, the Human still gave me a grin and a thumbs up. "Everyone ready?"


    "Absolutely."


    "Yes, sir."


    Moose stamped the ground.


    "That means yes," Cojisto translated.


    With one last nod to the team, I started heading down the tunnel with everyone falling in line behind me. A part of me was surprised that Cojisto didn''t argue about going second, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. He was apparently quite used to joining random adventuring parties; he had to get used to fitting into those group''s existing tactics.


    I snapped back to the task at hand as I felt that familiar dread send a chill down my spine. Surprisingly, the dungeon didn''t start at the entrance, but halfway down its first tunnel. Slowing my pace, I looked around. The stone floor was smooth, with wide grooves worn in from where the workers came in and out. Shadows danced as the magical lights flickered like the fires they emulated.


    We came to the first three way split at the third torch. The middle path forward was the widest of them although that wasn''t shown on the map. Based on Felder''s words, that would have been the fastest way to the obelisk''s original position.


    Glancing around, I saw no sign of movement in any of the tunnels. I sidled to the corner we needed to turn first. Pausing, I looked back at Moose. "Keep an eye on these two paths," I whispered. The moose nodded. Between us, Cojisto looked more excited than I had ever seen him before while Ferrisdae just looked determined.


    Peering around the corner, I tried to find any sign of the Avian before rock and dust flew into my eyes. A crossbow bolt had struck the wall inches in front of me, blinding me with the shrapnel.


    I rubbed at my eyes as a shout came from the sorting room. "Fire at will!"


    A familiar sounding whistled through the air towards us. "Fireball!" I yelled. My eyes weren''t clear yet, but I raised my shield regardless.


    Fireball was a common spell for mid-level mages. It shot an ever growing ball of compressed fire that exploded on command. A standard Fireball would erupt in a wave of superheated air, causing damage without setting anything on fire, but there were variants that did just that. I hoped it wasn''t one of those.


    Even though I was blinded, my experience and instincts served me right. I shifted my shield back towards the center of the junction, and it took the brunt of the explosion as heat washed over me.


    Before I had a chance to cool down, another warmth spread through my body. This one was pleasant instead of agonizing, and I felt the dust in my eyes push its way out. Moose must have cast his cleansing power on me.


    I took stock of my team. Ferrisdae and Moose had been outside of the blast zone, and Cojisto only looked a little singed. He was breathing heavily, though, and I saw the fading light of his Fluid Force dim to nothing. He must have used it to protect himself.


    "Follow after they shoot," I told him. He nodded to show that he understood.


    I sprung into action. Leaving the cover of the corner, I ran down the tunnel while hugging the wall and holding my shield in front of me. Four bolts slammed into my shield, but I continued moving forward.


    A glowing bolt slammed into the wall next to my shield and ricocheted towards me, barely grazing my shoulder. Another martial art. If I had been taller, that would have embedded itself instead of just grazing me.


    Gritting my teeth through the pain, I took in the scene in front of me. Three heavy looking tables were laid down and waiting for us. I counted three Avians reloading crossbows from behind cover, and one holding an emerald-tipped staff in the back of the room. That was likely who cast the fireball spell, but I knew better than to assume right away; some spellcasters liked to blend in with other units. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    I made it to the tables before they could reload. Swinging the pick over my head, I latched it onto the edge of the table and pulled back. The table was as heavy as it looked, made out of some metal, but came tumbling towards me regardless.


    The Avian in front of me looked surprised by how easily I pulled down its barricade, but we were both momentarily distracted.


    Cojisto came barreling down the tunnel, screaming like a madman. He lowered his shoulder and his body flashed as he used a martial art. The Human slammed into the next table over, and it shot back to strike the Avian hiding behind it.


    The table flipped over and continued traveling towards the mage. They had been casting a spell, but screeched as they were forced to dive out of the way.


    "Damn," I heard Cojisto mutter in disappointment before he went after the downed Avian.


    I recovered faster than my foe and stepped on the table to thrust my shield towards them. It connected with their body, though they tried to defend with their weapon, and stumbled backwards. The bolt they were trying to load clattered to the ground.


    The Avian fell to the ground, holding up their crossbow at me. In their panic they hadn''t noticed that their bolt had disengaged. I raised my pick in the air as they pulled the trigger. The limbs of their weapon cracked loudly as it dry fired. They looked at it in surprise just as the blunt end of my horseman''s pick caved their face in.


    Cojisto had made it to the downed Avian and had it grabbed by the leg. Its feathers were covered in blood from where the table had hit them. He may have had one grabbed, but his eyes were on the last standing crossbowman. The grappled Avian''s body flashed.


    "Martial-" I started to call out. It was unnecessary. The martial art wasn''t the Avian''s, it was Cojisto''s. He lifted the bird into the air and slammed it brutally into its standing friend before they could get a shot off.


    Waves of pain suddenly wracked my entire body, but it wasn''t debilitating. I turned to the spellcasting Avian. They had returned to their feet and were pointing their staff at me, a look of satisfaction on their face. It changed to confusion, then horror, as I started taking steps towards them. It felt like my body had fallen asleep, pins and needles poking my muscles, but it wouldn''t bring me down.


    "St-stay away!" The Avian yelled, backing into the wall behind them. They shifted their staff so that it was in both of their hands, like a spear.


    "Should have considered that earlier," I grunted through gritted teeth. They tried to thrust the staff at me, but I knocked it to the side with my shield. It clattered to the ground. I raised my pick and swung with the pointed end.


    A translucent shield protected them as they threw their hands up in panic. A Shield spell, meant to protect them from bodily harm. Not one meant to protect from prolonged onslaughts, a fact I took advantage of.


    I alternated slamming into the Avian with my horseman''s pick and punching them with the edge of my shield. Each hit caused a white light to flash as the Shield spell took the brunt of the damage. On the sixth or seventh hit, my shield broke through. I struck the Avian right in the beak, causing it to slump against the wall. But I had to be sure.


    I raised my pick one more time and brought it down. The spike skewered the Avian''s skull, finishing the job. Planting my foot in its chest, I pulled the pick free and turned to see how Cojisto was doing.


    He stood over the two Avians that he had finished fighting with blood all over his hands. It looked like the lightweight, hollow-boned body of the bird hadn''t made an effective cudgel, forcing him to go in with his fists. Cojisto started falling backwards.


    I rushed behind him and caught him on my shield. I looked around for any threats I hadn''t initially seen, but there were none. Cojisto chuckled. "Oh man, I need to get used to this Fluid Force thing," he said. "My head is pounding."


    "You''re collapsing because you overused a new ability?" I asked, my lips pursed.


    "Yes, but it was damn cool, Badger," he said, holding his thumb up.


    I moved my shield, dumping him unceremoniously onto the ground. "Where''s the bag?" I asked. "I need the chalk."


    "Moose has it," Ferrisdae answered as she and Moose entered the room. I looked up and, sure enough, the brim of the bag had been spread so that it could hang off of Moose''s antlers. He tilted his head and I pulled it down with my pick.


    I set the bag on the ground and was about to start rifling through it when I noticed that the blood on my pick was turning transparent. It was disappearing. The Avian bodies were doing the same; in a matter of seconds, all traces of our enemies were gone aside from a few items that were left in their place. The emerald-tipped staff, a crossbow, and other assorted goods.


    "What the fuck?" I asked. I had to blink a few times before accepting the disappearance of the corpses.


    "Yeah! That''s what happened before!" Cojisto said. "Dead and then just, poof! Gone and there''s stuff there."


    "The DTER is gone, too," Ferrisdae said. I opened my mouth to argue, but clamped it shut a moment later. The room wasn''t nearly as anxiety inducing as it was before. For whatever reason, this room stopped being a part of the dungeon. For whatever reason, impossible things continued to happen.


    "Seven out of ten," I said, staring at the items left behind on the floor. "Cover placement was fine, but would have been better with bows. Faster to fire. And the spellcaster needed a body guard who could do both ranged and melee." I glanced at Ferrisdae.


    She looked down at me and nodded. ¡°Yes, that seems like a good score,¡± she claimed.


    ¡°Nine out of ten,¡± Cojisto added. ¡°It was really cool when the table went flying but the bird person ruined my chance of taking out the mage immediately. Also, Avians make terrible bludgeoning instruments for my martial arts, so let¡¯s make it an eight out of ten.¡±


    Moose croaked, and Cojisto grinned. ¡°This really is a fun game, Moose, you are correct. We should rate dungeons more.¡±


    ¡°No, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not what we¡¯re judging.¡±


    "Ferrisdae, grab the stuff the corpses left behind and identify anything magical," I snorted before I pulled out the chalk. "I''m going to draw the sigils anyway."


    "Yes, sir," she responded, hurrying off.


    "Cojisto-"


    "I''m going to lay here for a bit," Cojisto said, stretching. "And stay out of everyone''s way."


    I nodded. "That''s for the best."

 Chapter 38 - Silver

    "Four out of ten," I spat, staring at the sigil I drew on the floor. With my arms folded and sitting cross-legged on the ground I was fully aware that I looked like a petulant child, but I didn''t care. "Because of whatever bullshit this is."


    Moose snorted behind me. He had been silently watching me draw, unlike Cojisto who kept trying to make small talk. The Arcane Wrestler had eventually made his way to Ferrisdae, leaving me with the animal.


    I don''t know if Moose was trying to say anything in particular, so I decided to explain the magic circle I drew in an attempt to calm my mind. "This sigil is ritual magic that anyone can do, though no one but the Department of Dungeons does so because it destroys what is essentially a gold mine of magic crystals," I explained. ¡°The circle is the best structure for capturing magic, and the lines drawn inside emulate the world¡¯s natural ley lines.¡±


    Inside the circle, surrounded by a multitude of lines, were four symbols. I pointed at them one by one.


    "Dungeon, magic, crystal, growth," I said. "I suppose most people wouldn''t expect that sequence, either. Dungeon at the upper left and magic at the upper right indicate what the sigil will be siphoning from and what it siphons. Magic is just about the only thing that works in a dungeon, but that depends on a lot of things that aren''t pertinent. With me so far?"


    Moose stamped his foot. I was pretty sure Cojisto said that meant yes. "Okay. So at the bottom right is growth," I continued, tapping at the sigil. "That''s how it knows what to do with the magic. It gathers all the magic that was released from our fight that would normally dissipate back into the dungeon, and instead forces it to grow into the last symbol on the bottom left, a magic crystal."


    I swiped at the chalk I had set down in front of me and jabbed at the sigil. "And it''s supposed to work," I said, causing many errant marks. "Which means the Dungeon Master is-"


    Moose grunted.


    I stopped and looked up at him. "Did you just say the last part of his title?" I asked, eyes narrowing.


    We locked eyes and it took a moment, but Moose shook his head. I didn''t believe him.


    "Whatever," I sighed as I stood. "It means he''s doing the impossible. Again. I''m going to have a lot of words for him when we finally meet. Or when I see Himia again, which I feel is a lot more likely."


    Moose snorted again and followed me when I headed into the tunnel we had come from. Ferrisdae had set up there to identify the magic items. Neither of us had a clue what would happen to them if the ritual had worked, so she had left with them. Maybe that had been a bad idea.


    Cojisto ran to Moose as we approached, holding up the crossbow. "Moose! Look at this!" He ran his hand over where the bolt was supposed to lie, his finger glowing with his Fluid Force. The energy didn''t dissolve, but stayed where he drew it. The string of the crossbow also pulled back effortlessly. Pulling his finger away, Cojisto raised the weapon to aim at the ceiling and fired.


    The glowing projectile only made it roughly 10 feet before disappearing, but Cojisto laughed like it was the greatest thing in the world. "Isn''t that just the neatest thing?" he asked Moose, who nodded enthusiastically.


    I stopped next to Ferrisdae, who was holding the emerald-tipped staff. "Did Cojisto get an item made specifically for him?" I asked incredulously.


    Ferrisdae shrugged. "It looks like it, but it can shoot regular bolts, too," she said. Her voice lacked its usual chipper tone. I wasn''t going to push her, though. Not here.


    Cojisto and Moose might be fine with the recreational murder that came with being adventurers, not that I would fault them for that, but if Ferrisdae didn''t sling a single Shooting Star this subjugation run I would not complain. Though, her overall lack of casting any spells was still worrying.


    "What about the staff?" I asked, tapping the wood. It was dark, and had a hollow sound as I flicked it. Very lightweight, I realized. Perfect for a spellcaster.


    "Increases the effect of defensive spells cast through it," Ferrisdae said. She kept spinning the staff between her fingers. "Both power and duration."


    "Hmm, that would explain why the Shield spell the Avian cast was so resilient," I said. Ferrisdae made a small noise of agreement. Reaching up, I knocked my fist on her elbow. "Between that and the crossbow, it seems-"


    I was interrupted by the boundless energy that was Cojisto practically skidding to a stop before me. He stuck his finger in my face. "Corpse, magic, create, item!" He yelled.


    I stared at his finger before pushing it away with my shield. "What are you talking about, Cojisto?" I snapped.


    "Moose said you were talking about the sigil," he explained, drawing a circle in the air with his finger. "Dungeon, magic, growth, crystal, yeah? What if the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, has some sort of magic attached to his dungeons that acts like a sigil, but it''s corpse, magic, create, item?"


    I stared at the grinning Cojisto for a few moments before looking at Moose, who stamped his foot. Lowering my head, I thought it over. If it was like that, or something similar, then that would go a long way towards explaining why the dungeon was fractured the way it was and why the bodies were disappearing on their own.


    "The idea has merit," Ferrisdae said, suddenly perking up at the chance to latch onto something strange. "And if it only uses the corpses, then the people aren''t actually dead. Their soul, for the dungeon''s resurrection, might not belong to this particular dungeon since it''s gone on its own, but instead to the¡­ what should we call it? The layer of dungeon over everything, I mean. The overdungeon?" She looked down at me for confirmation.


    "Sure," I agreed, shrugging. "That''s what we''ll call it. But I don''t like that we aren''t actually shutting this dungeon down if that''s correct. It means that being here is a waste of time."


    "Unless it gets us out of the overdungeon," Ferrisdae pointed out. "We just have to complete the story, right?"


    "Not much of a story," I snorted. "Go to mine, make it safe. End of, hopefully."


    "Unless it''s setting up the other dungeons," Cojisto said. "And they have stories, too."


    I felt a headache begin to form at the thought of doing this three more times. Completing dungeons wasn''t why we were here, it was just a waste of time. "I sincerely hope you''re wrong, Cojisto," I said as I rubbed my temples. He continued grinning.


    "How about we keep moving?" Ferrisdae suggested, noticing my growing ire. "The faster we clear this out, then the faster we''ll find a path that leads to the exit."


    "A fine idea," I said. I retrieved my horseman''s pick and started walking towards the room we just cleared out. There was a path leading deeper into the mine, and we were already committed to the left-hand rule.


    Cojisto hummed as he fiddled with the crossbow''s string behind me, but stopped when I glared back at him. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    We turned into a tunnel just barely wide enough for Moose''s antlers to fit through. This one led south, but turned north after a couple of torches. I stopped underneath one of them and looked at Ferrisdae. "Map?"


    Ferrisdae unfurled the map from around the staff, having placed it there so that it wouldn''t get in her way. When I took the map, it showed our location as the green dots, but the room we just cleared out had a check mark in the center.


    "That''s new," I said, tapping the check mark.


    "I assume it''s because we already cleared it out," Ferrisdae suggested. "But that doesn''t mean that it''ll stay safe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen here,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°What an exciting time, am I right?¡± Cojisto asked.


    My attention turned to Moose as I ignored Cojisto. ¡°Are you still fine being in the back?¡± Moose stamped his foot, and I nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get moving, then.¡±


    The natural caverns of the mines twisted and turned, leading deeper into the ground. The lit sconces continued to light our way, and as we turned a corner we saw two paths, one to the left and one to the right. The path right would have us going back to one of the other two initial tunnels, and we continued to the left.


    After another twenty or so feet we arrived in a large room with several lit torches rising out of the ground. Silver chunks sparkled brilliantly along the walls, and a neatly laid row of pickaxes lined the ground against the far wall. I pursed my lips, but Cojisto didn¡¯t seem to think anything of it.


    ¡°Oh! This is where we¡¯re supposed to use the scrapy stone thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked loudly. ¡°There¡¯s picks, but that magical item would make getting the silver much faster, right?¡±


    ¡°No, this is a trap,¡± I said evenly. ¡°One that the item, which is called a Stone Scraper, not a scrappy stone thing, would probably have parties jumping on.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a trap?¡± Cojisto asked, squinting as he looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary.¡±


    Sighing, I waved my hands to the walls, indicating the chunks of silver. ¡°This is a silver mine, so there should be silver, yes,¡± I started explaining. ¡°But silver isn¡¯t mined in chunks. Silver ore actually contains more copper than it does silver. And, okay, sometimes you might actually find nuggets, but in a quantity like this? Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have someone who knows what they¡¯re doing,¡± Cojisto said with a nod. ¡°I would have jumped in there and started digging, honestly. Well, if it didn¡¯t belong to the camp, you know?¡±


    ¡°So what do you think they are?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Earth elementals, probably,¡± I answered. ¡°They can hide in the walls because it¡¯s made of solid stone, which they can pass through, and they like to collect gems and precious metals to adorn their bodies. So, eight out of ten, but honestly using silver nuggets is pretty lazy. Just let it be how it normally is, this silver wouldn¡¯t belong to adventurers anyway.¡±


    As I said it, the room started changing. I lifted my shield and horseman¡¯s pick as I expected my words to be right and that we would be under attack. The silver chunks did start to move, but not in a way that I expected. They began to spread against the walls as if they were being pulled apart like a piece of bread. I realized that the nuggets were changing into silver veins, which was how they were naturally found. The dungeon was reacting to the words I said.


    ¡°You son of a bitch, are you watching this?¡± Rage filled my voice as I shouted at the ceiling. I threw down my horseman¡¯s pick and unlatched my shield, dropping that too. ¡°Get the fuck down here right now! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Himia or the dungeon guy, we¡¯re having words!¡±


    My shouts echoed through the large room and I waited, eyes darting to every shadow as the torchlight flickered. Nothing happened.


    I threw my arms out to my side. ¡°We can wait for the bad end, if you want!¡± I yelled. I didn¡¯t care if the Avians would hear me. Not anymore. ¡°Just head back to camp, eat and drink and wait it out. We are not here to entertain you, or complete your dungeons, we are here to do our job. Right now, you are obstructing that purpose. Get the fuck down here, NOW!¡±


    I felt Ferrisdae put her hand on my shoulder, and I turned to look at her. Concern was written on her face. Before she had a chance to address things, a voice addressed us from the tunnel behind us.


    ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, has heard your plea, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± it said. We turned around to see Himia in front of a free-standing door. It was open, revealing a forested area on the other side. Ferrisdae¡¯s hand on my shoulder gripped tighter.


    ¡°Oh, so now we¡¯re graced by his presence?¡± I spat at the woman. No, at the Information Elemental. This was no person.


    ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, has been very busy lately, but he now has time for you as per your request,¡± she said in her usual tone. Of course showing visible anger wouldn¡¯t work on her.


    I tried moving towards the door, but Ferrisdae¡¯s grip kept me from moving. Tearing my eyes away from Himia, I looked at her. She looked genuinely terrified at the thought of meeting with the one who changed the core of her magic.


    ¡°Badger,¡± Cojisto said with unusual quietude. ¡°Perchance, could Moose and I continue through the dungeon? It is still the Department of Dungeon¡¯s whole affair here, we know, so perhaps Ferrisdae would like to supervise?¡±


    I turned my gaze to Cojisto. He wasn¡¯t looking at me, but at Ferrisdae. His face was laced with concern, too. ¡°Is that okay, Ferrisdae?¡± I asked, taking her hand from my shoulder and squeezing it. Her knuckles were white. ¡°You don¡¯t have to meet this asshole if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    When she spoke, it was barely a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t want to meet him,¡± she whispered, turning her head so that we couldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it yet.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Ferrisdae,¡± I told her. ¡°You stay with Cojisto and Moose, and I¡¯ll go see him. I have a lot to say, believe you me. You¡¯ll be in good hands with these two.¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded, and I let her hand go. She clutched onto the staff and held it close as if it were a lifeline, and my heart dropped. I looked at Cojisto and mouthed, ¡°nothing happens to her.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me, Himia,¡± I said out loud, walking towards the door. I didn¡¯t bother grabbing my weapons, my sole focus was getting Himia away from Ferrisdae as fast as possible.


    ¡°Of course, inspector, right this way,¡± she said cheerfully, oblivious to the emotions rising in the room. No wonder she called herself artificial; there was nothing sincere about her.


    Without giving her a second glance, I walked through the door. It closed behind me, but I didn¡¯t look to see if it disappeared.


    The scene in front of me was transcendent. High from a mountaintop, I looked down at the world that seemed increasingly smaller as it stretched into the horizon. Swathes of green and blue mingled and consorted with one another in a beautiful display of nature. If it had been under any other circumstances, I would have happily taken in the view. Not now, though. Not today.


    I looked around the clearing I found myself in to see a man in purple and green with a large, matching hat sitting at a table with two chairs and two teacups on it. The man stood up. I blinked a few times, but his face and hands never focused for me, like he was some kind of illusion. His skin was blurry, but Corez¡¯s description had been spot on.


    The man wore a purple coat that reached almost to the ground behind him and had several straps on the arms. It was open, revealing a dark green vest over a black shirt. His pants were black as well, as were the heavy boots he wore. His hat had a wide brim, though I didn''t recognize the style, and was made of the same purple leather as his coat with a green band that matched his vest.


    He looked fucking gaudy as hell.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± he greeted. His voice was full of bravado, but had an almost hidden nervous quality to it. ¡°I have been waiting to meet you ever since you entered Oristrella¡¯s dungeon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Dungeon Master?¡± I asked, approaching him.


    ¡°Why, yes I am,¡± he said.


    ¡°Master of Dungeons?¡±


    ¡°That is who I am,¡± he repeated. ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°So you are the guy?¡± I asked one more time.


    I stopped in front of him and looked up at his face. It was even more unnerving up close, like a mask. Why was he hiding his face? What could he possibly gain from that? He certainly did have the proportions of a Human, though, so Oristrella was right about that one.


    ¡°Er, well, yes?¡± he almost asked, as if uncertain now. ¡°I¡¯m the guy, this is my dungeon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, because I have a lot of things to say to you. But first¡­¡±


    I gave him what I hoped would be a joyful grin, and held out my hand. The Dungeon Master looked at it for a moment, hesitating, before reaching out and taking it. His hand eclipsed mine, and I hated the feeling.


    My hand clamped down on his and I pulled him down towards me. It was easier than I expected; he seemed, physically, very weak. He grunted in surprise as he fell to one knee. That was just to get him on my level.


    With my other hand, I formed a fist. I slammed it into the Dungeon Master¡¯s face, feeling the man¡¯s cartilage shift as I busted his nose.


    ¡°That¡¯s for Ferrisdae, you sick son of a bitch.¡±

 Chapter 39 - The Dungeon Master

    ¡°That¡¯s for Ferrisdae, you sick son of a bitch,¡± I growled as I punched the Dungeon Master square in his out of focus nose.


    Despite my tight grip on his hand, the man slipped free. Oozed free was a better phrase, actually. His body and clothes slipped underground and disappeared, leaving nothing but a few drops of blood on the ground and on my fist. I looked around, trying to find where he had gone or where he would reappear.


    ¡°Ow! I think you boke my nose!¡± came his voice by the table. I spun on my heel, lowering my body into a defensive stance, but he wasn¡¯t attacking. He was just standing there, gingerly poking at his nose while tilting his head back. His voice certainly sounded like it would had I broke his nose. ¡°Dick, at was uncalled for.¡±


    ¡°You know that it wasn¡¯t,¡± I said angrily.


    ¡°Coulda warned me firs,¡± the Dungeon Master protested.


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°The fuck is going on? You¡¯re supposed to be the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, but you¡¯re this fragile? Do you understand what you¡¯ve been doing?¡±


    ¡°Yeh, helpin out your coninen!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting in the way!¡± I roared, approaching him. The Dungeon Master took a few steps back, but I stopped at the table and slammed my hand down on it. ¡°We came up here for a very specific purpose, and that was to take down the Land Pirate Raitheus Razorbeak. Our mission was clear: visit Oristrella and get a boon that will allow us to make it through the Thousand Year Blizzard, then come here to subjugate him.¡±


    ¡°At¡¯s no-¡°


    ¡°And let¡¯s start there, shall we?¡± I spoke over him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking changing Oristrella¡¯s dungeon, but you royally fucked it up. You showed up, offered her a few thousand books, and then put a huge cork in the whole thing. She was expecting adventurers, Dungeon Master, they were supposed to show up and save Princess Koritha. And you seduce the Dragon? What, you¡¯re pretending to be a bard now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re bohf manaphiles so-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to hear it! Adventurers were there, you blurry bastard! And they couldn¡¯t do what they were supposed to because you decided to muck it all up. Do you have any inclination towards decorum? The system is a bit broken but it is in place for a gods damned reason. You didn¡¯t even have to do anything, just wait for the adventurers to be gone and then pop in to claim your Dragon girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s-¡°


    ¡°And disregarding the proper forms!¡± I continued. ¡°Changing dungeon interiors is a HUGE undertaking, and one that¡¯s supposed to be facilitated by the Departments of Dungeons, the DoD! Forms need to be filled out, Inspectors need to be consulted, and yet you just go ahead and make things happy all willy-nilly? Do you understand what kind of chaos that leads to?¡±


    ¡°You really do hae willy-nilly, huh?¡±


    ¡°Willy-nilly is the worst!¡± I shouted, throwing my hands in the air. ¡°And this? Taking over the whole caravan? What¡¯s up with that? Not only are you breaking the rules of dungeons, but also of just regular fucking magic? Why don¡¯t the circles work here? Why did you decide to make dungeons out of thin air and turn corpses into magical items?¡±


    I slammed my hand back on the table, causing the teacups to fall over. ¡°Not only do you take over Raitheus¡¯ dungeon, but you let him roam free! He got out and slaughtered researchers who are just trying to figure out what¡¯s going on inside this blasted blizzard. You have so much control here and yet he¡¯s just wandering around doing his own thing? Their blood is on your hands!¡±


    ¡°I don-¡°


    ¡°And don¡¯t even get me started at Himia,¡± I interjected, pointing towards the Information Elemental who was still standing nearby. She waved. ¡°Are you aware that the sort of magics she used on us are illegal? You must have been, because it¡¯s not only morally wrong but illegal everywhere. Aura reading, sure, that¡¯s fine. Clerics and paladins do it for less than whatever you have going on here, but mind reading? Soul reading? That¡¯s a massive invasion of privacy that would see you set in a prison for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°We had do make su-¡°


    ¡°Had to nothing! And then what you did to Ferrisdae¡­¡± I brought my voice down to a raw, intimidating growl that I was particularly proud of. ¡°Let me make one thing clear, I don¡¯t care what you did to me. Cojisto doesn¡¯t matter, and Moose is a damn moose, but what you did to Ferrisdae was atrocious.¡±


    ¡°I made her s-¡°


    ¡°I swear to Tegril that if you say you made her stronger I will find it in me to smite you right here and now! Himia said the Goddess of Community, Cheroske, was keeping an eye on me. So help me I will leverage that into divine smiting power if you so much as make any sort of excuse for what you did to her.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    My eyes bored into the space where his should be. The blurred face didn¡¯t bother me, now, though that might have had something to do with the anger I was allowing to flow through me. When the Dungeon Master didn¡¯t say anything, I continued.


    ¡°She is a hundred and twenty four years old, eighteen in Human equivalent years, barely a grown woman. And what¡¯s the first thing you do when she gets here? Reach deep inside her and ¡®make her stronger¡¯ like what you did wasn¡¯t an egregious abomination of nature? Cojisto and Moose might be impressed by the powers you somehow gave them, but you just sent that young Elven girl down a path of trauma that will take her years, decades, gods forbid centuries, to get over. Do you still want to say all you did was make her stronger?¡±


    ¡°When you pu-¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± I yelled. It was time to start yelling again, I decided. ¡°You messed with her soul, the very essence of magic power that exists inside of her! What dubious morals must you hold to think that kind of shit¡¯s okay? And Ferrisdae¡¯s the only one I¡¯m emotionally invested in! What about the other people you¡¯ve trapped in this sick dungeon of yours?


    ¡°And you trapped me in here with Cojisto! Have you seen how big of an idiot he is? He just goes on and on about how he wants to fight a giant, thirty foot chicken. Do you know how annoying that is? He¡¯d have died already if it weren¡¯t for the apparently magic moose that decided to follow him around. And the chicken! Why is there a disappearing thirty foot tall chicken in your overdungeon? Why is it terrorizing the encampment, and why are you letting it?¡±


    Before he could attempt to answer again, I started moving around the table to get to him. Spooked, he tried to avoid me by using it as a barrier, knocking down a chair in his hurry. Since the table was going to be an obstacle, I jumped onto it so I could point directly at his face.


    ¡°Forget about Cojisto, I¡¯m going back to the people. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you kidnapped all these people. Did you? Or did you get Razorbeak to do it? They sure as hell don¡¯t belong here, that¡¯s for sure. The people here don¡¯t look like Snow Elves, they look like the kind of people you¡¯d find further south.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯ kidnap anyone!¡±


    ¡°A likely goddamn story. You trapped us in here, didn¡¯t you? Did they get the same power boost that we did? Did you offer it to them? Or did you arbitrarily choose our team because your girlfriend decided to take a liking to my rookie and you wanted to one up her? Not that you succeeded, because you took our gear first chance you got! Here¡¯s some new abilities, also I¡¯m taking all your shit. Give it back, now.¡±


    The Dungeon Master hurriedly snapped his fingers, and my equipment appeared on the table at my feet. I looked down at it suspiciously, then back up to the blurred man in front of me.


    ¡°Please, habe ih,¡± he said, nose still bleeding.


    I raked the items to my side of the table and started to disrobe, using the furniture as cover. Chances are it didn¡¯t matter, but I wanted my old gear on as soon as possible.


    ¡°Looking good, sir,¡± Himia said from across the clearing once my pants were off, giving me a lascivious wink in response to my glare.


    My eyes snapped back to the Dungeon Master. ¡°You tell her to say things like that? On top of everything, are you a pervert, too?¡±


    ¡°Wha? No! Himia, go away,¡± he said in a rushed panic.


    ¡°Right away, Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons,¡± she said before disappearing in thin air without any audible sound or incantation.


    I pulled on my pants so that my shirt was tucked in and put my jacket on over it. The climate magic on my outfit immediately kicked in, cooling my skin. The temperature on this mountain was pleasant, but it had nothing on the enchantments placed on my clothes. I started rifling through my Dimensional Pocket and felt relieved when it didn¡¯t seem as though anything was missing.


    So I pulled out a scroll case. Popping it open, I pulled out the rolled up parchment and set it on the table. Each one was absolutely covered in writing, and I pulled out a few choice forms before slamming them down.


    ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about! Forms, Dungeon Master, forms! Going through the proper procedures in order to do the things you¡¯ve been doing. Can you even fathom the headache I¡¯m going to have going through all of your blunders and fuck ups?¡±


    ¡°I wouln¡¯ call ¡®em all hat¡­¡±


    ¡°For the the gods¡¯ sake, man, take a potion or something. I¡¯m tired of hearing your stupid broken nose speech!¡±


    The Dungeon Master stared at me before pulling a potion vial out of one of his pockets. It was large and red, far bigger than potions that I usually saw around for adventurers, but I didn¡¯t focus on it. I continued speaking as I pulled out my Sending Stone.


    ¡°Blunders. And. Fuck. Ups,¡± I repeated pointedly. ¡°All you had to do was come in to the DoD, explain your situation, and we would have helped you go through all of the necessary hoops. Dungeon creation? We can help. Dungeon transfer? We can help. Already have a dungeon but you want to make sure it¡¯s up to code? We. Can. Help.¡±


    I tried to call Brackenhorst from the Sending Stone, but it predictably did not work. Usually being in a dungeon didn¡¯t create the kind of interference necessary to stop the magical connection, but we were inside both the Thousand Year Blizzard and the Dungeon Master¡¯s strange overdungeon.


    ¡°All of this could have been avoided, Dungeon Master. More like Dungeon Disaster, if I have to put a real title to it.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a real title,¡± I scoffed. ¡°We have a whole wall dedicated to dungeon disasters. Yours blows them all out of the water. We haven¡¯t seen this kind of disregard for the rules in centuries. Centuries! What could you possibly have to say for yourself?¡±


    The Dungeon Master watched me cross my arms and stare at him. ¡°Oh, are you done berating me? Is it my turn to speak?¡± he asked sarcastically.


    ¡°I can keep going if you really want me to, or you can tell me what you¡¯re doing here, how you got here, and what your goals are. The floor is yours, if you want it.¡±


    To be completely honest, I was feeling better after my outburst. It was borderline unhinged and not at all structured in a way I was proud of, but it had been cathartic. I pulled out another piece of parchment, this one empty, and my writing kit before looking at the Dungeon Master in an expectant manner.


    It took him a few moments to speak, but he eventually found his words. ¡°Fine, Dungeon Inspector Badger. It all started five centuries ago¡­¡±

 Chapter 40 - Answers

    The Dungeon Master stared at me for a few moments. ¡°You know, most people who hear that my story starts so long ago say, ¡®hey, you look good for five hundred.¡¯ To which I¡¯ll reply that I¡¯m actually six hundred, and I take great pride in keeping up my youthful appearance.¡±


    I wrote this down, but did not speak. Honestly, with his face and skin all blurred out it was hard to tell anything about how old he was. His voice was somewhat youthful and he carried himself in an energetic manner but that could never be used as a basis for assumptions. With a gesture, I indicated that he should continue.


    The Dungeon Master frowned, I think, but he continued. ¡°I was brought over to this continent during the exodus of Gnomes from the Southern Continent. Since I didn¡¯t have a physical form, I stowed away in the crystal along with Himia, who I brought with me.¡±


    ¡°A couple of things,¡± I said, holding up my quill. ¡°The Gnomes came here just under four hundred years ago, not five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been asleep since then so forgive me if I haven¡¯t been keeping track of time very well,¡± the Dungeon Master sullenly claimed.


    ¡°I suppose I can forgive this one,¡± I replied, writing that down. A lot more questions were starting to form in my head about the Southern Continent and what caused the Gnomes to flee, but I held them for later. He¡¯d probably answer most of it by just telling his story. ¡°Also, is that the same crystal that has been brought to the center of the Thousand Year Blizzard and features prominently in the story dungeon you trapped me and my team in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one,¡± he answered, and I gestured for him to continue. ¡°When we had fled Delphara, what you now call the Southern Continent, we didn¡¯t have a lot of time. The Gnomes went through great lengths to get me out specifically because of who and what I am. Oh, you probably don¡¯t know what I am, do you?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any records of someone like you that I¡¯m aware of, no,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Though I¡¯m sure Berald, the place where Razorbeak stole you from, has some records hidden fairly deep in the archives about you.¡±


    I watched the Dungeon Master¡¯s posture tense at the mention of Berald, and took note of it. ¡°I¡¯ll get to Berald,¡± he said lowly. ¡°Back in Delpharat, I was what is known as a Dungeonborn. Well, that¡¯s what my father called us. He was always a strange man. A Human, not a Gnome. Always tinkering on things in a workshop far out of the way, but dignitaries would come and visit every so often. His name was Keith Carr.¡±


    ¡°Is that him as your story dungeon¡¯s mayor?¡± I asked. Then I frowned. "And you choose to portray him as a chubby skirt chaser?"


    ¡°Based on him, but he¡¯s been dead for centuries now. He left me with, well...." He shook his head. I sensed some familial tension, but didn''t push. Ultimately, it didn''t matter what kind of relationship the Dungeon Master had with his father. "Dad also created Himia, although she always disagreed with him on that. She said they came here together, and then he¡¯d sigh and change the subject and hear nothing more of it.¡±


    ¡°Came here from where?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Whenever I tried to get Himia to elaborate, she''d refuse,¡± the Dungeon Master responded slowly. ¡°He was always making something miraculous, like a battery that could store the sun¡¯s light to use at night or a stone slab that records books and lets you read them later. I gave my dad''s personal one to Ori in an attempt to court her. Oristrella, I mean. I''m really taken with her."


    "Focus, please," I requested.


    "Right, sorry. Well, whenever he''d make something like that he¡¯d get this wistful, far-off look and tell us that it came from someplace far away that he could never get back to. We¡¯d be concerned every time he got like that, but Himia told us not to worry.¡±


    ¡°We,¡± I repeated, catching onto that word once it was separated from Himia.


    ¡°Yes, we,¡± he confirmed with a nod. ¡°As a Dungeonborn, well, you¡¯ve already figured out most of what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Please state it clearly for the record.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, of course. Well, I can take over dungeons from their owners. Only when they agree to it, though. I think I may be able to take over a dungeon by force, but I''ve never tried it before. By the time I had any need to, I don''t think I would have had the energy to complete the task. Any dungeon I own I can move things around, buff the monsters, oh, and I can travel between them at will.¡±


    ¡°Buff monsters, is that similar to what you did to us?¡±


    ¡°A little bit,¡± the Dungeon Master admitted. ¡°I labeled you as denizens, gave you all a power boost, and then released you. The power stays. I gave it to Razorbeak and his first mate, Swiftfeather, but I didn¡¯t have the energy to give the boon to his whole crew.¡±


    ¡°So those two are the only¡­ tier two, as you call it, in their whole ranks?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, correct.¡±


    That was interesting, and I made a separate note of it. ¡°I see. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t make my own dungeons, which is why I have to take others. If there are no dungeons around in my area of influence that allow me to stay, then I¡¯m stuck in my crystal,¡± he said before lowering his head. ¡°I fall asleep, then, but I don¡¯t dream. I just kind of¡­ float there, waiting. Aware of the passage of time but not much else. Himia was fully asleep; I didn¡¯t wake her up until I had enough energy to sustain her.¡±


    I stopped writing as he said that and frowned. Berald, as a city-state, broke away from the kingdom of Terent over dungeon disputes and it happened not too long after the Gnomes came to our lands. The dungeons had been transferred to state officials by the local chapter of the DoD under the threat of removal if they didn''t comply. It wasn¡¯t how things were normally done, but it was a different time where records weren¡¯t kept as diligently as they were now.


    Could the Dungeon Master have been the reason why? That would explain the shift in his mood when I mentioned Berald. If he had tried to gain a foothold there, they could have gone with such an option as to make sure he didn¡¯t gain power. Unfortunately, the country was almost completely a Human one so anyone with firsthand knowledge would likely be dead. Regardless, I made note to look into it more.


    ¡°That sounds terrible,¡± I said, though not with any real empathy. While I had calmed down, I was still angry. ¡°I assume you can alter the rules of magic while inside your dungeons?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Somewhat, again it really depends on how powerful I am at the time,¡± he claimed. ¡°Moose was right, though. On the magic circle thing. Corpse, magic, create, item. I wanted to try my hand at magical item creation, take after my father''s old craft a bit. I¡¯d say it worked exceedingly well, but, I can see why removing Magic Crystals from an economy that uses them as a focal point could be disastrous.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, knowing what you¡¯ll get with your Magic Crystals is better than hoping for something good to come out of it, anyway, so you should revert that once we¡¯re done with this conversation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it soon, I promise,¡± the Dungeon Master stated. ¡°Um, so, where were we?¡±


    I glanced up to glare at him for losing track of the conversation, but sighed. ¡°You¡¯re a Dungeonborn, and I suspect there¡¯s more of you.¡±


    ¡°Right, just one more,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°My sister. Dad called her CC. She¡¯s¡­ we¡¯ll get to her. I¡¯d rather talk about Berald now, if it''s all the same to you.¡±


    That caused me to raise an eyebrow. ¡°By all means.¡±


    ¡°Alright. So most of the Gnome ships were destroyed while fleeing from Delphara. Like, the vast majority of them. According to Himia, at least; there were no dungeons between Delphara and here, which the ancient Gnomes called Feltaro. Calling it the Central Continent is fine, though, I¡¯ll keep using that. The ship they put me on was very large, and could take more damage than the rest, but it was mostly full of civilians.¡±


    He paused as if gathering himself. ¡°Unfortunately, civilians were all that made it out because the ships containing all of the adventurers, guards, and heroes were attacked first and sunk. Most of the records, money, scholars, and politicians were aboard those boats for protection.¡±


    I hummed, but continued writing. That explained why so many conflicting accounts had been recorded. If everyone who knew what they were doing were on the boats that sank, then it would leave the confused masses to explain what was going on and they¡¯d have too much time on the boat to speculate what had happened. Facts and gossip would get twisted, and it would lead to this situation.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t very forward thinking of them, putting everyone they thought was important in one place,¡± I stated. ¡°As much as I hate to say it, but it seemed like the biggest boat was bait for their escape but it backfired spectacularly.¡±


    ¡°Himia isn¡¯t the greatest at figuring out people¡¯s motives, so I can¡¯t do anything but guess.¡± The Dungeon Master shrugged. ¡°Once we landed, I started waking up but it¡¯s a slow process. I¡¯ve been awake here for weeks and I still haven¡¯t gotten most of my power back, for the record. By the time I had gained consciousness, I learned that the Gnomes had sold my crystal as an oddity to some of the nobles in Terent in order to buy enough food and shelter for everyone. Understandable, but it still hurts, you know?¡±


    ¡°Were they aware of you at the time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Vaguely?¡± he asked more than said, shrugging again. ¡°I think all those people knew was that I was valuable. Dungeonborn weren''t really a secret, but we weren''t advertised to the people, either."


    He sighed heavily. "My crystal was put on display in a duke¡¯s manor, and I started visiting nearby dungeons in order to get a grasp on where I was. That was the part they didn¡¯t like. Said I was an infection. That¡¯s when they started bullying the DoD into doing as they wanted and broke off to be Berald when the Terent started asking what was going on.¡±


    ¡°There was almost a war over that,¡± I said. ¡°But Berald was able to make a large amount of money very quickly by taking over all of the dungeons in its area and was able to buy enough protection and goodwill from neighboring countries that Terent couldn¡¯t invade.¡±


    ¡°Well, if they did they would have found me,¡± the Dungeon Master sulked. ¡°I was banished from all of the dungeons and thus went into a sort of hibernation. Since I didn¡¯t want to be alone, I tried to keep Himia up and running for as long as I could so I would have someone, well, something, to talk to. That just made me waste energy faster.¡±


    ¡°Do you use Magic Crystals to stay awake? They probably didn¡¯t like you messing with a big source of their income.¡±


    ¡°Actually, my presence makes them stronger,¡± he said, perking up. ¡°Once I¡¯m at full power, at least. I wasn¡¯t at the time, but they didn¡¯t bother letting me explain. Just felt they knew best and cut me off. And they did a great job of it until Raitheus Razorbeak came a little too close to the capital.¡±


    I shifted in my seat. ¡°He has a set path around the continent that he¡¯s supposed to follow. It leads through Terent, but gives Berald a wide berth. Upon their suggestion, if I remember right.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense, the bastards,¡± he sighed. ¡°I started waking up when I felt the dungeons move through my area of influence. Since there were eight of them, I woke up rather fast and wasted no time in contacting Razorbeak. He was skeptical at first, and borderline hostile, but became really interested when I said I could make him more powerful.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s when he broke me out. I don¡¯t know all of the details of how he did it, but I imagine there was a high body count involved. Which wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of going back into hibernation again. I was willing to promise Razorbeak anything to get me out of there, and I did.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure he jumped on that in a heartbeat,¡± I said with a shake of my head. ¡°And then, instead of fleeing back to his home continent, he brought you up here.¡±


    ¡°That one was my idea, and I promise it was to help!¡±


    ¡°Help who?¡±


    ¡°Well, everyone. I¡¯m currently working on turning off the Thousand Year Blizzard.¡± The Dungeon Master took in a deep breath when he saw me arch an eyebrow at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know this already, but the storm is basically one huge mana sink. It gathers magic from the whole continent, leaving less ambient magic for the people, animals, monsters, plants, everything.¡±


    ¡°The Theory Of Magical Permeance And Its Fluctuating Decline Throughout The Central Continent,¡± I stated.


    The Dungeon Master tilted his head. ¡°The what now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a really long treatise on what you¡¯re describing. A little dry for my taste, but informative.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright. Well, I want to get rid of it so that the people on the continent can get stronger,¡± he explained. ¡°Like there used to be stories of people who were strong enough to make storms this powerful. Those are legends now, but that kind of power used to be very real. And it wouldn¡¯t just be the mages who would benefit from that, but everyone. Even the common folk will be healthier. The monsters will be stronger, sure, but if everyone grows then I feel like that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but why would you want that?¡± I asked, still writing. ¡°You have so much power, I¡¯m not entirely sure why you don¡¯t just take what you want, especially after the way you¡¯ve been treated. Not that I''m advocating for that, just curious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked people,¡± he admitted. ¡°Meeting new people, fixing their dungeons. Dating, apparently, as I learned with Ori. I¡¯m not always blurry; I have a real form, it just takes energy to keep up. But even if I had some ulterior motive, there¡¯s something coming in the future that threatens all of us.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be, Dungeon Master?¡±


    ¡°Well, as I said, I¡¯m not the only Dungeonborn. I have an older sister, you see. And ever since I¡¯ve been awake, I can feel her, far off in the distance.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. This sister must have been the ¡°we¡± he had mentioned before. What caused me to stumble in my writing was the knowledge that he didn¡¯t say anything about her coming along, or even sinking with one of the boats. My quill stopped, and I looked up at him.


    ¡°She made the Southern Continental Dungeon, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    It took a long, torturous moment, but the Dungeon Master nodded. ¡°Yes, she did. I don¡¯t know why, or how, but she went crazy and began merging every dungeon she could get into. The Gnomes fled from her as fast as they could. But that was centuries ago, and this is now. Now is what matters.¡±


    The Dungeon Master appeared to be looking me dead in the eye. ¡°I need to remove the Thousand Year Blizzard so that the people are ready for her arrival,¡± he said darkly. ¡°You may have noticed more dungeons popping up off of the coast. They¡¯re appearing because she¡¯s building a bridge. Dungeon Inspector Badger, she¡¯s coming here.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Report

    I stared at the Dungeon Master for a few moments before resuming writing on the parchment. He went quiet, no doubt waiting for me to comment or perhaps wanting to make sure I wrote this part down. Either way, he was being patient.


    If what he was saying was the truth, then it would be an incredibly large event to deal with. Millicef had already asked me if the events going on were how the Continental Dungeon started, and it looked like those rumors were going to turn out true.


    If what he was saying was true.


    Once I finished catching up on the conversation, I looked back up at the Dungeon Master. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much I trust you seeing how you completely disregarded our society¡¯s laws, but I¡¯m not so heartless that I can¡¯t see why you decided to act out this way,¡± I said. ¡°Should this¡­ CC be on her way as you say, how long do we have?¡±


    ¡°Depends,¡± he replied, and I could sense the tension leave his body as he realized I was taking him seriously. ¡°From what Himia calculated, and she¡¯s really precise, anywhere between six months to a year.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°A six month window is what you would call precise?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really what you¡¯d call an exact science,¡± the Dungeon Master admitted. ¡°I was going to tell everyone after the blizzard was down.¡±


    ¡°And how long would that take?¡±


    ¡°About a month?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me if that¡¯s right or telling me?¡± I replied, returning to writing.


    The Dungeon Master cleared his throat and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯ll take roughly a month. That¡¯s when I was going to announce my presence and warn the people of the Central Continent that CC was coming.¡±


    ¡°All the while harboring a fugitive?¡±


    ¡°Well, he, uh, he wasn¡¯t a fugitive when we came up here¡­¡±


    ¡°He was a fugitive the moment he left his designated path, Dungeon Master. The bodies he left in his wake didn¡¯t help, either,¡± I said. Sighing, I shook my head before looking up at him. ¡°This is beyond me. If we have as much time as you say, then I need to talk to my boss. We¡¯ll have to call for a conference with the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium and the Mage¡¯s Guild. The heads of state in all countries are going to have to be notified and a summit will likely have to take place to discuss things that the Consortium would already be putting into practice. That is, if you¡¯re telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°I am, one hundred percent,¡± the Dungeon Master said quickly. ¡°If I do nothing, then everyone¡¯s in danger, including me. I¡¯m not trying to say that I¡¯m scared of my sister, but she is crazy with a capital K.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how you spell crazy,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Yeah, I know, that¡¯s just how she is.¡±


    Shaking my head, I set the quill down. ¡°Are Ferrisdae and the adventurers done with the dungeon yet?¡±


    The Dungeon Master tilted his head as if looking off into the distance, and he nodded after a few moments. ¡°They just finished up. Man, they¡¯re pretty fast at this,¡± he commented. ¡°I also gave them back all their stuff at the end because I figured you¡¯d tell me to.¡±


    ¡°I would have, yes,¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I need to reach my boss on my Sending Stone,¡± I said. ¡°You can connect us to different dungeons you¡¯ve taken over, right? We¡¯ll need to be outside of the Thousand Year Blizzard so that the magical interference won¡¯t stop the communication. Oristrella¡¯s dungeon would work fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem there, I can do that.¡±


    ¡°Good. Since we¡¯re the only team close to the Thousand Year Blizzard, after we¡¯re done talking with Brackenhorst we¡¯ll likely have to deal with Raitheus Razorbeak. Which was the whole reason we came up here until we were unduly sidetracked,¡± I added, my voice accusatory.


    ¡°In my defense, I was really excited about my dungeon,¡± the Dungeon Master said, but he looked away when I glared at him. ¡°If you want, I can take care of it for you. I can¡¯t take back the gift I gave him, but I can, you know¡­¡± He brought his hand up to his throat and made a slicing motion with his thumb.


    I immediately shook my head. ¡°No, you¡¯ve already done enough,¡± I told him. ¡°You can lock him in there so that he can¡¯t leave and cause more problems for the Mage¡¯s Guild representatives trying to figure out what you¡¯re doing to the blizzard, but it¡¯s a matter of professionalism that we deal with him. No help from you or Himia, understood?¡±


    ¡°Crystal clear, Inspector,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want me to talk to the Mage¡¯s Guild and let them know what I¡¯m up to?¡±


    It only took me a second to think about this before nodding. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re the foremost researchers on the Thousand Year Blizzard, so giving them a heads up on what you¡¯re doing will be crucial for the meeting between our organizations.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll meet them with Himia,¡± he replied with a nod. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Just a doorway to Oristrella¡¯s dungeon for me, and I want the others to meet me there. Once we¡¯re through, make another one directly to the eye of the storm that we can use after I¡¯ve contacted my boss.¡±


    The Dungeon Master raised his hand and swiped the air next to him. A doorway attached to nothing appeared where he had gestured, and I used the Quickdry Stone to dry the ink in an instant before rolling up the parchment and setting it in my Dimensional Pocket. I stood up, heading to the doorway but not going through it just yet.


    ¡°Anything else you want to say?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Thank you for trusting me,¡± he said, looking down at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not trust,¡± I snorted. ¡°I still think you¡¯re very dangerous, but dealing with you as an enemy isn¡¯t my job.¡±


    ¡°Cold, but-¡° I didn¡¯t hear the rest of his statement as I stepped through the doorway.


    I immediately recognized the area I emerged into as the entrance to Oristrella¡¯s dungeon. The large room with the icy floor hadn¡¯t changed in the time since we saw it, and I took that as this room was complete already. I vaguely wondered if the rest of the dungeon had finished their renovations, but not enough to check.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    A few feet in front of me, another doorway appeared. I stepped out of the way so that I wasn¡¯t crowding the entrance, and Cojisto rushed out. He was wearing his hide armor from when we first met, though he still held on to the crossbow he had looted from the dungeon. After looking around diligently, his eyes settled on me.


    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Hello, Cojisto,¡± I replied. ¡°I take it everything is fine with my junior?¡±


    ¡°Coji, you¡¯re not supposed to¡­¡± Ferrisdae came out of the doorway next, nearly running into Cojisto, but fell silent when she saw me. He moved out of the way, pulling her aside just as the doorway expanded and Moose followed her out.


    ¡°Found Badger,¡± he said with a grin, pointing towards me. Ferrisdae began glancing about the room, but my eyes were locked on her. She didn¡¯t seem injured, though that could have been because of Moose¡¯s healing powers.


    I had expected her to change back into her starry purple robe, but she had not. Ferrisdae now wore a black leather bodice with a torn green cloak that fell to her legs. Instead of the pants she had previously, she had on a pair of black shorts and knee-high leather boots. The wand at her hip was still there, but was accompanied by a quiver with seven arrows stuffed inside. Her fingers plucked nervously at the black studded bracer she wore on one forearm and a finely crafted composite bow rested in her hand, completing the archer''s ensemble.


    I arched an eyebrow at her bow. ¡°You¡¯re good with a bow?¡±


    ¡°Proficient,¡± she said meekly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ proficient with a bow. It was my grandmother¡¯s. The outfit was, too, and it¡¯s enchanted to help make me more accurate.¡±


    ¡°Is this the same grandmother who played the violin as the first seat of Violin Concerto #3?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, that was Grandma Arabella, my grandmother on my father¡¯s side,¡± she replied. ¡°This belonged to Nana Maeal, my grandmother on my mother¡¯s side. She was a famed archer back in her day. Retired, now, but she taught me enough to be relatively proficient.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± was all I said before she looked back down at me. ¡°What about the rest of the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Piece of cake,¡± Cojisto announced loudly. ¡°The Avians were preparing a Silver Golem for us to fight, and it was glorious! Allow me to regale you with-¡±


    ¡°Pass,¡± I said before reaching into my Dimensional Pocket.


    Taking out the parchment I had written my conversation with the Dungeon Master on, I handed it to Ferrisdae to read over while I pulled out the second item I needed. It was heavy for its size, but nothing I couldn¡¯t handle.


    The Emergency Filing Capsule was a stone tube the size of a Human forearm covered in glowing blue runes. I flipped open the cap on one side and watched Ferrisdae as she read through the parchment. Cojisto and Moose had moved behind her, reading over her shoulder, but she was finished and handing it back to me long before they had a chance to catch up.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ wow, I¡¯m not even sure what to say,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in, which is why we need to get this out as fast as we can,¡± I told her before heading towards the dungeon¡¯s entrance. The others followed.


    The sky was black, and it was hard to tell what time it was. I briefly wondered how long we had been inside before deciding it didn¡¯t matter. The runes on the capsule flashed once, indicating that it was ready, and I instructed Ferrisdae to roll up the parchment and stick it inside.


    Once she did so, I closed the capsule. The runes grew in brightness to the point where we almost needed to shield our eyes before going dark completely. I checked inside to make sure the parchment was gone, and placed it back in my Dimensional Pocket once I confirmed it had.


    In one of my regular pockets, my Sending Stone started to vibrate. ¡°Damn bards with their Sense of Drama timing powers,¡± I muttered. Pulling it out, I traced my finger along it and was met with the voice of the Chief Dungeon Inspector, Brackenhorst.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± he said with a formality that didn¡¯t normally suit him, and it caused me to bristle.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger reporting with Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae and the adventuring duo, Moose and Cojisto, Chief Dungeon Inspector Brackenhorst, sir,¡± I responded, keeping it just as formal as he was.


    ¡°Director Ortaephaen is reading your report as we speak. Thank you for sending it so quickly.¡±


    I turned around, fixing my best glare on Cojisto and Moose and putting my finger to my lips. If Brackenhorst had called in the director, then he was committed to taking this seriously.


    ¡°The director?¡± Ferrisdae whispered. ¡°Really?¡±


    Shaking my head, I didn¡¯t answer. Director Ortaephaen was an Elven man every inch as decrepit as Brackenhorst. Nobody except the Elves were really sure when an Elf was old enough to die of old age, but whatever that number was Ortaephaen were surely pushing it. Regardless, the director seemed as spry as he had been centuries ago to the point where many of the DoD¡¯s detractors had wondered aloud if he were a lich or some other powerful undead.


    That was neither here nor there, and I didn¡¯t really care as long as he continued doing exemplary work for the Department of Dungeons.


    ¡°Director Ortaephaen, thank you for attending,¡± I said respectfully. ¡°If you have any questions, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    A moment of silence, then he spoke. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, I¡¯m glad to see that you are still upholding my standards after all these years,¡± Director Ortaephaen replied. His voice was raspy, but still strong.


    ¡°I take great pride in my job as a Dungeon Inspector, sir,¡± I responded with humility.


    ¡°And I am enjoying your notes on what you think is prudent in this situation,¡± he said. ¡°The Dungeon Master-¡° I gave the others a sharp look, but they just shook their heads. ¡°- seems like he¡¯s telling the truth based on his voice alone, but it¡¯s hard to tell with a blurry face. Conference with the Consortium and the Mages, gathering the heads of state. All great notes. There is one thing that I¡¯m unclear on, however.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer what I can.¡±


    ¡°You are requesting immediate recusal from the case involving the Dungeon Master?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re requesting what?¡± Ferrisdae quickly asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t read that. Did you write that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer Ferrisdae, and instead raised the Sending Stone a little closer to my face. ¡°Yes, Director Ortaephaen,¡± I replied. ¡°I am requesting recusal on the grounds that we cannot, in good faith, continue interacting with the Dungeon Master. He has used an ability on us that we don¡¯t yet have a full grasp on that some members of the team have had issues coming to terms with.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can still do this, Ba- Dungeon Inspector Badger!¡± Ferrisdae claimed, correcting herself. She had clasped her hands together, fidgeting nervously.


    I still didn¡¯t answer her. ¡°I will also admit to a lack of professionalism,¡± I hesitantly stated.


    ¡°You? Unprofessional?¡± Brackenhorst snorted. ¡°What, were you a little too coarse in your manner of speaking again and we can expect a complaint?¡±


    Clearing my throat, I turned so that I could no longer see Ferrisdae. ¡°When I was face to face with the Dungeon Master, the first thing I did was ensure that he was, in fact, the Dungeon Master.¡± I paused, and then released a heavy sigh. ¡°The second thing I did was break his nose.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go, Badger!¡± Cojisto said, and I turned to glare at the grinning man. He seemed unperturbed, his only response being to give me a thumbs up.


    ¡°As you can guess, I am having issues coming to terms with some of the things this Dungeonborn can and has done,¡± I said. ¡°We are well enough to subjugate Razorbeak, should the Department of Dungeons want us to go forward with that plan while preparing someone to take our place once we are finished.¡±


    Brackenhorst and Director Ortaephaen lowered their voice to discuss what should happen next, and our group fell silent. Cojisto was whispering jovially to Moose, who was bobbing his head up and down in what I assumed was agreement. While I didn¡¯t look back, I could feel Ferrisdae¡¯s gaze boring into the back of my head.


    It only took a minute for my superiors to respond, but it felt like far longer. ¡°Go ahead and subjugate Raitheus Razorbeak as planned, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± Director Ortaephaen said. ¡°We¡¯ll ensure that someone will be there by the time you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Director Ortaephaen,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll commandeer Oristrella¡¯s dungeon as a rendezvous point and meet them once we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Good luck to all of you.¡±


    The Sending Stone went silent, and I sighed. Slowly, I turned around to look up at Ferrisdae. Her eyes were red and teary, and I shook my head. ¡°Oh, no-¡° I didn¡¯t get a chance to finish before she fell to her knees and basically tackled me into a hug.


    ¡°You took the blame for me,¡± she whispered, her voice quivering as she buried her face in my shoulder.


    I rolled my eyes, but gently patted her on the shoulder. ¡°There, there. Get it all out now, I guess; we still have work to do.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Ready

    I gingerly peeled myself away from Ferrisdae, and she released me. She looked embarrassed as she stood up, wiping her eyes clear. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go and get back in there,¡± I said, already leading the way back into Oristrella¡¯s Dungeon. ¡°We¡¯ll probably see the Dungeon Master after this next door, are you going to be okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Through what door-¡° Ferrisdae began to respond, but once I crossed the threshold into the dungeon a sheet of solid light appeared before me. ¡°Oh, that one.¡±


    Turning around, I saw that the blue glow returned to the others as they entered the dungeon. The DTER was still in place here, but it seemed my aura sight that was foisted upon me worked as long as we were in a dungeon, though it was still unclear if it would work in one not owned by the Dungeon Master.


    I looked up at Ferrisdae. ¡°Are you going to be okay with that?¡±


    Ferrisdae hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± she responded, though I didn¡¯t quite believe her.


    Looking past her, I caught Cojisto¡¯s eyes. ¡°You, Ferrisdae, and Moose are to head directly to the red wagon. I¡¯ll speak with Serto on the way by, but I expect him to be speaking with Himia and the Dungeon Master about-¡°


    ¡°What about my darling?¡±


    A husky, feminine voice came from behind me, and I turned around to see Oristrella walking across the ice. Despite how fragile it was, her footsteps didn¡¯t cause the frozen pitfall trap to break underneath her. She was still clutching her precious rectangle.


    ¡°Oristrella,¡± I said stiffly.


    ¡°Ori,¡± Ferrisdae greeted, bowing slightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Dragon?¡± Cojisto whispered behind us excitedly. ¡°I mean, I was hoping to fight her in her Dragon form, but this one¡¯s got a powerful aura, too.¡± I closed my eyes and shook my head.


    When the woman got within twenty feet or so, she stopped. Despite being her Human appearance, her blue, slitted eyes stayed the same as they did in her draconic form. Those eyes kept glancing between Ferrisdae and myself, a range of emotions playing across her face as she did so. Her aura had started yellow with some green seeping into it, but it slowly turned orange. I became tense, but didn¡¯t draw my sword just yet.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspectors,¡± she greeted in return, ignoring Cojisto and Moose. Her eyes glanced down at me. I focused, and noticed that she was looking at my hand. The same one I had used to punch the Dungeon Master. ¡°What about my darling?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve come to an agreement,¡± I replied, just as stiff as my greeting. I had wiped it off on the clothes I had been wearing before changing into my normal outfit, but a Dragon¡¯s sense of smell was powerful; she undoubtedly smelled the Dungeon Master¡¯s blood still on it. ¡°We were about to return to the eye of the Thousand Year Blizzard and finish the subjugation of Raitheus Razorbeak.¡±


    Oristrella was still wearing that same light blue ball gown she had originally worn after I requested she cover herself up, and it was long enough that we couldn¡¯t see her feet. When she approached us, it seemed like she was gliding despite the fact that I could clearly hear her footsteps on the ice.


    ¡°Did you come to an agreement through violence and intimidation?¡± Oristrella challenged as she stood uncomfortably close.


    ¡°I avenged my junior before having a long discussion about what you can and cannot do to a person¡¯s magical wellspring,¡± I answered without backing down. Despite the fact that she towered over me, I looked up at her calmly. ¡°Can you not see the unnatural change made to Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae?¡±


    Sniffing loudly, Oristrella¡¯s gaze shifted to Ferrisdae. The young Forest Elf gave the Dragon a nervous smile and a wave. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ still getting used to it.¡±


    ¡°Power is power, young Ferry. You¡¯d best get used to it,¡± Oristrella said. When my junior lowered her head, the Dragon reached out and cupped her chin, raising it back up. ¡°Do not look ashamed. You are you, no matter what someone else has done to you. Do not let it define you or control you. The power inside you now is enough to make sure it is unlikely to happen again.¡±


    Ferrisdae reached up and took Oristrella¡¯s hand in both of her own. ¡°Thank you for your counsel, Ori,¡± she said diplomatically.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the Dragon said dismissively, waving the conversation away with her other hand. ¡°I wish for you to come back, remember? It is doubtful that your stuffy organization will allow that if they do not think you have the willpower to stand up to a superior race.¡±


    I was about to say something, when Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I have to bring you books and read the manuscript, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, dear,¡± Oristrella cooed. She shifted so that she was linked arm in arm with Ferrisdae and she looked down at me. ¡°Is it safe to assume that my darling is on the other side of this portal?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°If he¡¯s not there, then Himia definitely will be,¡± I answered, tearing my eyes away from Ferrisdae to catch hers. ¡°But our goal is the subjuga-¡°


    ¡°Yes, yes, the bird brain.¡± Oristrella waved me off. ¡°Come, little Ferry, let¡¯s go.¡±


    With a nod, Ferrisdae allowed herself to be led into the portal. I looked back and caught Cojisto¡¯s eye. ¡°Thanks for not just punching her.¡±


    Cojisto shrugged. ¡°Ferry said she was a friend. I only punch friends when they need to get punched.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great. Good to know,¡± I said before heading into the portal.


    As I had requested, the Dungeon Master¡¯s doorway had let us out in the center of the Thousand Year Blizzard. There were a few differences that I immediately noted from the last time we were here. Of the caravan dungeons, only the final red wagon was still standing although it was covered in ice. Unlike before, this time it seemed to stick. The others were smoldering piles of ash as if they had just been burnt to the ground.


    Serto and his men were still set up around the obelisk that was glowing noticeably brighter than it had. It was still dim, but light rolled around the inside like waves on an ocean. The Snow Elves were looking nervously from the obelisk to Serto, who was talking to Himia. The blue haired Information Elemental was standing eerily still, answering the archmage¡¯s questions as they were asked.


    Ferrisdae was also proven right about her overdungeon theory. Despite the fact that we couldn¡¯t clearly feel the DTER, I could see the auras around the Snow Elf researchers. Most of them were yellow, indicating their indifference, except for the elderly mage who had tried to stop us. His was orange. Serto¡¯s was fully green, at least.


    My eyes fell on Ferrisdae and Oristrella. The Dragon was whispering something in my junior¡¯s ear, who was just nodding along. A doorway opened up not far from the two, and Oristrella pulled free from Ferrisdae. She placed her hand on the Forest Elf¡¯s shoulder before heading through the portal. It closed behind her immediately after.


    Ferrisdae turned around to face us. She seemed fine now, at least. ¡°Are we ready to go?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk to Serto first,¡± I said, causing Cojisto to groan. Rolling my eyes, I turned to look at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Moose go and check out the red wagon if you feel so terrible about the Mage¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°We shall do that,¡± Cojisto said, reaching up to pat Moose on the neck. ¡°Come, Moose, let us go and see about this ice.¡± Moose nodded his head and croaked, causing Cojisto to laugh before they headed towards the red wagon.


    ¡°What was Oristrella telling you?¡± I asked as we started towards Himia and Serto.


    ¡°Just some advice,¡± Ferrisdae answered mysteriously. When she didn¡¯t continue, I didn¡¯t push it. It wasn¡¯t a long walk to the obelisk, anyway.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspectors!¡± Serto called as we approached. ¡°Please tell me that you two have nothing to do with this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you mean the Dungeon Master and his plot to stop the Thousand Year Blizzard?¡± I asked. ¡°No, we had nothing to do with that. He came here specifically to stop it.¡±


    ¡°What gives him the right?¡± Serto yelled before looking back at Himia. ¡°This storm has been raging for over seven centuries now! Every decade that we¡¯ve studied it has brought us more and more magical knowledge. To get rid of it is to destroy the path to our own future!¡±


    ¡°Not to be rude, but as you said your people have had seven hundred and twenty seven years to study this storm,¡± Himia responded. Her voice wasn¡¯t heated despite being yelled at. There wasn¡¯t any emotion in it at all. ¡°That is at least three of your people¡¯s generations. I believe that, if you were already going to understand the secrets of this storm, then you would have done so already.¡±


    ¡°A storm this complex can¡¯t possibly be understood in such a short amount of time!¡± Serto countered. ¡°It¡¯s-¡°


    ¡°Please forgive me, but that assertion is assuredly false,¡± Himia interrupted, putting on a hollow smile. Now that I wasn¡¯t caught off guard by my surroundings, I could see just how unnatural her mannerisms were. ¡°In fact, I have been here for a short time and yet I understand the magic spinning around this place at a much higher level than your notes indicate that you do.¡±


    I held up a hand as Serto opened his mouth ¡°She¡¯s an Information Elemental, arguing with her isn¡¯t going to do any good.¡±


    The Snow Elf looked down at me in confusion. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, she¡¯ll either tell you or she won¡¯t,¡± I answered. ¡°But you need to send someone back to your tower. I just got back from making a call to my supervisor. Because of everything going on, there¡¯s likely to be a conference between the Department of Dungeons, the Mage¡¯s Guild, and the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium about the whole thing. I wanted to warn you before we went off to subjugate Razorbeak.¡±


    ¡°Is that it? Just a warning that things are going to change?¡± Serto asked angrily.


    I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t take it out on me. I learned about it twenty minutes ago and told the Dungeon Master that he or his secretary needed to tell you what was going on, so I think the turnaround on getting you this information is miraculously quick.¡±


    The archmage took a moment to compose himself before nodding. ¡°Very well, Dungeon Inspector. I suppose I better go tell the others,¡± he said after a few seconds. Serto pointed at Himia. ¡°Don¡¯t you go anywhere, I¡¯m not done with you yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ll be right here,¡± Himia said cheerily. She turned to face us. ¡°You may enter whenever you¡¯re ready, Dungeon Inspector Badger. As per your request, the only thing changed about the dungeon is that it¡¯s been locked so that Raitheus Razorbeak and his gang cannot escape.¡±


    ¡°Anything else we should know?¡± I asked, eying the red wagon. Cojisto was poking at the ice while Moose stood behind him, but nothing was happening.


    ¡°Nothing else comes to mind,¡± she said. ¡°To enter, simply reach for the door handle and the ice will melt for you.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± I said before looking up at Ferrisdae. ¡°You ready?¡±


    The Forest Elf nodded grimly. ¡°I am, let¡¯s go subjugate a land pirate.¡±


    I nodded in return and started towards the red wagon. Moose noticed our approach and nudged Cojisto, who turned around. "We''re getting a go at him, right? Damn ice isn''t moving."


    "We''re going to have a go at him, Cojisto," I confirmed. Approaching the door, I reached for the handle and the ice began melting away. I gripped it tightly and looked back at the group behind me. "It''s time to finally do what we were sent to do."

 Chapter 43 - Underground

    Walking through the door, I found myself inside of a small, dingy brick room. A dirty cot took up the entire left wall, and a bucket sat in the corner. Everything went dark as the light from the doorway behind me faded, and it took a few seconds for my eyes to acclimate. Turning around, I saw that the wall behind me was comprised of several vertical bars and a door made up of the same.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± I muttered to myself. Three lights appeared against the wall outside of the bars in quick succession. I heard the muted footsteps of Ferrisdae, then a light disappeared, the heavy stomping of Cojisto before the second light vanished, and finally the sound of hoof on stone as Moose passed through. Darkness descended on the four of us.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Cojisto asked quickly, and I heard him tapping on the metal bars. ¡°Moose, are you okay? Is it too small for you?¡±


    ¡°Jail,¡± Ferrisdae answered as Moose stamped his hoof on the ground. ¡°Did Himia and her boss set us up?¡±


    I crossed my arms as I thought it over, and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said slowly. ¡°I think I phrased my request wrong. I had asked that there be no help from the Dungeon Master or Himia, so this was probably how we were going to be dropped in.¡±


    ¡°How certain are you on that, sir?¡±


    ¡°Not very, Ferrisdae,¡± I admitted. I was about to continue when the sound of talons tapping on stone reached my ears. It was getting closer, and soon accompanied by a voice.


    ¡°We ain¡¯t had to wait very long, did we?¡± came a feminine voice from down the hall. A figure half a foot shorter than Ferrisdae passed into view, and she looked down at me and laughed.


    She was an Avian with feathers ranging from green to orange to yellow, though most weren¡¯t seen. Thick leather armor with plates of metal over vital areas covered her. Despite the darkness, I could see that her black beak was set in what I assumed was a sneer, and she held a crossbow loosely at her side. We met eyes, and I didn¡¯t need the dark orange, almost red, aura enveloping her to see the smug satisfaction that we were locked up and she was free.


    ¡°So let¡¯s do the head count, shall we?¡± she asked with cruel mirth as she walked down the hall. ¡°We gots a speck, a knife ears, just some guy, and a big, smelly mammal. I¡¯ll let ya two fight over which of you is the guy and which of you is the mammal.¡±


    ¡°I am not smelly,¡± Cojisto claimed, causing me to roll my eyes. I heard him punch the bars once, then a second time. ¡°Oh, wow, these are really sturdy.¡±


    ¡°Of course they sturdy, we knew you was coming,¡± the Avian laughed, but only for a moment. ¡±Boss ain¡¯t ready for ya yet, but he will be soon, so just sit tight and behave yaselves, yeah? Ya time¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve enhanced these bars with magic,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ actually some pretty powerful enchantments on these.¡±


    ¡°And the girlie gets it!¡± the Avian yelled loudly. ¡°Ya all will be got when its time, so for now, just sit tight and relax. Take a nap, take a shit, just don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do you have planned for us?¡±


    While the others were speaking with the Avian, I wasn¡¯t simply twiddling my thumbs. I hummed gently to myself as I pulled out my Hilt of Holding. Turning it over in my hands, I admired the green metal it was made out of as well as the vines that made the half-basket protecting my grip. It felt good to have back in my hand after spending the entire dungeon without it.


    Spinning the notched pommel, I selected the blade I wanted most and thumbed a rune near the top of my grip. A thin, five inch knife made of a dull black metal popped out silently. It had a sharp point and only one side held an edge.


    I stepped towards the door to see the Avian close by the next jail cell. She stayed near the middle, not getting too close to me or Cojisto, who I assumed was on the other side of my junior.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t my plan,¡± the Avian said. She removed a crossbow bolt and started to swipe it from side by side as if using the bars as a drum. ¡°But I¡¯m gunna enjoy it, lemme tell you.¡±


    ¡°You have one chance to let us out,¡± I said evenly. ¡°After that, I can¡¯t guarantee your safety.¡±


    The bolt stopped its rhythmic banging as the Avian turned her large, black eye towards me. ¡°Oi, the speck speaks!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ through them bars, so I don¡¯t know why ya talking so tall. Ya got problems, little man?¡±


    I smiled at the Avian and raised the Hilt of Holding. She looked at it in confusion as I slid the thin blade against the back of the metal slab that had the keyhole in it. In order to reach the actual locking mechanism I would have had to reach around and pick it blindly, but that wasn¡¯t necessary.


    ¡°What are ya-¡°


    The thin blade pushed through the magically strengthened metal like a hot knife through butter with just a bit of effort from me. I very quickly cut out a circle as the Avian jerked back in surprise, and the locking mechanism fell to the ground with a loud clatter. She turned to run, but it was far too late.


    In seconds, I had tackled the Avian to the ground by hitting her in the back of the knees. She struggled, lashing out at me with her talons and fists. In one swift move I rolled away, putting me between her and the wall, and pushed her towards Cojisto¡¯s cell. He reached down and grabbed her, pulling her close to the bars as I stood up.


    ¡°You had your chance,¡± I told her, my voice not changing from earlier. I returned the blade to the Hilt of Holding before pulling the jail cell keys from her belt. She lashed out, snarling, but I ignored her and began to unlock Ferrisdae¡¯s cells.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Is the edge of that blade coated in adamantine?¡± she asked, eyes wide.


    Adamantine was an incredibly rare metal that had properties that allowed it to cut through almost everything except for itself. Because of that rarity, it made sense that she thought that the edge was only coated in it.


    I smirked as I found the right key and opened the jail door for her. ¡°No, the whole thing is adamantine,¡± I said smugly. ¡°Gift from the director for my ten year anniversary with the DoD. It¡¯s my favorite letter opener.¡±


    ¡°You have a blade made entirely of the strongest metal known and you use it to open letters?¡± she half-yelled incredulously.


    ¡°I did say it was my favorite letter opener,¡± I told her, mimicking the words I used in front of Oristrella¡¯s dungeon.


    Now that she was free, I gave the Avian a wide berth and unlocked Moose¡¯s door. He had some trouble moving around inside of the cell, which was expected. They were made for human sized creatures, not for a moose. Still, with some maneuvering he was able to exit the cell one antler at a time. The hallway wasn¡¯t much larger, but he wasn¡¯t as cramped.


    ¡°Hey, Moose, catch this for me,¡± Cojisto said before pushing the Avian. She fell to the ground and scrambled to stand, but Moose put a hoof on her back and pushed her back down. The pirate struggled, but she wasn¡¯t nearly strong enough to make the healer budge. I opened Cojisto¡¯s cell and, once free, he grabbed the Avian by the armor and thrust her into the room he had just occupied before closing and locking it.


    Then Cojisto frowned. ¡°Moose, are you as disappointed as I am that this tier upgrade thing has made things too easy?¡± he asked. The healer stamped his hoof and croaked, causing the man to nod. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, too. This small bird person could have put up a much better fight if it weren¡¯t for the Dungeon Master.¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon Master gave Razorbeak the same thing, Cojisto, have your fun there,¡± I said. The Human¡¯s eyes lit up, and I shook my head before turning towards the Avian. ¡°Where¡¯s the captain? What does he have planned?¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t talking to you,¡± she spat.


    ¡°Very well, enjoy being in the dungeon when the Dungeon Master makes it collapse. It¡¯s going to happen whether we win or lose, after all,¡± I said before turning around and walking off. Ferrisdae arched an eyebrow at me but followed after.


    ¡°Wait, wait, what ya mean collapse?¡± the Avian asked.


    I stopped, but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°When a dungeon is destroyed, it takes time before it closes completely,¡± I explained. ¡°It starts from the outside and heads inwards towards the boss or wherever the dungeon magic originated. It¡¯s not a physical wall, but anything that belongs to the dungeon disappears. Traps, items, artifacts, even people and minions get swept up in this invisible curtain until everything¡¯s gone.¡±


    Ferrisdae cleared her throat. ¡°Normally, everyone is evacuated before the process starts,¡± she continued. ¡°Or dead, if they refused the subjugation. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, though I¡¯m sure you already know that.¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s a dead body, the dungeon simply makes it disappear. Because, as a minion, you belong to the dungeon.¡± I turned around and stopped in front of the cell, hands on my hips. ¡°But the process on a live person is much lengthier and, from what I¡¯ve experienced, incredibly painful. I''ll be honest, you may survive, but the odds aren''t good. The other wagon¡¯s dungeons have been destroyed, so I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the fate of this one once we¡¯re done here. So, enjoy your collapse.¡±


    ¡°Wait, no, you can¡¯t leave me here for that,¡± she pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Sighing, I looked up at Ferrisdae. ¡°I already gave her one chance and she didn¡¯t take it, so it¡¯s up to you.¡± Ferrisdae frowned, but I could already tell she was going to be lenient on the Avian. My junior looked down at me, and I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m going to go scout, tell me what you find out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ferrisdae said as I began walking away. ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re going to tell us¡­¡±


    As I turned the corner, I pulled my buckler bracer from the Dimensional Pocket and slid it onto my wrist. Banging it against my chest, it opened up into a full shield. Doing so again returned it to bracer form. While I was still a bit skeptical that none of my magic items had been tampered with, everything seemed to be in working order.


    The corridors continued for a long while, but following the Avian¡¯s tracks in the dust was a simple affair. The sounds of cheering and revelry washed over me, causing me to frown. The tracks were heading elsewhere, but I didn¡¯t want to miss this chance if there were enemies who could come from behind. I started heading towards it.


    My brow furrowed as the sound of people became even louder. It wasn¡¯t just a small group, but dozens, maybe even hundreds. More than Razorbeak should have brought alone, or so I thought. Were there more of the Dungeon Master¡¯s creations up ahead? The people who weren¡¯t really people? Whoever they were, it didn¡¯t sound like they were anything but excited.


    Light filled the corridor as I made another turn towards the noise. The worked stone gave way to sand, and I squinted to get a good look at what laid beyond. Unfortunately, the bright light made it hard to see any details. Instead of exposing myself, I turned around to start heading back.


    I immediately ran into a brick wall face first. Clutching my nose, I looked it over knowing there was no way for it to have been there before. If I had started walking through walls, that was something I would have noticed immediately.


    ¡°Come on out, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± came a booming voice that I recognized as the leader of Carrage, Keith Carr. ¡°Razorbeak has told me much of your arrival, and we have prepared something special for you.¡±


    I let out a long breath before shaking my head and heading towards the sand. The corridor opened up into a wide gladiatorial arena. People of all sorts filled the seats, yelling and jeering at me. Some booed, some cheered, but all of them shouted. My gaze found Keith easily.


    He was sitting higher than everyone else on a gaudy crystalline throne. Regal robes flowed from his still pudgy body while a golden crown nested atop his head. Aside from the kingly aura he exuded, he looked exactly like he had back in the first dungeon. He waved a scepter towards me, but my attention had already wandered.


    Next to him were two colorful Avians. Both shared a similar pattern of blue and red feathers, though one wore a tricorn hat and had a blunderbuss leaning up against his chair. I immediately pegged this as the Land Pirate Raitheus Razorbeak. He looked as smug as I thought he¡¯d be.


    The other wore colorful robes and was drawing a glowing magical circle in front of them with a wand. It looked nearly complete.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to teach you a lesson you won¡¯t survive, speck. We¡¯ve got control of this dungeon now,¡± Razorbeak yelled in perfect Imperial Standard. ¡°Do it.¡±


    The magic circle in front of his companion faded, and the sky began to darken. I activated my Hilt of Holding, ejecting my magical fire sword from it in preparation for whatever was coming. With no small amount of confusion, I watched as the moon sped across the sky. Then the sun, then the moon.


    ¡°What possible reason would they need time to¡­¡± I muttered to myself before it finally clicked what the Avian magician was doing. My head fell into my free hand. ¡°Oh, gods damn it.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Chicken

    I scowled as the air in the center of the arena began to shimmer, and I retracted the magical fire blade back into my Hilt of Holding. If this was what was going to happen, then swinging around a flaming sword was just as likely to get me burned as it was to do damage to my opponent.


    The shimmer started to become more and more solid as the animal emerged into this world. It reminded me of watching illusions manifesting, though more dangerous. The whole process was faster than I expected, taking thirty seconds at the most, and I was looking up at a large black eye staring down at me.


    Standing in the center of the arena, warbling loudly as the crowd all around us cheered, was a thirty foot tall chicken.


    The same one that plagued the camp back in the first wagon dungeon, if I had to guess. It looked like a common rooster with brown plumage, black feathers at its tail, yellow feet and beak, and dark red comb and wattle. As we stared off at each other, something stung the back of my head though I didn¡¯t dare move to slap whatever bug just bit me.


    When the pain disappeared, I realized that I knew what this was. It wasn¡¯t just a Dire Chicken, but a Temporal Dire Chicken. The rooster was stuck in an anomalous state that kept it outside of the world as a whole, appearing only for an hour or so every week. It didn¡¯t have any control over this ability, but it would continue to pop in and out of time until it was dealt with permanently.


    A part of me thought that this was an incredibly dumb creature and wondered what the Dungeon Master was thinking putting it in his dungeon, but another part of me put the pieces together. The arena was built specifically to house the Temporal Dire Chicken. It appeared dead center, as if waiting for it to arrive. Would it have been different if we had killed it on Gar¡¯s request? What did the continuity look like? Was there any continuity at all?


    I didn¡¯t have enough time to think it through. The rooster did not seem impressed by its latest offering, or whatever I was supposed to be to it, and crowed directly at me. Daggers shot through my ears as I grit my teeth, the pain of the loud cry dissipating quickly though it left me disoriented. I shook my head, trying to regain my sense of equilibrium, as a shadow loomed over me.


    There was no waiting for my head to clear or for my condition to improve. I ran and dove out of the way. Dust flew in every direction as the chicken landed where I had been just seconds earlier. The spurs on its legs, each far larger than I, slashed against the sandy ground.


    With one last shake of my head, I fully grasped my situation and shot to my feet. This was just another obstacle on the path to taking out Raitheus Razorbeak, and it needed to be treated like one.


    The rooster lowered its head, opening its beak as it tried to swallow me whole. The attack was easy to anticipate due to its massive size, and I dodged out of the way while I spun the dial on my Hilt of Holding.


    The rooster wasn¡¯t done, however, and it turned its head. With mouth agape, it didn¡¯t discriminate between me or the sand as it swept towards me. I ran as fast as I could, making sure that the dial was exactly where I wanted it, and just in time.


    I felt the rooster¡¯s tongue push against my back as the beak closed in on either side. In order to make sure my feet survived without getting bitten, I jumped.


    Darkness overtook me as I was bashed and battered by the rooster¡¯s tongue. Despite my precarious position, I could still hear the cheering of the crowd at my assumed demise. It wasn¡¯t a bad assumption as I was already being pushed back towards the creature¡¯s gullet. Not liking where this was going, I activated the rune on my Hilt of Holding.


    A twelve inch blade made of green metal similar to the one that made up the hilt popped forward. It featured several serrated edges, reminding me of a shark¡¯s tooth, and a black liquid dripped from each point. Before the rooster had a chance to swallow, I plunged it deep into the writhing tongue.


    The Temporal Dire Chicken cried out in pain as its mouth opened. My ears hurt from the proximity, but not nearly as much as it had before. The errant thought of having that checked out later hit me in case there was permanent damage crossed my mind, but it flitted away as quickly as it came as I continued to slice and stab at the beast¡¯s tongue.


    It didn''t take long before I was pushed out of the rooster¡¯s mouth.


    At some point while I was inside, the monster had stood up to its full height, and I found myself falling towards the ground. I reached out in order to try and grab its wattle, but my short arms betrayed me. Instead, I found salvation as the rooster shifted, waving its wings wildly as it concerned itself with the wound on its tongue. It took a step forward, and I landed in the feathers lining its chest.


    I fell through the bird¡¯s plumage and tried to get purchase. Each of the feather¡¯s shafts were as thick as tree branches. I wasn¡¯t sure how far in I fell before grabbing onto a fistful of vanes.


    The barbs were stiff and scratched at my skin, but gave me a good way to stop my descent. I was being tossed back and forth by the rooster, still in the throes of pain, but my grip was solid. There was time to think. I looked at the blade in my hand and weighed my options.


    A couple of ways to fell this beast came to mind. If I could cut through one of the spur on its legs, the blood loss would eventually catch up with it. The knife-like protrusion was made of the same sort of material as my thumbnails, but scaled up it may be too hard for me to cut through in one go. It was certainly too large for my letter opener. Not to mention I would have to contend with the feet.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    After what happened in its mouth, I didn¡¯t expect it to want to try swallowing me again. My original few stabs were to test how a giant rooster would react to the debilitation effect of my poisoned blade. The liquid pouring out of my dagger was magical, but based on how it was acting so far I would need to make a lot more strikes to effect a beast of this size. Striking its chest might get it to the heart faster, but I felt exposed here despite being covered in interlocking feathers.


    Finally, I looked upwards. Climbing the rooster would be difficult, but all I would need was a few good shots at its skull to put it down for good. I would have to hold on for dear life and watch out for its wings, but it felt like the right choice to me. I shifted the Hilt of Holding and put the grip in my mouth, careful not to let any of the poison slide down the blade into my mouth, and started climbing.


    The barbs of the feathers kept them all tightly interlocked, and pushing through was a pain. I was able to climb up fairly quickly through the path I fell through since the rooster hadn¡¯t fixed them in its panic, but the moment I hit the beginning of where I descended it was like pushing through a thorned bush. Bracing myself between a few feather shafts, I took the Hilt of Holding and retracted the blade.


    Spinning the dial with a practiced hand I selected the scimitar and, aiming upwards, reactivated the magical item. A silvery curved blade popped from the hilt and sliced through the vanes of a few feathers above me. The unadorned and simple blade made short work of the feathers in my path, though it often veered unusually close to the chicken¡¯s flesh.


    I had told Ferrisdae that the scimitar drank blood, but I didn¡¯t know where it went nor was it a cursed item. This was true. What I failed to mention was that it actively sought out the blood of my enemies.


    Luckily there weren¡¯t any blood feathers on my way up the beast so I was able to avoid slicing through any of the shafts, which was something that would undoubtedly get the rooster¡¯s attention even more than my climbing.


    Though not for long, it seemed. The panicked shifting of the Temporal Dire Chicken was starting to slow as it got its bearings. I felt it shifting its head back and forth, looking for the insect that had dared to attack its tongue in such a manner, but I didn¡¯t stop moving. I continued to climb.


    Its heavy footfalls reached my ears as the rooster continued to look around. The crowd¡¯s yelling was muted, but I could tell that they were upset. They knew where I was, the problem was getting the chicken to figure it out. I shifted to the right in an attempt to go around a dense cluster of feathers when I heard a loud whistle. Immediately after a gaping wound was torn into the animal¡¯s flesh where I had just been.


    ¡°A bullet,¡± I swore to myself as the chicken¡¯s panicked flailing renewed.


    I started chopping and climbing with reckless abandon. The smug look of Razorbeak reloading his blunderbuss filled my mind, obviously tired of my uncontested climb. Sure enough, the shrieking rooster¡¯s beak started picking at the spot I had just left, causing me to slide my scimitar into its chest to keep my balance.


    The feathers parted and its large black eye, as big around as I was tall, lingered on me. With a wordless roar, I ran down the closest branch-like feather¡¯s shaft towards its head. I jumped when I felt the beam I was on become too small for my needs and held the scimitar high above me.


    The Temporal Dire Chicken recoiled away as I went right for a part of its skull behind the eye, and I thrust my blade forward. It looked like it was going to miss by inches, my charge too slow, but the properties of the scimitar helped me. It sought out the blood of the beast and slid into its flesh without issue. I was able to reach out and grab the smaller feathers around the rooster¡¯s crown as the scimitar sunk deeper.


    It wasn¡¯t enough. I pulled out a bloodless blade as the rooster shook its head, trying to dislodge me and end its pain. My grip was tight, however, even as I felt the barbs of the feathers digging into my hand. I slashed at the side of its head, cutting through the feathers and eventually its skin. Blood trickled down its neck and I felt it stop.


    I didn¡¯t slow my attacks. Darkness fell over me again as a gargantuan wing struck me on the back. I grit my teeth through the pain and continued swinging. More and more blood began to get sucked up, and soon I could see white bone keeping its brain safe. I was almost there.


    The rooster dropped to the ground, and in a moment of surprise I looked at its eye. It was looking back at me with both fury and fear. In the reflection I could clearly see that it was attempting to slam me into the ground. An undoubtedly effective tactic. I was forced to jump away when I was closer to the ground, rolling to my feet.


    I retracted my blade as I pivoted and jumped back onto the beast. ¡°THAT THE BEST YOU¡¯VE GOT!?¡± I yelled as I pushed the Hilt of Holding against my jacket, spinning the dial without using two hands.


    The bird¡¯s cries of pain and panic got louder as I brought out my flaming sword once more. ¡°Ignite,¡± I whispered, causing the blade to light up with magical fire. If it were panicked before, this was certainly reaching a new level.


    It lifted its head again as I began stabbing, trying to break through the skull and finish this. It was a lot sturdier than I had been anticipating, likely due to its great size, but I was chipping away. I managed to gain purchase as it slammed down one last time. My hilt hit the ground first, allowing the force of the blow to finally pierce the skull and begin frying the brain inside.


    I was the second to hit the ground, and the wind was knocked out of my lungs. The Temporal Dire Chicken laid atop me, its eyes losing the light of life inches away from my face, and I let out a sigh of relief.


    While the rooster wasn¡¯t a skilled combatant, it was powerful in many other ways. Reaching into my pocket with what little room I had, I grabbed a potion. After uncorking it with my teeth and drinking it, I felt the wounds all over my body heal and my hearing coming back to me.


    The arena was quiet, and I imagined the disbelief they must have been feeling. If the story dungeon was as I guessed, this rooster was a way of life for them. They likely gathered here to watch prisoners be executed by the giant bird. To see it slain was something they might not be able to quickly wrap their mind around.


    Once I had caught my breath thanks to the potion, I shifted around until I was able to lift the bird¡¯s head off of me. It was tough, but a chicken was still a chicken and I was still as strong as ever. My flaming sword fell to the ground as I kicked the head away off of me. Dust and sand obscured me, and I grabbed my weapon as I stood up. The hush didn¡¯t last as the crowd screamed in confusion.


    My eyes were already on Razorbeak and his mage friend. As I walked past the feathers of the Temporal Dire Chicken, I stuck my blade between them. The fire caught quickly and easily, leaving behind a trail that began spreading all over the body.


    ¡°One bird down, Razorbeak, two more to go!¡± I yelled up at him. ¡°Get down here and fight me yourself, you glorified parrot! Or are you an even bigger chicken than this one?¡±

 Chapter 45 - Final Preparations

    Smoke rose from the burning chicken behind me as I walked towards the raised platform on which the king and his two Avian companions were staring down at me. I felt no small amount of satisfaction upon seeing that Razorbeak¡¯s smug look had been wiped off of his face while his companion looked concerned.


    Keith lurched to his feet, his golden crown threatening to fly off of his head from the violent motion, and pointed his scepter at me. ¡°Guards! Kill that Halfling!¡± he screamed, his voice easily heard over the din of the crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t let the prisoner escape!¡±


    I slammed my shield against my chest, enlarging it, before looking around. The guards around the walls of the arena floor wore shining metal armor. They had crossbows in their hands and a few were pointing at me, but none of them looked ready to fire. It was now that I noticed they had no aura. King Carr''s was red all the way through, and the crowd was filled with various shades of red and orange, but the guards stood there like empty puppets.


    A shiver ran through my spine, causing me to shake for a moment. No aura meant they had no free will. That¡¯s what Razorbeak meant when he said they had control of this dungeon. Keith might have been too powerful to control directly given his position, but the guards being under his control meant that he and his crew could essentially do whatever they wanted without scrutiny.


    I had no idea where the Avian mage had learned how to wrestle this level of control from the dungeon, giving him access to both time and people, but it was worrying.


    ¡°Why are you just standing there!?¡± Keith yelled again. ¡°Execute that Halfling!¡±


    I watched the mage carefully as I resumed walking towards them. He began to fill the air with another magic circle before Razorbeak grabbed his attention. From this distance I couldn¡¯t hear what was said, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    In a flash of speed that was almost too fast for me to catch, the pirate captain spun around. He placed the barrel of his blunderbuss against Keith¡¯s heart, the weapon glowing green with the telltale sign of a martial art, and pulled the trigger. The king slumped to the ground as the sound of the gunshot bounced around the arena loud and clear.


    All around the guards fell as if their strings had been cut, though it had happened a second after Keith¡¯s demise as the mage did something with his hands. No doubt some spell or another. Perhaps controlling them in a fight would have been too taxing on his magical power. The people, however, all began screaming and running towards the exits. Their king dead, and their protectors slain, all seemingly at the same time. I would have run, too.


    And so I did, though not away from the danger. I started running towards the king¡¯s platform, already seeing a way to climb up, before Razorbeak jerked his head towards the exit and began leaving through the only door that side of the arena. The mage looked back at me for a moment, did what I could only guess was a sneer, and followed after his captain.


    This time, I slid to a halt. Going after them would likely leave me trapped again, though it would undoubtedly be more deadly than this was. The Temporal Dire Chicken could have killed a regular adventurer or even most other dungeon inspectors. They weren¡¯t counting on me.


    I took a breath and turned around, heading back towards my entrance. It would take a while, but I could burst through the wall they set up to stop me from returning to the group. Right now there was safety in numbers and warning Ferrisdae about what was going on was the prudent choice. As far as I knew, they were still underground and that meant they could be entombed there rather easily.


    My quick walk turned into a jog, and then a run. The more I thought about it, the more rushed I was. I had to get back down there imme-


    A blast of dust and debris came out of the arena gate moments before I was about to enter it. I crouched behind my shield, feet sliding through the sand, in order to protect myself. My sword was still ignited, and I rose into a defensive position as I waited to see what new threat was gracing me with its presence now.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s some sun here!¡± I heard a big, dumb Human¡¯s voice say. I collapsed my shield and turned off my sword¡¯s fire enchantment as I shook my head. Cojisto emerged from the dust cloud moments later, waving his hand in front of his face as if it would somehow clear the air for him. He stopped and locked eyes with me before grinning. ¡°Found Badger!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± I told him, placing a hand on my hip. ¡°I already took out the giant chicken.¡±


    Cojisto¡¯s grin fell as he looked from me to the giant bird corpse behind me. The flames had gone out - feathers weren''t very good at staying lit - but it still smoked. ¡°I wanted to wrestle that!¡± he exclaimed, snapping his fingers as he kicked the sand. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have waited, like, another minute or so?¡±


    ¡°Things happen fast, Cojisto,¡± I told him absently as I looked behind him. Moose came out of the dust after the Human. He snorted as he looked at me, and my body was enveloped by a warm glow as the remnants of my injuries warmly stitched themselves back together. ¡°Thanks, Moose. Is Ferrisdae behind you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Ferrisdae replied. She walked out of the dust cloud with her mouth and nose covered by her cloak. Behind her was the Avian that we had captured. Her beak was closed tight due to a cloth wrapped around it and her arms were tied together with rope that my junior was holding on to. Ferrisdae glanced around the arena, her eyes widening and lingering on the giant chicken, before shaking her head. ¡°Looks like we missed it. Shortclaw here told us that the plan was to get us to fight the bird, but you went and took all the fun.¡±


    ¡°You could have killed it with a single Shooting Star.¡± I scowled, thinking that it was a completely unnecessary time waster. Ferrisdae averted her gaze, looking down at the sand, and I sighed. ¡°That was supposed to be indicative of how weak it was, not chastising you for being late or being uncomfortable casting magic. I need you sharp, alright?¡±


    Ferrisdae released a short breath before a mask of determination covered her face. She looked me in the eyes and nodded decisively. ¡°Yes, sir. What happened here?¡±


    ¡°The mage, whom I¡¯m guessing is Razorbeak¡¯s first mate,¡± I paused, looking at the Avian Ferrisdae had called Shortclaw. ¡°Is that the first mate?¡±


    The Avian looked away from me, some defiance in her gaze, until Moose plodded towards her. He gently tapped her on the top of her head with an antler before she began to nod.


    ¡°His name is Swiftfeather,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. The Dungeon Master had told me that, but I wanted to make sure. ¡°He¡¯s proficient in some form of magics that Shortclaw doesn¡¯t know enough to tell us about.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Well, whatever it is, he¡¯s proficient in dungeon magic. He managed to take over the flow of time and shunt the world forward so that the Temporal Dire Chicken-¡°


    ¡°So cool,¡± Cojisto interrupted. I gave him a glare, he still looked sad that he didn¡¯t get to fight it.


    ¡°Shunt the world forward so that the Temporal Dire Chicken would attempt to eat me. Keith Carr became king of this world, but he¡¯s dead thanks to Razorbeak. Swiftfeather was controlling the guards like puppets, and he also put up that wall you three punched through to get here. Razorbeak says he¡¯s in control of the dungeon now.¡±


    Ferrisdae furrowed her brow. ¡°How could he have that kind of control over the dungeon? Isn¡¯t that the Dungeon Master¡¯s whole thing? Why would Swiftfeather be able to do it?¡±


    ¡°Unclear. It might be because this dungeon operates in a different way than anything we¡¯ve seen before. Might be because of the boost that the Dungeon Master gave him. Might have learned a few tricks outside of the dungeon and is finally putting them to use.¡±


    Moose croaked, and Cojisto translated. ¡°There¡¯s tricks the DoD don¡¯t know about?¡±


    ¡°Contrary to popular belief,¡± I said, not bothering to hide the disapproval at the question from my voice. ¡°The Department of Dungeons isn¡¯t some monolithic presence that has all the answers. We¡¯re learning new things every day. We didn¡¯t know about the Dungeon Master and all he can do, for example, and they were sitting underneath a dungeon-less city-state for centuries.¡±


    ¡°When Badger and I met for my first mission, which wasn¡¯t long before we met you two, it was to oversee a new dungeon that came about because a rat ate a wizard¡¯s spell book,¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°We figured it was because there was dungeon magic written inside. That¡¯s about the best guess we¡¯ve got, though.¡±


    ¡°Huh, this dungeon magic stuff is still a mystery after everything that¡¯s been researched?¡± Cojisto asked, scratching his head and removing dust from his hair.


    ¡°Magic is very enigmatic,¡± Ferrisdae replied. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot that doesn¡¯t make sense. Like why it works, why some people need to study while others can do it inherently, and dungeon magic is fairly rare in that the circumstances often need to be just right for one to pop up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s a whole lecture that we don¡¯t have time for,¡± I said as I reached into my dimensional pocket. ¡°Razorbeak and Swiftfeather are escaping as we speak, likely to regroup with the crew, and we need to rein them in.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so let¡¯s get going!¡± Cojisto yelled, throwing a fist in the air.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re staying here and making them come back to us,¡± I said, dampening Cojisto¡¯s enthusiasm. My attention turned to Ferrisdae. ¡°Think you can spare some magical power? Not casting spells, but a ritual.¡±


    The Elf walked towards me and nodded. ¡°I¡­ should,¡± she said before being more stern with herself. ¡°Yes. Yes, I can.¡±


    ¡°Good, because if Swiftfeather¡¯s a tier two like the Dungeon Master claimed, then you¡¯ve got your work cut out for you.¡± Removing my hand from my dimensional pocket, I pulled out a large piece of thick paper. It had been folded into a square, and I set it down on the ground. It opened the moment it fell, revealing a pre-drawn ritual circle.


    Moose and Cojisto joined us as Ferrisdae and I knelt beside it. She handed him Shortclaw¡¯s rope, which he took without fuss, and turned her attention to the circle. ¡°So I just need to push magic into it, right?¡± Ferrisdae asked, though I could hear the nervous tension in her voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I confirmed. She still didn¡¯t feel comfortable tapping into her magic wellspring, and I knew that, but this was the fastest, most practical, and safest way to do this. ¡°Hands on the Reduce and Dungeon runes. Do you know what this does?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know what this does,¡± Ferrisdae said in a tone that was nearly hostile. ¡°Sorry, sorry, I-¡°


    ¡°I get it,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°Walk the two adventurers through it for me. It might help keep your mind off of it.¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded, and Cojisto put a hand on her shoulder. Just as I was about to chastise him, Moose lowered his head so that his snout was resting on her other shoulder, his antler just behind her. She smiled softly, leaning her head against Moose while patting Cojisto''s hand for a moment before releasing a breath and turning her attention to the ritual circle.


    ¡°Thank you Cojisto, Moose,¡± she said. Moose pulled back immediately, but Cojisto¡¯s hand lingered for a second longer. My attention turned towards the paper.


    It took a few seconds after Ferrisdae¡¯s hands touched the runes for anything to happen, but a rich purple energy started flowing through the lines of the ritual circle. Slowly at first, but gaining speed and power as time passed. ¡°This is a Dungeon Reduction Ritual,¡± Ferrisdae explained softly as she stared at her hands. ¡°It forces a dungeon to close in on itself until only an amount of space the ritualist allows is left.¡±


    ¡°We want the arena here to be our space,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Got it, sir,¡± she replied with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s meant to be for dungeons that are incredibly large, like this one, where the boss has a lot of space to flee or are hard to find.¡±


    ¡°And those who are outside of the dungeon after it¡¯s been made smaller cease to exist?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°Depends on how you do it,¡± she answered. ¡°Generally, no. The dungeon will open back up after some time has passed and those who disappeared would reappear as if nothing happened. You can overload the ritual, however, which can destroy the minions and even the boss if you¡¯re not careful. The dungeon has to recover naturally after that, which is a very lengthy process. Some owners simply decide to start over at that point.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t care if it gets overloaded as long as we get Razorbeak and his crew,¡± I added. ¡°If he ignores all the warning signs and gets caught out, then our job is basically done. Swiftfeather can fight it, but if Ferrisdae can overpower whatever he¡¯s using to control the dungeon then he¡¯ll be on the back foot, unable to concentrate because he has to flee to safety.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that sounds complicated,¡± Cojisto said with a nod.


    ¡°Just to you, Cojisto,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Be nice to Cojisto, he¡¯s been a big help,¡± Ferrisdae chided. I scoffed and she winced, her body beginning to tremble. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay. Just not¡­ used to it. Swiftfeather¡¯s begun fighting back.¡±


    ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Cojisto asked. ¡°I have a little bit of magic because of the flow thing. Moose is magical. Can we help?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to aid the ritual,¡± I warned. ¡°That might kill us in the process.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, really,¡± she reiterated. ¡°He¡¯s not as strong as I am. Did he¡­ Did he draw his magic circles in the air?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed.


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a weaker form of magic than us. Swiftfeather doesn¡¯t have a ritual on Hajidi Paper like we do, which means he has to anchor it using his own body, if he''s a Wizard, or magic source, if he''s most other types of spellcasters,¡± she explained. ¡°He¡¯s going to have to give up much- I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    ¡°He gave up?¡± I asked quickly. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely. Everything was going great, then it stopped almost completely as he tried to push back, and now we¡¯re back on track.¡±


    ¡°I think he might have already been drained,¡± I said, eyes flitting towards the fallen guards. ¡°But he also might just be saving his strength for a fight. Moose and Cojisto, grab the chicken and drag it closer so that Ferrisdae can use it as cover. She can''t move until the ritual is complete.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Badger,¡± Cojisto said before running off to do as commanded. Moose nodded and followed after him.


    ¡°Ferrisdae, once you¡¯ve reduced the dungeon to within the arena walls, just inside the sand pit so we can force them out, let it go and join our fight,¡± I continued. ¡°If you feel well enough to cast magic, do that, if not, use your bow.¡±


    Ferrisdae winced. ¡°It¡¯ll be better if-¡°


    ¡°Yes, it will be faster if you use magic,¡± I agreed. ¡°But as your senior, I¡¯m telling you to do what¡¯s most comfortable for you. The only people on their side worth being worried about are Razorbeak and Swiftfeather. Moose is an adequate healer, Cojisto is Cojisto, and I¡¯ve already taken down a bird many sizes bigger than them. We¡¯re good.¡±


    Ferrisdae chuckled. I could see some of the tension leaving her shoulders as she nodded. ¡°Okay, Badger. Thank you.¡±


    I ignited my fire blade as I stood, careful not to get the paper, and enlarged my shield. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, we still have to make it through this,¡± I said. ¡°We get some leave after a subjugation, so make sure you get your head right then. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sounds good. Thank you for caring.¡±


    "Whatever makes you feel better, kid," I scoffed before I began walking off, but my heart wasn''t in it. Based on her light laughter, I knew she could tell.

 Chapter 46 - Land Pirate

    I stood in front of the only path to get to Ferrisdae and kept vigil for any Avian threats to come from the stands. So far it had been quiet, but it was only a matter of time. If this story dungeon was as large as the first then it would be a slow process to reduce it.


    Much of that time had already passed; I could see the sky beginning to darken, not just because Swiftfeather had made it evening but because the sky was literally disappearing after a certain point.


    Generally, a Dungeon Reduction wasn¡¯t so ominous because most were anchored to the material plane instead of a dimensional one. While it was surreal, I didn¡¯t let it bother me.


    Behind me, Ferrisdae still knelt where she had before. Moose and Cojisto had moved the Temporal Dire Chicken closer to her and shifted its wing to give her a very macabre shelter. To her credit, if it bothered her she didn¡¯t let it show. With everything going on, taking cover under the corpse of a giant rooster was the least of her problems.


    Cojisto stood on top of the bird. He had his hands on his hips, impatiently pacing. ¡°How do we know they¡¯re not just going to hole up under the arena, eh?¡± Cojisto said, trying to sound patient.


    ¡°I hope they do,¡± I replied as I heard Moose croak from the other side of the rooster. ¡°Then we just make the dungeon smaller from the bottom and overcharge it. Would certainly make our jobs a lot easier.¡±


    ¡°Easy?¡± Cojisto huffed. ¡°I don¡¯t want easy, I want action! Excitement! Right, Moose?¡±


    I heard Moose stamp his foot once. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him, Moose,¡± I called back without looking away from my side of the arena.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Moose not to encourage me! He¡¯s the best friend I could have ever asked for. Maybe you should be the one who¡¯s more supportive.¡±


    ¡°The point is moot, anyway,¡± Ferrisdae said from under the wing. ¡°I already raised the dungeon¡¯s floor. They won¡¯t be able to hide down there. I didn¡¯t think it would be possible to trap them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I replied. ¡°With luck, more of the crew was hiding out down below and we¡¯ve removed them from the picture.¡±


    Cojisto began speaking, but I stopped listening to him as something in the seats caught my eye. ¡°Get ready,¡± I interrupted, glancing back and forth as I tried to pick out what I saw.


    With my eyes alone, I couldn¡¯t see anything. I had seen a shimmer, some trick of the light, but that was it. Experience told me that something was there. While Invisibility spells were restricted due to the ease at which illegal activities could be committed under their effects, something told me that Swiftfeather wouldn¡¯t have any scruples about using it.


    My attention snapped to an Avian who was suddenly standing in my line of sight. His blunderbuss was alight with a telltale glow, the very act of activating a martial art breaking the invisibility spell. I came to the conclusion that Razorbeak was going after Ferrisdae but couldn¡¯t disturb the arena sand to do so.


    ¡°Martial art!¡± I yelled as I dashed back without taking my eyes off of the land pirate. Whatever he had planned had a long wind up, which meant it was going to be powerful. Cojisto jumped down behind me and unceremoniously picked me up. I was about to yell at him when a loud crack filled the arena.


    Although I could barely see it, I still focused on the large object heading my way. Time seemed to slow down as I saw a cannonball hurtling directly at me. I could still raise my shield despite Cojisto holding me up, and I barely had to shift it to get it into position.


    My arm buckled under the pressure, causing my shield to slam into my face. Cojisto and I were pushed backwards through the sand before he hit the wing and fell backwards. The cannonball, red from the heat, was redirected into the arena seats behind us before exploding in a great ball of flames once it came to a complete stop.


    A quick glance at my shield showed that it had held up, but barely; the paint had been scratched off where the shot dented the center and surged upwards. This was the first time I had seen it damaged so badly, and I released a breath knowing we couldn¡¯t let him do that again. My shield might not hold up a second time.


    ¡°Angle was wrong,¡± Cojisto explained as he set me down. ¡°Had to lift you up.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I growled before I began running towards Razorbeak. ¡°Keep her safe and watch out for the mage!¡±


    I heard Cojisto¡¯s affirmative response as I ran, but didn¡¯t reply to him. Razorbeak was fiddling with his blunderbuss, which glowed faintly of magic, before his eyes locked on me. Raising his weapon, he barely aimed at me as it shone with a green light before firing.


    While it wasn¡¯t the martial art that produced the cannonball, I was hesitant to take any of his attacks head on. I jumped to the side as he leveled his weapon at me, and a harpoon flew through the air where I had just been running. His weapon continued to shine with the martial art as harpoon after harpoon flew my way.


    Though they were trailing behind me as I ran, picking up speed and no doubt running faster than he¡¯d seen a Halfling run before, I kept a careful eye on his gun. He had been following me with his shots, and I realized he was leading me to the arena wall. I was getting closer and closer to it, but if I started running towards him then I would undoubtedly get struck by a harpoon. After the cannonball, I didn¡¯t want to test if one of those could pierce my shield.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    As I expected, Razorbeak didn¡¯t shift his aim to catch me with one of his shots. However, I had caught his timing. Instead of running straight towards the part of the wall he was leading me to, I closed my shield and ran towards him. A harpoon came straight for my chest, exactly as I expected, and I reached out.


    The tip pierced my jacket, tunic, and skin, but didn¡¯t get deep. I had caught it in my hand, gripping the wooden handle tight, and kept it from skewering me. The skin on my palm and fingers felt burned from the action, but it had clearly caught the pirate off guard. Two more harpoons shot at the space where I would have been if I kept on the path, and I could see Razorbeak¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. His gun stopped glowing, telling me that the martial art was over.


    Spinning the harpoon in my hand, I threw it at the arena wall, aiming around halfway up. It stuck, piercing the stone and holding steady. There had been no way I was going to make the leap all the way up the twelve foot wall without the help Razorbeak had so graciously supplied.


    As he fiddled with his blunderbuss again I leapt towards the harpoon and pulled myself up. My still flaming blade caught the wooden shaft of the harpoon on fire, but by then I had already scrambled up and was making my second jump.


    For the briefest of moments, Razorbeak was out of sight. The wall was high, he was on top, and I was in the weaker position. I dropped my sword over the edge before grabbing the stone. Smacking my shield open, which caused it to groan due to the misshapen mess it had become, I pulled myself up and protected my head and hand.


    Right on cue, a spread of shot struck my shield and the floor around it. I heard Razorbeak shout in irritation as I pulled myself up. He continued to fire in one second intervals without reloading, clipping my arm and legs as I tried to keep my vital areas safely behind cover. The wounds hurt, but not enough to slow me down.


    ¡°Land Pirate Raitheus Razorbeak,¡± I breathed through grit teeth. ¡°You are being subjugated by direct order of the Department of Dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Save your breath, speck,¡± he swore between shots. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re here for, just that you¡¯re in my world now.¡±


    ¡°Let the record show that the subject has chosen to hasten his death by refusing communication,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to smashing that record, Inspector,¡± Razorbeak retorted.


    The buckshot stopped coming as I picked up my sword and looked at him through the one-way magical shield. He wore a grin on his beak but he wasn¡¯t looking at me. He was staring behind me.


    That wasn¡¯t for me to worry about. Whatever was going on back there was for Moose and Cojisto to deal with. Ferrisdae, as well; the sky was closing faster and faster. While he was distracted, I lunged for him.


    He wasn¡¯t totally unaware of me, and the Avian easily jumped backwards into the seats. The benches ascended the further back you got, and I started climbing by taking large leaps. Razorbeak was tall enough to step from bench to floor to bench, but the distance he could jump was admittedly impressive. While it didn¡¯t take long for me to make it to him, he still had ample time to pull out the sword on his belt.


    Like his blunderbuss, the leadcutter cutlass had the faint glow of magic power surrounding it. Several runes that I didn¡¯t recognize floated across the metal blade, passing from one side to the other without disappearing. I didn¡¯t dwell on it. The important thing was to not get hit, after all.


    I jumped onto the bench and stabbed at Razorbeak from behind my raised shield. His leadcutter sizzled as it parried my flaming blade, the runes flowing towards the point of impact and I saw them take on a slight orange hue. My immediate guess was some sort of magic mimicry where it would build up to having the same kind of enchantment as my weapon or perhaps an elemental attack.


    The red hue was suppressed as both his leadcutter and blunderbuss glowed green. My eyes narrowed as I focused, and he began to slice at me with his sword. I kept my shield raised, but didn¡¯t block his blade with it. Instead, I began parrying. An overhead slice turned into a quick series of jabs followed by a diagonal slash.


    My focus was absolute, and the combo martial art required my full attention to counter. Playing it safe with my shield had been the right call as this one would have thrown me off balance if I had tried to block the whole thing.


    My Hilt of Holding shook violently in my hand as I parried the second jab as if it wanted to fly out of my hand. The third jab sliced through my side, causing damage but not catching anything vital, while I managed to deflect the last slash.


    Razorbeak brought his blunderbuss up to my shield and I figured this was the last hit of the martial art. He pulled the trigger, sending me flying backwards from the impact. Eight harpoons pierced through my shield in a circular pattern, getting stuck halfway through. I was lucky one of them didn¡¯t pierce my arm.


    That last attack had been a big one. My shield was likely to break if it took any more hits whether it was from a martial art or not, and I didn¡¯t want to risk it. Despite flying through the air, I tapped it against my chest, returning it to its buckler form and ejecting all of the harpoons onto the ground. Thumbing the rune to retract my sword, I shifted the dial on my Hilt of Holding to a new blade.


    ¡°Must be running out of tricks, Razorbeak!¡± I yelled as I rolled to my feet.


    ¡°Still have more than enough for you, speck,¡± Razorbeak replied cockily, but I could see and hear his fear.


    "While I''m still fresh?" I asked. "You really think so?"


    He had thrown some of his most powerful attacks at me, and I had fended them off. In turn, all I had done so far was push aside his strikes. He hadn¡¯t seen me cast magic or perform a martial art. Not against the Temporal Dire Chicken and not against him. The moment his doubt reached his eyes, I reengaged.


    An explosion rocked the world, causing me to stumble and stop while Razorbeak had to plant himself to keep from falling. The sand on the arena appeared to be covered with an ethereal blue fire with Swiftfeather floating over it, and I could see Cojisto diving into the flames to grab Ferrisdae. Somewhere below, Moose was surrounded by a divine healing glow as he scrambled to get on top of the Temporal Dire Chicken.


    ¡°Looks like your friends are-¡°


    I didn¡¯t give Razorbeak time to gloat. I ran towards him, thumbing the rune again to eject a thick black stone club from the hilt. The Avian turned to face me, and I smacked him straight in the beak uncontested as he brought up his sword and blunderbuss too slowly to make a difference.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine, asshole,¡± I said. His beak had been cracked by the blow, and I could see the rage in his eyes. I pointed the club at him. ¡°You worry about me; you don¡¯t have time for anything more.¡±

 Chapter 47 - Subjugation

    Water emerged from underneath Razorbeaks¡¯ taloned feet as they glowed green, another martial art, and he surged backwards. The wave contoured to the slight curve of the arena in an effort to get distance, but I ran to keep up with him, fully ready to tackle his body the moment he stopped. I could see him starting to panic at the thought of losing.


    Behind him, I could see members of his crew start to pour through the doorways. Not many, around twenty or thirty at a glance, though each of them were armed with firearms or crossbows. Before I could prepare myself for fighting multiple enemies, the ethereal blue fire that had shaken the arena flared outwards.


    I didn¡¯t know if it was because I was next to the captain, but the fire didn¡¯t come close to us. It lashed out against the benches in a seemingly random pattern. Some pirates were scorched, leaving behind smoldering corpses, while others were given ample time to flee. As quickly as they came, the threat of fighting the whole crew was gone and the flames returned to the arena sands.


    With my full attention returned to Razorbeak, I was able to continue my assault. The Avian continued to flail backwards, held aloft only by the water-based martial art keeping him in motion. I swung my club with brutal, near reckless efficiency. With no shield of his own, he had to block with his blunderbuss and sword. Somewhere, off in the distance, I heard someone call my name but I couldn¡¯t give up this advantage.


    "Who the fuck are you?" Razorbeak screeched. I didn''t answer.


    The runes floating across the leadcutter had been turned bright orange by the strikes of my flaming sword. They looked like they were almost ready to ignite the blade as sparks erupted every few seconds. That was dashed as Razorbeak¡¯s need to parry changed his tactics. With every strike, the bright orange runes got duller and duller as they lost the fire magic they were mimicking.


    What he had not noticed yet was the cracks in his blade.


    "How are you this strong?" he yelled, panic lacing his voice. "What did the Dungeon Master do to you!?"


    My stone club was enchanted with a powerful magical effect that caused it to corrode any metal that it touched. My Hilt of Holding had to be specially treated so that it wasn¡¯t affected, but it made attacking enemies who relied on advanced weapons and armor much easier. I didn¡¯t even have to strike very hard; a gentle, lingering touch was enough, given time.


    Right now, though, time was of the essence. I continued pushing him back until the waves beneath Razorbeak¡¯s feet disappeared and he stumbled. There were times when he attempted to shoot me or dodge, but there wasn¡¯t enough room between the arena¡¯s benches for someone his size to easily maneuver. I was better off in the confined space, and dodging between the floor to the stone benches was much easier.


    The blunderbuss shot over my shoulder, towards the ground, and into the air but never quite where I was. If Avians could sweat, I was sure Razorbeak would be soaked; his eyes were wild with fear. The sword lit up with the glow of martial arts, and I took my club in both hands and swung as I heard my name again.


    "I won''t be subjugated by the likes of you! I''m Raitheus Razorbeak! I''m-"


    Razorbeak¡¯s leadcutter lost the glow of his special ability and its enchantments as my stone club tore through it, sending the top half of the blade flying off into the seats. My weapon connected with his chest, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to finally fall to his feet. Razorbeak hit the ground with a loud crash, bouncing once before settling. Aiming his gun at me, it glowed green.


    "You-you can''t do this to me! The DoD can''t-"


    It was a move out of panic and desperation, and I swung my club again. The blunderbuss shattered and exploded, causing me to cover my eyes from the heat and light erupting from it, but I didn¡¯t get thrown back. Some of the more powerful martial arts would backlash against the user if they weren¡¯t executed properly. I looked down at Razorbeak, knocked out from his own attack, and scoffed.


    ¡°Subject subjugated,¡± I said as I lifted up the club one more time and brought it down on Razorbeak¡¯s skull.


    His body immediately vanished as the dungeon¡¯s magic swallowed him up. In his place was a blunderbuss and a tricorn hat, both of which I glared at for a moment before picking them up and sliding them into my Dimensional Pocket. While I wasn¡¯t going to be using them, they could be useful for those who plan on studying the Dungeon Master¡¯s dungeons and the items they produce.


    ¡°Badger!¡±


    I was startled as Cojisto¡¯s voice finally reached me. A quick survey of the area showed that all of Razorbeak¡¯s crew were gone, both the living and the dead. I half expected the Dungeon Master or Himia to show up, but neither did. Not even a door to leave the dungeon. Looking back down towards the arena, I saw Cojisto standing near Ferrisdae¡¯s prone body while Moose shone with the power of divine magic.


    The ethereal flames from Swiftfeather had blackened the sands and cooked the chicken. I leapt down the seats, putting the Hilt of Holding back into my Dimensional Pocket before jumping the twelve foot wall into the arena. The sand was still incredibly hot, causing me to start sweating almost immediately, but I ignored it.


    As I got closer, more details were revealed to me. Cojisto¡¯s legs were burnt to hell, and his fists were covered in blood. Moose wasn¡¯t nearly as injured, though I could see several cuts in his coarse fur. As he continued to cast his healing magics, however, I noticed that he was trembling. For a mage that could only mean one thing: he was almost completely tapped out of magic.Stolen novel; please report.


    Ferrisdae looked fine on the outside. Her clothes were burnt tatters, her hair had come loose from the crown braid, and she was unconscious, but she appeared uninjured. Her skin was unblemished aside from where blood had quickly dried due to how hot things were.


    ¡°Cojisto, take her out of the sands and up the wall. Moose, stop, you¡¯re going to knock yourself out.¡±


    Without hesitation, Cojisto scooped up my junior and started running towards a set of stairs leading out of the arena. Moose finally stopped glowing, croaked something at me that I couldn¡¯t understand, and shuffled after his Human friend. Once I realized that Moose wasn¡¯t going to pick up the pace, I ran past him to keep up with Cojisto.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Swiftfeather showed up,¡± Cojisto explained quickly. ¡°He was flying all magically, started gloating, so I started firing bolts at him. He had some kind of protection spell up, so none of them hit. He cast a spell that shifted the sands and, I¡¯m assuming, messed up Ferrisdae¡¯s ritual because she emerged from the wing shortly after.¡±


    Cojisto paused briefly as he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and set Ferrisdae on the closest stone bench. I followed him and looked her over. ¡°Keep going,¡± I ordered as I checked her pulse. She was breathing and her heart was still beating, but her olive skin was becoming pale.


    ¡°Right. So the flames, she cast that,¡± he informed me. I shot him a curious glance, but he just shrugged. ¡°After the ritual was stopped he did some more gloating, some of that ¡®you can never hope to stop the captain¡¯ or something and then he looked up and saw you absolutely manhandling his boss. I mean, you had the guy on the ropes from-¡°


    ¡°Cojisto.¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry, you already know because you were there,¡± he said apologetically. ¡°Swiftfeather started casting a spell at you. Or, at Razorbeak. I¡¯m not sure who it was meant for because I have no idea what he was casting. But Ferrisdae took particular offense to that and launched into this massive spell. I mean, even I could see the power she was putting into this cast and I¡¯m barely magical, right? So-¡±


    ¡°She lit the arena on fire?¡± I asked, looking over the sands. The big picture was starting to form in my mind.


    ¡°Yeah, summoned all that strange fire. A giant hand made of the stuff reached up to grab Swiftfeather, attempting to pull him down, and the bird guy started unloading on Ferrisdae,¡± Cojisto continued. ¡°I mean, Magic Missiles, ray beams, a spinning cutter move I¡¯ve never seen before, Swiftfeather did not-¡°


    ¡°What about Ferrisdae, Cojisto?¡± I growled. An act like that ethereal fire should have been beyond someone of Ferrisdae¡¯s capabilities. The picture was starting to become more clear, however, as my thoughts continued racing.


    ¡°I blocked a lot for her, but not all of it as you can see from her clothes,¡± he answered. ¡°But after Swiftfeather disappeared, the flames followed shortly after and Ferrisdae collapsed. I got her to Moose and he healed her, but she¡¯s not waking up. Is it magic drain?¡±


    Magic drain was a condition that could be deadly if not handled right. It was literally the absence of a part of a spellcaster¡¯s body and soul that kept their being together. To know your limit and never surpass it was one of the first things a mage learned no matter how they cast spells in the first place.


    I resisted the urge to snap at Cojisto. ¡°Of course it¡¯s magic drain,¡± I said, even though I wanted to yell. If he had just said that instead of explaining everything, then I could have done something about it. I started reaching into my Dimensional Pocket.


    Cojisto breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Okay, good,¡± he said. ¡°I already fed her two potions, but she hasn¡¯t woken up yet. I knew you¡¯d have more on you.¡±


    His words made me pause, my hand stuck deep inside the extradimensional space. ¡°You gave her two potions?¡± I asked. That was important, and I was glad he said something. Normally a potion or two would shock a mage out of magic drain, but as with all potions it was important not to feed them too much lest they become even worse due to potion sickness.


    Even consuming too many healing potions would have an adverse effect. The energies in their body became too volatile if an outside source imposed itself too much. Two potions were for an emergency, and anyone who needed three was already on the brink.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Cojisto said with a confused look. ¡°I carry them just in case a mage in a party we join falls into this very scenario. Though, I guess we need some for Moose now.¡±


    ¡°Were they cheap potions?¡± I asked. ¡°Like ones that are just enough to give a mage a short kick?¡±


    Now Cojisto scoffed at me as if I had insulted him or, more likely, Moose. ¡°Of course not!¡± he protested. ¡°What do you take me for? We¡¯re team players, and that means we help our team. Only the best, or at least second or third best, that gold can buy. I would never give Ferry cheap potions.¡±


    Retrieving a viscous pink potion from my Dimensional Pocket, I decided to risk the potential sickness. I uncorked the vial, lifted her head and shoulders from the bench, and fed it to her. Gently, I set her back down and watched her carefully for any sign of change, and cursed under my breath when it looked like it had no effect.


    Slowly, I started pacing. My body was full of barely contained nervous energy as I kept my head down and thought things through. I heard Moose clop up the stairs, but paid him no mind. My thoughts were coming and going too fast and I could not afford the distraction.


    ¡°Badger?¡± Cojisto asked, distracting me. ¡°What¡¯s your thought process? Talk to us. How can we help?¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Cojisto!¡± I yelled. ¡°Just let me think!¡±


    Moose croaked, and Cojisto nodded vigorously. ¡°Moose says thinking out loud helps.¡±


    I glared at the two of them before sighing. It certainly couldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Magic drain is what happens when a spellcaster with their own inner source of magic drains it either too fast or too much,¡± I said out loud. ¡°This whole time, Ferrisdae has been keeping to minor acts of magic. Sensing the flow of magic, identifying items, and pushing magic into the ritual.¡±


    ¡°Could the ritual have done it?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°Not likely,¡± I replied. ¡°But it would have drained her a fair bit. I¡¯m not sure if Swiftfeather drained her more than she thought when she was wresting control of the dungeon¡¯s size away from him, but she should have known just how much magic¡­ she¡­¡± My voice trailed off as realization struck me.


    Moose was the first of the two to speak while I was trying to figure out how plausible my new theory was. Cojisto snapped his finger and pointed at his companion before looking at me. ¡°Moose said she wouldn¡¯t know how much magic she had left,¡± he translated. ¡°Ferrisdae hadn¡¯t been casting spells. She¡¯s been ignoring her wellspring and couldn¡¯t gauge how much power was in there, but she burst through that wall in order to save you from Swiftfeather¡¯s assault.¡±


    I felt the blood drain out of my face as Moose¡¯s explanation was essentially the same as mine, and I stopped pacing. ¡°She drew too much from her wellspring in order to protect me,¡± I whispered breathlessly as I looked at the barely breathing Elf who laid still on the bench.


    She did it for me.

 Chapter 48 - Empty

    ¡°What can we do?¡± Cojisto asked, seemingly oblivious to the inner turmoil going through my mind.


    Whether oblivious or not, the question did knock some sense into me. The mages from the Tower should be able to fix this, or at least keep her alive long enough that she could recover on her own, which meant we had to leave. I looked towards the sky.


    ¡°Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons!¡± I yelled, using his full title to make sure he couldn¡¯t take umbrage with how I addressed him. ¡°Himia! We need a door out! Oristrella will be pissed if Ferrisdae dies of an empty wellspring!¡±


    My heart raced through several seconds of silence. ¡°Gods damn it!¡± I glanced back at Ferrisdae before reaching into my Dimensional Pocket and pulling out a red potion vial. I uncorked it, drank what smelled and tasted like red peppers, and coughed as a terrible heat coursed through my body only to be dispersed by a comfortable one. Then, I paused. ¡°Moose, Cojisto, do you two trust me?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cojisto said immediately while Moose stamped his foot once with the same vigor.


    ¡°Right. I have a plan, but it¡¯s both very stupid and incredibly dangerous,¡± I said as I walked to the edge of the arena and jumped down into the sand. Even with the Fire Resistance potion in my system, the ground was still stiflingly hot. I pulled my Hilt of Holding out of my pocket, the club still extended, and started drawing in the sand.


    ¡°Okay, how stupid and how dangerous?¡± Cojisto asked. I couldn¡¯t see him next to Ferrisdae from this angle, but I wasn¡¯t looking to begin with.


    ¡°The potions we gave her were meant for normal people with a regular amount of magic power inside of them,¡± I said loudly so that he could hear me. ¡°But because of whatever the Dungeon Master did to expand her wellspring, we have no idea how much energy we need to give her to stave off death. We also don¡¯t know if she¡¯s closer to waking up or closer to death.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so we know what we don¡¯t know, how does that help us?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± I answered. I finished the circle I drew in the sand and looked it over. It wasn¡¯t perfectly round, but it was well within the parameters for a ritual circle. Thankfully there was no wind, otherwise all of this hard work would have been for nothing. I continued drawing it.


    ¡°Then¡­ why did you bring it up?¡± Cojisto asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Because Moose was right, vocalizing my thoughts is helping me through this, okay?¡± I snapped before shaking my head. There wasn¡¯t time to be grumpy. I started drawing inside of the circle, using both of my feet and my club to make huge ley lines for the magic to take hold. ¡°I don¡¯t rightfully know what to say because I am nervous. Is that what you want to hear? That this is far more stressful to me than fighting Razorbeak?¡±


    Cojisto snorted a laugh. ¡°Nah, that part actually makes complete sense to me. Go on, talk to yourself, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your permission,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    I ignored the question. ¡°So we need to flood her wellspring with magic.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused, what about the potions? Isn¡¯t it dangerous to give her anymore?¡±


    ¡°An understandable concern, Cojisto, but unwarranted,¡± I replied. ¡°Potions are magic in a physical form. The magic permeates the liquid, which is designed to hold it. The liquid needs time to break down after the magic is gone, otherwise it causes physical problems, which we call potion sickness. Have you run into that before?¡±


    ¡°Once or twice, really early in our career,¡± Cojisto admitted. ¡°But I also know that. What are you planning on doing?¡±


    ¡°Ask Moose if he can figure it out,¡± I replied absently as I continued drawing the ritual circle.


    I regretted those words almost immediately. If I was talking, then I wasn¡¯t thinking about how this plan could backfire. I paused in the middle of drawing the lines and looked down at my creation. It was about halfway done and would have been much easier if I had a wide stone space for a chalk circle. Unfortunately, the dungeon now stopped slightly outside of the arena. King Carr¡¯s platform might have had enough space, but getting up there and removing the throne would have taken time I couldn¡¯t guarantee we would have.


    If only I didn¡¯t have to make the circle big enough to fit Ferrisdae¡¯s unconscious body.


    I heard Moose¡¯s hooves reach the arena wall and he released a lengthy breath. That - or rather, he - was something I could occupy my mind with.


    Moose had been the one to come up with the Dungeon Master¡¯s potential magic circle that turned bodies into magical items. Ferrisdae and I were too wrapped up in what was usually possible to come up with ideas as to what was actually going on. Well, that wasn¡¯t fair. I was too wrapped up in what was possible, Ferrisdae had a lot going on in her mind.


    The animal was sharp, though. I still had no idea what could have possibly made him a magic moose in the first place, or how Cojisto seemed to understand him so flawlessly, but I couldn¡¯t dismiss his intelligence.


    Just as I was thinking that, he began croaking and stamping his hoof. I paused, trying to make heads or tails of what he was saying, but gave up quickly. Cojisto would translate soon.


    ¡°Wait, wait, are you sure?¡± Cojisto asked. When Moose stamped his foot, the man whistled. ¡°Badger, are you trying to shove the magic keeping the dungeon up into Ferrisdae?¡±


    The way he worded it made me pause. It certainly sounded more dangerous when it was put that way.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. I may not have liked his words, but that didn¡¯t make them any less true.


    ¡°Won¡¯t that make her, like, explode or something?¡± For the first time, I heard him leave Ferrisdae¡¯s side and approach the arena.


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, I would never consider this,¡± I admitted. ¡°But Ferrisdae is no longer a normal mage. In the span of days she has, what? Gained the full blessing of a powerful, centuries old Dragon and had a forcible increase of the magic inside of her at the hands of some random dungeon guy?¡±


    I paused, waiting to see if perhaps insulting him would get a reaction. There was none, so I scowled and kept drawing.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying she should be powerful enough to handle this?¡± Cojisto paused as Moose croaked again. ¡°And potions may have just been a drop in the bucket?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I snapped. ¡°This is unprecedented. It¡¯s completely uncharted territory. If I had time and resources then I¡¯m sure I could come up with something else for someone as powerful as this. I have neither of those things, so I¡¯m just scrambling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing your best, Badger, and that¡¯s alright,¡± Cojisto claimed, and I resisted the urge to scoff. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Disappears,¡± I said before correcting myself. ¡°Should, at least. Not sure what¡¯s going to happen with the Dungeon Master and Himia doing absolutely nothing to help.¡±


    ¡°Huh, alright.¡±


    That response made me pause, and I looked up to see Cojisto standing with one hand on his hip and one hand on Moose¡¯s neck. ¡°Alright? Just¡­ alright?¡± I asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yeah, we trust you,¡± he answered with a shrug. Moose nodded his agreement. ¡°If it can help Ferrisdae, then we¡¯re all for it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s-¡° I shook my head. That was Cojisto and Moose in a nutshell. ¡°Grab her and bring her down.¡±


    ¡°On my way,¡± he said before jogging back.


    I started putting on the finishing touches as I heard Cojisto come down the stairs. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be going dark for a bit. We¡¯ll be fine, but floating. We won¡¯t know if it worked until we¡¯re either released by the Dungeon Master or Himia or something shuts off the dungeon. Best case scenario, we¡¯re there for a few minutes. Worst case scenario, we¡¯re in there until the Thousand Year Blizzard is finally stripped of its magic and the overdungeon no longer has a purpose and dissipates, returning us to the material plane. I don¡¯t expect to be stuck for that long with the DoD, the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium, and the Mages¡¯ Guild all working together.¡±


    An alternate plan had also come to mind, but I didn¡¯t bring that up because I didn¡¯t want to get their hopes up. If they already agreed, then there was no point talking about it.


    ¡°Wow, that sounds like it¡¯s going to suck,¡± Cojisto replied. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have a lot of time to practice Fluid Force, huh?¡±


    I shook my head. The optimism this man had was dangerous. I looked up at Moose, but he just nodded. The optimism they both had, then.


    Motioning for Ferrisdae, I took her from Cojisto and held her up over the sand. She was cold to the touch, and I almost thought she was dead for a moment. If I needed any further indication that the potions hadn¡¯t worked, then that was it.


    My footfalls were careful as I navigated the ritual circle. I made sure to step only where lines were already made, and only when I was sure that my foot would align with them. The empty circle meant for a rune at the end of the spell was close to the edge, and it just took a few steps to get there. I gently set her down, not caring about disturbing the sand as I moved her body so that she was laying straight. It was just the right size.


    Leaning over, I used my hand to wipe the sand flat before standing and looking at Ferrisdae. The Forest Elf, as much as I hated to admit it, had wormed her way into my good graces. She was ambitious, smart, great with people, and had good sense. If this worked, and she still wanted the position, I wouldn¡¯t have minded having a junior for a little longer.


    Only for a little longer, however. I was sure that Ferrisdae would be a full fledged Dungeon Inspector by the end of the year, if not sooner. If she didn¡¯t let this magical travesty cloud her heart and mind, then she would undoubtedly have a great career ahead of her.


    A part of me thought that she might even take Brackenhorst¡¯s position when he finally retired. In a casket as he¡¯d always say, in ten or fifteen years, but only time would tell. I might not even be around for it.


    ¡°Badger?¡±


    I shook my head, sighed, and started carefully walking out of the circle once Cojisto snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°Are you two ready?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We already agreed. Are you ready?¡± he countered.


    ¡°No, but she¡¯s not going to get better if something drastic isn¡¯t done.¡±


    ¡°Then get on with it and light this torch, inspector,¡± Cojisto said with a grim chuckle.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. That was a good old expression from the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium that I never minded. ¡°Light this torch, indeed,¡± I repeated.


    Once I stepped outside of the circle, I walked along the outside with a critical eye. Everything had to be as close to perfect as possible. Sand was already a terrible medium, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers and time was nearly up. I tapped myself on the head as I recognized my negative thoughts and tossed them aside; this would either work, or it would fail. Either way, I did everything that I could.


    Taking my stone club, I made a final connection between one ley line and another. Reaching into my Dimensional Pocket, I pulled out a small piece of Hajidi Paper with runic symbols across its length. A Ritual Starter, meant to do exactly as its name implied. I ripped it in half and tossed both ends inside of the circle.


    It came to life immediately, the lines shining brightly as the world began to shake. Moose nearly lost his footing, but Cojisto and I planted ourselves and watched as the sand outside of the circle started shifting thanks to the vibrations. The sand inside was still, glued in place by the ritual, and Ferrisdae was in no danger.


    As the rumbling became even more pronounced, Cojisto finally started to look worried. ¡°How much longer until-¡°


    The sky rushed into the ritual circle like liquid through a straw, and I put on a grim look. After the sky was the arena, its red stones doing nothing as it passed through us and into the ritual circle. Finally, the ground was sucked up, disappearing completely.


    As I expected, we were in the void. Well, that wasn¡¯t completely accurate. Even though I thought ¡°we,¡± there was no one else. I stood alone in the inky darkness just as Cojisto and Moose would.


    Under normal circumstances, we would have been just fine. The dungeon magic would have passed through us and we would have been exactly where we were before. Each of Razorbeak¡¯s wagons, however, were dimensional dungeons. It took on the layout of the area around it and turned it into a fantastical world. That must have come in handy when the Dungeon Master was setting these up for the stories he wanted to tell.


    I looked around at the dimensional void surrounding me. My body was still clearly visible, but I couldn¡¯t retrieve anything from my Dimensional Pocket. That was okay, though. It was time to see if my plan worked and, if not, it would just be a matter of time. I had faith that the Department of Dungeons would see to it that we were returned in a timely manner even if it didn¡¯t.


    A part of me couldn¡¯t believe I was about to go through with this, but I had to; I didn¡¯t want to wait to see if Ferrisdae was okay. I got down on my knees and put my hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Himia was telling the truth, but I sure hope she was,¡± I said solemnly, closing my eyes. ¡°Cheroske, Goddess of Community, please listen to this humble Halflin-¡°


    I didn¡¯t even finish the sentence before I felt the world around me start to change.

 Chapter 49 - Community

    I opened my eyes to see that the void had been replaced with the homey look of a comfortable common room. One that I, personally, had spent a lot of time in.


    The Bottom¡¯s Up tavern was located near the center of New Frausta at its lowest tier. Even though it was just a few blocks away from the King¡¯s Tower, there was no access nearby. It dipped into the city¡¯s middle tier but the tower was solid stone at this level. I stood up and looked around, checking for any discrepancies between the real location and this one.


    All around me were tables and chairs that came in a variety of sizes, though the majority of them were made for smaller customers. Most of the people who inhabited the Bottom, as the lowest tier was called, were on the smaller side. Halflings, Dwarves, and Gnomes were most prominent, but we had a few Ratkin and Goblin families that had moved in recently. The taller folk living in the Middle complained, but down here we welcomed them with no hesitation.


    Despite the stone structure, every wall was lined with a rich, dark wood. I had remembered when the owner, Tabitha, had shelled out an exorbitant amount of favors for Elven Druids to come in and sing the wood into place. They had no need for gold, but favors were another story.


    That debt had only recently been paid in full. The walls looked nice and they made those who came to escape the reality of the city happy, so while I could complain at length I often let discussions about them pass without comment.


    On one side of the common room was a hearty fireplace and a small platform with a podium that was raised well above Halfling height. That was where trivia night was held from. Whenever I was in New Frausta on Wednesdays or Saturdays, I would be stationed up there reading off questions that I had come up with.


    Trivia night was a simple pleasure of mine, and it brought in a lot of adventuring know-it-all types who were looking for a more intellectual challenge. It was an event I was rather proud of.


    Walking up to the bar, I eyed the shelf behind it. Despite being a tavern, many of the shelves were filled with juices of different kinds with only the top three shelves being dedicated to alcohol. Halfling establishments were always like that; a place to gather for only a few was no place to gather at all. By serving drinks that anyone can partake in, young and old, then the place fostered a sense of community for everyone.


    While most of the people who frequented this establishment were from the working class, there were a few high class bottles of booze on the shelf for those with looser coin purses. Mostly the adventurers who came and went, but some of the local guilds like the Half-Pints, a Halflings Thieves Guild, would throw their coins around after a particularly large score.


    I stood at the bar and gazed fondly at bottles. While many would think that the Elven Dew Wine on the top shelf that was created by Bhumi Vineyards, owned and operated by the Bhumi family for over a millennium, was the most expensive drink here, there were actually two that surpassed it.


    The second most expensive was Forgath¡¯s Fortune. It had become something of a culture drink for Dwarves that was made expensive on purpose. They prided themselves on being working folk, never shying away from hard labor or extensive tinkering, and that permeated every layer of their culture. Many of them didn¡¯t believe a Dwarf had reached adulthood until they had earned enough for a glass with their own money and drank it down in front of their family.


    Tabitha and I had tried it once, and I could honestly say it was one of the worst rites of passage I¡¯d ever had the displeasure of going through.


    The most expensive was a single, half-full bottle of Whizzlefizz¡¯s Alcoholic Excellence. It was a magical concoction that was incredibly unsafe for anyone other than Gnomes to imbibe, but by all accounts was a life changing experience. Many Gnomes had put down their shot glasses, stared into space for an hour or so, and then emerged from their stupor much happier than they ever had been before.


    The Whizzlefizz family, which was the closest thing you¡¯d get to a Gnomish mafia, had never made the secret of what went into this alcohol public. It had made them rich beyond belief, though, and they owned a surprising amount of taverns that were used as fronts for other businesses. They had offered to purchase the Bottom¡¯s Up several times, but never received a positive response back.


    As I was reminiscing, the smell of stew wafted from the kitchen and caught my attention. When I started walking back there to see if Tabitha had been recreated, a Halfling woman came out with two bowls and a loaf of bread on a large platter. This was definitely not Tabitha, though I recognized them immediately.


    She was a matronly sort, with prominent laugh lines and crow''s feet around her eyes. Her brown hair, rampant with gray strands, was up in a tight bun nearly as big around as her head. The clothes she wore were plain, though the apron she had on over the brown dress made her look like she had been cooking all day. I began to kneel.


    ¡°Come now, Badger, none of that,¡± she said with a click of her tongue. Despite the age she appeared, her voice was youthful and energetic. ¡°You are a guest in my house. I do not require guests to prostrate themselves before me. You know that.¡±


    ¡°Force of habit, goddess,¡± I said as I stumbled back up to my feet.


    ¡°Look at you, being all polite just because you have a favor to ask,¡± Cheroske laughed. ¡°Come now, sit down and break bread with me.¡±


    Taking a deep and, surprisingly, nervous breath, I walked around to the table she had chosen and pulled out her chair for her. The goddess gave me an appraising look before sitting down, and I took a seat at the other side of the table. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As she cut the bread, one of the bowls of stew on her side disappeared and reappeared directly in front of me. The smell of beef, carrots, potatoes, and several other ingredients became stronger and I realized that she had prepared Tabitha¡¯s signature stew for us.


    ¡°I love this tavern,¡± Cheroske said wistfully as she continued to cut the bread. ¡°The Bottom¡¯s Up is such a happy place in a city that doesn¡¯t take care of a lot of its people. It feels like such a safe haven to me. Do you feel that way, too?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Tabitha loves to organize events for the community. Always accepting of whoever passes through that door until they prove without a doubt that they don¡¯t belong there. I do what I can, when I¡¯m around. It¡¯s a good place to call home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Badger,¡± she claimed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how that Himia creature knew, but she was right. I¡¯ve had my eye on you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nothing special, goddess, but thank you.¡±


    ¡°Special enough to try and lie to the Goddess of Community, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cheroske chuckled. I twitched, but she didn¡¯t seem to take any offense to what I said. ¡°Not just anyone can call up a deity with the hopes of dredging up a miracle, you know.¡±


    ¡°It was a long shot,¡± I admitted. ¡°One that I was certain would fail, but I had to try.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you called. I¡¯ve been wanting to come face to face with you for a while.¡± Cheroske pushed the bread across the table towards me. ¡°Now eat up.¡±


    I reached for the bread and set a piece of it into the stew to soak before I put my hands on the table. ¡°What about the others? I can¡¯t, in good conscience, eat while they¡¯re sitting in a void waiting to be rescued.¡±


    ¡°Ferrisdae is fine, as are Cojisto and Moose. As you were going to request, I returned them to the center of the blizzard,¡± she informed me. ¡°The Dungeonborn was not ignoring you on purpose, he was just¡­ busy with a new arrival. Not that you would know that, of course, hence the decisions you made. As ill advised as you knew they were, your plan worked.¡±


    The way she hesitated concerned me, and my hands balled up into fists. ¡°And they¡¯re safe, right? Ferrisdae will recover?¡±


    ¡°They are, and she will.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so very much, goddess,¡± I said, lowering my head towards her. ¡°If you wish, I¡¯ll-¡°


    ¡°I do not wish for it, not like this,¡± she interrupted. I lifted my head to look at her as she took a drink. There was a glass of something alcoholic near me, too, as if she had forgotten that meals came with refreshments but didn¡¯t make a fuss about it. I didn¡¯t bring it up. ¡°I know that you were planning on entering my service in exchange for this small miracle, but honestly all I did was give them a doorway home. Well, home in a cosmic sense, but I¡¯m sure you could understand that. It was only a small miracle.¡±


    My brow furrowed as I thought her words over. It had been a long, long time since I had left the service of Tegril, God of Justice. I had told Ferrisdae the story of a paladin, but neglected to tell her that the story was about me. That fact wasn¡¯t pertinent, and my past didn¡¯t need to be spread out for any eavesdroppers to hear, but I didn¡¯t regret telling it to her since it seemed to have helped.


    The absence of divine power within me was something I was able to recover from thanks to my family. It had been a long and arduous road of self-reflection and discovery that could have easily changed me for the worse if I didn¡¯t have people to fall back on. After hearing what Ferrisdae really felt about the changes she was forced to undergo, I knew she needed help and was resolved to do what it took to keep her safe.


    That included taking up the mantle of another deity, apparently.


    ¡°I can see that you are confused,¡± she said warmly, taking on a motherly tone. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bargain for your faith. I don¡¯t want you to enter my service under duress. I watch over the sanctity of community, that is what I am at my very core. Those who pledge themselves to me do it of their own volition, and only when they¡¯re sure.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you help me?¡± I asked, bemused. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Badger, you and your wife have done so much for the Bottom,¡± she chided gently. ¡°I know why you work as a Dungeon Inspector. Your tavern is hemorrhaging gold because Tabitha refuses to charge the people who can¡¯t afford it. She would rather see people happy than turn a profit. That¡¯s rare these days, and she can do that because of you. This establishment -¡° she gestured to the space she had recreated. ¡°-is the heart of your community, and you¡¯re a major reason for that.¡±


    I set my jaw, then frowned, and then returned to a neutral face. Cheroske smiled warmly despite the stages my expressions went through, and in order to gain more time to think I picked up the bread I had put into my stew and took a bite.


    My face betrayed me as my eyes widened. I knew it was going to be delicious, it was food from a goddess¡¯ realm after all, but it tasted exactly how Tabitha made it. The bread, the stew, even the water tasted exactly like home. A sudden longing passed through me for a more stationary life. I had visited home the night before I started a new adventure with an annoyingly smart junior, but it felt like it was so long ago.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as I swallowed down some of the meal the goddess had provided. ¡°But if you don¡¯t want my service, then why did you help?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t want your service, Badger, I said I didn¡¯t want you to enter service under duress,¡± she corrected. ¡°I want you to think about it. Take your time, of course. Discuss it with your family if you want to. Many dungeons are communities in their own ways, as you know, so very little would change other than your faith and the occasional detour. What I don¡¯t want, however, is to have you feel pressured. It¡¯s a lot to ask, and I¡¯m close enough to my faithful to know that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your understanding,¡± I told her honestly. There were some deities out there, both good and evil, who would expect instant service for the miracle she had granted. In all fairness, Cheroske wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice should I find myself wanting to return to a life of faith and service. That was a very big if, though. ¡°I will... consider it. At the very least, I¡¯m willing to finally concede to building a shrine to you in or outside the Bottom¡¯s Up. Tabs has been hinting at that for a while now.¡±


    Cheroske¡¯s motherly smile was warm, and she nodded. ¡°Thank you, Badger,¡± she said. ¡°Now, I know you would like to go visit your junior as quickly as possible and I have something that requires my full, undivided attention. You are welcome to stay and eat, if you prefer. Time will pass slowly so that you can enjoy it. If not, the door will lead you back.¡±


    My gaze was drawn to the entrance of the Bottom¡¯s Up as light showed through the cracks. By the time I looked back at the goddess, she was gone.


    I wasted no time; I ran to the door.

 Chapter 50 - Return

    Barreling through the door, I found myself transported to a familiar field. Swirling white snow surrounded us in all directions as the storm raged just as violently as it had for centuries before. The tall, crystalline obelisk had been knocked over, but it was still in one piece. When we entered, the first three wagons had been burnt to ash, but the lead wagon was also a neat pile on the ground now.


    It took me a moment to take in everything that was going on. The members of the Mage¡¯s Guild were sitting around the obelisk on one side of the clearing while Oristrella was lounging in a tall-backed chair, being waited on by Himia. It seemed like she was ignoring everyone else in the clearing as she read from her strange rectangle.


    Standing in the center was the Dungeon Master, accompanied by the Director of the Department of Dungeons, Cojisto, and Moose. The latter caught my eye and started nudging his Human friend, but I didn¡¯t have the patience to wait. My gaze kept traveling, trying to find Ferrisdae in the crowd.


    ¡°Badger?¡± came a small voice from behind me, and I whirled around. Sitting on the ground, all bundled up in a blanket, was Ferrisdae. I approached her and knelt down, looking her over for any signs of trouble. Aside from some shaking, she appeared fine.


    ¡°Ferrisdae, how are you feeling?¡± I asked gently.


    ¡°Like I ate too much and and both my stomach and my wellspring is about to burst,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°Cojisto tried to explain what you did, but he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Not very eloquent?¡±


    ¡°His heart¡¯s in the right place,¡± she said. I let her have this one.


    I shifted so that I was sitting in front of her. ¡°I funneled the magic of the dungeon into filling your wellspring.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes widened as her body jerked out of surprise. ¡°That¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°Sounds inadvisable.¡±


    ¡°It was, but it was all I could think of,¡± I confirmed. ¡°You were suffering from magic drain, neither the Dungeon Master or Himia were answering, and something had to be done. Cojisto fed you two potions and you still continued to fade. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s going to be any lasting problems, but I did what I had to and I stand by it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a fairly positive chance that Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae is going to recover with only a few negative repercussions.¡± My head snapped to look at the newcomer. Himia stood next to us, smiling.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure of this?¡± I asked sternly. Cheroske had said Ferrisdae would recover, but any additional confirmation would put my mind at ease.


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± she said with a decisive nod. ¡°Also, I want to make sure you know that we were not ignoring you, but rather dealing with Director Ortaephaen. To use the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeon¡¯s words: he is terrifying.¡±


    That caught me off guard, but I shook my head with a scowl. ¡°Thank you Himia, we would like some privacy now.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she said with a bow before walking off towards the Dungeon Master.


    I looked back at Ferrisdae and offered her a small smile. ¡°I feel like I should be reprimanding you for giving me so much paperwork to do, but I think I¡¯ll let you off the hook just this once.¡±


    ¡°Oh, gee, thanks,¡± she responded, choking out a small laugh. ¡°I only drained myself because you needed help, you know. Swiftfeather was about to cast something big at you. I couldn¡¯t tell what it was, but I knew it was dangerous. I had to stop him. I hadn¡¯t realized I¡­ I didn¡¯t know that-¡°


    ¡°Cojisto already told me,¡± I said, trying to sound soothing. ¡°You just focus on recovering. We get some time off after this subjugation, right? You can stay in New Frausta, see the sights. Or you can head home, see your overly approving family. I know you almost got robbed on the Top, so¡­¡±


    My words dropped and a silence fell. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say, and I knew that she couldn¡¯t be feeling great. After a minute or so, she opened her arms and gestured for me to hug her. I hesitated, but did as she asked. I stood up, walked the short distance between us, and wrapped my arms around her.


    ¡°Thank you, Badger,¡± she whispered as she pulled me tight and rested her head on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure this wasn¡¯t what you had in mind when an apprentice was forced onto you, but I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me over the past few days.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re welcome, then,¡± I said awkwardly before pulling away. ¡°I suppose, at this point, I can admit that Brackenhorst chose well. Not just for you as an inspector, but for you as someone who meshes well with me. Though-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t go telling the world, right?¡± Ferrisdae finished with a weak smile. ¡°Look at you, you big old softie.¡±


    ¡°That sounds dangerously close to ¡®please, sir, let¡¯s stop this sappy moment and get back to work,¡¯ don¡¯t you think?¡± I chided. In response, she just opened her arms again. ¡°What? I already gave you a hug.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but what about second hug?¡± she asked cheekily. ¡°I¡¯m feeling really bad over here.¡±


    I snorted, then turned around. ¡°Moose! Come on over here!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Moose and Cojisto were already looking at us, but they seemed reluctant to leave whatever discussion the Dungeon Master and Ortaephaen were having. A quick dismissive gesture from the latter had the adventuring duo quickly escaping and heading towards us in seconds.


    When they were close enough, I pointed at Ferrisdae. ¡°Moose, Ferrisdae needs a hug,¡± I said.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s-¡° Ferrisdae started before giggling as Moose walked past me and pushed his head into her arms. Her laughter turned to light coughing, but she was still in good spirits after. ¡°Thank you, Moose. You give very good hugs.¡±


    He stamped his foot once as he backed away from her.


    Cojisto clapped a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You were right about there being a lot of darkness,¡± he said. ¡°First there was a dungeon, and then bam! Everything went dark. We got out of there pretty fast, though. Moose and I thought you said it would take time.¡±


    ¡°I said it could take time,¡± I corrected. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you guys were in and out.¡±


    ¡°Same. It would have gotten really boring really fast.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that could become a problem,¡± I replied before gazing off towards the Dungeonborn and elderly Elf discussing things. I tilted my head towards them. ¡°What are they talking about?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I have no clue,¡± Cojisto admitted. When I gave him a sharp glance, he raised his hands. ¡°It went in one ear and out the other, okay? Even Moose was having a hard time keeping up with the talk about dungeon magic this and subdimensional whatsits that. All we did was give a statement and wait to get dismissed.¡±


    ¡°You gave a statement?¡± I asked, suddenly suspicious. ¡°How much did you leave out?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I told my whole story as I understood it,¡± Cojisto answered, tilting his head as though my question confused him.


    Which prompted me to sigh. Whatever he told the director, I¡¯m sure I had a lot of gaps to fill. ¡°Ferrisdae, you¡¯re under administrative leave from this moment on. After the director is done with me, then we should be returning to New Frausta. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, sounds good, sir,¡± she responded with a nod.


    ¡°Not ¡®sir.¡¯ You¡¯re on leave, Ferry, just call me Badger.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Did-¡°


    ¡°Once we get back, and once you¡¯re well enough, then I¡¯ll show you around the city,¡± I interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of places that tourists wouldn¡¯t know about, and I¡¯m sure my wife, Tabs, and my daughters would love to meet you.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Your- daughters? What?¡±


    ¡°Just sit tight. I¡¯ll go get all this cleared up with the boss and we¡¯ll be heading back home before you can cast a light spell. You can stay with us if you don¡¯t feel safe on the Top any more. No one will try anything if you¡¯re staying as our guest at the Bottom¡¯s Up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re- that¡¯s-¡° Ferrisdae looked flabbergasted. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am Badger,¡± I said. Glancing up at Cojisto and Moose, who both looked like they had questions they didn¡¯t feel comfortable asking, and I made a show of sighing and shaking my head. ¡°Fine, you two can come, too. Only because I know my kids will have a fit if I was in the company of a moose and didn¡¯t bring him home for them to see.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Badger,¡± Cojisto said with a large grin on his face. Moose nodded his head vigorously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet; she¡¯s the only one who I¡¯m offering free lodging to,¡± I retorted before turning around and walking towards the director.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, welcome back,¡± the director greeted me as I approached, and he waved the Dungeon Master away. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, Dungeon Master, I simply must know more about how you change the magical structure of your dungeons using transdimensional ley lines in order to meet your whimsy. It is both quite absurd and, frankly, incredibly interesting.¡±


    After hearing the director¡¯s words, it became clear to me that I might have been too harsh on Cojisto. There was no way he was going to keep up with that kind of technical jargon. Even Moose would have issues.


    ¡°Director Ortaephaen,¡± I greeted with a shake of my hand. The Dungeon Master skulked off, barely giving me a glance, and I ignored him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to come yourself. Or so soon.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± he chuckled, seemingly energized by the situation. ¡°You know, I was thinking of retiring soon. I was going to give it another three or four decades, really give me time to think, when Brackenhorst barged into my office and told me that I was going to want to hear what you had to say. He was absolutely right! This Dungeonborn you found, who was apparently sitting dormant in a city-state that hated having us visit, will revolutionize the field of Dungeon Magical Sciences! We¡¯ve been discussing what he wants and what we can offer him in exchange for his services. This whole outing has been delightful, and it¡¯s barely started!¡±


    ¡°Delightful for some, sir,¡± I said, my voice prickly.


    Even though he had been looking right at me, I felt like that was the first time he actually saw me. Ortaephaen¡¯s gaze traveled to Ferrisdae before he sighed. ¡°She¡¯s going to come out of this stronger, you know.¡±


    ¡°What an old fashioned way of seeing it,¡± I complained dryly. ¡°Oristrella said the same thing.¡±


    The director pursed his lips, but didn¡¯t drop to my level. ¡°Your concern over your junior is warranted, Badger, and I¡¯m sorry if my words seem crass.¡±


    He stopped there, but I heard every justification he wanted to make. While I respected Ortaephaen¡¯s work ethic and all he had done for the Department of Dungeons, he was still a relic of a bygone age. I crossed my arms, giving him a stern stare that I knew wouldn¡¯t work, and waited.


    ¡°You and Ferrisdae are to report back to New Frausta and make a statement directly to Chief Dungeon Inspector Brackenhorst. I will teleport you out of here when you¡¯re ready,¡± he said as if such a feat of magic wasn¡¯t impressive. Not even the archmage Serto Sercrello could have pulled that off. ¡°After your statements, the Department of Dungeons and the Mage¡¯s Guild will both conduct a medical and magical health screening to make sure none of you are afflicted with anything potentially dangerous. Cojisto and Moose will be compensated for their efforts, and then you will be placed on your contract mandated seven day subjugation leave. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°None, sir,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get the team ready.¡±


    ¡°Let me know immediately,¡± Director Ortaephaen said. ¡°I really am eager to get back to this Dungeonborn.¡±


    With a nod, I spun on my heel and started returning to the others. Despite everything that happened, I couldn¡¯t deny that there was a slight spring in my step. This adventure was over, and that meant there was only paperwork left before I could return to the people I loved. Paperwork wasn¡¯t bad, at least; that part always made the most sense to me.


    The biggest reward, however, was that I would get to return home and spend a whole week with my wife, kids, and friends.


    I was already looking forward to it.


    End of Book 1.

 Chapter 51 - Freedom (Start of Book 2)

    The past month had been full of nothing but exams, interrogation, paperwork, and waiting. While my prison was more a suite than a cell, the experience was not what I would call completely pleasant. There was enough magical security in the air that even I could feel it despite not being a spellcaster, though I received several thin explanations that my privacy was secure.


    Luckily, I had a lot of work to do, and that kept my mind busy. The solitude, while unnecessary, was a nice touch as well. There had been only a few people to interact with during my quarantine and, while they had almost all been mages, it had mostly been brisk and professional.


    Mostly.


    I stood in the living room, sipping tea and watching the wall that I knew would face outside. There was no physical window, though magic images made it seem like there was. The view over New Frausta was beautiful from this high up, and it was the scene I had settled on most during my time here.


    This particular Mage¡¯s Guild Tower was incredibly magically advanced even if you considered others of its kind. As the headquarters of the entire organization, it received more funding than any other location and was a constant hotbed of activity. While I wouldn¡¯t say it out loud here, it was a very impressive building.


    The fact that we missed a question about the tower¡¯s height at the Frosted Froth¡¯s trivia night still nettled me even now.


    A sharp knock on the door grabbed my attention, and I walked to the white table at the center of the room to sit down. I adjusted the collar of the green shirt I had requested, making sure I was presentable, before clearing my throat. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened to reveal a Human woman with dark red hair, freckles adorning her pale face, and a sharp suit. I knew this to be Maribelle, the secretary to the liaison between the Department of Dungeons and the Mage¡¯s Guild. She gave me a quick nod before stepping up to the table and setting down a large scroll.


    ¡°Maribelle,¡± I greeted, returning the nod. I wasn¡¯t looking at her, though. Instead, the door held my attention. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice the stench of wet dog permeating the air. And here I thought the magic scrubbers were supposed to prevent things like that.¡±


    A slender woman wearing dark robes appeared in the doorway. Her black hair was thick and curly around her shoulders, and she looked down at me with slanted brown eyes. A sneer crossed her red lips before she opened them to speak, though I spoke before she had the chance.


    ¡°It seems as though you have finally gotten the promotion you¡¯ve been striving for, Sophia,¡± I said. ¡°The dog guarding the gates to Hell and the Grim Reaper are now one in the same. I suppose congratulations are in order.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a joke from Badger,¡± she said, her sneer changing into a frown. ¡°I thought a month in solitary would give you time to think up better material. But I suppose we both know you¡¯ve fallen so far that all you have left is the bottom of the barrel.¡±


    I stared at the liaison, Sophia Blair, and she stared back at me. ¡°Are you going to hover in the doorway?¡± I asked. ¡°You have my permission to enter, you bloodsucking leech.¡±


    The liaison glanced at the doorway before setting her jaw. I knew what she was having issues with, but I never passed up an opportunity to needle Sophia when I had the chance, just like she would never with me. She took a step into the room, becoming another person in the process.


    Her clothes didn¡¯t change, though they did shrink to fit her new frame. Before, Sophia had been a tall, somewhat lanky Human woman. Now, she was roughly a foot and a half shorter with an elongated face.


    Orange and black fur sprouted from her skin complete with whiskers around her black nose. Dark eyes stared into mine, and a thick, bushy tail could be seen swishing angrily behind her.


    Sophia walked into the room without another word, closing the door behind her. She took a seat across from me before gesturing to Maribelle. The secretary unrolled the parchment in front of her.


    I didn¡¯t say anything now. The magic security permeating the room had removed the transmutation spell that allowed Sophia to stay in Human form, revealing her to be a Kitsune. They were rare in this part of the world, though not unheard of. Like Avians, they originally came from the northeastern continent, though in greater numbers than the bird-like humanoids.


    Just thinking about Avians made me frown, but I quickly schooled my expression. Neither of them seemed to notice.


    Sophia ran her fingers along the letters, taking in a few things quickly before clasping her furry hands together and glancing at me. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she stated formally.


    ¡°Yes, I am Badger.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed, but she continued. ¡°You have been held under observation for the past 29 days to see the side effects of close contact with the Dungeon Master. Your apprentice, Ferrisdae Anne Runelara, and companions from the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium, Cojisto Finnigan and Moose, have been likewise quarantined for the same duration.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, almost willing her to speak faster so we could get this over with.


    ¡°Over the last few weeks you have been spoken to and examined by several medical professionals, magical investigators, and scribes from the Department of Dungeons. They have checked your body, mind, and soul for any tampering. In one very ill-advised visit, your spouse, Tabitha Rhodes, was also brought in to have a long conversation about your past because, and I quote, ¡®it¡¯s none of your business, you flea-riddled skunk.¡¯¡±


    ¡°A statement I will always stand by,¡± I said with a smirk.


    ¡°Thankfully, every result came back showing that, aside from being questionably enhanced, you are still the same Badger you were when you left my office,¡± she continued before sneering. ¡°A small man in every sense of the phrase, physically, mentally, and spiritually.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like I¡¯m free to go,¡± I stated, already pushing my chair back.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Sophia said, holding a hand up. ¡°Tell us your tale one more time. From your meeting with Ferrisdae, so that we can make sure you are still mentally stable. I know it''ll be hard, but please try to remember.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I doubt that¡¯s really necessary.¡±


    ¡°As much as I hate listening to you blather, it¡¯s absolutely necessary to remove the red tape of bureaucracy. Only, instead of just testing the limits of your memory, it also tests the limits of my sanity. So, please, begin.¡±


    Sighing, I crossed my arms and glanced at Maribelle. She looked as impassive as ever, but gave me a nod as if to encourage me. Setting my jaw, I finally spoke.


    ¡°I met Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae in Thatcher after successfully auditing the newest dungeon of the vampire, Count Sarolious Etomine Falsavar,¡± I said slowly. ¡°To my utter disappointment, I was told via Sending Stone by Chief Dungeon Inspector Brackenhorst that I was to be picking up a rookie to train. Not only that, but my route was being changed. Something that I take umbrage with, but any protests I raised fell on deaf ears.¡±


    ¡°Of course, no one wants to hear you complain,¡± Sophia stated.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t want to be in a position where I should be complaining. Yet, here we are, in the same room, without a muzzle,¡± I replied. ¡°Anyway, I arrived in Thatcher to find that Junior Dun-¡°


    ¡°You can skip all the titles,¡± the Kitsune interjected. ¡°First names are fine, or first and last if it¡¯s the first time you mention them. We¡¯ll both be here all day if you insist, and neither of us will like that.¡±


    I paused, wondering how far I wanted to go to sell the bit, before looking around at my room. While I would never admit it out loud, she was right; we both had better things to do.


    ¡°Ferrisdae was speaking with the mayor of Thatcher,¡± I continued. ¡°I did not meet with Mayor Gerald Underson, but he appeared to be an elderly Half-Elf when I saw him through the window she jumped out of. She likely utilized a Feather Fall spell to reach the ground unharmed, but that¡¯s conjecture.¡±


    ¡°Which I would advise you to keep to a minimum, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Immediately after, we headed towards the dungeon. It was located under the town¡¯s tavern, aptly named Tavern, and run by Frescan. The Rat King, Krad, was able to form the dungeon because he, and I quote, ¡®ate that wizard.¡¯ That turned out to mean he ate a wizard¡¯s spellbook and it sprung up around him. Hopefully, that¡¯s on the list of things the DoD will be looking into soon. His dungeon was up for review halfway through my lockup.¡±


    ¡°Quarantine,¡± Sophia corrected sharply. ¡°And I¡¯m not here to discuss what may or may not have happened to Krad, as interesting as the subject is. Continue your story.¡±


    ¡°We entered the dungeon, and Ferrisdae took point. I watched as she handled everything in an adequate manner.¡±


    ¡°Is it also true that you produced and offered her a hair band from your dimensional pocket?¡± she asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Because, as she says, you¡¯re a big ole softy?¡±


    ¡°I would think that you, Sophia, of all people, would know what it¡¯s like to have a tail get caught in a trap,¡± I said, mocking concern. ¡°Wait, no, hair! We¡¯re talking about Ferrisdae and her hair, not any imaginary tail. Shall we continue?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue, Budger,¡± she agreed, using the name the Rat King had erroneously called me.


    I just ignored that. ¡°We finished that up, and told Krad to expect a follow up in about two weeks time. Hopefully, they could spare someone to send because I do not care for others making me a liar.¡±


    ¡°You will have to bring that up with Brackenhorst when you¡¯re back on the clock,¡± Sophia said.


    ¡°Very well. After Krad¡¯s dungeon, we were told to return to New Frausta, but not before checking out Sevensleg¡¯s dungeon,¡± I continued, thinking about the giant spider. The Dread Weaver had been removed from the sewers after he had become too powerful, only to run into different problems in his new home. ¡°The Leshies from the Green Union were complaining that he was eating them, and he was complaining that they weren¡¯t bringing him food.


    ¡°Ferrisdae handled this as well while I watched to make sure nothing bad happened. She got right in Sevensleg¡¯s face and told him what for. After getting to the heart of the issue, my apprentice sent Bokolako, the minion in charge, back to the Green Union for answers while giving Sevensleg a night pass for the forest, with restrictions.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that you¡¯ve been letting your apprentice take charge,¡± Sophia stated. ¡°And without proper on the job training.¡±


    Her words made me scowl, and I rested an arm on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know who trained her, or what books she studied, but she knew most of it already,¡± I admitted. ¡°I certainly wasn¡¯t trying to get her to make mistakes so I could pass her off to someone else. That would be horribly unprofessional.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    We stared at each other, but this time I was the one who broke first.


    Looking away, I cleared my throat. ¡°We returned to New Frausta to speak with Brackenhorst,¡± I continued. ¡°He complained about the Laroda Jareet sultanate, the Zaruv Dungeon Cluster, and the Crurak Reef. Oh, and adventurers being attacked by numbers wielded by a blue haired Human. I¡¯m pretty sure that was Himia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you said so much in your reports,¡± Sophia said. ¡°There was a rumor that you were trying to do so much paperwork that you would bankrupt the Mage¡¯s Guild on parchment and ink costs alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, that would never work,¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d need far more than a month to be as big a waste of resources as you.¡±


    When the Kitsune was about to retort, Maribelle cleared her throat. ¡°Our time here is limited,¡± she reminded gently. Sophia looked disgruntled, but crossed her arms and nodded at me to continue.


    I did as requested. ¡°Our task was to subjugate the dungeons of the Land Pirate, Raitheus Razorbeak. He had raided the city-state of Berald of some item - they wouldn¡¯t say what - and he absconded with it to the Thousand Year Blizzard. We were supposed to follow, and that meant gaining a boon from the White Wyrm, Oristrella.


    ¡°We came here to the Tower the day after, meeting in front of the building. Ferrisdae was accosted by a member of the Half-Pints, and I sent a message to Brackenhorst to deal with it. After waiting entirely too long, we came up to meet you, and you teleported us from an improper location into an empty teleportation chamber.¡±


    Sophia scowled. ¡°Irrelevant to the case.¡±


    ¡°Very relevant, actually, because we learned that the Crystal Snows Mage¡¯s Guild was shut down due to strange readings inside the Thousand Year Blizzard,¡± I responded. ¡°Right now your indiscretion might be swept under the rug, but we¡¯ll see what happens once everything settles.¡±


    ¡°And then you went to see Oristrella,¡± she said through her teeth.


    ¡°Yes, but not before meeting Cojisto and Moose,¡± I corrected. ¡°They joined the team who went to save Princess Koritha from the dungeon. I¡¯m not sure if Moose was actually sentient at that point, but that man sure did talk to him like he was.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ is rather perplexing,¡± Sophia agreed.


    ¡°It is. He told us about what happened at Oristrella¡¯s dungeon and we went on our way. We met Corez at the entrance,¡± I said, remembering the large Kobold Warchief. ¡°After discussing recent events happening to the Coldspring Clan, we entered to find that the dungeon had been taken over by the Dungeon Master.¡±


    I released an angry breath as I started rapping on the table with my knuckles. ¡°I won¡¯t go into details because I am, still, quite angry about the complete and utter lack of protocol going on there. We made it through the dungeon in record time, defeated Corez, and came across an exhausted and sleeping dragon in Human form.


    ¡°She was clutching onto a magical tablet that showed her books in languages she couldn¡¯t read, but was striving to understand. It was given to her by her suitor and, apparently, boyfriend slash mate.¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon Master,¡± Sophia said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°We spoke with her, and she told us that he was the one who brought Razorbeak up here. In order to gain an audience, I had taken her the finished first draft of the final Of Dragons and Dungeons book.¡±


    The Kitsune smirked. ¡°And what did you take it in?¡±


    ¡°A scroll case,¡± I said with a scowl. ¡°Which apparently was the wrong choice for something so precious. Oristrella and Ferrisdae bonded over insulting me, and I got an earful. Still, it worked out, and she gained not only the boon we were looking for but the White Wyrm¡¯s full blessing. Cold resistance close to immunity, snow and ice sight, cold infusion for spells, and what she called Snow Globe, which repelled snow from us.¡±


    ¡°Quite unprecedented,¡± Sophia stated, and I could tell there was a hint of jealousy there. The liaison had been the Dungeon Inspector for Oristrella for years before getting her new position and hadn¡¯t received anything like it. Her jealousy only instilled a sense of pride for my apprentice, though I could definitely see where she was coming from.


    ¡°Quite. Anyway, we made it back to Crystal Snows to meet with Cojisto and Moose. Ferrisdae invited them along, and they apparently went to the local Adventurer¡¯s Consortium branch in order to make things official, which we learned from Millicef when we called.¡± I paused. ¡°Which was probably a good thing, though I¡¯ll never tell her that because it was also completely reckless.¡±


    Sighing, I shook my head. ¡°The next morning, the four of us went into the blizzard. We met with Serto Sercrello, the Master of the Crystal Snows Mage¡¯s Guild. He informed us that Razorbeak had left his lead wagon to take out more than a dozen of his men before returning to his dungeon, and we wasted no time getting inside the first wagon.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s when you were altered,¡± Sophia said.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s where we first met Himia,¡± I replied with a nod. ¡°After taking all of our gear and equipment, she introduced herself as an Information Elemental. Living data. We were all led into discussions with her one on one, and she described the boosts we received. My class was Dungeon Inspector, because they couldn¡¯t figure out what to do with me. Apparently, I could read intent in people¡¯s auras and create maps that let me see where people are in the dungeon. There may be more, but it didn¡¯t exactly come with a manual.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard teaching an old dog new tricks.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re making the dog jokes now?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. Her ears twitched, and I waved her off. ¡°What she did to us has already been widely documented by your researchers, so I¡¯m going to skip over the bulk of this conversation. All I¡¯ll say is that she¡¯s the secretary of the Dungeon Master, not really a Human, and had no issues using highly invasive magic to dig into my very person.¡±


    Taking another breath, I calmed myself down. It had been a month, but I was still nettled. Not for myself, but what they did to Ferrisdae.


    ¡°We were unceremoniously dumped into what was described as a Story Dungeon. Which, I assume, has been added to the list of types a dungeon can be,¡± I continued, reining in my voice to sound more neutral. ¡°We found out that the Avians in Razorbeak¡¯s crew were holed up in a nearby mine that the people inside the story were using. It was an actual dungeon with a threshold response and everything, and Ferrisdae came up with the term overdungeon for where the DTER wasn¡¯t active.¡±


    The DTER, or Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response, was a feature of the magic as a whole. It warned people that they were entering somewhere containing potentially life-threatening danger. Normal people were usually scared off, while adventurers were kept alert. The fact that the overdungeon didn¡¯t have this threw both me and my apprentice for a loop, though Cojisto and Moose had noticed its absence sooner than we did.


    ¡°What made things stranger was the fact that other dungeons were spread throughout the area,¡± I said, frowning. ¡°Cojisto found items both magical and mundane where corpses used to be. I later got confirmation from the Dungeon Master himself that he was converting the dungeon¡¯s energy into loot instead of crystals. Where he got that idea, I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Probably just wanted to be unique,¡± Sophia guessed.


    Shrugging, I stopped rapping on the table to cross my arms. ¡°We met a few people, as well. Gar the blacksmith, Felder Rockcrusher the foreman, and Keith Carr.¡± I paused, and my frown deepened. ¡°He was a very unpleasant man. Very much a lecherous cretin based on how he treated Ferrisdae. According to the Dungeon Master, it was a recreation of his father. Definitely seemed like there was some deep seated issues there, based on the way he portrayed him.¡±


    ¡°Conjecture again, badger,¡± the Kitsune chastised.


    I waved my hand dismissively. ¡°The Dungeon Master¡¯s obelisk had also been in the mines, and Carr had it pulled out to erect in the middle of his camp. Ferrisdae did some research on it when she had time, and I¡¯m sure she did a write up so I¡¯ll skip that as well.¡±


    ¡°Feel free. It¡¯s not like you would understand much of it, anyway.¡±


    Pursing my lips, I let the jab slide past me. ¡°Felder led us to the mine the morning after that,¡± I said. ¡°We made contact with an Avian who came out to insult us, and after a short scuffle, allowed him to return to warn the others. We didn¡¯t expect anyone to take us up on the offer, but sometimes there¡¯s no reasoning with people. I took part in one combat inside the dungeon, and then complained enough that the Dungeon Master invited me to see him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you diverged with Ferrisdae, Cojisto, and Moose,¡± Sophia stated, looking down at the parchment in front of her. ¡°They went on to subjugate the dungeon without you, and you met back up with them after your meeting with the Dungeon Master. Your notes on that discussion were very thorough, so we don¡¯t need to go over anything except for the first part.¡±


    ¡°I punched him because of what he did to Ferrisdae,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Broke his nose. I¡¯m not going to apologize for my actions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do act out like a petulant child sometimes, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked with a smirk.


    ¡°As someone without an apprentice, I don¡¯t expect you to understand,¡± I replied evenly. ¡°Shall we move on?¡±


    ¡°By all means.¡±


    ¡°After a short discussion with Brackenhorst and Director Ortaephaen, we went to subjugate Razorbeak,¡± I told her. ¡°He and his first mate, a mage named Swiftfeather, had essentially taken over the dungeon. I had given the Dungeon Master strict instructions to let us handle this, and it played out well enough. Aside from the fact that I had to fight a 30-foot-tall time traveling chicken.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s ears twitched and she consulted her parchment. ¡°When you first brought that up for the record, I thought you were making it up, but everyone else corroborated your story.¡±


    ¡°If I was going to make something up, then it sure as Hell wouldn¡¯t be about a 30-foot-tall time traveling chicken,¡± I defended. ¡°Anyways, we fought Razorbeak after closing up the dungeon enough that the pirate and his crew had no choice but to come to us. We won, that¡¯s all that happened.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all that happened,¡± Sophia chastised.


    I scowled. ¡°Ferrisdae¡¯s enhancements and lack of casting due to the trauma of her wellspring made her a prime target for mana drain,¡± I admitted. ¡°She cast a spell to save me from Swiftfeather, and ended up emptying her wellspring. After feeding her three potions, risking sickness, I had to take¡­ drastic measures.¡±


    ¡°More like insane measures.¡±


    ¡°I did what I had to, okay?¡± I huffed, slamming my hand onto the table. ¡°If I didn¡¯t shove that magic into her, then there was a very real chance that she wouldn¡¯t be here today. It was the only option we had.¡±


    Sophia watched me carefully before giving me a slow nod. ¡°You obviously feel very strongly about this.¡±


    ¡°There was already going to be too much paperwork, I didn¡¯t want to add any more to my load by losing the rookie,¡± I deflected, looking away from the Kitsune and Maribelle.


    There was more, but I hadn¡¯t told anyone about my discussion with Cheroske, the Goddess of Community. She had gotten us out of the dimensional trap I left us in when I poured the dungeon¡¯s magic into Ferrisdae, something I was very thankful for. I was only planning on sharing that with my wife, far from the magical sensors in the Mage¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Okay. Your summation of the subjugation is rather patchy, but it seems as though you remember most of the big events,¡± Sophia said after mulling it over. She began rolling up the parchment.


    ¡°I damn well wrote a book on everything that happened,¡± I scoffed. ¡°If you want a better idea of my thoughts and observations, go and read that again.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will,¡± she said as she started standing up. ¡°Final approval for the release of Dungeon Inspector Badger has been granted, Maribelle. Please lead him to where he can pick up his things.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Blair,¡± Maribelle replied immediately. ¡°Inspector, if you¡¯ll please follow me.¡±


    I stood up to follow her. Sophia was still taking care of the things she brought, and I stopped beside her. ¡°Okay, no bullshit,¡± I said. ¡°How is Ferrisdae doing?¡±


    The Kitsune looked down at me, no doubt ready with some biting comment, before sighing. ¡°She¡¯s better than she was,¡± Sophia admitted. ¡°Ferry spent a lot of time with a therapist over her wellspring being altered. It¡¯s irreversible, so she has to get used to it if she wants to continue doing magic.¡±


    ¡°I assume therapy is ongoing?¡± I asked, noting how quickly Ferrisdae had turned to Ferry once Sophia was no longer interrogating me.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. She still wants to work for the DoD, so she¡¯s been given a Communications Mirror. I believe she¡¯ll be required to attend sessions at least once a week, likely in evenings. As her mentor, you¡¯ll find this out eventually so I don¡¯t mind telling you. It¡¯ll be up to her to make sure she makes the sessions, but you have to help with that.¡±


    ¡°Anything I can do, I will,¡± I replied with determination. Setting my jaw, I eked out my next words. ¡°Thank you, Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you really like this junior of yours, don¡¯t you?¡± the Kitsune teased. ¡°You better do what you can to keep hold of her, tooth and nail, because I¡¯m going to recruit her eventually.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to spend time with my family. Send me a message when Ferrisdae is ready to be released and I¡¯ll come and get her.¡±


    Sophia put on a wolfish grin, and I felt a shiver run through my spine. ¡°No need for that, she¡¯s already been released. Not even two days ago, in fact,¡± she informed me before leaning in. ¡°I left her in the care of your dear wife, Tabitha. The girl¡¯s night we had was simply divine, and the chances to swap tales doubly so. She was very keen to hear more about you, Badger, and we were happy to tell her. Enjoy your freedom!¡±


    Scowling, I shook my head and walked towards Maribelle. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go home now,¡± I said through grit teeth. I could only guess what kind of topics Sophia decided to share.


    ¡°Of course, Inspector,¡± the Human replied before leading me out of the rooms I had spent this last month in.


    Behind me, the fox radiated smugness. For the first time in a long time, she had gotten the last laugh.

 Chapter 52 - Tabitha

    Walking outside of the Mage¡¯s Guild Tower, I squinted and held up my hand to block the light from my eyes. Their magic windows were wonderful, I could admit that, but they did a poor job of simulating what things were actually like outside. Looking up, there was nothing but clear skies, towers, and the sun.


    Up here, natural sunlight only came for a couple of hours a day. I had always compared New Frausta to a turtle¡¯s shell. The city was tall in the center with several towers, and they started getting shorter the further out you got. By the time you reached the walls, there were buildings that were only three stories tall.


    Thankfully, New Frausta had a wonderful sunlight distribution system. This was necessary thanks to how the city was layered. Important buildings like the Royal Tower, Mage¡¯s Guild, and other diplomatic institutions were on the Top. This was for the rich, the famous, and the elites. Even now, most of the people who were walking around either completely ignored me or sneered at my common, comfortable clothes. They weren''t worth my time.


    Before we teleported to Crystal Snows, Ferrisdae had stayed at a place up here called The Inn Royale, which said a lot about the old money she had apparently come from. I hadn¡¯t asked any questions at the time since I was still irritable about being stuck with a rookie, but I had plenty of opportunities to do my research while I was in quarantine. The results were illuminating, at least.


    ¡°Badger!¡±


    My thoughts were interrupted as my name was called, and I turned towards its source. Weaving through the crowd was my wife, Tabitha Rhodes. Her simple sunflower dress stood out from all the pompous fashion of the Top, but she radiated an aura of beauty, grace, and confidence that none here could hope to match.


    I started moving to meet her, taking more care to navigate the crowd than she did. Tabitha carelessly bumped into a man wearing fine robes as she kept her eyes on me, a grin on her face the whole time. He threw up his arms in anger.


    ¡°Hey! Watch where you¡¯re going, Bottom feeder!¡± the man yelled.


    Tabitha immediately stopped and rounded on the man. ¡°What, you¡¯ve never seen a Halfling in a hurry before?¡± she snapped, taking a step towards him. ¡°Come down here and call me a Bottom feeder to my face! I dare you! Yeah, you better walk away!¡±


    Her mood changed back in an instant as she scared the mage off and joined me in the crowd. I met her green eyes and couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Taking one of her hands in mine, I reached up to stroke her pale skin next to a thin scar on her face. It stretched from above her temple down to her chin. She wore her thick, curly auburn hair in a way that made sure attention was drawn to it, and her grin somehow got bigger as I gave it attention. Long ago, I had been reluctant to acknowledge it, but I had since learned that was the wrong move to take.


    Don¡¯t shy away, she always said. It was left there by the slash that made me fall in love with you. I wear it proudly.


    Those had been different times, back then, when neither of us knew any better.


    Tabitha nearly slammed her forehead against mine in excitement once I removed my hand, and she nuzzled her nose against mine. While I normally wasn¡¯t fond of these sorts of public displays of affection, I didn¡¯t fight against her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Badger,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Tabs,¡± I whispered back, closing my eyes as I leaned against her.


    We stayed like this for a few moments before she backed up, though she didn¡¯t drop her hand from mine. ¡°Sooooo¡­¡± she started, her eyes twinkling.


    I knew that tone; nothing good could come from it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve set up to have a shrine of Cheroske like we discussed, right?¡± I asked, hoping it was about that.


    While the Goddess of Community hadn¡¯t wanted me to enter her service under duress, I appreciated what she had done enough to agree with Tabitha that a shrine to her wouldn¡¯t be out of place in the Bottom¡¯s Up, the tavern that we owned. My wife didn¡¯t know the full story just yet as I was reluctant to speak on it while in quarantine, but she had jumped on the idea with reckless enthusiasm.


    ¡°Oh, yes, ages ago,¡± she said with a wave of her hand. ¡°But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m about to bring up.¡±


    ¡°Then it has to do with Ferrisdae,¡± I guessed.


    Tabitha laughed and nodded as she started pulling me away from the Mage¡¯s Guild. ¡°And do you want to guess what I¡¯m going to ask?¡±


    You want to adopt her, I thought to myself. There was no way I was going to say that out loud, however. Instead, I shook my head.


    ¡°We going to adopt her!¡± Tabitha gleefully exclaimed. "The girls took to her like ducks to water. She would be a perfect addition to the family!¡±


    ¡°Tabs, she¡¯s a grown woman,¡± I said patiently. ¡°And she still has her family. In fact, one of the first things she did was complain about how supportive they were of her decisions.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a teenager, Badger, that¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s 124, she¡¯s old enough to be our grandmother.¡±


    Undeterred, my wife waved her free hand as if dismissing my concerns. ¡°Ferry¡¯s a sweet girl who would do well with a family like ours. Plus, we already know you like her!¡±


    ¡°Tolerate her,¡± I replied gently. ¡°I can tolerate her.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, you don¡¯t like her but you can tolerate her,¡± she corrected with no small amount of sass. ¡°Which is basically the same thing, isn¡¯t it? When was the last time you invited someone from work back home? Huh? Justisius? Millicef? And that one time Brackenhorst came to see what trivia night was about doesn¡¯t count, neither.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not grounds for adoption, Tabs,¡± I stated firmly but patiently. ¡°Our family is enough. It doesn¡¯t need to be bigger.¡±


    Tabitha was always trying to adopt people into our little clan. Kids, teens, adults, even the elderly at some point. She had come from a group of nomadic clans of Halflings known as the Strongheart Tribe. Every family was individualistic to a fault, though they generally got along with their neighbors. City life was perfect for her once she wanted to settle down in one spot, and she took to it naturally.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I was the one who had trouble, at first. Where I had come from, everyone was family. It was a matriarchal society, so women generally had the final say in any matters, though everyone did the same work throughout the community for the most part.


    Parents didn¡¯t just watch or teach their own children, but took turns doing so. Everyone was someone else¡¯s sister or brother even if they didn¡¯t have the same mother and father. Familial boundaries were firm in regards to a few things, but for the most part everyone seemed related to everyone else.


    Leaving them behind and coming to New Frausta to start a new family had been one of the hardest events of my lifetime. It had been made worse because it came not long after my fall from grace as a paladin in the service of Tegril, God of Justice.


    Tabitha was all I had back then, and I was wary of all the strangers. It had felt like my family had been cut down from hundreds to one, and we were surrounded by enemies.


    She never truly understood the heart of the matter, but always tried her best to empathize with me. We had come from two completely different backgrounds, was all. It was relatively early in our relationship, back when the Bottom¡¯s Up was only a few months old, when she mentioned adopting young members of the community. I had immediately shot it down.


    But she kept trying, bringing it up when there were people I seemed to get along with. When I finally asked her what she was trying to accomplish, she gave me a sad look, and I never forgot what she had told me.


    With just the two of us, I¡¯d never be able to get you back what you lost, but damn me if I won¡¯t try.


    Now, adoption was rarely brought up, but its meaning had evolved over the years. It wasn¡¯t the sore spot that it had once been, and I knew that she was relishing in the small smile that tugged at my lips. This sense of normalcy was good for me after every strange thing that happened in the Thousand Year Blizzard. Tabitha always knew how to bring me back home.


    ¡°Well, it was worth a shot,¡± my wife said, sighing as though she was giving up. As we reached the stairs that would take us to the Bottom, she leaned against me, resting her head on my shoulder.


    ¡°Was it, though?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Always is,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t try to adopt Moose when he shows up,¡± I said with a snort. ¡°He seems fine enough on his own, but he comes as a package deal with Cojisto and that¡¯s definitely not something we need.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but they sound like such an adorable pair of adventurers!¡± Tabitha whined, looking up at me. Her head didn¡¯t leave its perch, but she walked down the stairs without any trouble despite the awkward angle. ¡°Ferry has just been going on and on about them. You didn¡¯t hear it from me, but I think she¡¯s sweet on him.¡±


    I barked a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s doubtful,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°He¡¯s got an impressive goal and some skill to back him up, I¡¯ll give him that, but the man¡¯s a buffoon. Way more brawn than brain.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, Badger,¡± she replied, patting my arm. She didn¡¯t sound convinced, but I had been around Ferrisdae a lot longer than she had and had actually met Cojisto, so I considered myself the expert.


    We arrived at the Bottom in no time at all. The buildings here were only three stories tall, and they all reached the ceiling. A few of the towers connected to the Middle directly above us, but most of them were considered completely separate entities. Both the king¡¯s amethyst Royal Tower and the Mage¡¯s Guild were both well known for being nothing but solid blocks of stone down in the Bottom, with the guts of the buildings starting in the Middle.


    But that wasn¡¯t our concern. The Bottom was for the working class and those looking to live for cheap. There was a bigger population of Halflings, Gnomes, Orcs, and Dwarves here than in the other layers. Humans and Elves preferred the Middle, thinking themselves above the denizens below them, while only the truly wealthy or those pretending to be so lived on the Top.


    It wasn¡¯t as though the Bottom was a bad place to live, it was just the lowest point of a three layer city and it showed most of the time. Just like the Middle, our ceiling came with large lamps that redistributed the sun¡¯s rays down on us. It wasn¡¯t the same as natural light, but it was better than nothing.


    We walked through the lunch rush crowd, still hand in hand, as we followed the flow of traffic. ¡°Also, Sticky has been asking around about you,¡± Tabitha said. ¡°Something about wanting to apologize directly for some offense or another.¡±


    I wrinkled my nose. Sticky was the chosen name of the leader of the local Halfling Thieves Guild, the Half-Pints. One of his cutpurses had tried to steal Ferrisdae¡¯s wand before we met up on the Top to go to the Mage¡¯s Guild. While pretending to be a Human child, he had assaulted her by slapping her ass before running away into the sewer system between layers.


    He failed to rob her, but that was something I wasn¡¯t going to let go unpunished. Since the Half-Pints had wanted to open a dungeon in the sewers for some time now, I sent a message directly to Brackenhorst detailing what had happened. The Chief Dungeon Inspector was a fair man who was very protective of his employees at the Department of Dungeons. I wasn¡¯t sure how he had settled the situation, only that he would.


    ¡°Has he been sending people to harass the Bottom¡¯s Up?¡± I asked seriously.


    ¡°After the last time he tried that?¡± Tabitha asked with a menacing grin. ¡°Absolutely not. He knows better, now. They all do.¡±


    ¡°Just a parlay, then?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°You treat it like it¡¯s going to be a hostage negotiation or something,¡± she said, tapping me on my chest. ¡°Sticky came personally, had a few drinks, and just mentioned he wanted to apologize. Anything else is between you two.¡±


    ¡°At least he was respectful, I suppose,¡± I replied.


    Then, I stopped. Tabitha lurched to a halt beside me. She could already see what gave me pause.


    The Bottom¡¯s Up was near the center of New Frausta, so we didn¡¯t have to travel far to get there. Tabitha and I owned all three floors of the building. Ours was not one of the ones that connected to the Middle, which was good because I would have locked any passages upwards, anyway.


    The top was still solid stone with no paint changing it from its natural color. The closer to the bottom you got, the more colorful things became. Paintings done by both professionals and amateurs were spread all over, depicting all manner of things. It was an annual event that Tabitha hosted to bring the community together. It wasn¡¯t the art that stopped me in my tracks, but a pair of people who were looking at it.


    Cojisto continually gestured towards a painting of a bear near the front door. His movements were wide and exaggerated, as they usually were, and he seemed to be explaining something to Moose, who was giving him his undivided attention.


    ¡°Surprise! Cojisto and Moose are already here,¡± Tabitha said, waving a hand towards them.


    I frowned. ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°They arrived earlier today,¡± she answered.


    Sighing, I glanced at her. ¡°I was hoping to relax today.¡±


    ¡°You still can,¡± she reassured me even as she started pulling me towards our home. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a little conversation until the girls get back from school, and then we can head upstairs. You can help them with their homework and work on trivia questions while I take care of the ledgers. Does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°That sounds really nice, actually,¡± I admitted, already feeling the tension leaving my body.


    ¡°After dinner, perhaps we can ask Ferrisdae to babysit, and then¡­¡± Tabitha leaned in, whispering. ¡°You can serve your matriarch. You were gone for a long month, you know.¡±


    I had learned early on that my wife had hated being referred to as the matriarch of our family. My culture always had a woman leading from the biggest community down to the smallest family. That was just how I was raised, and had been happy to bring that into our new family dynamic. Tabitha wasn¡¯t thrilled by this revelation, but dealt with it in her own way.


    Calling herself the matriarch in certain situations was one of the ways she had chosen to deal with it.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± I said, kissing her forehead before looking around to see if anyone was watching. There was no one, and she beamed at me before we continued on our way.

 Chapter 53 - Nameless

    Moose was the first to spot us, and he croaked out a greeting even as he nudged Cojisto with one of his antlers.


    The Human¡¯s voice trailed off as he turned towards us. His dark eyes widened, and I noticed that his red hair had grown out some since the last time I saw him. Even though he was in the middle of the city, he still wore his furred armor as if it were natural.


    I glanced at Moose. There didn¡¯t seem to be any changes with him; he still just looked like, well, a moose.


    ¡°Badger! And Tabitha!¡± Cojisto exclaimed, arms wide as he approached me in particular.


    I held up a hand. ¡°If you hug me, I¡¯m going to punch you.¡±


    Cojisto stopped, but began stroking his chin. ¡°Hmm, now that is a tempting offer, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Cojisto, no,¡± I warned.


    ¡°Maybe next time, then,¡± he said jovially before putting his arms down. Instead, he offered me a handshake.


    That was much more preferable, and we shook in greeting. ¡°Tabitha tells me that you¡¯ve been here since morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, we were released earlier today by some magic man. Didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d be handy in a fight, and I¡¯ve already forgotten his name. His name is probably something stupid, like Derrick,¡± Cojisto said before wrinkling his nose. ¡°Don¡¯t much care for Derricks. One tried to tell me that Moose couldn¡¯t join the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium. Can you believe that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Cojisto, I can,¡± I said dryly.


    He frowned down at me before looking at my wife. ¡°It certainly seems to me like there shouldn¡¯t be any rules on record that a Moose can''t be an adventurer,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°I mean, who comes up with that? Except for a Derrick, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cojisto exclaimed, pointing at Tabitha. ¡°It¡¯s a stupid made up rule.¡±


    ¡°Technically, all rules are made up,¡± I informed him.


    ¡°Badger, be nice to your friend,¡± Tabitha said, squeezing my hand.


    ¡°He¡¯s an acquaintance,¡± I told her. ¡°I only invited him because I thought the girls would like to meet Moose.¡±


    Moose croaked something out, and Cojisto nodded. ¡°Nothing to worry about, Tabitha,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°We¡¯re used to his cantankerous old man energy by now. It¡¯s a part of his charm.¡±


    ¡°He certainly does have a way with people, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Tabitha teased.


    I would have crossed my arms if I hadn¡¯t been too busy holding my wife¡¯s hand. ¡°Can we go inside now?¡±


    ¡°Sure, Badger, let¡¯s go,¡± she said, smiling.


    We didn¡¯t head to the main entrance of the Bottom¡¯s Up, but to the side. There was a door behind a fence I had installed that led directly into the lowest floor of our family¡¯s home. Down here, it only took up a small portion of the whole building, and we took up more space on each floor until we had almost the entirety of the third story for just us.


    The guest lounge was big enough for Moose to stand, sit, or lay down comfortably. We had spared no expense back when we first bought the building, wanting to make it a home as well as a business. There were plenty of couches and chairs made by skilled Elven craftsmen. Tables were spread liberally, and there was even a wine rack with bottles out of reach of children. Trophies and weapons lined the walls, also out of reach of children.


    And Ferrisdae was here, apparently.


    When I opened the door, I saw my apprentice sitting on one of the couches, reading a book. Our entrance had grabbed her attention, and she glanced up to see us. Standing up immediately, the book nearly jumped out of her lap.


    ¡°Badger!¡± she yelled, scrambling to catch the book.


    ¡°Ferrisdae,¡± I greeted as I walked into the room. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    The young Forest Elf basically tackled me, falling to her knees to give me a hug. Taken aback, it took me a few seconds of processing to return the hug. Her thick golden hair was in its usual mess, and I did what I could to ignore it. A second later, Tabitha joined us.


    I heard someone take a step forward behind us. ¡°Still going to punch you if you hug me, Cojisto,¡± I said. Instead of Cojisto, Moose¡¯s head lowered on top of Ferrisdae¡¯s and leaned against mine. ¡°¡­ I guess I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±


    Moose stamped his hoof gently against the floor once, which I knew was his way of saying yes.


    ¡°Sorry, Ferry,¡± Tabitha said. ¡°He didn¡¯t agree to adopt you.¡±


    ¡°I figured it wouldn¡¯t work, Tabs, but thanks for the effort,¡± Ferrisdae responded.


    ¡°You two discussed that?¡± I asked, aghast. I attempted to pull myself away from the group hug, but Tabitha pulled me back in. ¡°Okay, fine, you two discussed that. I guess-¡°


    I was cut off by a gasping Cojisto. ¡°Is that¡­ is that Britear, the Greenstone Axe of Rhodes?¡± he asked, suddenly running across the room. Thanks to his outburst, I was able to pull free, and I saw him standing under the axe we kept above the door to the tavern.


    Like its nickname suggested, Britear was an axe with a brilliant green, jagged blade. Streaks of silver flowed across it like the wind, meeting with a thick, black haft. It was meant for a Halfling, but it was still outrageously large for someone my size. It also housed a very picky intelligent spirit. In the hands of the right wielder, it could light itself in sickly green flames in order to deal more damage on every swing.


    Now, it was being used as a little extra security for the home.


    I winced as Cojisto quickly turned around and pointed at my wife. ¡°You¡¯re not just Tabitha, you¡¯re Tabitha Rhodes,¡± he said as if it were an accusation.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    That was a little too close to our past than I wanted anyone to get, but Tabs just laughed. ¡°I am!¡± she freely admitted, obviously pleased. ¡°I haven¡¯t been recognized by a young adventurer in quite some time. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve heard of me.¡±


    ¡°Heard of you?¡± he almost sputtered. ¡°I like to think that I¡¯m going to be the world¡¯s greatest adventurer someday, and in order to do that I¡¯ve looked into dozens upon dozens of famous adventuring parties. The House of Flames and Fate, the Country Pumpkins, and the Half-Orc Equality Party, to name a few. And, of course, Reliable Rhodes.¡±


    I sighed, and Tabs patted me on the shoulder. Taking the hint, I backed up to sit on the couch. Whether I liked it brought up in front of me or not, she should be allowed to bask in old glory when someone remembered her. It happened less and less these days, and she deserved it for all her dashing heroics even if I didn¡¯t like where this conversation would end up.


    Ferrisdae, confused, finally rose from her knees and sat beside me. The Elf glanced my way with an obvious question in her eyes, but I just waved my hand towards Cojisto, who had approached my wife with excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve dove so deep into your adventures that Moose nearly worried himself sick!¡± he said. Moose confirmed with another clop of his hoof. ¡°My favorite is the story of you all taking down Doreno, the Green Dragon of the Heartwood.¡±


    ¡°That was a good one,¡± Tabitha agreed. She was starting to match his energy now. ¡°But, if you want to know the truth, the Serpent God of Rainbow Lake was much more difficult to deal with.¡±


    Cojisto snapped his fingers. ¡°That was so good, too! Oh, man, this is a real treat,¡± he said with an enthusiastic laugh. ¡°Do you still speak with any of your old party members?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a few of us still in New Frausta,¡± she answered, trying to sound sly. Tabitha backed up until she was pressed up against my knee. She placed a hand on my leg to soothe me. ¡°Do you remember the names of my companions?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Tabitha Rhodes, charming berserker on the front lines and leader of the crew,¡± Cojisto started, raising a finger every time he added to the list. ¡°Danella, the beautiful worshiper of Sasalarn and team medic. Gro Khal, Orcish archer that could hit a hummingbird¡¯s wings from a thousand paces. Ulrich Throm, the only wizard I think has a shot of beating me in an arm wrestling competition. There¡¯s¡­ oh! Sophia Blair! Illusi-¡°


    ¡°The liaison between the Departments of Dungeons and the Mage¡¯s Guild?¡± Ferrisdae blurted out. Her eyes wide as she turned to me. ¡°That¡¯s how you know her? She used to adventure with your wife?¡±


    Confused, I tilted my head towards her. ¡°That old fox didn¡¯t tell you?¡± I asked. ¡°She said that she went on a girl¡¯s night with you and Tabitha and that you all talked about all kinds of tales.¡±


    ¡°No, I wanted to ask but Tabitha kept a tight lid on any information about you,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°We mostly ended up talking about work and complaining, and I told my story about what happened in the blizzard.¡±


    Tabitha glanced back at me, squeezing my leg. ¡°I¡¯d never bring it up if he hadn¡¯t recognized it first, Badger,¡± she whispered.


    I grunted, but didn¡¯t say anything more. I already knew that was the truth. The conversation would reach its inevitable conclusion in due time. It was destined to be from the moment he recognized Britear. It stung a little that Cojisto of all people was about to figure things out. I could see the cogs turning in his head.


    ¡°There was one more, wasn¡¯t there?¡± he asked himself, crossing his arms in thought. ¡°A paladin.¡±


    ¡°Of Tegril?¡± Ferrisdae asked quickly.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, that sounds right,¡± Cojisto said with a nod. ¡°Every account I read, there was mention of a fifth member, but it was really inconsistent. Sometimes they were mentioned, sometimes they weren¡¯t.¡±


    Moose croaked, and I never wanted to be able to understand him more than I did in that moment. Unluckily, Cojisto was quick to start nodding. Ferrisdae continued to stare at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They mostly showed up in testimonies from witnesses,¡± he said. Cojisto began pacing back and forth, trying to remember. Then, he snapped his fingers. ¡°Right! I don¡¯t remember his name because he never gave his name. Halfling paladin of Tegril, damn near a paragon if my memory¡¯s right. Whenever someone asked who he was, he would refuse to answer. The rest of Reliable Rhodes wouldn¡¯t give up a name either. Eventually, once the party started becoming famous enough, the people started calling him... something...¡±


    I closed my eyes as my wife squeezed my leg again.


    ¡°The Nameless!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s it! Never gave his name, stayed away from people, but very competent in a fight. The later accounts were full of more detail, likely because Reliable Rhodes became more famous. He used a sword and shield in combat, and let everyone else do the the heavy lifting when it came to social situations.¡±


    Despite Ferrisdae¡¯s constant attention, I couldn¡¯t help the scowl on my face. Tabitha had been concealing me from Cojisto, but I saw the man¡¯s head slowly peek around her. He was grinning.


    ¡°Badger,¡± he said, drawing out my name.


    ¡°Yes, I am Badger,¡± I grumpily replied.


    ¡°Grumpy, goes by a nickname, doesn¡¯t like dealing with people,¡± he listed. ¡°Are you the Nameless?¡±


    "First off, Badger is my name, and to call it a nickname is offensive," I said sternly.


    "Sorry, Badger," Cojisto said sincerely, though that twinkle was still in his eye. "But, second?"


    There was some leeway for denial here. I could always claim to not be the Nameless, and that someone else had done it. The moniker had never sat right with me, anyway. It had been lazy then, and it was lazy now. There could have been so many other options, and they had to go with the Nameless. Regardless, something bothered me even more.


    Huffing, I threw my hands in the air. ¡°Second... Cojisto figured it out?¡± I yelled. ¡°Cojisto?¡±


    ¡°The paladin you told me about was you?¡± Ferrisdae blurted out, leaning towards me so much that she had to put her hand on the couch to keep from falling over.


    ¡°You told her about that?¡± Tabitha asked, looking back at me in surprise.


    ¡°You were a legend, Badger! Is it bad that I really, really want you to punch me now?¡± Cojisto asked, bouncing from foot to foot like he was getting ready for a fight.


    ¡°Allegedly, yes, and of course it¡¯s bad, Cojisto, you really need some help,¡± I answered one at a time.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and relax, Badger, and I¡¯ll entertain our guests,¡± Tabitha said gently, turning around to face me. ¡°I¡¯ll answer their questions, and you don¡¯t have to worry about them spreading this around. They all seem like good kids, so I¡¯m sure they know better. Right?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, my lips are sealed,¡± Ferrisdae quickly answered.


    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Cojisto easily agreed.


    Moose stamped his hoof once.


    Taking a deep breath, I nodded. ¡°Yeah, that should give me some time to calm down.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been traveling with the Nameless!¡± Cojisto exclaimed, striding over to Moose. ¡°We got to fight right next to him!¡±


    ¡°Not helping, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae warned.


    The Human looked back at us, suddenly aware of the mood. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Standing up, I started heading towards the stairs. I stopped at the first step, but didn¡¯t look back as I spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t bring this up again, alright?¡± I asked, receiving another series of positive responses. ¡°Then, I suppose it¡¯s alright if Tabitha answers some questions.¡±


    ¡°Within reason,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, within reason,¡± I repeated. ¡°I¡¯ll see you all for supper.¡±


    Without waiting for any responses, I headed upstairs. Despite the shock of my past being dragged up, I found that I didn¡¯t mind the weight being lifted off of my shoulders. Tabitha was a lot better at explaining our experiences than I was, and generally a lot more willing to boot.


    Ferrisdae, at least, was likely to find out during our travels eventually, and ripping off the bandage now meant that she wouldn¡¯t be blindsided by someone recognizing me later. It was rare, but it still happened from time to time. This saved me the trouble.


    I heard both Ferrisdae and Cojisto loudly launch questions at Tabitha before I closed the door at the top of the stairs. Now that I was alone, a strained smile played on my lips.


    ¡°Cojisto?¡± I asked again before I shook my head. That was a surprise if I ever had one.

 Chapter 54 - Home

    The home I made with my family was large, but cozy. While waiting for the conversation between Tabitha, Ferrisdae, and the adventurers to wind down, I spent my time on the top floor. It was almost all set up for us except for a couple of rooms that belonged to the Bottom¡¯s Up for those who wanted a bigger place to stay for a heftier price. There was a thick wall separating the two spaces, however, and it was quiet.


    I sat in our common space and worked on questions for the next trivia night. Since I was going to be in town for the event, I planned on running it myself instead of letting the local priests of Chuelda, Goddess of Knowledge, handle it in my absence. They did a fine job, but I always liked to do it myself when able.


    Sitting back in my chair, I looked around our home. The common space was where the family stayed together, and it was large, nearly as big as the tavern on the first floor. Our dining room table took up a good portion of space next to the open kitchen, our sitting area was surrounded by full bookshelves, and there were plenty of places to write or get work done.


    Reading and writing were things we always encouraged in our household. The girls were too old to be read to these days, but it had been a joy to do back when they were still young enough for it. A smile spread across my face as I thought about those days. I had been able to stay home more often back then, which really helped when our girls were young.


    As I was reminiscing, the door leading downstairs opened and I was met with the screaming of children.


    ¡°Father!¡± my oldest loudly greeted.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± my youngest called after.


    Spinning in my chair, I rose to my feet to see my daughters running towards me. Tabitha and Ferrisdae emerged from the doorway behind them, and I gave my wife a smile before falling to one knee with my arms spread wide.


    ¡°Calico! Willow! I¡¯m so happy to see you,¡± I said as they slammed into me, pulling me into a tight hug.


    Both wore the white and blue uniforms of the Tippertille Academy of Art, Science, and the Arcane, their school in the Middle. It was one of the best educations money could buy in New Frausta that wasn¡¯t a snobby institution on the Top. While both of our girls had proven themselves to their classmates and had already been accepted despite coming from the Bottom, they would have been outcasts any higher up. Their education was important, but we wanted them to have a rich social life, too.


    Calico, or Emilia Rhodes in private, was the first to peel away. She ran her hand through her short brown hair and stood up straight as she prepared to address me. It was clear that she took after my mother, though she had Tabitha¡¯s nose, and she had inherited my studiousness and diligence.


    My teenage daughter beamed at me. ¡°I¡¯m happy to announce that I¡¯ve beaten Darren Lars in our quarterly exams for the second time in a row, father,¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°If this trend continues, then I¡¯m sure to be at the top of the class this year.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± I praised, smiling proudly at her.


    Emilia¡¯s rivalry with Darren Lars, a human teenager her age, had been ongoing for years now. It drove her academically, and Tabs and I did everything we could to help her out. That included pulling her back when necessary; competition was good, but it wasn¡¯t healthy to become too obsessed with something like that.


    My younger daughter, Willow Rhodes, had not chosen a second name like her older sister. She preferred Tabitha¡¯s way of doing things, going with the flow of the community rather than keeping things close knit with the family. Thankfully, she understood the importance to me and Emilia, and called her sister Calico when needed.


    I let go of Willow and she immediately reached into her backpack. My smile faltered when she pulled out a small amphibious creature, but I managed to keep it in place despite my displeasure. She looked immensely proud of herself at having brought it to me, and I could see her mother¡¯s influence in her. Once she grew up, she would look just like Tabs, I knew.


    ¡°Dad!¡± she said excitedly. ¡°I caught you a frog!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Willow,¡± I forced out as I took the slimy green creature from her. It looked me in the eyes before giving me a lazy ribbit.


    A year or so back, she had been taking beginner classes in Arcane Studies. It was required for every student to see if they had any magical aptitude emerging while they grew, and those who decided they wanted to try their hands at becoming learned spellcasters could continue even if they had no innate abilities.


    After a lengthy course all about familiars, Willow had spent ages asking us what we would pick if we had become wizards instead of what we were. Emilia told her that she would have wanted a cat, Tabitha said a bird, and I said it wasn¡¯t something I had really bothered thinking about before. That kind of answer never satisfied either of my children, so when she asked again while we were near a pond on the outskirts of the city, I didn''t give it much more thought.


    I looked around and saw a frog. At the time, it was a harmless answer, but hindsight told me that I had been spoiled too much by Emilia''s maturity.


    It wasn''t all bad. Willow had become enthralled when watching the Elven druids do their work in the tavern. She had expressed interest in learning their kind of magic, and I was nothing if not supportive of my little girl. Even if that meant dealing with frogs.


    I walked towards the sitting area where we had a glass tank made just for this event, and set the frog inside of it. There was water, though no food, and plenty of places for it to hide. The creature jumped right into the small dish and became still. I was going to have to get rid of it sometime soon.


    After cleaning my hands, I joined Tabitha and Ferrisdae in the sitting area while Emilia and Willow went to their rooms to change out of their uniforms. Sitting down across from the women, I nodded towards the doors the children had disappeared into. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see they¡¯re doing well.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°Well, they miss their father, but they know what you do for our family,¡± Tabitha said with a smile.


    ¡°Your daughters are adorable,¡± Ferrisdae stated. ¡°And I think you¡¯d be especially proud of Calico.¡±


    ¡°I always am, but did you have a particular anecdote in mind?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    The elf grinned. ¡°I tried to call her Cali,¡± she admitted. ¡°And tried to get her to call me Ferry. She looked me right in the eye with that trademark Badger stare and told me, and I quote, ¡®my name is Calico, Ms. Ferrisdae, and I would thank you to use it.¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t have, but it completely caught me off guard.¡±


    ¡°You should have seen the look on this poor girl¡¯s face,¡± Tabitha said with a laugh, nudging my apprentice with her elbow.


    ¡°She said it so politely, too!¡± Ferrisdae responded. ¡°Even if we hadn¡¯t been introduced, I think I would have pegged her as your daughter immediately, Badger. Like, it wasn¡¯t even a question. She obviously learned that look from the best.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my girl,¡± I said with a smirk before my eyes scanned the now closed door to the stairs. ¡°Not that I would usually ask this, but were Moose and Cojisto planning on staying for dinner?¡±


    ¡°No, they came to say hello and to have Moose meet Calico and Willow, but they were feeling pent up from being stuck in quarantine,¡± Tabitha explained. ¡°So, they¡¯re off doing adventurer things. Cojisto said not to wait for them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come and go as they please,¡± Ferrisdae added. ¡°We already knew they were very free with their schedule, but it¡¯s almost concerning how little they plan ahead.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how most adventurers are,¡± I said dismissively. ¡°I was just wondering how many mouths we would have to feed tonight. Ferry, are you staying here or heading back up to the Inn Royale?¡±


    I watched as the elf¡¯s face lit up when I called her by her nickname, and had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. It was such a little thing, she didn¡¯t have to be so happy about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on staying here,¡± she answered, a big smile plastered on her face. ¡°The Inn Royale is nice, but I¡¯m not sure I want to stay on the Top alone after what happened last time. Plus, I¡¯m having a lot of fun with your family. Even if I sleep in the Bottom¡¯s Up rooms, I like it here.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t make you pay for a room, Ferry,¡± Tabitha insisted before looking at me. ¡°Would we, Badger?¡±


    ¡°Not when you¡¯re asking me like that, Tabs,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°Badger!¡± she exclaimed, though it was easy to see that she was amused.


    ¡°I¡¯m just calling it how I see it.¡±


    ¡°Well, this is your rookie, and you need to treat her better than that,¡± Tabitha said firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve treated her just fine,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°Not only have I mentored her, but I¡¯ve even offered her a hair tie and, when we didn¡¯t have one because we were sucked into an alternate dimension, braided her hair for her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, he did,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°It was after he asked me if I was willing to cut my hair, but he did end up braiding it.¡±


    ¡°Cutting it? But your hair is so long and beautiful!¡± Tabitha loudly praised.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want her to go through the same incident that she-fox had with her tail,¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Oh, yes. See, now that¡¯s a fair concern,¡± my wife said with a nod.


    ¡°Sophia?¡± Ferrisdae questioned. ¡°What happened to her tail?¡±


    Before we could answer, Emilia emerged from her room wearing a plain green dress and carrying a large textbook. ¡°Nothing I can say in front of the kids,¡± I whispered before leaning back.


    My daughter paused as she noticed the concerned look on Ferrisdae¡¯s face, and her eyes flicked between Tabitha and I. ¡°Is now a bad time?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course not, Calico,¡± I said, waving her to the chair next to mine. ¡°But I do have a job for you, if you think you¡¯re up for it.¡±


    ¡°What do you need done?¡± Instead of agreeing right away, she made sure to know what I wanted first.


    I smiled as she sat down; that was just as I taught her. ¡°How would you feel if I asked you to help Ms. Ferrisdae learn how to braid her own hair?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary,¡± the elf said quickly. ¡°I know how to braid hair, it¡¯s just tedious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because you have too much hair, Ms. Ferrisdae,¡± Emilia said, tapping her chin with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s long and pretty, sure, but if you cut it short like mine then it¡¯ll be much more manageable.¡±


    Ferrisdae looked horrified, and I gave her a smug smirk. ¡°My daughter is wise beyond her years.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just common sense, which is easy enough,¡± Emilia started with a shrug before turning to me and holding up the textbook she brought out. I saw that it was one for Advanced Arcane Studies. ¡°What¡¯s not nearly as easy are these classes on magical circles. I was hoping I could get your insight, father.¡±


    ¡°Magic circles? Sure, those are pretty fun,¡± I replied. ¡°But let¡¯s take care of it after dinner. Since it¡¯s my first night back, it¡¯s your turn to pick what we eat tonight.¡±


    Emilia tried to school her expression since there was an outsider in the house, but I knew my daughter well and I could tell that she was excited to answer. ¡°Can we have more of that steak you grilled after coming back from the Coroda Wildlands?¡± she asked immediately, fidgeting in an attempt not to jump out of her seat.


    ¡°That was Giganbull steak,¡± I responded, arching an eyebrow. ¡°And it was fresh. I¡¯m not sure we can get it with such short notice, but there might be some on the Top if we started asking around.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, then I¡¯ll go,¡± Ferrisdae offered, raising her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve had Giganbull before, and if there¡¯s a possibility that we can have it tonight, I¡¯ll jump on it.¡±


    I looked between my daughter and my apprentice before making a show of sighing. ¡°Okay, if that¡¯s what you want, then I¡¯ll cook it,¡± I said, gaining me a cheer from both of them. ¡°But you two have to go up and find enough for the family, okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, father,¡± Emilia agreed.


    ¡°Calico and I are on the job,¡± Ferrisdae stated, giving me a mock salute.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the coin purse,¡± Tabitha said, and the three of them stood up and began getting ready.


    Just as I was about to settle into the chair, I noticed that Willow¡¯s door was open. She had dressed herself in a pair of pink overalls and a black shirt, and she had been staring at me without speaking. I stood up and approached her, getting down on one knee.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡± I asked gently.


    ¡°Daddy, I have a really important question for you,¡± she said. Putting on my serious face, I nodded, and she hesitated before continuing. ¡°If I was a toad instead of a frog, would you still love me?¡±


    I blinked at her before laughing and pulling her into a hug. ¡°Of course, Willow,¡± I said, kissing the top of her head. ¡°I¡¯d love you no matter what manner of slimy creature you might become.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good,¡± she said, sounding reassured by my simple proclamation.


    Willow grinned at me, and everything was back to normal in the Rhodes household.

 Chapter 55 - Conjecture

    I had to sneak out of Willow¡¯s bedroom. She had been fighting sleep for hours in an attempt to spend more time with me, but she finally settled down to rest for the night. While it was after her bedtime, it wasn¡¯t every day that I was home for so long and I wanted to spoil her while I could.


    A quick glance showed that there was faint light under Emilia¡¯s door, and I smiled. If it was still on in a while, I¡¯d make an excuse to check in on her, but if she wanted to read a little longer then I wasn¡¯t going to stop her. I had been the same way when I was her age, after all.


    Stretching, I closed Willow¡¯s door just as Tabs finished up in the kitchen. Emilia and Ferrisdae had returned with Giganbull steaks a lot quicker than we had thought they would, and I had grilled them to perfection. The young Forest Elf had insisted she helped with dishes afterwards, but my wife had heard none of it from someone she considered a guest.


    I caught Tabitha with my arms around her waist and rested my head on her shoulder. ¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough of people today,¡± I whispered to her.


    Tabs gave me a knowing look. She squeezed my hands before clearing her throat. ¡°Ferry, it¡¯s starting to get late. You¡¯re welcome to use the guest room on the second floor I showed you.¡±


    Ferrisdae looked up from the book she was reading on the couch and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Tabby, Badger,¡± she said as she stood up. ¡°I really appreciate you both letting me stay here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, my dear,¡± Tabitha happily responded.


    ¡°So long as you feel safe, you¡¯re welcome to stay,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not much trouble at all.¡±


    My wife elbowed me in the side, but Ferrisdae giggled. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that a month in quarantine did nothing to hinder your spirit, Badger.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°It¡¯ll take a lot more than Sophia¡¯s constant attention to break me, I¡¯ll tell you that now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true.¡± Ferrisdae stretched and yawned, easily reaching our ceiling, before holding up her book. ¡°Do you mind if I borrow this for the night?¡±


    ¡°Just so long as you don¡¯t stay up too late reading,¡± Tabs said, putting on a motherly tone. ¡°You¡¯re still a young lady, and you need your rest.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s older than-¡° I started.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you give me any nonsense, Badger, she¡¯s a growing girl,¡± she chastised before speaking a little louder. ¡°We may tolerate a little reading after light¡¯s out, but there¡¯s a time for reading and a time for sleep.¡±


    We all glanced towards Emilia¡¯s door, specifically the small crack between it and the floor. The dim light flickered before we heard a small voice coming from the other side. ¡°Can I please finish this chapter?¡± my daughter requested.


    ¡°You have ten minutes,¡± I answered. There was no response other than Tabitha patting my hands in approval.


    Ferrisdae gave us a bright smile. ¡°I really have to say, I wasn¡¯t expecting this to be your home life, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m quite aware of the aura I put out on the job,¡± I said with pride. ¡°And I know you won¡¯t share a word of this with anyone. I¡¯m trusting you with this secret, Ferry.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say secret,¡± Tabitha rebutted. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty open secret.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°Of course, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°My lips are sealed.¡±


    Releasing my wife with one arm, I gestured towards the door. ¡°Good. Then get yourself to bed. It¡¯s already late. Have a good night.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, you two,¡± the Elf said before taking the book and heading towards the door.


    ¡°G¡¯night,¡± Tabitha replied before turning to face me once the door was closed. She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned her head against mine. ¡°There, no more people to deal with.¡±


    Lifting my wife off of the ground, I walked over to my chair and sat down. She adjusted until she was comfortable, and rested against me. ¡°Just the way I like it,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°The fact that we came here and not our bedroom implies that you have something you want to discuss with me,¡± Tabitha whispered back. I nodded, and she pulled away to meet my eyes. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong, fire of my heart.¡±


    I smiled at the affectionate phrase, one that came from her tribe, but took a breath immediately after. ¡°Back in the tower, when they brought you in to talk to me, I told you most of what happened in the Thousand Year Blizzard. Not everything, though.¡±


    ¡°No, not everything,¡± she agreed. ¡°I know you were hiding some things, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was from me. That place puts us both on edge.¡±


    ¡°There are some things for them to know, and some things for us to know,¡± I said. ¡°This is one of the things that is for us.¡±


    Tabitha reached up and ran her fingers through my hair, across my neck, and ended cupping my cheek. Her touch was electrifying. ¡°Is it something I¡¯m not going to like?¡± she asked.


    ¡°First thing you¡¯re going to love,¡± I answered with a soft chuckle. ¡°The second thing is more conjecture, but I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. That one, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s start with the stuff I will like,¡± Tabitha said firmly, leaning back against me.


    ¡°When I destroyed the dungeon in order to save Ferrisdae¡¯s life, we weren¡¯t floating in the void for very long. The story I had told Cojisto to tell had us waiting there for a few minutes before we were back in our world, but I actually got a little help from someone unexpected.¡±


    Tabitha didn¡¯t say anything, but I can tell she was paying attention, and I continued. ¡°Earlier in the subjugation, Himia said that the Goddess of Community, Cheroske, was watching me,¡± I admitted, which was something I hadn¡¯t told Sophia or the mages. ¡°There was no indication whether it was a lie or the truth, but I went with my gut feeling and prayed to her for our safe return.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    My wife nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume you got more than you asked for on account of the fact that you agreed to set up a shrine to her after all these years,¡± she said slowly. I opened my mouth to protest, but she put a finger against my lips. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining; I know how you feel about the divine, and I¡¯m not going to push you one way or another.¡±


    ¡°I always appreciated that,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°And you¡¯re right, I got more than I asked for. She sent the other three back into the eye of the blizzard, but I was brought here. Well, downstairs.¡±


    ¡°To the tavern?¡± she asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes. The goddess said she loved it,¡± I said, and Tabitha gave me a surprised look. ¡°She told me that the Bottom¡¯s Up was such a happy place in a city that doesn¡¯t take care of a lot of its people. That it¡¯s a safe haven.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Tabs blinked a few times before letting out a low laugh. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to take in.¡±


    ¡°I wanted you to know how well you were doing here,¡± I said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. ¡°You¡¯ve done great things in the Bottom, and I wanted you to know that you¡¯re not only appreciated by everyone whose day is brightened by your actions, but that you¡¯ve even gotten the attention of higher powers thanks to your good will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing what any retired adventurer should,¡± she deflected in a manner I could only describe as shy. It was out of place on her, but I found it endearing. At least, I did until she narrowed her eyes and looked back at me. ¡°Did you enter Cheroske¡¯s service?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. But, I realized that, if it was to help save Ferrisdae, I would have,¡± I answered before sighing. ¡°She''s just a kid, you know? I was going to, but Cheroske said that she didn¡¯t want me to enter her service under duress. That what she provided was only a small miracle. She said I was welcome, but to take my time and discuss it with family first.¡±


    Tabitha shifted so she could take in my whole face now, and her hands caught mine. ¡°What are you thinking, Liam?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am Liam,¡± I whispered without thinking about it, closing my eyes as I heard my family name for what seemed like the first time in ages. ¡°Liam Rhodes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t get sentimental on me,¡± she said, patting me on the cheek. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Being quarantined for a month gave me a lot of time to dwell on it, but¡­ I¡¯m sincerely thinking about going down that path again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°I know it is, but the world¡¯s going to become more dangerous,¡± I said, my smile changing into a frown. I caught it before it could become a scowl. Sighing, I settled further into the chair. ¡°Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d have accepted the small miracle, told you that I wanted a shrine made, and call it a day. But, things are in motion now.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Tabitha urged.


    "And I may need the extra strength. Honestly, I don''t know yet." I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a moment. ¡°This is the part I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to like.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± she challenged. ¡°When have I ever wanted you to hold something back when I knew I wouldn¡¯t like it?¡±


    Snorting, I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain that there¡¯s going to be a expedition set up by the Department of Dungeons, the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium, and the Mage¡¯s Guild thanks to the information from the Dungeon Master.¡±


    ¡°To the Southern Continental Dungeon,¡± Tabitha said, immediately connecting the dots. ¡°Is this confirmed?¡±


    I shook my head, but went quiet as I thought things over. The Dungeon Master had told me, very dramatically, that his sister, another Dungeonborn named CC, was working on a bridge between the Southern Continent and our own. Her abilities were similar to his except that she had the power to take over dungeons and expand them, while he needed permission.


    Then again, the Dungeon Master had only just woken up and already proved very powerful, so he might be able to do that as well once enough time had passed. That part didn¡¯t really matter; what did was that he was terrified of his sister. Said that she went crazy and began merging every dungeon she could get into which made the entire landmass uninhabitable.


    If she got a hold of even a single dungeon on our continent, it would be a disaster once she started spreading.


    Realizing my wife was still waiting for an answer, I cleared my throat. ¡°No, it¡¯s not confirmed, but it¡¯s the only logical conclusion I can come to,¡± I finally said. ¡°They could try to block things off, but the ocean¡¯s a big place. She would make it through eventually. The only thing that makes sense is a first strike done by a large expedition.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been people going there for years only to fail, but it''s never been done on the scale you''re expecting before. If it¡¯s a big enough force with the continent''s resources behind them, then there could be a dent put into it,¡± she offered. From the look on her face, I could see that she slipped into problem solving mode. ¡°I¡¯m assuming this is going to be multi-national, but likely revolve around the three organizations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I assumed,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°Once it gets big enough, then the merchants will want in. The magical crystals in the Southern Continental Dungeon are bound to be far more potent than our own, provided CC hasn¡¯t destroyed them for whatever reason like the Dungeon Master did. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re planning on releasing that information, at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Smart of them, if they don¡¯t,¡± Tabitha scoffed. ¡°Our economy is based off of them because that¡¯s what keep the rich, rich. Much as I¡¯d love to see the anarchy that would happen if we shifted into something less dangerous than a dungeon based economy, a lot of people would suffer during the transition. Now, I¡¯m not saying that keeping the status quo is the way to go, but we have to ease into something better.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± I said, smiling at her.


    Tabitha nodded. ¡°Well, I suppose they¡¯ll want to send you, so I¡¯ll be right behind you. It¡¯s been a while since I picked up Britear, but I¡¯ll get back into the swing of things.¡±


    ¡°Tabs¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You know they¡¯re going to want to send you. You¡¯re the heaviest hitter they¡¯ve got, aside from that decrepit husk of a man you call the director,¡± she said. I had to snort in amusement at the accurate depiction. ¡°So, because you¡¯re going, I¡¯m going.¡±


    I gently squeezed Tabitha¡¯s hands. ¡°I feel like, if we continue, we¡¯re going to fight,¡± I said diplomatically. ¡°So I¡¯d like to say something, take you to bed, and then discuss it later when it¡¯s an actual thing that¡¯s going to happen and not just an educated guess.¡±


    Tabs looked ready to fight, but sighed and squeezed back. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    My gaze wandered to the bedrooms of our daughters. The light under Emilia¡¯s door was finally off, and I nodded that way. ¡°The only reason why I¡¯m able to do this work, to run off to be a Dungeon Inspector, is because I know you¡¯re here for them,¡± I said, reaching up to trace her scar with my finger. ¡°I would worry if it were anyone other than you in charge of their safety. If the choice was to go and leave them here with you to look after them, then I would do it. Begrudgingly, but in a heartbeat. If the choice was to go and you came along, leaving them with friends, then I¡¯d much rather take my chances making my stand here with you. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, more important to me than family.¡±


    ¡°Is that all you want to say?¡± Tabitha asked after a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep leaving you,¡± I admitted with a grimace. ¡°All three of you are more important to me than anything else. I know you can take care of yourself better than anyone else, but I¡¯m not all that worried for you. I¡¯ll fight that battle to keep Emilia and Willow safe, but I need to know that you are there to do it.¡±


    My wife pursed her lips, a telltale sign that she was thinking. It wasn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve had this discussion, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be the last. She had threatened to come with me on subjugation runs before simply because they were some of the most dangerous missions we Dungeon Inspectors had to go on. One of those times, she was still pregnant with Willow when she grabbed her axe off of the wall.


    Still, it didn¡¯t matter. So long as my family was safe, Tabitha knew I could do anything. She understood that.


    My wife sighed and rested her forehead against my own. ¡°To be continued,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°To be continued,¡± I agreed, hoping that I was wrong and it wouldn¡¯t. Sliding down the chair, I picked Tabitha up as I stood. She squealed in surprise, muting the noise with my shoulder. ¡°Now, if I remember correctly, you requested something special tonight.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to put me back in a good mood, Liam Rhodes,¡± she said teasingly into my neck.


    ¡°Challenge accepted,¡± I retorted as I carried her to our bedroom.

 Chapter 56 - Half-Pint

    The days flew by. Ferrisdae came and went as she explored the city on her own. Both Cojisto and Moose were already in the wind, having hinted at something secret that the Consortium asked them to look into. I spent as much time with Tabitha and the girls as possible.


    Thankfully, everyone my wife hired to work at the Bottom¡¯s Up were happy to pitch in extra hours when I was in town. This was reflected in their pay in the form of bonuses, but I was more than happy to part with that money for more time with my family.


    They also allowed us to go on outings on the weekends. While there weren¡¯t many parks inside the city that weren¡¯t on the Top, it was a different story outside of the walls. The city planners hadn¡¯t left much room for them inside, but over the centuries several had popped up.


    ¡°Ferry, I¡¯m just saying, if you¡¯re still not feeling comfortable then we can just walk there. It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve never done it before,¡± I said, fighting against my youngest daughter on my lap as I tried to braid her hair. ¡°Willow, please hold still.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, although the girl continued to fidget.


    Ferrisdae, sitting across from us, had a complex expression on her face. ¡°I want to cast the spell, though,¡± she said, referring to her Skymirror Carriage. ¡°Once we¡¯re outside, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    I looked over Willow¡¯s head to regard the Elf. From what she had told me, she had managed to cast spells that barely brushed against her wellspring, the source of power inside of her that allowed her to perform magic. Mostly things like her cleaning spell and seeing magic in the air around her, which were little things. It was something that her therapist told her to work on.


    The whole experience with the Dungeon Master had hit Ferrisdae the hardest. With the so-called upgrades he had given, hers was a forceful expansion of magical power. As a sorceress, her wellspring was something that was innately hers, and had likened it to a sister that she asked to power her spells. I still remembered the look on her face when I asked her how she was feeling and she spilled everything.


    ¡°That hurts, daddy,¡± Willow complained.


    Immediately loosening my grip on her hair, I bent down and kissed the top of her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Willow,¡± I told her before finishing off the braid. ¡°All done. Why don¡¯t you go see how your mother and sister are doing upstairs? Once they¡¯re done, we can get moving.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± she yelled excitedly before rushing off of my lap and up the stairs. ¡°Picnic! Picnic!¡±


    ¡°Adorable,¡± Ferrisdae stated with a small smile.


    ¡°Yes, she really is quite cute,¡± I agreed before standing up. ¡°If you want to cast the spell, then do it. I don¡¯t care if we have to walk, that''s all.¡±


    Just as she was about to respond, a stampede came back down the stairs. I turned to see Willow hopping down each step while holding a blue, diamond shaped kite above her head. Emilia and Tabitha were right behind her. Everyone was dressed for the wonderful weather, and I smiled as I saw my family coming down.


    Walking to the stairs, I attempted to grab the large basket Tabitha carried, but she held it out of reach and took my hand in her own before giving me a wink.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s set?¡± I asked, accepting it.


    ¡°Food fit for a feast and plenty of blankets,¡± Tabs confirmed, squeezing my hand. After giving me a dazzling smile, she looked over at my apprentice. ¡°Are you ready, Ferry?¡±


    ¡°I am, Tabs,¡± Ferrisdae said with forced vigor as she walked to the door outside.


    My wife and I shared a look before I gestured her forward. Instead of leaving immediately, she snuck a quick kiss while none of the children were looking. I followed after her once she started walking, though I noticed something strange.


    As soon as Ferrisdae stepped outside, she paused and looked around. A curious look was on her face before she shrugged and walked to the middle of the road. Willow and Emilia walked through the doorway without any incident, but I saw Tabitha¡¯s shoulders lower by the tiniest margin.


    When I stepped outside, I immediately saw why. Standing next to the doorway was another Halfling with slicked back white hair and clothes that were too good to belong to the Bottom. As I glared at him, his neutral expression changed into that of a smug smirk and all I wanted to do was punch him in his face.


    ¡°I am with my family, Sticky,¡± I hissed through my teeth, careful not to alert the children to what my wife had already noticed. Tabitha had warned me that the leader of the Half-Pints was looking for me, but I had planned on ignoring it until it was time to go back to work.


    The elderly Halfling shrugged. ¡°Now¡¯s the best time for both of us,¡± he said quietly. At least he had the decency to keep his voice down.


    ¡°I wholeheartedly disagree,¡± I responded, watching as Ferrisdae tried to summon her Skymirror Carriage before returning my attention to the other man.


    ¡°Then I suppose it depends on whether or not you want to put this off or take care of it now that it¡¯s in front of you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, that smirk still on his face. ¡°What do you say, Badger?¡±


    Looking back at everyone else, I saw Willow cheering Ferrisdae on as the Elf finally conjured her carriage. A pair of astral horses with purple hair and constellations moving along their hide were hitched to a bright blue, covered wagon. Like the name suggested, it was a mirror of the sky, and I could even see a few errant clouds passing over its side.


    Both of my daughters were enamored by the animals, and they were treated gently in kind. Ferrisdae looked proud of herself when she turned to face me, but her smile faltered as she finally noticed the uninvited guest. Tabitha saw the curious look on the Elf¡¯s face and started ushering the girls into the carriage.


    ¡°Come on, everyone, Ms. Ferry was kind enough to conjure it, so we should use it,¡± she said, giving the Elf a small push towards the door. ¡°We can admire the horses in the park. Perhaps we can do that while your father catches up with us.¡±


    Tabs didn¡¯t make my decision for me, but already knew what it was going to be. As much as I hated it, he was right; I¡¯d rather deal with something right in front of me than leave it to later. Even if that thing was annoying and certainly shouldn¡¯t be my problem.


    Ferrisdae opened the door, but didn¡¯t take her eyes off of the two of us. I gave her a nod, trying not to scowl, and she returned it. ¡°Come on, girls. I¡¯ll let you two decide where to sit first.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Any complaints my daughters had were dashed at Ferrisdae¡¯s promise. Even reserved Emilia was quick to follow Willow into the carriage, and were quickly followed by the adults. Tabitha gave me a look as the horses started moving, and that scowl I was trying to repress finally broke through. I waved her off before turning on my heel and stalking inside. With a jerk of my head, I invited the unwanted guest inside.


    As soon as he entered the building, Britear started glowing with a green flame that didn¡¯t burn the wall or the rack that was holding it above the door. ¡°You are not welcome here,¡± it said, its voice deep yet firmly feminine. The words were spoken, but at the same time I heard them in my mind, and would even if I were blocks away.


    Britear made a great security system.


    ¡°Will you tell your psychotic axe that I¡¯ve been invited?¡± he asked, scoffing as he started pulling off his coat.


    ¡°You¡¯re invited for five minutes, I will not take your coat, and I reserve the right to punch you in the face,¡± I stated. The axe¡¯s flames appeared to grow in strength. ¡°Also, you know that Britear isn¡¯t mine, but Tabitha¡¯s, so stop provoking her.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry, I just have issues with fire, is all,¡± the Halfling said, holding up his hands complacently as he shrugged the coat back on. When Britear calmed back down, I turned to face him. ¡°What? No refreshments, no offer of seating?¡±


    ¡°We are now one step closer to me punching you in the face,¡± I announced, and I hated that it pulled a grin from the older man. ¡°Tell me what you want, Sticky.¡±


    ¡°To apologize,¡± he said, and it sounded halfway sincere. ¡°Your boss, Brackenhorst, brought down the hammer on us after you sent that message a month ago. I¡¯m talking hard, too. I needed to hire three Topside legal experts just to get our dungeon back on track.¡±


    I grunted, but didn¡¯t say anything. Brackenhorst had been Chief Dungeon Inspector for longer than I¡¯ve been alive, and that gave him a very firm insight on the red tape the Department of Dungeons liked to put up. He wouldn¡¯t have outright denied Sticky what the man was requesting, but he could make it a labyrinthine Hell of bureaucratic dead ends and redundant forms.


    ¡°He said the whole thing can go away with your blessing, as it was your apprentice that the event happened to,¡± Sticky continued. ¡°Not that we knew it at the time. To be fair, she did look like one of our marks. Clearly well off, obvious tourist, dressed like she belongs to that hoity toity Mage¡¯s Guild, the works. Still, I¡¯ll admit that the Half-Pints are not without fault. As soon as we received word that you came into the city with some tall broad, we should have paid more attention.¡±


    ¡°Sticky, I couldn¡¯t care less about your problems,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°The only reason why you¡¯re here is to get what you want. You¡¯re sour because there¡¯s consequences. The Half-Pints may have concrete rules that allow your crew to get away with a lot of things in the city, but your man violated those rules. Which is something that¡¯s been happening a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Look, Badger. Hawk, the guy who did it, is out of the crew,¡± he said, putting his hands back up as if that would placate me. ¡°Ditched him as soon as we got word from Brackenhorst that he done messed up. Gave him the cold shoulder and told him he was no longer welcome in New Frausta. He¡¯s gone. Personally sent my best men to escort him out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ignoring my question.¡±


    ¡°And so what if I am?¡± he asked, though he wisely didn¡¯t try to make it sound like a challenge. ¡°Look, what my boys do in the street is between me and the guards, and only if they get caught. But, sure, I¡¯ll give it to you. You¡¯re right, I am only here because that idiot mucked things up for me. I¡¯m not going to apologize for looking for my best interests.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the issue, Aiden, you¡¯re only ever looking out for your best interests,¡± I snapped. The thieves guild leader¡¯s smug look faltered for a moment, his mask slipping away. ¡°From instructing your crew to be a bit more demanding with the city to making them all take up community names because you thought aliases would help your brand, everything you¡¯ve done here makes the city a worst place off.¡±


    Sticky¡¯s smirk fell as he shook his head. ¡°You never did like that decision, Badger,¡± he said as if it were a joke. I scowled. ¡°Come on, I kicked out the guy who did it and I¡¯ve taken my lumps financially. That¡¯s the worst kind of lumps. I¡¯m asking you straight, man to man, tell your boss to call off his dogs.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even apologized,¡± I replied angrily. ¡°Came here saying that¡¯s what you wanted, and yet all you¡¯ve done is come and ask me for favors. I¡¯m not even the one who should be receiving the apology, Ferrisdae is!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can see the logic in that. Then let¡¯s just go and-¡°


    I took a step towards Sticky, and the man immediately went on the defensive. ¡°You and your crew will not go near her, or so help me I will do what the guards seem incapable of doing,¡± I threatened, reaching up to grab his collar. ¡°Ferrisdae has gone through enough in this past month without your half-assed apologies. This incident is likely such a small blip in the back of her mind that it¡¯s been lost in all the shit that¡¯s happened. No one needs to be reminding her of it. Not me, not Brackenhorst, and certainly not you.¡±


    Sticky¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he gave me a nod. I let him go as he twitched towards the door as if hearing something. Putting his trademark smirk back on, he fixed his clothes. ¡°Got it, so no blessing,¡± he said, his tone taking on its casual cadence though doing nothing to hide his disappointment. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to work with what I¡¯ve got, because now you¡¯ve got other troubles to attend to.¡±


    A knock came from the door outside, and I scowled.


    ¡°My eyes and ears through town tell me that you¡¯re about to be real busy, Badger. Since you don¡¯t want to talk, I¡¯ll leave you with this,¡± Sticky started, his smirk turning into a sneer. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a taste for tall broads, but this Ferry of yours? It¡¯s easy to see why Haw-¡°


    The old Halfling didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence. I tried to exercise restraint, but my anger won out, and I balled my hand into a fist and slammed it into his face. Or, at least, I tried to.


    Sticky had a magical item on him that, when struck by a lethal blow once per day, would send him back to his headquarters. I knew he never left home without it, which was why I had no problem hitting him. A shadow-like figure that looked exactly like the thieves guild leader appeared around my fist before it flowed backwards like smoke until it disappeared, leaving me alone in the parlor.


    ¡°And here I was, trying to hold back so it wouldn¡¯t activate,¡± I said with a scowl. Lifting my hands, I cracked my knuckles and looked around for something that I could take my frustration out on.


    Another knock on the door prompted an angry sigh, and I headed that way.


    Not just to answer it, but to slip out. I opened it to see Millicef on the other side. The mousy Human woman was Brackenhorst¡¯s second in command and always made sure the department was running smoothly. It was a tough, thankless job, and despite being relatively young she had a few streaks of gray in her brown hair. Still, she was a real gem; her timing was just unfortunate.


    Despite my surprise, I pushed past her and started heading to the park. ¡°I¡¯m on administrative leave,¡± I said gruffly. ¡°Whatever it is can wait.¡±


    ¡°We need you to come in,¡± she said quickly, following after me even after I picked up the pace.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be spending the day in the park with my family, Millicef,¡± I complained. ¡°You know I¡¯m-¡°


    ¡°CC sent an emissary,¡± the woman blurted out. ¡°She¡¯ll only talk with you, the Dungeon Master, or one of the others who went into the dungeons in the Thousand Year Blizzard. We need it to be you.¡±


    That caused me to stop, and Millicef stumbled as she ran into me. I turned and looked up at her as she adjusted her glasses. ¡°I am on administrative leave,¡± I repeated, though not with as much bite as I had before.


    ¡°Brackenhorst said that I can compensate you for a month¡¯s pay to break leave early,¡± Millicef said, still talking quickly as if she needed to get it out before I started walking again.


    I worked my jaw back and forth as I thought it over. It was still less than ideal, but it was something, and the money was both good and, unfortunately, something we needed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky Willow needs some dental work done,¡± I said, making excuses. Just as she started looking relieved that I¡¯d go with her, I raised my hand and pointed a finger directly in her face. ¡°But if she starts crying because she¡¯s missing three more days with her father that she¡¯s supposed to have, then you will never hear the end of it.¡±


    Millicef swallowed at my words, but gave me a nod. With a huff, I turned towards the stairs to the Middle and stomped off, leaving her to follow me as we dealt with yet another thing that shouldn¡¯t be my problem.

 Chapter 57 - Interrogation

    As it was the start of the weekend, only a few people had been working at the Department of Dungeons. I walked with Millicef through the mostly empty hallways to the staircase that led into the Bottom. Unlike other buildings in the Middle that spanned both sections, there was no entrance from down below. Instead, this area was used as conference rooms, interrogation rooms, and temporary holding cells for those who were ready to be tried for dungeon related crimes.


    It felt silly that we had to go all the way to the Middle just to head back down, but I had felt that way for a long time and my feelings were well known on the matter.


    I was surprised to see so many people in attendance as we walked into one of the observation rooms on the lowest floor. Chief Inspector Brackenhorst was here, though it looked as though he was called in at the last minute. The ancient Dwarf was in the middle of styling his beard. Under normal circumstances, it was done as a tribute to his family with several braids indicating his children and even more indicating theirs. I expected him to be here.


    What I hadn¡¯t been expecting was the presence of Justisius and Liddy, two of the most accomplished Dungeon Inspectors the DoD had. They were almost always out on assignment, training apprentices and getting their work done in a timely and efficient manner. The fact that they had been brought back to headquarters said a lot about how the Department was dealing with this.


    ¡°You were right, Liddy. Looks like I lost this bet,¡± Justisius said, his voice rich and deep. He raised his hand to greet me. The Human was somewhere in his forties with dark skin, kind eyes, and a bald head. It was odd to see him worried; despite his jovial greeting, he was without his usual smile.


    Liddy, on the other hand, seemed just fine. The Gnome of unknown age looked to be in her twenties, but that didn¡¯t mean anything. Her slicked back purple hair matched her vibrant eyes, and she exuded smugness as she held out her hand for Justisius to drop coins into. She didn¡¯t bother counting it before depositing them into a satchel on her belt.


    ¡°You can always count on Badger to show up if he¡¯s getting paid extrollio,¡± the Gnome laughed, her voice heavy with a bold accent that seemed to purr when hanging onto the Rs. She waved hello before arching an eyebrow at me. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been saddled with a junior now. You better watch out, me ferino, or you¡¯ll end up like the two of us.¡±


    I grunted, but waved back to the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to this if they pulled the two of you back in,¡± I told them honestly. Crossing my arms, I looked towards the wall separating us from the interrogation room where an Elven woman sat. It was made of the same stone as the building, but had been set up with the same kind of magic windows the Mage¡¯s Guild loved so much. This one also transferred audio as well as video, though. ¡°What do we have?¡±


    ¡°Carimella Rose,¡± Brackenhorst said. ¡°Marched straight into the lobby and started talking nonsense about the Southern Continental Dungeon. She was about to be escorted out when she mentioned CC and the Dungeon Master, names that aren¡¯t known to the public yet. Ms. Rose was escorted down here by Justisius and refused to talk to anyone who wasn¡¯t in the blizzard.¡±


    Giving Millicef a cold glance, I crossed my arms. ¡°I was told that CC sent an emissary. That sounds less like she sent an ambassador and more like she sent a loon.¡±


    Despite my annoyance, I looked back at the woman. She was a Forest Elf like Ferrisdae, though she was more mature. Middle age, if I had to guess. Her tan skin contrasted well with her short, golden hair. Her green eyes twinkled as they watched the wall, as if she was excited for what was about to happen.


    The more I observed her, the more I noticed the smaller details. Like the fine dark blue and yellow robes she was wearing. They were obviously of a make that few could afford. The fabric clung to her body and closed from the front with buttons and a silver brooch. It was of such good quality that I doubted anyone up on the Top would look twice except in appreciation.


    My eyes met her green ones, and I noticed that she was focused on me. As if she could somehow sense my presence. Frowning, I took a step to the side. Her head followed me. I walked to the other side of the room, and her gaze stayed locked on. ¡°She knows I¡¯m here,¡± I stated.


    ¡°She¡¯s been tracking you since you entered the building,¡± Justisius offered. ¡°Ms. Rose is a well known and respected mage in Athir, so I wouldn¡¯t doubt she¡¯d be able to find you.¡±


    ¡°Then why not just come to me directly?¡± I asked with a scowl. ¡°Not that I want to invite trouble upon myself, but Ferrisdae has been staying at the Bottom¡¯s Up, so it should have been easy to find us both.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s some new information,¡± Liddy practically squealed. She reached out to poke me in my side, but I slapped her hand away. ¡°You invited a junior back to your home? Scardasio, me ferino, simply scardasio! What would the department say if they heard about big bad Badger¡¯s melting frozen heart?¡±


    I didn¡¯t dignify that with a response, instead choosing to glare at the Gnomish woman until her grin became an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Of course, it would be a tragedy for you if this came out. Worry not about a thing, I won¡¯t make a peep,¡± she offered, to which I just grunted. Liddy¡¯s eyes glowed for a moment as she looked me over, and her eyebrows flew up. ¡°It is easy to see why she can track you. I have read your report, and it seems as though whatever this Dungeon Master has done to you, it is not subtle.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about a month too late on that one, Liddy,¡± I sighed. Waving her away, I turned to Brackenhorst. ¡°So you just want me to talk with her?¡±


    The chief nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. And to answer your question, we don¡¯t know. Might be something to ask her about.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Frowning, I thought it over, and the only thing I could think of is that she wanted to be here instead of there. The problem was why, but there was a clear path to that answer. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Brackenhorst said as I started walking away. ¡°She starts doing anything weird, Liddy will probably bust through this wall to stop her.¡±


    ¡°As if he¡¯s going to trust that,¡± the Gnome laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got my Pocket here,¡± I said, patting my jacket as I opened the door. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me.¡±


    Closing the door behind me, I walked to the interrogation room. I took a moment to compose myself. This was supposed to be the kind of stuff that was above my station, but it was coming for me. It felt like being an adventurer again, getting pulled this way and that all willy-nilly. Removing my Hilt of Holding from my Dimensional Pocket, I stuck it in my pocket and opened the door.


    Carimella Rose was standing on the other side, looking down at me with an excited twinkle in her eyes. I blinked, trying not to show my surprise, and put my hands on my hips. ¡°I can¡¯t get in with you standing in the way,¡± I said evenly.


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m just so excited! I wasn¡¯t sure if you were going to make it in time,¡± she said. Her voice was pleasant and carried the same melodic accent as my junior. The Elf moved out of my way, and I walked inside. ¡°You carry the weight of the Dungeon Master.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± I replied. Without taking my eyes off of her, I walked to the side of the table where the magical window was and pulled out the chair to climb in. There was no indication that we were being watched, but I doubted she wouldn¡¯t know. I began pulling out ink, parchment, and a quill after gesturing towards the other side of the table. ¡°Please sit, and we can begin.¡±


    The Elf walked back to the chair slowly, and I noticed a slight limp. When she sat down, it was done slowly, as if she were injured. Despite that, she smiled at me and leaned forward, placing her chin in her hand as she looked me over. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard, but I¡¯m Carimella Rose. Charmed to make your acquaintance, Dungeon Inspector¡­?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Badger,¡± I said. ¡°Now, will you please state for the record why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°For the record,¡± she repeated. ¡°So formal. I like it.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± I said without writing anything down.


    The twinkle hadn¡¯t left her eyes even with my attitude, and she smiled at me. ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of my mistress, CC, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard,¡± Carimella said. ¡°To speak with someone carrying the influence of her little brother.¡±


    ¡°First, I thank you for not seeking me out at my home,¡± I said diplomatically. ¡°I still don¡¯t like coming in while on administrative leave, but the alternative would have been much worse.¡±


    ¡°For you or for me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you be the judge of that,¡± I said, not giving a concrete answer. ¡°What is it that you want to say?¡±


    Carimella hesitated for a moment, and I saw her eyes lose focus. This went on for a few seconds before they snapped back to me. ¡°We have a few minutes, so let me just say. What the Dungeon Master and Himia have done to you? Inspired. Truly. What you are now is so fun to look at.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°You said before that you weren¡¯t sure if I was going to make it in time, and now you¡¯re saying we have a few minutes. What are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°For a few minutes to pass, Badger,¡± she said. ¡°But what has been done to you¡­ oh, that¡¯s something special. What did he name your class?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really rather focus on what will happen in a few minutes than what the Dungeon Master did to me,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice even. The fact that she knew about the class change was something, though, and I wrote down a few notes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there,¡± Carimella said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ¡°Think about the here and now. Like your class. Oh, and the classes of the other three who got enhanced. They all seemed like tasty little nuggets.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to assume you don¡¯t mean tasty literally.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s more knowledge that I like. Little tidbits here and there, such as what your class is,¡± she said, still smiling.


    ¡°If I tell you, will you answer my question?¡± I almost huffed. If it was for the sake of information, I didn¡¯t mind a little give and take.


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer a different question, and then when the time comes, I¡¯ll answer that question,¡± she offered.


    ¡°In a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°Less than that, now, but I¡¯m so glad you¡¯ve been paying attention.¡±


    My frown turned to a scowl before I sighed. ¡°I am Badger, Dungeon Inspector,¡± I said. ¡°And my class has been changed to Dungeon Inspector.¡±


    Carimella blinked. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    ¡°Do I really seem like the kind of person to joke about something like this?¡± Something about my words must have been funny, because she laughed and leaned back in her chair. Once again she winced in pain. ¡°Are you hurt? I can find a cleric or-¡°


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m exactly as I should be,¡± she answered quickly. ¡°That¡¯s funny, though. Dungeon Inspector Badger the Dungeon Inspector. He never was very good with names, and Himia¡¯s even worse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met them before?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes. While it wasn¡¯t impossible, she didn¡¯t look old enough to have been born around the time the Dungeon Master came to this continent. Not only that, but the nation of Athir had closed borders at the time and many of their citizens stayed closed off from the world due to civic issues.


    ¡°Not personally, no,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard a lot about them from my mistress. She just likes to go on and on.¡±


    ¡°You mean CC?¡±


    ¡°Of course, who else is worth following?¡± Carimella barked a laugh. ¡°One of the Gods? Why bother with them when there¡¯s one that walks among us?¡±


    ¡°Have you been to the Southern Continental Dungeon then?¡± I asked as I took more notes.


    From the mention of Gods, it was almost like she was in a cult. Which, as I thought more about it, may not have been far from the truth. I could imagine what might happen if the Dungeon Master wanted to be seen as some kind of deity, and figured it would be easier than I thought.


    ¡°Not I, personally, though I have spoken to her,¡± Carimella said, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. She swayed back and forth as she continued. ¡°I¡¯m one of her favorites, you should know. My looks, my voice, my raw magical power, my personality. The whole package, really. She absolutely gushes over me.¡±


    ¡°How do you keep in contact?¡± I asked. ¡°The Southern Continent is a long way from here. We know Sending Stones can¡¯t work over that distance. Is she already here?¡±


    ¡°CC can perform miracles,¡± the Elf sighed. ¡°She¡¯s not, but it¡¯s a matter of time. I can speak with her because I am powerful enough to do so, and that¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. From what I¡¯ve learned, you¡¯re well respected in Athir,¡± I stated, even though I had only learned that minutes prior. ¡°Why get involved with CC? I imagine someone with such a lofty reputation would be more discerning about something like this.¡±


    Carimella¡¯s smile grew brighter. ¡°Because she¡¯s worth getting involved with,¡± she stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°She¡¯s powerful, magnanimous, and willing to share with the world. There¡¯s no reason for the Dungeon Master to be afraid. CC wants to reunite with her family, is that so bad?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still trying to decide that, though people much higher up on the ladder will be the ones to make those decisions,¡± I said.


    She reached her hand out to me as if offering it, and I only stared. ¡°They don¡¯t matter. Just the Dungeon Master, his secretary, you, and the others do,¡± she said, not pulling back. ¡°But they will, some day. They will matter once they¡¯ve been given the same gifts you have.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that one of the others had their wellspring forcibly expanded?¡± I snapped. ¡°She hasn¡¯t taken it well, and has barely cast magic since the incident. You want that for everyone?¡±


    ¡°Please, CC isn¡¯t like that,¡± Carimella responded sagely. ¡°She knows better than the Dungeon Master. Because, well, he has issues.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. This was a new line of questioning that I hadn¡¯t thought of before. If she had information about both sides, then it was up to me to get it out. ¡°What kind of issues are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, for one he¡¯s a man,¡± she said, and I had to stop myself from snapping again at what I considered a joke. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how to be gentle with a young maiden like Ferrisdae. Plus, let¡¯s be honest, it was all for Oristrella, anyway. The kid was probably thinking more with his dick than his brain.¡±


    That was more information than we thought she had, and I put my hand on the table. ¡°That¡¯s privileged infor-¡°


    I was cut off as Carimella suddenly stood up and stared off into a corner of the room. ¡°It¡¯s almost here,¡± she declared.


    Reaching into my pocket at her quick motion, I grasped my Hilt of Holding though I didn¡¯t pull it yet. ¡°The thing you¡¯ve been waiting for?¡±


    The Elf grinned down at me, putting her hands on the table as she leaned over. ¡°The thousand year blizzard has finally dispersed, which means it¡¯s time.¡±


    Just as I was about to open my mouth, a chill ran down my spine. I took a breath, and realized that I could taste and smell the stale air to a whole new degree. Colors were more vivid, as well, and I even felt more energized. It was almost as if I were ten years younger in the span of a few seconds, but that couldn¡¯t be it.


    It didn¡¯t take me long to come to the conclusion that the storm really had been sucking in most of the ambient magic from the continent, but for it to return so fast? No, it had to be happening in waves, and things were only just settling here instead of rushing towards the blizzard. A part of me wished I knew more about the phenomenon, and I was cursing my lack of knowledge on this.


    Carimella raised her hands in the air. Not as though she were casting a spell, but like she was offering something much taller than her an embrace. She looked excited as she said something, though I couldn¡¯t hear her voice. A moment later she collapsed into her chair. I quickly jumped onto the table to check on her when she stood back up, causing me to hesitate.


    Carimella looked down at her hands in awe, as if she was seeing them for the first time. Something had changed in her expression that seemed strange to me. Like she was a completely different person. I reached for my Hilt of Holding again as I had another realization.


    She was a completely different person.


    The Elf threw her arms out again, taking on an expression of excitement that was both familiar and foreign. She looked down at me, a manic grin firmly fixed on her face. ¡°Coming at you live from the Southern Continent, Delphara!¡± she announced triumphantly. The Elf''s melodic accent was replaced by a younger, more brash tone. ¡°In the body of the buxom, beautiful, bodacious Carimella Rose, it¡¯s the one you¡¯ve all been waiting for, Ceeee Ceeeeeee!¡±


    With a determined expression on my face, I pulled out my sword and thumbed the rune. ¡°Ignite,¡± I ordered, and the blade lit up with magical fire.


    CC, in the body of Carimella Rose, started laughing.

 Chapter 58 - CC

    ¡°First steps into a foreign land and I¡¯m already being threatened!¡± CC laughed. She threw her hands up as if surrendering. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me, officer, I come in peace! But, everyone here is so violent, aren¡¯t they? Sending expeditions into my land, mucking up the place, lowering the property value, and then scooting back home after explosive losses. I love it. Every single time, it¡¯s nothing but a new experience to me. Do you get it?¡±


    I watched the possessed woman while she spoke with narrowed eyes, though I didn¡¯t move. Now that I had drawn my weapon, something in the back of my mind was telling me that attacking her would be a bad idea. Such a feeling hadn¡¯t happened in a long while, but I tended to trust that instinct when it showed up. Even though I didn¡¯t deactivate my sword, I no longer brandished it in her direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°What do you think, little guy?¡± she asked, shrugging while keeping her hands up. I held my tongue. ¡°I decided to pop by for a nice cuppa, try some local cuisine, maybe visit an amusement park or three. Do you know how many times I¡¯ve walked around Delphara? And I mean that literally, like taking a physical form and hiking around the entire continent. No need to guess, it¡¯s 3,257. Do you know what being pent up like that does to a girl? Makes her go coo coo bananas, that¡¯s what.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± I said dryly. My eyes kept looking towards the door, expecting the others to burst in at any second, but no one came. There wasn¡¯t any way for them to get in contact with me otherwise; I specifically left my Sending Stone in a box at home so I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it. Holding back a sigh, I gestured with my free hand. ¡°Would you like to sit?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sir, may I?¡± CC asked, clasping her hands in front of her. ¡°May I please have the pleasure of sitting in the company of¡­ Actually, who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am B-¡°


    ¡°Shut up, no, I wasn¡¯t actually asking you,¡± she interrupted. Moving her hands so that she made a rectangle with her thumbs and index fingers. Gazing at me from between them, she pulled them apart. I arched my eyebrow in confusion as her eyes moved back and forth. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger! The Dungeon Inspector! Wow, little bro really didn¡¯t put a lot of thought into that one, did he?¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°How much of what happened in the blizzard do you know?¡°


    CC ignored my question. ¡°Wait, how did you manage that?¡± she asked, bemused.


    I pursed my lips and thought about staying silent, but I could practically hear my boss yelling at me to engage CC. This time, I didn¡¯t hold back my sigh. ¡°How did I manage what?¡±


    The possessed woman pointed at a spot in front of her. ¡°You had Himia delete your name from her notes!¡± she accused. ¡°Real name is blank, and only Badger is on here. We both know that''s not a real name. How did you convince her to withhold information?¡±


    ¡°I assure you that I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice even. Himia had broken several privacy laws when she had brought us into Razorbeak¡¯s wagon dungeon, and now this Dungeonborn was doing it brazenly in front of me? That fact that the Dungeon Master''s secretary also apparently left notes was not lost on me, either. ¡°I would also like to inform you that magically prying into people¡¯s information is a very serious crime here. I''d have Himia locked up, too, given half the chance.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s so fuuuuun,¡± CC whined. She moved her head in a way that made me think she was peeking over something before rolling her eyes and waving her hand in front of her. ¡°Fiiiiine, I won¡¯t look through your stuff this time. It is your house, I suppose; I should play by your stupid rules. It was probably Himia¡¯s fault, anyway. She¡¯s dumb but smart at the same time. You know?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve met,¡± I said bluntly. With my hand still on it, I set the hilt of my sword on the table so that the burning blade was safely off of it. While the furniture was metal, I didn¡¯t want to get in trouble for leaving burn marks. ¡°I think we¡¯ve gone in a weird direction. Why don¡¯t you start with why you¡¯re here, CC.¡±


    ¡°Great Grand Mistress CC, the Magnificent,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not calling you that,¡± I immediately replied.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡± The possessed woman shrugged. I was surprised to see how easy she gave up, but didn¡¯t dare to hope that she would be so agreeable in the future. ¡°You said I could sit, right? I¡¯d like to sit. I¡¯m going to sit.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    CC sat down. A beat passed as she seemed to get used to the sensation, and she grinned. ¡°Damn, my girl Carmala got a lot of junk in the trunk for one of those skinny tree huggers,¡± she announced. ¡°Like, from a distance I knew she was nice but it¡¯s pleasantly different feeling it for real. I could get used to this. You get me?¡±


    ¡°Carimella,¡± I corrected on reflex. Scowling, I ignored her question and tried to get back on track. ¡°And what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, Elves aren¡¯t where it¡¯s at,¡± she continued. Raising her hands, she brought her fist down into an open palm. ¡°Dragons, though! Dad used to love dragons. Not when big and lizardy, though, but like the trimmed down and humanoid versions. I won¡¯t have anyone calling him a scaly. He was about a lot of things but a non-feminine form wasn¡¯t one of them.¡±


    I scowled. I didn¡¯t need to hear any of this.¡°That¡¯s-¡°


    The Dungeonborn cut me off. ¡°Heard little bro¡¯s bagged one. Real sassy bitch, too. Kinda jealous, if I can be real. You know, I should get me a dragon. Wait, no¡­ I should seduce and steal his dragon! That would-¡°


    ¡°CC!¡± I yelled.


    The possessed woman looked down at me as if remembering I was there. ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Why. Are. You. Here?¡± I repeated through grit teeth.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be here?¡± CC scoffed, crossing her arms under her chest. She seemed to get distracted by Carimella¡¯s body again before I rapped my knuckles on the table. ¡°Right, don¡¯t let some nice squishy bits get your brain in a tizzy, CC, and answer the officer¡¯s questions.¡±


    ¡°Not an officer, a Dungeon Inspector,¡± I said.


    ¡°That¡¯s even better!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Because, as a Dungeonborn, and I¡¯m assuming you know what that is, I¡¯m all about dungeons. Big ones, small ones, deadly ones, ones where the minions all wear silly hats. All kinds! I could ramble on and on about them for literal days if you¡¯ll let me.¡±


    ¡°I will not,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Are you going to actually answer the question, or are you going to waste both of our time?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think I¡¯m doing? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wasting time, I think this conversation is very valuable,¡± she scoffed back before offering me an infuriatingly easy smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t said nearly as much as I did, but I just figured you¡¯re shy or something. It¡¯s okay, things can be hard when you¡¯re in the presence of greatness. I understand!¡±


    Just like Carimella had, CC leaned forward with her elbow on the table and her chin on her palm. Her eyes stayed locked with mine, and a thought occurred to me. ¡°Are you biding time until you get used to this body?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Aw, damn, you figured me out!¡± she exclaimed, raising her hand and snapping her fingers. ¡°Yeah, you got me. I¡¯m bonding with this body on every level. Hopefully, it¡¯ll stick because, who boy, things will be messy if it doesn¡¯t.¡±


    My grip tightened on my sword. ¡°And what happens when the process is done?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here after that, aren¡¯t I?¡± CC asked, her smile morphing into a grin. ¡°Well and truly here on your continent. No more hopscotch through the deep dungeons, I¡¯ll just be here.¡±


    ¡°So Dungeonborns can get to the point where they don¡¯t need to be in a dungeon to survive?¡± I asked. A part of me wanted to strike, but that feeling in the back of my head stopped me.


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m not in a dungeon right now, you silly little guy?¡± she returned.


    ¡°The Dungeon Master-¡°


    ¡°Ugh, such a pretentious name,¡± CC complained.


    ¡°¡­ On that, we agree.¡±


    ¡°Though, dad gave it to him, so I suppose I shouldn¡¯t say too much,¡± she continued, waving her hand.


    ¡°Your little brother,¡± I started, hoping to avoid more interruptions. ¡°Gave me the ability to see auras when in a dungeon. I don¡¯t assume it would work with you because it didn¡¯t with him, but if we were inside one then I would have certainly seen it with Carimella.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, that is a fair point,¡± CC said, reaching up to tap her lips with her finger. ¡°Do you really want to know what dungeon I¡¯m in?¡±


    ¡°That feels like a trick question, but yes,¡± I hesitantly answered.


    With a grin, CC stood and started unfastening Carimella¡¯s robes. ¡°Really, it was a stroke of genius on my part.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want this to continue,¡± I said quickly. A part of me wanted to avert my gaze, but another part didn''t trust her to not try something when I wasn''t looking.


    ¡°Nah, you¡¯re in for a real treat, trust me,¡± she countered. ¡°Not just because of this rockin'' bod, either. I¡¯m serious, this was really a brilliant idea.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, and I¡¯d rather you stay clothed at all times. Especially when you¡¯re in someone else¡¯s body. So, stop that,¡± I warned, tapping the table with my sword¡¯s hilt.


    ¡°You northerners are so reserved,¡± CC giggled, completely disregarding my words. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything like Mella¡¯s modesty. Really, it¡¯s a-okay. She doesn¡¯t have any decency any more; I¡¯ve completely assimilated her personality. Her consciousness is gone.¡±


    At first I was confused, but as understanding dawned on me, my blood ran cold. Carimella died because of this possession? My words weren¡¯t nearly as elegant as my thoughts. ¡°You killed her?¡± I sputtered.


    CC paused, face tilted upwards as if in thought. ¡°Huh. Yeah, I suppose when you really boil it down, I did,¡± she admitted, shrugging. ¡°Technically, I think it was closer to suicide. She offered her mind, body, and soul to me, after all. Hers is a near perfect vessel, after all. So while I''m really happy she agreed, it''s not my fault she drank the Kool-Aid.¡±


    ¡°No, this is your fault. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s starting your own cult!¡± I yelled, outraged.


    ¡°Yes, cults are who the Kool-Aid is for, obviously,¡± she sighed. Her fingers continued to fumble with her robe. ¡°Man, new fingers suck, am I right?¡±


    ¡°How can you stand there and-¡°


    ¡°Got it!¡± CC yelled excitedly. She shifted and shed the robe off. It fell to the ground, leaving Carimella¡¯s body, thankfully, still in her small clothes. Even with the lack of decency, I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away. There was a reason why the Elf had limped and winced in pain before the possession, and it was horrible.


    Almost every inch of her body that had been hidden by the robe were covered in fresh scars. It wasn''t random, but done in careful, intricate patterns.


    ¡°Yes, stare at my marvelous form,¡± the Dungeonborn boasted proudly, raising her arms. Dumbfounded, I stood up and walked around the table, fully aware that my grip on my sword was white knuckle tight. ¡°Look, but don¡¯t touch. Actually, feel free to touch. New body, new rules. Sometimes you gotta shake things up.¡±


    I barely heard her words as I took her in. Magic circles overlapped with each other in one of the most convoluted patterns I had ever seen before. It was almost pure nonsense, but the more I saw, the more the chaos made sense to me. I wanted to reach out to trace the circles on her skin, but managed to keep my faculties long enough to know that was a horrible idea even with the invitation.


    CC stood there, hands on her hips as she proudly displayed her new body, and things started clicking into place for me. The runes weren¡¯t the same as ours, but I could tell that, linguistically, they had a common ancestor. Some of the pathways of power were not new to me, either. Tracing them with my eyes, I felt something pinch the back of my neck just as something clicked in my head.


    ¡°You turned Carimella Rose into a dungeon,¡± I half accused, half whispered in awe.


    She started clapping her hands. ¡°Ding ding ding, we have a winner!¡± the Dungeonborn yelled. ¡°As you can see, I am, in fact, in a dungeon! Or, well, a facsimile of one. Little Melia was just so perfect for the job, and so eager to help to boot! Good enough for the purpose of coming here, talking to you, all while making a real one.¡±


    ¡°A real¡­¡± My voice trailed off as I furrowed my brow in thought.


    Even though Carimella could obviously have tracked down any of the four of us, she came here. If it was just to talk, then that could have happened anywhere. Instead, she gave herself up to the Department of Dungeons directly. That had bothered me before, and I mentally swore at everyone around, myself included, that none of us figured it out.


    This was where every important piece of knowledge about the workings of the Central Continent¡¯s dungeons was gathered in one place. Locations, maps, enemy compositions, everything diligently filed in an easy to understand format. By building a single dungeon, CC would have more than enough information to sweep across the land and do the same thing the Dungeon Master said she did to the Southern Continent.


    Making a conscious decision to ignore that dangerous feeling in the back of my head, I finally swung my sword.

 Chapter 59 - Destiny

    There were no doubts in my mind that this Dungeonborn couldn¡¯t be contained, so there was only one real option. My adrenaline was pumping from the moment I made the decision to go onto the offensive. I swung my flaming blade with as much power as I could muster with such a quick, impromptu swing.


    The expression on CC¡¯s face shifted unnaturally fast, but my combat focus seemed to slow time down for me, and I caught each one. When the blade started coming her way, she looked confused. As if she wasn¡¯t sure why I would want to attack her.


    Then, there was excitement on CC¡¯s face with a smug smile tugging at her lips. She began raising her hand to block my sword. The speed at which she could now control her new body was a little terrifying, and that feeling in the back of my head only got louder.


    My sword made contact. I felt the weapon slow on impact, but its momentum didn¡¯t stop. Her excitement swiftly changed into surprise as I lopped off her first finger. There was no blood, the fire cauterized the wound as it made it.


    Fear etched itself on her face by the time my blade was halfway through the second finger. There was no pain in her expression, though I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate that. It flew across the room like the first, my sword still going.


    All at once, a palpable anger fell over the room just as the third finger went flying. I believed I could still cut off her head, that had been my intention before she put up her hand to block, but her foot lashed out. Mid-swing as I was, I couldn¡¯t do anything to dodge and took the attack to my side.


    I went flying backwards into the door with enough force that it should have broken, but it held sturdy. Pain flowed through me, but I could deal with that. My feet hit the ground, and the aura of rage seemed to push me down. The feeling in the back of my head wanted me to kneel, to supplicate myself against a superior and ask forgiveness.


    That was completely different from what it was before. Instinctual caution in the face of an unknown enemy was one thing, but the urge to cower and beg for my life? I recognized it as something that didn¡¯t belong to me. Years of training bolstered my mind, and I ignored this new sensation.


    ¡°What the fuck did my brother do to you!?¡± she yelled as I planted my foot and spun after her. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be like this!¡±


    There was no way I was going to let her talk her way out of this one. Launching myself forward, I saw CC quickly back off. She didn¡¯t move with that unnatural speed anymore, but I didn¡¯t trust that she couldn¡¯t access it again.


    Instead of blocking with her body, the woman made a sweeping gesture. The metal chair she had been sitting in changed its shape. Its back elongated and came towards me with a dangerous point. I ducked and raised my free hand to push it out of the way, aiming for the smooth sides that couldn¡¯t hurt me. It went flying over my head, embedding itself in the wall.


    Even though I succeeded in dodging the furniture¡¯s deadly tip, my wrist came away bloody. For some reason I couldn¡¯t see, simply touching the metal had cut through my jacket and skin as if I pressed myself against hundreds of razors. I hadn¡¯t expected it, and my fingers were hard to control, refusing to flex when I wanted them to. They were borderline useless.


    With a roar of anger and pain, I swung my sword again. CC jumped backwards, and I narrowly missed by inches. Her back hit the wall. Cracks split the bricks as she dove to the side, and I forced myself to look away from the almost casual destruction she had caused.


    CC rolled into the corner out of her dive before she pushed off against the wall with her feet. More cracks, and she slid to the opposite side of the room. Pivoting again, I was about to go under the table to reach her with cover when I thought about the chair. I immediately stopped.


    It was the right call. At CC¡¯s gesture, the table shifted and bucked for less than a second before it folded in on itself and became a sphere. If I had gone that way, I would have been trapped inside, and I had the terrifying suspicion that the inside would have been just as dangerous as the chair had been. Thumbing the rune on my Hilt of Holding, I recalled the flaming blade before turning the knob on the bottom.


    ¡°You hurt my beautiful body, you asshole!¡± CC yelled from the other side of the room.


    The sphere shot towards me by the time I thumbed the rune again. A slim, elegant blade popped out of the top of my Hilt of Holding. The half-basket design, made to look like leaves protecting my hands, complimented the rapier perfectly. Time slowed down as the speed enchantment bolstered me in both body and mind, and I jumped.


    My body even seemed lighter, and I easily cleared the dangerous metal projectile. It collided with the wall and stayed there, the top opening as if inviting me to fall in and be captured. Unfortunately for CC, I didn¡¯t just jump. Shifting in the air, I put my feet against the wall behind me and launched myself with all my might.


    I cleared the small room in half a heartbeat, my rapier extended along with my arm. The Dungeonborn shifted, but not to get away. She twisted into an unnatural position and let my blade pierce through her. I heard it slam into the wall behind her. Instead of attacking me, she grabbed the weapon in both hands. Confused, I looked at where I had landed the blow and understood.


    CC had threaded the blade into a single scarred dot on her body. I assumed that, miraculously, she did the same on the other side. Her conglomeration of magic circles was still intact. I heard movement behind me, and looked back long enough to see the table shifting again.


    ¡°You will not set me back,¡± she seethed. The aura of rage was still affecting me, pushing me down both physically and mentally. Her eyes held anger and desperation far beyond anything I had seen before. There was no trace of the confusing Dungeonborn she had been before. ¡°I will turn this building into my dungeon. I will take over this continent. I will burn everything to the ground so that I can fulfill my destiny!¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. While she was talking, I was attempting to move my sword. Retrieve it, shake it, spin it, anything to do more damage and disrupt the dungeon she had carved for herself. It hadn¡¯t been my intention before, but now I knew what to go for, and exactly what I needed to do.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Destiny?¡± Looking up into the Dungeonborn¡¯s eyes, I scoffed. ¡°Destiny makes you fragile, short sighted, cursed to be defined by your beliefs. It doesn¡¯t work, clearly, because it put me in your way on my week off. Now, get the fuck off my continent.¡±


    The fingers on my torn wrist didn¡¯t want to work, but they weren¡¯t completely useless. I tried to turn my hand into a spear, and two of my digits complied. It would have to do. Without pulling my arm back, I thrust it forward.


    Pain shot through my wrist as the two fingers collided with the same place my sword pierced through her. They slipped into the hole, the blood acting as lubricant, and I got the best grip I could. Her eyes shot open, realizing what was about to happen. I pulled.


    ¡°You-¡°


    That, along with tearing flesh, was the last sound I heard from her as I ripped through her skin and the ritual circles. The corpse exploded with magical energy, sending me across the room. My back slammed into the wall, and I groaned in agony. Attempting to stand, I found that I couldn¡¯t move without causing pain to spasm through my body.


    ¡°Badger!¡± Libby yelled as she kicked in the door. Her hand was covered by a purple flame that matched her eyes and hair. The moment she laid eyes on Carimella¡¯s body, she raised her arm. The Elf¡¯s body was scorched but, miraculously, still in one piece.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I croaked. That single word caused me to start coughing, sending more pain through my body.


    Justisius grabbed Libby¡¯s arm before she had a chance to throw the fireball, and the flames dispersed. ¡°Check the body,¡± he ordered before coming to me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she replied, and I could almost hear her rolling her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something for you right here, Badger,¡± the Human said, pulling a large vial of green liquid from his pouch. I recognized it as a rare and potent health potion, but knew I wasn¡¯t in the position to deny such a powerful gift. He administered it, and I swallowed the foul extract.


    I only had to resist the urge to cough at the flavor for a few moments before my back magically healed enough that doing so wouldn¡¯t hurt me. Pain still traveled freely through my torso, but that was to be expected. I was only mostly healed.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, taking Justisius¡¯ proffered hand so I could be pulled to my feet. ¡°Libby, what happened to busting through the wall to stop her?¡±


    ¡°Blame the boss for saying that, not me,¡± the Gnome said absently, still checking the body.


    ¡°The window went out just as the ambient magic settled,¡± Brackenhorst explained as he walked in to observe the mess. His eyes lingered on the walls. ¡°We didn¡¯t know what was going on until we reached the hallway, and at that point the door wouldn¡¯t yield to us. What happened in here?¡±


    I glanced over at the open door. The side I had been slammed into had been fine, but their side was covered with gouges and scorch marks. It certainly seemed like they were doing their best to break through, even though I hadn¡¯t heard any of it.


    ¡°CC possessed Carimella¡¯s body,¡± I reported, nursing my sliced wrist. The room went silent as everyone turned to face me. I gestured towards the Elf with a nod. ¡°The circles turned her into a dungeon, and the Dungeonborn was able to take over. She was looking to take over the DOD.¡±


    ¡°And you made her explode?¡± Libby asked.


    ¡°She did that when the circle was disrupted,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Think she¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°Gods, if only it were that easy,¡± I snorted. ¡°Carimella? She was dead before the explosion. CC? I¡¯m going to go out on a limb and say probably not.¡±


    ¡°Badger, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡± Justisius asked, pointing.


    The damage my wrist had taken was still there, though not nearly as sharp. I lifted my hand slowly to see that I was clutching onto the piece of skin I had, apparently, taken with me during my short flight. It still looked like it went through an explosion, but it was in better shape than Carimella¡¯s body. I could make out some slight discoloration from the scar tissue that made up the circles.


    ¡°I need to draw,¡± I announced. Justisius was the first to start pulling things out of his Pocket. He set parchment, ink, and a quill on the ground for me. I knelt beside it.


    Setting the piece of flesh to the side, I closed my eyes and started drawing the pattern I had seen on Carimella¡¯s skin. I prided myself on both my knowledge of magic circles and my ability to remember every detail of a dungeon at a glance and put it to paper hours later. The picture I had in my head was incomplete because I hadn¡¯t seen much more than the front portion before the fight, but it was something.


    In my haste, I didn¡¯t strive for the same perfection I always did. It was enough that the shapes were roughly what they were supposed to be and everything was in the right order. We could recreate them later in better detail if need be, but I didn¡¯t think there would be a call for it. There was no reason for us to give CC another body to inhabit. The more I drew, though, the more I realized it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    ¡°Good news,¡± I said, not looking up. ¡°This isn¡¯t likely to happen again. Possible, but isn¡¯t likely.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Libby asked, coming to join Justisius in watching me work.


    I gestured broadly at the parchment. ¡°It¡¯s precise to the point of being detrimental,¡± I answered before I started pointing out flaws in the design. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t work on anyone below a certain power threshold. Justisius, you said she was a well respected mage?¡±


    ¡°One of Athir¡¯s finest,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Then that threshold is high,¡± I continued. ¡°Not only that, but it¡¯s set up for general body shape, race, age. Even handedness. It¡¯s a lot, honestly. There¡¯s also a personality component that made it seem like Carimella fit almost perfectly.¡±


    ¡°You think this was tailor fit for her?¡± Brackenhorst asked, stroking his beard.


    ¡°Almost tailor fit, but not completely,¡± I corrected. ¡°CC said she was a near perfect vessel, not that her word means much.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡± Libby asked.


    ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t. Not only was she very confusing, but she had all the reason in the world to lie,¡± I answered with a scowl. ¡°The issue is, did CC come up with this scheme after learning that the blizzard was coming down? Or was she just so bored over the last few centuries that she invented a new form of magic to turn people into dungeons? That would make sense, Carimella¡¯s got the life span for it. But if it¡¯s the former and they have someone even slightly less perfect, then we¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    No one said anything as they processed the information. Sighing, I sat back on my legs and looked up at them. ¡°I¡¯ll brief you all once I¡¯m fixed up and given time to breathe,¡± I said before looking at Carimella¡¯s body again. Then, I frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s my sword?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, me ferino,¡± Libby sighed, sounding genuinely apologetic. She pointed at the wall behind me, and I turned to face it.


    Embedded in the bricks was my Hilt of Holding. The magic item was very sturdy, something I spared no expense to ensure, and looked fine. The rapier with the speed enchantment, however, was now only a few inches long. It had been destroyed by the explosion.


    ¡°Absolutely wonderful,¡± I mumbled, lowering my head as I mourned the loss of the blade.

 Chapter 60 - Bottled Up

    It was well into the night by the time I was able to trudge home. The meeting after the fight had lasted longer than I wanted and mostly entailed retelling the story from the point when the magic window blinked away. That had happened just before CC announced herself.


    The other Dungeon Inspectors attempted to kick the door down once it happened, but were unable to. We theorized that it was possible that our intruder might naturally create dungeons around her, though it took time. When I was flung against the door, it didn¡¯t do so much as budge, but their side was heavily damaged and I hadn¡¯t heard a whisper of it.


    I already knew that the Dungeon Master could get rid of the DTER, the Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response that let you know you were somewhere dangerous, whenever he felt like it. Given what I knew, I hypothesized that she could do something similar and alter it on a whim. That would have explained the feeling of caution, need for forgiveness, and the palpable rage that assailed me.


    What I didn''t understand was why CC didn¡¯t stick around. If she had the dungeon here, then why did tearing up the ritual circle on the body work? Was she not fully adhered to Carimella¡¯s body yet? Did I notice something in the heat of the moment that I just couldn''t remember now? Did she need a dungeon of a specific size in order to anchor herself here? Did that matter? Or was there some other rule that I didn¡¯t have enough information to know to ask about


    Not knowing the reason irked me. I was glad that she was gone, but not understanding why was going to keep me up at night.


    Standing outside of my family¡¯s entrance to the Bottom¡¯s Up, I took a moment to breathe and let the tension go. Once I stepped through this door, I was no longer Badger the Dungeon Inspector, but Liam the husband and father of two. If only for the night.


    Brackenhorst told me to come early the next day, and that I would be leaving immediately. Ferrisdae could come if she wanted, but I wasn¡¯t to pressure her into returning to work early. She was only a Junior Dungeon Inspector, after all, and wasn¡¯t a veteran of the DoD like I was.


    I took another deep breath before walking inside. No one was around until I made it to the third floor. Tabitha and Ferrisdae were talking quietly in the sitting area. Emilia sat reading near them, and Willow was resting her head against the Elf¡¯s leg, fast asleep. I closed the door gently so as to not wake her up.


    Tabitha was the first to notice, and stood up to come and greet me. When I turned to face her, she stopped halfway, taking me in.


    ¡°You got into a fight,¡± she said, more fact than accusation.


    ¡°I did,¡± I confirmed. Ferrisdae turned to face me as best she could without waking Willow. Emilia didn¡¯t look up from her book. ¡°Worse, I got called in to work.¡±


    Getting into a fight was fine, I knew. Tabitha was fine with that so long as it was a good cause. Getting called in while on leave was something else entirely.


    Her body language shifted even as she put on an understanding smile. ¡°You have to go, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked, her tone miraculously even.


    I hesitated. ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ferrisdae whispered. She seemed like she wanted to stand and join us, but settled for stroking my daughter¡¯s hair instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re not required to come with me,¡± I told her. ¡°Brackenhorst said not to put up a fight if you insisted, but-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m insisting,¡± she said, obviously determined.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Athir. Are you okay going home?¡± I asked.


    Ferrisdae¡¯s expression changed in a way I couldn¡¯t describe. I wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about going home after everything she had been through. Whether it was returning to her family, which she had described as being too supportive, or worried about something else, I couldn¡¯t tell.


    Her determination faltered for only a moment before she nodded decisively. ¡°I¡¯m better than okay with it, I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± she said. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s only a few days. I¡¯d be catching up to you alone if you went on without me. "


    ¡°That¡¯s settled, then,¡± I sighed. Walking towards the sitting area, I gave Tabitha a kiss on the cheek before we made it to the couch.


    ¡°Willow¡¯s going to be upset when she wakes up,¡± Emilia said, not looking up.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry, Calico,¡± I said, using her community name because of the present company. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard on you, too.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, closing her book. ¡°I¡¯m used to it now. You¡¯ve got responsibilities, and they aren¡¯t here. I understand.¡±


    Emilia didn¡¯t lash out often, and I felt a pain in my heart from that one. Not just because it was meant to hurt me, but because it was factual. It was also one step away from, you¡¯ve got responsibilities, and it¡¯s not us. Which wasn¡¯t true in the slightest, even though I could hear it clearly in my mind.


    ¡°Calico!¡± Tabitha quietly chastised. ¡°You know your father only does what he has to for the family.¡±


    Emilia quickly stood up. She still didn¡¯t look at me, but gave my wife a trademark Badger stare. ¡°Sometimes what you need to do for family is be there for family, mother,¡± she said before storming off to her room.


    At least she didn¡¯t slam her door and wake Willow up.


    There was a moment of silence before Ferrisdae spoke. ¡°I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be here for this,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that, Ferry,¡± Tabs said. ¡°Calico¡¯s usually a lot more reserved than that.¡°


    ¡°She has every right to be angry,¡± I sighed. ¡°If she brought it up in front of an outsider, that means it¡¯s been bothering her for a while. I¡¯ll try to smooth things over.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tabitha said, pulling me into a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll get Willow so Ferrisdae can go to her room.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. Turning to my junior, I gave her a small wave. ¡°Have a good night, Ferry.¡±


    ¡°You, too,¡± she said, returning the gesture.


    Taking a breath as Tabs started gently extricating Willow, I walked up to Emilia¡¯s door and knocked on it gently. ¡°Can I come in?¡± I requested, raising my voice only enough to get her attention.


    ¡°If you must,¡± came my daughter¡¯s curt reply. I entered the room.


    Emilia¡¯s room was full of books, scrolls, and knitted items that she had made herself. That had been from wanting to do more things with Tabitha, who briefly took up the hobby before deciding she didn¡¯t like it. My daughter, however, stayed the course.


    Everything was neat and tidy except for her desk, which she now sat at. It was covered in all sorts of materials and tools in a measure of controlled chaos. She was working on a scarf even now, though I could tell from the way she moved that she was upset.


    ¡°Hey-¡° I managed to start before she talked over me.


    ¡°I feel like I can¡¯t complain,¡± Emilia interrupted, her hands working furiously. ¡°If I make you feel bad for leaving us, then I¡¯m a bad daughter. If I say I don¡¯t want you gone for long periods of time, then that means you don¡¯t get to do your job. If you don¡¯t do your job, then that means you don¡¯t fix things that need fixing to save lives, which makes me a bad person. I can¡¯t do it.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I knew this mood. Folding my hands in front of me, I waited.


    ¡°We were supposed to have three more days with you,¡± she continued. ¡°All I want is for you to be around more often. Like you were when you first started at the Department of Dungeons. You¡¯d be gone for a week or two, and then you would be back for at least a weekend. Now, you¡¯re gone for months at a time. These days you can¡¯t even take a week off for officially mandated administrative leave, for Gods sake!¡±


    Emilia threw down the project she was working on, which appeared to be a scarf, and put her head in her hands. ¡°I miss you, dad,¡± she whispered.


    Not father, dad.


    ¡°And I can¡¯t even say that I want you to quit your job and find something new here in the city,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve helped mom with the ledgers. I know the only reason why the tavern works is because you¡¯re doing your thing. You¡¯re doing what you have to do. It¡¯s selfish of me to want you to give that up so you can be here with us. It''s not good for the family, but I still want you to. I¡¯m smart, but I can¡¯t see a way to fix this. How am I supposed to win in this situation?¡±


    My daughter, Emilia Rhodes, was too much like me for her own good. I could feel that this had been weighing on her for a long time. Holding back for the good of the family was something I understood. She was so strong and responsible that, sometimes, I forgot she was still just a kid. And one not much younger mentally than my junior, who had her own problems at that age.


    The question lingered between us for a few moments before I stepped up behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders. Emilia tensed for a moment before slumping.


    "There¡¯s not always an easy way to win,¡± I said softly. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s not always possible to win. That¡¯s just how life is. It¡¯s unfortunate, but that¡¯s how life is. Like how there aren¡¯t many jobs out there that pay as well as mine with such minimal risks. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve checked, as diligent as you are.¡±


    Slowly, Emilia nodded. ¡°I even made you a resume,¡± she quietly admitted.


    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯d love to read it some other time,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°But right now, you are my priority. I know my absence has been rough for everyone, and I¡¯m sorry if I made it seem like you couldn¡¯t bring this up without hurting my feelings. I promise you that all I want is to make sure my family is happy and safe.¡±


    My daughter looked like she was about to say something, but bit it back. If I were anyone else, I¡¯m sure she would have let me have it.


    ¡°Emilia, I love you. I love your sister, I love your mother, I love this family. If I had known that this was weighing on you so heavily, I would have looked for alternatives. I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t been already,¡± I said. "I''ll admit, I''ve been a Dungeon Inspector for so long that changing careers hasn''t occurred to me for a while."


    Releasing her, I walked over to her bed and sat down. She turned to face me, her eyes were red although there were no tears. "Please believe me, if I had known you felt this strongly, I would have done something other than try, and fail, to make old strategies work."


    "I know you would have," Emilia whispered. "But we have to be strong for the good of the family. That''s the number one rule."


    "Telling me how you really feel will never be bad for the family, Emilia, I promise," I said. She gave me a small, hesitant nod, and I cleared my throat. ¡°I may have a way to win, so to speak. It¡¯s not perfect, though. After this whole dilemma of an event passes, I feel like I¡¯m going to be able to ask a lot from my boss.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked immediately.


    I pursed my lips, wondering how much I should say. Glancing at the door, I saw Tabitha holding Willow¡¯s hand, both of them staring at me. Scooting over on the bed, I gestured for my family to join me. My wife and youngest did so immediately, and Emilia only hesitated for a few moments. I wrapped my arms around them.


    ¡°Willow, do you also feel like you can¡¯t complain about me being gone?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can complain,¡± she answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to. Daddy polices the bad guys. You gotta make the world safer for all the Mooses and Cojistos and other adventurers.¡±


    Emilia turned her head away, and I leaned my own on hers.


    ¡°I do. I¡¯ve tried to shield you both from the more terrible things that my job entails,¡± I said slowly. They still didn''t know subjugating bad dungeons gave me my weeks off, nor would they if I could help it. The job had to be done, regardless of what I got out of it. ¡°But what I say now is for the family only, okay? To be kept as a secret as strong as mine and Emilia¡¯s name. Okay?¡±


    Willow nodded enthusiastically, while Emilia did so once. Tabitha looked concerned, and I gave her a small smile.


    ¡°While I was up in the Thousand Year Blizzard, Ferry and I came across a few very dangerous individuals. The kind that your mother and I would chase after in the stories we¡¯ve told you before,¡± I said. ¡°But they warned us that there¡¯s something bigger than that coming now, and I can¡¯t walk away from it.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be an adventurer again?¡± Willow asked. Now that she was woken up from her slumber, she appeared a lot more awake than I hoped.


    ¡°Not officially, but I may have to act like one soon,¡± I answered. ¡°If things go in that direction, then I may be able to ask Brackenhorst for a few favors. Now, I¡¯m not making any promises, but if I can¡¯t get reassigned to a desk job here, then I may be able to negotiate routes that take me to Mage¡¯s Guilds so that I can teleport back for weekends.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t like the way they discriminate against those who can¡¯t cast spells,¡± Emilia stated, and she was right. It was a fact.


    "Yes, but I¡¯ll still deal with them if it means I get to come back to you all more often,¡± I responded. Then, I sighed. ¡°My philosophy for work has always been to get it done fast and get back home as quickly as possible. That meant long hours and weekends. Before, that worked, but lately there¡¯s been too much to do. Like you said, Emilia, my assignments have been getting longer and longer. What I used to do is no longer viable.¡±


    I pulled my head away from Emilia¡¯s. ¡°So, now that I know how you feel, I¡¯ll change my philosophy. I¡¯ll do what I can for you. But, Emilia, I need you to do something for me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Don''t hold back from speaking your mind,¡± I told her. ¡°You¡¯re so good at being responsible and acting like an adult that I sometimes forget that you¡¯re still my little girl. I want you to be able to tell me things, any kind of things, without worrying about how I¡¯ll react to it. Just... don¡¯t let these feelings simmer and spoil. I know what that can do to a person, and it¡¯s not pleasant.¡±


    Emilia looked away before nodding. ¡°I understand. I can do that, father.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I soothed, rubbing her back. ¡°Because this is the Bottom¡¯s Up, not the Bottled Up. You¡¯ve got to-¡°


    ¡°Alright, nope. No, no, no,¡± Emilia said, standing up as Tabs snorted in amusement at my joke. ¡°Go on and get out of here. You¡¯ve lost coming home privileges for an entire month.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± I asked, feigning shock before looking at Willow. ¡°Do you think I should disappear for a whole month?¡±


    ¡°Too long,¡± she said, holding up her arms in an X shape. ¡°Come home as fast as you can.¡±


    Smiling, I set my hand on her head. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me for leaving early?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Willow admitted. She lowered her head and kicked at the bed with her heels. ¡°But I¡¯m mostly just sad we didn¡¯t get to fly a kite together today. I was really looking forward to it.¡±


    I glanced up at Tabitha, who hadn¡¯t said anything yet, and she nodded. ¡°We missed you today, Liam.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Thinking, I stroked my chin. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got an idea. How about we ask Auntie Sophie to put on a show for us back in the park? We¡¯ll make snacks and ask her to light up the sky for our amusement. If there¡¯s enough of a breeze, we can even fly the kite.¡±


    "Kite flying with Auntie Sophie!" Willow yelled, raising her hands in excitement.


    ¡°Even if she agrees, it¡¯s a little late for a trip to the park, don¡¯t you think?¡± Tabitha asked quietly.


    "I''ll talk to her myself. She''ll come," I answered with a shrug. ¡°The girls don¡¯t have school tomorrow, and young missy here has already had a nap. If I¡¯m leaving tomorrow anyway, what¡¯s the harm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have to talk to Ms. Sophia, for one,¡± Emilia pointed out. "You''ll probably end up arguing with her the whole night."


    "Under normal circumstances, you would be right," I agreed. "But not tonight. I promise I''ll behave myself, even if she makes it hard for me."


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the kite!¡± Willow excitedly yelled, sliding off of the bed to run to her room.


    Smiling, I winked at Emilia. ¡°For my girls, I¡¯d ask Sophia for a hundred favors,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°Just don¡¯t let Ferrisdae know how soft I am for you all, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Liam,¡± Tabitha laughed. ¡°That wagon left a long, long time ago.¡±

 Chapter 61 - Orders

    The night had been long, but I didn¡¯t regret the time I spent with my family one bit. Emilia and Willow were fine in the morning despite being up so late, but that was an advantage for the young that we could no longer hope to match. Ferrisdae waking up early to make coffee for Tabs and I had helped immensely.


    After breakfast, it was time to go. I had made sure to remind my junior that she didn¡¯t have to come in if she didn¡¯t feel ready for it. While it was true that she had managed to cast one of her more extensive spells just the day before, that didn¡¯t mean she was miraculously ready for what I assumed to be another long mission.


    Of course, Ferrisdae had told me in no uncertain terms that it was her decision and she felt that she was ready. Personally, I would have preferred it if she took the rest of her leave, but I wasn¡¯t about to tell her she couldn¡¯t work if that¡¯s what she really wanted.


    We walked through the Department of Dungeons towards one of the conference rooms on the lower floors. Those who preferred to start their workday early kept staring at us as we passed, but I ignored them. No one said anything to me even as Ferrisdae greeted our coworkers when we walked by, often by name. Once again I had to wonder if Brackenhorst stuck her with me because she was a people person.


    That certainly wasn¡¯t going to be something I asked him, though; I wouldn¡¯t get a straight answer.


    Surprisingly, we were the last to arrive at the large conference room. Brackenhorst was sitting on the far side of the room at the end of a long table, while Justisius and Liddy sat on either side of him. They both had their Junior Dungeon Inspectors lined up beside them, four each just as I had been told the last time I was being briefed by the chief.


    I didn¡¯t recognize most of the eclectic crowd, which was fine by me. These weren¡¯t mine to deal with. There were a couple, however, that I did know. The ones who refused to look me in the eye, Godrick and Tamela, had been my juniors at two separate points. Because of differences that were certainly not any fault of my own, they had been transferred away.


    Ferrisdae was proof that I could tolerate a rookie, provided they were competent.


    ¡°Nice hat,¡± Liddy said, and I looked right at her. It was hard to tell if she was trying to jab at me or if she was being sincere.


    Reaching up, I itched at the pastel blue knit cap I wore. While I didn¡¯t generally like to wear hats, I made an exception due to the circumstances. Emilia had made it for me and insisted that, because I was leaving early, I needed to wear it when out and about. It had been Sophia''s idea, but both of my kids had latched on to it. I couldn''t stand the Kitsune''s smug look after that, but I didn¡¯t want to upset either of my daughters and thus chose to wear it for them.


    Even if it did say #1 Dad in bold, black letters on the front.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said gruffly before sitting down. Ferrisdae sat beside me and reached out towards one of Liddy¡¯ rookies, a Gnome. They bumped fists together and gave each other a friendly nod. I arched an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Dev and I went through orientation together,¡± she explained.


    I grunted understanding before turning back to Brackenhorst. ¡°Are we waiting for anyone else, Chief?¡±


    The elderly Dwarf raised his finger as he went over some paperwork. Unlike yesterday, he was fully dressed for his position today, and his beard was immaculately done in its usual, elaborate style. He released a heavy sigh before taking his quill and crossing out an entire section of whatever parchment he was perusing. Rubbing his eyes with a fist, he looked up at me before he got distracted by the door.


    ¡°I thought for sure we¡¯d get here before the bother,¡± Sophia loudly stated. She paused behind me and I felt the cap getting plucked at. "This is a good looking hat, bother. Glad to see it."


    Holding back a sigh, I looked Brackenhorst directly in the eye and mouthed, really?


    The Chief simply smirked. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to join us on such short notice, Ms. Blair,¡± he said, gesturing towards a pair of seats next to Ferrisdae.


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly a pleasure, Chief Dungeon Inspector,¡± Sophia replied as she sat down. The Kitsune was back in her tall Human form now that there was no magic blocking her ability to transform. Her secretary, Maribelle, took the chair beside her and readied herself to take notes.


    ¡°I know Justisius and Liddy told their apprentices about what happened here yesterday,¡± the Chief started. ¡°Badger, did you tell Ferrisdae what she needed to know?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll get the gist of it as the meeting goes on,¡± I answered.


    ¡°So, no,¡± he stated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to figure out the details, sir,¡± Ferrisdae said, sitting up straighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± he agreed sourly. ¡°Now, everything said here today stays in this room. You¡¯re all here because I trust you, you¡¯re the best we have, and I know you can be discreet. If anything from this meeting gets leaked, then be aware that we will find out who did it, and getting fired from the Department of Dungeons will be the absolute least of your worries. That is not a threat, but a promise due to the sensitive material we will be discussing. Everyone understand?¡±


    Brackenhorst scanned the faces of everyone in the room, getting a series of affirmatives, before waving his hand and saying a few words. A detailed image of Carimella appeared behind him as he finished casting his illusion spell.


    ¡°Yesterday, Badger interrogated and fought against CC, who was using the body of Carimella Rose as a personal dungeon,¡± he stated, pointing towards the floating image. She was fully dressed in her robe without any of the strange ritual circles showing. ¡°Her attempts to change the DoD into a dungeon so that she could operate out of it failed, and we spent all night performing every test we had to make sure that there were no traces of her magic leftover after her defeat.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s gaze turned towards me so quickly I thought her neck was going to snap. I shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with Carimella from previous Mage¡¯s Guild functions,¡± Sophia said, leaning back and giving me a sideways look. I ignored her. ¡°She was just a few years away from becoming another of Athir¡¯s Archmages. Her involvement in this is a big deal, especially because she was a beloved figure in her home country.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is rather unfortunate,¡± Brackenhorst agreed. ¡°Not only is this a problem because of her general ability, which were well above most others, but because of her high standing in the Mage¡¯s Guild. Ms. Blair has agreed to start an investigation using people she trusted to try and find others who may belong to this cult of CC, but it will take time.¡±


    Justisius raised his hand, and when the Chief pointed towards him he turned to Sophia. ¡°According to the information we received from the Dungeon Master, it seems he expects CC to show up on the continent as early as five months from now. Do you believe your investigation can be completed before then?¡±


    ¡°If it takes more than three, then I¡¯ll be surprised,¡± Sophia answered. ¡°The moment we make sure that Archmage Della, the head of the Athir branch, is not involved with CC, then I¡¯m sure that she will do everything she can to help us.¡±


    ¡°And if she is a part of it all?¡± Liddy asked. She had been doodling on her parchment, but everyone here knew that she was still paying attention. The Gnome just had to be doing something with her hands or she would go crazy.


    ¡°Then our job becomes a lot more difficult, and I¡¯ll need to use slower methods,¡± Sophia admitted. ¡°However, that possibility is included in my three month estimate. The Mage¡¯s Guild here in New Frausta is well aware of the threat CC poses to us all, and we¡¯re willing to do what we can to oust any of her followers as needed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Blair,¡± Brackenhorst said. With a wave of his hand, the image of Carimella Rose changed into that of a map of the continent. Three different places were lit with small blue dots. ¡°Now, we¡¯re going to do something different from what we normally do. We very well can''t let Justisius and Liddy¡¯s routes go untended. Therefore, I want you both to choose two of your juniors to act as partners in your stead to take care of your official duties while the other two aid you in special assignments. This is a lot of responsibility, but if done well there will be a chance to come out as full fledged Dungeon Inspectors once your routes are complete.¡±


    A murmur of excitement went through the rookies while the Dungeon Inspectors nodded. Justisius remained focused on Brackenhorst. He would likely make his choices privately.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Sure thing, boss man,¡± Liddy stated, glancing over at her juniors. She immediately pointed at the Gnome beside her and the Human in the middle, who seemed to have to stop themselves from celebrating.


    Brackenhorst turned his attention to the map he conjured. The first dot he pointed at was in the far northwest, the Laroda Jareet Desert. I remembered the Chief complaining about that spot specifically. Sultan Jareet¡¯s exiled son had returned and made the palace his own private dungeon despite the entire desert being in a state of magical starvation.


    ¡°Thanks to intelligence the director gathered from the Dungeon Master, it seems as though this fluke of a dungeon is an incredibly likely place for this cult to have laid down roots,¡± Brackenhorst said before pointing at Justisius. ¡°I¡¯m sending you and whichever two don¡¯t take over your route to look into it.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you down,¡± the man said seriously. It was still strange not seeing a jovial smile on his face.


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t,¡± the Chief responded, nodding. ¡°The tensions between the sultan and his son are still high, so I need you to act as a mediator between the two. That¡¯s the official reason for you all to be there, so you¡¯ll need to be your usual charming self. While there, we need you to find anything related to CC¡¯s cult. I assume you''ll naturally find what means they used to make a dungeon in a magic-free zone during your official duties, but being able to tie it to the cult will make things a lot easier for us going forward.¡±


    Justisius crossed his arms. ¡°And what do we do if there¡¯s a larger group than expected?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Then take the time to get to a place where you can call me, and I¡¯ll send backup from the Mage¡¯s Guild and Adventurer¡¯s Consortium,¡± Brackenhorst answered. ¡°For the record, if you don¡¯t think you can apprehend any cultists there on your own, don¡¯t even try it. Your job is dangerous, but we don¡¯t need you to take any risks if you can help them.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Chief.¡±


    Looking back, Brackenhorst pointed at the blue dot to the east, which wasn¡¯t too far away from New Frausta. It took me a moment to remember what was back there, but I figured it out before the Dwarf could continue.


    ¡°Thatcher?¡± I asked. ¡°Are we looking into Krad?¡±


    Beside me, Ferrisdae shifted. The Rat King Krad had been our first assignment together and she had mostly handled it herself. A random dungeon had popped up in a small town in the middle of nowhere underneath a tavern and inhabited by rats. They were surprisingly civil, all things considering, and it had turned out to be an easy introduction for my junior.


    ¡°Yes, but not you specifically,¡± Brackenhorst said. Ferrisdae became still. I was sure she wanted to go back and visit him. ¡°I had Kaelmourn stop by on his way back to New Frausta. Sped him along to get there last night, actually, and spoke to Krad through a Sending Stone. It was a long shot, but I described the ritual circles that had been scarred onto Carimella¡¯s body to the Rat King. The bad news is, the wizard¡¯s spellbook he ate is mostly trash. Only the cover remains. The good news is, he thinks he remembers something similar in it from after he became sentient.¡±


    I stroked my chin as I digested that information. ¡°So we think the wizard in question has something to do with CC because they used the same strange form of magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it,¡± Brackenhorst confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot, but we don¡¯t have a lot of leads right now. Liddy, I want you to go get the remains of the book and use your magic to track down the wizard in question.¡±


    ¡°My divinations are at your command, boss man,¡± the Gnome said, doing a small flourish and bow in her seat. ¡°Wherever this wizard is, then we¡¯ll definitely find him and grill him for all the information he has.¡±


    ¡°How is Krad doing?¡± Ferrisdae asked, unable to help herself.


    ¡°Well, from the sounds of it,¡± Brackenhorst answered with a soft smile. ¡°Fairly happy with his new life, even though he had reservations about being killed. Apparently, Thatcher is doing what they can to accommodate him since his dungeon will be fruitful for the town.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. He seemed like a really good kid, so I was worried,¡± the Elf said, relaxing into her chair. ¡°Sorry, I just had to ask.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I told her before looking back at the map. There was only one dot left, and I already knew where we were heading. ¡°Since Justisius is going to the desert and Liddy is going to talk to Krad, that leaves Ferrisdae and I to go to Athir.¡±


    The final dot was situated to the west of New Frausta and a little bit south, close to the center of the continent. Athir was the ancestral home of the Forest Elves, and where Ferrisdae grew up. It was overwhelmingly Elven when it came to population, though people could make requests of the local government to become citizens even if they are of another race. It was a beautiful place full of magic, which made citizenship highly sought after.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Badger,¡± Brackenhorst said. ¡°Because of Carimella¡¯s involvement around the area, the director and I thought it would be a good place to start looking into things on the dungeon side. Particularly, a few where the mortality rate for adventurers has increased from single digits to low double.¡±


    The way he worded that caused me to pause. ¡°A few?¡± I asked, making sure I heard him right.


    Brackenhorst confirmed it, and I bristled at this new knowledge. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a dungeon to suddenly become more deadly. In fact, it was one of the things we checked for constantly because one of the major perks to owning one was becoming stronger. That was simply how the magic worked.


    But several suddenly jumping in strength at the same time was a very rare occurrence. That solidified the need for us to check it out in my mind.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said.


    ¡°Good. One of the main reasons we¡¯re sending you two there is because of Ferrisdae¡¯s insights into her home city,¡± Brackenhorst continued. My junior squirmed a little bit in her seat at his words, and though I frowned I didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°The two of you will be doing your normal duties as Dungeon Inspectors while helping Ms. Blair on the side.¡±


    I swallowed down the words I wanted to say and cleared my throat. ¡°But the dungeons are our top priority, correct?¡±


    The Dwarf gave me a look. ¡°Your priority is whatever lead you think is strongest at the time,¡± he answered. ¡°And I expect you to be civil, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said.


    He looked into my eyes for a moment before grabbing packets off of the table in front of him. ¡°I got a hold of the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium yesterday and had them get in touch with some of their more powerful members,¡± he said, handing one stack of parchment to Justisius and another to Liddy. ¡°They¡¯ll have a team run through the more suspect dungeons before you arrive so you have more information going in.¡±


    ¡°Are we not teleporting there?¡± I asked. If he said they were powerful, then I wasn¡¯t going to worry about them. ¡°I thought we wanted to be hasty.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d want to barge right in,¡± Sophia sighed. ¡°Maribelle and I will be teleporting in because that¡¯s expected of us. But if the Mage¡¯s Guild is compromised, then-¡°


    ¡°A couple of Dungeon Inspectors showing up with you would set off a bunch of red flags,¡± I finished for her. ¡°I would have been satisfied with a simple no.¡±


    ¡°Sure, because that¡¯s what you¡¯re like, Badger,¡± the Kitsune scoffed.


    ¡°The only ones we¡¯re teleporting is Justisius and his team,¡± Brackenhorst said loudly, getting our attention. ¡°And that¡¯s only because it would take a long time to get there otherwise. Badger, Liddy, you¡¯re both going by wagon, as is normal for the DoD. We don¡¯t want to spook anyone.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re probably going to get spooked, regardless,¡± Liddy said, flipping her parchment over to draw circles on the other side. ¡°Carimella never comes back, and suddenly there¡¯s Dungeon Inspectors in the area? It¡¯s not going to be hard to put two and two together, even for a culacke.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but there¡¯s¡­ other things to consider that I¡¯m not at liberty to discuss,¡± Brackenhorst said, glancing between Ferrisdae and I.


    Even though he didn¡¯t want to say it, I understood. Both of us had been altered by the Dungeon Master, which was apparently valuable to the cult. Carimella wanted at least one of us for some reason, which meant any adversaries in Athir might be reluctant to abandon ship with not just one, but two of us around. We wouldn¡¯t know until we get there.


    As I was thinking it over, Brackenhorst walked around to give me my packet. I took it and skimmed through a few pages. It looked similar to a regular route, even having us stop at one dungeon between here and Athir.


    The Dwarf walked back to his spot. ¡°If you all would like to read through it here and ask questions when they come up, feel free to do so,¡± he offered. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯re free to go.¡±


    Liddy was the first to start standing up. ¡°If I need something, I¡¯ll reach out on the Stone,¡± she said, stretching. Her juniors stood up with her. ¡°We¡¯ve got a long way to go so I¡¯d rather be out esfrano, you know?¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Brackenhorst said.


    I stood up next and Ferrisdae was quick to join me. ¡°We¡¯ll do the same. We can probably hit that dungeon tonight before sundown if we¡¯re fast.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay here,¡± Justisius said, running his hand absently over his smooth head as he read through the packet. ¡°We¡¯re teleporting, anyway, so speed isn¡¯t nearly as important to us.¡±


    ¡°Just remember that you have to make your way from Alashroe to Laroda,¡± Sophia chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s not the longest journey, but the Mage¡¯s Guild can¡¯t teleport you into the desert itself.¡±


    ¡°Good call, Ms. Blair,¡± he said, nodding though he didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Then, I guess we¡¯ll see you there, won¡¯t we?¡± Ferrisdae said to Sophia.


    ¡°Yes. If you need me, I¡¯ll be at the Mage¡¯s Guild,¡± the Kitsune confirmed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pray we won¡¯t,¡± I said before turning to the other Inspectors. ¡°Be safe out there, all of you.¡±


    ¡°Wishing us safety? Brack, Badger¡¯s being scardasio again!¡± Liddy sang teasingly. I shot one of my coldest stares at her before the boss could respond.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tease him, Liddy,¡± Brackenhorst chastised. ¡°He¡¯s in #1 Dad Mode, he can be worried if he wants to.¡±


    My glare shifted from the Gnome to the Dwarf before I gave him a shake of my head. Turning on my heel, I started heading out the door. ¡°We''re leaving, Ferrisdae,¡± I ordered, leaving before my reputation could be tarnished further.


    Ferrisdae took a few seconds to follow me and, based on the chuckle that came from the conference room in her wake, I felt as though I might not have left in time.

 Chapter 62 - Dynasty

    We walked to the gates in the Bottom in relative silence and exited the city when Ferrisdae began attempting to cast her Skymirror Carriage. While I would have been fine purchasing a ride with any wagons heading towards Athir, she hadn¡¯t entertained the thought for even a second. I believed she was emboldened by her successful casting from yesterday, and let her be.


    Even though it took Ferrisdae a few tries to conjure her Skymirror Carriage, I didn¡¯t say anything to support or discourage her. This was something she had to work through and I wasn¡¯t her department mandated therapist. She may have stayed with me and my family, but ultimately I was a stranger in her life. We hadn¡¯t even known each other for two months, after all.


    Between attempts, she tilted her head to see my reaction. I had none. While she was casting, I was watching the bustling crowd. The western gate of New Frausta was among the busiest thanks to the city¡¯s relative closeness to Athir, and there was no shortage of new people to see as they came and went.


    ¡°Success!¡± Ferrisdae announced as the spell finally took hold. Without waiting for me, she opened the door and entered the carriage.


    I followed her in. She had taken a seat in the back of the carriage in the middle. There was more than enough room for the both of us, so I gestured for her to make some space and she did without a second thought.


    Once I sat down, the astral horses started moving. The ride was gentle and smooth, and I knew it would remain so even after we left the roads maintained by the capital thanks to the properties of the spell. Silence reigned, and I watched my junior out of the corner of my eye as she watched the people outside of the window.


    Ferrisdae was comfortable enough to be back in her sorcerer¡¯s garb. The robe she wore was dark purple with yellow trim and stars randomly embroidered with thread the same color as her hair. Her simple red wand was tucked away in a stitched-in holster. Before, it had been left to dangle, but it had been altered to encompass everything except the handle.


    Her hair, as always, was very long and unruly. The thick tangle had been straightened, but it was still a concern of mine. It was all very Ferrisdae.


    As if sensing my attention, she began to gather her hair without glancing towards me. Reaching into her Dimensional Pocket, she pulled out a silver hair comb with several gemstones resembling black stars on one side. I watched as she put her hair up in an Elven twist, showing off the accessory while keeping everything in place.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking my lessons about hair safety seriously,¡± I said. Ferrisdae turned to look at me, seemingly surprised that I brought it up. I gestured towards her head. ¡°Did you get that in the city? Or did you have it back when I offered you that cheap hair tie back in Krad¡¯s dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I got it when I went out shopping with Tabby and the girls after the park. It¡¯s enchanted so that my hair doesn¡¯t get messed up or fall out, even if I¡¯m moving around a lot,¡± she answered before looking at her lap. ¡°Actually, Tabby picked it out and got it for me. I tried to tell her that I could afford it on my own, but she doesn¡¯t take no for an answer easily, does she?¡±


    ¡°Not unless she thinks there¡¯s a good reason to accept it, no,¡± I answered. Those kinds of accessories were expensive and definitely not in our budget, but I bit that part back. That was a Tabs thing and certainly not Ferrisdae¡¯s fault. ¡°If it¡¯s enchanted, then that¡¯s good. It¡¯s better than cutting it.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± she asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t just want everyone to walk around with short, unassailable hair?¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°What people do with their hair is nobody¡¯s business but their own. What is my business is you getting injured because it¡¯s an unruly mess and can easily be caught on things.¡±


    Ferrisdae paused, reaching up to tap her chin with her finger. ¡°I think that¡¯s Badger speak for, ¡®I¡¯m worried about you, rookie. I don¡¯t mind doing extra paperwork, but if something happens to you then I could never live with myself.¡¯ That¡¯s how I¡¯m choosing to interpret it, at least.¡±


    Frowning, I stared at the Elf as a smile tugged at her lips. ¡°If you¡¯re going to sass me, then I¡¯m not going to partake in small talk,¡± I threatened evenly. ¡°We can travel the whole way there only talking about work.¡±


    ¡°Small talk?¡± Ferrisdae let out a mock gasp. ¡°From Badger? But what about your reputation, sir? What would the others think?¡±


    I scowled. And turned so that I was facing the window. ¡°Very well, this is the end of the conversation.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± she yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just wasn¡¯t expecting that, is all. Remember how you told me a story specifically so I wouldn¡¯t make small talk with you? That was literally just last month.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± I said. Even though I was looking away from Ferrisdae, I could see her staring at me in the reflection. She looked like she expected me to say something more, and I shifted so I could rest my head against the cushion of my seat. ¡°Fine, small talk. But only if it¡¯s something I¡¯m interested in.¡±


    ¡°Your family is lovely,¡± the Elf said immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know what I was expecting when you said you had a wife and two daughters, but I was pleasantly surprised that only one of them had your level of intensity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Calico¡¯s a good girl,¡± I replied with a proud smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t see us in all our glory, though. Tabitha¡¯s capable of being a real hardass when she needs to. Part of the job, really, though she doesn¡¯t like to show that side of her as often now that we¡¯ve settled down. Which is good. She¡¯s earned her relaxation a hundred times over.¡±


    I felt Ferrisdae¡¯s hesitation, and I held up a hand. ¡°And no, that¡¯s not an invitation to ask about our adventuring days. In fact, you might as well forget all about it because your curiosity will not be sated,¡± I told her.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking of asking,¡± she stammered quickly, looking away. That was a bold lie, but I allowed it. ¡°I was going to ask if you thought your daughters would be following in your footsteps. Becoming adventurers, or working at the department.¡±


    That question had actually led to a big fight in our household when Emilia brought up her future. She was capable of doing so many different things due to how smart and diligent she was, but the young girl had narrowed it down to following in our footsteps as an adventurer or to join the DoD and help adventurers that way.


    Tabitha, of course, was ecstatic about the options. My wife had almost been ready to give Emilia a sword and start taking her to dungeons right then and there, retirement be damned. I didn¡¯t want my daughter to do either because both choices were dangerous. She would be great whatever she chose, but I still didn¡¯t wish that life on her.


    I had been the voice of reason, but they didn¡¯t find my views acceptable. In the end, we decided to shelf the conversation for later.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Calico can do anything so long as she puts her mind to it,¡± I said, not committing to the choices Ferrisdae gave me. ¡°As for Willow, the only job I want her to have right now is student and frog wrangler.¡±


    ¡°She is quite taken with the idea of catching frogs for you, isn¡¯t she?¡± the Elf giggled. ¡°They¡¯re both so sweet. Willow especially, but I¡¯m pretty sure Calico was warming up to me at the end there. Given the rest of my week off, I¡¯m sure I could have cracked through that Badger shell of hers.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that. She takes after me, so there¡¯s no way she would crack that easily,¡± I stated factually.


    ¡°Says the guy who, not even a half hour after he met me, offered me something to protect my hair,¡± Ferrisdae said, leaning forward to get a better look at my face. I paused, staring at the red cushions on the seats in front of us. Standing up, I shifted to the other side of the wagon so that I was facing my junior. She frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to move.¡±


    ¡°I did, because even though I hate traveling backwards, I want to see your face for this next part of the conversation,¡± I said.


    The Elf straightened in her seat, a confused look on her face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You brought up family. We¡¯re going to Athir, your homeland and the chosen headquarters for Clan Anne Runelara,¡± I stated. She stiffened, and I crossed my arms. ¡°While I would love to sit here and dodge questions about them all day, your family will likely be pertinent to our case. Would you like to talk about them? Or should I start spilling what I know. I had a lot of time to figure things out when I was in quarantine.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes lingered on mine for a moment before she placed her hand on her arm and looked out the window. That was a submissive posture if I had ever seen one. It looked very out of place on the usually bubbly young woman. I hated to see it.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know about them from the moment you heard my full name,¡± she admitted. ¡°We¡¯re not exactly a family that hides in the shadows.¡±


    I pursed my lips. ¡°You may seem to think I know everything, and that¡¯s true,¡± I said, pulling a snort of amusement from the Elf. ¡°But there are certain things I keep myself in the dark about. One of those things is adventurers. It doesn¡¯t always work out, but it¡¯s a choice I actively make.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ferrisdae asked, looking back at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If they die in a dungeon, as adventurers often do, I don¡¯t want to be attached to them,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s the reason why I kept Moose and Cojisto at arms length. Well, one of them. The other reason being the man¡¯s an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Cojisto¡¯s not that bad,¡± Ferrisdae defended. ¡°He¡¯s got a good heart. And Moose is surprisingly smart for¡­ a moose.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not arguing that Moose isn¡¯t smarter than he ought to be, but it¡¯s easy to tell that you¡¯re already attached to them,¡± I said, waving my hand towards her. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I try to avoid.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re good people. And, now that they¡¯ve gone through the same mess we have, they¡¯re probably way more likely to survive anything thrown at them than most other adventurers,¡± she responded, mimicking my gesture back at me.


    That was a surprisingly good point, so I pivoted away from it. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know your family,¡± I said. ¡°Because before I joined the DoD, I didn¡¯t care about other adventuring parties. Then it was my job to make sure they didn¡¯t die in what they think is a glorious battle ¡ª and they always think it''s a glorious battle ¡ª so I didn¡¯t want to get attached. So, tell me what I should expect from your family. Aside from that they suck, and they¡¯re amazing, and they¡¯re too supportive, and that they suck. Those were your words.¡±


    Ferrisdae took on a sour look as I returned to the topic at hand. ¡°I was drunk when I said that. You can¡¯t take that testimony seriously at all.¡±


    ¡°Very well, consider it discarded,¡± I said easily. ¡°Now, what can I expect from your family?¡±


    The sour look somehow became more intense before she sighed. Ferrisdae stared out the window when she began talking. ¡°I am the daughter of Durendrelle Anne Runelara, the head of Clan Anne Runelara. As you have no doubt already researched, we are a dynasty of adventurers that span back almost two thousand years. We¡¯re self-made nobility, and we predate the Department of Dungeons, actually.¡±


    ¡°While I usually enjoy history lessons, that¡¯s not what I asked for. Why are you stalling?¡± I asked. A dark thought passed through my mind, and I managed to keep a frown from turning into a scowl. ¡°Do I need to protect you when we get there?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she quickly answered, holding up her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t need¡­ protection from my own family. They were supportive of my decision to join the Department of Dungeons. Everyone was on board. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Basically everyone who was an adventurer, past and present, thought it was a good idea for any Runelara to be a part of the DoD. But¡­¡± The Elf hesitated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to automatically assume the worst. Please, continue,¡± I urged.


    ¡°You¡¯re right to,¡± Ferrisdae admitted with a grimace. ¡°They wanted someone on the inside who could make changes. In favor of adventurers and merchants, I mean.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s a lot of pressure on you as the prodigal daughter. You want to do right by the family, but you also don¡¯t want to commit to rolling back rules and regulations that may end up hurting a lot of people.¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve got it right. Obviously that doesn¡¯t have to happen right now, we have long life spans, but eventually. They think that Brackenhorst is going to die within the next fifty years if he doesn¡¯t retire first, and I¡¯ll be ready for that position. And they think the director is going to retire eventually, not nearly as soon as he says, and he¡¯s the one with all the hard lines in the sand. So they want me there next.¡±


    ¡°Despite his outdated attitude, I do have to show respect for the old codger,¡± I admitted. ¡°A lot of what he¡¯s done has made things safer for not only dungeon divers, but regular people who live near dungeons as well. I could see why a self-proclaimed dynasty of adventurers would want someone on the inside. Were you chosen for the role? Or did you have a different reason for joining the DoD?¡±


    ¡°Most of my family wants to adventure, so despite the fact that joining could help the family, they never entertain the thought for long. I wanted to for my own reasons, which I¡¯d rather not discuss right now,¡± she said, looking down at her lap before glancing up at me. ¡°My reasons are pure, though! I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives, I promise. I just want to make the world a safer place for my family, not stuff their wallets or anything of the sort.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I replied honestly. Ferrisdae was an upstanding young lady, not that I¡¯d admit it out loud to anyone other than my wife, and it was clear that she was conflicted between her own wishes and those of her family. ¡°I¡¯m not here to pry into your personal feelings. Although, I¡¯m still waiting for my question to be answered. What can I expect, specifically?¡±


    The Elf exhaled before answering. ¡°You¡¯ll probably get invited to our home. There will probably be attempts to find out more about you. Some will probably know you by your old reputation, so be ready for that. They¡¯ll want to worm into your good graces, but that probably won¡¯t work because you¡¯re Badger and you might just be the most honorable and stubborn guy I know.¡±


    ¡°High praise,¡± I said. If they knew who I was before I became a Dungeon Inspector, then that¡¯s going to be annoying. With all of their resources, they would probably be able to figure it out anyway. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it, but I put that aside to pay attention to Ferrisdae.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t accept their hospitality, they¡¯ll probably find you,¡± she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say that you¡¯ll be harassed, but, well, you are Badger and it¡¯ll probably come off as harassment to you specifically as someone who just wants to be left alone most of the time.¡±


    ¡°And how should I deal with them?¡± I asked, leaning forward. ¡°Despite their agenda, I don¡¯t want to cause a rift between you and your family. It sounds like they¡¯re doing a bang up job of that already, but I don¡¯t want to exacerbate it. So, how do I navigate this war zone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a war zone,¡± she said with a light laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s politics, Ferrisdae,¡± I chided lightly as I sat back. ¡°You tell me about this until we make it to our first stop, and on the way to Athir proper I¡¯ll tell you about the time Willow tried to hatch hawks in her room without us knowing. To, you know, lighten the mood. Conversations about my daughters are magic like that.¡±


    I watched as the Elf blinked and a smile bloomed on her face. We spent the next few hours coming up with plans on how to avoid her family like the plague. I was almost looking forward to testing them.

 Chapter 63 - Tuprup

    We left the main road around dinner time. In order to make our presence seem more legitimate, we had to check in on a dungeon halfway on our way to Athir. It made sense to me, even though the real reason was probably to milk more work out of us due to the perpetual garbage fire that was the DoD.


    The further along we got, the more the trees squeezed in on us. Calling the path we took a road was stretching the meaning of the word, but the Skymirror Carriage was able to handle it without issues. Even in places where it didn¡¯t seem like the tall wagon could fit, it became smaller to compensate. It wasn¡¯t enough to make us uncomfortable, and was fairly neat to watch.


    Ferrisdae stopped the carriage once the area opened up and we were hit by the DTER. She shivered while I frowned at the invasive feeling, but those were surface level reactions. I, for one, was glad to be in a dungeon that acted like it was supposed to.


    Before either of us could comment on it, a small arrow pierced the carriage¡¯s door. I was already reaching into my Pocket when a screeching voice filled our ears.


    ¡°You are in Tuprup Goblin territory!¡± the voice yelled, going up in pitch the longer they spoke. ¡°Prepare to be robbed of your belongings as offerings to the great Tuprup Tribe!¡±


    ¡°Goblins,¡± I muttered, shaking my head.


    ¡°Goblins!¡± Ferrisdae said excitedly. We met eyes, and she grinned at me. ¡°What? They¡¯re little balls of mischief, but they¡¯re entertaining.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re annoying,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You think everything that isn¡¯t your family is annoying,¡± she refuted, sticking her tongue out at me.


    ¡°So long as you know you fit in that category, too.¡±


    Ferrisdae gasped indignantly. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m a delight!¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Pulling my hand out of my Pocket, I flipped open my Department of Dungeons badge. Inside the leather flap was a small slab of golden metal in the shape of two doors side by side. An ornate key with large teeth was emblazoned in the center. This was one of the defining marks of a Dungeon Inspector, and was enchanted to allow dungeons to continue working as normal even if we were inside.


    Leading with the badge, I slowly opened the door. ¡°I am Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I loudly announced, holding my hand out with the badge. ¡°I am here with Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae. We are exiting the carriage.¡±


    I heard a murmur from the Goblins surrounding us, and opened the door all the way. I was met with a sea of yellow auras that were slowly turning green as they understood who we were. I frowned; that was going to take some getting used to again.


    The bald creatures were short and thin with bulbous heads and large ears. Their green skin varied in intensity, with some being dark and others being light. I knew that their old leader, the Chief Toady Fritatta, was a bright apple green. They wielded strange metal and wood weapons that seemed to be made of scrap, and their armor was patchwork at best.


    One of them, an olive skinned warrior with their equivalent of a halberd, approached us. She was about half a foot shorter than me, and stopped to squint at my badge as my feet hit the ground. I heard Ferrisdae leave the carriage behind me.


    ¡°We¡¯re here on a routine checkup,¡± I announced. ¡°From what we understand, Chief Toady Fritatta has either died of natural causes, wandered off, or retired, and has been replaced by someone new. Is that correct?¡±


    The Goblin had leaned over to get a better look at my badge, and she squinted up at me before standing straight. ¡°Ex-Chief Fritatta has gone on the Great Retirement Journey,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Great Retirement Journey!¡± the other Goblins chanted.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Great Retirement Journey?¡± Ferrisdae asked, curious.


    ¡°Great Retirement Journey!¡± the Goblins chanted again.


    ¡°It means he wandered off,¡± I answered dryly.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than just that!¡± the warrior complained. Then she looked around before lowering her voice. ¡°Yeah, he really just wandered off.¡±


    I looked back at Ferrisdae, who had a confused smile on her face as if trying to decide if that was a good outcome or a bad one, and I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much,¡± I told her before returning my attention to the warrior. ¡°We don¡¯t have any records of who took over. Who¡¯s the new chief?¡±


    ¡°Magnificent Chief Foot Talkgood!¡± she yelled, gathering cheers from the other Goblins.


    ¡°So magnificent!¡± one yelled.


    ¡°Such wonderful hair!¡± another added.


    ¡°His fashion sense is impeccable!¡± a third screamed.


    ¡°Magnificent Chief¡­ Foot¡­ Talkgood¡­¡± I said aloud, getting a taste for the words. I did not like it at all. Swallowing a sigh, I gestured towards the ravine. ¡°Shall we go and meet this new chief?¡±


    ¡°We shall! Follow me!¡± she said before marching towards the ravine. The warrior gestured at one of the other Goblins closer to the entrance with her halberd and they ran off, presumably to announce us. We did as instructed and followed.


    The path led straight through the ravine until we made it to a large cave in one of the steep cliff faces. A Goblin totem was here to mark the entrance. At least, I thought it was a totem; it was poorly constructed and the more I looked at it the less I was sure it wasn¡¯t just some piece of junk.


    Ignoring the junk, we entered the Goblin''s den. The cave system was tall enough that Ferrisdae only had to lean down a little bit, which meant it was close enough to regulation height that I didn''t feel the need to check it.


    We followed the warrior as she took us down a fairly straight path. There were several intersections and forks in the road, but it seemed as though the boss¡¯ chamber was fairly easy to reach.


    I pursed my lips to prevent myself from sighing. Most of the combat would take place outside of the den, anyway, so the layout in here wasn¡¯t as crucial to the experience.


    We passed the Goblin that had been sent ahead as they left a large cavern. The warrior stopped a good distance away from us despite her green aura. ¡°The Magnificent Chief is through here!¡± she yelled, slamming the butt of her halberd on the stone floor. ¡°He awaits you! Probably!"


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said before walking forward.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The cave system had been surprisingly clean for a bunch of Goblins, and I caught the scent of oiled leather and some woody incense I couldn¡¯t place right away. Wrinkling my nose as I tried to place it, I paused at the entrance to the cavern.


    I had been expecting something more like a boss¡¯ chamber where a fight would obviously happen. Perhaps some kind of arena, like Oristrella, or even a makeshift living room like the Rat King Krad. Something normal.


    Instead, we walked into a cobbler¡¯s workshop.


    Shoes of all shapes and sizes lined the walls in misshapen cubbies. Tools such as awls, trenchets, gouges, and more sat on a workbench along with several pieces of leather. There was a mix of what looked like noblemen clothes and undyed linens haphazardly shoved in whatever containers were available.


    ¡°Hark! Behold!¡± came a screech from behind a tall pile of shoes that looked like they had no pairs. ¡°I am the Magnificent Chief Foot Talkgood!¡±


    A Goblin popped out, waving his hands in the air as if trying to perform magic. His clothes were puffy and pink, contrasting poorly with his light green skin. Blond hair, curled in the front and straight in the back, had been trimmed asymmetrically on his head. His yellow eyes were bloodshot, and he looked at us with a slightly crazed expression.


    His leathers shoes, however, were impeccable.


    ¡°Yes, we are beholding,¡± I said evenly as I showed him my badge. ¡°I am Dungeon Inspector Badger and this is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae. We came to congratulate you on becoming the new boss of this dungeon.¡±


    Foot paused as if he needed to take in this information before nodding hard enough that his hair fell to the floor.


    ¡°Do not behold!¡± he yelled, reaching down to snatch the wig before setting it back on his head. Leaning against his workbench, he tried to look nonchalant. It wasn¡¯t working. ¡°Most excellent, Inspectors. I have been waiting for this time to come! Ever since¡­ the Great Retirement Journey of Ex-Chief Toady Fritatta! Welcome¡­ to my lair!¡±


    The Goblin waved frantically at the workshop. Ferrisdae clapped lightly, matching Foot¡¯s energy with her own.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be here, Foot,¡± she said, probably honest. My junior gestured towards the room. ¡°If I may ask, what exactly is all this?¡±


    ¡°This is my boss¡¯ chamber!¡± he proudly announced. His voice was screechy and grating, and I pursed my lips. ¡°I am the Tuprup Tribe¡¯s premiere cobblegob and fashion expert, so of course the room had to change to fit my needs.¡±


    Resisting the urge to correct him to his proper title of cobbler, I put my hands behind my back and started strolling around the room. Not to look at anything in particular, but to keep myself moving.


    "I see. Foot, we¡¯re here to make sure that the transfer from the old chief to you was successful and to ask a few questions,¡± I said. ¡°Ferrisdae, the talisman, please.¡±


    The Elf approached Foot and pulled a white slip of parchment out of her pocket. It would have magical ink spelling out Owner in an archaic language, and she held it up for him to examine.


    ¡°This is an Ownership Talisman,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m going to stick it on your forehead and it will make sure that Ex-Chief Toady had given you the dungeon before he went on his Great Retirement Journey. The transfer process is fairly easy so we don¡¯t require Inspectors to be present so long as we¡¯re told that it¡¯s happening, and as such this is really more of a bureaucratic courtesy.¡±


    Foot eyed the talisman cautiously. ¡°Is it going to hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not even a little bit,¡± Ferrisdae answered with a shake of her head. ¡°After a short time, it¡¯ll turn red if you¡¯re the true owner of the dungeon. Otherwise, it''ll stay white."


    ¡°It will be during that time that we ask you those questions,¡± I added. ¡°So we can get out of your¡­ hair faster.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my hair is fantastic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Foot said with a toothy grin. ¡°I grew it myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Ferrisdae politely coughed into her hand before holding up the talisman again. ¡°May I?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Do it,¡± Foot replied. My junior pulled off a strip from the back of the paper and affixed it to the Goblin¡¯s forehead. He reached up to touch it, but Ferrisdae stopped him before he could. ¡°It¡¯s sticky.¡±


    ¡°It needs to be so that it''ll work,¡± I said as I examined the cobbler¡¯s tools. They were in good condition. ¡°Now, onto the questions. What prompted Toady to leave the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been complaints from adventurers recently,¡± he said quietly, turning to face me. ¡°Right in front of our faces! It¡¯s been really bad for morale.¡±


    ¡°What kind of complaints?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    Foot shifted nervously. ¡°About how the Tuprup dungeon sucks and we¡¯re not a challenge and that we suck. Ex-Chief Toady Fritatta didn¡¯t like that, but he¡¯s been leading the tribe for ten years and he figured that he was ready to move on.¡±


    ¡°So outside forces were the cause?¡± I asked, sharing a glance with Ferrisdae.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he answered. ¡°We¡¯ve had those kind of complaints a few times a year, but they really started coming down hard recently.¡±


    Thinking about how long Toady was in charge, I followed up. ¡°Because the old chief had been leading for ten years?¡±


    Foot nodded. ¡°He was getting old. The boss fight wasn¡¯t what it used to be,¡± he admitted, looking down at his impeccable shoes. ¡°So, it was time. We threw a big party, trashed the place, he left on his Great Retirement Journey, and we cleaned up. There haven¡¯t been any adventurers since then, but it hasn¡¯t been long.¡±


    ¡°Just to clarify,¡± I started. ¡°This was all due to some indirect comments, correct? Nobody came and offered to take over your dungeon or anything of the sort?¡±


    ¡°No. Not to me, at least,¡± he answered, confused. ¡°Is that something normal?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Ferrisdae stepped in. ¡°There¡¯s been some issues lately with dungeons being taken over by outside forces. The owner has to agree for it to work, so there¡¯s no danger of it being stolen or anything.¡±


    I glanced at the Elf, but didn¡¯t correct her. The Dungeon Master hadn¡¯t been able to steal dungeons, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t be able to. We also didn¡¯t know what CC¡¯s followers were capable of, though logic dictated that they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much without the Dungeonborn herself.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t run into it, then it isn¡¯t a problem. But, if someone does come and try to bargain for your dungeon, you let us know as soon as possible, got it?¡± I asked. When Foot nodded, I nodded back. ¡°Good. Next question. Why you?¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± he asked back, tilting his oversized head.


    ¡°Why were you chosen to be leader of the dungeon,¡± Ferrisdae clarified.


    ¡°Oh! Because I am the most popular of all the Goblins in the Tuprup Tribe!¡± Foot announced proudly, running off to grab a cape from behind the pile of single shoes. Once he put it on, he flourished it hard enough that his wig tilted on his head. He didn¡¯t seem to notice, and thus didn¡¯t correct it. ¡°I was a shoe-in, really.¡±


    I groaned.


    ¡°You could even say I had the right sole for the job!¡±


    ¡°Please, stop.¡±


    Foot closed his mouth as if he was ready to make another joke. Then, he shrugged. ¡°Just between you two and myself, I really just wanted the bigger space,¡± he whispered. ¡°Nowhere else was big enough to contain my workshop. Before I became chief, I was making shoes in my room, which houses ten other goblins! They loved the shoes, but they didn¡¯t want me tinkering into the night. I just couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they helped make you chief so you wouldn¡¯t bother them anymore?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, they said it was because I was the most popular out of everyone,¡± he reiterated with all the confidence of a socially unaware Goblin.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s turned red!¡± Ferrisdae said happily. ¡°You can take it off now, Magnificent Chief Foot.¡±


    The Goblin reached up and pulled the talisman free. It had changed from a pure snow white to a deep crimson, and he beamed at it. ¡°See? I am the owner of the Tuprup Tribe dungeon and its chief. Like there was any doubt!¡± he announced proudly.


    ¡°Doubt or not, it¡¯s still procedure,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Now that that¡¯s out of the way, let¡¯s continue.¡±


    ¡°Two questions,¡± Foot interrupted, holding up the talisman. ¡°Can I keep this?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re one use only, so if you¡¯d like to then you may.¡±


    He pumped his fist in victory. ¡°Excellent. Second question, how many more questions are there?¡±


    ¡°Twenty three more,¡± I answered. The Goblin looked surprised, and I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s bureaucracy, Foot; it¡¯s not meant to be easy. Now, tell me about how you plan on leading the dungeon from here on out¡­¡±

 Chapter 64 - Cousin

    After leaving the Tuprup Tribe¡¯s dungeon, we rested at an inn just outside of Astlerwood National Forest. It not only marked the boundary to the country of Athir, but spanned almost border to border. There had been a few centuries where it had to be furiously protected by the Forest Elves from people who only saw it as a resource, but almost all logging operations had ceased.


    The country¡¯s government knew that some work had to be done and allowed certain businesses and families to remove trees for their own purposes, but the process was a lengthy one. Elven bureaucracy took far longer than what I was used to in Human-led lands like New Frausta. According to Ferrisdae, the plans for the road we took from the inn to Athir took over forty years before they got reviewed, then thirty more to be accepted.


    It then took only two to build.


    And the only ones that complained were the short lived races. The Elves thought that this was the best way to do things. For someone whose childhood lasted 120 or so years, I could see it, but it wasn¡¯t something I would put up with as I was now.


    Thanks to the incredibly comfortable weather, Ferrisdae cast her Skymirror Carriage without the roof. I hadn¡¯t even been aware it could do that, but we were enjoying the breeze in the shade of the large trees flanking the road. We worked on paperwork in relative silence, though her ponytail hanging outside and floating in the wind was distracting.


    The carriage shifted more than it should have as we transitioned onto a stone bridge to cross a river four times the width of our vehicle. Frowning, I looked downstream. I could make out a large body of water that stretch out almost as far as I could see.


    ¡°That¡¯s Loch Geodoreo,¡± Ferrisdae said as she saw me staring. ¡°My family has a house there that we would go to every summer. There¡¯s a dungeon at the very bottom, but the lake is large enough that you can swim near the beaches without worry.¡±


    ¡°I know, we¡¯ll be going there soon,¡± I replied before frowning. ¡°Though, out of all the dungeons we¡¯re auditing, that one seems like the one we''ll worry about least. Underwater dungeons usually have a fairly elastic margin of error when it comes to mortality rates simply because their environment is so hazardous. The ones that are killing adventurers at a higher rate that don''t come with a risk of drowning are more of a priority.¡±


    Ferrisdae tilted her head. ¡°I know it''s not as big a priority, but why aren¡¯t we doing it now? Since we¡¯re passing it, I mean. It''s on the way.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You literally just said the reason.¡±


    ¡°I said that¡­¡± she trailed off before nodding. ¡°Right, my family has a house there. We¡¯re Dungeon Inspectors. You think there¡¯s someone there to ambush us and keep us from doing our very important work since lives are on the line.¡±


    ¡°Well put. And I don''t think we''ll get ambushed, I know we''ll get ambushed,¡± I said, nodding behind Ferrisdae. ¡°Because they¡¯re already on the carriage.¡±


    She blinked in confusion before looking back. I couldn¡¯t see anything, but I knew for a fact that we had a visitor; I¡¯d ridden in the Skymirror Carriage enough to know when it acted abnormally, such as when we got onto the bridge. Sighing as she looked back to me, I stood up with a vial of ink and knelt on the back seat before dumping it out.


    Some of it spilled onto the ground, but the vast majority of it splattered onto something invisible. ¡°Come on!¡± the invisible man yelled, his accent the same as Ferrisdae¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m just hitching a ride, I¡¯m not doing anything wrong!¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Masatera?¡± she asked hesitantly.


    The man became visible, and he gave a quick wave. His resemblance to Ferrisdae was strong, which I could see despite the splattered line of ink running across his face. He wiped it off and glanced between us nervously before settling on her with a strained grin on his face.


    ¡°Hey, little cousin,¡± he said, trying to act casually despite the fact that he was hanging off of the back of the carriage. ¡°Mind letting me hitch a ride back to Athir? It¡¯s a long walk back from the lake house, you know.¡±


    ¡°Ambush,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t ambushing, I was just¡­¡± he took a moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen little Ferry in a few decades, so I wasn¡¯t sure how to approach her, is all.¡±


    ¡°Ambush,¡± I repeated again.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sent here by the family to spy or nothing,¡± Masatera claimed, though he had started sweating. ¡°For real. This really is just a social call.¡±


    Glancing at Ferrisdae, I shrugged. This was something that she had predicted her family would pull right down to where it would happen. It had been down to using some kind of stealth skill or straight up asking for a ride, and now both had come true.


    Instead of rounding on Masatera, I turned to my junior and put my hands on my hips. I gave her my best scowl. ¡°If this is how your family is going to act, then it will not reflect well on you, Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae,¡± I said, voice low and threatening. ¡°I will give you a few minutes to clear this up, but if this becomes a recurring problem then there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°Please, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I¡¯m-¡°


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I corrected. ¡°That is my title and, while I know you don¡¯t do well sticking to decorum , I must once again insist you use it. Now, stop the wagon. I¡¯m going to file another complaint with Chief Inspector Brackenhorst while you waste our precious time. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she replied meekly, lowering her head.


    The Skymirror Carriage slowed to a stop at her mental command, and I inwardly relished the panic stricken expression on Masatera¡¯s face. Pulling out my Sending Stone, I looked him dead in the eye. ¡°State your name and relation to my junior. For the record.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I, um,¡± he said dumbly, eyes wide.


    ¡°That¡¯s not your name,¡± I told him sternly. ¡°You can stop clinging to the carriage now.¡±


    ¡°Masatera,¡± he answered as he set his feet on solid ground. Now that he was fully standing, I could tell he was much taller than his cousin.


    ¡°Anne Runelara?¡± I prodded, swiping my finger across the Sending Stone as if I were writing a message.


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m in a branch family. Masatera Dav Runelara.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re cousins on my great great grandfather¡¯s side,¡± Ferrisdae added, trying to be helpful.


    ¡°Mmhmm. Spell your name for me,¡± I continued, not giving any indication that it was helpful or not.


    ¡°M-A-S-A-T-E-R-A,¡± he started. ¡°D-A-¡°


    ¡°I can spell Dav Runelara,¡± I snapped before glancing at Ferrisdae. ¡°Figure this out quick.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said again.


    With a snort, I opened the door and let myself out. Masatera was quick to jump in. ¡°I am so, so sorry. I¡¯m-¡± he whispered before I heard a hard thud. ¡°Ow! Why do your punches hurt so much? You''re a sor- OW!¡°


    ¡°Do you realize how much goodwill you just threw out of the carriage with your little stunt?¡± she snarled, rounding on him. ¡°I can not believe-¡°


    I had to suppress a smile as I walked. They were whispering back and forth, my junior¡¯s voice heated and her cousin¡¯s apologetic. Just out of earshot, I could hear their tones but couldn¡¯t make anything specific out, though I already knew what Ferrisdae would be saying.


    Anyone looking into me for my work at the Department of Dungeons would know that I didn¡¯t have the greatest track record with apprentices. Part of it was a personal failing, I knew I was a terrible teacher, but most of it was the fact that I couldn¡¯t get along with people I couldn¡¯t respect.


    The rookies they threw at me for years were not those I thought respectable. I was hard on them for reasons that made total sense to me. They had thought this was a job where they were going to be pampered or live an easy life, so I knocked that idea out of their head. I didn¡¯t do it physically, of course, but they had to know the stakes.


    More people left the Department of Dungeons as my former apprentices than for any other Dungeon Inspector. Some transferred to softer positions to do desk work or even under other Inspectors, but that was fine. We needed bodies for all the work, I understood. It just clashed with my personal experience.


    This was a dangerous job, and I was given assignments more deadly than most anyone. While I did take on just as many normal cases as others of my tenure, I had more subjugations under my belt than even the chief because of my background. For me, it was a matter of survival; if I couldn¡¯t respect someone, then I didn¡¯t trust them to watch my back.


    I respected Ferrisdae. Begrudgingly at first, but she grew on me. So I trusted her when she came up with this scheme. They knew my reputation, and we would bank on that. Thankfully, the plan just required me to be a mean son of a bitch.


    That was easy; I was a mean son of a bitch.


    So I spent some time swiping on my Sending Stone before placing my hands on my hips and staring out into the forest. There was always a chance Masatera wasn¡¯t alone, so I kept up appearances until I was called.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, we¡¯re done, sir,¡± Ferrisdae said. I turned around to see a very brow beaten Elf sitting next to her, and headed their way. ¡°Though, it is true that we¡¯re a ways from Athir. Do you mind if we take him the rest of the way?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t discuss business with him in the carriage,¡± I stated, scowling. ¡°But fine, so long as he doesn¡¯t mind being interrogated.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, interrogated?¡± Masatera asked quietly.


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a Runelara, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked as I got into the carriage and took a seat. ¡°That means you¡¯re an adventurer. I certainly hope Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae here wasn¡¯t fooled by someone who can¡¯t even survive a dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I am! I am most certainly an adventurer, sir,¡± he quickly confirmed. ¡°One of the best rogues in the family, branch or otherwise. The fact that she didn¡¯t detect me isn¡¯t anything against her, sir. I¡¯m just really good. I¡¯m actually surprised that you were able to figure me out, sir.¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me sir so much,¡± I snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t like cowards or yes men.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, stopping before he could call me sir again.


    Nodding, I glanced at Ferrisdae. ¡°Was he sent by your family for any particular purpose? Such as trying to influence our work for the Department of Dungeons?¡±


    ¡°No, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she answered firmly, though she didn¡¯t look me in the eye. ¡°Masatera really was only trying to hitch a ride with us from the lake house. We hadn¡¯t seen each other in so long and we¡¯re on the job, so he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. The carriage is fast, however, and he had to make a choice quickly.¡±


    Masatera¡¯s eyes lit up as Ferrisdae covered for him. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t all that great at hiding his emotions, and he was easy to read. I would bet that his gratitude was real.


    Snapping my fingers, his attention returned from his cousin to me. ¡°Masatera.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he said, immediately becoming worried again.


    ¡°Have you heard any strange rumors about the dungeons around the capital city?¡± I asked, leaning forward. "Dungeon related, obviously."


    ¡°Strange rumors?¡± Masatera asked, leaning back in response as if trying to get away from me.


    I glanced from him to Ferrisdae for just a moment. ¡°Yes. Do you need context for what¡¯s considered strange?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just making sure that was what you said,¡± he offered nervously. ¡°But, no. There hasn¡¯t been anything really strange that I know of, but I haven¡¯t been going into dungeons much. I¡¯ve been working on my pottery.¡±


    ¡°Pottery,¡± I said, deadpan.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s soothing, okay?¡± he asked defensively. ¡°Adventuring can be really stressful.¡±


    I glanced again from him to Ferrisdae. ¡°This rock really won¡¯t bear water, will it?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± she answered apologetically.


    ¡°Hey! I take offense to that,¡± he said, showing some spine. At least, until I looked at him again. Then, he took a breath. ¡°Okay, fine. You want to hear something strange? There¡¯s a lot of talk about a pair running around to the different dungeons. They appeared a couple of days ago and have barely stopped to rest. It¡¯s got the local Consortium branch in a tizzy.¡±


    ¡°That sounds promising,¡± I said, offering him a small amount of praise. ¡°Do you know anything about this mystery pair?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ really,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Like squeezing water from a stone,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°All I know is it¡¯s some guy and his pet moose,¡± Masatera offered. ¡°But don¡¯t call the moose a pet, apparently. There¡¯s been a few scuffles over that.¡±


    Silence passed over the carriage for a moment as Ferrisdae and I processed this information.


    ¡°Gods dammit,¡± I swore as my junior began to grin.


    Because of course she would.

 Chapter 65 - Athir

    There were no gates into Athir, but the city limits were marked by three rings of trees that fortified the area. While it wasn¡¯t as big as New Frausta, it wasn¡¯t some small town and the amount of time and effort it had taken to grow such a wall wasn¡¯t anything to sneeze at even for an Elf.


    We stopped the carriage outside of the furthest line of trees and disembarked. I made a show of stretching and taking my time after such a long trip. The last few hours of travel had been awkward for Masatera as we Inspectors worked in silence, and I made sure to keep him on edge with a few frowns and disapproving grunts his way.


    ¡°I really should go,¡± the Elf said the moment his feet touched the ground.


    ¡°So soon?¡± Ferrisdae asked before glancing at me. She cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, of course. We¡¯re on the job, after all. It was still good to see you, Masa.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Ferry,¡± he replied stiffly. ¡°Good luck with everything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Masatera looked at me and quickly bowed. Instead of saying goodbye, he opted for a swift retreat. The rogue stopped at the last treeline and looked around before apparently finding what he was looking for. He raised his hand and started running.


    ¡°No doubt to warn off the welcoming party,¡± Ferrisdae muttered. There was a hint of amusement in her voice.


    ¡°Enjoying the subterfuge, are you?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°A little,¡± she admitted. ¡°He used to have a complex about the Anne Runelaras being the main family and the Dav Runelaras only being a branch, and he took it out on me a bit. I wasn¡¯t even sure if he knew he was doing it, honestly, but it drove him as an adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Seemed kind of nervous for an adventurer,¡± I stated.


    ¡°That must be where the pottery comes in,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s doing his own thing now; it¡¯s a much better look on him.¡±


    ¡°He adventured because of his family. I understand it but, yeah, it¡¯s good to do your own thing. Support¡¯s the way to go, not getting into the family business just because you¡¯re one of them,¡± I offered before giving her a sideways look. ¡°Glad you figured that out early.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯d be in shambles without a junior like me,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s the word for it,¡± I scoffed. Hesitating for a moment, I shook my head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go ask these guards if they know about a¡­ damnit, a moose.¡±


    While there wasn¡¯t a gate protecting the city of Athir, there were guards. Plenty of them, too. They wore mostly matching uniforms though they were separated by rank and purpose. Those in green and brown leather armor wielded halberds with short swords on their belts and quivers on their backs. I didn¡¯t see any bows, but figured they were out of sight.


    The mages wore the same patterns as the soldiers, though their uniform consisted of bulky robes. As we got closer, I could tell that it was quilted for extra protection. The weaponry here was more varied between wands, staves, and rods. A few spellcasters had none of them, but instead stood with small animals such as birds or stoats.


    Our approach was immediately noticed, and a Forest Elf soldier with two silver leaves on his collar approached us. ¡°Welcome, travelers,¡± he greeted, his eyes on me first as I walked in front of Ferrisdae. ¡°I am Captain Deligrae. What brings you to Athir this fine day?¡±


    ¡°Good day, Captain Deligrae. I am Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I replied. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my Department of Dungeon badge. He looked it over before nodding. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Masatera dragging two other Elves away from the treeline. I pretended not to notice. ¡°If you have the time, I have a few questions for you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Inspector,¡± he said jovially. ¡°If it¡¯s in my power, I¡¯m here to help.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°I was wondering if there was a Human man and a moose named Moose in town.¡±


    A grin appeared on the Elven captain¡¯s face, and my heart dropped. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Cojisto Finnigan and his trusty companion!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°These guys know Cojisto and Moose?¡± one of the other guards asked from the group the captain had been a part of.


    ¡°We do!¡± Ferrisdae answered cheerfully. ¡°We worked with him not too long ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I suspect that he¡¯s our Consortium contact for our mission,¡± I added.


    Captain Deligrae¡¯s grin slipped a little. ¡°Is there something going on in Athir that requires both the DoD and the Consortium?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s just something annoying that my boss is making me deal with,¡± I said, waving my hand. ¡°It¡¯s the executives trying something new by throwing teams together in the name of unity and efficiency. You know how it goes. It doesn¡¯t seem fated to work out, but that¡¯s the job.¡±


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t say that,¡± Ferrisdae huffed. ¡°Working with Cojisto and Moose was a lot of fun. It¡¯s nice to know there¡¯s such reliable adventurers out there.¡±


    ¡°Working with Moose was eye opening, for sure,¡± I countered, leaving it at that.


    ¡°And now we get to do it again! Destiny sure has a fun way of working things out,¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, destiny. That¡¯s what this is,¡± I replied with a scowl.


    Our banter seemed to put the captain at ease, and his smile became less strained. ¡°I¡¯m glad that there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± he said honestly. ¡°But anyone who¡¯s a friend of those two are more than welcome here.¡±


    ¡°From the sound of it, they¡¯ve made quite an impression,¡± Ferrisdae stated.


    ¡°They have,¡± he confirmed. ¡°We put out a call to take out a corrupted Treant that was wrecking havoc on our outer treewall. Though we could have handled it ourselves, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it without casualties. They come in, get the job done in minutes, and they helped us start fixing the damages. Not for long, Cojisto was really apologetic about having to get out to do some dungeon diving for some job, but their work was appreciated.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Yup, that sounds like the Coji we know,¡± Ferrisdae said with a smile.


    ¡°Sure does,¡± I agreed. ¡°Do you know if they¡¯re in town? I wanted to meet up with them sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them leave through this gate today, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re in town,¡± Captain Deligrae said, looking towards the cloudless sky in thought. ¡°But they should be at¡­ hold on. Barronson! Which place was it that you recommended to Cojisto and Moose?¡±


    One of the mages turned from his conversation and called back. ¡°He was looking for a place that hosted some trivia events but also had a stable, and the only one that fit was the Tall Tree Tav.¡±


    ¡°Aww, look at that,¡± Ferrisdae crooned as she elbowed me. ¡°Trivia night. He¡¯s thinking of you.¡±


    ¡°Spectacular,¡± I muttered. As much as I didn¡¯t want to, I did feel slightly touched at the information, even if I was still feeling blindsided by the fact that Brackenhorst didn¡¯t deem it fit to mention we would be working with Cojisto and Moose again. ¡°Could you tell us how to get to the Tall Tree Tav?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Captain Deligrae said as he began giving us directions. Soon, we were on our way.


    ¡°You see Masa pull those guys away?¡± Ferrisdae asked as we walked down the wide path that would lead us to the center of the city. I nodded affirmative. ¡°Also members of my family.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like that they use divinations to keep track of you,¡± I said. ¡°To make sure you''re alive? Okay, I can see that, but anything more is just creepy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad, I don¡¯t think,¡± Ferrisdae countered defensively. ¡°I mean, I can see why you¡¯d think it is, but you value your privacy over everything except your family. This is normal for any adventuring family of our size. I may not be like them, but I¡¯m still diving into dungeons. And it¡¯s not like they¡¯re getting any concrete information out of it, just general areas and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Still too much,¡± I said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to talk about that here. We¡¯ve got our destination, let¡¯s get there.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    The walk through Athir was peaceful. Most of the buildings here were made by Elven Treesingers and still retained their leaves on the tops and sides. Nature and civilization merged here in a beautiful way, culminating in a quiet dignity that we would be hard pressed to find in any other city of this size. It didn¡¯t feel busy, even though it was.


    Ferrisdae lagged behind as she stopped to listen to some of the Treesingers, and I did the same. The plot of land was large and the trees, while old, had recently been transplanted there. Whatever they were planning was going to be large. Based on where the taller ones were, it almost looked like it was going to be some kind of cathedral.


    For a moment the cult of CC passed into my mind, but I shook it off. Hopefully, that was just good old-fashion paranoia and not what was actually happening.


    My junior gave me a warm smile when she caught up with me. ¡°I love listening to the Treesingers,¡± she said wistfully. ¡°Their voices are always so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Now you sound like my daughter,¡± I said. ¡°Willow wouldn¡¯t leave the tavern¡¯s main room when they were singing the wooden walls up.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter has good tastes,¡± Ferrisdae stated, grinning.


    I could only nod to that as we continued on our way. The Tall Tree Tav was easy to spot due to it living up to its namesake, and we managed to get there after only ten minutes or so of walking. It was a wide building about as big around as a tower back in New Frausta, and had to be at least six stories tall. The canopy of leaves was wide enough that most of the blocks around it were shaded, too.


    We walked inside to see that it was mostly empty aside from the staff and a few Elves that appeared to be getting an early start on drinking. It was a cozy place with the ground floor consisting of places to sit and eat while there was an open grill in the back. Plants hung from the walls instead of trophies, and there was even a sign with the nightly events.


    A wine tasting event with representatives from Bhumi Vineyards that cost a surprisingly moderate amount had taken place earlier in the week. Tonight was for painting. As I was scanning the events, Ferrisdae tapped my shoulder excitedly.


    ¡°Tomorrow night is trivia night,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s going to be fun. I want¡­¡±


    I arched my eyebrow as I watched her energy dim. ¡°You want?¡±


    Ferrisdae put her hands in her pockets. ¡°I had a lot of fun at the one back in Crystal Snows, so I was looking forward to teaming up with you again,¡± she sighed. ¡°But, based on the time, it¡¯s going to cut into something else I¡¯ve got going on.¡±


    ¡°What else could you have-¡° I stopped myself once the answer hit me. Therapy. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. There will be plenty of chances for us to team up together, I promise. That¡¯s way more important than this is.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she agreed dejectedly. ¡°Still sucks.¡±


    ¡°It does, but it¡¯s obviously helped you out a lot,¡± I offered. ¡°You can cast spells now. That¡¯s huge. And you¡¯re smiling like you did when we first met. Do you¡­ want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Badger, that means a lot coming from you,¡± she said, offering me a thin smile. ¡°I¡¯m okay for now. Later, maybe, but I¡¯m okay. Especially with you looking out for me, you big softie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you get away with calling me that once to make you feel better,¡± I huffed, holding up a finger. ¡°Once.¡±


    ¡°Softie, softie,¡± she sang quietly. ¡°Big ole softie.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m trading you in,¡± I said, throwing my hands up. ¡°Going to call the chief and have him send a new rookie. Don¡¯t care who it is at this point. I¡¯ll even take one of those adventure class murder hobos.¡±


    ¡°Over me?¡± she asked, trying to sound appalled but far too amused.


    ¡°In a heartbeat,¡± I lied.


    ¡°Excuse me, can I help you?¡± the bartender asked, and we turned his way. ¡°You¡¯ve been standing in the doorway, is all. Is there anything I can do for you?¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°We¡¯re looking for Moose and Co-¡°


    ¡°Ferry! Badger!¡± came a boisterous voice from behind. In an instant I was lifted off of my feet and pulled into a hug with Ferrisdae.


    ¡°He¡¯s right there,¡± the bartender said helpfully.


    ¡°Yeah, I got that,¡± I said, squeezing out of Cojisto¡¯s bear hug to fall back onto the floor. I rounded on him, finger raised and pointed at his face. ¡°No hugging.¡±


    ¡°No hugging,¡± Cojisto repeated. ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae said, turning to give the man a proper hug. She could barely see over his shoulder, but she waved behind him. ¡°Hi, Moose! You¡¯re next.¡±


    Moose, who was standing outside, stamped the ground. Once Ferrisdae pulled away from Cojisto, she ducked under his arm and went to hug the large animal.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Badger,¡± Cojisto said, squatting down to be on my level. ¡°Truth be told, something horrendous has happened. Truly awful.¡±


    My eyes narrowed at his statement. ¡°You¡¯re the one the Consortium sent ahead of us, right?¡± I asked. He nodded, and I started taking him more seriously. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The grown man began to pout. ¡°That mean Dark Elf lady in the quarry broke my crossbow,¡± he said. ¡°It''s lost in the line of duty, so the Consortium won''t do anything about it. Since we''re working with the DoD, will they reimburse that?¡±


    I stared at Cojisto before looking down and pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Yeah, Cojisto,¡± I said, ignoring my oncoming headache. ¡°Yeah, they will.¡±

 Chapter 66 - Reunited

    After reserving rooms at the top of the Tall Tree Tav, we left with Moose and Cojisto to head to our first destination. My plan had been to give Brackenhorst a call after a dungeon audit or two and get the details before heading to the local Adventurer¡¯s Consortium branch. Not that it made much difference, but I hadn¡¯t expected to find our contacts so quickly.


    ¡°We were already on our way to Athir,¡± Cojisto said once we were far enough from the city that I felt comfortable discussing the job. ¡°I mean, how could we not? We adventured with an Anne Runelara!¡±


    Moose croaked as he walked alongside the Skymirror Carriage.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not supposed to say his nickname,¡± the Human whispered, trying not to look at me but failing to keep his glances in check. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make him mad.¡±


    ¡°You are right to fear me,¡± I said.


    ¡°What he means to say is thank you for keeping his identity safe,¡± Ferrisdae translated. I huffed and she elbowed me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Badger?¡±


    ¡°You are right to fear me,¡± I insisted, not budging. ¡°Anyway, you were on the way to Athir.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we were,¡± Cojisto said, nodding. ¡°We were going to do our usual thing. Show up at the Consortium, find some people who are looking for unaffiliated adventurers, and have a grand time of it. Maybe, if we were lucky, we¡¯d find some of Ferry¡¯s family. We figured if they were half as capable-¡°


    Moose croaked again.


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°Yeah, even a quarter as capable as Ferry, then it would be some of the most fun adventuring we¡¯d find in these parts.¡±


    My junior beamed even as her face darkened at the praise. ¡°I¡¯m glad I left such a strong impression on you two,¡± she said.


    ¡°How could you not? It was a sight to see, even after you lost your magic,¡± Cojisto said before hitting the side of the carriage with his hand. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re making progress. Archery Ferry was fun but, and I don¡¯t say this lightly, Mage Ferry is the best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ferrisdae is very talented,¡± I agreed before waving my arm. ¡°Will you continue? How did we get stuck with you?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°About a day or so after we left New Frausta, we received a missive from a magic raven. About halfway, I¡¯d say. It had orders for us to report to the Consortium branch in Athir if we wanted to work with you and Ferry again,¡± he finally explained. ¡°Moose and I had a talk about it-¡±


    Moose huffed and shook his head.


    ¡°It was a talk! Me asking if you wanted to and you saying yes is a talk, it¡¯s just a short one,¡± Cojisto defended. ¡°It might as well not have happened, we both know you¡¯d say yes. You like these two as much as I do.¡±


    The large animal looked at his Human companion for a long second before nodding vigorously.


    ¡°I, for one, am very glad to have you both along for the ride,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°If Badger was more honest with himself, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d agree.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t speak for me.¡±


    She ignored me. ¡°I¡¯m assuming the Consortium had a detailed list of places you had to go, right?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Cojisto confirmed as Moose nodded again. ¡°And there were even a few groups who were looking for extra adventurers, and we didn¡¯t approach them. We could have, but we didn¡¯t, because we wanted to work with you more.¡±


    ¡°While you were there, did you notice anything off?¡± I asked.


    Cojisto stroked his chin. ¡°In which way?¡±


    ¡°In the way where someone might have lost too many friends,¡± I huffed with a glare. ¡°Part of the reason why we¡¯re here is to check up on the increasing mortality rates. Did you not get briefed on that?¡±


    ¡°I did, sorry, I just wasn¡¯t thinking about it,¡± the man defended. ¡°As for people talking, not really. The Remembrance Wall had more candles than usual, though. Not a huge amount more, but enough that Moose commented on it.¡±


    I nodded as I thought that over. The Remembrance Wall was a way for adventurers to honor their fallen brethren with a public display. Every Consortium location had one along with blessed candles. The ritual was to carve the name into one and leave it with a small personal belonging or picture, and then light it. While it was only a small gesture, it was a sacred one amongst adventurers.


    Moose croaked and huffed. Once again, Cojisto nodded. I was already starting to get tired of this.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that group was weird,¡± he said.


    When he didn¡¯t continue, Ferrisdae spoke. ¡°Which group was weird?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to do with the wall, but we were talking to this group that said they had a job where Moose would be a big help. I got excited because usually when people hear me say that he¡¯s my best friend, I get weird looks.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like they just don¡¯t get it,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Badger,¡± he agreed, either not picking up on my sarcasm or ignoring it. ¡°And I wanted to take them up on their offer. So much, like you wouldn¡¯t believe. But we were going to work with you, and I had to turn them down. They tried to sweet talk me, but Moose was paying attention. One of them then called me Cojisto. In my excitement, I did not give them my name because I was busy talking about Moose, so they already knew who he was. They tried to play to my ego, saying of course they¡¯d heard of the Legendary Cojisto but, alas, the spell was broken.¡±


    I looked at Ferrisdae. ¡°Family strikes again?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Possibly. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they had information about us working with these two. They did visit your home, after all.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you know those people?¡± Cojisto asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°You already know about the Anne Runelara family. At least, I assume you did because you came here specifically because of Ferry, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Right.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°They probably found out that you were in the Thousand Year Blizzard with us,¡± I said. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a good natured attempt to figure out how Ferrisdae is doing as a Junior Dungeon Inspector or some kind of plot to influence the DoD is still up in the air, but I still find it annoying. They seem insistent in sticking their noses into our business.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re worried about Ferry, then it could be that,¡± Cojisto offered before looking her way. ¡°Have you contacted them at all before, during, or after our time holed up in the Mage¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°I wrote letters,¡± she answered. ¡°I always assured them I was okay. Didn¡¯t even mention any of the really bad stuff because I didn¡¯t want them to worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then yeah, they¡¯re probably trying to get info or influence or whatever,¡± he said, nodding. Then, an out of place scowl appeared on his face. ¡°And they tried to draw me in using Moose. Diabolical! And to think I shared my favorite moose fact with them. I¡¯m going to have to be more selective with adventuring groups in the future.¡±


    ¡°What is your favorite moose fact?¡± Ferrisdae asked, sounding genuinely curious.


    ¡°Moose are excellent swimmers. They can swim for nearly ten miles and dive around 20 feet,¡± Cojisto said without thinking. ¡°In fact, we were going to hit that underwater dungeon tomorrow morning after we get some of that seaweed that lets you breathe water for a short time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Air Algae,¡± I told him. ¡°And before we get any more moose facts, which I¡¯m sure are fascinating, can you tell us about the dungeons you have gone to?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. The first one was a Treant copse,¡± he answered, looking around. ¡°Actually, it seems like we¡¯re heading in that direction now.¡±


    I looked at Ferrisdae, who nodded confirmation. ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Yeah, they should be back to normal then,¡± Cojisto said with a nod. ¡°One of their members actually attacked Athir¡¯s treewall just yesterday morning. We helped defend the city.¡±


    ¡°Captain Deligrae was telling us about that when we asked about you,¡± I replied.


    The man grinned. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡±


    ¡°Seemed so,¡± I said as I leaned forward ¡°The Treants in that dungeon do have a permit to roam, but it¡¯s rare that they go as far as the city. The captain said that they were corrupted somehow. Do you have any information on that?¡±


    Crossing his arms, Cojisto looked up at the sky. ¡°We¡¯ve fought Treants before, but these ones were¡­ really easy to punch through.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this, Cojisto,¡± I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just stronger now thanks to the events in the blizzard.¡±


    ¡°No, no, not like that,¡± he said quickly, holding up his hands. ¡°Like, the bark was all discolored and messed up and their insides were mushy. I¡¯m pretty sure even Ferrisdae could have punched through one barehanded.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been practicing my punches, just so you know,¡± she said defensively. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten fairly good at throwing them.¡±


    Cojisto smiled. ¡°You have? That¡¯s great news! Then you could definitely punch your way through one of these Treants. I¡¯ll check your form later, if Badger doesn¡¯t mind.¡±


    I scowled. ¡°Why would I care?¡±


    ¡°Because you are her mentor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as a Dungeon Inspector. You¡¯re the one who taught her how to punch.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± he said, pumping his fist in the air. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! I¡¯ll take care of you when we have some free time, Ferry.¡±


    Seeing Ferrisdae¡¯s determined nod, I sighed. ¡°Before this goes off track again, that sounds like the Treants are having a problem with a disease,¡± I remarked, stroking my chin. ¡°According to the file, the Green Union is supposed to be watching over this dungeon.¡±


    ¡°They might still be having trouble,¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°They were supposed to be in charge of the Mushroom Leshies at Sevensleg¡¯s dungeon and help out with feeding the boss. Have they been having problems lately?¡±


    I frowned, thinking about it. What happened with Sevensleg and his minions had been terrible. He became hungry enough that he ate them because he was no longer getting any food sent to him from the Green Union. Their entire job was to help supplement the dungeon in exchange for a percentage of the magical crystals inside, and they failed horribly.


    Whatever problems they were having, it had to be catastrophic. They could lose their union license over something like this if it became common enough.


    ¡°Before we go in, we¡¯ll call back to headquarters and see if there¡¯s any update on the Green Union,¡± I decided. ¡°From the sounds of it, though, it¡¯s neglect rather than active maliciousness. A low probability of something CC related, but not impossible.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything that you can tell us?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°Not yet, but soon,¡± I answered. ¡°What about the Dark Elf Quarry?¡±


    ¡°Their matriarch destroyed my crossbow,¡± he whined.


    ¡°Yes, you said that,¡± I said, suppressing a sigh. ¡°Anything else you want to mention about it?¡±


    Moose spoke, grabbing our attention, and Cojisto nodded along.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my friend, they did seem skittish,¡± he said after the divine beast was done. He looked back at us. ¡°But they didn¡¯t get that way until we fought. I couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, but they were fairly surprised that the two of us could take them on. It was almost like they thought we were easy prey or something, and the moment we proved otherwise they started to get antsy.¡±


    ¡°That might just have been confident that they can take out one guy and a moose,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°They¡¯re Dark Elves, so they generally do have the upper hand in dark environments. Were they strong?¡±


    ¡°Stronger than the average dungeon, I¡¯d say. Especially with the boss breaking my crossbow.¡± Cojisto looked at Moose, who nodded, and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just seemed a little off to us. I mean, obviously you two are here to check in on that kind of thing. I¡¯m just offering some forethought.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that, at least,¡± I said. ¡°Also, I¡¯ll be taking care of that dungeon alone. Ferrisdae, you can work on reports or investigate the city at that time.¡±


    ¡°What? No, I want to help!¡± she protested.


    I met her eyes. ¡°The only reason why Matriarch Akshashka set up a dungeon in the first place was to piss off the Forest Elves of Athir. I know that you know this,¡± I said. ¡°She holds a centuries long grudge against your people, your presence might exacerbate the situation. If the Dark Elves are in league with CC, then it¡¯s better if you sit this one out.¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think that¡¯s crap, sir,¡± she responded, scowling.


    ¡°I understand, but it¡¯s still the call I¡¯m making,¡± I told her evenly. ¡°First, we¡¯ll hit up the Treants. Next, I¡¯ll hit the Dark Elf Quarry. If you don¡¯t want to sit around writing reports, then pretend to sneak away and visit your family or something. Or punch Cojisto. As long as it¡¯s for the good of the mission, you have my permission.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer permission to go with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made your stance on this very clear,¡± I said before turning to Cojisto. ¡°You¡¯re going to check out the underwater dungeon?¡±


    He gave me a thumbs up. ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that one and the bandit camp after,¡± I ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll need some time to process the paperwork from the first two dungeons, so take your time with them. Maybe join a random group if they aren¡¯t going to any of the ones we¡¯re auditing. This isn¡¯t supposed to be a quick mission, so let¡¯s move at a bureaucrat''s pace.¡±


    ¡°Sounds boring, but alright. You got it, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then you and Moose are dismissed. Be safe out there.¡±


    ¡°You, too,¡± he said, offering me a fist bump. I arched an eyebrow at it and shook my head. Undeterred, he offered it to Ferrisdae who, despite pouting, took him up on it. With a grin, he bounced off of his seat and jumped onto Moose¡¯s back. ¡°See you both later!¡±


    ¡°See you, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae said, watching as they rode ahead of us.


    ¡°It¡¯s protocol, you know,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°So was the blizzard, but I still went in there,¡± she muttered. ¡°Any other official business to discuss?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Very good, then.¡± Reaching into her Pocket, Ferrisdae pulled out the paperwork pertaining to the dungeon we were heading for.


    At least she was diligent.

 Chapter 67 - Rot

    The trees blocking off the Treant¡¯s dungeon were bigger than those in the surrounding forest. Even with the path as overgrown as it was, it was easy to find by looking between the trees once we started getting closer.


    Just like Athir, the trees were pushed together to form a wall. There were spaces in between, but the resulting holes were so small that you could barely fit an arrow through it. It allowed adventuring parties to do some reconnaissance on the interior at the cost of time. Since such an action was assumed, the Treants were allowed to make their dungeon a little more dangerous.


    Unfurling the map I had taken from the Department of Dungeon archives, I stopped just outside of the entrance. Thanks to the powers the Dungeon Master bestowed on me, I could see the red dots indicating the enemies inside. It was a short distance ability that got better when the map was of higher quality, and I enjoyed the chance to use it.


    I may not have agreed to it being thrust on me, but I wasn¡¯t about to spurn it when it was useful.


    Ferrisdae looked over my shoulder, and I let her. We watched as the Treants inside lumbered about. The only information we received was their location, so we couldn¡¯t be sure what they were doing. Regardless, it didn¡¯t seem like anything out of the ordinary was going on.


    ¡°Go ahead and use the Doorknocker,¡± I said, keeping an eye on the map.


    ¡°Can do,¡± Ferrisdae replied as she reached into her Dimensional Pocket.


    The Dungeon Doorknocker was a three foot long black rod. They were only issued to those who saw the administrative side of dungeons such as Inspectors, union representatives, and those who were part of the supply chain. Ferrisdae walked up to the entrance to the dungeon and swung it hard against one of the trees making up the end of the wall.


    We heard no sound, not even the thud of metal on wood, but I saw the red dots all stop moving the moment she struck. What happened next confused me.


    Most of the dots turned black, which indicated neutrality, but a few remained red. Those started running towards the entrance only to be held back by the others.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± I told Ferrisdae as she returned.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, confused.


    I gestured towards the map. ¡°Not everyone became friendly when they heard the Doorknocker. Most, sure, but the black side is holding back the red from coming our way.¡±


    ¡°They could be under the same kind of affliction as the one that attacked Athir,¡± Ferrisdae offered. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not in control of themselves thanks to whatever disease this is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible."


    We watched as the black dots made a wall between the entrance and the reds. It took a few minutes before anyone came out to greet us, but given the circumstances I wasn¡¯t going to complain. I would rather be met with a cordial group than the alternative.


    Two of the dungeon¡¯s denizens walked into view, their auras a yellow-green, and I felt Ferrisdae grip my shoulder at the sight of them.


    Normally, the average Treant would be anywhere between twelve to eighteen feet tall. The ones in this area were topped with thick red leaves with dark brown bark. Faces that could pass as ugly Humans sat high above their thick, limb-like arms, and their legs were made up of a sprawling mess of long roots. They weren¡¯t very agile, but they were deceptively fast chargers.


    What approached us were obviously afflicted with some sort of malady. A vast majority of their rich bark was white and dying, and they had a few black leaves falling off of their heads with every step. Their root legs stumbled and wobbled as they headed this way. It was no surprise to see them holding onto the inanimate trees and keeping themselves steady with their hands.


    ¡°Should we help?¡± Ferrisdae whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here for, but not yet¡± I whispered back before pulling out my Department of Dungeons badge. ¡°Hello! I am Dungeon Inspector Badger, and this is Junior Dungeon Inspector Ferrisdae. Are we welcome to come in?¡±


    The taller of the two stopped first, causing the shorter to do the same, and gestured us forward. ¡°You are welcome to enter the Red Thicket, Inspectors,¡± the tall Treant called in slow, drawling Elven. Their aura turned fully green, just like the goblins of the Tuprup Tribe had.


    ¡°Now we go,¡± I replied in Elven, which I could speak much more fluently than I could read or write. I walked through the entrance. Ferrisdae let go of my shoulder, and I folded the map in half even though I had no intention of putting it away just yet.


    The Treants waited patiently for us to approach, and we stopped at what I would normally consider a safe distance. With their towering forms shaking slightly as they held themselves steady, it didn¡¯t seem appropriate to stand close enough that we couldn¡¯t dodge out of the way if they fell. Even from here, I could smell an unpleasant, sickly sweet aroma coming off of them both.


    ¡°I am Sapmore,¡± the taller Treant said. Their voice was deep, though weak and strained with grief. ¡°My companion is Maplewell. We are overjoyed by your arrival and come to greet you on the behalf of Grandfather Red. How are you doing today?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doing just fine, though I¡¯d find myself hard pressed to say the same about you two,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°We came here to investigate the rising mortality rate of adventurers coming through the Red Thicket, but it looks like we¡¯ve come across something more dire than that.¡±


    The Treants looked at each other before Sapmore sighed. ¡°We sent Leafstill to visit Athir in the hopes of contacting the Green Union, but they never returned. I am glad to see that our message made it to you. And that you were able to make it so quickly.¡±


    ¡°We never got any message,¡± Ferrisdae said sadly. ¡°Leafstill¡­ never made it.¡±


    ¡°More accurately, Athir was attacked by a corrupted Treant,¡± I said. My bluntness earned me a glare from Ferrisdae. I ignored it. ¡°That was probably Leafstill.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh. Oh no,¡± Sapmore sighed, lowering their head. ¡°Leafstill appeared to be the healthiest of us all, but to be so far gone as to attack the city of Elves¡­ That is a shame.¡±


    ¡°We came here for other business, but we certainly can¡¯t overlook this,¡± I said. ¡°Is Grandfather Red well enough for visitors?¡±


    Maplewell spoke this time, their voice a higher pitch than Sapmore¡¯s though not by much. ¡°No, Grandfather Red has fallen into a deep slumber. We haven¡¯t been able to wake him in at least a week.¡±


    I glanced up at Ferrisdae. ¡°You¡¯d think that would be something Cojisto would find worth mentioning,¡± I said disapprovingly. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a really long talk with him on what I expect his performance to look like.¡±


    My junior coughed into her fist and looked up at the two. ¡°Cojisto is the man with the moose companion,¡± she explained. ¡°He¡¯s checking dungeons ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°I remember them,¡± Sapmore said, their nods threatening to throw themself off balance. ¡°But don¡¯t punish him too harshly. Grandfather Red still fights, just no longer consciously. Much like some other members of the Thicket. It is because of this disease.¡±


    ¡°What are you all afflicted with?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try to talk to Cojisto?¡± I asked at the same time. ¡°Answer her first, then me.¡±


    Sapmore looked at both of us before settling on my companion. ¡°Thanks to the wisdom of Grandfather Red, we believe it is a parasitic fungus known as Rage Rot,¡± they explained. ¡°It sends those of us who have succumbed to it into a blind rage. We don¡¯t attack each other, but others. Healing it is beyond our capabilities, which is why we sent for help.¡±


    I nodded as I heard them explain about the Rage Rot. It was a terrible thing for sentient plants to succumb to. Like its name suggested, it had a chance to send them into a berserker frenzy at the first sign of combat. They could struggle against it, but there was always a chance for them to fall into that rage and never come out. That was probably why the red dots remained red.


    Still, it made sense that the mortality rate would go up for a time. If they were stronger than normal, then the usual adventurers that would come this way wouldn¡¯t have been up for the spike in difficulty. When Rage Rot first appeared, it would have gave the Treants a boost much like adrenaline would do for us, but the longer it lasted the worse they would get.


    Until they ended up like this, shaking from simply walking to greet us. Rage Rot always ended up taking more than it gave.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t try to ask Cojisto for help?¡± I asked. ¡°Under dire circumstances, which I would certainly say this is, the dungeon rules allow for asking assistance.¡±


    ¡°We tried, but only Grandfather Red speaks the Imperial Standard,¡± Maplewell answered. ¡°He couldn¡¯t understand us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Moose doesn¡¯t know Elven either, then,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Would it?¡± Sapmore asked, brows furrowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s more likely than you¡¯d think,¡± I said with a sigh before shaking my head. ¡°All right, so you couldn¡¯t talk to Moose or Cojisto, that makes sense. But what about any adventuring parties that came before them? Surely there had to be someone that spoke Elven.¡±


    The Treants looked at each other. ¡°Has it been¡­ two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Closer to three or four, I think,¡± Maplewell responded.


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been anyone coming to your dungeon for nearly a month?¡± Ferrisdae asked incredulously. I was confused as well; there certainly hadn''t been any information about the Red Thicket shutting down recently. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Sapmore shrugged, his bark creaking as they hastened to steady themself. ¡°We are unsure of the time frame. They came every other day, as expected, but then the adventurers stopped. We have not had contact with anyone since then.¡±


    ¡°It was a little after the Rage Rot appeared,¡± Maplewell added. ¡°Before then, Grandfather Red told us all to bear with it, that it would make us physically stronger before it started to weaken us. It was nearly time for a union representative to come visit, and he was planning on lodging a formal request for aid then.¡±


    ¡°But no one came,¡± Ferrisdae guessed.


    ¡°That is one of the reasons we are in this predicament, yes,¡± Sapmore confirmed. ¡°But that man, Cojisto, didn¡¯t take any of the magical crystals that have accumulated in that time. We can use those to bring Treesingers to come heal us, so long as his share of it is forfeit with his departure.¡±


    I frowned, but didn¡¯t question why Cojisto left a gold mine behind. ¡°It is. I¡¯ll make sure that my junior here returns with Treesingers and druids to help restore you to your former glory. That¡¯s our top priority. Ferrisdae, you''re to protect them while they work.¡±


    ¡°While you go and check out the Dark Elf Quarry?¡± she asked. It looked like she was ready to cross her arms, but refrained from doing so.


    ¡°No, that can wait,¡± I told her, shaking my head. ¡°While you¡¯re doing this, I¡¯m going to have to look into the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium and the Green Union to figure out what¡¯s going on. They both have a large presence in Athir. If the Red Thicket hasn¡¯t been receiving visitors, then there¡¯s someone who¡¯s marked the dungeon as off limits. I intend to find out who and why.¡±


    Ferrisdae shuffled closer to me, leaning down. ¡°Can the quarry really wait?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered firmly. ¡°We have time before the big event, but it''s not as though we''re squandering it. It¡¯s not a waste to do our job, and whatever is happening here could be connected with everything else.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°And if either of us run into trouble?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Then may the gods have mercy on anyone who thinks either of us are easy targets,¡± I answered. Ferrisdae looked surprised before giving me a stern nod. Satisfied, I looked up at Sapmore. ¡°Gather the magic crystals and we¡¯ll use them for whatever the Treesingers desire. If it won¡¯t pay for everything, then we¡¯ll make sure the rest is paid for by the Department of Dungeons or, hopefully, the Green Union.¡±


    ¡°Do as the Inspector says, Maplewell,¡± Sapmore instructed, causing the other Treant to nod and turn around. He hurried away. ¡°There is one more piece of information that may be relevant to your investigation.¡±


    ¡°Anything will help,¡± I said.


    ¡°None of us saw anyone when we investigated, but shortly before Grandfather Red fell asleep, he was speaking to the wind,¡± the Treant offered, speaking in a hushed tone as if trying not to let anyone but us hear. ¡°It sounded like a heated argument, but only from his side. He wasn¡¯t speaking the language of the forest, so all we understood was his tone. When the Father Guard went to his side, there was no one, though they swore they heard laughter. That was when we discovered his slumber.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it was madness caused by the Rage Rot? Or something else?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    Sapmore shook. ¡°We do not know. The story changes with every retelling as the Father Guard become closer to losing themselves. Even now, the memory of it is fuzzy in my own mind.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sapmore,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll get this taken care of right away. With luck, we should be able to get the Red Thicket back in good health by this time tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Your words soothe me, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± the Treant said, grief somewhat lifting from their voice. ¡°Junior Dungeon Inspector, we await your return.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as quickly as I can,¡± she replied, nodding.


    Rolling the map back up, I stuck it in my Pocket as I turned to leave. Ferrisdae was quick to follow, and we heard Sapmore amble away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ferrisdae, we¡¯re going to help them,¡± I said once I noticed her fist shaking at her side. ¡°That¡¯s what we do.¡±


    ¡°The Green Union should be glad that you¡¯re the one going to visit them,¡± she responded with a surprising amount of vitriol in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d be able to hold myself back. Their negligence so far has been infuriating.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re absolutely going to get what¡¯s coming to them,¡± I said, resting a hand on her arm. ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±

 Chapter 68 - Riverside

    It was starting to get dark by the time we arrived back at Athir. Ferrisdae assured me that she wouldn¡¯t have a problem gathering enough help to cure the Treants despite the time. After getting directions from the guards, we went our separate ways.


    The local Green Union branch was on the outskirts of the city in an area called the Riverside Calm. It was filled with stone walls, flowers, old trees, and the river that gave it its namesake. Considered a national treasure, very few structures bigger than benches and playgrounds for kids were allowed here.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Green Union was charged with the upkeep of the area, they probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to build their headquarters there. From making sure the plants were properly pruned and cared for, that the structures were well maintained, and more, they had their work cut out for them.


    Despite their terrible work with dungeons, I had to admit they were doing an immaculate job. The grounds were well kept. Trees were trimmed, the flower gardens were well within their boundaries, and there was no trash to be seen.


    Which almost pissed me off; if they were this detail-oriented, why were they having trouble with the dungeons?


    I shook it off. That''s why I needed answers.


    Signs directed me to a tranquility pond, mushroom rings, the playground, and the Green Union building, which was the one I followed. There weren¡¯t many lamps here in the Riverside Calm, and I wanted to get inside or get out before it was completely dark. The trails were winding and idyllic, perfect for the Elves, and I picked up my pace.


    Deep in the Calm, I found it. The trail split off, one leading back to the city and one leading to the Green Union building. The path led me onto a magnificent arch bridge made out of stone. It was about twenty feet long over a pond that appeared to be a great place for fishing.


    Maybe I would bring Willow here when we had time. I felt like she would enjoy herself.


    The Green Union building looked like a plain log cabin, but a sign nearby said that it was actually made up of petrified wood and strengthened with magic. The materials were a gift from the country of Despa, and came from a few miles south of Crystal Snows.


    While interesting, it wasn¡¯t what I was here for.


    I attempted to let myself in through the ordinary oak door to find that it was locked. There was a cubby with words in both Elven and Imperial Standard that indicated I could ring the bell for service, but it wasn¡¯t there. With a frown I knocked on the door.


    And waited, then knocked again.


    Even after a third rousing round of knocks, there was still no answer.


    ¡°Wish I could say I was surprised,¡± I muttered.


    I took a quick look around the building to check inside the windows. It wasn¡¯t a very flattering look for me, but it didn¡¯t seem like there were many people around to see my suspicious skulking. The process didn¡¯t take me more than a few minutes. It wasn¡¯t a very large building and most of the trouble involved finding something to stand on to get a better look through the windows.


    In the end, I found no trace of habitation or movement inside. It was an empty building.


    With too much time spent here already, I returned to the trail and gave the door one more good knock. I was nothing if not thorough, and I only gave it a few seconds before I turned around to leave.


    When I stepped onto the bridge, I found that I was no longer alone, and stopped.


    On the other side of the arch was a tall, slender figure. They seemed to blend in well with the dusk, their skin either dark or covered. It was hard to tell from here. The telltale Elven ears weren¡¯t there, meaning they could have been a Human. Vines with thorns covered their arms, and they held a long spike in their hands.


    ¡°You are Badger,¡± the person called, their voice distorted but feminine. She had an accent I couldn¡¯t place.


    Reaching for my chest, I placed my hand in my Pocket, ready to draw if needed. ¡°Yes, I am Badger,¡± I replied. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    She raised the spike, which appeared to be a long, thick thorn, towards me. ¡°Draw,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°That¡¯s a silly name,¡± I remarked, causing her to tilt her head to the side like a puppy. I did retrieve my Hilt of Holding, but didn¡¯t remove it from my jacket just yet. ¡°Before I do, will you at least tell me why?¡±


    She pointed the long thorn at me. ¡°Altered,¡± she said before tapping it against her own head. ¡°Altered.¡±


    ¡°CC?¡± I asked, my brow furrowing. If she had undergone something similar to what the Dungeon Master had done to us, then she might end up being problematic.


    Instead of answering, the woman flicked the thorn and charged. Her movements were smooth, so much so that she essentially glided across the stone bridge despite the slight imperfections. I pulled the Hilt of Holding out of my jacket and switched the dial.


    Based on the way she was holding the thorn, it looked like she was going to use it like an estoc. No cuts, but plenty of thrusts. Her weapon was long and she was tall. With the reach advantage, I would have to be fast to get inside her range. Even then I would have to worry about the thorny vines around her arms.


    I lamented the rapier that had broken during the fight with CC.


    ¡°Step off bridge, you lose,¡± she said as I took a step back to get some distance.


    While her statement was confusing considering she was the one attacking me, I decided there was only a slight disadvantage if I played by her rules. Of course, if it became detrimental, I would shirk them in a heartbeat. If she lost on her terms, she might be more willing to have a conversation.


    After making that decision, there was only one thing to do. I thumbed the rune, summoning my scimitar. The curved, silver sword popped out of the hilt as I raised it. This particular sword had an enchantment that sought blood, even if it was still in my opponent¡¯s body. It turned near misses into hits and had the added effect of causing dizziness in assailants who took too many blows.


    I shifted the weapon to block the thorn as she aimed for my neck. It scratched the wide blade and whipped past my shoulder. I slid the sword against the thorn, which was sturdy even though it looked like wood, towards her. Repositioning the edge, I was hoping to catch her arm.


    It did, but there wasn¡¯t any reason to celebrate. The vines were just as solid as the thorn was, and I tried to withdraw into a better position the instant it became clear that I didn¡¯t cut it. She took a step towards me, thrusting the thorny vines into my face.


    Ducking low, I dropped my sword to catch in my other hand. I lunged forward, aiming a punch for her knee in an attempt to debilitate her early. The blunt end of the thorn hit me in the back of my head as she shifted, turning my blow into a glancing one, and I let the momentum take me.


    Rolling onto my feet behind her, I quickly spun and backpedaled. Her thorn was close to my face, and I jerked out of the way. It grazed my cheek, but the wound started to go numb.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I took my scimitar and sliced my face exactly where she did. I felt the blood get pulled away from me, but not just that. It wouldn¡¯t get all of the poison from her thorn, though. Just enough.


    Already feeling a little better, I lunged again, now much more wary of her thorns, and attempted to slash her abdomen. She stepped up, negating her own reach advantage again and casually flicked her arm in my direction.


    This time, I was ready for it.


    I beat my hand against my chest the moment it was free from my jacket. The plain leather buckler extended magically concealed metal plates to transform into a large round shield, newly refurbished from the battle with the Land Pirate, Raitheus Razorbeak. I looked up through the one-way window the cover allowed me, and noted that the woman didn¡¯t seem surprised by its introduction.


    In the split second that I had time to notice her features, I saw that she was made entirely of black wood. As I blocked the vine-covered arm with my shield, the scimitar sliced her stomach, but it didn¡¯t have the pull it normally did when it detected and sought out blood.


    Just as I was starting to wonder what she was, something sharp stung the back of my head. I winced and dove to the side in an attempt to get away from it. I rolled and leapt onto the thick wall of the bridge, twisting in midair so I wouldn¡¯t take eyes off of the Blackwood Queen.


    I blinked. ¡°Blackwood Queen,¡± I said out loud.


    ¡°Halfling,¡± she replied. ¡°Dungeon Inspector.¡±


    The Blackwood Queen, I somehow knew, was an ancient species of Nymph that wasn¡¯t native to the Central Continent. Smart and capable, they were also incredibly fierce and egotistical. They were well known for traveling before putting down roots in tropical forests that they like to rule like royalty.


    Their presence wasn¡¯t harmonious, however; these dangerous creatures were toxic to the environment. They poisoned and killed the animals living in their domain using thorny vines, often without mercy, and they would steal nutrients from the native species of plants. Once their new home was almost barren, the Queen simply moved on to their next territory.


    She shouldn¡¯t be here.


    The Queen lunged at me from a complete standstill, thorn extending as she raised it. I caught it with my shield and pushed it off course only for it to start glowing green. A martial art, or perhaps a wordless spell.


    I didn¡¯t have time to figure out the difference as the effect took place. The thorn hooked to the side as if it was about to wrap around me. I shifted, pushing it over my head before it had a chance to and started to jump back only to discover I had no more room.


    I swung my scimitar as she reached for me, and it cut into her hand. It wasn¡¯t a deep wound by any means, but it gave me time to reposition and slip back onto solid ground. The moment my feet were down, I was working on defense.


    Her movements became faster as she thrust at me, her thorn now back to its normal shape and size. I blocked it with my shield, allowing it to scrape past me.


    Even though I was on the back foot, I wasn¡¯t idle. I had retracted my scimitar¡¯s blade and was using my pinky to change the dial. While some people might have chosen the fire sword to fight something called a Blackwood Queen, I knew that wasn¡¯t the right way to go about it. They loved hot environments and were very fire resistant.


    ¡°Freeze,¡± I announced after I thumbed the rune and activated my next blade. The two foot long blade that appeared was drenched in a cold blue aura, and I switched tactics.


    The Queen thrust her thorn at me one more time, and I bashed it away with my shield, throwing it wildly off course. Taking a step forward, she nearly ran into me due to her forward momentum, and I sliced upwards.


    She shifted her hips, but not enough. The Queen screamed as I caught her in the side and slashed at me with her free arm. Jerking backwards, I pulled my sword free even as I nearly fell due to our proximity. Thanks to years of practice, I managed to keep my footing while raising my shield above my head.


    The cold damage seemed to enrage her. Her nails elongated into thorns and scratched my metal shield, though they couldn''t break through. All of the vines on her arms glowed a dark red, and I made myself as small a target as I could so I could hide behind my shield.


    Every thorn except the one she carried grew several feet longer. Several hit my cover, knocking me lower, and two hit me. One grazing my ankle and another going through my foot. Not only that, but they pierced through the stone bridge as well.


    I grunted in pain, but didn¡¯t let it distract me. Martial arts like this always had a moment of weakness to them, and I had to capitalize on it. The very instant the thorns started pulling back, I started to strike.


    It would have been easy, but a second flash of light caught my attention. The long thorn in her hand hooked around and came for me. I was in a bad position thanks to the spikes that hadn¡¯t retracted yet. My shield was surrounded by thorns, so I couldn¡¯t block it with that. By her design, I was in a cage.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t just take it. I twisted, and pain bloomed in my shield arm. Not breaking, but definitely protesting. I fell backward onto my ass, and the thorn pierced through my shoulder blade, missing its original target: my heart.


    This time I did scream, but it was fine. The spikes retracted quickly and I cut through the thorn that pierced me with the sword. She screamed again, more rage than pain, but I still got the moment I was looking for. The Nymph was vulnerable. Getting up onto one knee, I thrust my blade into her gut.


    She dropped the cut thorn and grabbed my hands. I shed my shield, letting it hit the ground. Grabbing the weapon with both hands, I lifted her over my head. For being made of wood, the Queen was surprisingly light. Her wooden face remained blank despite her screams as I threw her. She slid off of my blade, landing on the path in front of the Green Union building.


    The Queen skidded against the ground, her thorny vines keeping her from traveling too far, and she got up to her feet. I grabbed my shield off of the ground and prepared myself when I heard a second voice.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Badger,¡± boomed a young man¡¯s voice, though I couldn¡¯t discern its location. ¡°She just does whatever she wants. We¡¯ll retreat. Congrats on your win, though.¡±


    ¡°Bad win,¡± the Queen seethed, her voice somehow even more distorted in her petulance. She didn''t look like she agreed with the order to retreat despite the hole in her stomach.


    ¡°What¡¯s going o-¡° I started to ask.


    Before I could finish my sentence, the Blackwood Queen disappeared into a portal that opened up directly underneath her feet. The Riverside Calm was plunged into an almost oppressive silence as the magic hole evaporated.


    Panic almost took me as a thought crossed my mind, but I pushed it down.


    Dropping my shield, I stayed vigilant as I retrieved my Sending Stone from my regular pocket. I couldn¡¯t keep it in my Dimensional Pocket because then it wouldn¡¯t work. Thumbing in a pattern, I held it up to my ear.


    ¡°Badger?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°What''s going on?¡±


    ¡°I was just attacked, are you okay?¡± I asked quickly.


    ¡°You were attacked? By whom?¡± she yelled.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that you¡¯re okay because you haven¡¯t told me otherwise,¡± I said, taking a breath of relief.


    Leaning against the wall of the bridge, I retracted my blade back into the Hilt of Holding and put it into my Pocket. I pulled out two vials, an antidote and a healing potion. I uncorked the first one with my teeth and drank it just as I started getting woozy. My body glowed blue as it magically counteracted the poison inside me.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Ferrisdae insisted. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m absolutely fine. I caught Cojisto and Moose on their way back from the other dungeon, so they¡¯re with me now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good. I¡¯ll catch you up later. I¡¯m going to rest for a moment.¡±


    "We''ve only been here for a day. How bold are they?"


    I glanced back at the place the hole has been. "Not sure if this was a planned ambush, but I have to begrudgingly admit I don''t understand a lot of what just happened."


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, sounding worried.


    ¡°Never better,¡± I lied. ¡°Take care of the Treants, stay with the others, and be vigilant for someone who can make portals and a thorny, black Nymph.¡±


    I uncorked the healing potion and took a breath. Gritting my teeth, I pulled the thorn out of my shoulder before taking the drink. My body painfully stitched itself back together, causing me to gasp.


    ¡°Did he just say a horny black Nymph?¡± I heard Cojisto ask.


    ¡°For the sake of the gods, no,¡± I yelled with a scowl. ¡°Thorny and covered in vines. Just be careful. I¡¯ll let you know what happened when we meet up again.¡±


    Ferrisdae hesitated. ¡°Okay, but only if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I said as I stood up, scoping out my surroundings. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    ¡°See you then.¡±


    I deactivated the Sending Stone and checked my foot. It was still tender, but I could walk on it. Retrieving my shield and Hilt of Holding, I activated the club and used it as a walking stick, slowly working my way towards the exit of the Riverside Calm as I thought through this strange encounter.

 Chapter 69 - Early

    Halfway through the trip to the Adventurer Consortium¡¯s Athir branch location, I decided it wasn¡¯t the right time. While it was open throughout the night, I didn''t think there would be someone with the credentials to assist me. Instead, I went back to the Tall Tree Tav for the night with the intent to go in the morning.


    The rooms seemed to have been carved from the hollowed out tree itself, and the walls, floor, and ceiling had the same patterns as the heartwood. It was comfortable enough, even if the beds were always too large in the lands of taller folk, and it came with all the necessities. One of the things I paid extra for was a magical washbasin. Expensive, but worth it.


    The staff had accommodated me when I asked for rooms without access from the outside, and a simple noisemaker in front of the door in case someone opened it was all I needed. If someone wanted to portal directly into my room, there wasn¡¯t much I could do to stop them, anyway. It wasn¡¯t a perfect defense, but it allowed me to sleep.


    It only felt like minutes had passed before a knock woke me up.


    ¡°Badger?¡± Ferrisdae called from the other side of the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± I said drowsily. ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    Taking a breath, I threw off my blankets and got up. I splashed my face with water from the basin and dried off before getting myself ready for company. Putting away the noisemaker, I opened the door to see an incredibly tired Ferrisdae.


    She took one look at me and giggled. ¡°I''m exhausted from being up all night, but how come it looks like you¡¯re even more tired than me?¡± The Elf seemed jubilant, even if her words were slurred from fatigue.


    Arching an eyebrow at her, I shook my head. ¡°Do you have a report?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do, Badger,¡± she said with an exaggerated nod. ¡°But I don¡¯t trust myself to give it this state, so I¡¯m going to give you my notes and go lie down. I¡¯ll be fine after a couple hours of sleep.¡±


    ¡°Will you at least tell me if everything went well?¡± I asked.


    Ferrisdae reached into her Pocket and pulled out a stack of paper. ¡°Still ongoing,¡± she announced perhaps a bit too loudly, giving me a sloppy salute as she handed me the report. ¡°We thought it¡¯d be done by morning but stuff¡¯s more resistant than we thought. It¡¯s all in there.¡±


    ¡°And Cojisto and Moose?¡±


    ¡°Moose is helping with his Holy Moose powers, so Cojisto escorted me here and then went back to the dungeon,¡± Ferrisdae replied, yawning. ¡°Got a bit of sleep in the carriage, but spent most of my time writing the report for you. It¡¯s all there.¡±


    I nodded along. Cojisto and Moose being on their own made them easy targets, but Ferrisdae was a higher priority. It was good that she hadn¡¯t been alone. While I was sure she¡¯d at least be able to drive the Blackwood Queen off on her own, especially with Oristrella¡¯s boon allowing her to inflict a freezing cold whenever she casts her spells.


    Then, I frowned. ¡°Did Cojisto go back after saying something asinine like he wished he would get attacked in the middle of the night so he could fight someone?¡± I asked. Ferrisdae took a moment to think about it before nodding, and I scowled. ¡°Whatever. He¡¯s either okay or he¡¯s not. You go get some sleep; I have to go visit the Consortium.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to do that last night?¡± she asked. Her eyes tried to focus on me, but she was having trouble. ¡°Did you get more injured than you let on?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I lied. ¡°It was late, and I didn¡¯t want to talk to some night manager who didn¡¯t know anything. Go sleep, Ferrisdae.¡±


    Another sloppy salute. ¡°You¡¯ve got it, boss,¡± she said before wandering to the room next to mine. I took a moment to make sure that she had the key and everything to get in, and only returned to my room to get ready for the day after I heard hers lock. That was one less thing to worry about.


    <hr>


    With a bagel in one hand and the report in the other, I left the Tall Tree Tav. The people of the city were wide awake, and Athir was full of the hustle and bustle of city life. It wasn¡¯t nearly as packed as it was in New Frausta, but the people here weren¡¯t as used to looking down for smaller folk and I found myself needing to dodge my way through the crowd.


    It would have been easier if I weren¡¯t reading.


    According to Ferrisdae¡¯s report, the Rage Rot was proving to be resistant to the Treesingers'' attempts to cure it. Their magic wasn¡¯t generally used to heal Treants or other plant-like creatures, but it still worked. The head of the druidic group, Constance Dar Fesuande, had remarked on its virulence.


    The report went on to say that Moose had started helping. The Dungeon Master had imparted on him more healing abilities, so his efforts towards helping the Treesingers was doing wonders for their efficiency. Ferrisdae was also impressed by the frequency at which he could cast magic, continuing to help even when some of the younger druids had to stop.


    Apparently, he was quite impressive. Given the fact that he was literally a magic moose, I had to agree with her.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The only scuffle that broke out was a minor one, and the Treant that started it was the first to get treated as the others stopped their attack. With so many druids in one place along with Ferrisdae, Moose, and Cojisto, there was no way anything bad was going to happen to the healers.


    There was nothing left to do but wait for the Treesingers to finish their work with Moose¡¯s help. They estimated healing the Treants of the Red Thicket would take until evening when they factored in breaks to restore their fatigue and magical reserves. It was taking a while, but at least they were getting care.


    The Adventurer¡¯s Consortium was easy to find. It was situated in the center of the city along with the Mage¡¯s Guild tower in what the Elves considered their Noble District. The building was large and made of stone and marble with wide, decorative pillars in the front. There was no need for a sign to tell people this was the Consortium; all of their buildings looked like this.


    The foot traffic slowed down the closer I got until it became obvious that the vast majority of people visiting the building were adventurers. People armed to the teeth with all sorts of weapons and armor sporadically came and went from the entrance. The old, the young, men and women, Elves and non-Elves alike frequented the building, showing off just how diverse the Consortium was.


    I walked inside into a large hall. To the left was the Remembrance Wall. Several rows of candles were lit on tables designed for them, each with names of the fallen written on them. Some groups of adventurers were here, either making sure candles were still lit or saying short prayers for people who were no longer with them.


    Staring at it for a moment, I had to agree with Cojisto: it did seem like there were more lit candles than usual.


    Turning from the Remembrance Wall, I started walking towards the lines on the right. The Consortium wasn¡¯t known for its bureaucracy, but that didn¡¯t mean people could come and go all willy-nilly. Newcomers had to take tests to get their license, and they had to be renewed every few years. For a fee, of course; they would go bankrupt tomorrow if their services were free.


    Adventuring without signing up with the Consortium wasn¡¯t a crime, but there were a lot more pros to signing up than going solo. Legal assistance was one of the biggest reasons to join, but it also gave discounts when buying and selling from specific stores or freelance craft workers, paid for funeral costs in the event of death, and helped with things like housing for families.


    All in all, it wasn¡¯t bad. It had been good for me that the other members of Reliable Rhodes, especially my wife, had all been a part of the Consortium. I had not been a willing signatory of their forms requiring me to give away private information that I didn¡¯t want anyone having. The privacy laws were much stricter now than they were back then.


    Walking past the people waiting in line, I pulled my Department of Dungeons badge from my Pocket and stepped up to an Elven woman who still appeared to be getting ready for the day.


    She put on her best customer service smile, but it was strained. ¡°Sorry, sir, but I¡¯ll need you to wait in line before you can see anyone.¡±


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, yes,¡± I said, sliding the badge onto the too-tall counter. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger. I need to speak with the person in charge of records.¡±


    Green eyes flicked from me to the badge before she gestured towards a door not far from me. ¡°Of course, Inspector. Please wait in the next room, and we¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, retrieving the badge. When the clerk turned to leave, I did the same, heading through the door she told me to.


    The waiting room was pleasant. There were pamphlets to read while waiting with everything from easy to understand weapon tutorials to thicker ones detailing the temples of the city and the deities they worshipped. Out of curiosity, I grabbed the one for Cheroske.


    Flipping it open, I saw that the temple to the Goddess of Community was also one of the largest orphanages in the city. This was fairly standard. The one in New Frausta was the same, though it doubled as a soup kitchen and ran a block for people who were down on their luck. So long as they were trying to get back on their feet, they had a place to stay. The church¡¯s track record was surprisingly good, though it helped when an actual divine presence was helping out.


    Leaning back on the plush couch, I looked up at the ceiling where a simple chandelier hung and idly played with the pamphlet.


    I¡¯m sincerely thinking about going down that path again.


    That was what I had said to Tabitha, and I had told her that it was because the world was becoming more dangerous. Because I might need the extra strength. I had moved on before I could really get her take on things and talked about the Southern Continental Dungeon instead.


    Tabs knew I didn¡¯t really want to say much more, and she hadn¡¯t pushed it. She gave me advice as I was heading out the door, but that was different than having an actual discussion. Still, I took her words to heart, even if the reasons I gave weren¡¯t the whole story.


    I raised my hands and looked at them. Their skin was covered in scars, a thin burn crossed my right palm, and they were covered in calluses from years of practice with a sword and shield. These were hands that had purpose. Determination. Hands that knew what they were made for.


    Still, they weren¡¯t in their prime.


    I could tell that I was close to where I used to be, though; the Dungeon Master¡¯s boons were significant.


    But I wasn¡¯t what I used to be. After my fall I didn¡¯t learn or develop any martial arts, nor did I have access to the meager spellcasting afforded to me as a paladin. It was penance. Not one that was demanded of me, but one that I took on myself. At the time, it felt fitting, and my skills eventually adapted so that I didn¡¯t need it.


    That was a particular point of pride for me.


    ¡°It would be foolish to say it wasn¡¯t because of power,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°But that¡¯s not all it is.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t lied to Tabs, nor would I. I just didn''t tell her everything. The biggest fact I hadn¡¯t mentioned was that it felt good to have a god like that watching out for me, Ferrisdae, Moose, and Cojisto. When Cheroske came because I called her, and so quickly at that, it had struck something in me. Something I missed from my days serving Tegril.


    Taking a breath, I shook my head. That had been a long time ago, and I was sure a part of it was just nostalgia. Whether it was the daydreams of a man pining for something he''d lost and near forgotten didn¡¯t matter so long as the feelings were real.


    The door across from me opened and the Elven clerk was there. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, Head Adventurer Dorostreff will see you now.¡±


    "Excellent," I said, standing up. The Head Adventurer was higher than I expected to see, but I wasn''t going to argue. I began to follow the clerk.


    Not before deciding to take Cheroske¡¯s pamphlet with me, though. I stuffed it into my pocket before I left.

 Chapter 70 - Dorostreff

    The Head Adventurer¡¯s office was deep inside the building and had a great view of the noble quarter. It seemed like every inch of it was covered in some form of weapon, armor, or trophy in a garish display of what some might consider dashing heroics. One wall was dedicated to mounted heads of dangerous monsters that hung above the gear used to kill them, forming a timeline from right to left as the creatures got bigger and the equipment more expensive.


    Sitting at a large desk covered in paper with a glowing quill that was writing on its own was an Elven man. His tan skin wasn¡¯t wrinkled, but there was a quality to it that made him seem unnaturally young, as though he had gone through some kind of treatment to rejuvenate himself. He grinned as I walked in, showing off perfectly white teeth as he stood up.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger!¡± he greeted with a boisterous voice. His quill continued to write as he walked around the desk to greet me. ¡°It¡¯s so good to finally meet you. Cojisto had nothing but good things to say about you and your apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Head Adventurer Dorostreff, thank you for seeing me on such short notice,¡± I responded politely, shaking the Elf¡¯s hand before taking a seat offered to me. He returned to his side of the desk. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that you know of my mission, given that you met Cojisto and were likely the one who briefed him on this joint venture.¡±


    ¡°Right to it, then?¡± Dorostreff laughed. Once he sat down, he opened a drawer to retrieve a whiskey tumbler, setting it on the desk. ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding when he said you were all business.¡±


    I suppressed a frown. ¡°With all due respect, Head Adv-¡°


    ¡°Please, call me Dorostreff,¡± he interrupted, pulling out a half-full bottle of Estherpin, an Elven whiskey made not far from the city. It was a harder drink than most of the alcohol made in Athir, much harder, but still highly regarded for its flavor and aroma.


    ¡°With all due respect, Dorostreff,¡± I reiterated slowly, measuring my response. ¡°But I don¡¯t think drinking will help this meeting.¡±


    The Elf nodded. ¡°Maybe not for you, but it will certainly help me,¡± he said, pouring himself a drink.


    ¡°Somehow, I find that doubtful,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You have your own way of doing things at the Department of Dungeons, and we have our own here at the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium. Especially when it involves dealing with Dungeon Inspectors first thing in the morning,¡± he said, raising his glass with a smile. ¡°Cheers.¡±


    I watched as he sipped his whiskey and shook my head. Adventurers, even retired ones, would always be adventurers. ¡°Since you briefed Cojisto, you know what my work is for. If so, you should know how important my business is.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Badger, you know how this goes as much as I do,¡± he said, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°These are dungeons! There will always be adventurers who don¡¯t make it. It¡¯s sad, of course, but everyone knows the risks going in. Some people are born heroes, while others simply aren¡¯t cut out for it. I don¡¯t think such a small increase in deaths warrants a full blown investigation.¡±


    That made me frown. ¡°Unfortunately for the both of us, my boss disagrees,¡± I said, trying to be diplomatic. ¡°Though now that you¡¯ve said your piece, what were you told of what I¡¯m looking into?¡±


    The Elf arched an eyebrow. ¡°You want me to spend my time telling you what your job is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like us to be on the same page.¡±


    Dorostreff took another drink before he leaned back in his chair and put his fingers together. ¡°Some of the dungeons in our area have increased in lethality over the past few months. You¡¯ve come to figure out why,¡± he said before shaking his head. ¡°But it¡¯s a tale as old as dungeons themselves. They fight near constantly, the adventurers grab the crystals, and everyone gets stronger.¡±


    ¡°Except, in this case, the adventurers,¡± I pointed out.


    He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°That happens, too. There¡¯s been an infusion of new talent into the pool. They shoot for the stars, and it doesn''t always work out. Some of them make it okay, others don¡¯t. We¡¯re not going to deny someone their dream of being an adventurer if they can pass the minimum threshold.¡±


    ¡°There is a demographic shift going on right now with more young adventurers joining the Consortium, yes. I can agree with that statistic,¡± I said, leaning forward. ¡°But how come Athir¡¯s the only one who¡¯s having this problem, then? You also have one of the biggest rosters of adventurers on the continent thanks to so many taking centuries to retire. Are you going to sit here and tell me that they¡¯re all young bloods?¡±


    Dorostreff bristled. ¡°It¡¯s because we have so many fine adventurers that our dungeons are so spectacular.¡±


    ¡°Are they spectacular?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Spectacular,¡± he repeated firmly, jabbing a finger onto his desk after every syllable. ¡°Our young bloods, as you put it, have generally trained for longer than you¡¯ve been alive. They¡¯re stronger and more skilled than the equivalent ages anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°Heavily debatable,¡± I scoffed, crossing my arms. When he opened his mouth, I spoke a little louder. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m here to figure out why this is happening. Moose and Cojisto were to be sent ahead to scout them out, which they did thanks to your instruction.¡±


    ¡°Putting a lot of faith in some Human and his pet,¡± Dorostreff said before leaning in. ¡°The moose thing is weird, right? That¡¯s not just me?¡±


    I hesitated, but ended up nodding. ¡°It¡¯s not just you. I find it pretty weird as well. But, they¡¯re the best of friends, so, that¡¯s all there is to it,¡± I sighed. ¡°Look. The argument of demographics and lethality aside, I¡¯m actually here for another reason.¡±


    ¡°I would have been pretty angry if you came here just to look down on the Consortium,¡± the Elf said.


    ¡°I¡¯d never come here just to look down on the Consortium,¡± I managed to reply without scoffing. ¡°My apprentice and I visited the Red Thicket yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful dungeon,¡± Dorostreff said, nodding. ¡°Definitely one of the highlights of Athir¡¯s forest.¡±


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, I would agree,¡± I responded. He gave me a sharp look. ¡°Every Treant there is suffering from Rage Rot. Before Moose and Cojisto, there hadn¡¯t been anyone clearing the dungeon out for at least a month.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The Head Adventurer frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right. Did you already talk to Abara at the Green Union about this?¡±


    I shook my head, making a mental note of the Green Union representative¡¯s name. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I went to visit them last night, but no one was there. Their bell was missing and knocking didn¡¯t get me anywhere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange, that little Gnome practically lives in the Riverside office,¡± he claimed as he stroked his chin. ¡°But you said the Red Thicket hadn¡¯t had visitors in a month?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Many of them were in the advanced stages of Rage Rot.¡±


    ¡°Which would explain the enhanced lethality of the Treants there, at least for a short time,¡± Dorostreff offered. ¡°It takes a while for the visible symptoms of Rage Rot to appear, so they wouldn¡¯t look out of place for a while. That¡¯s one mystery solved.¡±


    ¡°Precisely my thoughts as well. What I really wanted to know was why this wasn¡¯t reported to the Green Union to be fixed or, at the very least, passed on to us,¡± I continued. ¡°Which did happen eventually, but that was because of the high rise in mortality rates. Once there, I found out they¡¯ve had no visitors in so long. I came here to see what your records said on the matter.¡±


    The Elf hesitated as if thinking. After a few seconds, he opened one of the drawers on his desk to pull out a Sending Stone. It was labeled Records Room, and he set it on the table before thumbing the rune on it, causing it to glow. We didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    ¡°Head Adventurer Dorostreff,¡± greeted a woman¡¯s nasally voice. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Taramelle,¡± he replied. ¡°I have Dungeon Inspector Badger here in my office. Would you be a doll and bring me up the file for the Red Thicket?¡±


    A pause. ¡°Does he have the proper requisition form?¡±


    As she was asking, I retrieved a piece of parchment from my Pocket and set it on the desk. It was a nearly filled out copy of the form she was asking for, missing only a few critical pieces of information.


    ¡°You¡­ just had that waiting?¡± Dorostreff asked incredulously.


    ¡°I believe in being prepared, and that means I always have a few of the more common forms ready to go,¡± I explained while I pulled out my pen and filled in the rest. I put down that I was looking for information on the Red Thicket from Athir¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Consortium under the purview of Head Adventurer Dorostreff. Once I was done, I pushed it across the desk. ¡°Officially requested, as requested.¡±


    The Elf nodded as he picked it up and looked it over. ¡°Requisition form received, Tara. Bring it up.¡±


    ¡°Right away, sir,¡± she responded before the Sending Stone stopped glowing.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be here a few minutes,¡± Dorostreff said as he put the magical device back into its drawer. He took another sip of his whiskey before he returned the bottle to his desk. ¡°You have quite the circuit to go over, Badger. If I remember right, you¡¯ll be visiting that bitch Akshashka after you¡¯re done with the Red Thicket, right?¡±


    Akshashka was the leader and matriarch of the Dark Elf Quarry. She had been a thorn in the side of Athir from the moment she showed up centuries ago, which had been her plan the entire time. While her dungeon had been defeated countless times since its inception, it still denied the Forest Elves a substantial national resource mostly due to the rules put in place by the DoD about squatting in dungeons after their defeat.


    That was one of the reasons we weren¡¯t very well liked here in Athir, though it was admittedly only a small drop in the bucket of bureaucracy.


    ¡°I did plan on visiting the quarry after I took care of the problems around the Red Thicket, yes,¡± I told him. ¡°But this comes first. I¡¯ll get there when I get there.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Just don¡¯t be surprised if you¡¯re met with hostility,¡± Dorostreff said before looking at his glass and downing the rest. ¡°Akshashka has been a pain in the ass since she got here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of her personality profile. Rest assured that it won¡¯t be a problem so long as I don¡¯t provoke her.¡±


    ¡°Like bringing your junior with you?¡± he asked, peering down at what his quill was writing. It must have been fine, because the Elf nodded and leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°That¡¯s a likely necessary precaution, unfortunately,¡± I answered. ¡°Ferrisdae may be a Junior Dungeon Inspector, but there are some hives you just don¡¯t poke, no matter how big a stick you carry.¡±


    Dorostreff was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡±


    I turned to see a trim woman in a modest green dress open the door. Her blond hair was cut short, showing off her long, though rounded, ears. We made eye contact before she shut the door behind her and she approached me, offering her hand. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that she arrived here carrying nothing.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, I am Taramelle, the Chief Records Officer for Athir¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Consortium. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± she greeted. I recognized her nasally voice from the Sending Stone.


    Standing up, I shook her hand. ¡°Thank you for coming up here so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you for your diligence,¡± Dorostreff said from behind me. I heard him get up, and I moved so I wasn¡¯t standing between them. ¡°Did you find the file?¡±


    ¡°I did, sir,¡± she confirmed. We both looked her over, and she smoothed her dress nervously with both of her empty hands.


    ¡°Did you bring it?¡± he followed up.


    ¡°No, sir,¡± Taramelle answered, her eyes flicking from me to the Head Adventurer. ¡°Could I speak with you for just a moment? Privately, if possible.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the Red Thicket file?¡± I asked, annoyance welling up inside me.


    The Half-Elf¡¯s face paled at my question. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with-¡±


    ¡°Come off it, Tara,¡± Dorostreff said with a wave of his hand. ¡°Badger here¡¯s going to invoke some rule or regulation that will force us to let him into the records room to check it himself, and I¡¯m not going to be bothered to stop him. So you might as well say it now in front of him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said before taking a breath. ¡°I discovered that the Red Thicket file has been¡­ tampered with.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°And the back-up files you¡¯re required to keep?¡±


    ¡°They seem to be tampered with as well, Dungeon Inspector,¡± she answered, lowering her head.


    ¡°And what makes you think they¡¯ve been messed with, Taramelle?¡± Dorostreff asked.


    ¡°Because the last addition to the file is a Certificate of Destruction,¡± she explained. ¡°As you know, when a file is closed out then I¡¯m the one to do it. That is one of my jobs as the CRO of this Consortium Branch. However, despite my name on it, I never prepared one for the Red Thicket with a Dungeon Inspector. None of the other clerks remembered pulling the file recently, let alone adding to it.¡±


    ¡°How far back is the CoD dated?¡± I asked, now both annoyed and intrigued.


    The Certificate of Destruction was drafted with both a member of the Consortium, usually the CRO, and the Inspector who destroyed the dungeon. I was curious to see who¡¯s name was on this piece of paperwork. If it actually was a Dungeon Inspector, then we had a bigger problem than we realized.


    ¡°One month, two weeks, and four days,¡± she stated immediately.


    I looked back at Dorostreff. ¡°A little longer than Maplewell¡¯s three or four weeks and certainly longer than Sapmore¡¯s two. Given their state of mind, I¡¯d be inclined to believe they might not be as aware of the flow of time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be inclined to agree,¡± the Head Adventurer said. He pulled out his bottle of whiskey and poured another glass before downing it. Sighing, he stood up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get down to the records room and get this over with. Tara, please lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied with a nod.


    I was looking forward to, hopefully, getting answers.

 Chapter 71 - Records

    The Adventurer¡¯s Consortium¡¯s records room was in one of the building¡¯s many basements. Taramelle led us through a few hallways before we made it to the stairs. After the first two flights, we saw a group of clerks in what looked like a small kitchen and dining room not far down the hallway.


    ¡°I had the team vacate the record room after my discovery,¡± Taramelle explained, leading us further down. ¡°I thought you might want to check things out without a lot of prying eyes, Head Adventurer.¡±


    ¡°A good choice, Tara. Thank you,¡± he said as we made it to our destination.


    The room was clearly marked in both Elven and Imperial Standard, and the Half-Elf retrieved a wooden card from her pockets. She slid it against the doorframe next to the knob. A loud click could be heard, and she opened it, gesturing for us to enter.


    Dorostreff did so, but I looked at the lock. ¡°Any signs of forced entry?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, though all the record clerks and many of the managers have one of these access cards,¡± Taramelle answered, holding up the wooden card.


    ¡°Have any gone missing?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. They¡¯re all accounted for. The access cards don¡¯t leave this building. They get passed from one person to the next at shift change. It¡¯s all recorded, as per the law.¡±


    Nodding, I followed Dorostreff in. That log should make finding whoever did this easier.


    Should because I hoped this had nothing to do with the portal expert that had helped the Blackwood Queen make her escape. Those types always made these things harder.


    The smell of old paper, ink, and fresh flowers hit me as soon as I walked in. It reminded me of the records room in the DoD, and I found some solace in that as I looked around. Behind me, Taramelle shut the door. It clicked loudly again, indicating that it was now locked.


    Rows and rows of white wooden cabinets took up most of the space in the room. I knew that these were magically enchanted to help preserve the files within. It was an expensive endeavor, but a necessary one. Almost every record detailing adventurers and their dealings with dungeons from the last 800 years rested here.


    There were tables for working placed sporadically throughout, but they were neat and tidy despite being covered in scrolls and forms. They each had a few chairs around it, and it looked like whoever was working at each one only had time to stopper their inkwells before they evacuated the room.


    Taramelle walked around us towards the back of the room. We were led towards a desk that was tucked away behind a series of empty carts. A name plate belonging to the Half-Elf sat prominently on the corner and it was just as neat as the tables. I could appreciate that.


    ¡°This is where I left the file,¡± Taramelle said, walking around to sit down. She retrieved a thick stack of paper from one of the desk drawers and placed it on top, pushing it towards us.


    Dorostreff was the first to take it and start looking through. I frowned as I waited my turn, but I didn¡¯t have to be impatient for long.


    ¡°Yup. Those are our signatures, all right,¡± he confirmed before handing it to me. The Head Adventurer had barely glanced at it.


    I quickly took the file and shared a glance with Taramelle. She gave me an apologetic smile as if that would somehow make up for her boss¡¯ cavalier attitude, and I started reading.


    The Certificate of Destruction wasn''t usually a lengthy document. Thankfully, law mandated that all official Consortium documents were written in Imperial Standard. After trying and failing to read Ferrisdae¡¯s Elven script back in the Dungeon Master¡¯s little story, I was thankful I didn¡¯t have to ask for a translator.


    At the top, it stated which dungeon was terminated and when. Just like Taramelle said, this one was for the Red Thicket and was dated almost a month and three weeks back. Next was the reason.


    Whoever filled it out had stated that it was destroyed due to magic decay. It was something that happened to older dungeons more frequently than young ones, though it could theoretically affect any of them. Due to various reasons, the magic stopped functioning the way it was supposed to. Whether it ceased reviving the denizens or stunted the growth of the crystals, the signs were usually easy to spot well in advance.


    Most of the times a dungeon¡¯s boss was relocated was because the symptoms of magic decay were showing. They became too powerful for the original magical array and they took the opportunity to move on to bigger, better pastures. It allowed them to grow further in power as well. Sevenslegs¡¯ dungeon had only been around ten years old when we had to move him to the forest. He had fallen into that category.


    Magic decay was an interesting choice. Not just because the Treants were actually decaying, but because the Red Thicket was centuries old. It was something that someone might think about for a moment before deciding it was likely. If it had been something like a subjugation or a request from Grandfather Red himself to shut it down, that would have brought up more questions for someone to dig into.


    The notes section was empty, which wasn¡¯t strange either. I, personally, left as many details as I could in the small space. Ferrisdae was the same way. In my case, I left as much information as possible so nobody came asking about it later. My junior was simply verbose and was incapable of being brief, which I counted as a positive in this case.


    At the bottom was the section for signatures. There were three places, one for the Head Adventurer, one for the Chief Records Officer, and another for the Dungeon Inspector who helped with the destruction. I brought it close to my eyes for this one.


    Dorostreff¡¯s signature was a large, loopy affair. His handwriting, frankly, was unrefined. It looked more like he was trying to take up more of the form than he was trying to sign an important document.


    Taramelle¡¯s was next. Hers was smaller, though it did take up most of the line it was written on. Her first name was legible, though her surname was packed tight. There were places where the ink was thicker than others where the letters flowed into one another.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The last was that of the Dungeon Inspector¡¯s, and I scowled. It was an almost illegible mess. The more I stared at it, the more I thought it actually spelled out Dungeon Inspector, which started to piss me off.


    Reaching up and pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed. ¡°Taramelle, how long have you been working as the Chief Records Officer here in Athir?¡± I asked as I checked the next form after the certificate.


    Most of the records the Consortium kept were for the clearing of dungeons and sales of magical crystals they produced. The adventurers would see which locations were in that week¡¯s rotations and go out to see what they could earn. This allowed dungeons the time they required to revive denizens and regrow precious resources as well as give the owner a short break.


    This was a process that used to be overseen by the DoD, but had been given to the Consortium to make sure the department never got too powerful. Whoever controlled the resources, after all, could help or harm the market as they saw fit. That was a decision that was made long before I was even born, and I agreed with it.


    An organization dedicated to adventurers would, in theory, want to do their best for said adventurers. Corruption popped up just like it did in any place where powerful people gathered, but it was dealt with quickly and brutally. Sometimes before a country¡¯s government had time to notice, which could make things hard depending on the target.


    If there was one thing adventurers were good at, it was rooting out corruption.


    ¡°I was promoted to this position six years ago,¡± she answered as I found what I was looking for.


    According to the sales record, the Red Thicket had been on rotation every week for over four months before the certificate was issued. It had been a healthy dungeon that recovered quickly despite the many Treants it had to revive every time.


    I checked the last visitors. The three latest entrants were from the same adventuring team, one that went by the name The Cypress Coven. I would have to ask about them later.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to need a signature from the both of you,¡± I said, looking at them both in turn. ¡°A few things within the last year, please. I want to look over the differences, because there¡¯s something strange going on with Taramelle¡¯s handwriting here.¡±


    The Half-Elf nodded and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll get you something right away, sir,¡± she replied. ¡°But, what do you mean there¡¯s something strange?¡±


    I looked back at her signature while she walked off, and raised my voice so she could still clearly hear me. ¡°There¡¯s signs of hesitation,¡± I answered. Looking up, I saw Dorostreff raising an eyebrow at me, and I pointed it out. ¡°Here, here, and here. The ink bled in these three places between letters, see?¡±


    ¡°They just look like small dots to me,¡± the Head Adventurer admitted.


    ¡°Yes, I can see why you¡¯d think that,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°But they show hesitation. Whoever is doing this signature likely stopped to look at whatever they¡¯re copying from. Just a moment of sitting there as they decide how to write the next letter. Seems strange to me that someone who has been signing their name all their life needs to stop and think, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Dorostreff shrugged. ¡°She could have just been distracted.¡±


    This time, I raised my eyebrow at him. ¡°Since when does someone in this line of work need undivided attention to sign their own name?¡± I asked. ¡°Especially when they¡¯ve been working in records for I assume years before becoming the Chief Records Officer.¡±


    ¡°It was just a thought, Badger,¡± he defended.


    I scoffed. ¡°Sure. Do you need to give your signature your undivided attention?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to,¡± Taramelle said as she returned with three files. ¡°Head Adventurer Dorostreff hasn¡¯t signed anything himself in years. He lets his quill do it for him.¡±


    "It saves time," he insisted, crossing his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a few choice words to say about that in a moment,¡± I said as I opened the three files the Half-Elf brought out. They each had Certificates of Destruction in them. Two from the past year, one being a subjugation while the other was due to a lack of interest, and the last was from two years ago when the owner wanted to move to the other side of the forest.


    Each of them had the same exact signature minus the hesitation marks. They didn¡¯t match with the forgery exactly, but they were damn close.


    My suspicion of Taramelle lessened slightly, but Dorostreff was raising a big red flag.


    I turned to look at him. ¡°You have your magical quill sign all of your paperwork for you just so you can save a little time?¡± I asked, dubious that the man in charge of an entire country¡¯s Consortium would make such a decision.


    The Head Adventurer grunted. ¡°A lot of paperwork crosses my desk, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not okay,¡± I replied, flicking the Certificate of Destruction with my finger. ¡°You realize that your signature is the same on all four of these, right? And likely countless more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little shortcut,¡± he scoffed, gesturing towards the three on the table. ¡°Those, I certainly did sign. I remember them. That CoD? I¡¯ve never seen it. I didn¡¯t even know it was broken until you brought it up to me. Anyone could have taken my quill and signed my name.¡±


    I threw my hand into the air. ¡°And don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a gods damned problem? Now we have a problem where you¡¯re either lying to me or are grossly incompetent!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t talk to me like that in my own house,¡± Dorostreff warned, pointing down at me with a finger. ¡°I let you down here because I knew you were going to give me a headache one way or another. Don¡¯t make me kick you out.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately for you, you no longer can,¡± I responded, not giving him any ground. ¡°There¡¯s a plethora of rules right now that allow me to be in this room to do my job as a Dungeon Inspector. Because, guess what? This Certificate of Destruction never came to the DoD. If it did, I wouldn¡¯t be here trying to figure out why people are dying there.¡±


    ¡°Were, Inspector. They were dying there,¡± he countered. ¡°Nobody¡¯s been in that dungeon for nearly two months and you¡¯ve only just come out to see what¡¯s up. Your precious Department of Dungeons has been nothing but-¡±


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Taramelle interjected, her voice stronger than I thought it would be. ¡°We are here because someone tampered with official Consortium documents and we need to do something about it. Now is not the time to be fighting.¡±


    Dorostreff worked his jaw, staring down at me where I stood my ground. After a few seconds, he nodded. ¡°Alright, Tara,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Get Dungeon Inspector Badger whatever he needs to get to the bottom of this. Not only do we have to figure out what¡¯s going on, but he needs to clear my good name.¡±


    I held my tongue; setting him off again would only make things harder for me.


    ¡°Of course, Head Adventurer. I¡¯ll let you know what we find.¡±


    ¡°See to it that you do,¡± he said before turning on his heel and leaving.


    Though I couldn¡¯t see him due to the tall cabinets, I heard Dorostreff stomping through the records room. We both waited until we heard the first click, the door open, and then the final click before the tension left the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for him, sir,¡± Taramelle immediately started.


    ¡°He''s not your problem to apologize for, but don''t worry about it. This isn''t the first time I¡¯ve encountered someone like him,¡± I replied. ¡°I have a few places I want to start. Could you grab some records from specific dungeons for me? I¡¯m going to make a call while you do.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Anything to help expedite the investigation,¡± she answered.


    I nodded. At least this part didn¡¯t seem like it was going to be too terrible. ¡°Alright, so the first is the Dark Elf Quarry, then¡­¡±

 Chapter 72 - Leads

    It was dark outside by the time I returned to the Tall Tree Tav. People were leaving the building in good spirits, and I realized that I must have missed trivia night. I frowned as I ducked through the door, avoiding a pair of drunken Elves holding each other up. After I placed an order for food and drink to be delivered to my room, I headed up the stairs.


    Ferrisdae had called me on the Sending Stone twice during the day. The first time was to let me know that she was heading back to the Red Thicket, and the second was to let me know that she was returning so that she would have time to get back to her room for her therapy session. Cojisto and Moose had escorted her both ways.


    Once I entered my room, I checked for signs of forced entry, missing or new items, and everything else that would show that things had been tampered with. I had denied housekeeping services to ensure privacy specifically because there had been trouble afoot. There were no signs of anything I didn¡¯t do, and I relaxed.


    Taking a seat at the desk, I sent Ferrisdae a message letting her know I was available to discuss the events of the day once she was done. It was the least intrusive option I had, and she responded quickly to let me know that she would be over shortly.


    Shortly turned out to be less than a minute later. There was a knock on my door before she let herself in.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ferrisdae greeted. Her eyes looked like she had been crying, but she didn¡¯t seem distressed.


    ¡°Good evening. How was¡­¡± I trailed off, not sure if it was proper for me to address it or not. This was territory I tended to avoid.


    ¡°It was fine, thank you,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Sister Tserunada would rather me not be working, but I couldn¡¯t leave you out here alone with just Cojisto and Moose for backup.¡±


    ¡°I would be fine, though,¡± I offered, filing the name of her therapist away for later. ¡°If you need to take time off, I mean.¡±


    ¡°And miss everything that¡¯s going on? No thank you, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae replied, making a face that clearly told me that her taking a break was off the table.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    The Elf nearly giggled. ¡°No, just you asking is enough,¡± she said. ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy for you to get into these kinds of things with me, so you¡¯re off the hook. I¡¯ll talk to Cojisto and Moose about it next time we meet.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that, but she had told me I was off the hook and I let it go. My junior finally closed the door behind her and looked around the room. Her eyes changed from their usual green to a glowing purple as she checked for traces of magic that didn¡¯t belong.


    While she did that, I grabbed a chair for her from the corner of the room and set it next to the desk with mine. Once Ferrisdae seemed satisfied, she sat down next to me. Her gaze turned to the documents I had left out. Most of them were the Consortium files from the dungeons we were supposed to visit, though my notes were interspersed.


    ¡°Before we get into this,¡± I started, gesturing towards the desk. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s going on with the Red Thicket.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s gaze passed over the files one more time before she focused on me. ¡°The Treesingers have been working in shifts from last night to today,¡± she reported.


    ¡°So they¡¯ve been going for nearly 24 hours now?¡± I asked. That was longer than anyone assumed they needed.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she confirmed. ¡°And that¡¯s with Moose¡¯s help. They¡¯ve managed to cure everyone except for Grandfather Red. The problem is, whatever strain¡¯s affecting the boss is proving even more resistant to healing than the others.¡±


    That caused me to frown. ¡°You mentioned that it was tough to cure before, did Constance Dar Fesuande have anything to say about that when you talked it over with her?¡±


    ¡°We did manage to come to a working hypothesis, but you¡¯re not going to like it,¡± she said slowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like any of this, but please don¡¯t be dramatic on my account,¡± I scoffed.


    Pursing her lips, Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°We think that the Rage Rot on Grandfather Red in particular has somehow managed to infect the magic keeping the dungeon active.¡±


    Looking away from my junior, I furrowed my brow in thought. Changing the very groundwork of a dungeon¡¯s magic was no small feat. It took a lot of knowledge, resources both powerful and mundane, and time.


    And if anyone could do such a thing, it was probably the cult of CC.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to return him to a state where he can talk to us,¡± Ferrisdae continued. ¡°It came to a point where we ran out of ideas, so Constance and I even had Cojisto and Moose take out Grandfather Red to see what happened afterwards. The Rage Rot started reappearing on some of the weaker Treants when we did, which is what led to our hypothesis. I¡¯d like for you to come down and test it sometime. You¡¯ve got a lot more experience with dungeon magic than I do.¡±


    ¡°That may be true, but you have a better grasp of magic as a whole. Right now it seems like you have a good handle on things,¡± I said. ¡°I hear your request, but I¡¯m going to leave the Red Thicket to you until you hit a stumbling block or my current investigation finishes up. If you want to take notes for me to go over, feel free to do so and I¡¯ll give you my thoughts, but I¡¯ll let you lead there until you don¡¯t think you can any longer.¡±


    The Elf blinked before smiling and sitting up straight. ¡°I suppose I do have a good handle on things, don¡¯t I?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Seems so,¡± I answered, letting her bask in the small praise. ¡°What did you do with the Treants?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve evacuated the dungeon for now,¡± she responded. ¡°It was a long trek, but they managed to make it to the Treesinger¡¯s commune where they¡¯ll be safe for the time being. The only one still left in the Red Thicket is Grandfather Red himself.¡±


    ¡°That was a good call. The less variables you have, the easier it will be to get to the bottom of things,¡± I said.


    ¡°What¡¯s weird is that this isn¡¯t even the first time Constance had seen something like this before,¡± she stated. I arched an eyebrow, and she continued. ¡°It¡¯s been a little while, but she¡¯s seen other plant diseases and fungus like this appear in the Athir woods. Not enough to make it a definitive pattern, or anything. About three other times in the past 150 years.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the dungeons?¡± I asked, not bothering to correct an Elf on what could be considered a little while.


    ¡°She thinks they were shut down, but she couldn¡¯t remember them very clearly,¡± Ferrisdae answered as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°The only name Constance thought she remembered was the Leaf Blade Grove.¡±


    ¡°Hardly helpful, but it¡¯s a start.¡±


    Nodding, the Elf sighed. ¡°It is, which is why I asked her to talk to anyone who was around during that time and get back to me tomorrow. Until then, one name isn¡¯t hard to look into. You¡¯re still looking into the Consortium documents, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Turning away from her, I looked at the documents on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll have to return these tomorrow, but Taramelle, the Chief Records Officer, was gracious enough to let me borrow them. I¡¯m also waiting for the chief to get back to me about some stuff I had asked about.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    No sooner than I said it, my Sending Stone started vibrating on the far end of the desk. I released a heavy sigh as I reached for it, making sure Ferrisdae could see my eye roll while I did. All it took was a few taps on the brick and it stopped vibrating.


    ¡°Badger, good evening,¡± the chief¡¯s voice came loudly from the stone, harsh but clear. ¡°And Ferry as well, I assume.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Brack,¡± Ferrisdae greeted.


    ¡°Yes, hello,¡± I said. ¡°Did Millicef give you the long list of items that I was asking about?¡±


    ¡°I did. First thing¡¯s first, you were already attacked?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ve been there, what? Two days?¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a magnet for trouble,¡± I answered dryly. ¡°Things have been hectic since the moment we stepped foot in Athir. Between Ferrisdae¡¯s cousin butting into our trip-¡±


    ¡°Which we saw as a possibility,¡± she quickly added.


    ¡°We did,¡± I conceded. ¡°Running into magic resistant Rage Rot in the Red Thicket, getting attacked by a Blackwood Queen only for her portal wielding companion to teleport her out, and ruining any potentially good relationship with Dorostreff, it¡¯s been a busy two days.¡±


    ¡°Millicef mentioned the whole signature thing. However, don¡¯t go forward with any accusations without consulting me first,¡± Brackenhorst ordered. I scowled. ¡°And don¡¯t you make that face at me. Dorostreff is a very popular figure in Athir, especially with the adventurers, with a lot of power backing him. If he is corrupt, then we need to be careful in how we deal with this.¡±


    ¡°If he is corrupt, then we need to act quickly,¡± I scoffed, scowling even harder since he called me out on it. ¡°This isn¡¯t some low level stiff we¡¯re talking about; this is the Head Adventurer himself. If he¡¯s not corrupt then he¡¯s incompetent, and there¡¯s a lot of damage he can do with just incompetence alone. And if he¡¯s not on whatever side made the Certificate of Destruction, then his cavalier regard for the rules still made it possible.¡±


    Brackenhorst sighed. ¡°Ferry, you¡¯re from Athir. Is there anything you know about Dorostreff that might help clear Badger¡¯s mind?¡±


    ¡°My mind is clear,¡± I defended. ¡°The man¡¯s a hack. He needs to get sacked for such gross disregard for rules if nothing else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be hard,¡± Ferrisdae said quietly, and offered me a thin smile when I looked her way. ¡°Dorostreff has been the Head Adventurer for almost as long as I¡¯ve been alive. A lot of families, mine included, donate to the Consortium specifically because of the policies he¡¯s put into place. Not only that, but¡­¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°Ferrisdae, I already said not to be dramatic on my account,¡± I chastised.


    ¡°Right¡­ Dorostreff is the heir of one of the more prominent Dukes in Athir,¡± she continued. ¡°That makes potentially removing him a fairly difficult process.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯d have to get around nepotism and money,¡± I groaned, running my hands down my face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Badger. So what we need is hard evidence that points directly to him. Just being upset that he uses a magic quill to sign his paperwork, as legitimate a feeling as it is, doesn¡¯t mean we can oust him tomorrow,¡± Brackenhorst said.


    ¡°I get it,¡± I said sourly. ¡°What about the paperwork from Athir?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not going to like that, either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone keeps saying,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Telling me that I¡¯m not going to like it doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have to tell me, Chief.¡±


    The Dwarf cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking into which Dungeon Inspectors were in the area at the time. It¡¯s still an ongoing investigation where we¡¯re looking into who was working out of Athir around when the Certificate of Destruction was signed. There¡¯s two who were there officially.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go on,¡± I said slowly, paying careful attention to what he had just said.


    ¡°The first is Kaelmourn,¡± Brackenhorst stated. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s a distant relative to Matriarch Akshashka, and our dealings with her have become far more pleasant since he became a part of the DoD. He doesn¡¯t have any issues with the Forest Elves, so he does a fine job working as an intermediary. Before I pulled him away to take over your route so you could handle Raitheus Razorbeak, he was stationed in Athir.


    ¡°The second is Deresca,¡± the Chief continued. ¡°She was working in Astlerwood National Forest before she got pulled away to go check on reports of people being attacked by numbers.¡±


    ¡°Which turned out to be Himia,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Wish we could have caught that one before we sent you two all alone to the Thousand Year Blizzard, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it now. She¡¯s been back to New Frausta since then, but hasn¡¯t turned in anything like a Certificate of Destruction. The Red Thicket shouldn¡¯t even have been on her route.¡±


    I stroked my chin as I thought it over. Kaelmourn was a fairly decent Dungeon Inspector. Deresca was a little absent-minded, but her ferret familiar was great at reminding her when she needed to finish things. They both had a tendency to skirt some lines, sure, though I couldn¡¯t see either of them missing something as important as a Certificate of Destruction unless it was on purpose.


    ¡°And who was there unofficially?¡± I asked.


    There was no answer.


    Frowning, I tapped the Sending Stone. ¡°Chief?¡±


    ¡°Liddy,¡± he reluctantly grunted.


    ¡°Liddy, the Dungeon Inspector with four juniors because she does such a good job?¡± Ferrisdae asked, surprised. ¡°That Liddy?¡±


    ¡°That Liddy,¡± Brackenhorst confirmed. ¡°She and her group stayed the night on the way through just a few days before the date you said was on the cert. As much as I hate to say it, but she and her apprentices are on the short list.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be Liddy,¡± I said, sure of myself. ¡°Maybe one of the people you pinned to her, but Liddy wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re keeping an open mind,¡± he responded. ¡°Either way, there¡¯s a slightly better than average chance that, if it was one of her juniors, they¡¯re still with her.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Ferrisdae asked, confused.


    I glanced at her. ¡°Remember how we split ways in New Frausta?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Liddy and Justisius both kept two of their apprentices with them and sent the other two to do their inspections,¡± I continued. ¡°If we assume she sent away the more competent and trustworthy members to do her tasks, then the ones who are with her are the ones she wants to keep an eye on. Then again, who knows what that woman¡¯s actually thinking half of the time.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Brackenhorst agreed with a dark chuckle. He followed it up with a sigh, and he sounded every bit the old man he was when he spoke again. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s privileged information. I know you two aren¡¯t going to blabber on about this to anyone, but I thought it might set your mind at ease that we are conducting a full investigation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start, but that¡¯s all it is. You know the only thing that puts me at ease is facts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hear what you¡¯re saying. Do you have anything new for me?¡±


    ¡°A couple things. For the Red Thicket, Ferrisdae and Constance Dar Fesuande have been talking,¡± I said before gesturing for the Elf to pick it up.


    She blinked but nodded. ¡°Right. We think that the Rage Rot may have become so bad that it¡¯s part of the dungeon¡¯s magic now,¡± she stated. ¡°Constance said something about three dungeons within the past 150 years doing something similar, but only came up with one name. Could you have someone look into the Leaf Blade Grove for us? And any dungeons that might have similarities to it?¡±


    ¡°I can get someone on that, yes,¡± Brackenhorst confirmed. ¡°Do you really think the rot infected the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Through Grandfather Red, yes,¡± she said, nodding as if he could see her.


    ¡°If Ferrisdae thinks it¡¯s possible, then I think it¡¯s worth looking into,¡± I added.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it a priority request, then,¡± he said. ¡°What else?¡±


    I shifted around the papers in the Red Thicket file. ¡°The same adventuring team defeated Grandfather Red three times before the cert was made. I¡¯ve got the Consortium looking into them, but I was hoping you might have something on our end to help.¡±


    ¡°Of course. What¡¯s the team name?¡±


    ¡°The Cypress Coven,¡± I read aloud.


    Ferrisdae nearly fell out of her chair in her haste to stand up. ¡°The Cypress Coven?¡± she repeated. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s on the documents,¡± I said, showing it to her. Ferrisdae leaned in close to read it, then sighed. ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°The Cypress Coven is an Anne Runelara adventuring party,¡± she slowly admitted, looking away as she fidgeted with her robes.


    I pursed my lips and nodded. ¡°Alright. It looks like we¡¯ll be visiting your family sooner than we anticipated. Who¡¯s the leader, and how soon do you think we could ask them some questions?¡±


    Ferrisdae grimaced before she transformed her expression into a nervous smile. ¡°Should be pretty easy to set up a meeting. For me, I mean,¡± she said quietly. ¡°The leader of the Cypress Coven is my mother.¡±


    It took me a few moments to process her words before I placed my head in my hands and sighed. ¡°Fantastic. Just fucking fantastic.¡±

 Chapter 73 - Assignment

    The next few days were, thankfully, as normal as I could have asked for.


    After a brief visit myself to the Red Thicket to check things out, I agreed with Ferrisdae¡¯s conclusion that the Rage Rot had somehow become so ingrained with Grandfather Red that it had become a part of the dungeon itself. With my permission, she brought in the High Priestess of Shaneere, a local nature goddess, to help get to the bottom of things when all I could offer was ideas and potential solutions. It was a strange event to be sure, but one that would give us new insights the more we researched it.


    When Constance Dar Fesuande couldn¡¯t remember the names of the dungeons that met similar ends to the Red Thicket, which was something I found completely believable after meeting the spaced-out druid for the first time, I had to look for them the hard way.


    Because of that, most of my time was spent in the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium¡¯s basement. I had the full, undivided cooperation of two clerks, Ridalelle and Algretori, which was all the help Taramelle could afford to give me. Both of them had been working in the record room for years and were likely the most competent helpers I could have asked for.


    Dorostreff never bothered us. Unlike what I had initially thought, he wasn¡¯t proving to be a flight risk. Perhaps he felt secure in his seat of power, heir to one of the most powerful families in Athir, or perhaps he really was just a buffoon. Only time would tell at this point.


    In the records room, my ¡°office¡± was a table covered in folders and documents. These were all for dungeons that had been taken out of circulation in the past two hundred years, as well as those that had a Certificate of Destruction filled out for plague and diseased based reasons. The net was wide, but it was getting smaller with each passing day.


    Both Ridalelle and Algretori were constantly on the hunt for folders that fit my criteria. The ones I finished looking through went straight back where they had come from, and new ones were placed at the bottom of my piles so I got through them in a linear fashion. It was a very efficient system.


    What turned out to be a headache was the sheer amount of dungeons that fit the criteria. Athir might have been mostly forest, but it was still a big country with a long, well documented history. That did not mean I could read everything, though.


    The ruling that the files had to be written in Imperial Standard was only around a hundred years old, which meant I needed a translator from Elvish for some of them. Taramelle had started the daunting process of converting the old records, but it was a task that would take literal decades with the manpower she was allotted. She started the program with the most recent dungeons, but that still left me with about 25% of the documents in Elvish.


    ¡°So this is what the basement of the Consortium looks like,¡± I heard Cojisto say as he was led towards me by Ridalelle.


    The freckled Elven woman had her platinum hair up in a tight bun that matched well with her stern expression. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, the adventurer you requested is here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ridalelle,¡± I said. ¡°Feel free to start on the next round of translations after your break.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said with a nod before walking out, leaving us alone. Every Consortium employee had mandatory breaks, and I wasn¡¯t about to strip any of my helpers of them even if I worked through my own.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been busy,¡± Cojisto remarked, shifting some of the folders on the desk.


    I slapped his hand, but a shimmer of energy protected him right above the skin. That was his Fluid Force, the magical ability he got from going through the Dungeon Master¡¯s story. He hadn¡¯t shown any signs of being disturbed by the process, even back then. When Moose came out with magical powers, all he could think about was how he could use his new abilities for adventuring.


    He was simple like that, but trustworthy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I thought you and Moose would be gone by now,¡± I said as I realigned the folders he had touched.


    Their contract work with the Department of Dungeons was only supposed to last for a few days. Conquer some dungeons, assess how dangerous they were, and report back to me with any information they thought was relevant to the case.


    It was unfortunate, then, that Cojisto loved to talk; to him, every moment of their so-called heroics were worth mentioning. This often overshadowed the things I usually thought were actually important. Ferrisdae may have enjoyed his tales of derring-do, but it just seemed to me that he liked the sound of his own voice.


    ¡°Well, you know, we were already coming to Athir to adventure,¡± he replied. ¡°Now that our job with you is done, I figured we could still do that. And this way, if either of you needed us, then we¡¯d still be in the neighborhood.¡±


    I was about to tell him that we didn¡¯t need him, but stopped myself. He was here because I did need someone to check something out.


    Rather, I¡¯d prefer Moose to check it out, but I knew Cojisto was a non-negotiable addition.


    ¡°Your insight seems to have paid off this time,¡± I said, and he grinned at me. ¡°But wipe that smile off your face. This is serious business.¡±


    Cojisto nodded, trying to put on a stern face. ¡°Right, yes, of course. I¡¯m very serious,¡± he said, unable to hide the glint of excitement in his eye. ¡°Will we be partnering up with you this time? Ferrisdae? The whole party back together?¡±


    ¡°We were never a whole party, Cojisto,¡± I sighed. ¡°And I¡¯m about five seconds away from finding a different pair of adventurers.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°You¡¯d trust others when Moose and I are here?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°After everything we¡¯ve been through, you¡¯d rather find someone who knows nothing of the situation?¡±


    I stared at the Human for a moment before picking up three folders, because I really didn¡¯t want to answer that question.


    ¡°These are three defunct dungeons,¡± I explained, handing them to him. ¡°The Leaf Blade Grove, the Emerald Sinkhole, and the Karst of Vile Spores.¡±


    Cojisto raised his hand. ¡°What¡¯s a karst?¡±


    ¡°Essentially, it¡¯s a cave with water in it,¡± I explained, giving him the most basic answer I could.


    ¡°Okay, neat. A sinkhole and a water cave. Moose will be excited to go spelunking.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Will he?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Cojisto said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°He loves that kind of stuff. Forests, caves, other natural formations. So long as he can fit, he¡¯s happy. In fact, that silver mine we explored together is in his top five.¡±


    My mouth opened on its own to ask another question, but my mind was active enough to hold the words back. This wasn¡¯t something I needed to know.


    ¡°Excellent. Then I would appreciate it if you could check them out,¡± I said instead. ¡°I had Algretori make you a map so you know the best route to hit all three in a timely manner. You¡¯re to go, scout, and report back to me.¡±


    Nodding, Cojisto opened the first file and started reading through. I watched him as he did, and the look on his face changed from its usual confidence to an all too familiar confusion.


    ¡°Badger?¡± he asked slowly. ¡°This one no longer exists. Why are we going to a dungeon that doesn¡¯t exist?¡±


    ¡°Because, on paper, the Red Thicket doesn¡¯t exist either,¡± I answered. ¡°It had a Certificate of Destruction just like these three, and all four had similar circumstances. I want you to check them out and see if they¡¯re actually defunct.¡±


    Cojisto furrowed his brow and checked the other two folders. ¡°Okay, I know I¡¯m not the smartest adventurer out there, but these are decades old,¡± he stated, tapping one of them with his knuckle. ¡°How could it be that, if they still exist, no one has stumbled across them? The brain thing would be a dead giveaway.¡±


    ¡°The DTER,¡± I corrected. Then, I frowned; that was actually a fairly good question. ¡°Do you remember the wagons in the Thousand Year Blizzard?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d never forget them,¡± he said with a grin.


    ¡°Right, and you remember how there wasn¡¯t a DTER inside of them?¡± I continued. ¡°You and Moose wandered around and didn¡¯t come across anything out of the ordinary until you stumbled across a dungeon inside the overdungeon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. That was really weird.¡±


    ¡°It was. When I was back in¡­¡± I trailed off, thinking of my fight with CC. That was privileged information, and telling Cojisto about it would open a line of questioning that I really didn¡¯t want to deal with. ¡°Recently, I felt a different kind of emotional response in a dungeon. One that wanted me to submit instead of being vigilant.¡±


    Cojisto made a sour face. ¡°Ugh, that sounds horrible.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°What I¡¯m getting at is, there seems to be an uptick in weird ways for dungeons to manifest lately. Now, these are old, I know that,¡± I said, leaning back in my chair. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that these are going to factor into the big reason why Ferrisdae and I are in Athir, but I still want you to check them out. Grandfather Red isn¡¯t the first to fall to this kind of thing, and I¡¯m leaving no stone unturned.¡±


    ¡°Even when that stone is old and overgrown.¡±


    ¡°Especially the stones that are old and overgrown,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s really something we should spend time on?¡± he asked, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Not that I doubt you or anything! Cause I don¡¯t. It¡¯s just, these are old, like you said. I mean, old old. You think someone¡¯s messing with dungeons once, what? Every fiftyish years? Who has that kind of patience?¡±


    ¡°Cojisto,¡± I said firmly, giving him my best deadpan glare.


    ¡°Yeah, Badger?¡± he asked, having the common decency to look at least a little sheepish.


    ¡°We are literally in the land of the Elves,¡± I replied evenly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s 50 years or 200 years, it¡¯s all a drop in the bucket for them. As an example, Ferrisdae isn¡¯t even as old as the Leaf Blade Grove, she¡¯s still in her late teens, and she¡¯s nearly three times my age. This is not a long time for them.¡±


    The man paused, his eyes drifting away. I saw his fingers lift off of the folders in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to calculate my age,¡± I said with a scowl.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t!¡± he lied, holding his hands up as if that would placate me. ¡°But, to get back to what¡¯s important, we¡¯ll take the job. Moose and I will enjoy the scenery to nowhere, I guess, and chat for a while.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I would appreciate it if you two could go sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to grab Ferry on the way?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°No? Why would I want you to grab Ferrisdae?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°No reason,¡± he said quickly. ¡°But you¡¯re also not coming with us?¡±


    I blinked before looking down at the mountain of folders still on my table. ¡°Not only do I still have to finally go visit the Dark Elf Quarry, but I have to prepare myself for a meeting with the Anne Runelaras. So, no, it¡¯s just you and Moose. If I had time to do this, then I would have gone myself.¡±


    Cojisto stood up. ¡°We¡¯ll get the job done as soon as possible, Badger, you have my word on it.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that much, at least,¡± I sighed. ¡°And if you do find that the dungeons are still active or they¡¯re overgrown with fungus or parasites or anything dangerous, don¡¯t go into them. Just make a note, and move on to the next one.


    ¡°Gotcha. We¡¯ll be back before sundown, promise.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make promises you can¡¯t keep,¡± I warned. ¡°These are very far out of the way, and any paths leading to them are likely to be overgrown.¡±


    ¡°You forget that Moose is very, very fast,¡± he replied with a grin. ¡°Anything else, Badger?¡±


    ¡°No. Be safe.¡±


    ¡°You, too,¡± he said jovially, giving me a sharp salute before heading out.


    Sighing, I rubbed my temples with my fingers. After reading through those particular files, I had a bad feeling about them. However, if it was Moose and Cojisto, then they would probably be fine.


    Without letting myself worry all too much, I started going through the next set of documents. It would only be a few minutes before the Consortium break time was over, and I wanted to make sure I could keep Ridalelle and Algretori busy when they returned.

 Chapter 74 - Matriarch

    The Dark Elf Quarry was a good hour¡¯s walk outside of the city of Athir, and I found myself enjoying the tranquility of the forest. It was easy to tell that only adventurers came this way. The roads were cracked and old, and the forest on either side grew however it pleased.


    This piece of the country was wild. Untamed. Even with a dungeon nearby, the sound of nature sang with the wind.


    Before I became used to the bustle of life in New Frausta, this environment had been the kind that I grew up in. Long treks like this one were great for the mind and soul.


    Such peace never lasted, though, and the forest opened up to show a huge, ancient mining site.


    Despite the sun high in the sky, the quarry was unnaturally dark and gloomy. A wide pit at least as large as a village spread from treeline to treeline. It had been cut in tiers, giving it the shape of a downward spiral all the way to the bottom. Standing at the edge, I couldn¡¯t see that far.


    There was an item for that. Reaching into my Dimensional Pocket, I retrieved a pair of goggles with dark lenses. They were made to fit me, and rested comfortably on my face when I put them on. In an instant, the gloomy atmosphere disappeared from the pit, seemingly jumping out to surround it.


    The Darklight Goggles were a magnificent piece of magical equipment. Light became dark and dark became light, inverting them at a level that the wearer would be comfortable with. Next, I pulled out my DoD badge and Dungeon Doorknocker and started descending.


    Things were a little slippery, and I had to constantly avoid traps. The Dark Elves were just as bad as Kobolds in some regards, and these ones were especially vindictive when it came to the Forest Elves. Trip wires on slopes, pressure plates on already cracked and uneven surfaces, and more. Even to my experienced eye, there were a couple of tricky ones to spot.


    Halfway down, I felt the tingle of the DTER and immediately stopped to take a step back. While it was customary to have the dungeon start at an actual entrance, such as a door or gate, it wasn¡¯t necessary. The Dark Elves had requested it to be around the halfway mark specifically. According to the records, it was to protect their home.


    Off the records, it was so that they could safely snipe any of the Forest Elves who decided to resume mining operations. No one could say they weren¡¯t petty.


    Knowing that the denizens of the Dark Elf Quarry were likely already aware of my presence, I still followed protocol and swung the Dungeon Doorknocker at the slope just inside the entrance. A ripple of force descended into the pit, and I frowned. That shouldn¡¯t have been noticeable to anyone who wasn¡¯t attuned to this location specifically.


    Before I had a chance to mull it over, a Dark Elf in a regal white gown emerged from a tunnel at the bottom of the pit. Even at a distance, she was immediately recognizable from the descriptions in the dungeon¡¯s files as Matriarch Akshashka. From her mature beauty to how she held herself to the golden jewelry adorning her short, bone-white hair, everything about her screamed nobility.


    I waited patiently for her to ascend to my level, expertly avoiding the traps on her path. A less experienced Dungeon Inspector would have gone to meet her half way. Kaelmourn, I was sure, would have walked in without a care for protocol. This was the proper way to do things, however, and that meant waiting even when the other party certainly seemed to be taking their time.


    Her aura was the brightest green I had seen thus far. Blue had been the color for allies back in the Dungeon Master''s story dungeon, but I instinctively knew that she would be that color if it were possible. That was fine, I would take complete friendship and do my best to maintain it.


    Once she reached me, Akshashka bowed, her gown revealing more of herself than I cared to see. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she greeted. Her accent was light and slow, giving a seemingly carefree measure to her voice. Her ruby eyes gave off a wholly different impression. ¡°I have been awaiting your visit for days now, though I had hoped you wouldn¡¯t be so callous as to come while everyone was asleep.¡±


    ¡°Surprise inspections are supposed to be just that, Matriarch: a surprise,¡± I replied, bowing with her. I straightened only when she did, returning my badge and knocker to my Pocket. ¡°How did you know I was coming?¡±


    A coy smile tugged at one side of her mouth. ¡°You must think poorly of me if you believe I don¡¯t have eyes and ears in the city my most hated enemy calls their home,¡± she said. ¡°I have caught wind of your presence, and a certain adventurer has been quite loud about his friendship with a pair of Inspectors. Your tale has spread wide.¡±


    That made me roll my eyes. ¡°Cojisto,¡± I guessed with a sigh.


    ¡°The very one who came to test out my dungeon,¡± she confirmed. ¡°It was strange, having such a pair come to challenge us. Usually, it¡¯s adventurers from closer to home, but I won¡¯t rile myself with such talk. Instead, I will thank you for not bringing your apprentice. I assure you that we would have remained civil, though it would have been in poor taste. Please, come in. I imagine you must have a lot to discuss. Shall I lead you through the traps?¡±


    Akshashka eyed the path behind me, but would have noticed that I hadn¡¯t set any off. Regardless, she offered me her arm. I had to reach up due to the difference in height, but I took it. Not out of protocol, but etiquette. I really didn¡¯t want any part of this to go badly.


    ¡°How is dear Kaelmourn?¡± she asked conversationally, leading me around the traps. ¡°I hope nothing happened to him, seeing as you¡¯re here in his place.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to him in months, but he was well enough to take an entirely new route on the other side of New Frausta. I assume he¡¯s well,¡± I answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she said, patting my hand with her own. ¡°I was so proud of him when I heard he had become a Dungeon Inspector some time ago. He may only be a distant nephew of mine, but he¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much more important than family,¡± I said as we reached the bottom. The tunnel wasn¡¯t far.


    ¡°Good day,¡± one of the Dark Elf guards in black leather armor greeted while his cohort simply waved. They were both standing at attention, likely because of the presence of the Matriarch, and I nodded at them.


    What surprised most surface dwellers about Dark Elf culture was that they were a very social people. As a society that evolved underground, they all grew up in close quarters with each other. Some of their cities were more spread out, of course, but for the most part they were friendly with each other and the people they traded with.


    Despite the rumors of demonic worship, cannibalistic tendencies, and slavery ¡ª most of which were started by the Forest Elves ¡ª they were just another race of people at the end of the day. They had their oddballs and rotten apples, sure, but who didn¡¯t?


    The tunnel was even brighter than outside thanks to the Darklight Goggles, but only to the point where it appeared to be naturally illuminated. Every denizen of this place could see in these conditions perfectly fine. The reason I used the goggles instead of some source of light was for their benefit.


    As we walked through the maze, our small talk fell to silence. That was fine by me. There were still guards greeting us as we walked. Many of them appeared to have just gotten out of bed, their hair out of place or sleep in their eyes. Undoubtedly, they were ready for combat but heard the visitor was a single Dungeon Inspector.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    At least they were polite, even if their auras showed them as decidedly ambivalent. Many of them disabled traps in your way or moved curtains of spider webs out of our way. Their equipment had to have been coated with something special, because not a single one of them got entangled.


    Our walk ended after we went through a secret door. I found myself in front of a beautifully built stone mansion. It looked out of place in the cave, but I knew this was the part of the dungeon that most adventurers would never see. Behind the building, which was the last line of defense, were the homes of those who weren¡¯t denizens but lived here to be closer to their loved ones.


    Sure enough, a few steps towards the mansion and I felt the DTER disappear. That would make things far more peaceful for the inhabitants. The aura around my guide disappeared.


    Akshashka led me into a well-tended fungus garden to a gazebo built out of the cavern¡¯s stone. There was a table with two chairs and a tea set, attended to by three men. Butlers, if I were to guess by their attire. I led the Matriarch to her seat before taking my own.


    ¡°You are all dismissed,¡± she ordered. The three Dark Elves bowed in unison before walking off towards the mansion. ¡°Would you like some tea, Inspector?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps just one cup,¡± I said. While the answer was no, it would have been considered rude. She had conceded the power dynamic to me by leaving her dungeon of her own free will, becoming vulnerable in the process, and I wanted to treat that consideration with respect. ¡°Matriarch, since you already knew I was coming, what else do you know about my mission?¡±


    ¡°Fairly little, I begrudgingly admit,¡± she said as she began pouring the tea. ¡°You and your underling, Ferrisdae Anne Runelara, are working with that adventurer and his spellcasting pet, an odd duo, and they have been busy. That is, unfortunately, the most of what we had gleaned from the city rumors.¡±


    I nodded. That really wasn¡¯t much at all. At least Cojisto had managed to keep his mouth shut about the details, at least.


    ¡°My junior and I are in Athir to investigate the rising mortality rates in various dungeons,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh my, how marvelous,¡± Akshashka said, a sadistic smile blooming on her lips. ¡°I must say, that is not what I had expected to hear you say, but it¡¯s like music to my ears. The Forest Elves are falling like leaves in autumn, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a small uptick, but one that¡¯s noticeable,¡± I answered, ignoring her obvious pleasure at the facts.


    ¡°And you came to talk to me about it, so we must have made the list as well. I had thought there were a few more celebrations recently than normal.¡± She set one of the teacups in front of me. ¡°This mushroom tea may be too much for your palette, Inspector, but we have milk and sugar should you need it.¡±


    I brought the cup to my face and smelled it. Based on that alone, it was utterly unpotable. Akshashka didn¡¯t seem to mind, and she took a sip while watching me. I did the same and a bitter, earthy taste filled my mouth. Quickly swallowing it down, I set the teacup on the table and raised my hand.


    ¡°No, thank you. It¡¯s quite lovely,¡± I lied, much to her amusement. We both knew I wasn¡¯t going to touch it again. ¡°And, yes. This dungeon was one of the ones on the list to be checked.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the answer I was hoping for, but it is a delightful one nonetheless,¡± she said, setting her own cup down. Folding her hands on the table, she leaned forward. ¡°I was hoping you were here to see my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. Though, you¡¯re here because more of those traitors are dying, so I suppose you are, in a way.¡±


    ¡°Traitors,¡± I repeated gently.


    For a moment, a dangerous look filled with rage and pride passed across Matriarch Akshashka¡¯s eyes. It was almost immediately replaced by her patient smile. If I hadn¡¯t known any better, I may not have believed I had seen it.


    ¡°I apologize for speaking out of turn,¡± she said diplomatically, sitting back up. ¡°I did say that I wouldn¡¯t rile myself up, and I¡¯ve already spoken ill of our tree dwelling¡­ neighbors. Please forgive me, Inspector.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. Sometimes, things are worth getting angry for,¡± I replied before shifting in my seat. ¡°However, you mentioned your daughter.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°A delightful little thing of only a hundred and fifty years. She takes after me. I¡¯m really quite proud of her, but over the past six months or so she has been going above and beyond on her duties. Why, it¡¯s rare that I even need to make an appearance as a boss. Aside from your adventuring team, of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to write this down,¡± I said before reaching into my Pocket for paper and something to write with. ¡°What exactly changed six months ago?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to speak to Dalsarel, the First Daughter?¡± she asked. "She can tell you the story in greater detail than I."


    ¡°I would,¡± I said.


    Akshashka nodded before bringing her hand, palm up, to her lips. Her fingers squirmed as she started casting a spell. Ashen gray bark grew over her skin as she did. ¡°Come to me in the garden,¡± she said in her native tongue. Elven script appeared above her hand, taking physical form before she literally blew it away. The words flew off, heading towards the dungeon, and her skin returned to normal.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Anything you need, dear Inspector,¡± Akshashka responded with a smile. ¡°But the changing factor happened, as I said, six months ago. Is it right of me to assume that, given your... traveling companion, you are familiar with how a sorceress¡¯ bloodline works?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You may.¡±


    ¡°My family lineage is one where the eldest daughter inherits the power of our ancestors,¡± she continued. ¡°This is the way things have been for as many generations back as we track. The First Daughter, however, didn¡¯t seem to gain the same magical spark I did.¡±


    ¡°Until now,¡± I guessed.


    ¡°You have the right of it,¡± Akshashka confirmed. ¡°Dalsarel learned the ways of the martials, upset that she had no magical aptitude but choosing to push past it so that she can contribute to the dungeon in meaningful ways. She became an invaluable part of my personal retinue, fighting at my side in my boss room, after only a few decades of experience.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to see why you¡¯re proud of her.¡±


    ¡°I am. Six months ago, Dalsarel came into her own power. It was weak, at first, and didn¡¯t manifest in a way that was usual for our family.¡± To make her point, she cast a small spell that created the illusion of a mushroom in the air. Her skin transformed from soft obsidian to ashen gray bark again, which she showed off before ending the spell. ¡°A deviation in a bloodline is strange, but not unheard of. What mattered was that, in this short amount of time, she¡¯s become powerful enough to nearly rival me.¡±


    ¡°A spellcaster with power to your own with that much martial experience would certainly be a deadly combination, Matriarch.¡± Thinking about it, I frowned. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s too powerful for this dungeon in particular? That would certainly explain the increased mortality rate.¡±


    ¡°I do like my men cunning, Inspector, and you¡¯ve cut right to the heart of the matter,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°I was hoping that she was what you were here for. I¡¯d like to open a new dungeon for her. Perhaps a little deeper into the forest. Certainly far enough away for your rules and regulations for it to be deemed safe for those who dwell on the surface.¡±


    ¡°That would solve the problem fairly handily,¡± I admitted, finding myself nodding along. ¡°But I¡¯ll need to speak with her first.¡±


    Something caught Akshashka¡¯s attention, and her smile widened as she stood up. ¡°And here is the First Daughter herself,¡± she announced. ¡°My dear Dalsarel, please meet Dungeon Inspector Badger. He¡¯s here because we¡¯ve been killing¡­ doing so well with the errant adventurers finding their way into our home.¡±


    I stood up and turned to greet the newcomer. She was a natural beauty just like her mother, bearing a striking resemblance to the Matriarch. She wore the same black armor as the guards, though hers came with a color-shifting cloak that blended in with whatever was behind her.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, First Daughter,¡± I greeted, bowing.


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± Dalsarel replied before nervously tousling her short hair. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting my chance at my own dungeon to come so soon, so I apologize if I seem a little nervous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, becoming distracted as I watched her hand move against her white hair. Her skin was dark, which wasn''t out of the ordinary, but the shade was just a little bit brighter in color from her face and the texture seemed different. ¡°From one warrior to another, may I shake your hand?¡±


    Dalsarel looked surprised for a moment before nodding and offering me a handshake. I took it, feeling her firm grip and, perhaps more importantly, the texture of her skin.


    I confirmed it immediately: her hand was made of black wood. It was a far cry from her mother¡¯s ashen bark.


    ¡°Dalsarel, I think we have a lot to discuss.¡±

 Chapter 75 - First Daughter

    It did not take long for the butlers to bring out another chair for Dalsarel. They had apparently been watching from the mansion, and a single gesture from Akshashka was enough for them to understand what the Matriarch needed. I sat across from the two women like I was about to conduct an interview.


    Better that than an interrogation, at least.


    With her own cup of tea in front of her and a prompt from her mother, Dalsarel cleared her throat and began her tale. ¡°It happened six months ago. I was patrolling the bottom of the Quarry. This was in the middle of the day, as I volunteered for the sleeping shift,¡± she explained quickly, both hands adjusting her teacup. The words spilled out of her, and I could tell that she wasn¡¯t feeling herself. ¡°Things have been a little slow these days, so I took some time to practice my forms.¡±


    ¡°Which style do you prefer?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Talpran Core,¡± she answered immediately. ¡°It¡¯s an ancient Elven practice from before the Split that created the Forest Elves focusing on using a greatsword at range. At its most basic, it presents the weapon as a front for both offense and defense, depending on where the enemy starts.¡±


    ¡°Traditional or Unorthodox?¡± I asked, already knowing the style she spoke of before her explanation.


    She looked surprised for a moment before finding her words. ¡°Traditional, the way it was intended. You¡¯re familiar?¡±


    ¡°I am. Traditional Talpran Core is an impressive discipline,¡± I praised. ¡°And I agree, it¡¯s much better than the knock-off. Though, I imagine that, in some of these tunnels, you have to half-sword quite often.¡±


    Dalsarel relaxed as she nodded. ¡°You are correct. It can be a small hassle when I¡¯m fighting at some of the natural choke points, but it does extremely well in most of our rooms. Especially my mother¡¯s. The boss room of the dungeon is large enough to hold a few archers, and I¡¯m on the front lines.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ve been doing well,¡± I said, pulling a smile from the young woman. ¡°Please, continue with your story.¡±


    ¡°Right. I was practicing my forms, and I felt a gust of wind,¡± she continued after taking a sip of tea. It shook a bit as she placed the cup back on its saucer, and she looked at her mother from the corner of her eye. ¡°I remember it clearly because it was odd. The wind doesn¡¯t usually make it to the bottom of the quarry. Perhaps on days with heavy storms, but this was not one of those.¡±


    Remembering the Treant¡¯s story about Grandfather Red and the wind, I nodded and gestured for her to go on.


    Looking from me to her mother, Dalsarel reached out with her wooden hand and the Matriarch took it without hesitation. I paid particular attention to the way the young woman¡¯s fingers moved. There wasn¡¯t any stiffness or issues. It was just like a normal hand.


    ¡°I felt something I had never felt before well up in my arm. My wrist, specifically, and I watched as my hand changed into what it is now. Not only that, but I felt my wellspring for the first time.¡±


    ¡°She could be heard all the way from here,¡± Akshashka laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t generally look well upon those who leave their posts, but in this case I allowed it. She had seen me cast spells time and time again, so her excitement was understandable once she explained herself.¡±


    I frowned, but managed to smooth it out before the women looked back at me. Dalsarel continued. ¡°It took me some time to get a hang of things, but under my mother¡¯s tutelage I¡¯ve become quite proficient in a few spells. She believes that I will surpass her as a spellcaster in another year or so, and I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°It would be quite a feat, considering how long she¡¯s been a dungeon owner,¡± I remarked.


    ¡°Quite a feat indeed,¡± Akshashka agreed. ¡°But one that I believe will come true. That is why I would like her to have her own dungeon now. If she stays too long, we may all have to move, and that is something that neither of us want.¡±


    The young woman shook her head. ¡°Absolutely not. While I will be sad to leave the quarry, we can¡¯t let those¡­¡± she faltered for a moment, sneaking a quick glance at her mother. ¡°We can¡¯t let the neighbors get their hands on it.¡±


    ¡°This dungeon is one of the oldest not just in Athir, but on the continent,¡± I responded. ¡°Even if I were one of the Forest Elf Inspectors, I would be remiss to even suggest getting rid of it to the Department. Please trust me when I say we¡¯d much rather see a second one of these pop up instead of destroying one to make another.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really good to hear,¡± Dalsarel said with a relieved sigh. ¡°I was worried about it. We have already planned to mine a tunnel between the two, considering I already know the perfect place for it.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s good enough for the Department of Dungeons, of course,¡± Akshashka quickly interjected.


    ¡°Mother, we spoke about this,¡± the young woman whispered. ¡°I feel very strongly about this spot.¡±


    Akshashka gave me a quick smile before leaning in. Despite her hushed tone, I could hear her clearly. ¡°Daughter of mine, you haven¡¯t even been there yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s where my dungeon is going to be,¡± she firmly insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting, but been where?¡± I asked, leaning forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having dreams lately,¡± Dalsarel answered before her mother could speak. ¡°Of a wonderful cave system filled with water, rivers, and the like.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°A karst.¡±


    Dalsarel nodded enthusiastically, reminding me of someone I knew not much younger than her. ¡°Yes, with plenty of space to do as I will with a dungeon,¡± she continued. ¡°It would be around an hour and a half walk southwest from here if we made a tunnel, but several times longer on the surface. There are plenty of natural barriers along the way, not just the trees.¡±


    ¡°And this karst is filled with mushrooms that are rather vile, I assume,¡± I stated.


    ¡°Yes, Basher Caps!¡± she exclaimed, surprised. ¡°I was planning on using them as natural traps because they were already there and pruning them comes quite naturally to us due to our natural resistance to their spores. Do you know of this place?¡±


    ¡°I am quite interested in that as well,¡± Akshashka said, leaning her elbows on the table to look at me with curiosity. ¡°Between this and my daughter¡¯s martial style, you are proving to be quite the knowledgeable Dungeon Inspector.¡±


    ¡°I have not been there personally, but it was a dungeon over a hundred years back,¡± I explained, ignoring the flattery.


    ¡°That¡¯s exciting,¡± Dalsarel said. There was something borderline manic on her face, which was a far cry from how we had started this discussion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a breath,¡± I responded, holding up my hand. The young woman nodded, doing as I said and bringing her fidgeting down to a minimum. Once she did, she sat with poise that she clearly learned from her mother. ¡°I have a very important question for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer anything I can,¡± she said firmly.


    ¡°If I say Blackwood Queen, does that mean anything to you? To either of you?¡±


    Dalsarel shook her head, but a smile appeared on Akshashka¡¯s lips. ¡°It doesn¡¯t, but I daresay that might be a fantastic title,¡± she said, not hiding her excitement. ¡°Dalsarel, the Blackwood Queen. It does have a certain ring to it, don¡¯t you think?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°It may, but I don¡¯t know about jumping straight to calling myself a queen, mother,¡± the young woman said, seemingly embarrassed. ¡°Maybe just the Blackwood for a while? See if it sticks.¡±


    ¡°I think the Blackwood Queen fits wonderfully,¡± the Matriarch insisted, reaching out to tuck an errant hair around her daughter¡¯s ear. ¡°But, it will be your dungeon, so you can take on any moniker you desire. Though I¡¯m sure the Inspector doesn¡¯t have to tell you that a name is very important in this lifestyle.¡±


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s right about the importance of names,¡± I agreed absentmindedly.


    Based on their reactions, neither of them seemed to be lying. Still, something wasn¡¯t adding up. Between the familiar dark wood, the mention of the wind just like with Grandfather Red, and the location of a defunct dungeon in her dreams, there was too much to ignore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Matriarch Akshashka,¡± I started, catching the Elf¡¯s attention. ¡°May I speak with your daughter alone for a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Inspector,¡± she said, standing up. ¡°Take as much time as you need. I will be in the house should you need me again.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Rest assured, I believe we can get this taken care of,¡± I told her as I stood up as well. ¡°I have already decided to put in the paperwork to start things moving, but it will take time. Likely a lot more than usual, I¡¯m afraid, so we may need to keep Dalsarel hidden for the time being. I would like to ask for your patience.¡±


    Akshashka moved around the table to stand in front of me. She reached down, taking both of my hands in hers and gave me a brilliant smile. ¡°I understand that the wheels of bureaucracy rarely move above a snail¡¯s pace, dear Inspector, but we will still wait for the good news when it comes.¡±


    With a pat of my hands, the Matriarch headed towards her home. The same three butlers greeted her and offered her something I couldn¡¯t see as she entered, leaving me with a quiet Dalsarel.


    The moment the door closed, the First Daughter spoke. ¡°Do you find it weird that I know where I want my dungeon to be based on a dream?¡± she asked, tempering her nervousness.


    ¡°It¡¯s uncommon, but it seems like a lot about your situation seems to be a deviation from what is normal,¡± I stated. I gestured towards her hand. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°No, Inspector,¡± she answered.


    ¡°And does it grow bark when you cast spells?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. My hand is permanently like this now,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Nothing changes when I cast. Other than the effects, of course.


    I nodded. ¡°A sorceress usually has something accompanying their spellcasting,¡± I said, not telling her anything she wouldn¡¯t already know. ¡°Sometimes it manifests itself in a very noticeable way, like your mother. Other times it''s more subtle. Perhaps a wind that only affects them, or a sparkle in their eye. Or even something like a feeling, though that¡¯s rarer than a physical manifestation. How does casting feel to you?¡±


    Dalsarel stared at me for a moment before she nervously smoothed her hair again. ¡°You know a lot about sorcery,¡± she observed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been around quite a few spellcasters in my day,¡± I replied with a shrug.


    When it became obvious that I wasn¡¯t going to say anything more, she continued. ¡°It¡¯s nothing physical, though sometimes I feel a pull. Towards that place in my dream, I mean. That¡¯s how I know how long it would take to get there. I suppose that would be my feeling.¡±


    ¡°It sure seems that way,¡± I said before leaning forward onto the table. ¡°Dalsarel, I want you to be completely honest with me.¡±


    ¡°I have been,¡± she protested quietly. Her eyes, feigning sternness, gave her away.


    ¡°Being a dungeon owner is a privilege,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not a process for everyone. There are hundreds, perhaps even thousands of applications that come through the Department of Dungeons every year. The vast majority of them are shredded before they even get a chance to be interviewed. Most of them are because they¡¯re for petty reasons. The town was mean, so I want to get back at them. My ex wife left me, so now I want to permanently squat in the house we built together. There are a lot of wild dogs in the area, so I want to lure them in and start a kennel.¡±


    Dalsarel barked a laugh, thinking I was joking. When she saw I wasn¡¯t, she arched an eyebrow. ¡°Wait, really?¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± I sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, it looks like that one has a sliver of a chance to make it through. The Chief Dungeon Inspector was talking about trying something new, and a puppy dungeon made for kids might be one of those things. Not for fighting, obviously, but like a petting zoo for dog monsters.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­ I¡¯m not sure how that sounds,¡± she said slowly.


    I waved my hand. ¡°It''s a tangent that doesn¡¯t matter in the long run. What does matter is that you¡¯re honest with me. How did you really get your powers?¡±


    ¡°They came to me,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°No outside help at all?¡± I asked, looking into her eyes. She shook her head, but I pressed on. ¡°Perhaps something like a thorn or a seed, or something that wasn¡¯t there one moment but was the next?¡±


    The Elf¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°H-how did you know?¡± she sputtered.


    I pursed my lips. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that there are a few loose ends around the area that I¡¯m trying to tug free. Please, tell me the truth.¡± Dalsarel glanced from me to the mansion. Catching the meaning of the look, I offered her a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t tell your mother.¡±


    It only took a few seconds before she released a heavy sigh. ¡°The magic did come to me while I was practicing my forms, but¡­ I wasn¡¯t entirely honest with the method.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± I prompted.


    She nodded. ¡°I was practicing my forms. The bottom of the quarry is quite large, but I make sure to clear out my space so I don¡¯t trip over any rocks. I was going back and forth, as I do when I practice the¡­ I believe the name would be Boulder In A Whirlwind in Imperial Standard. Which, now that I say it, loses a lot of its charm in another language.¡±


    ¡°Not all translations can be winners,¡± I said with a thin smile. ¡°Masuealdon Fasaigh Hels, for instance. From Elven to Imperial Standard, it would roughly be Muscle Toad Leaps From Swamp.¡±


    Dalsarel visibly recoiled. Then, she thought about it. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, her expression made it clear what she thought about that.


    ¡°It does. But, Boulder In A Whirlwind,¡± I said, waving my hand.


    She schooled her expression and nodded. ¡°I was practicing my forms when there was a light,¡± she continued. ¡°As you saw out there, the gloom is ever present due to its magical nature. The flash was brief, a really small one, and I nearly stepped on a seed.¡±


    ¡°One big enough for you to notice?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Around the size of your fist,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Do you still have it?¡±


    Pursing her lips, Dalsarel lifted her hand. ¡°I picked it up, and it stuck thorns into my hand. My skin absorbed it and, when it was done, there were only a few pinpricks of blood left over. No wounds or any discomfort.¡±


    ¡°That seems like the kind of thing you¡¯d tell your mother,¡± I said cautiously.


    ¡°I know,¡± she admitted, leaning forward. I almost thought she was going to go so far as to rest her chin on the table before she caught herself. ¡°But after I absorbed it, all this knowledge started flowing into me. Power rushed through me, and I noticed I had something similar to what my mother always described when I asked her about her own magic. From there, it came easily. Well, after I received some helpful advice.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Did you not tell Akshashka because you wanted to be like her?¡±


    A pause. ¡°Maybe. I mean, I guess so. I¡¯ve always been ashamed that I¡¯m not a natural spellcaster like my mother, or grandmother, or great grandmother,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m good at swinging a big chunk of sharp metal, but this was my bloodline, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know a thing or two about wanting to live up to familial expectations,¡± I offered. ¡°But also when to discuss things with those closest to you.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell my mother?¡± Dalsarel asked, her eyes pleading for me not to.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered with no hesitation. She perked up immediately, sitting up straight, and I raised my hand to stop her before she could get too excited. ¡°But I can¡¯t offer you your own dungeon until I figure out some things that are going on in Athir. You¡¯ll get it, I just can¡¯t promise when. It¡¯s for the safety of a lot of people. Not just for the Forest Elves, but everyone. Even you and your people.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked curiously.


    I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it, so forget it. Don¡¯t tell anyone, by the way. If you do, it will jeopardize your chance to be a dungeon owner. Clear?¡± She nodded, and I believed her enough to move on. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know the name Blackwood Queen? Or maybe you know a portal user?¡±


    ¡°No, Inspector, I haven¡¯t. My mother can teleport short distances, but that¡¯s it,¡± she replied.


    I made a note of that, but didn¡¯t find it suspicious. Teleportation was different from creating portals. Same general idea, wildly different principles.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve just got a few more questions before I have to start heading back,¡± I said. ¡°Relax, the hard part is already over. How about we move onto something more practical, such as showing me your spells and skill with your sword.¡±


    Dalsarel released another breath before putting on a smile and nodding, and we continued until I had to leave for my next appointment.

 Chapter 76 - Stability

    Ferrisdae was positively brimming with energy when she saw me approach the city walls. We had spoken on the Sending Stone when I was heading back. She had big news to tell me, but she wanted to do so in person. Since there was a lot to discuss, I told her about the Dark Elf Quarry.


    Dalsarel was, indeed, a powerhouse way above the level we usually allowed in a dungeon like that one. Even though she had only half a year of practice, she wove her newfound sorcery into her expert martial maneuvers almost flawlessly. She had been giddy about her increasing kill count, but that was something to be expected from someone who grew up in the halls of propaganda.


    Not that Athir was much better. The feud between the Dark and Forest Elves was one that went back so long and was so ingrained in their culture that I didn¡¯t think telling Ferrisdae that Dalsarel reminded me of her was a good thing. Even if she managed to shuck the indoctrination, there was every chance that she wouldn¡¯t take it as the compliment I meant it to be.


    Still, she was open to the idea of another Dark Elf dungeon popping up once all this was over, though she wasn¡¯t thrilled. That, I think, was just because of her impatience for me to arrive since I had not taken a wagon.


    Ferrisdae bounced as she waited for me to ask the guard if Cojisto and Moose had come back, receiving a negative, and she came to greet me when I was done.


    ¡°Took you long enough to get back, Badger,¡± she said, her voice jolly despite the sarcasm.


    ¡°I have short legs and I wanted a walk; I took exactly as long as I wanted to,¡± I corrected, glancing at the folders in her arm. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve made a breakthrough?¡±


    The Elf nodded vigorously. ¡°After days of research, we have finally made progress. I still say that we would have found this earlier if you came to help, though.¡±


    ¡°We needed to split up, so we did,¡± I replied before I began walking towards the noble quarter. ¡°The fact that you can be in such a good mood now means I made the right call believing in you.¡±


    ¡°You did, but there¡¯s still things that I need to go over with you. We did make progress, really good progress, I¡¯m just not sure what to make of it,¡± Ferrisdae admitted. ¡°So I¡¯d like some of your insight on the matter.¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± I said with a wave of my hand. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    She cleared her throat, standing up a little straighter. ¡°We went through a lot of rituals in an attempt to find out what was wrong. From dungeon identification magic to healing magic to an obscure pruning magic that was supposed to make trees stronger and produce more fruit, we tried anything we thought might have stuck.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Pruning?¡±


    ¡°Well, Grandfather Red is a tree monster, no matter how respected he is,¡± Ferrisdae offered.


    Thinking about that for a moment, I nodded. ¡°Strange, but I¡¯ve heard worse ideas. Did that bear fruit?¡±


    The Elf hesitated before giggling. ¡°Did you just make a plant pun, Badger?¡±


    ¡°No. Did the pruning magic work?¡± I corrected, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, stifling her enthusiasm. ¡°It was just another failed attempt.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not all winners, but it¡¯s heartening to see some out of the box thinking,¡± I replied, dodging out of the way of a group of Elves who were not watching where they were going. ¡°Unless that came from Constance?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ might have,¡± she sighed. ¡°I know you don¡¯t approve of her, but some of her other ideas have been great and she really is the most powerful Treesinger in Athir.¡±


    ¡°Provided she remembers how to use words half of the time?¡± I asked, looking up at Ferrisdae.


    In truth, I wouldn¡¯t have anything against Constance Dar Fesuande from the hour or two I had spent in her presence. The issue I had was that her lackadaisical nature and inability to remember things was hindering our investigation. Powerful or not, she was an annoyance at best. Based on the other Treesingers I met, this wasn¡¯t a trait that only she had.


    Ferrisdae cleared her throat. ¡°Anyway, we finally settled on a ritual that worked,¡± she said, changing the topic.


    Snorting in amusement, I looked up at her. ¡°That sounds promising. Which ritual was it that finally got you some progress?¡±


    ¡°Yours, Badger,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Mine?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I have any rituals of my own. I¡¯ve certainly modified a few to fit my needs, sure, but I¡¯ve never come up with one that I¡¯d call mine.¡±


    ¡°The Mage¡¯s Guild seemed to think it fit,¡± she replied with a shrug. I stopped to look at her, now even more incredulous. She stopped and turned back to me. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come up with a ritual and I certainly didn¡¯t give one to the Mage¡¯s Guild of all places,¡± I said, scowling. ¡°I¡¯d rather the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium use it for a thousand years, well after I¡¯m bone dust, before those stuck up spellcasters get their hands on something I made up.¡±


    Ferrisdae gave me a thin smile. ¡°You still haven¡¯t realized what I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    ¡°No, so spit it out already,¡± I told her, resuming our walk. As we moved, I looked around. Nobody was really paying attention to us, but the streets were pleasantly spacious at this time of day. I knew it wouldn¡¯t stay that way, though, because dinner would be over soon enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s the one you used to save me,¡± she answered, absently fiddling with the folders she was carrying. ¡°They told me about it, by the way. What had happened after Razorbeak fell, and what you had to do to save me.¡±


    ¡°Right, that. I suppose I did give them that one so they could better make sure you were alright,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°Before you get all sentimental about that, it¡¯s not brand new. It was a haphazardly tossed together mixture of a dungeon shut down ritual, energy funnel, and magic crystal formation ritual followed by another energy funnel to make sure that the mana was something actually safe for a person to take in.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Badger,¡± Ferrisdae started, holding a hand up. ¡°Do you not realize that what you just described is a miracle?¡±


    ¡°No, the miracle came after that,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Because I woke up?¡± she asked, having clearly heard me.


    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing. It was a mix and match, willy-nilly solution. And you know how much I hate willy-nilly.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t willy-nilly to me, Badger, you used it to save my life,¡± Ferrisdae scoffed, bringing her hand to her heart. ¡°Actually, did I ever thank you for that? Or was I so starstruck by the fact that you had a family that I completely forgot to?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Thank me or not, it was my job to take care of you and that¡¯s what I did.¡±


    ¡°Then my gratitude will show itself by not forcing a hug on you,¡± she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°But really, thank you.¡±


    I shrugged, but didn¡¯t push her away, instead rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°It was an insipid idea that just so happened to work.¡±


    ¡°According to the mages, it was inspired,¡± she told me. ¡°Even though they got it from you, they had a hard time believing you made it up yourself. I wouldn¡¯t have even known where to begin if I had to do all that from scratch. Especially with the time crunch Cojisto said you were under.¡±


    ¡°As someone who doesn¡¯t cast spells, I wholly believe they wouldn¡¯t think I could come up with it,¡± I snorted before uncomfortably glancing from her hand up to her face. She quickly pulled away. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s new. How did you use it to figure things out about the dungeon?¡±


    Ferrisdae cleared her throat. ¡°We used it on Grandfather Red. It was a last ditch effort before we started brainstorming again, but we figured there wouldn¡¯t be any harm to it. He¡¯s not a spellcaster himself so he couldn¡¯t use the energy we were putting into him, but if he took too much in then he would have simply revived later on.¡±


    ¡°A terrible way to go, but if he can feel anything in his state then the respite of death might be welcome,¡± I grunted. ¡°How much of his dungeon did you consume in the ritual? And how did you stop it? The original was built to consume and transfer everything until the well had run dry.¡±


    ¡°Resistance gates and a DTER barometer, essentially,¡± she answered proudly. ¡°Once the dungeon magic in the area dropped below a certain threshold, which I calculated that it would end about halfway through consumption.¡±


    I nodded along. ¡°The resistance gates would trap the energy transfer long enough that the rest of the ritual would be able to accurately feel the ambient magic in the air without confusing it for the stuff already in use,¡± I stated. ¡°From there it would go in stages, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it right,¡± she said.


    ¡°See, now that¡¯s inspired,¡± I replied. ¡°You should be happy with your work. Actually, you already clearly are, why don¡¯t you tell me what came of it?¡±


    Ferrisdae grinned. ¡°Grandfather Red woke up for about a minute,¡± she enthusiastically announced. We received a few looks from people passing by, but she didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°We pumped him full of the Red Thicket¡¯s energy, and it seemed to weaken the Rage Rot. It really has pervaded the dungeon so much that it¡¯s become a part of the whole. Our best guess is that¡¯s why he¡¯s having such a hard time, because it¡¯s also siphoning his power.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. He went right back to sleep after?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and he wasn¡¯t really even lucid for the minute,¡± Ferrisdae admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s something. I need permission to break the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ probably not going to be something that happens for a while,¡± I said with a wince. ¡°You know the research division of the DoD will want to get in there.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she sighed. ¡°But I think it¡¯s the only way to save Grandfather Red. He¡¯s old and powerful, I¡¯m sure another dungeon will spring up around him after a century or two of good health.¡±


    We entered the noble quarter, switching from buildings topping out at three or four stories tall to grandiose mansions inside and around old trees. They were built to take in whole generations and, given how long Elves lived, there were many generations in each noble family. My destination was a particularly old one.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear we¡¯ve made progress,¡± I said as she started looking around. Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t actually told her that my meeting with her mother was today. It hadn¡¯t come up. I shrugged to myself. ¡°Were you able to find anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed as she looked back down at me. ¡°I had a few pages out so I could get readings in the dungeon. Everything I¡¯d need, you know, to show what I was doing later on.¡±


    ¡°Your due diligence, good,¡± I praised.


    The Elf smiled. ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t want to tarnish either of our good names,¡± she replied before opening up the top folder. ¡°One of the pages was the Automatic Map. It¡¯s a little expensive and I know you like to do your maps by hand, but I wanted to make sure everything was done right. That includes redrawing the map by hand once we were done.¡±


    ¡°This Automatic Map is important?¡± I asked. While the tool was rather reductive, if it helped then I wouldn¡¯t hold it against her.


    Instead of answering, she handed me a piece of parchment. I took it and looked it over. ¡°This is a map of the Red Thicket?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°Should have been,¡± she answered. ¡°I think the Automatic Map picked up something else.¡±


    My frown turned into a scowl, but I schooled my expression as I pored over what should have been a map. A circle in the middle was blank as if the magic hadn¡¯t picked anything up at all, and I recognized the outside boundary as the Red Thicket¡¯s original shape. If I brought up the map we used before, that outline would have been the same.


    From the original boundary to the blank circle were lines. I narrowed my eyes, thinking it familiar like the edges of a rune I had seen once or twice. Stopping in my tracks, I wracked my brain, trying to figure out where I had seen it before.


    ¡°Badger?¡± Ferrisdae asked, stopping again. A chill passed down my spine, causing me to shiver. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Just fine,¡± I said, pulling out a quill from my Dimensional Pocket. Putting the tip to the paper, I started drawing lines.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen this before?¡± she asked, moving to look over my shoulder.


    ¡°Once,¡± I said. ¡°On the body of Carimella Rose.¡±


    I could nearly hear the Elf¡¯s neck snap as she looked from the paper to me. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I made a copy of what I could of the sigils on her body after her unfortunate possession. This was one of them,¡± I said. ¡°This rune is made up of several crossing lines and is meant to be an anchor. Something that stabilizes an already powerful ritual.¡±


    ¡°Why would that be in the Red Thicket?¡± she asked slowly.


    I stared at the symbol once I was done recreating it. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s what was keeping the Rage Rot there,¡± I said, not fully trusting that it was right. ¡°Whoever invaded and inflicted it on Grandfather Red may have wanted it to stick, and that¡¯s how it was able to permeate the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    This time, I shrugged. Replacing the quill in my Pocket, I handed her the failed Automatic Map. ¡°I think it¡¯s too early to make any calls on it just yet. Right now, I have an appointment to keep. Since you¡¯re already here, you¡¯re invited as well. I know you¡¯ve been wanting to come.¡±


    ¡°Come where?¡± she said before I gestured forward.


    ¡°I appreciate how lost you can get in your work, Junior Dungeon Inspector,¡± I said, pointing out her family home ahead of us. ¡°Now that you have some free time, you can introduce me to your mother.¡±

 Chapter 77 - Mansion

    The Anne Runelara estate fit in just fine with the rest of the noble quarter. Like many others, the main section of the house was made of a large, tall tree as wide around as any tower in New Frausta. Surrounding it were various buildings made of stone so white that the moonlight reflected easily off of them, giving the place an ethereal ambiance.


    We walked up a bush-flanked path to the most prominent of these buildings connected to the tree. An elderly Elf in fine clothes was there to meet us. He offered me a nod, but lit up with a dazzling smile when his eyes met Ferrisdae¡¯s.


    ¡°Welcome, Dungeon Inspectors,¡± he said with a bow. Despite his joy at seeing my junior, it didn¡¯t seem like he would neglect his duties. I respected that. ¡°You may call me Ballie. I see to the grounds. May I take your jacket, sir? Or your robe, young mistress?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I returned politely. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on staying long after I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Please, Ballie,¡± Ferrisdae said, taking him up on his offer. She shrugged off her purple star robe, revealing comfortable travel clothes underneath. Adjusting her tunic, her gaze traveled past the older man. ¡°Can I assume that mother is practicing?¡±


    ¡°You would assume correctly, young mistress,¡± Ballie confirmed as he folded the robe over his arm. ¡°Would you like an escort?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. I can take it from here.¡±


    ¡°Very well. If you need anything, you know how to call me,¡± the Elf said with another bow. A moment later, he disappeared into the darkness at his feet.


    ¡°You have teleporting help?¡± I asked with an arched eyebrow. ¡°That seems prohibitively expensive.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in charge of everyone who works for the family and has been for generations,¡± Ferrisdae explained as she entered the building. I followed after her. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s paid handsomely, but I¡¯m not well versed in my family¡¯s finances. I can only assume that we make a lot from just mother¡¯s adventuring and father¡¯s patents alone, not even regarding everyone else.¡±


    I nodded along. There was likely no reason for her to know unless she was being prepared to take over as the head of the Anne Runelara family and that wouldn¡¯t be for a long while. While Ferrisdae¡¯s father technically was the inheritor of the name, her mother was more aggressive in the role. From what little I understood from my research, this suited him just fine and allowed him time to accomplish his own goals in alchemy.


    Apparently, Zerellus Anne Runelara was considered an eccentric genius. He had been an alchemist for a century, and he had really found his calling making potions, unguents, and more. They had become the gold standard at which every other professional had become subjected to. Not always happily.


    Cutting off that train of thought, I looked around. The mansion ¡ª and that¡¯s the only word I could have used for it ¡ª was spotless from top to bottom with a clean that only magic could provide. Plants, antiques, and curios lined every hallway we took. For a family of adventurers, few of them looked like trophies. I appreciated the less violent decor.


    When the stone halls were replaced with wood and I knew we were in the tree portion of the mansion, I faintly heard the sound of a violin. Having heard musicians of all sorts both good and bad from running the Bottom¡¯s Up, I could tell that this was someone of immense talent even if they probably did have all the time in the world to practice, as they were an Elf.


    ¡°That would be my mother,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°Not your Grandma Arabella?¡± I asked, remembering back to trivia night in Crystal Snows. ¡°She was the one who played the first seat in Violin Concerto #3, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she''s my father''s mother. Good memory,¡± my junior praised happily. ¡°All of the women in our family pick up an instrument. It¡¯s not something that we¡¯re told to do, but there is some pressure on it. The men tend to as well, choosing to play whatever¡¯s complimentary. Mother started playing after marriage and father already played the piano because he was used to playing with Grandma Arabella, so she decided to pick up the violin as well.¡±


    I grunted, but asked the obvious question. ¡°And what do you play?¡±


    She smiled sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m stuck on vocals. Wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m any good, but I don¡¯t have a decent enough sense of rhythm to play something.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I started before lowering my voice to a whisper. ¡°Bring that up with Willow next time we¡¯re in New Frausta. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard her sing quietly to herself. She loves learning new songs from the bards that play in the tavern.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes widened as an enthusiastic expression overtook her face. ¡°I would love to sing with Willow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, keep it down,¡± I said, shaking my head. There wasn¡¯t anyone around, but I wouldn¡¯t put it past an adventuring family to have some kind of security that allowed them to record voices. That was why I whispered.


    She nodded, but couldn¡¯t contain her excitement; her gait had an extra bounce in it that I hadn¡¯t seen in a long while. So long as Ferrisdae was actually happy and not just putting on an act like she had in the Dungeon Master¡¯s dungeon, that was fine by me.


    We stopped as a figure, the first we had seen, walked from one hallway to another in front of us. The Elven man was carrying so many rolled up scrolls, charts, and other paperwork that he could barely see where he was going. There was a whiff of chemicals coming from him, too, and I easily identified sulfur as the strongest one. Just as I was about to say something, Ferrisdae squealed.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Father!¡± she called.


    The Elf nearly fell over as he turned to face us, trying to peer over the bundles in his arms. He shifted this way and that before we made it to him. Ferrisdae took some of the taller papers so she could better see him, and his face lit up.


    ¡°Ferry!¡± he announced loudly the moment he saw her. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a day! How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well,¡± she answered jovially. ¡°Here to see mother on official Department of Dungeon business, actually.¡±


    ¡°On Freesday?¡± he asked, wrinkling his brow. ¡°You know she¡¯s very particular about her practice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my meeting,¡± I said. ¡°It was the best time that worked for me, and she obliged.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± he asked, turning to try and find me. If he couldn¡¯t see his daughter, then he certainly wasn¡¯t going to see me.


    ¡°I am Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m your daughter¡¯s mentor.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Badger! Sorry, Dungeon Inspector Badger! I¡¯ve heard so much about you these last couple of months,¡± he said before shifting his papers. The Elf offered his hand low, holding everything up by pressing his arms together. ¡°Only good things, of course. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Zerellus Anne Runelara.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± I repeated. Reaching up, I shook his hand no matter how awkward he was making it. I slipped a glance at Ferrisdae knowing he couldn¡¯t see me. She gave me a confused look back. ¡°Though I am surprised you¡¯ve been hearing about me for the last couple of months. Has Ferrisdae been sending you a lot of letters?¡±


    ¡°Some, but my wife, Durendrelle, couldn¡¯t have been happier to hear that you would be our Ferry¡¯s mentor,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Mother was happy about that?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°I knew she was paying attention to where I ended up, but I didn¡¯t know that she thought Badger was a good fit. Especially considering his track record with rookies.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I warned, even if it was true.


    ¡°Oh, she was beyond ecstatic!¡± Zerellus said. ¡°Drella was sending letters, donations, all sorts of things to the Department of Dungeons to ensure that you received the best treatment. She mentioned something about someone, but I don¡¯t think she ever said a name. Or did she? I don¡¯t think I was paying close attention at the time, but I guess that must have been you, Badger.¡±


    I continued to watch Ferrisdae¡¯s face as her father spoke. It was immediately clear to me that this was new information to her, and it was worrying. If it were Emilia or Willow, then I would have offered to help and only given it if they asked. This seemed like a wild overstep for a parent to take.


    Was Durendrelle pushing the Department of Dungeons to give her to me because of my reputation when it came to rookies? Was it because Ferrisdae succeeded under the toughest circumstances or failed out and came home to be an adventurer?


    She had thought she had gotten the job on merit alone, then how much of that was true? Brackenhorst had said he had vetted her personally and that she was a diamond, but how much of it was her mother pulling the strings in the background?


    How much pride could Ferrisdae take in being, relatively speaking, the youngest junior inspector at a Human equivalent age of 18?


    ¡°Father, you¡¯re joking right now, right?¡± she asked quietly.


    ¡°Oh, it was no trouble at all for Drella, I¡¯m sure,¡± he replied, getting the complete wrong idea from his daughter¡¯s tone. ¡°You know your mother and I would do anything to help you get ahead. Well, I¡¯ve been a bit busy, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t, either. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ferrisdae said with a strained smile. ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t keep you. I know you¡¯re likely busy.¡±


    ¡°I am, but I can-¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay,¡± she interrupted firmly. ¡°You go and find your next big thing. I¡¯ll stop by again if my schedule allows it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ferry, so long as you¡¯re sure,¡± Zerellus said. He awkwardly leaned in around the papers and kissed Ferrisdae on the cheek before she loaded him back up with the ones she had taken. ¡°It¡¯s so good seeing you again. And nice meeting you, Badger. Don¡¯t be a stranger next time you find yourself in Athir.¡±


    ¡°Have a good night,¡± I replied. He resumed his trek through the mansion, but we didn¡¯t move. I looked up at Ferrisdae. ¡°Your father seems¡­ nice. A bit absentminded, maybe a bit clueless? But nice.¡±


    ¡°He is all of those things,¡± she agreed. ¡°But, he¡¯s also a genius, so. There¡¯s that.¡±


    I pursed my lips. If this were Emilia or Willow, I figured I would know what to say. Ferrisdae was neither, and this was a family issue that I wasn¡¯t sure how to broach. Or even if I should.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a part of this meeting if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I offered, unsure.


    ¡°No, I still want to see her,¡± she said flatly, though I could tell she was conflicted.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I do.¡±


    ¡°Take your time, then. We¡¯ll continue when you¡¯re ready,¡± I said after a moment of hesitation.


    Just as I was about to start really appreciating the architecture, Ferrisdae began moving again. Her footsteps were heavy, and I assumed they mimicked her thoughts.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t bring this up when we meet her,¡± she requested softly. ¡°I know that it probably means mother had looked into you, and that she probably knows your past. I understand that you¡¯d probably think of that as a huge invasion of your privacy. You would be right, but I don¡¯t want to deal with that argument right now. If that¡¯s okay, I mean.¡±


    I thought about what she said, and her line of thinking made sense. It was very likely that Durendrelle had given Zerellus a name, but seeing as it was the Nameless he probably misunderstood or wasn¡¯t interested in monikers. In my worry about Ferrisdae, I hadn¡¯t even thought about that.


    It did make me mad, but I shelved it. If my junior wanted me to play nice with her mother, I could do that for her.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t think Chief Inspector Brackenhorst would have given you this particular job just because of your mother. When I tried to pawn you off to another Inspector that first chance I got, he seemed to have been genuinely impressed by you. Now, I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t let me ditch you. I¡¯m impressed, too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied after a few steps. ¡°That does help.¡±


    I nodded, and we walked the rest of the way without conversation. The only sound was that of her mother¡¯s violin getting closer and closer.

 Chapter 78 - Durendrelle

    Ferrisdae led me through more of the mansion before we stopped in front of a beautifully crafted door adorned by several instruments with music notes flowing out of them. This wasn¡¯t something I was particularly knowledgeable about, but I could appreciate the artistic vision. After taking a moment to compose herself, she pushed the doors open.


    The now crystal clear music of the violin hit me all at once as I took in the room. Instruments of all shapes and sizes were spread neatly throughout this part of the mansion. From woodwind to strings to percussion, everything had their place and it all looked gorgeous.


    Standing in the middle of the room next to a lavish piano on a small stage was an Elven woman. Her eyes were closed as she gently pulled the bow across her violin, fingers delicately manipulating the strings. I could easily tell that this was Durendrelle. From the long blonde hair down to the dimples in her cheeks from her smile, this had to be Ferrisdae¡¯s mother.


    I was about to say something when my junior stopped me. Looking over, I saw her gather herself, her facade slipping on sight. I nodded and remained silent.


    The piece went on for another minute or two before Durendrelle sighed, apparently content now that she was done playing. ¡°Welcome, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she greeted before opening her eyes. Her gaze fell on me before she noticed Ferrisdae, and she beamed a genuine smile. ¡°My darling sapling! I wasn¡¯t expecting you!¡±


    Durendrelle took a step towards us and blinked out of line of sight. There was no vocal component to the spell, it simply happened. When she reappeared in front of my junior, it was as though she had finished that same step. The older Elf gathered her daughter into a tight hug, careful of the instrument she was still holding.


    Just like her daughter, there was no tell that she had cast a spell like a sorceress normally would. Matriarch Akshashka¡¯s hands turned to wood when she performed magic, but whatever was passed down from Durendrelle to Ferrisdae must not have been a visual one.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, mother,¡± Ferrisdae responded, returning the hug. ¡°I finished my duties earlier, and while I was briefing Dungeon Inspector Badger he was on his way here. So, here I am. Back home.¡±


    ¡°So you are,¡± her mother replied. The hug lingered for a few moments, and I noticed a flash of doubt touch Durendrelle¡¯s features while I waited. ¡°Ferry, you feel¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± she admitted softly.


    Durendrelle took a step back and looked Ferrisdae over. Her eyes flashed from green to purple as she cast the ever common magic detection spell. My junior put on what she must have thought was a stoic face, but she still seemed nervous to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Durendrelle,¡± I said, offering the woman my hand in an attempt to take some of the attention away from Ferrisdae.


    ¡°I will be with you in a moment, Badger,¡± she replied curtly. I frowned at her tone.


    ¡°Mother, I-¡±


    ¡°A White Dragon¡¯s blessing!¡± Durendrelle stated, clearly surprised and overjoyed by the revelation. ¡°That¡¯s why you feel so cold!¡±


    ¡°Oh, um, yeah. That,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°We met the White Wyrm, Oristrella, and she wanted me to be her Dungeon Inspector, so she gave me her blessing. It really seemed like a political move at the time, but we really hit it off and I think that it might end up as a permanent assignment? Time will tell.¡±


    It seemed as though she hadn¡¯t been entirely forthcoming in her letters to her family about what had happened in the Thousand Year Blizzard. That was the right call, all things considered. The investigation was still under wraps and no one was supposed to know about the Dungeon Master, Himia, or CC.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news! That¡¯s not something you¡¯d likely get as an adventurer, I¡¯ll tell you that,¡± the older woman said before returning to the stage. We followed after her. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten so much more powerful since the last time I saw you. I know you were sent on a subjugation run for one of your first missions, but the leaps and bounds you had made in a single month have been truly astounding.¡±


    I glanced up at Ferrisdae, and she gave me a relieved look. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t about what had happened, but the forceful strengthening of her magic wellspring. Durendrelle had mentioned her daughter¡¯s power specifically. I didn¡¯t know enough about it to guess at the differences between what she had seen before versus now, but might have seemed more natural now that time had passed.


    ¡°Is it finally my moment?¡± I asked discourteously, turning away from my junior to look at her mother.


    ¡°My apologies, Inspector,¡± she replied as she put the violin and bow back into its case. ¡°I like to allow my daughter her freedom, but I can¡¯t help but worry about her. That includes when she comes home with a strange aura about her. Sometimes I¡¯m a little overprotective of my family, and I don¡¯t think anyone can fault me for that.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡± I said evenly, not letting my real thoughts slip out. ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind if I get to the heart of the matter now that you¡¯ve made sure she¡¯s fine?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about fine,¡± Durendrelle countered. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve spent the last 124 years raising Ferry. I can see right through her. Especially when she¡¯s acting strangely. Something¡¯s happened. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I know she¡¯s not fine.¡±


    I scoffed, ignoring the younger woman¡¯s slight shift in posture. ¡°Whatever you think, I¡¯m still here as a Dungeon Inspector. I asked for a few moments of your time to ask questions, which you accepted. There is still work to be done, so I will be brief.¡±


    She listened to me speak, but she looked at Ferrisdae instead. ¡°What happened, my darling sapling?¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I believe you should answer Badger¡¯s questions first, mother,¡± my junior deflected.


    ¡°Did you do something to her?¡± Durendrelle asked, looking down at me. There was an accusation in her voice.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I responded, dumbstruck on how quickly she could turn around from apologizing to me to whatever this was meant to be.


    ¡°She is clearly unhappy in your presence, Inspector,¡± she said as if it explained everything.


    I understood what she meant even though she was clearly reaching the wrong conclusion. The only reason why I didn¡¯t raise my voice was because I knew Ferrisdae didn¡¯t want to deal with an argument right now. That was the whole reason for this mess, not that I would bring it up. It wasn¡¯t my place, no matter how much misplaced self-righteous anger was directed my way.


    ¡°Durendrelle, I understand that you are a protective parent. Ferrisdae has even mentioned this, though not in this context,¡± I said, continuing to keep my voice even despite the disrespect I was being shown. ¡°First, I take offense to your accusation because I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Second, the real question you should be asking is this one: if I were to have done something to her, would she not be a strong enough young woman to get away from me? To request a transfer or put in some kind of complaint or even to simply quit? Because I know she is. Do you think you raised someone that can¡¯t handle the high stress work of being a Dungeon Inspector?¡±


    The older Elf pursed her lips as she stared down at me, and I returned it unflinchingly.


    For a moment, anyway. Then, I looked away. ¡°High stress,¡± I mumbled to myself. The words I used hit me like a hammer, and an idea began forming in my head.


    ¡°Mother, Badger hasn¡¯t done anything but protect and mentor me,¡± Ferrisdae defended while I was distracted. She continued to deflect from the true heart of the problem. ¡°You are right, something did happen, but it¡¯s classified information that I can¡¯t share. Trust me when I say that I¡¯m fine, though. I have the help I need. And! And it¡¯s like you always say, there¡¯s nothing like throwing yourself into your work to get over something troubling.¡±


    Durendrelle eyed her daughter with suspicion before she sighed. ¡°I apologize again, Inspector,¡± she said. ¡°I should have known better than to make baseless claims. It¡¯s a worry, is all. I hear some great things about how Ferry is working under the person considered the strongest member of the Department of Dungeons, but I also receive angry letters from Koritha in Crystal Snows about how you were invited but played trivia in some bar instead. Last I heard, she was under some kind of quarantine. I¡¯ve been worried.¡±


    I heard the apology, but didn¡¯t react to it. Given the lie, it was bullshit anyway. My mind was working. High stress areas required extra stability. An anchor. But you wouldn¡¯t need it for something as simple as Rage Rot, even if this was a particularly virulent strain.


    ¡°She sent an angry letter?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Blistering would be a more appropriate word,¡± her mother answered. ¡°Honestly, I tossed it in the fire. I know she used to be your best friend but-¡±


    ¡°Ferrisdae,¡± I said aloud. ¡°How old would you guess Grandfather Red was?¡±


    My junior turned to me, surprised, but thought it over. ¡°His dungeon is somewhere around five hundred years old, but he was likely well over a thousand before it formed around him. Somewhere between a millennium and a half to two.¡±


    ¡°I go there often,¡± Durendrelle offered, though she was confused by the turn in the conversation. ¡°The wood from the trees there make great staffs and wands for spellcasters. I¡¯ve been waiting for it to come back into rotation so that my party and I can go back.¡±


    I lowered my head, thinking. A magical tree over a century old could very well have mutated a version of Rage Rot that could spread to Treants. If cultivated properly, it could have even been made to be hard to cure to begin with. If it was something inflicted on Grandfather Red with that purpose, then it could have easily seeped into the dungeon¡¯s very own core.


    ¡°That¡¯s actually why Badger wanted to speak with you,¡± Ferrisdae said, jumping on this new topic. ¡°Some paperwork showed up in the Consortium showing that the Red Thicket was subjugated and destroyed. You and your party were the last to go in all three times.¡±


    ¡°We were?¡± she asked, surprised. ¡°I assure you that we had no idea that something was going on. The dungeon had gotten stronger, so we were hoping that we¡¯d have been able to make use of better materials.¡±


    I returned to my thoughts. Perhaps the forces against us didn¡¯t need the time for the Rage Rot to become a part of the dungeon naturally. Their understanding of dungeons were above our own thanks to CC.


    ¡°What happened to the wood?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Why, it turned out to be useless,¡± Durendrelle answered. ¡°It looked strong, it just wasn¡¯t very good for what we intended it for. I was really hoping to surprise you with a brand new staff to celebrate your new position in the Department of Dungeons, but it seems as though that¡¯s no longer possible.¡±


    ¡°Really? A new staff to celebrate my job?¡± Ferrisdae asked, something dangerous in her tone. Her mother gave her a confused look, but I wasn¡¯t going to let her continue.


    I tugged on my junior¡¯s sleeve. ¡°The rot is just a cover,¡± I said, still not sure of myself but wanting to avoid a family blow up.


    She turned her attention away from her mother. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± I admitted. ¡°But something¡¯s coming to me. An idea is forming but I need more information. The good news is, I know where to get it.¡±


    She nodded and took a breath. ¡°Okay, then what do we need to do?¡±


    ¡°Now that we got the information we came here for¡­¡± Closing my eyes, I took a breath and thought it over. ¡°Ferrisdae, go to the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium and grab my maps. The ones with the active dungeons, defunct dungeons, and the ones of interest. There should still be a clerk there this late, and they¡¯ll know where they are. Once you¡¯re done, meet me at the Mage¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Ferrisdae said before turning to her mother. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get to stay and chat, but next time for sure.¡±


    ¡°What is happening?¡± Durendrelle asked.


    ¡°Department of Dungeon official business,¡± I stated before offering a handshake. She slowly took it. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±


    Spinning on my heel, I left the room with Ferrisdae in tow. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± her mother called. ¡°Have you seen Cairosin? He¡¯s been asking after you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, mother, I¡¯ll come back and see my little brother if I get the chance!¡± Ferrisdae returned as we turned the corner. She began speaking quietly once she was sure we were out of earshot. ¡°I don¡¯t like how that went. From her accusation that you did something down to acting like me getting assigned to you wasn¡¯t her plan all along.¡±


    I waved my hand dismissively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what your mother might think, you can take care of yourself. Like you bragged when you were drunk the first night I met you, you¡¯re a prodigy. And if she really knew who I was, then she never would have made that accusation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m going to the Consortium to get your maps, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To make a deal with a devil,¡± I said with a scowl. ¡°We need to get back to New Frausta to get what I hope is the last piece of the puzzle. So, I have to go talk to Sophie.¡±


    Ferrisdae gave me a look before patting me on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s rough.¡±

 Chapter 79 - Ral

    Sophia Blair¡¯s temporary space in Athir¡¯s Mage¡¯s Guild tower definitely couldn¡¯t compete with what she had back home. Unlike her lavish corner office in New Frausta, she had been tucked away in an unused room on a floor full of them. I knew this because the clerk at the front desk had retrieved Maribelle instead of the woman in question. The liaison''s secretary had told me all about it on the way up.


    Now I was waiting patiently for Maribelle to fetch the Kitsune. Sophia was staying in the tower, so it wasn¡¯t like she had far to go. It was more likely that she was making me sit here for longer than I needed to simply because she could.


    It was typical, really.


    I panned my gaze around the office as there wasn¡¯t much else to do. Both Sophia¡¯s desk and Maribelle¡¯s in the corner were covered in paperwork. At the very least, it looked like they were keeping busy. Their job might have been to secretly look into Carimella Rose and her dealings, but it appeared as though that task had a much larger trail than they were expecting.


    While I was curious to see how their investigation was going, I held myself back. I wasn¡¯t about to go through someone else¡¯s stuff for idle curiosity, not even if it would mean I¡¯d get under Sophia¡¯s skin when she returned.


    Which was very tempting. When I started debating on whether or not I should change my mind, the door opened and I turned to face the new arrivals.


    ¡°Looks like you picked up a stray,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Suppose you¡¯re not the only one anymore.¡±


    The Kitsune, in her tall Human form as usual, stared daggers at me. Ferrisdae stepped around her, saying nothing. She was used to seeing this kind of interaction between us by now just like Maribelle was. The secretary brought up the rear, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°She¡¯s your apprentice. Maybe if you didn¡¯t lose her, you wouldn¡¯t forget who she is because it¡¯s been five minutes since you last saw her,¡± Sophia tiredly replied with a roll of her eyes. ¡°On the way up here, we got a message that someone else was looking for us. We went down instead of coming up here to see you, as is proper, and we found her.¡±


    ¡°I got the maps,¡± Ferrisdae said as she approached me, ignoring the insults. ¡°They¡¯re in my Dimensional Pocket. Would you like them?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re fine where they are,¡± I answered with a shake of my head. ¡°Was there any trouble with the Consortium?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°None at all. They were really forthcoming with everything I needed after I flashed my badge.¡±


    ¡°What do you need maps for?¡± Sophia asked. Then, she put up her hand. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t need to know. Badger, we aren¡¯t supposed to be in communication. I¡¯m supposed to be here completely separate from you.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I wouldn¡¯t be here asking you for help if I didn¡¯t need to be, but I am because I do,¡± I said with a scowl.


    The Kitsune¡¯s demeanor changed in an instant. She stood up a little straighter as if intrigued. ¡°Really?¡± she asked, her voice taking on a high and mighty cadence. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you deserve my help after barging into my office so late at night, talking about strays or whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Would it not be weirder if I came in here begging?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    She stared at me for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°No, that would be very weird. I¡¯d have to wonder if you were actually Badger,¡± she conceded. ¡°Either way, what do you want? Just because you need help doesn¡¯t mean you need to bother me while I¡¯m trying to sleep.¡±


    ¡°We need a teleport back to New Frausta,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Then you can wait until the morning when there are mages working the teleportation rooms,¡± Sophia growled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to barge in here and probably ruin everything.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying, but we need to teleport to the Department of Dungeons. Brackenhorst¡¯s office, specifically.¡±


    Beside me, Ferrisdae exchanged a glance with Maribelle. She hadn¡¯t been told what I was worrying about, so all she could do was shrug.


    Sophia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite. Why?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t easy, but I managed to ignore the chance to twist her words. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure if this level of urgency is needed, I¡¯ll admit that, but it¡¯s something I¡¯d rather do quickly and be wrong about than let it sit overnight and be right,¡± I told her. ¡°Brackenhorst already knows we¡¯ll be coming. I called him on the Stone on the way here, I¡¯m waiting for him to get back to me so I know he¡¯s ready for us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying a lot of words, but you¡¯re not actually telling me what is going on,¡± she complained.


    I gave her a serious look. ¡°Remember the village of Ral?¡±


    ¡°Our greatest failure?¡± she scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. ¡°You¡¯re bringing up the past in front of your rookie now?¡±


    ¡°She already knows that I¡¯m the Nameless thanks to a knuckle-headed adventurer. One tale won¡¯t hurt,¡± I said, glancing at Ferrisdae. While I didn¡¯t plan on sating all of her curiosity, a little bit of context certainly could help


    ¡°And I don¡¯t know any more than Tabs told us. Haven¡¯t looked it up or anything,¡± the Elf said, holding up her hand as if swearing on it. Despite that, her curiosity was evident. ¡°Also, Cojisto¡¯s smarter than you give him credit for.¡±


    To that, I simply shrugged. He did have some esoteric knowledge relating to some things that I never thought important, but that was all I was willing to give him. I gestured to Sophia. ¡°Do you remember it or not?¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember that,¡± she snapped. If she wasn¡¯t hiding her true form, I was sure that the hair on her tail would be standing on end just thinking about it. ¡°It was¡­ a horrible way to go. Why are you bringing that up?¡±


    I turned to Ferrisdae.. ¡°Back when we were Reliable Rhodes, we did a lot of traveling,¡± I said.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°And now the old man¡¯s reminiscing,¡± Sophia muttered.


    ¡°Context is important,¡± I responded, not looking at the Kitsune. ¡°We went from town to town, village to village, usually avoiding the big cities along the way. I didn¡¯t care for them, but neither did Gro Khal.¡±


    ¡°He was the Orcish archer, right?¡± Ferrisdae asked, pulling up a chair so she could sit. She leaned forward, looking at me like I was about to tell her that she was getting whatever her heart desired.


    ¡°He was,¡± I confirmed with a nod. ¡°While we were traveling, we came across this little Halfling village.¡±


    ¡°Ral,¡± Sophia said, apparently deciding to be a part of this conversation. ¡°It was beautiful. Situated near one of the Tarlor Mountain peaks and built around a waterfall. It was full of happy people that were simply glad to be alive in such a wonderful place.¡±


    ¡°But, this isn¡¯t a happy story, is it?¡± Ferrisdae asked slowly. ¡°On account of it being your greatest failure.¡±


    We both gave her a solemn nod. ¡°The dungeon had gone unnoticed because there was another one inside the mountain much further below it. It showed up as one on Brackenhorst¡¯s map, so it was missed.¡± I explained.


    ¡°It¡¯s an exceedingly rare phenomenon, but it happens,¡± Sophia added.


    ¡°It¡¯s only happened one other time since the beginning of the Department of Dungeon, yes,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°So far as the records show, at least.¡±


    I gave Sophia an exasperated glance before moving on. ¡°When we arrived, we decided to take a break. No fighting, just relaxation after a few hard quests.¡±


    The Kitsune leaned in towards Ferrisdae. ¡°That¡¯s where Tabitha proposed to him,¡± she whispered. Ferrisdae grinned at the unexpected information.


    ¡°None of that!¡± I chastised, aiming a hard glare at Sophia. ¡°This is the story of Ral, not of me and Tabs.¡±


    ¡°My mistake,¡± she replied with a smug smile. ¡°Please, continue.¡±


    Maintaining the glare, I continued. ¡°Turns out, there had been a hole to the Plane of Water up in the mountain where the waterfall started, though we wouldn¡¯t find that out until later. That¡¯s where the main draw of their village was coming from. They assumed it was the work of some local deity or another, but that¡¯s neither here nor there. Not two days after we arrived, the waterfall started spewing out more than twice as much as it had been. An Elemental had taken up residence on this side, and apparently had for a while.¡±


    ¡°By our standards today, this one would have been considered a Greater Water Elemental,¡± Sophia chimed in. ¡°It was bigger than any of the houses there in Ral, and after the top blew off the mountain it was angry.¡±


    ¡°The top of the mountain blew off?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Like a volcano,¡± I answered. ¡°Water spewed everywhere, people were panicking, and it was only through luck that we were there.¡±


    ¡°While we weren¡¯t prepared, Danella was a worshiper of Sasalarn, Goddess of the Sea,¡± Sophia explained. ¡°It took a quick miracle, but through her faith she was able to part the torrential water away from the village.¡±


    ¡°The Elemental didn¡¯t like that,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, absolutely not. It was pissed.¡±


    ¡°While Danella was doing that, we started evacuating the village,¡± I continued. ¡°It was slow going. Thankfully, the river was still slick even though there wasn¡¯t any water flowing down it. Sliding down the mountain was a time honored tradition amongst the villagers and there was a convenient path alongside it to a safer place. Those that could slid with their belongings, going around when it was too steep, while everyone else took the long way.¡±


    ¡°And most of them did get away, at first.¡±


    Silence fell over the room. Ferrisdae was enthralled, and even Maribelle was watching us with barely veiled interest. The Human woman almost always had an air of disinterest about her, so this was new to me.


    ¡°We fought it,¡± I said quietly. ¡°We weren¡¯t prepared for something like a Greater Water Elemental. Danella was focusing on her miracle, Sophia was busy helping the villagers, and Gro and I were ill suited to combat something that our weapons passed right through. My wife, at least, was swiping at it with the flat of Britear, which was doing more than me or the archer. Ulrich was, unsurprisingly, prepared for anything.¡±


    ¡°That muscle-brained wizard was always prepared for combat,¡± Sophia snorted. ¡°The only thing he cared about was getting stronger, and it showed.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Tabs and Ulrich were the only ones of us making headway against it, so Gro and I played defense,¡± I said. ¡°We took hits for him and Danella while they ran about, using cover when appropriate. Most of the remaining buildings were destroyed during the fight, but that was just property. They could have rebuilt.¡±


    ¡°Could have,¡± Ferrisdae repeated, catching on those words.


    ¡°Our greatest failure,¡± Sophia said with a thin, disgusted smile. ¡°Once it realized it actually was going to die, it tried to scramble up the mountain back to the dungeon that formed around it. That¡¯s when it found that it couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So it escaped the fastest way it could,¡± I stated.


    ¡°Down the river,¡± Maribelle whispered, making her first sound since the story started.


    ¡°Right through the villagers. Even the ones on the path,¡± Sophia confirmed with a grimace. ¡°Sometimes, I wish I had a bigger pool of spells to choose from. Like a wizard. If I had, I could have done something more than shout a warning when I heard the torrent coming and get a small group out of the way.¡±


    Frowning, I reached up and tapped her arm with the back of my fist in an unusual case of solidarity. ¡°You thought Danella¡¯s goddess had stopped holding the water back, it was an easy mistake to make,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not like it would have happened if we had the right tools to kill it. We learned, after that.¡±


    ¡°I know. That doesn¡¯t make it easier,¡± she muttered. I gave her a moment, and she placed a hand on my shoulder for a moment before taking a step back and crossing her arms. Her demeanor went back to normal, though she couldn¡¯t hide the pain I knew we were both feeling. Not completely. ¡°So let me get this straight. What you¡¯re saying is that there could be a calamity hitting Athir like it did Ral. Something that we probably can¡¯t stop once it¡¯s in motion even with the strength of a fully developed nation at our back.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I really, truly hope that I¡¯m only thinking of the worst case scenario,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°If it¡¯s not, then you have my permission to mock me mercilessly.¡±


    Sophia scoffed. ¡°As if I need your permission for that. Your wife threw you under that wagon a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°So she did,¡± I said with a dark chuckle.


    ¡°Wait, what happened to the Elemental?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°And the dungeon, and Ral?¡±


    Sophia and I looked at each other before I spoke. ¡°Slain, eventually. The dungeon doesn¡¯t exist any more, and neither does Ral. There were only a handful of survivors and they didn¡¯t want to rebuild alone. We adventured for another year or two after, but it wasn¡¯t the same anymore for any of us. That was when we went our separate ways, and I decided to become a Dungeon Inspector to make sure this kind of thing never happened again.¡±


    ¡°More like he followed me into the profession,¡± Sophia said with a roll of her eyes.


    ¡°We were both thinking about it. Tabs was the one that pushed us forward. Not my fault that we were together when she told us to go for it,¡± I reminded her.


    My jacket buzzed, and I pulled out the Sending Stone. A message from Brackenhorst was written on it. ¡°He¡¯s in his office,¡± I said. ¡°He says he¡¯ll be ready in a minute. Sophia, will you take us?¡±


    Everyone turned to her. She looked at the six expectant eyes and threw up her hands. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s all teleport into the Chief¡¯s office, why not!¡±


    ¡°Good girl,¡± I praised, and I could have sworn she almost snapped at me.

 Chapter 80 - Master Map

    After giving Brackenhorst enough time to get his office in order, Sophia teleported herself, me, and Ferrisdae back to New Frausta. The spell was fast and flawless, but my Elven junior had to put her hand up to her mouth as we arrived at our destination. She dry heaved, but didn¡¯t throw up this time.


    ¡°It looks like you might finally be getting the hang of this, Ferrisdae,¡± I said.


    ¡°Wish I¡¯d get the hang of it faster,¡± she complained, coughing.


    Teleportation sickness was something that people could acclimate to once they had gone through it enough times. I had seen Ferrisdae go through it three times. Once on the way to Crystal Snows, once when Director Ortaephaen sent us back to New Frausta, and now. Assuming she had experience teleporting before that, she should be steady at it soon enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising to see that you actually have this place cleaned up for once,¡± Sophia remarked.


    I glanced around Brackenhorst¡¯s office. He was seated behind his desk, but it was no longer covered with so much paperwork that it started encroaching on the other furniture. There was a neat stack in front of him, but it wasn¡¯t much in the grand scheme of things. For the first time in forever, it wasn¡¯t cramped. The room looked respectable.


    ¡°Yeah, well, we¡¯ve all been working overtime to get things where they need to be considering how wrong everything¡¯s been going,¡± he replied, not taking offense to Sophia¡¯s words. ¡°If we were missing documents simply because we hadn¡¯t reached the pile yet, then that¡¯s on us.¡±


    ¡°And how much work have we been missing because of these piles, Chief?¡± I asked.


    He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You know all the urgent stuff gets taken care of first, Badger,¡± he said. ¡°But to actually answer, more than I¡¯d like to admit, but still less than I feared.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the catastrophe I was expecting, then.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± he agreed before leaning forward and rapping his knuckles on the desk. ¡°All right, let¡¯s get down to it. You call me on the one night I actually get to be home relaxing and demand that I come back to the office to meet you. What¡¯s got you so rattled?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s admitted that it might not be anything,¡± Sophia interjected before I had the chance to open my mouth.


    ¡°I said that I hope I¡¯m just overreacting,¡± I corrected before turning to Ferrisdae. ¡°I need the maps.¡±


    ¡°Right away,¡± she said, reaching into her Dimensional Pocket and pulling out several rolled scrolls.


    Reaching under the desk, I pulled out a built-in step and stood atop it. It wasn¡¯t very dignified, but it made working with furniture sized for Humans much easier to deal with. I started unfurling each of the scrolls.


    ¡°These are the maps that the clerks and I have been making the past few days,¡± I explained as I worked. ¡°Some of them are of active dungeons, either on or off the current Consortium rotation, others are of subjugated or otherwise destroyed dungeons, and the last is where some of the clerks agreed that it would be good to have some built.¡±


    ¡°Is that really relevant?¡± Sophia asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°If we think there¡¯s someone inside the Consortium who¡¯s working with the Cult, then I think so,¡± I answered before frowning. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. I¡¯m not taking any chances. Right now I¡¯d rather have more information and not need some of it than have less and need more.¡±


    Brackenhorst looked at the maps on his desk and gestured to the wall behind him. ¡°If you¡¯re here with maps, then I¡¯m assuming you want to use mine? You¡¯re going to need one hell of a magnifying glass if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    Behind Brackenhorst¡¯s desk was a parchment map of the continent. It was absolutely stunning with near perfect details. Even more impressive was that it took up the entire wall. Several glowing dots were scattered across it seemingly at random. These were indicative of every active dungeon on the landmass.


    It didn¡¯t matter if it was a hundred years old or a hundred minutes, the magical map showed their location. What made the whole thing useful was that new dungeons glowed blue instead of red. Unless they were completely obstructed by an older dot, we had a rough estimate of where to search.


    While it was still a mystery where it came from or who made it, we had guesses. Magic this powerful and precise could only have come from a time before the Thousand Year Blizzard, back when most of the relics of legend were made. Despite having made several leaps and bounds in the art of item creation, craft workers of all types had never returned to such glory.


    Though that was likely to change now that the Dungeon Master had destroyed the storm. The Cult of CC was already trying to take advantage of it, such as when the Dungeonborn herself appeared here in the body of Carimella Rose. And that had just been moments after the magic had settled over the area again.


    It had also, apparently, changed some things that I had been given.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to need a magnifying glass,¡± I said as I stepped down.


    Ferrisdae seemed excited as she figured out what I was going to do, but the other two watched me curiously as I grabbed a chair and dragged it around the Chief¡¯s desk. I set it up in front of the map so I could climb on top of it and reach what I needed to.


    Athir and New Frausta took up a good chunk of the middle of the continent, the first to the west and the second to the east. Both had cities that were ringed with red dots, and the one we were in had a few inside. The sheer number made it hard to tell how many they were and where their exact locations were.


    Reaching up with both hands, I put my index fingers on either side of Athir and pulled them away from each other. The map shuddered, held down by its pins, but the magic did as I knew it would: zoom in on the country. I had to take my hands as far away from each other as I could in order to show what I wanted it to.


    ¡°What did you do to my map?¡± Brackenhorst yelled, scrambling out of his chair.


    ¡°The Dungeon Master gave me a few meta abilities, remember?¡± I responded. ¡°Still not sure what he meant by that, but messing with maps like this was one of them.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Hold on, wait,¡± Sophia said. ¡°You told the Mage¡¯s Guild that you can only use those powers inside a dungeon. Are we in a dungeon right now?¡±


    I looked at Brackenhorst. ¡°Are we?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he answered immediately. ¡°You know that CC tried to turn this place into a dungeon, but you stopped her. We went through every trick in the book to make sure that there wasn¡¯t anything leftover from that attempt. You¡¯re making me think we missed something, though.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t miss anything,¡± I replied. ¡°I noticed it back at the Red Thicket. My map power worked even though we weren¡¯t in the dungeon yet. Later on, at the Dark Elf Quarry, I also noticed that I could feel the waves the Dungeon Doorknocker sends through to announce our presence.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about that one,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I noticed the map one, by the way, but I just thought it worked everywhere.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Getting your report was more important than telling you about something strange that happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to update the records,¡± Sophia said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to do more tests.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m done being quarantined,¡± I scoffed.


    The Kitsune ignored me and turned to Ferrisdae. ¡°What about you? Anything new that we should know about?¡±


    Ferrisdae shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m a little more powerful since the blizzard stopped, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as big of an improvement as anyone else.¡±


    A clap rang out as Sophia opened her mouth again, and we all looked at Brackenhorst. ¡°The Mage¡¯s Guild and the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium is already attempting to figure out what all¡¯s changed since the Thousand Year Blizzard was cut off early,¡± he said before gesturing towards the map. ¡°Is my map going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Chief,¡± I said. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t fix it before I leave, it¡¯ll go back to normal once I¡¯m far enough away from it. It should, at least.¡±


    He looked concerned, but still gave me a small nod. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    ¡°Please hand me the map with all the active dungeons right now,¡± I requested as I looked at the one on the wall. Athir had been zoomed in so much that it was much larger than me and that made this very easy.


    Ferrisdae appeared at my side and handed me the map. I retrieved a pen from my Pocket and started marking them off. At a glance, it all looked like it matched up, but no one could say that I wasn¡¯t thorough.


    I was not surprised in the slightest to find that, while I was marking off the dungeons that the Consortium knew existed, there were a fair few active that weren¡¯t supposed to be. These ones I circled and put an X in before moving on to the next one.


    When I reached it, I hovered over where the Red Thicket was supposed to be. It wasn¡¯t on the map I was holding since it had been marked as destroyed in the Consortium records room. I decided to put the rune for Stability in that circle.


    Nobody spoke while I worked. There were no questions or comments. I imagined they were trying to figure out what was going on just as much as I was even though they hadn¡¯t had the same epiphany I did.


    Unfortunately, the more I marked, the more I started to realize there was a pattern.


    I stopped working on the map, staring down at it. My eyes darted from dot to dot, connecting them in my head.


    ¡°Ferrisdae,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Grab the map with the old dungeons, the ones that we thought were suspect, and start marking down the ones I tell you to.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± she said, and I heard rustling behind me.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a pen, lass,¡± Brackenhorst offered.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m ready, Badger,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try to go slow,¡± I replied as I began pointing at the different dots on the wall. Every time I did, the names of the dungeons popped up. It worked for the names of people, and I was glad to see that it worked here, too. ¡°Add in the Courtesan¡¯s Sepulcher, Drake¡¯s Grove, Firebelly Marsh, Maze of the Forest Fey¡­¡±


    I continued naming off dungeon after dungeon. As I did, I became even more sure that the pattern I was seeing wasn¡¯t a figment of my imagination. It was easy to connect the dots and say that it was there for a reason, but this had a purposeful feeling about it. Like someone went out of their way to make an effort.


    ¡°Is this a circle?¡± Ferrisdae asked when we were nearly finished.


    ¡°Just a few more,¡± I told her.


    ¡°No, wait,¡± she said as I was about to feed her another name and position. ¡°Is this a ritual circle? Badger, what-¡±


    ¡°Just a few more,¡± I firmly reiterated. ¡°And then I¡¯ll take questions.¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry,¡± she replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said before naming off the rest.


    Once we were done, I jumped down from the chair and walked around the desk to the step. The map didn¡¯t return to normal when I left it, but that didn¡¯t bother me. It just appeared as though my ability was getting stronger, either thanks to using it or because of the increase in ambient magic. What did it didn¡¯t matter, just that it was working.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely a ritual circle,¡± Sophia muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s a really, really big ritual circle,¡± Ferrisdae agreed.


    ¡°Nation-wide,¡± I added. ¡°Though, if anyone would have the life span to do so, I¡¯d say an Elf was a good choice. Sophia, did you find anything on the Archmage?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s clean,¡± the Kitsune answered. ¡°I¡¯m positive about that, by the way. She¡¯s got nothing to do with Carimella Rose. I¡¯d stake my reputation on it.¡±


    ¡°Badger,¡± Brackenhorst said slowly before I could question her further.


    ¡°Yeah, Chief?¡± I asked.


    He reached forward and tapped on the map. ¡°Isn¡¯t this similar to the ritual circles Camilla had scarred onto her body?¡±


    I pursed my lips as I looked it over. The sight of the horror her body had to have gone through to become a vessel for CC was seared into my mind. It wasn¡¯t something I thought I was ever going to forget. So when Brackenhorst brought that up, I could clearly remember what he was.


    ¡°Almost. It¡¯s definitely in the same family of rituals,¡± I confirmed solemnly.


    ¡°Is she coming back?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to try, but we¡¯re going to stop her,¡± I said absently as I started tracing the map with my finger. With only one known rune, it was going to be nearly impossible to figure out exactly what was going on.


    ¡°It looks like there¡¯s two missing in the obvious spots to complete a ritual circle,¡± Ferrisdae stated, pointing towards two of the dungeons that I had sent Cojisto and Moose to. ¡°Do you know which ones these are?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Leaf Blade Grove and the Karst of Vile Spores,¡± I answered. ¡°There might be more to the ritual circle than we know, especially in the middle where Athir is. Still, this isn¡¯t good. Our presence may have made the cult speed up the process after the Blackwood Queen attacked me. If so, they-¡±


    ¡°Oh, gods damnit,¡± Sophia growled.


    I scowled at her interruption. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here, you know,¡± I said unhappily. ¡°If you want to go get some coffee or something then be my guest.¡±


    ¡°No, Badger,¡± she returned, slapping me on the shoulder before pointing towards the map. ¡°We¡¯ve got a blue light.¡±


    The three of us all turned to see the map on the wall. Just like she said, there was a brand new blue dot indicating a new dungeon. Its location was easy to figure out, too.


    The Karst of Vile Spores was active once more.


    ¡°Gods damnit,¡± I growled, sharing the Kitsune¡¯s frustration. ¡°One more dungeon to go.¡±

 Chapter 81 - Scry...

    There were a few moments of silence as we considered what this meant. With only one more dungeon left to go, I was certain it was going to activate at any moment. They had someone who made portals, after all, and that meant there was no reason to wait.


    But as we stared, the next blue dot didn¡¯t appear. I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°They must be missing something,¡± I muttered, trying to think what.


    ¡°Such as?¡± Brackenhorst asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted sourly. ¡°They wanted Dalsarel, First Daughter of the Dark Elf Quarry, to be the owner of the Karst of Vile Spores. Even went out of their way to plant some kind of seed in her hand that made her magic and have dreams of the place. Maybe they need someone powerful or altered to be the centerpiece?¡±


    ¡°Like the Rage Rot on Grandfather Red?¡± Ferrisdae offered. I nodded; that made sense. ¡°Or maybe something¡¯s distracting them. You sent Cojisto and Moose out that way, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he said he¡¯d be back before¡­¡± I shook my head, just because he claimed they¡¯d be able to do something didn¡¯t make it true. I turned to Sophia. ¡°You met Cojisto, right?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°Those two don¡¯t work for the DoD, but they were under your jurisdiction so-¡±


    ¡°Okay, great,¡± I interrupted, waving my hand. ¡°Do you have enough power left for a Scry and Fry?¡±


    The Scry and Fry was a classic adventuring technique for those who were powerful enough to cast complex spells and had information on their target ahead of time. It required scrying magic to locate an individual and see their surroundings and was quickly followed up by a Teleport spell. If done against unaware enemies, prepared parties could end fights before they even started.


    In this case, it was less about fighting and more about getting as close to the dungeon as possible.


    Sophia looked like she bit the inside of her cheek to avoid snapping at me. I appreciated that. ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s received the same kind of boost you and Ferrisdae have,¡± she said through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but I¡¯m only going to have one attempt and if it fails the best I can do is teleport us back to Athir¡¯s gates.¡±


    ¡°It helps if you have something that belongs to them, right?¡± Ferrisdae asked, and the Kitsune confirmed with a nod. Reaching into her Pocket, she retrieved a crossbow that I recognized as Cojisto¡¯s. ¡°The shop finished repairing this today. Madam Elensfree, the craftswoman, took extra care with it because she¡¯d never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°And you were going to give it back to him today, sure,¡± I quickly finished for her. ¡°Sophia, will that work?¡±


    Without answering, she cleared a spot on the desk. She grabbed a beautiful silver mirror from her satchel, which had a similar enchantment to my Dimensional Pocket, and set it down before turning to Ferrisdae. ¡°Give me the crossbow,¡± she ordered. The Elf did so without hesitation, and Sophia sat down with it in her lap. ¡°This is going to take some time, so make sure to be ready once I¡¯m done.¡±


    The Kitsune placed both of her hands on the edges of her mirror and closed her eyes. She muttered under her breath, casting the spell. If she wasn¡¯t under the effects of an illusion, I knew that Sophia¡¯s tail would have started glowing and multiplying. It was her tell as a Sorceress, which was one of the reasons why she was barely in her true form. I understood preferring that information stayed secret.


    ¡°Chief, have we gotten any news from Justisius or Liddy?¡± I asked as I retrieved my buckler, strapping it to my wrist.


    Brackenhorst sat down in his chair and sighed. ¡°Liddy¡¯s hot on some wizard¡¯s trail. They¡¯ve been playing cat and mouse and it¡¯s been thrilling, according to her. Whoever this guy is, he seems to specialize in disrupting divinations,  so she¡¯s been going at it the old-fashioned way. According to her reports, she almost caught him twice but he managed to escape both times mere seconds before their arrival.¡±


    I glanced at the Chief. ¡°Think it¡¯s one of her juniors feeding him information, then?¡±


    ¡°Could be,¡± he replied. ¡°Liddy doesn¡¯t think so, but she¡¯s keeping an eye on them both. She¡¯ll get the job done, though, setbacks or not.¡±


    ¡°I know she will.¡± Frowning, I shook my head. The information was nice to have, but there wasn¡¯t anything I could do to help. ¡°And Justisius?¡±


    ¡°Been getting word from Elks, one of Justisius¡¯ apprentices, every third day,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s been traveling back and forth between Alashroe and Laroda to get in contact with us.¡±


    ¡°That desert heat must be killer,¡± Ferrisdae responded empathetically. All she did to prepare was grab her wand, but her grip on it was white-knuckle tight.


    ¡°He says he hasn¡¯t been minding it as badly as he thought he would,¡± the old Dwarf said. ¡°But so far Justisius¡¯ team has managed to get the Sultan and his son into the same room where they didn¡¯t fight for nearly five minutes. Tension is high, but it¡¯s lowering every day. So long as nothing instigates the situation, I think they¡¯re going to succeed in figuring out how a dungeon can exist there.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s no information on that at all?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°The prince has dropped a few hints, but nothing substantial,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Like you did a month ago, Justisius has deduced that the dungeon was definitely made with some kind of item, but its whereabouts, make, enchantment, and pretty much everything else is completely unknown to us.¡±


    ¡°I think that information¡¯s going to be needed sooner rather than later,¡± I said, nodding towards the map on the wall. ¡°If it¡¯s a ploy from the cult, like we were expecting, then it¡¯s probably another plan to get their precious mistress over here.¡±


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t been lost on me, Badger,¡± Brackenhorst grunted. His eyes settled on the map. ¡°Though we thought we had more time.¡±


    ¡°The fall of the Thousand Year Blizzard probably sped up a lot of their plans,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I mean, possession from one continent to another would have required a very substantial magical connection. It¡¯s probably possible now that it¡¯s not getting sucked up.¡±


    ¡°I imagine the Mage¡¯s Guild is having a field day with that kind of research,¡± I snorted.


    ¡°Yeah, but are we sure the Dungeon Master didn¡¯t plan for that?¡± she asked.


    I frowned, thinking about it. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I answered slowly. ¡°He could have been lying to me, but I think his fear of his sister is real and not the kind where he¡¯d try to help her just to lessen his abuse. I got the impression that he thought she was going to do unspeakable things to him, and that a continent of stronger adventurers might help.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t trust him,¡± Brackenhorst stated, looking away from the map.


    ¡°Gods, no,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to. I¡¯m just saying that I thought he was being honest about his sister.¡±


    ¡°If I had some powerful crazy woman coming after me, I¡¯d sure like backup,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°Has the Director been able to get any more out of him?¡±


    ¡°A lot,¡± the Chief chuckled. ¡°Once the Dungeon Master realized we weren¡¯t going to try to kill him or anything like that, he started to get a lot more talkative. Ortaephaen¡¯s barely been sleeping, according to the notes he¡¯s been sending, just talking. It¡¯s honestly changing the entire landscape of dungeon magic as we know it.¡±


    ¡°Which would explain why the Director¡¯s so enthusiastic. He¡¯s never going to retire now, is he?¡± I asked with a sigh.


    ¡°No, not a damn chance,¡± he answered. ¡°The Dungeon Master¡¯s been moved to a secure location, but he¡¯s still considered the owner of Oristrella¡¯s dungeon so he has some modicum of freedom while the old codger grills him for information. He¡¯s given up a significant amount in the hopes that we¡¯ll defeat CC when we finally get everything we need for the expedition to the Southern Continent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s been decided?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°I knew the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium would want in at the drop of a hat, but the Mage¡¯s Guild, too?¡±


    Brackenhorst shrugged. ¡°Archmage Serto put in a few good words.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t just some above average Elf in the middle of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°No, he has plenty of influence. Not just anyone would be allowed to study the Thousand Year Blizzard as extensively as he had,¡± he replied. ¡°His testimony about what happened helped. But it¡¯s also the work of the deities.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ferrisdae asked. ¡°Like, divine intervention?¡±


    ¡°Nothing so drastic. High priests of different religions have been making their way to see Ortaephaen despite his secure location being, well, secure,¡± Brackenhorst explained. He frowned before turning to look at his map. ¡°Can you fix that? It¡¯s distracting now that it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answered. After double and triple checking my bracer, I pulled out my Hilt of Holding. The rune was still set to my frost blade, and I left it that way. If the Blackwood Queen was near Cojisto then it would come in handy. ¡°It¡¯ll fix itself when I¡¯m gone and I¡¯m keeping an eye out for a new blue dot.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I suppose,¡± he sighed, looking away from it. ¡°Anyway, they¡¯ve been visiting and giving their blessings. No small amount, either. Tegril, Mjrestar, Kartup, Segrech, just to name a few.¡±


    I almost whistled at the lineup. ¡°If the Gods of justice, magic, hunts, and sun are on your side, you should be inclined to listen.¡±


    Ferrisdae turned to me. ¡°Didn¡¯t Segrech¡¯s divine weapon get lost during an expedition to the Southern Continent? The Maul of the Luminescent King?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir Sampson the Righteous lost Luculus Rex during the Continental Crusade,¡± I answered, remembering back when I had told her this during trivia night back in Crystal Snows. ¡°Even if all Segrech wants is to get his weapon back, I¡¯m sure the expedition leaders would be happy to have the support of his clergy.¡±


    ¡°Happy to have all of them, really,¡± Brackenhorst agreed. ¡°Even some of the darker deities, like Amalraldee, want in.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°The Goddess of Vengeance wants in?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°All I have is secondhand knowledge. If they tell me that she wants in, all I can do is believe it.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s¡­¡± I released a breath. ¡°It¡¯s actually happening, isn¡¯t it? A new Continental Crusade or whatever you want to call it.¡±


    Brackenhorst gave me a thin, tired smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, my boy.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯m going to have to convince Tabs to stay,¡± I said, crossing my arms as I sat down. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a battle all on its own.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she supposed to be really strong?¡± Ferrisdae asked hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m sure people would be glad to have her there.¡±


    ¡°She is,¡± I admitted. Her strength wasn¡¯t the issue here. ¡°But her adventuring days are behind her. Mine, too, which is why I¡¯m a Dungeon Inspector. I don¡¯t want her dragged into a war on another continent, not when it means leaving Calico and Willow behind.¡±


    Sophia snorted. ¡°Yeah, one absent parent is enough, don¡¯t want to make it two.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing what I need to do for my family, which is more than I can say about you,¡± I spat, anger rising. ¡°Just cast your damn spell, Sophia.¡±


    ¡°I am, you moron. This part doesn¡¯t require a verbal component, so I can fill it with whatever truths I want to,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Brackenhorst said quietly, and we both bristled. ¡°Is now the time for this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± we both answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you both understand that, because we can¡¯t be bickering right now. I know it¡¯s the only way you two know how to interact, but I¡¯m calling a truce right now,¡± Brackenhorst said before raising a foot and bringing it down. ¡°Literally, I¡¯m putting my foot down. No jabs, no sharp remarks, nothing. You don¡¯t have to get along, you just have to pretend like you do. Got it?¡±


    I scowled. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Sophia didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Girl, I¡¯ve seen enough scrying in my day to know you¡¯re still able to answer me,¡± he said sternly.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she replied. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Brackenhorst looked at the Elf. ¡°Ferry, if these two act up, report back to me at your earliest convenience. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it. And I¡¯m going to have to figure out what happened between these two someday,¡± Ferrisdae mused. ¡°Could you tell me, Brack?¡±


    Sophia opened her eyes to glare at the Chief and I did the same. He laughed it off. ¡°I could if I had no regard for my own personal safety. Telling them to behave is one thing, but this is another. Sorry, I don¡¯t have a death wish.¡±


    ¡°Worth a shot,¡± the young Elf sighed.


    ¡°Almost done,¡± Sophia announced before she went back to muttering under her breath. Ferrisdae and I moved to either side of her and looked in the mirror.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to stand back,¡± Brackenhorst said, his eyes glued to the reflective surface. ¡°On the off chance this doesn¡¯t blow up immediately after you leave, I¡¯m going to send some Inspectors to Athir to neutralize some of these dungeons. The ones that don¡¯t exist, at least. It¡¯s worth diverting the manpower.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Some of our regular operations are probably going to have to take a backseat,¡± I replied.


    ¡°No probably about it. They¡¯re definitely going to,¡± he said with a shake of his head.


    When it seemed like there was going to be more, Sophia rose from her seat and light shot forth from the mirror. ¡°Got him!¡± she announced as the crossbow caught itself on the desk. Ferrisdae retrieved it before it could fall.


    We watched as the light receded, showing a small area around Cojisto. My blood ran cold as I saw who was with him.


    The Blackwood Queen.


    ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± I yelled, jabbing my hilt towards the mirror. Immediately, I smacked the buckler against my chest to turn it into a shield and thumbed the rune to make my blade appear from my Hilt of Holding.


    They were obviously fighting, and a stupid grin was plastered on Cojisto¡¯s bloody face. His Fluid Force didn¡¯t seem to be nearly as bright as it had been. From here, it looks like he was losing. Moose wasn¡¯t anywhere to be seen.


    ¡°Prepare for a Scry and Fry!¡± a familiar voice yelled before the magic in the mirror ended early.


    ¡°I was cut off,¡± Sophia said.


    ¡°That¡¯s the portal guy!¡± I said as I grabbed the Kitsune¡¯s arm. Ferrisdae did the same. ¡°Teleport us, now!¡±


    With a grim nod, Sophia cast the spell, and we were once again traveling through the void. This time, into grave danger.

 Chapter 82 - ... And Fry

    The sound of moving water echoed through the karst, making it difficult to hear. My nose twitched as the decayed smell of mushrooms assailed my sense of smell. There were a couple of torches thrown about, but they weren¡¯t placed very strategically. It took my eyes a few precious seconds to adjust to the darkness.


    In that time, my side was skewered by the Blackwood Queen¡¯s thorn.


    Gritting my teeth in pain, I noticed that the wound wasn¡¯t numbing like it was before. There wasn¡¯t any poison on her weapon for this attack. She may have used it all up on Cojisto, whom she was fighting. We had appeared in front of him; I could tell that from his labored breathing and his surprised gasp at our appearance.


    I shifted into Sophia, knocking her back into Ferrisdae and away from danger. Both of the spellcasters needed to stay far away from the front lines, and my movement just so happened to keep the Kitsune safe while meeting my own needs. The thorn in my side was pulled free.


    The Blackwood Queen¡¯s thorn was longer than it was when I fought her, more akin to a pike than an estoc. I needed to clear that distance. With a clean motion despite my injury, I knocked her weapon aside with my shield and lunged forward.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± I yelled, raising my sword. My blade began to glow with a cold blue aura, and the air around it became so chilled that I could see it.


    Ahead of me, the Blackwood Queen let out a wooden laugh. ¡°Bloom!¡±


    Not knowing what was about to happen, I raised my shield and lowered myself to the ground to increase coverage. I shifted my arm, going for a low sweep instead of a downwards cut, when I was suddenly stopped in my tracks.


    The Blackwood Queen¡¯s thorn exploded at the tip. I watched through the enchanted transparent metal as several branches came at me at once. Sliding across the rough, wet stone as I skidded to a stop, I pulled my legs in under my shield. The impact of seven different spears was too much, and I was pushed backwards.


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t end there. One by one, each of the branches pulled away from the shield and slammed into it again as if they were determined to pierce through my cover. I stopped sliding, but only because I was pushed against an small incline. Every attack slammed me into the ground and I waited for my opportunity.


    Light appeared high in the air around us, illuminating the entire karst. Sophia had done that. I knew because I could hear Ferrisdae trying, and failing, to cast a spell herself. Now that she found herself in combat, her trauma wasn¡¯t so easy to ignore.


    Bringing her was a bad idea, I thought bitterly. She¡¯s not ready.


    Now that I had the opportunity, as pinned down as I was, I looked around. The room was larger than I expected with a wide river cutting through the two sides. The Blackwood Queen was much easier to see now that she didn¡¯t blend into the darkness. She looked like a creature that had been punched a few too many times, but something else caught my attention.


    Across the river was a figure not too much taller than I was. Their body was covered by a dark aura that made picking out details impossible. The only thing that wasn¡¯t shrouded was a staff that looked like it was constructed from some kind of stone.


    Lying a few feet away from them was Moose. He was still breathing, but he was heavily injured. Cuts, scrapes, and gouges lined his body much like we had seen with Cojisto through the scrying mirror. His eyes were open, though I could clearly tell the state of delirium he was in. That must have been where all the poison went.


    Dalsarel was nowhere to be seen. Not only that but, just like CC, neither of them had an aura.


    I took this all in during at a moment¡¯s glance and came up with a course of action. ¡°Ferrisdae, get Cojisto up and help Moose! Sophia, with me!¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Cojisto said, his voice wheezing from exertion.


    I heard my apprentice tell him to drink something, but nothing from Sophia. That was fine. All of our differences aside, I could trust her when I needed to.


    The seven-tipped spear lifted the point on the side of my shield arm, and I shifted. It slid off of my cover on impact and into the ground. I used the incline to give me enough power to slice through the rest of the branches. They fell to the ground as I stood.


    ¡°Badger,¡± the Blackwood Queen said, her thorn shedding the leftover branches. ¡°Fall in the water, you-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I interrupted, keeping my eyes on both her shrinking thorn and the ground to keep my footing. ¡°You lose, you die.¡±


    The ancient Nymph tilted her head in the same puppy-like manner she did before laughing. Holding my shield in front of me, I ran towards her. A copy of myself split off from my body, running beside me on my left side. An illusion. Knowing this tactic, I stepped to the right as quickly as I could to make it harder to tell which of us was real.


    I hadn¡¯t heard Sophia cast the spell, but I knew it was her. She was proud of her ability to use magic without incantations, calling it a necessity for any illusionist worth their salt. It was one that had saved my life many times in the past. I welcomed the use of a strategy I hadn¡¯t been a part of for several years now.


    The Blackwood Queen was immediately put on the defensive as she looked from me to my twin. Her gaze turned to me, and she thrust her thorn. Instead of taking it head on with my shield and showing that I was the real me, I dodged to the side, getting dangerously close to the raging water. I went completely still, like an illusion that was no longer being controlled by its caster.


    My copy raised his sword across his shield to ready a strong slice, and her attention shifted towards it. The thorn stopped threatening me, and I lurched forward just as her weapon destroyed the illusion.


    A strangled noise of surprise came from the wooden woman and I slashed downwards. My sword cut her from shoulder to hip, though not as deeply as I had hoped. She had leaned away from me at the last second, showing phenomenal reaction time. Still, the frost from my blade seeped into her body.


    The Blackwood Queen bounced backwards, getting distance from me and the river. If she was hoping to be able to hear my footsteps when the next illusion came, then she was out of luck. There was no way anyone was picking that out in all this noise.


    I followed her step by step, even though I needed several more due to our height difference. She lashed out with a vine-covered arm, and I bashed it out of my way with the shield. Following up, the butt of her thorn flew at my face, and I ducked out of the way to stab her in the foot.


    She lifted her leg, and I tackled her. The Blackwood Queen was caught off balance as I struck her in the abdomen. Grabbing the shield, she raised her thorn like a club. In return, I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her.


    Once again I marveled at how light she was despite being made out of wood. I fell backwards, twisting to brace my fall, and her thorn hit the stone ground now that she didn¡¯t have enough room to use it. I landed on her, entangling my legs with one of hers as I raised my sword. She might have been light, but so was I and she had the advantage in leverage due to her size; I wanted to keep her grounded as long as possible.


    Flailing, she grazed my arm and shoulder with the thorns on her vines. I raised my sword and brought it down on her head. It hadn¡¯t been a lie that I meant for her to die tonight.


    A portal opened up underneath her. Teal and purple flecks of magic outlined it, and I could see our fight from a new angle. We both fell through, and my blade nicked her neck mid-air. She twisted, using her thorn on the ground in an attempt to maneuver me underneath her. I let go of her and pushed away, landing a few feet away on my side.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Two things happened in quick succession. A copy of me stood over me exactly where I had landed and my body had become transparent. If I was remembering Sophia¡¯s spells correctly, this wasn¡¯t Invisibility as per the spell, but a lower version of it that wouldn¡¯t last as long. That made it much easier to cast along with another illusion.


    The Blackwood Queen scrambled to her feet as my copy faced her down. It slammed its sword against its shield, creating noise while I stood up. The Minor Illusion was putting in some good work.


    I gave a quick glance to the other battle. Cojisto was attempting to defend both Ferrisdae and Moose from the shadowy figure, but it seemed as though most of his punches were phasing through them. Not all of them, I noticed. The mage was still dodging rather fiercely. The spell he had used on himself didn¡¯t fully protect from injuries.


    My theory was very quickly proven true as Cojisto landed a Fluid Force fueled punch directly in center mass and the mage went flying backwards into the wall. A portal appeared beside him with a wave of his stone staff and he stepped through it, appearing on the other side of Ferrisdae and Moose. The pugilist looked around before spotting him and jumped over the two of them to continue the fight.


    Moose still hadn¡¯t gotten up yet, but Ferrisdae was trying her best. There were a few empty vials on the ground. Some had magical potions in them, but I recognized the shape of some alchemical bottles in there as well. She must have been unsure how much of the magic liquid he could consume before becoming sick. I had to admit that I wouldn¡¯t have known either; Cojisto probably did, but neither she nor I have had to treat a moose before.


    Movement from the Blackwood Queen and my copy caught my eye. I moved beside it, looking to catch my opportunity to finish this fight quickly to go and help the others. Now that I was invisible, I had one chance to perform a devastating blow undetected.


    My copy raised his shield as the Blackwood Queen thrust her thorn. I was close, and the force of it sent the wind blowing across my cheek. The spear blew through the illusion, which dropped its sword in favor of giving our enemy an impolite gesture before disappearing. With her frustrated surprise, I retracted my shield and placed both hands on my weapon.


    I put all of my force into my attack, planting my foot and swinging down with my whole body. It seemed as though the Blackwood Queen sensed the attack as I was making it, but she was too late. My blade cut into her side and didn¡¯t stop until it hit stone.


    The top half of the ancient Nymph fell to the ground as the bottom half staggered before following it. There was no sap or anything resembling blood, but she flailed and lashed out in obvious pain.


    ¡°Abara!¡± she screeched.


    A portal appeared underneath her, but I was expecting that from the moment she called out. Bright light shone through to give me a quick look at the other side. Two things caught my attention.


    Dalsarel was there, unconscious. She had injuries consistent with the kind of damage Cojisto put out. If she wasn¡¯t in the dungeon, then that would make destroying it much easier. Her presence led to many questions, but they weren¡¯t the only ones.


    The other side of the portal wasn¡¯t the karst like it was before, but someplace with white stone, ceramic tiles, and open air windows under horseshoe arches. Even though I could only get a brief glimpse, I recognized the architecture. The destination was hundreds of miles away and should have been impossible.


    But now wasn''t the time to dwell on that.


    I grabbed the Blackwood Queen¡¯s thorn, ignoring the small hooks and sharp ridges digging into my hand, and pulled. Whether her grip was simply too tight or she wasn¡¯t thinking straight, she didn¡¯t let go. I thrust my frost-covered blade into her chest before going through the head.


    The Blackwood Queen stopped moving. In my combat state I could clearly hear her wooden form fall onto the stone ground over the echoed roars of the river. I tossed the thorn aside and started heading to the other fight. The river was wider here, but I could jump across it back where Sophia was standing.


    ¡°No!¡± the shadow figure shouted, anger and grief evident in his voice. It was clear to me that this was the same man who had apologized to me over the Blackwood Queen¡¯s challenge back in Riverside. There was no mistaking it.


    Just as I made it to the river, a portal opened up underneath Ferrisdae and Moose. She wasn¡¯t prepared for it and he only just looked to be coming to his senses. They both fell through with a scream of surprise.


    ¡°Give them back!¡± Cojisto roared after taking a quick look behind him.


    The mage said nothing as he jumped towards the closest wall, the pugilist in pursuit. A portal opened up there to reveal a place very similar to the last one I looked through. Cojisto pulled his fist back and let a haymaker fly. One second too late.


    His fist collided with the wall the portal had just been on, creating a small crater that cracked the stone around it with rage, adrenaline, and whatever else the Human had going through him. Pulling his undoubtedly broken hand away, he stood there silently.


    I jumped across the river and checked where Ferrisdae and Moose had just been seconds before. There wasn¡¯t even dust remaining. Anger and panic welled up inside me, but I tried my best to squash them. They had no place here.


    ¡°We gotta go after them,¡± Cojisto said.


    ¡°We can¡¯t from here,¡± I replied, closing my eyes in an attempt to make the adrenaline disappear faster. It wasn¡¯t useful anymore.


    ¡°What do you mean we can¡¯t from here?¡± he challenged, his happy-go-lucky demeanor nowhere to be seen. ¡°You guys teleported in here, can¡¯t you teleport us there? Lady, Sophia, whatever your name was, can¡¯t you teleport us there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m out,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What good is an apology when Moose and Ferry just got kidnapped!?¡± he yelled.


    ¡°You need to calm down,¡± I told him, opening my eyes. ¡°They might not be comfortable, but they¡¯ll probably be safe. At least, for now.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly know that, Badger!¡±


    ¡°No, but there¡¯s evidence to support that they need us specifically for a few things regarding CC. They¡¯ll probably be safe.¡±


    Cojisto threw his arms in the air. ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel better?¡±


    I frowned at him before schooling my expression. It probably shouldn¡¯t have been surprising that Cojisto was capable of panic and anger like this. In my head, he had just been a happy guy with no concept of anything other than travel around and punch monsters. Taking a breath, I gestured for him to follow me across the river. It took a few seconds, but he did.


    ¡°Sophia, did you see through the portal?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, his destination is impossible,¡± she answered. The Kitsune had picked up the crossbow that had teleported with us and handed it to its owner.


    ¡°Where?¡± Cojisto demanded. He took his weapon and shoved it into his pack. ¡°Thank you. But, where do we need to go?¡±


    Turning, I looked up at the Human. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I asked.


    He scowled, which was an expression that looked foreign on his bruised face, but nodded. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then please trust that I have my junior and your best friend¡¯s safety in mind.¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this, but I need you to stick with me for now. This journey will take a few days at least.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t teleport there once Sophia¡¯s rested?¡± he asked, looking at the Kitsune. I could tell that he was trying to moderate his tone now.


    ¡°We can teleport close to there, geographically speaking,¡± she offered.


    ¡°The other side of that portal led to the Laroda Jareet Desert,¡± I explained, stowing away my gear. ¡°Can you grab the remains of the Nymph, Cojisto?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he said. He looked over at the body and the weapon that had fallen with it before headed that way. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the desert that¡¯s got no magic in it? How¡¯d he portal into it if it¡¯s where I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± I started, pulling out my Sending Stone. ¡°Is the big question. As many of those as there are, this gives us some answers as well.¡±


    ¡°Justisius is there,¡± Sophia said. ¡°He might be able to do something to help them, but the cult¡¯s plans might go into motion now that that wooden thing is dead.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s something I¡¯m worried about,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t seem so worried to me,¡± Cojisto noted.


    ¡°That¡¯s because panic isn¡¯t going to get us anywhere. Deep down, I¡¯m absolutely livid. No one takes my d-dear rookie away and gets away from it.¡±


    Sophia crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. ¡°Dear rookie?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you were really going to say?¡±


    Instead of giving her the time of day, I ignored her call out on my verbal gaffe and swiped a rune on the Sending Stone. ¡°Sophia, could you please start the ritual to destroy the dungeon?¡± I requested. ¡°Once I¡¯m done on with the Chief I¡¯ll work on a mana sink that will prevent anyone from remaking the dungeon for a few weeks. That should give us some time, hopefully, to mount a rescue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the best course of action,¡± Sophia replied as she started retrieving things required for the ritual.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± Cojisto asked, holding onto the Blackwood Queen.


    I looked the man over. He was still heavily injured. ¡°Sit still and relax. You¡¯re really injured and we don¡¯t want you bleeding out.¡± Before he had a chance to argue, Brackenhorst answered.


    ¡°What do you have for me?¡± the Chief asked.


    ¡°Things that you aren¡¯t going to like,¡± I answered as Cojisto pouted but did as he was told. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the bad news¡­¡±

 Chapter 83 - Waiting

    When we returned to Athir, we splurged on late night healing for Cojisto. My wounds were minor enough aside from the hole in my side, mostly bruises and scrapes, and I made due with potions. His were much more egregious. Even though he had taken some healing items early on in our trip to the city, I was surprised that he was still conscious when we arrived.


    I stopped by the Tall Tree Tav to inform the night innkeeper that Ferrisdae and I would no longer be staying and to pay our tab for the nights we had spent there. After that, we returned to the Mage¡¯s Tower.


    While I certainly didn¡¯t like staying in a place so heavily infested with magic that even I could feel it, we needed to be as close to Sophia as possible. Once the teleportation room was up in the morning, she would get us in as priority guests sent to Alashroe. That was the kingdom closest to the magic-starved desert.


    Or rather, the once-was magic-starved desert. First a dungeon was created inside of it and now there was someone who could portal in. Justisius wasn¡¯t a spellcaster but if magic worked then his rituals still should have. Then again, he might not have even tried to cast anything that wasn¡¯t powered by an item.


    Those were the only kinds that worked in the desert, but tended to die out incredibly fast. Spellcasters weren¡¯t safe, either, as anyone with a wellspring or something similar found it emptying on its own over time. Any magic was sucked into the air and dissipated quickly after use like a mana sink covered the entire country. The only one who could afford to show off was the Sultan himself, and even he used magic sparingly when big political guests came to visit.


    Sophia and Maribelle had turned in for the night, leaving Cojisto and I in the same room. It was an office with a pair of cots dragged in. Certainly worse than the tavern, but neither of us wanted to wait any longer than we had to.


    Cojisto walked in fresh from using the facilities to clean up, and headed to his cot. I smelled the faint scent of lavender as he passed by. ¡°Say what you will about mages, they have good showers,¡± he muttered halfheartedly. He had calmed down a lot on the trip back to the city, but it was never clearer than now that he was a man of action and waiting around didn¡¯t suit him.


    ¡°Yeah. Magic is something else,¡± I agreed. I had already cleaned up and was sitting at a desk in the corner, writing my report on the incident.


    ¡°I hate waiting like this,¡± he complained as he threw himself onto the cot. The springs protested before he settled. ¡°Life should be about doing, not waiting for things to happen. We should be waking people up, forcing them to teleport us to Alashroe so we can get there faster.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to enough places to know that teleportation is a limited commodity, Cojisto,¡± I gently chided. ¡°Today¡¯s no different. Nobody has any casts left unless we start knocking on doors. We¡¯re already forcing ourselves to the front of the line thanks to Sophia. Besides, we need to rest. It¡¯s only a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± he grunted. ¡°A lot could happen in a few hours, though. We could go to Ferry¡¯s family, see if any of them can get us there.¡±


    I scowled, thinking about Durendrelle¡¯s quick step through space when we met her. ¡°Even though that thought did cross my mind, we¡¯re not alerting the biggest family of adventurers in the country that the daughter of their head has been taken away. Not only is that a bad idea, but it would only get us there marginally faster.¡±


    ¡°Marginally faster is still faster.¡±


    ¡°I know, Cojisto.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a part of the DoD, I could go ask.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Cojisto.¡±


    ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t even be hard. Knock on the door, introduce myself as a friend of Ferry-¡±


    ¡°Cojisto,¡± I snapped, turning around. ¡°I understand. She could be there waiting there for us. Or she could be shoved through a completely different portal somewhere else. Or she could be dead. There¡¯s no way of knowing, but jumping into something like this is suicide. This isn¡¯t some dungeon adventure that you can saunter into, ingratiate yourself into a group, and come out with victory. This is the gods damned cult of CC. They¡¯re not playing by the same rules and that means we need to be careful. For Ferrisdae¡¯s sake.¡±


    The man watched me silently for a few moments as if trying to figure out what he should say. ¡°And Moose.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Yes, and Moose. And Dalsarel, the Dark Elf that I assumed you punched unconscious. She¡¯s a good kid that got caught up in all this, too.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re really in this for Ferry, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Turning around, I resumed work on my report. ¡°Of course. Can you imagine the paperwork I¡¯d have to do if something happened to her? Something else, I mean.¡±


    Cojisto clicked his tongue. ¡°Can you just say what you feel for once, man?¡±


    Scowling, I didn¡¯t turn around. Instead, I took a breath. ¡°Yes, Cojisto. I am worried. Do you think I don¡¯t want to rush right there? Because I do. But we don¡¯t want to spook Abara, if the Blackwood Queen was using his name, into fleeing with her- them again. Right now, he probably thinks he¡¯s safe to grieve the loss of an ally or friend or whatever they were. So long as they¡¯re not already dead from a fit of rage, that gives us time.¡±


    ¡°And you really care about her?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do, Ferry¡¯s the only rookie I¡¯ve been able to tolerate so far. She¡¯s met my family. There¡¯s no one better.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think so, too,¡± Cojisto agreed, shifting on his cot. ¡°I hope they¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°They will be,¡± I replied firmly. ¡°Because Abara and this whole cult won¡¯t be ready for what comes next if they aren¡¯t.¡±


    For a while, the only sound was my pen on parchment. Such beautiful silence wasn¡¯t meant to be.


    ¡°Moose and I went to all three places you wanted us to go, by the way,¡± Cojisto said suddenly. ¡°I mean, of course we did; you found us in the last place. Just saying, if you want a report I can do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done with this, then I¡¯ll take your statement,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    To his credit, Cojisto was quiet. Continually shifting in a noisy cot as expected, but he didn¡¯t interrupt me any further. I knew myself well enough to realize that I was writing this report to keep myself busy and I was just as unwilling to go to sleep as he was. Finishing it up without the unnecessary details, I swapped out the parchment for a blank one and told the man I was ready.


    ¡°Okay, so, let¡¯s start with the most simple one,¡± he said, retrieving the map I had given him from his bag. ¡°The Emerald Sinkhole. That was the second dungeon you sent Moose and I to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Nothing there,¡± he continued. ¡°We went around it, inside of it, through it, everywhere. It¡¯s a very pretty place and I can see why someone would want to make it their dungeon, but it was a rather boring adventure. Seven out of ten for prettiness, one out of ten for excitement.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I leveled him with a flat look. ¡°You don¡¯t have to grade them.¡±


    ¡°But you and Ferry have done that before,¡± he protested.


    ¡°Yes, and then we didn¡¯t,¡± I told him. ¡°If there was nothing at the Emerald Sinkhole, then I¡¯m assuming there was something in the Leaf Blade Grove?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Cojisto said with a nod. ¡°We actually took a long time there because we kept getting lost. Or we thought we were lost, I guess.¡±


    Frowning, I arched an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°I would have assumed either you or Moose could read a map well enough to find a dungeon.¡±


    The man huffed indignantly and crossed his arms. ¡°We know how to use a map,¡± he defended. ¡°It was the dungeon being tricky, not us being lost. Every time we went into it, we¡¯d get turned around. Not physically, but like in our heads. We¡¯d walk into it and both think, ¡®oh, this couldn¡¯t possibly be it, let¡¯s try the next road.¡¯ And then we did and we realized we overshot it and turned back around to try again.¡±


    ¡°And that took you¡­ a long time?¡± I asked, using his own words.


    ¡°Well, yeah. Once we figured out that the dungeon was rejecting us, we started going around in a circle and marking trees and stuff.¡±


    I held up my hand to slow him down. ¡°What do you mean when you say it was rejecting you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how did Moose say it¡­¡± he said, crossing his arms and looking down. ¡°You know how the Dungeon Master¡¯s overdungeon was weird? How it didn¡¯t have the dungeon tingle?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t have a Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response, right,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Right, the DTER thing,¡± Cojisto confirmed with a nod. ¡°Usually it¡¯s like a constant thing warning you to stay vigilant. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re in danger. But Moose came to the conclusion that it had been altered somehow. Like how we didn¡¯t feel it in the overdungeon, right? And that was by design. He thought someone designed it to make people turn around and go home or something.¡±


    I found myself nodding as Cojisto relayed Moose¡¯s explanation. ¡°That makes sense,¡± I muttered before raising my voice. ¡°It¡¯s like I explained when I sent you off. When CC tried to take over the Department of Dungeons-¡±


    ¡°Hold on a moment!¡± he exclaimed, quickly sitting up in his cot. ¡°CC tried to take over the DoD?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s classified information,¡± I said with a frown. It seems as though I was more frazzled than I thought. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said it, and don¡¯t you dare repeat it.¡±


    Cojisto mimed zipping his lips, but looked around the room. ¡°I¡¯m good, but what about the security of this place?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk to Sophia about it in the morning,¡± I sighed. ¡°Anyway, in a dungeon made by someone that I had to destroy, it was something similar. Instead of a¡­ rejection feeling or whatever, it was one that made me wary of her. Then, after I finally attacked, it changed into a compulsion to bow and supplicate.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± he interrupted.


    ¡°No!¡± I spat, scowling. ¡°I was conducting an interrogation that turned into a fight, there was no way I was going to give in to her.¡±


    ¡°How was the fight? Did you win? What happened?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting off track,¡± I said.


    Cojisto blinked before smiling. ¡°Sorry. You fighting CC is really exciting, you know?¡±


    ¡°I can see why you¡¯d think that, sure,¡± I answered dryly. ¡°The point I was trying to make is that this cult can clearly change the emotional response a DTER instills in people. The Leaf Blade Grove is out of the way, certainly, but the Elves have had over a century to rediscover it. If they entered and don¡¯t realize they¡¯re being sent away, that would explain why it hasn¡¯t been found in all that time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that does make sense,¡± he agreed. Snapping his fingers, he pulled another piece of parchment out of his bag and handed it to me. ¡°Moose said this might be important.¡±


    Taking the parchment, I looked at the hastily scribbled rune he had drawn. It was one similar to that of the Red Thicket, but it had a different meaning. ¡°Shift,¡± I mumbled as a shiver ran down my spine. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°We went into the Leaf Blade Grove,¡± he started.


    ¡°Which I told you not to do.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± he acknowledged, unrepentant. ¡°So we went into the Leaf Blade Grove. Once we got far enough in, everything was covered in this crystalline fungus stuff. Neither of us had any idea what it was, but from Moose¡¯s back I noticed that it wasn¡¯t growing in a specific pattern. I pointed that out because it was weird, and he had me draw it for you.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°And there was no boss or anything?¡±


    ¡°Not that we had seen,¡± he answered with a shrug. ¡°There was a big pile of it near where Moose thought the center was, but no amount of punching or kicking or pickaxing made it move.¡±


    ¡°What happened to my instructions to be safe?¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°We were safe,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s all we found at the grove, though. We left that for the sinkhole, and then headed to the karst. Which is a really fun word to say. Karst.¡±


    Holding back a sigh, I simply shook my head instead. ¡°And then you made it to the Karst of Vile Spores.¡±


    ¡°You got it. We found that Dark Elf lady there, Dal¡­ something.¡±


    ¡°Dalsarel.¡±


    Cojisto nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. She was there when we made it to the boss of the quarry. By far the toughest one there. But, you probably knew that. She was there with that wooden lady and a Gnome.¡±


    I paused my writing. ¡°A Gnome? You mean that shadow-clad figure?¡±


    ¡°I do. He was a Gnome before he cast whatever spell made him look like that. I think some kind of Blink variant? The one that makes them hard to hit. I hate those kinds.¡±


    ¡°The Blackwood Queen called the spellcaster Abara. Dorostreff said Abara, the Green Union rep here in Athir, was a Gnome. I think that, with all these plant-based diseases, parasites, fungus, and who knows what else has been popping up, someone hasn¡¯t been taking their duties seriously.¡±


    Snorting, Cojisto shook his head. ¡°Badger, was that a joke?¡±


    ¡°Just an observation. Anyway, please continue.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It looked like the Gnome ¡ª Abara ¡ª was conducting a ritual with Dalsarel in the center of it,¡± he continued. ¡°There was already a dungeon in place with the usual tingle, so we knew it was there. He cast his spell while the wooden lady stood in a circle near the Dark Elf. I started getting all excited because I recognized her from your description and I wanted to take a crack at her, but Moose and I got separated in the fight.¡±


    ¡°Portals?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty obvious,¡± he answered with a dark chuckle. ¡°I was paired off with Dalsarel while Moose and the Nymph were taken across the river. Abara started cleaning up his ritual from top to bottom.¡±


    ¡°As in, completely?¡± I asked with a frown.


    ¡°Yeah, completely.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange to say the least, but if they thought they¡¯d have to flee then he probably didn¡¯t want to leave any traces behind. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say about that. Want me to keep going?¡± I nodded, and he did so. ¡°Moose was having a lot more trouble than I was, but I think the Nymph was a lot stronger than Dalsarel. I really wanted to fight her with my best friend, but they mucked that up pretty well. Without a bunch of other Dark Elves around to help her, she went down after a minute or so of fighting. By then, Moose was on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Poisoned,¡± I said, and he nodded. ¡°She tried to do the same to me when we first met. I would have thought that Moose would have a spell for something like that, though.¡±


    ¡°He does, but he didn¡¯t have a chance to cast it,¡± Cojisto explained. ¡°The Nymph seemed well versed in fighting healers and spellcasters. I mean, you¡¯re supposed to target them first but it¡¯s different when it¡¯s Moose, you know?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± I grunted as I resumed writing down his statement.


    ¡°Anyways, we fought. I got a few good licks in, but it¡­¡± the man sighed. ¡°It was clear I didn¡¯t have the upper hand. I have a long way to go before I¡¯m the world¡¯s greatest adventurer.¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, you¡¯re pretty strong for your age,¡± I said. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t get the title, I think you can be proud of yourself.¡±


    I heard him shift on the bed, and I lowered my head. ¡°Okay, now I really know you¡¯re worried,¡± he stated. ¡°Ferry, I can understand, but now you¡¯re praising me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head. It was a slip of the tongue,¡± I replied, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°You can tolerate me, too, can¡¯t you?¡± he asked. I could hear the grin in his voice.


    ¡°Do you have anything else to add?¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Nah, you were there for the rest.¡±


    ¡°Then go to sleep,¡± I said, not looking at him as I waved my hand in his general direction. ¡°Once I¡¯m done here I¡¯m going to bed, too. We have an early start.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you said, Badger.¡±


    I frowned as I heard Cojisto get comfortable in the cot. He was sound asleep not even two minutes later.


    ¡°Kids these days,¡± I muttered to myself.

 Chapter 84 - Alashroe

    True to her word, Maribelle had woken me and Cojisto up bright and early in the morning. The fox was still resting after coming home from the first life or death fight she had been a part of in a long time, and I wasn¡¯t going to fault her for that. I held my tongue.


    The Chief forbade any biting remarks, anyway.


    Instead of dealing with the Kitsune, we were sent to a grumbling Elf who complained the whole time. About being woken up early, about his schedule shifting around to accommodate us, and even about having to send us to Alashroe of all places. Its proximity to the magic-starved desert made many members of the Mage¡¯s Guild wary.


    I much preferred him to Sophia.


    Despite his attitude, we arrived safely at our destination. Alashroe had its own Mage¡¯s Guild tower complete with teleportation room. While the city¡¯s relationship with Laroda wasn¡¯t at all healthy, they were still the first stop for anyone influential coming through due to sheer proximity.


    Everything was in order when we arrived thanks to Maribelle¡¯s excellent communication skills. Knowing how eager we would be to get moving, our experience had been kept brief and succinct. We even left the tower faster than we expected, and I couldn¡¯t help but snort at Cojisto¡¯s face as he took in the sights of the city. I was simply glad that it was still too early for most people to be up and out.


    ¡°What, never been to Alashroe before?¡± I asked, nudging the other man.


    He shook his head, not looking at me as he tried to keep his jaw from falling. ¡°It¡¯s been on the list,¡± he said. I arched an eyebrow before looking around with him.


    Alashroe, home of the Dwarves, was situated on top of and inside of a mountain that looked like a multi-tiered pyramid. The Mage¡¯s Guild tower was situated near a sheer drop, looking down upon several other segments of the city. It wasn¡¯t all that different from New Frausta with the influential living at the top and everyone else beneath them.


    Still, it was quite a sight. Large palaces with rising towers fitted with bulbous tops filled the next plateau down. They started as a mimicry of Laroda¡¯s architecture many, many years ago, but the styles had diverged over time. This was yet another area of contention between the two nations.


    I breathed in heavily. The desert could be seen past the city and the heated winds blew in our face. Thanks to my jacket and the temperature enhancements on it I was fine, but that was going to change once it stopped working. Luckily, I was already wearing light, comfortable clothes underneath it and only needed to prepare for the area.


    ¡°Aye, Badger!¡± a woman called out, and I turned to see a familiar looking Dwarf heading our way.


    Birkindra was dressed in slightly dirty white clothes and a wide brimmed hat. Her black hair jutted out of it at a few messy angles. Those few errant strands were a far cry from the marvelous beard that adorned her chin. It was braided into four different sections, but only one split off even further. Slung across her shoulder was a large, pink bag that was nearly bursting at the seams.


    ¡°Birk,¡± I greeted with a wave. We met in the middle, and I shook her hand. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you. Cojisto, this is Birkindra, one of Chief Brackenhorst¡¯s granddaughters. Birk, this is Cojisto.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Cojisto,¡± she said, shaking his hand as well. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard much about you other than you¡¯ve been a great help to this old coot here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Badger would beg to differ, but I really have been quite helpful,¡± he agreed while I rolled my eyes. ¡°Are you going to take us to the desert?¡±


    ¡°No, Pop Pop called and wanted me to get a few things ready for your journey,¡± she explained. With a tilt of her head, she gestured for us to follow her and we did. ¡°Have you been to the Laroda Jareet Desert before?¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve always wanted to,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t recommend it myself, but from what I understand you have no choice,¡± she said with a sidelong glance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say too much about it, but yes, our hand has been forced,¡± I begrudgingly admitted.


    ¡°Say no more, I¡¯m just here to get you what you need and to get you out of the city,¡± she said, holding up a hand to cut me off. ¡°Badger, I already know you know this, but Cojisto, do you know what the desert does to magic?¡±


    ¡°Eats it?¡± he asked more than answered.


    ¡°Basically, yes,¡± she confirmed with a nod. ¡°About two millennia ago, the Third Sultanate attempted to summon their god who everyone else thought was long dead.¡±


    ¡°Because what else can you do when you¡¯re easily provoked and your government is a theocracy revolving around one deity,¡± I snorted.


    Birk nodded. ¡°Right, that. The ritual was a masterful work of art that spanned the entire country. Mages came from all over. Most didn¡¯t care about the god; they just wanted to see what would happen.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, spellcasters,¡± Cojisto sighed.


    ¡°You know, technically, you¡¯re something of a spellcaster now, too,¡± I told him, looking up at the man.


    Cojisto opened his mouth to rebuke me before pausing. He lifted his hand and clenched his fist, summoning his Fluid Force and stared at it. A mix of emotions played on his face from amusement to despair to acceptance.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Damn, I guess I am,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°And Moose is a full fledged mage,¡± I added. ¡°As in, he can actually cast spells and there¡¯s a visible effect now.¡±


    That made him scoff. ¡°Moose is the best spellcaster, with Ferry a close second,¡± he said, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive the Mage¡¯s Guild for not taking me seriously when I told them that he was magic. Neither of them should be lumped in with other mages who prefer their stuffy guild over good, old-fashioned adventuring.¡±


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to ask about the magical moose my Pop Pop mentioned,¡± Birk started with a chuckle. ¡°We really need to talk about what comes next.¡±


    ¡°But I like talking about Moose,¡± Cojisto lamented.


    We used a bridge to cross a Dwarf-made river cut into the mountain before turning to follow it. Just like the mountain Sophia and I had told Ferrisdae and Maribelle about, Alashroe also had a portal leading to the Plane of Water. This one was built to be a permanent structure in ages past, however. There were people working on making the river wider, as if the Thousand Year Blizzard¡¯s end had made the flow more powerful.


    It was interesting to think about all the things that were changing now that there was more ambient magic in the air.


    ¡°Some other time then, definitely,¡± Birk laughed. ¡°Anyways, back to it. The stories say that the Third Sultanate managed to summon something, but whatever it was scarred the land. They, of course, denied that it was their god because to admit that would be to admit that whatever they were worshiping was either dead or destructive. Both were bad news for them. The landscape slowly started turning to desert over the next few centuries, and it¡¯s looked like this ever since.¡±


    The Dwarf gestured towards the desert. There was nothing but blue skies and sand for as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°If anything magical goes into the desert, then it starts losing energy,¡± I told Cojisto. ¡°That includes items, spells, and even people. You go into the Laroda Jareet Desert, then you¡¯ll need to recharge all of your gear with magic crystals when you come back out.¡±


    ¡°Magic recharge is a very lucrative field here in Alashroe,¡± Birk said with a nod. ¡°What people don¡¯t realize is that storage is, too. The lowest level of the city contains several vaults, many of which are considered to be the most protected place on the continent. Instead of having to recharge goods, which can be expensive, you can instead store everything for a fraction of the cost.¡±


    I gave Birk a sharp look. ¡°The Chief isn¡¯t skimping out on us, is he?¡± I asked, frowning. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to go to the vaults to drop off our stuff.¡±


    She gave me an easygoing grin. ¡°Nah, I managed to procure two Shashilly Bags, one for each of you. Whatever Ferrisdae and Moose have on them will have to be recharged, but you¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said, and I relaxed. Then she hit me with a stern look of her own. ¡°Those are on loan, by the way, so I¡¯m going to need them back. I¡¯m only letting you borrow them as a favor to Pop Pop. They¡¯re expensive, so don¡¯t go ripping or losing them.¡±


    Cojisto slowly raised his hand, and I gestured for him to put it down. ¡°Shashilly Bags are woven from the fronds of the Shashilly Tree,¡± I explained, gesturing towards the desert. ¡°They grow around a few of the oasis and are quite possibly the only magical things to exist out there. The fronds keep the magic of whatever¡¯s inside from filtering out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have your gear available for a few good minutes before they go inert, but you need to be careful,¡± Birk warned as she reached into her bag. ¡°The moment the bag¡¯s open, you¡¯re going to lose precious energy, so only do it in an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Could people not use the wood of the tree or something to stave off the magic void?¡± Cojisto asked.


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just the fronds that have the property to contain magic,¡± she answered with a shake of her head. ¡°The whole enterprise is highly regulated because they only last so long. They¡¯re rare enough without everyone trying to build magic vaults, and they don¡¯t last forever on account of being leaves. The Sultan is said to have a small room no bigger than a shack lined with the stuff, but that¡¯s just rumors.¡±


    ¡°That might explain what¡¯s going on,¡± Cojisto said, looking at me.


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it,¡± I said, leaving it at that.


    I knew that the Sultan did have a room like that. It was in one of Justisius¡¯ reports, but it wasn¡¯t the one I saw through the portal. What I had seen was open air, like somebody¡¯s living space, and definitely wasn¡¯t lined with Shashilly fronds.


    We came to a stop at the end of the river, which was situated at the edge of the cliff. The water continued onto a long aqueduct that led to an oasis barely visible on the horizon. It was a marvelous piece of architecture that Alashroe had claimed was one of the greatest wonders of the world. Now that the water was flowing more heavily, greenery grew where it splashed out underneath the stone structure.


    Birk retrieved two stiff bags made from long, thin red leaves. Each one was the size of a pillowcase, and she handed one to each of us. Cojisto gingerly took his, worried about how durable it was after the Dwarf¡¯s warning, but I handled mine normally.


    Retrieving a backpack out of my Pocket, I pushed the Shashilly Bag into it and started pulling out the necessities I would need on this excursion. There would be no way to retrieve items from the dimensional space, so I needed them handy. Cojisto began doing the same.


    I had a scabbard for every sword in my Hilt of Holding, and I thumbed the rune for the flaming longsword before hanging it from my belt. Out of all of the blades, this one was the longest and most versatile. While I did think to keep my adamantine letter opener around, I wanted something that would be more useful in the fight I knew was coming.


    Next was my shield. I brought it against my chest and opened it, looking through the transparent metal before hanging it on my backpack. That enchantment was going to go away until I could get it recharged, but I still needed my shield.


    Aside from that, I pulled out my Department of Dungeons badge, my alchemical potions, and several waterskins. My magical potions stayed in the Dimensional Pocket as there was no way to recharge those once they were exposed to the desert. Next, I took off my jacket. It was folded and placed into the Shashilly Bag before I closed it completely and slung the backpack over my shoulders.


    ¡°Ready?¡± I asked Cojisto.


    He had done the same as I had, though his weapons were his fists. His crossbow did hang from his own backpack, however, which was good. Even though we probably didn¡¯t need it in a dungeon in a palace, we could find a use for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he said, looking over the edge. ¡°Are there stairs? Or some other way down?¡±


    ¡°Something faster,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯ll be camels for us to take at the oasis.¡±


    Cojisto gave me a confused look. ¡°At the oasis?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re going to like this way too much, I think,¡± I said with a thin smile before turning to Birk. ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll make sure you get everything back in one piece.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that, Badger. Don¡¯t be a stranger,¡± she returned with a smile.


    ¡°Wait, are we-¡±


    Before Cojisto could get the question out, I started running. Jumping into the air, I dove into the water. The rapids grabbed me, but they were shallow enough that I could ride them. Behind me, I heard the man yell enthusiastically before jumping in after me.

 Chapter 85 - Laroda

    The desert heat was overbearing, but that wasn¡¯t anything new. Cojisto purchased some new clothes for our trip at the oasis and made sure to stock up on plenty of water. Such things were necessary, and he was pleasantly surprised by how little liquids cost here thanks to the aqueduct keeping the supply abundant.


    After that, we hired a service to get us to the city. Our guide, a young Dwarf named Karkern, was a quiet but vigilant young man. He had told us about the different types of monsters to watch out for and how to spot when we were in their territory. His warnings took only about ten minutes when we first headed off on our way, but he was good at his job.


    And he only spoke when asked something or when there was something noteworthy around, which didn¡¯t happen a lot but I still appreciated it.


    ¡°I think getting Moose across the desert is going to be a challenge,¡± Cojisto had stated not far into the journey, already sweating. ¡°You know, after we save them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make the trip at night when it¡¯s cold,¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯ll be harder on us, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll do well going several hours through this.¡±


    ¡°Lots of monsters at night,¡± Karkern said. ¡°Strong, dangerous.¡±


    I nodded, taking his warning seriously. ¡°We¡¯d be careful.¡±


    There was only one stop at a small oasis village on the way to Laroda. Still, we were making good time. After thirty minutes to let the camels rest and refill our water skins, which was far more expensive here, we were back on the trail.


    Aside from idle anxiety about what could be happening to Ferrisdae and Moose constantly on our minds, the trip was rather boring. There wasn¡¯t much to look at in the sweeping sand sea we traversed and our guide was so good at avoiding monsters that we didn¡¯t come across a single one.


    It was a few hours from sunset when we finally saw the Sultan¡¯s palace cresting over the desert dunes. The white pillars shone like lighthouses over the ocean, calling us in, and the city of Laroda came into view shortly after. A long wall surrounded it and was built in a way that allowed the winds to sweep the sand away instead of letting it build up.


    We took the camels right up to the front gate. There weren¡¯t many people heading out of the city at this time of day. Anyone leaving this late would be stuck out in the freezing night, unable to make it to any of the safe havens strewn across the inhospitable landscape.


    There were Dwarven guards, though, and that was good for us. They wore white cloth with a red line intersecting with a purple one, the colors of Laroda. We rode up to them.


    I dismounted from my camel. No small feat when it was so much taller than I was, but one I accomplished gracefully. Cojisto, after hesitating for a moment, got down after me. I looked at Karkern.


    ¡°Thank you so much for guiding us,¡± I said, offering him a small bag of coins. It was more than what he had asked for, but I thought the service exemplary enough to warrant it.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked timidly, weighing the bag with his hands.


    ¡°I am,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Karkern said with a nod before collecting the reins of the two camels and heading into the city.


    The guards looked confused, and I specifically went towards the only one who had two purple lines. If I was remembering my uniforms right, this should have been the shift captain.


    I retrieved my Department of Dungeons badge with a flourish, showing it to the Dwarf. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± I introduced. ¡°This is my colleague from the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium, Cojisto Finnigan. We are here on official, urgent department business for Justisius and his crew.¡±


    My badge was very quickly scrutinized before he looked down at me. ¡°How urgent?¡±


    ¡°Life or death,¡± Cojisto dramatically answered before I could. The captain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Yes, it possibly may be life or death,¡± I admitted, turning to glare at my companion. He did not look chastised in the slightest. Maybe I was losing my edge. ¡°Could you send a message ahead and let them know we¡¯ve arrived so that my colleague can greet us when we arrive?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I could do that,¡± the Dwarf said, turning around and gesturing towards one of the closest guards. He spoke in his native tongue, relaying the information I just told them, and the other man took off. The captain returned his attention to me. ¡°Is it something we should mobilize for?¡±


    ¡°No, we should be able to handle this ourselves, but I thank you for taking this seriously,¡± I told him honestly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long learned to simply trust the experts on this kind of stuff. Strange that it has to do with the DoD and a dungeon, but I¡¯m not going to pretend I understand,¡± he said, stroking his beard. ¡°You should probably get going if it¡¯s as urgent as your friend said it was.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    Fighting the urge to correct him on Cojisto being my friend, I simply nodded and started running. Not thirty feet into the city and I felt like it was a good decision to give up the camels; we already had to duck and weave through the crowd. It would have been much harder with a mount.


    Cojisto ran beside me. ¡°Why did you send a runner even though we¡¯re probably faster than he is?¡±


    ¡°Laroda doesn¡¯t use runners to send messages between the guards,¡± I answered, already starting to sweat from the heat and exercise. ¡°That would take too much time and energy. They use the sun¡¯s rays to send signals back to the main security hub, which is the tall building in the middle of the city, and they pass the message where it needs to go. It¡¯s very efficient.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s pretty neat,¡± Cojisto said, nodding.


    ¡°It really is.¡±


    Our conversation stopped as we ran through the streets, sticking to the shady side when possible. Things were cooler, but still not great. The stone buildings of Laroda were densely packed together off of the main road to the palace, which was kept immaculately clean even if the alleyways weren¡¯t. People, mostly Dwarves, came and went, grabbing pots and jars of water from the twin waterways that flowed from the center of the city on either side of the path.


    I had to continually snap my fingers to stop Cojisto from getting distracted. His attention span left a lot to be desired, but to his credit he didn¡¯t complain. He did slow down as we approached the security tower, something that looked like it could have been an ancient Mage¡¯s Guild tower in the days before the land became magic-starved, and at that point I threw a rock at him.


    He got the hint, and didn¡¯t slow down again.


    The palace loomed over our heads as we got closer to it, and it was hard not to slow down even for me. Every tower was topped by a bulbous cap that reminded me of an onion. The stone was slightly reflective, but not where it could damage the city around it. Whoever the architect was, they made certain not to let that be a problem.


    Unsurprising, Justisius was standing on the palace steps with a regal looking Dwarf in purple and red clothes. The guards had gotten the message out quickly, much to my relief. The two of them came down to greet us.


    ¡°Badger, I¡¯m surprised to see you,¡± Justisius said, offering me his hand. He looked around, expecting another. ¡°Your junior is not here?¡±


    We shook in greeting, and I sighed. ¡°I wish I could say that everything is fine and accounted for, but if it were then I wouldn¡¯t be here. Is there a place where we can have a private discussion?¡±


    The minister scoffed. ¡°There is no time for this, Dungeon Inspector Justisius,¡± he said, speaking with the kind of forced politeness you would expect from someone who was rushed but knew better than to complain. ¡°You are to meet with the exiled one in only a few minutes about this lock down he has put into effect.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°The reason why we¡¯re here probably pertains to that.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Justisius asked. I gave him a look, and he nodded. ¡°Privately, right, forgive my forgetfulness. Minister Tarbadan?¡±


    Looking from one Inspector to the other, the Dwarf sighed and started heading up the stairs. ¡°Right this way.¡±


    ¡°While I appreciate you coming right to me, the minister is correct in that I have a meeting with the dungeon owner,¡± Justisius said stiffly. ¡°Things were going extraordinarily well. The Sultan and his son seemed to be reconnecting, but last night everything just¡­ unraveled. All the rapport we had built up simply crumbled without warning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Cojisto started to say, but he trailed off when I shot him a glare. ¡°Right, private. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening isn¡¯t your fault,¡± I said, figuring I could give him something without going into detail. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been just as pleasant and conversational as ever, Justisius, and had done everything you could.¡±


    My fellow Dungeon Inspector gave me a confused look, but didn¡¯t push the issue. He knew what I wanted. When we entered the palace, the minister seemed to want to go deeper, but a quick word had us veering towards one of the side rooms.


    ¡°This place is beautiful,¡± Cojisto muttered, spinning around to take it all in.


    The fountains and blue, white, and gold tiles that made up the palace¡¯s foyer and told the tale of the country¡¯s founding was a sight to behold. No matter how rushed I was, I could have admitted otherwise without lying. It was still a pointless distraction, and I started dragging the man along.


    No matter how much cooler it was inside, we had another destination.


    ¡°This sightseer is Cojisto, by the way,¡± I introduced as we went through a series of hallways. ¡°He¡¯s our Consortium contact on my mission in Athir.¡±


    ¡°You came all the way from Athir?¡± the minister asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°Yup. Pleasure to meet you both,¡± he said jovially.


    ¡°A pleasure, Cojisto,¡± Justisius returned. ¡°I am Justisius, another Dungeon Inspector and Badger¡¯s senior at the DoD by two years. This is Minister Tarbadan, adviser to Sultan Jareet, may he live a thousand years.¡±


    The Dwarf nodded politely, but didn¡¯t say anything more. It was clear what he thought about our sudden intrusion at a critical time, and I fought to remain empathetic. He was just another bureaucrat who didn¡¯t ask for any of this, after all.


    Eventually, we made it to a room that looked like it used to be used for conference meetings. Old boxes littered the room from the long table in the center to the four corners, but they were dusty as if they hadn¡¯t been touched in a long time. While there were chairs, there was also more than enough room for each of us to stand and Tarbadan didn¡¯t tell us to sit. He was still ready to go deal with his dungeon business.


    ¡°This room hasn¡¯t been used in years,¡± the minister told us, confirming my suspicions. ¡°But it¡¯s close to the dungeon so you can get back to the duties appointed to you by the Sultan quickly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Minister,¡± Justisius said diplomatically. He was always much better at that than I was. The minister nodded, but then fell quiet. My associate turned to face me with a forced smile. ¡°Alright, we are in private. Please, tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Taking a breath, I started explaining. It wasn¡¯t long until Justisius¡¯ smile was completely wiped off of his face.

 Chapter 86 - Exiled Son

    After I finished telling our story, Justisius shared his own. I had to admit, I didn¡¯t have the patience for what he was going through.


    On one side, he had the exiled child of the sultan, Kabare. He was charming and witty, but a little mischievous. There was always a twinkle in his eye that he knew more than you did. Whatever it was, he wasn¡¯t telling.


    Justisius and his crew had been down in the dungeon several times on the grand tour. While he still hadn¡¯t gotten any clear answer as to what had caused the magic to form and remain stable, he had been allowed his own investigations. They had, unfortunately, come up with nothing.


    Anywhere else, Kabare¡¯s dungeon would have been commonplace. Here, it was only remarkable due to its location.


    Not only that, but on the other side he had Sultan Jareet. From what I understood, the Dwarven leader simply didn¡¯t understand the Department of Dungeon¡¯s reach. They simply didn''t need us here, and it was grating on the old royal that he had to give Justisius any of his time. At first, anyway, before the Inspector wormed his way into the sultan¡¯s good graces.


    That being said, Justisius was much more calm and charismatic than myself or Liddy. He had no problem walking into the den of disgruntled dungeon bosses and negotiating from a position of respect, no matter how begrudging it might have been.


    It had been a matter of personal pride that the other Dungeon Inspector had not only managed to get the sultan and his son in the same room for a prolonged period of time, as evident by the way his weariness left his eyes when he told me, but had managed to rekindle the broken bond between the two Dwarves. It was tenuous and only time would tell if it would hold, but it was praiseworthy.


    And then, there were the princes and princesses. I hadn¡¯t heard about them from Brackenhorst, but hearing it from Justisius hadn¡¯t surprised me. Almost all of them were schemers, trying to figure out how to come out ahead using this event as a stepping stone.


    It had helped that they were mostly ineffectual. The sultan had decreed to leave the matter to Justisius and himself, and they mostly listened. A few early on sent their own guards in to destroy the dungeon, only to be surprised the next day when everyone returned to life.


    Stupid of them, really; like their father, I expected them to at least know the basics of magic outside of their realm.


    Justisius himself had been pulled this way and that as others tried to curry favor from him. If their ¡°worthless brother¡± could achieve this level of immortality, then what did they need to do to usurp him? Surely, they could wait out the throne if they could do it in complete and utter safety of their own dungeon.


    He was a more patient man than I was, and I told him that straight to his face. I didn¡¯t like dealing with politicking of any sort, and I especially didn¡¯t enjoy a royal family¡¯s petty squabbles to be the next Sultan Jareet.


    Then, everything shifted. Justisius had been negotiating with Kabare just last night, sharing wine, watching the famous dancing women of Laroda, and telling tales of adventures outside of the desert, when the exiled son had been pulled away by an urgent matter. Ever the gentleman, the Dungeon Inspector offered his help but was quickly turned down and told to enjoy the show.


    He had, until Kabare returned with sweat on his brow and concern in his eyes. The Dwarf had played it off as just some manual labor that they needed help with, something that required everyone, but was quick to usher Justisius out.


    Now that my fellow Inspector knew that Abara had taken Ferrisdae and Moose, he was kicking himself. His orders were to be a diplomat, and one did not simply break down the doors he had spent so much effort coaxing open. It was anathema to his mission.


    I knew he would have been willing to jump in at my junior¡¯s behest if he had known, but seeing him get worked up about it was heartening. There was a reason why Justisius was one of the few people from the department that I had invited to the Bottom¡¯s Up.


    We walked with determination up the stairs towards where the dungeon started. Kabare had taken up almost an entire wing of the palace, only the fourth and highest floor being left out. However, the rooms there could only be accessed from the third floor. The layout was meant to give the visiting nobility who stayed there some measure of safety, as there were less ways for potential assassins to come in.


    The palace had been built in a different time, to be sure, but I still found it fascinating. When this was all over and Ferrisdae was safe ¡ª and she was going to be safe ¡ª I thought about purchasing a book about the history of the building.


    I felt the DTER immediately as we transitioned into the wing¡¯s entryway. It was a large room full of indulgence. White stone columns were spread out evenly to the left and right, each having couches with gold thread pillows encircling them. A smaller fountain than the one in the palace¡¯s foyer was the centerpiece, but it was immaculately made with tiles of various blue shades.


    There were Dwarven guards armed with scimitars and shields here, and they weren¡¯t wearing the colors of Laroda. Instead, they were all in tan outfits with a three armed cactus sewn over their heart. No doubt this was Kabare¡¯s personal symbol for his personal guard.


    They didn¡¯t appear to be surprised to see Justisius or the minister, and his two juniors were already here. The two were chatting up the guards, drinking tea and sharing food. That changed when they laid eyes on Cojisto and I.


    Almost as one, the guards placed their hands on their swords. Their dungeon auras were orange, not hostile but leaning towards it. They didn¡¯t draw, but it was clear that they were suspicious of us newcomers. The room was surprisingly tense for a simple meeting.


    Justisius raised his hands to placate them, and they turned to regard the man.


    ¡°Peace, peace,¡± he said soothingly. ¡°These are my companions from outside of the city. They are simply going to be observers. Just like myself, they are interested in how there could be a dungeon in the wonderful city of Laroda.¡±


    I raised my hand, my badge already in it, and let it fall open. Other than that, I gave them a nod instead of an introduction. Cojisto, on my insistence, stayed quiet as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the prince,¡± one of the guards in the back said before going through the door. His companions appeared to calm down, but they kept throwing suspicious glances my way.


    Not letting it bother me, I stood with my arms crossed and took in the room. I simply tried not to look threatening.


    Cojisto knocked me on the shoulder, and I looked up at him. ¡°Maybe try smiling?¡± he suggested.


    I frowned. ¡°I am keeping my face neutral,¡± I whispered back.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    That seemed to surprise him. ¡°You are?¡± he asked. ¡°I thought you were trying to look mad or something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying. I am mad, but I¡¯m not letting them know that,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Huh, maybe your face just rests that way,¡± he muttered, stroking his chin as he observed me.


    I glared at him before returning my face to its same neutral position.


    Then, because Cojisto got in my head, I tried tilting up the corner of my lips. Not a smile, but less¡­ whatever he thought I was trying to emote.


    ¡°Oh, no, not like that,¡± he whispered quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Badger.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Now I had to hide my scowl, too. Likely unsuccessfully, going by the weird glances I got from the guards. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. I ignored the slight smile Justisius had on his lips and waited.


    When the exiled son appeared, he made a spectacle of it. Guards started pouring in from the room¡¯s far exit. I nearly grabbed my sword before Justisius told me to stand down. They moved in two lines, with one heading left and the other right to line the walls. Each carried a spear, but they looked more ceremonial than practical.


    Next came dancers, Dwarven women in colorful, flowing garb. Their auras were yellow green, and they seemed like noncombatants. They also moved in two lines, followed by a pair of men, one playing a sitar and the other a pair of tablas. We watched, politely silent, as the women sat around the column, looking at us behind their waving fans.


    Finally, the honor guard. Their clothing was similar to the ones we had seen so far, but they wore lightweight armor trimmed in gold. They carried the banner of the exiled son, the three armed cactus, and came to the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°Announcing¡­ Prince Kabare!¡± a herald cried, and the women swooned.


    I¡¯m sure somebody would have found it very impressive, but I only thought it was a waste of time.


    A Dwarven man walked through the doors, wearing clothes even finer than the minister¡¯s. His vibrant greens and yellows accentuated his black hair, though his immaculate beard was trimmed short. A big smile was on his face, but something immediately seemed off about the man. Something that would have been there even without the deep orange aura.


    ¡°Inspector! You have made me wait today!¡± Kabare yelled across the hall, though it didn¡¯t really sound like a complaint. ¡°I heard you have brought me more unexpected guests!¡±


    The mention of other unexpected guests caused us to pause. It was a momentary thing, and Justisius was soon walking towards the other man. Cojisto and I fell into step behind him as the Junior Dungeon Inspectors moved away from the guards to stand by the minister.


    ¡°That¡¯s far enough,¡± Kabare ordered as we made it to the fountain. He had stopped on the other side, and Justisius did as he was told. I scowled, but had agreed to follow his lead on this one.


    ¡°Prince Kabare,¡± the other Inspector greeted, his voice jovial despite the circumstances. ¡°Perhaps you could enlighten us to these other unexpected guests of yours. We may be willing to take them off your hands for you. After all, it was not you who brought them here.¡±


    The Dwarf gave us a rakish smile and raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot do that, my friend,¡± he said, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°You see, they have found their way into my dungeon, unannounced, and stumbled across my secrets. You know how much I enjoy my secrets, Inspector.¡±


    Justisius nodded. ¡°And you are, of course, entitled to your secrets,¡± he agreed. ¡°However, could you not at least share with us how they got there? We are confused by the events that have transpired.¡±


    ¡°At least share,¡± I repeated, muttering unhappily to myself.


    ¡°Another dungeon secret,¡± Kabare tutted, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re just going to have to trust me that no harm will come to them. Have we not built up our rapport? Am I not to be trusted?¡±


    ¡°I do trust you, Prince Kabare, and if you say that they are unharmed then I will believe you.¡±


    The Dwarf smirked. ¡°They have not been harmed since their arrival, no,¡± he claimed. ¡°And it was hard to keep them in that state, if I may say. Tension was high, and the mood could have easily snapped if I had not worked so hard to keep the peace. In fact, I should be praised for my efforts.¡±


    ¡°You have done well to protect them, Prince Kabare,¡± Justisius said with a respectful nod. ¡°However, there must be something you can give us. I¡¯m afraid that, while I trust you, there are some here that don¡¯t know you as well as I do.¡±


    Kabare¡¯s eyes flicked to me, and his smile deepened. ¡°Ah, yes, the Department of Dungeon¡¯s faithful attack dog,¡± he said enthusiastically. ¡°I had been assured that you would rampage through my new home, slaying every single one of us without mercy. Imagine my surprise that you¡¯re this¡­ tame.¡±


    I bit the inside of my cheek and managed to keep my mouth shut.


    ¡°I would not do that if I were you,¡± Justisius said, his eyes now firmly on me and his voice quick. ¡°It is not wise to poke this particular bear.¡±


    The Dwarf laughed. ¡°But what is life without thrill, Inspector?¡± he asked. ¡°The blonde one was adamant about the fact that her senior would come for her. It is quite pathetic, really, now that I see you in person. Chained by the fact that you cannot act without knowing where or how she is.¡±


    The taste of blood hit my tongue, and I stopped biting my cheek. Kabare¡¯s joy at the predicament was sickening. My body rebelled against my thoughts; I knew he had all the cards, but all I wanted to do was rip them up and flip the table.


    ¡°Justisius,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°How many more guards would you say this asshole has?¡±


    Kabare¡¯s eyes narrowed, but my fellow Inspector opened his mouth to speak first. ¡°Roughly half again as many as this.¡±


    ¡°Is that all,¡± I replied flatly.


    That put a dangerous look in the exile¡¯s eyes for a moment as his aura became more red, but it was interrupted by someone coming in through the same doors Kabare had. The Dwarf wasn¡¯t dressed like a guard, and instead had ink on his sleeves and fingers. He was running, almost sprinting towards us.


    ¡°I am busy, Damartan,¡± Kabare said, holding up a hand as he swiftly walked towards the newcomer.


    ¡°Second in command,¡± Justisius whispered before nudging me. ¡°You need to get yourself together. I know you¡¯d rather bash skulls than entertain this man, but we need more information.¡±


    I grunted my acknowledgement, but didn¡¯t say anything. Kabare and his underling were whispering to each other, becoming more and more frantic before the prince yelled, ¡°They what!?¡±


    In that second, with that proclamation, I decided to act. I rushed forward, ignoring my longsword still in its scabbard. Kabare turned towards me as I jumped over the fountain, eyes wide. He backpedaled, but I was faster. Much faster.


    He made for a piss poor dungeon boss, if this was how he acted in an ambush.


    Instead of slaying him where he stood, I grabbed him by his robe and arm and lifted. The ceremonial guards lowered their spears and approached, but by then I was already running. I had struck with the element of surprise.


    Justisius and Cojisto both raised their fists in a fighting stance while the Junior Dungeon Inspectors ushered the minister out of the room. I passed by the two Humans as they fought and retreated at the same time. My fellow Inspector wasn¡¯t a pugilist like Cojisto, but he was handy enough to survive a scrap like this for the few seconds I needed.


    Heaving, I threw Kabare out of the room. He sailed through the air, crashing against the door before sliding across the tiled floor. I pulled my longsword out of its scabbard as he tried to get up, and skidded to a stop next to him, the blade flush against his neck.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± I asked him seriously.


    At first, he looked ready to argue, and then recognition flashed in his eyes. Kabare stammered, not forming his words properly.


    I allowed myself a savage grin. ¡°No dungeon, no immortality,¡± I told him, catharsis setting in. ¡°Now, call off your guards, or this blade will be the last thing you ever feel.¡±


    Kabare nodded, all of his bravado and self-confidence gone as he transformed into what he really was: a miserable excuse for a man.

 Chapter 87 - Worry

    It was a quick, bloodless coup. The guards refused to chase us out of the safety of the dungeon and there wasn¡¯t anything they could do from inside of it. They had been complacent due to Justisius¡¯ kind nature and diplomatic inclination, which gave me the leeway I needed to get ahead of the situation.


    Not that everyone was on board with what I had done.


    ¡°All my hard work, ruined,¡± Justisius sighed, shaking his head. He was watching the minister exchange hushed, heated words with Kabare with his juniors nearby in case the Dwarf, now in handcuffs, tried anything. ¡°You agreed to let me handle this.¡±


    ¡°I saw an opportunity, and I took it,¡± I told him without regret. ¡°Besides, you helped immediately.¡±


    ¡°Of course I helped,¡± he replied, frowning. ¡°You took action. I wasn¡¯t about to start arguing with you while you were in danger. What if something would have happened?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate you, Justisius.¡±


    ¡°I''m always on your side, Badger,¡° he sighed. ¡°I suppose it was an inevitable outcome. It was fun, while it lasted. You never did like the overly diplomatic missions, but I found them quite rewarding.¡°


    A silence descended on us as I glanced back into the dungeon. Some of the honor guards were trying to coax Damartan to the door. I had requested him since Kabare had become quiet. He was a mess, but he seemed to think that he would be exiled again. Or sent to prison.


    ¡°What do you think is going to happen next?¡± I asked, curious about it now.


    Justisius mulled the question over for a few seconds before looking down at me. ¡°Death, if I had to hazard a guess,¡± he answered. ¡°Kabare broke his exile and basically declared war by taking over an entire wing of the palace. Sending him away for his crimes once was the proper way to do things, but now? The sultan will have to do it to save face and show his enemies that he isn¡¯t weakened by the past few weeks.¡±


    I grunted. That sounded about right to me. ¡°He came in with the wrong crowd. It''s as simple as that,¡± I said.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever that simple, Badger,¡± Justisius returned.


    Just as I was about to respond, Damartan coughed. He was hiding halfway behind one of the doors, and I nudged my fellow Inspector as I walked towards the Dwarf. Justisius joined me along with Cojisto, who had been watching everything silently.


    ¡°This humble servant greets the Dungeon Inspectors,¡± Damartan said, bowing deeply. I could tell that fear drove his actions, and I frowned. The sniveling types were the worst.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the patience right now for the simpering servant act,¡± I told him, scowling. ¡°We¡¯re not agents of the Sultanate, we¡¯re Dungeon Inspectors. Just answer our questions like a normal person and maybe, just maybe, Justisius will put in a good word for you.¡±


    The Dwarf looked up at the dark skinned Human hopefully, and was given a strained smile in return. ¡°Truly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± Justisius replied, offering no promises of success.


    ¡°What did you tell Kabare that made him yell? Who was ¡®they¡¯ and what did they do?¡± I asked. Damartan looked past me at his boss, and I snapped my fingers. ¡°Come on, focus.¡±


    He licked his lips nervously before answering. ¡°The Elves and the moose,¡± he said, and I heard Cojisto shift beside me.


    ¡°Did something happen to my best friends?¡± the man demanded, taking a step forward.


    Damartan cowered, and I pulled Cojisto back. ¡°No, no! They broke out of the cages we had for them and, after dispatching their guards, sealed themselves in the crystal room!¡± he answered quickly, as if expecting the pugilist to hit him.


    ¡°Crystal room?¡± Justisius asked, confused. I was as well, but it still sounded like something to look into. ¡°What crystal room? Is that in Kabare¡¯s private living quarters?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Inspector.¡±


    ¡°How likely is it to be breached?¡± I asked, some measure of pride swelling in me that Ferrisdae and Moose managed to escape on their own.


    ¡°Not likely,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s one of the hardest rooms in the whole place to get into. It¡¯s like a vault.¡±


    ¡°Take us there,¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Badger, that is still a dungeon full of enemies,¡± Justisius said, gesturing towards the guards and dancers who were now milling but still clearly watching. ¡°Do you really expect them to let us through without any trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered confidently.


    I looked into the room and set my hand on the hilt of my sword before walking in defiantly. The mood changed immediately as the guards grabbed their spears, their auras as dark an orange as they could be before turning red. Those who still carried their weapons tightened their grip, but didn¡¯t point them at me. The dancers were wise enough to move out of the way without being told. I stopped around ten feet in.


    ¡°Do you know how many pages are on the forms I would have to fill out if my junior, who is being held hostage, gets hurt?¡± I asked. The confused looks on their faces was fairly amusing. ¡°Sixty-three. It¡¯s a long, terrible process where I have to go through detail after excruciating detail on what happened and how. Normally, I like filling out forms, but not this one. I don¡¯t care to do paperwork that only serves as punishment. Now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why I''m telling you this.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± one of the guards in the back responded.


    I smiled. ¡°A subjugation is a very particular action performed by Dungeon Inspectors,¡± I announced. ¡°It involves killing everything inside that doesn¡¯t agree to leave beforehand and destroying the dungeon. You may have heard Kabare call me the Department of Dungeon¡¯s faithful attack dog. In a way, he¡¯s right; just last month, I completed my 79th dungeon subjugation. The next highest is 27, last I checked, because they keep sending me.¡±


    The confusion dispersed back into nervous energy as my gaze panned across the room.


    ¡°Do you know how many pages are on the subjugation forms?¡± I asked. My voice was met with silence as I raised my open hand and waggled my fingers. ¡°Five.¡±


    ¡°Five?¡± that same Dwarf asked incredulously.


    ¡°Just five pages,¡± I confirmed. Then, I let some of my anger into my voice. ¡°With that knowledge, I¡¯m sure you can imagine just how little thought I¡¯m going to put into your deaths if I¡¯m forced to cut you down to get to my apprentice and save myself some work later. Now, are you going to let us through? Or are you going to throw your lives away for that sulking, sorry excuse for a man who¡¯s already lost?¡±


    My gaze became more intense as I started locking eyes. Some people still looked defiant, but that quickly changed as I put my attention on them. Slowly, they started moving out of the way, giving me a clear path forward. Their auras lost their dark, defiant color, and I knew they wouldn''t attack.


    Not taking my hand off of my sword, I started walking. ¡°Damartan, lead the way,¡± I ordered, my voice steel.


    He quickly moved ahead of me, eager to do what was needed. Cojisto once again fell in line with me, but Justisius took the time to give his juniors a few orders before catching up with us. We walked through the wing¡¯s foyer without harm.


    It also seemed like the news had spread in the short time since I had tossed Kabare out of his dungeon. There were more people scattered throughout, though most of them weren¡¯t dressed for combat. They hesitated when they saw Damartan with us, and decided not to give us any trouble.


    I still watched our backs for an ambush, but I was sufficiently pleased by how little these guards wanted to get revenge for their once was prince.


    ¡°Do you know Abara?¡± I asked once we hit a flight of stairs and started ascending.


    ¡°I do!¡± Damartan answered quickly. ¡°He was the one who helped Pri- um, the exile learn about dungeons and set it up.¡±


    ¡°Was he, now,¡± I said flatly upon hearing how quickly Prince Kabare turned into the exile.


    ¡°Yes, Inspector. I¡¯m not sure what methods he had used to get everything up and running, but the crystal room seems to be Abara¡¯s personal office,¡± he explained. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it from the outside, but there¡¯s desks and papers all over the place, as well as the cages.¡±


    Justisius and I looked at each other once we left the stairwell. That sounded promising.


    ¡°What cages?¡± Cojisto asked, crossing his arms as he kept an eye on the dungeon¡¯s denizens that we passed by.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°For prisoners, I was told,¡± he answered. ¡°The two Elven women and the moose.¡±


    ¡°His name is Moose,¡± Cojisto huffed.


    ¡°Moose the¡­ moose?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve all been there,¡± I said, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a name, Badger,¡± Cojisto defended.


    ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s Moose, the moose,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I wonder why he thought it necessary to lock up Dalsarel,¡± Justisius interrupted. ¡°Did she not go along with his schemes? Cojisto, you did say you fought her in the karst, did you not?¡±


    The pugilist took a breath and nodded. ¡°I did. Knocked her out, though, and she got sent away not long into our fight.¡±


    ¡°If she thought he was a Dungeon Inspector leading her to her new residence, then she might have thought she was on the right side,¡± I mused before frowning. ¡°There were the forged signatures in the Consortium archives, but I don¡¯t think Abara could have walked in there pretending to be one of us. Dorostreff knew him, and I assume at least some of the other clerks know his face, too.¡±


    ¡°Troubling, that,¡± Justisius said, and I could tell he was having dark thoughts. At the time, there were a few Dungeon Inspectors who had been in the area. It might have been one of them instead of an impostor, including Liddy''s juniors. ¡°But I want to hear more about this crystal room. Damartan, you said you hadn¡¯t been in there, only seeing it from the outside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Inspector,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Who escorted the prisoners into the room, then?¡±


    Damartan swallowed and licked his lips again. ¡°Well, Abara called them the Thornguard,¡± he answered. ¡°They¡¯re Dwarves with four big, black spikes coming out of their heads, like thorns.¡±


    My mind immediately thought of Dalsarel¡¯s hand and the seed that had awakened her dormant bloodline. It had clearly been a part of the Blackwood Queen, and this sounded like more of her handiwork.


    ¡°They¡¯re the strangest things,¡± Damartan continued, clearly unsettled. ¡°They stand around all day, often motionless for hours at a time. Never eating, either, just drinking and standing by the window like the heat wasn¡¯t touching them. Prin- the exile told us not to worry about them, so we didn¡¯t give them much thought. They were the ones who took the prisoners and locked them up, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± I urged.


    ¡°They stopped moving last night,¡± he said.


    I frowned. ¡°Stopped moving?¡±


    Damartan nodded. ¡°Yes, Inspector. Not dead, just¡­ stopped. They didn¡¯t react to any orders or prodding of any sort, even when the exile tried punching one square in the face. He fell, but didn¡¯t make a noise or try to get back up again.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like some sort of parasitic mind control,¡± Justisius commented.


    ¡°That makes sense to me,¡± I agreed. ¡°Dalsarel was talking about how she dreamt of the karst and her new dungeon, and only her hand was infected. Having it spiked directly into your head would probably do a lot worse than mess with you while you''re asleep.¡±


    ¡°She might have been controlled when I fought her, then?¡± Cojisto offered. ¡°Since the Nymph is dead, she might be back to normal now. Or, at least, comatose. Hopefully not, though.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully,¡± I agreed. ¡°But, Damartan, you mentioned them dispatching their captors. It sounds to me like the Thornguard were already out of commission.¡±


    ¡°It took them a few hours to stop moving after the Elves and... Moose arrived,¡± the Dwarf explained, leading us into another stairwell. This one went all the way to the fourth floor, unlike the last, but didn¡¯t give access to the first floor. ¡°We needed to give them actual guards, which was why the door to the crystal room was open and I saw what had happened. They waited until the exile was busy, having taken more guards to defend himself, and made their escape.¡±


    ¡°Probably Moose, right?¡± I asked.


    He nodded. ¡°Yes. The cages certainly were not made for an animal like that.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Cojisto said with a grin. ¡°Even without his spells, Moose is still the best.¡±


    Damartan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did you just say spells? As in, he¡¯s a magician?¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Definitely smarter than his companion, too.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Cojisto agreed easily, not caring at all that he was the intellectual inferior in their strange relationship.


    We made it to the fourth floor and started heading towards the suites. This area was far more luxurious than the others in the wing. They were meant for traveling diplomats, and no expenses had been spared. Each one was clearly lived in, too. Kabare had been sharing his wealth with what he probably perceived as his most loyal followers.


    A fat lot of good that did him.


    ¡°And the crystal?¡± Justisius asked.


    ¡°Larger than all of us combined,¡± Damartan answered before frowning. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one quite that color before. Orange, like amber. I honestly don¡¯t know what to make of it.¡±


    ¡°Either Ferrisdae and Moose will know what it is or we¡¯ll figure it out when we get there,¡± I said as we walked into a wide, open room.


    It had been cleared of all but a few pieces of furniture and horseshoe arches in the wall led to a balcony outside. I recognized the white stone and ceramic tile as the location I had seen through the portal when I first sighted Dalsarel.


    There were eight Thornguards standing against the wall, as if someone had moved them there. Just like Damartan had said, four thick spikes stuck out of each of their heads. It was painful to even look at. We approached cautiously, hands on our weapons, but they didn¡¯t respond to our presence at all. Their eyes were blank, as if they had no thoughts in their heads at all.


    ¡°Those men are going to need a miracle, I think,¡± Justisius muttered as he saw them. I grunted in agreement.


    On the other end of the room was a large, metal door. It looked very out of place compared to the rest of the decorations, and Damartan stopped in front of it. ¡°This is the door to the crystal room. There¡¯s no other ways in, not even from the balcony. Once it¡¯s sealed, I¡¯m afraid only Abara can make it in with his tricks.¡±


    ¡°Can anyone else use magic here?¡± I asked. ¡°Or just Abara?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure,¡± he admitted, frowning even deeper at the question. ¡°There are no magicians here in Laroda, as I¡¯m sure you know.¡±


    I looked at the pugilist. ¡°Cojisto?¡±


    He looked down at me, a question in his eyes before he realized what I was asking. ¡°Oh! Oh, right,¡± he said, lifting his arm. Cojisto stared at his hand, a look of concentration on his face, and the barest streaks of purple, arcane lightning appeared around his fingers before disappearing. He sighed, as if that had taken a lot of effort out of him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been regaining my magic power. I¡¯ve been empty since I hit the desert, but I guess I¡¯m getting it back since we¡¯re in the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°And that wasn¡¯t something that you could sense before?¡± I asked, frowning.


    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I punch things, not cast spells.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I looked back towards Damartan. ¡°How do we open it?¡±


    The Dwarf looked nervous. ¡°Um, knock?¡±


    ¡°Knock,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be opened except from the inside,¡± he said again. ¡°You could try yelling, I suppose, but Abara had given us instructions to knock so I¡¯m not sure if that would work.¡±


    Justisius had been close to the door, examining it. There was a handle, but no keyhole. ¡°It¡¯s sealed tight,¡± he stated after checking for any hidden latches or levers. If anyone could find them, it was Justisius, so I trusted his judgment.


    ¡°He said knock, so let¡¯s knock,¡± Cojisto said, shrugging as he approached the door.


    ¡°And they¡¯ll probably just think we¡¯re guards,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Silly Badger,¡± he started.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I immediately replied.


    ¡°We just have to knock in a way that Ferrisdae recognizes,¡± he finished, and I arched an eyebrow.


    Cojisto began knocking with two hands. Not at random like I expected him to, but to a specific melody. I frowned, trying to place it, before it came to me.


    ¡°Gaius Stopherlyn¡¯s Violin Concerto #3?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, man, after that trivia night I asked Ferrisdae how it went,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°She didn¡¯t have a violin or anything, but she hummed it out for me. Then, Moose and I paid a few bards to play it in Athir. Her grandmother played in the first performance, so we wanted to hear it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I hesitated before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s good work, Cojisto.¡±


    He finished knocking as his smile turned into a grin. ¡°Nah, you¡¯d have thought about it eventually, I¡¯m sure,¡± he said, though he was obviously pleased.


    Knocking from the other side interrupted him, playing the next piece of the music, and Cojisto started drumming on the metal again. It wasn¡¯t very good, but it was clear, consistent, and it worked. Once they finished, the door creaked and moaned before it was pushed open.


    Standing there, a big grin on her face, was Ferrisdae. Moose was right beside her, wearing a very similar expression. Dalsarel was far behind them, frowning before turning her attention back to some parchment she was reading. Given the way the Forest and Dark Elves got along, I was glad to see that the two had been at least civil towards each other.


    I was also glad to see that Dalsarel''s aura was the same blue as my friends. It really put me at ease knowing that she hadn''t willingly joined with Abara.


    Cojisto immediately stepped forward, hugging the both of them. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you two are safe!¡± he exclaimed. Moose croaked and stomped his hoof once.


    ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have to worry about her,¡± Justisius whispered as he watched the reunion, a hand on my shoulder. ¡°She may have had help, but it seems Ferrisdae can take care of herself.¡±


    I said nothing as I took in the moment, watching her for any signs of stress or injury. Her body moved naturally, and she didn¡¯t seem to mind Cojisto¡¯s crushing one-armed hug.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, Coji,¡± she assured, patting him on the back. Her eyes fell on Justisius and then me, and her smile faltered but didn¡¯t leave her face. ¡°I have to talk to Badger.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied, letting her go to hug Moose with both of his arms. Ferrisdae moved around him and approached.


    ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, Justisius. You all made really good time, considering where we got kidnapped to,¡± she greeted, trying to be formal with us.


    ¡°Ferry,¡± Justisius returned with a nod and a smile.


    Her robes had some blood on them, but they weren¡¯t torn. It seemed to have been someone else¡¯s. Perhaps Moose or Dalsarel¡¯s or the guards. That didn¡¯t matter. The only thing that did was her safety.


    Ferrisdae smiled down at me, her eyes confident and proud that she didn¡¯t have to be rescued. ¡°I¡¯m glad you- EH!¡±


    She squealed as I pulled her down into a hug. At first, she was surprised, but then she relaxed and wrapped her arms around me in turn. The dam holding all of my worry and anxiety broke inside of me. I tuned everything else out, focusing solely on the young woman in my arms.


    ¡°I was really worried about you,¡± I admitted in a hushed tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Badger. I''m safe,¡± she whispered soothingly, rubbing my back as if I were the one who needed to be reassured. ¡°But, gods, do we have a lot to show you.¡±

 Chapter 88 - Office

    The hug lingered until Justisius passed by us, and I caught the smirk on his face. Clearing my throat, I extricated myself from Ferrisdae¡¯s arms. ¡°Got something to say?¡± I asked, clearly challenging the man.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Justisius said, amusement in his voice. ¡°What could I possibly say about such a¡­ tender moment?¡±


    Ferrisdae turned away, but I heard the giggle she tried to stifle. Rolling my eyes, I followed after my fellow Dungeon Inspector, giving Moose a nod in greeting as we passed him.


    Only to immediately stop as I got my first full look at Abara¡¯s personal office.


    A series of five cages were bolted to the far wall, and one of them had been very violently burst out of by a large creature. Glancing at Moose, I could see where his fur needed to grow back from wounds that had already been healed. His escape seemed to have been painful, but it proved fruitful nonetheless.


    The other three walls were covered in papers over desks and tables. Dalsarel was standing at one, frowning down at whatever she was perusing. Different magical circles, equations, and rituals seemed to be placed in a haphazard mess, though I was sure we would find some kind of pattern if we could spend some time on it.


    That wasn¡¯t going to happen any time soon because Justisius and I were staring at the largest magical crystal either of us had ever seen.


    The damned thing stood in the middle of the room, tall and skinny except for the top which widened out like it was some sort of tropical tree. Just as Damartan had described, it was a shade of amber utterly incomparable to any magical crystal the dungeons on the Central Continent naturally grew. Magic seemed to pulse out from it, and it had its own glow.


    ¡°Ferrisdae,¡± I said, knowing she was right behind me. ¡°What are we looking at?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± she started as she rested her elbow on my shoulder, ¡°is a magic crystal.¡±


    ¡°They know that, leaves for brains,¡± Dalsarel said with a sigh. She turned around, looking down at me. ¡°Your little twig and I have been passing notes back and forth about the magic crystal after she introduced herself as the junior you had thankfully left behind when you came to visit my mother¡¯s dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to go, and I only couldn¡¯t because I was trying to clean up one of the ruses that you so easily walked into,¡± Ferrisdae stated, crossing her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m nipping this right now,¡± I said, stepping between the two Elves. ¡°Both of you, behave. I don¡¯t care how many generations your animosity goes back, now is not the time. Dalsarel, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, and we¡¯re going to get to your story in a moment. For now, I want to know exactly what this thing is. And, yes, I understand it¡¯s a magical crystal.¡±


    The girls looked at each other for a moment before turning towards the crystal almost in unison. ¡°From what we can tell, it contains such high quality mana that it¡¯s glowing amber,¡± Ferrisdae began. ¡°Some of our magical crystals become green when they¡¯ve had time to mature, but this color is something we¡¯ve never heard of outside of legends before. I mean, scholars have even gone on record saying crystals of this quality could never exist. This is literally straight out of a fairy tale.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve narrowed it down to the sheer concentration of mana it holds,¡± Dalsarel continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been observing it since I woke up in the cage, since the company is poor and there wasn¡¯t much else to do. No offense to Moose, of course.¡±


    Moose croaked, and I turned to see that he and Cojisto were done with their reunion. I shot Dalsarel a glance at the slight, and she at least had the decency to look slightly chastised.


    Ferrisdae cleared her throat. ¡°This crystal is bleeding magic like crazy, enough to continually fill my wellspring as if I were not stuck in a magic leeching desert, but it doesn¡¯t seem as though it¡¯s actually losing as much energy as it should.¡±


    ¡°At first I thought there was some kind of feedback loop,¡± the Dark Elf interjected. ¡°Something that kept the magic in the dungeon before too much of it could escape and then get put back into the crystal, but there isn¡¯t. It¡¯s simply got such a high concentration of mana that it¡¯s just¡­ existing here. Not only that, but due to the sheer size of it we think it could probably last upwards of a decade even in this environment.¡±


    Justisius bristled at that, and I found myself sharing his surprise. Something magical lasting that long in the Laroda Jareet desert while pushing out enough magic to keep a dungeon functional and refill the power of the people inside of it? It was impossible. Such a thing couldn¡¯t be made here.


    But, it probably didn¡¯t come from here. Dalsarel looked like she had more to say, and I glanced at her.


    She continued when I met her eyes. ¡°Our crystals back home in the dungeon can grow to about half this size if the¡­ adventurers coming for us turn tail too many times, but from my estimate-¡±


    ¡°Our estimates,¡± Ferrisdae corrected.


    The Dark Elf glowered at her, but conceded. ¡°From our estimations¡­ this was pruned down from something much larger. Our enemies, and I am counting myself in your number now that I have learned of their deceit, have access to more like this.¡±


    ¡°It could only have come from the Southern Continent,¡± Ferrisdae added. ¡°It¡¯s the only place that makes sense because it¡¯s been covered with dungeons for centuries now. Our dungeons here usually only produce blue crystals, or sometimes green if they aren¡¯t tended to enough, because of the DoD. They¡¯re a staple in our economy, and as such it¡¯s more profitable only to let it go so far. But, down there, they can just grow wild.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Cojisto said. ¡°That sounds like that Heart of Magic thing from Sasalasa, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You mean Saralorsa, Cojisto,¡± Ferrisdae gently corrected.


    ¡°Yeah, the old capital down there,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°The legend or whatever that says there¡¯s some kind of big magical power there, are you two saying that these things are going to be all over the Southern Continental Dungeon?¡±


    Ferrisdae and Dalsarel looked at each other before nodding. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what we¡¯re hypothesizing,¡± my junior confirmed.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have any problems convincing the merchants to back up the expedition,¡± Justisius said with a nervous chuckle as he ran a hand over his bald head. ¡°Not with this, anyway. They¡¯ll be stumbling over themselves to get to it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s going to be a problem,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be getting this out of the sultan¡¯s lands to show them.¡±


    Silence settled over the room at my words. Justisius winced. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ see what I can do. We have freed his palace from his son¡¯s tyranny, I may be able to ask for this boon from him.¡±


    ¡°What do you think the chances of that are?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not good. It really depends on if he understands what this really means,¡± he answered with a sigh. ¡°The sultan only really has a passable knowledge of magic, just enough to hold a conversation, but that¡¯s enough to know how lucrative magic crystals are. Still, let me worry about that. It seems there¡¯s plenty of other things worth going through here.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I pursed my lips before turning around and walking to the room¡¯s entrance. Peering outside, I saw that Damartan had snuck out. ¡°Cojisto, do you know when our guide left?¡±


    ¡°Heard him leave when I was finishing up hugging Moose, why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just making sure he wasn¡¯t eavesdropping,¡± I said, returning to the room. I looked up at the crystal again and scowled. ¡°I suppose that at least explains how there¡¯s so much magic here. It¡¯s not a good explanation, but it still is one.¡±


    ¡°The proof¡¯s right in front of you, Badger,¡± Justisius responded. ¡°Just because it¡¯s the stuff of fairy tales doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible. Think about the ages before the Thousand Year Blizzard and all the stories of things we can¡¯t do anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I sighed, waving him off. ¡°Since my team can¡¯t move that through the desert on our own, I¡¯m leaving it in your hands. I¡¯m sure Brackenhorst would tell you to find a way to get it back to New Frausta.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s likely, yes,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°And you said all your hard work had been wasted. Looks like you still get to try to call in one last favor from royalty,¡± I said.


    He paused, thinking my words over, before nodding. ¡°It seems like my diplomacy might see this in our hands after all, so long as just about everything goes in my favor.¡±


    ¡°I believe in you, Justisius,¡± I said, clapping the man on his back before turning towards my junior again. ¡°Alright, now that the giant crystal in the room has been addressed, what happened after you were taken?¡±


    Ferrisdae nodded and stood up a little straighter. ¡°When the Gnome portaled us in, we were grabbed by the guards with thorns in their heads from the next room over. Moose wasn¡¯t in fighting shape yet, so I went along with it. He got shoved into one cage, I got shoved into another, and Dalsarel in the third, though she didn¡¯t wake up until much later.¡±


    I turned to face the Dark Elf and saw the shame on her face. ¡°You have something to say?¡±


    Dalsarel glanced at me quickly, as if I had knocked her out of her thoughts. ¡°Abara visited me not long after you did, saying that it was time for me to make my dungeon. The matriarch and I felt as though it was a little suspicious after what you said, but he had all the papers in order,¡± she answered, her voice uncharacteristically weak as she rubbed her wooden hand. ¡°That was where I met what Ferrisdae called the Blackwood Queen. My memories are fuzzy after that. It didn¡¯t feel like I had control of my body anymore.¡±


    ¡°That sounds exactly like what had happened to the Thornguard. Your memories are fuzzy, but not gone?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°I remember fighting him even though I didn¡¯t want to,¡± she said, jerking her head towards Cojisto. ¡°And I remember waking up here.¡±


    ¡°I explained what was going on, then,¡± Ferrisdae chipped in. ¡°She didn¡¯t believe me at first that I was your apprentice, but the Thornguards didn¡¯t seem to care that we were talking so I had plenty of time to convince her.¡±


    ¡°Right before we get to that,¡± I stopped her with a finger. ¡°Dalsarel, how¡¯s your hand?¡±


    The Dark Elf gave me a thin, almost disgusted, smile. ¡°Can¡¯t feel it anymore,¡± she answered, raising her wooden hand. ¡°Can¡¯t feel it, can¡¯t move it, and my ability to use magic has been draining away. If it doesn¡¯t get better, then I¡¯m going to need to remove it. That¡¯s going to make practicing Talspran Core very difficult, but what is life without tribulations?¡±


    I frowned, feeling sympathetic for her. Just yesterday she had been as powerful as she had ever wanted. Dalsarel had magic like her mother, something she had desired all her life, and she was widely regarded for her skill with a two-handed sword. Now, she was not only losing something that she had wished for, but a part of her that she had worked on for over a century.


    ¡°You could, I dunno, come and adventure with us?¡± Cojisto offered, looking at Moose. The animal, of course, nodded.


    ¡°And what would that accomplish?¡± she snorted derisively.


    ¡°I mean, Moose is a Holy Moose,¡± he said slowly, like he was trying to make sure he was saying the right things. ¡°He can¡¯t do it now, but he might be able to turn your hand back to normal. Eventually, I mean. And that¡¯s just if you don¡¯t visit some kind of healer that could do it sooner, right?¡±


    Moose croaked and stamped his hoof on the ground three times.


    Cojisto looked scandalized. ¡°Nuh uh!¡± he defended. ¡°She¡¯s good at fighting and I could use a sparring partner like her. What am I supposed to do now that the Dungeon Master¡¯s rigged us up, huh? Insult Badger until he finally decides to fight me?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said warningly.


    The Human threw his hands in the air. ¡°Yeah, like that¡¯s going to work.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I turned to Ferrisdae, who had her own glued on Cojisto. ¡°You can continue your story now.¡±


    She took a breath and nodded, looking at me. ¡°The Thornguards were around until morning, but it seemed like we could have escaped at any time. Abara came in, completely ignored us, and replaced them with some of Kabare¡¯s guards. They didn¡¯t like it when we talked, so we mostly slept during that time.¡±


    ¡°We exchanged information when we could, and slept during the day,¡± Dalsarel confirmed. ¡°Until that sleazy prince came back for his guards.¡±


    ¡°The way he tried to proposition the both of us¡­¡± Ferrisdae trailed off as a shiver coursed through her. ¡°I can see why he was exiled. That man is not right in the head.¡±


    Justisius shook his head. ¡°Preyed on one of his father¡¯s concubines. Seems as though exile hadn¡¯t taught him his lesson.¡±


    ¡°I would have welcomed him opening my cage,¡± Dalsarel snorted, raising her head. ¡°It would have given me a chance to vent some of my frustrations by letting me kick his teeth in. What happened to him, anyway?¡±


    Cojisto pointed at me with a grin. ¡°The moment the prince guy got distracted, Badger leapt over a fountain. He grabbed him, lifted him up, and before anyone could react at the sheer audacity this man is capable of, he started running for the exit. Justisius and I stopped any interceptors, and the guy gave up the moment he realized he wasn¡¯t in the dungeon anymore with his precious immortality.¡±


    Ferrisdae looked at me with an arched eyebrow. ¡°Does he still have all his limbs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t pull a Sevenslegs on him,¡± I said, crossing my arms.


    ¡°Wait, Sevenslegs, the spider thing with seven legs?¡± Cojisto asked. ¡°Were you the one to sevenlegs Sevenslegs, Badger?¡±


    I scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t use his name like a verb.¡±


    ¡°But, for the record, yes,¡± Justisius said. ¡°Badger was the one to sevenlegs Sevenslegs.¡±


    ¡°Man, everything I hear about you just makes me want to fight you even more,¡± Cojisto giddily remarked.


    I glared at both of the Humans before focusing on Justisius. ¡°Thanks for that.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure, my friend,¡± he replied with a slight nod.


    ¡°We¡¯re moving on,¡± I said firmly, letting everyone know that this topic of conversation was over. ¡°Kabare should be in the dungeons now. Justisius thinks he¡¯s going to get the death penalty. It¡¯s over. Am I right in assuming that Moose broke through the cage, took out the guards, and then brought you the keys?¡±


    ¡°That is almost correct,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°During the fight, one of the guards got too close to my cage. After I grabbed his keys I got him in a choke hold through the bars just like how Cojisto taught me, removed his helm, and bashed him with it.¡±


    ¡°Nice,¡± Cojisto said approvingly. ¡°Glad to see my lessons are being put to good use.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been a lot more helpful than I thought they would be,¡± Ferrisdae admitted with a light laugh.


    ¡°To her credit, though,¡± Dalsarel added. ¡°She then immediately opened my cage and I was able to help Moose take out the rest.¡±


    My junior nodded. ¡°Dalsarel moved the guards somewhere they wouldn¡¯t likely be found, and when she came back we locked ourselves in so we could look for clues. We hadn¡¯t had a lot of time before you all arrived.¡±


    ¡°Alright, good work you three,¡± I praised. ¡°The last question I have before we start taking every scrap of paper here is this: do you know where Abara is now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ferrisdae admitted. ¡°After swapping out the Thornguard, he disappeared. We¡¯ve been keeping an eye out, but he hasn¡¯t returned.¡±


    ¡°Then we don¡¯t know how much time we have,¡± I said, clapping my hands. ¡°Justisius, sorry for just taking over, but I think it¡¯s prudent to get as much out of the dungeon as we can.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you, Badger,¡± he replied amicably.


    ¡°Thanks. Then please go and talk to the sultan and try to get ahead of this,¡± I requested, and he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll help the girls take all these documents. Ferrisdae, Dalsarel, if either of you see anything urgent, call it out, but otherwise just skim. Cojisto, Moose, try to figure out if you can move that crystal or not. If we can disrupt the dungeon, Abara won¡¯t have any place to return to. We¡¯re going to treat this like a time sensitive mission. Any questions?¡±


    Nobody had any, so they all quickly got to work. There was a lot of enemy intelligence and resources here, and we needed to get it somewhere safe as soon as possible.

 Chapter 89 - Ransack

    Since the crystal was protecting our magical items from the void of the desert, I had pulled my jacket out of the Shashilly Bag so I had access to the Dimensional Pocket. The magical garb also had a cooling and heating option to keep me comfortable, but I wasn¡¯t currently wearing it because everyone else was suffering. Instead, I had another trick up my sleeve.


    Closing my eyes, I imagined pushing the heat out of my body like steam. It was an old trick I had learned from wandering witches that spoke in riddles. Not magic, but more a state of mind kind of thing. It stopped being so effective if you had to keep using it over and over again, but it wasn¡¯t getting terribly bad just yet.


    I grabbed a crystal that had been chiseled into the shape of a pen and tossed it into my Dimensional Pocket. While I wasn¡¯t sure if it was magical or not, I was grabbing everything I could for transportation. Paper went into a bag to check on the way back, everything else went into the Pocket. It wasn¡¯t very elegant and the end result looked a lot like the crime scene after a smash and grab, but the job was going smoothly.


    We did take the time to peruse the documents at least a little bit, though it wasn¡¯t all written in Imperial Standard. Most communications and memos were since that was what everyone here learned, but many of the notes and what appeared to be manuscripts and essays were in a language that none of us knew. Many of the runes matched with what I had seen from the cult¡¯s ritual circles, but that didn¡¯t help us much.


    It was strange, though; the more I looked at them, the more I began to understand. A chill passed through the base of my neck as I read through what appeared to be a nonsense complaint about someone messing up Abara¡¯s falafel by doing¡­ something. Only bits and pieces were coming to me at a time, which was as frustrating as it was worrying.


    And the knowledge always came with that damn chill. It had started after my first meeting with Himia, first as something like a bug bite before becoming this milder version. At the time I didn¡¯t think about it; I could have known that the trowel from the dungeon was a Stone Scraper by making an educated guess. It wasn¡¯t the first time I had come across one. Now that I had time to look back and think about it, I knew it wasn¡¯t a guess. I had known.


    Then it just kept happening. When I figured out that CC had turned Carimella Rose into a dungeon, when I identified the Blackwood Queen as a Nymph that didn¡¯t exist on our continent, the runes both back in Athir and now.


    The feeling had even led to me knowing that the chicken in the Dungeon Master¡¯s stupid world was a Temporal Dire Chicken. I most certainly had not encountered or even thought of such a thing before. Why would I have? It was completely asinine.


    I closed my eyes and took a breath. Whatever it was that injected knowledge directly into my mind was at least helping. That was the only reason why I wasn¡¯t ranting and raving about what the Dungeon Master had done to us again, even though I considered this mental tampering just as bad as Himia digging up our pasts using illegal magic.


    It was helpful. I still planned to yell at them when I next saw them but, right now, it was helpful.


    I shoved the falafel complaint into the document bag with exactly the amount of care it deserved when I heard Cojisto and Moose¡¯s footsteps approaching me.


    ¡°So, I know we haven¡¯t really been quiet about it, but we have a report,¡± he said.


    Turning to face the shirtless Human, I looked past him at their efforts. The tree-like crystal had been knocked over and its leaves had pierced the top of the cages in the far wall, which had startled everyone into a combat state, but the duo hadn¡¯t been able to move it since then.


    ¡°I think I get the gist of it,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, but I think we¡¯re going to need about five more moose if we want to move this thing,¡± he continued. ¡°Or maybe forty guys. I dunno, moose to men isn¡¯t an exact science.¡±


    I frowned, eying the crystal. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be that heavy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me neither. I was wondering why you had Justisius asking about whether or not the sultan will let us leave with it, but we¡¯re not getting this thing out of here without his help,¡± Cojisto said, wiping the sweat from his brow. ¡°And across the desert. Abara really had it easy just¡­ popping it through a portal or whatever he did.¡±


    ¡°You think he might have used a smaller crystal to create a space of temporary magic to get it in here?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I thought about when Dalsarel mentioned pruning, yeah,¡± he answered. ¡°There¡¯s no way Kabare¡¯s guys were going to sneak this into the palace. I know lots of stealthy people from my adventures but there¡¯s just no way. Getting it through the desert would have also been a huge pain, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good thought, Cojisto,¡± I said, and the man beamed at me. ¡°Take a break for now. Get yourself and Moose some water. I know he¡¯s probably suffering more than the rest of us in this heat.¡±


    The two nodded and left the room. I turned to check on Ferrisdae and Dalsarel. The latter whispered something I couldn¡¯t quite hear, and the Forest Elf looked simultaneously amused and scandalized. That was a development I appreciated. If they were at least pretending to put generations of ugliness behind them, then I didn¡¯t need to worry.


    Seeing Cojisto wipe the sweat from his brow reminded me that I was also hot, making me aware of it again. Closing my eyes, I went through the visualization process again.


    There was only one entrance to this room so there was no breeze. A few cooling crystals were set up, but they couldn¡¯t keep up with four active people and a moose. Ferrisdae had ditched her starry robes ages ago and had given Dalsarel some of her spare clothes, ill fitting as they were, so the Dark Elf wasn¡¯t stuck in her armor.


    A wave of heat accompanied a loud explosion, interrupting my efforts to ignore the temperature. Cojisto, smoking, stumbled back into the room. The skin on his chest was burned and cracked. ¡°Abara!¡± he yelled through the pain as he rushed back through the doorway.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    My first instinct was to unsheathe my sword, but I didn¡¯t. Instead, I started pulling as much of the papers and parchments into my bag as I could. Not gently, either. I knocked over quills, ink bottles, and an ornate hourglass in the process. Whatever it took to keep a spell from turning the documents to tatters, that was what I was going to do.


    I heard Cojisto swear in the next room and a new source of light appeared above me. Abara peered out of a portal on the wall. He looked down at the room, eyes narrowed in rage. His attention seemed fixed on the crystal. Without hesitation, I grabbed the hourglass and threw it.


    Surprise crossed his features in the split second he had to react before the item broke on his face, throwing glass and sand in his eyes. The Gnome screamed in rage and the portal disappeared.


    ¡°Grab what you can and get out!¡± I ordered.


    The Elves didn¡¯t have to be told twice. They took whatever they could and ran towards the exit as a portal opened up in the middle of the room. On the far wall, the cage creaked as the base of the crystal fell in. The magical energy spiraled, slowly taking up more floor space.


    Unsheathing my sword, I stepped towards the portal and prepared for combat. This one was different, though. Black fog made it hard to see what was on the other side. Like Abara was using some kind of magic to obscure our sight. Taking a gamble on being able to finish this once and for all, I jumped.


    And landed on solid ground as if the portal wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± I spat as I swung my sword towards the ground.


    Just like the crystal, the blade went through just fine. Whatever magic the Gnome was using prevented me from going through it. Like he had put a restriction on me specifically. Or, perhaps on people in general.


    Smart, all things considered, but wholly frustrating. The portal continued to grow, hungrily taking in everything that wasn¡¯t bolted to the walls. While the cages certainly were a part of this category, the crystal that had fallen into them was not. They strained loudly as the metal warped and came apart from the stone.


    A plan came to mind as I watched this all happen. Despite not being able to go in myself, I wasn¡¯t helpless, and with luck this could be another opportunity to find one of Abara¡¯s safe houses. I grabbed a bulky, unused scroll from a table before it tipped in. I reached into my Dimensional Pocket and pulled out a pastel blue knit cap.


    It said #1 Dad in bold, black letters on it. I didn¡¯t carry a lot of personal items with me, but this would be easy for Sophia to Scry when we next meet, and then it would only take a few moments whether Abara was there or not.


    Unfurling the scroll as quickly as I could, I flattened the cap and began rolling it inside. The portal covered most of the room now, and I went for speed over quality. Running towards the desk that looked like it was going to get sucked up last, I opened up the largest drawer. It was filled with odds and ends for writing, and I struggled to fit the scroll in.


    Damn near growling from frustration, I dumped the contents onto the desk, ignoring the ink that got everywhere, and shoved the scroll into the bottom. I then unceremoniously covered it up with everything and jammed it back in. When it wouldn¡¯t fit, I took a few things off of the top and threw them through the doorway into the next room.


    Dalsarel moved out of the way while Ferrisdae held back an already healed Cojisto. He looked both disappointed and frustrated, but didn¡¯t push past her to get back into the room.


    ¡°Everything magical goes into Shashilly Bags now!¡± I ordered, turning around to check the crystal¡¯s progress. ¡°Prioritize the Dimensional Pockets!¡±


    The table behind me disappeared into the portal. The amber crystal was hanging almost at a ninety degree angle. Honestly, the magical power on display was more than I thought Abara was capable of, though I had a hunch that he was probably siphoning off the mana from the crystal on the other side to fuel the portal further. That was what I would wager on, at least. Advanced, but well within the laws of magic.


    Following my own orders, I pulled my backpack off as I ran to the doorway. I set it down on solid ground and started shoving my jacket into the woven Shashilly Bag inside. Ferrisdae was doing the same, throwing her robes into Cojisto¡¯s bag after removing the crossbow.


    ¡°Better close them up fast,¡± Dalsarel warned as the sound of metal warping became louder.


    I had just closed mine when I heard a scream tear through the palace. No, not just heard, felt.


    My body shook as the sound bounced around inside of me. I grit my teeth in pain, falling to one knee, and looked behind me for signs of danger. No one else was reacting the same way, so it had to have been a targeted attack. It made me think that Abara had to have seen what I did with the cap.


    The crystal fully fell into the black portal and the scream stopped. Blood pumped through my ears, accompanied by a ringing, and I slowly stood up. Everything except a few pieces of metal cages had been stripped from the office. I had been expecting Abara to torch the place to keep us from getting his secrets; this had been a surprise.


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± Cojisto said.


    ¡°And there goes my magic,¡± Ferrisdae complained, clutching her chest.


    ¡°The first shock is always the worst. Nothing to do except wait for it to be over,¡± I told her.


    She nodded, leaning against Cojisto for support as she had a hard time breathing. I had no idea how long it would take for her wellspring to run dry, given all that had happened to her, but I hoped it wasn¡¯t long.


    Moose croaked, and his Human translated. ¡°What happened to you, Badger? When you fell just now.¡±


    I frowned, turning back to Moose. Now that there wasn¡¯t any magic in the air and Abara couldn¡¯t strike at us, I took the time to think it over. What had happened to me didn¡¯t make sense as an attack unless it was done through sheer anger, but Abara didn¡¯t lash out, he went after everything else. Casting a spell while using a portal that complex also seemed far-fetched.


    So I thought about when it happened. The crystal had been almost completely engulfed. It wasn¡¯t putting out nearly as much mana as it had before, but there was still a lot of magic on this side that needed it to survive. I had heard the Dungeon Doorknocker when I used it at the Dark Elf Quarry, proving that I was becoming more in tune with dungeons than I ever had been before, so perhaps that had been the scream of this one in its last moments.


    ¡°Either it was an attack from Abara or another of the Dungeon Master¡¯s so-called gifts,¡± I unhappily answered. Standing up, I brushed myself off and slung my backpack on. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for us here. We¡¯ll tell Justisius what happened and then start heading back to Alashroe. With any luck, we¡¯ll have the location of Abara¡¯s next safehouse soon.¡±


    Cojisto raised his hand. ¡°Can I at least get a new shirt? Mine fell into the pit.¡±


    Dalsarel looked like she had something to say, but I had no patience. ¡°Get it fast, meet us by the palace entrance. Ferrisdae, you¡¯re with me if you¡¯re feeling up for it.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she answered. It felt forced, but I wasn¡¯t going to argue with her.


    ¡°Good. Moose¡­ probably best if you don¡¯t step outside just yet. Stay hydrated and cool. Dalsarel, I don¡¯t know what you want to do from here, but you¡¯ve been a big help and I owe you a lot for helping Ferrisdae. You¡¯re welcome to accompany us.¡±


    She thought about it for a moment. ¡°I think I will, thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll help Cojisto find some new clothes while you two do your thing.¡±


    ¡°Good enough for me,¡± I said, clapping my hands. ¡°Alright, move out, I want to get out of here by nightfall.¡±

 Chapter 90 - Wagon

    Explaining everything that happened to Justisius was a quick process. He had made an appointment to speak with the sultan, but it wouldn¡¯t happen until the morning due to the ruler¡¯s busy schedule. With the dungeon gone, he didn¡¯t plan on staying much longer than he needed to.


    So, as the sun was going down, we headed out. The desert went from scorching hot to chilling cold at night, and it was going to be a lot easier for Moose this way. The animal felt at home in blizzards, so an environment like the desert during the day would have likely killed him if he had to make a trip across the sands.


    Our guides, a pair of Dwarves named Hatenbrow and Kitzkin, had been against the idea of traversing the desert at night until we had greased their palms with a few additional coins, and after that they were full of advice and wisdom. We purchased extra clothes, each of us wearing thick layers to help retain the heat. It was going to be slow going, but there wasn¡¯t much anyone could do about that. We were ready for a long trip.


    The wagon was fairly large and pulled by a team of camels. They each wore blankets and were plodding easily through the sands. Not scared by the darkness, but definitely cautious. It seemed as though they were trained to follow the path of light that Kitzkin cast in front of them with a lantern. Hatenbrow slept next to him.


    I sat inside of a hastily insulated wagon with Ferrisdae and went through the documents we had stolen. The candlelight wasn¡¯t ideal, but it did its job. We divided the papers into two piles: one that was written in Imperial Standard and the other written in the other continent¡¯s runes. It didn¡¯t make sense to have my junior attempt to decipher them when I was slowly starting to understand, even without magic.


    Dalsarel, being comfortable in the night, sat on the roof above as she looked out for any threats the desert might throw at us, even though most things were sleeping. Cojisto opted to ride Moose, keeping his friend company. None of us argued with that, and even expected it, really.


    It wasn¡¯t long into the ride when I sighed and put down the paper I was reading to look at Ferrisdae. She looked tired and, after all the excitement, I couldn¡¯t blame her. There was something on my mind now that we were alone, though.


    ¡°I want to talk about what happened earlier,¡± I said.


    Ferrisdae jumped at the sound of my voice, the first time I had spoken in nearly an hour, and she nodded when she saw the look on my face. ¡°I know, I was completely unprofessional towards Dalsarel as a Junior Dungeon Inspector,¡± she said nervously. ¡°I grew up in a family of adventurers, many of whom tried really hard to remove Matriarch Akshashka from the quarry. That¡¯s no excuse, really; I should strive to be impartial. I¡¯ve already taken steps and apologized to her. I promise I won¡¯t let it come back up again.¡±


    The more she spoke, the deeper I frowned. That had been something I had waved off. Propaganda was an effective tool, even if you were as smart as Ferrisdae. Learning that behavior from your family also meant it was ingrained from an early age. All in all, it had been rather tame compared to many of the conflicts between Dark and Forest Elves I had witnessed or heard about. Maybe it was because they were both young, relatively speaking, but I wasn¡¯t ready nor willing to dive into that.


    ¡°I¡¯m rude to people all the time, do you really think that¡¯s what I¡¯m referring to?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°I just mean, if I become a full Dungeon Inspector I¡¯m going to have to watch myself for stuff like that, is all,¡± she said.


    ¡°When, not if,¡± I corrected.


    Ferrisdae put on a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s been guaranteed already, hasn¡¯t it?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°By your merits, yes, and not by your mother¡¯s coin,¡± I said before sighing. ¡°I suppose if you want to talk about that, then we can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll hate every minute of it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I will,¡± I agreed. ¡°I do think that speaking with your mother will probably go a long way. But enough about that, what I was really referring to was the fact that your magic fizzled on you back when we were fighting Abara and the Blackwood Queen.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah, that,¡± Ferrisdae said, looking down at her lap as she put her hands together.


    ¡°Yes, that,¡± I repeated. ¡°You also didn¡¯t cast any spells when you were held captive. I know your Shooting Star spell could have made short work of the cages and the guards and that¡¯s not even mentioning whatever spell you used when I was fighting Razorbeak.¡±


    ¡°I could only do that because you were in danger from Swiftfeather, and using that magic almost killed me,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not keen on the idea of casting it again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± I conceded with a nod. ¡°But your big moment in your escape was to get a guard in a chokehold and bash him with his own helmet. That¡¯s not even a fraction of your real power, Ferrisdae. I may not have seen you cast a lot recently, but I¡¯ve been around a lot of mages in my time. You would wipe the floor with the vast majority of them.¡±


    Ferrisdae released a long breath. ¡°I know I messed things up,¡± she whispered. ¡°I would understand if you wanted to let me go or pawn me off on another Dungeon Inspector.¡±


    My eyes narrowed. The dejected look on her face was terrible to witness, but what made me angry was how easily she was willing to roll over and give up. This kid who was so damn bright, smart, and powerful, just taking life¡¯s blows without returning them.


    I had seen this problem before with sorcerers and sorceresses. Their spellcasting came from within and it had just as much to do with their state of mind as it did the mana in their wellspring. Right now, her sense of self was fractured. Things she thought were her accomplishments alone might have been helped out by others.


    It was honestly an ugly mood, but it was temporary. Ferrisdae had a long life ahead of her, and I believed she would be fine.


    The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. ¡°Don¡¯t be fucking dense.¡±


    ¡°E-excuse me?¡± she stuttered, looking at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°I said, don¡¯t be fucking dense,¡± I repeated, deciding to roll with it. ¡°Look, I think it¡¯s obvious at this point that you¡¯ve been dealt a really good hand for most of your life and then an absolutely terrible one the moment you started working at the Department of Dungeons. That¡¯s how life goes sometimes. First, you¡¯re a prodigy, and then you get to the real world and things just don¡¯t go your way. It happens, but you need to get a grip on yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but-¡± she began, but I held a hand up and she stopped.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°You¡¯re rattled,¡± I continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been off your game since the Dungeon Master, but you¡¯re trying. Even though you found yourself without magic, you still followed orders. You still helped. Could we have taken out Abara back in the karst if you were able to get your spells working? Maybe, maybe not; he¡¯s clearly more capable than we were hoping he would be.¡±


    Sighing, I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you go. I¡¯m never going to pawn you off. I want you to know that. Really know it,¡± I told her honestly.


    ¡°But what if we get into another situation like that and I still can¡¯t cast?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, this is the part you¡¯re not going to like: until you prove yourself capable of handling those situations, then you can¡¯t come with me on anything I deem too dangerous,¡± I said. She froze for a moment before giving me a slow nod, accepting my words. ¡°That¡¯s for both your safety and my own. If someone decides to attack you and I have to protect you, then that puts us both at risk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I understand.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the right answer, just more rolling over, but I didn¡¯t think pushing her was the correct move at this point in time.


    ¡°Good. Because as long as you¡¯re trying, then you have a place at the Department of Dungeons. We would be lesser for your absence. Plus, I know you¡¯ll get it back eventually.¡±


    It took longer for her to nod this time, but she did.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about your¡­ family issues?¡± I offered, trying to keep my face neutral.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ve got enough to go through without delving into that,¡± she said, looking down at the stack of documents we still hadn¡¯t touched. ¡°But thank you. I appreciate the lengths you¡¯re willing to go through to help. Ya big softy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, the family likes you so you¡¯re probably not too bad,¡± I grumbled. Ferrisdae smiled, small but now genuine, and picked up the paper I was holding on to. ¡°I¡¯m slowly figuring out what these runes mean, but it¡¯s still pretty frustrating.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised that you¡¯re learning it at such a quick rate, even with the Dungeon Master¡¯s help,¡± she said. I shot her a glare, and she put her hand up. ¡°Yes, I know what he did was invasive, and you know that I know that. But, like you said, it¡¯s helpful.¡±


    My eyes softened, and I nodded. ¡°Sorry. Like I said, it¡¯s frustrating.¡±


    ¡°I get you, Badger. Have you managed to figure anything out yet?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m on the cusp of something, but I haven¡¯t made a breakthrough just yet,¡± I answered, picking up a few pages that I set aside.


    These ones, which had all been stuck to the walls, mentioned the dungeons of Athir and how they were connected. Or going to be connected. Or how they were going to stop being connected.


    I frowned just thinking about it. Only grasping some of the words at a time was going from frustrating to absolutely pissing me off. The ritual circle Abara was trying to turn Athir into was bigger than anything that I had seen before. Most needed some kind of magical ignition to start it off, but if he had any more of those amber crystals lying around, then he had it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get there, we have plenty of time before we make it to Alashroe,¡± Ferrisdae soothed. ¡°Then there¡¯s getting our mana back, conferring with Brack, and gods know what else. If rushing it doesn¡¯t help, then don¡¯t rush it.¡±


    ¡°Very Elven of you,¡± I said before I nodded towards her stack of papers. ¡°Find anything important in your stack yet?¡±


    ¡°Some,¡± she said, picking up a stack she had kept separated. ¡°I¡¯m finding correspondence letters from Athir, Crystal Snows, Berald, and New Frausta. Nobody whose name rings a bell.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°What kind of things from Athir and New Frausta?¡±


    ¡°For Athir, most of the names clearly aren¡¯t Elvish,¡± she said, picking up one of the documents. ¡°Onstan, Patopolas, Deeg. I recognize some of them as dungeon owners, though not all.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. While the cult is powerful, having enough dungeons end up like the Red Thicket would bring a lot of attention that they probably wouldn¡¯t like,¡± I mused, stroking my chin. ¡°It would have been easy for them to go the same route as the Dungeon Master. Meet, negotiate, and assimilate. Just so long as it¡¯s in name only.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and with an Inspector on their side, they can make it all seem legitimate, too,¡± Ferrisdae added.


    ¡°A Junior Dungeon Inspector,¡± I corrected. ¡°I still think it¡¯s one of Liddy¡¯s rookies, not her. I refuse to believe it¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s always seemed really aloof to me. Not really someone to trust when the chips are down.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Liddy¡¯s always had a problem with getting bored too easily and taking shortcuts when she can, but she¡¯s loyal to a fault when it comes to her friends and the department. There¡¯s a reason why she¡¯s so highly regarded despite her attitude. Slow to move, but once she does so she¡¯ll stop at nothing to fix a problem with as much prejudice as she could muster,¡± I said before frowning. ¡°Unless she finds the task fun and exciting, then she likes to play cat and mouse.¡±


    Ferrisdae snorted. ¡°You think that¡¯s why she hasn¡¯t caught the wizard yet?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve said it out loud? Yes,¡± I begrudgingly admitted. ¡°She¡¯s probably trying to see if she can catch him even with the handicap of having a mole. I¡¯m sure the Chief has talked to her about it at this point. He knows how she is.¡±


    ¡°Huh, alright. I guess I just need to get to know her more.¡±


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I didn¡¯t like her at first, either,¡± I said, thinking back to simpler times. Before I could get too deep in nostalgia, I focused my gaze on Ferrisdae again. ¡°So Abara¡¯s been talking with dungeon owners. It¡¯s good information, but it¡¯s not exactly groundbreaking. What kind of messages did he have in New Frausta?¡±


    ¡°More dungeon owners,¡± she answered, looking at a different set of papers. ¡°Mostly the low level ones under the city, though there are a couple here and there outside of the walls. Then there¡¯s another word that keeps popping up.¡±


    ¡°Showing up enough to be strange?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, like a descriptor,¡± Ferrisdae said, chewing on her thumbnail in thought. An indescribable feeling passed through me as she continued. ¡°Not even a name, it just keeps going on about this person¡¯s hygiene. Like they couldn¡¯t even bother giving them a name. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re really important.¡±


    ¡°Sticky?¡± I asked, the paper in my hand crumpling as I clenched it in a fist.


    The Elf looked at me in surprise. ¡°Yeah, they keep calling them sticky. It¡¯s not capitalized or anything, but¡­ where are you going?¡±


    Before she could finish, I had gone to the door of the wagon and opened it up, sticking my head outside. The cold bit at me, but I ignored it.


    ¡°Kitzkin!¡± I yelled. ¡°A hundred gold pieces if you can get us to Alashroe as fast as you can!¡±


    ¡°Did you just say a hundred?¡± the Dwarf yelled back, surprise clear in his voice.


    ¡°I did, so I don¡¯t care if you run them ragged, get those camels moving!¡±


    ¡°Aye aye!¡± he replied giddily.


    I closed the door, ignoring the chill in my cheeks as the wagon started speeding up, and met Ferrisdae¡¯s confused look with a grim one of my own. ¡°Sticky is the name of the Half-Pint¡¯s leader.¡± I saw recognition in her eyes, followed by an angry set of her jaw. ¡°He¡¯s got a grudge against me a mile long, and that¡¯s only gotten worse after I refused to tell Brackenhorst to lighten up on him after what he did to you. Up until now he¡¯s been friendly enough, and that¡¯s because my wife¡¯s kicked the ass of anyone he¡¯s sent to shake down the tavern. He¡¯s not the type to fight fair, and he knows how to twist the knife. Especially if he thinks he¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°You think your family might be in danger?¡± she asked, now fully understanding my concern.


    ¡°There was always the risk that Abara was going to put some of his plans into motion while we were stuck in the desert, that¡¯s why we left immediately,¡± I said. ¡°I keep my personal life separate from my work life. It¡¯s not a complete secret, but very few people really know about my family. If he knows Sticky, then he knows about Tabs, Calico, and Willow. I trust my wife to keep everyone safe, but if Abara¡¯s there to help¡­¡±


    ¡°Badger, that¡¯s awful,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°Yeah. If anything¡¯s happened to my family, then there¡¯s going to be nothing that can get between me and the son of a bitch that hurt them,¡± I replied, noting Cojisto and Moose riding up to the side of the wagon. Licking my lips, I took a breath and tried to calm myself. ¡°Catch those two up, will you? I¡¯m going to do what I do best and bury myself in some work.¡±

 Chapter 91 - Redirected

    The sun was still down by the time we pulled up to Alashroe, exactly as the Dwarves promised. According to them, we had shaved at least two hours off of our original travel time. Based on how the camels laid down in front of the water trough the moment they were unhitched, I could see that they had been pushed to their limits.


    I felt like Hatenbrow and Kitzkin earned that extra gold, even if the amount might have been excessive. They didn¡¯t know it, but I would have paid many times that for some peace and mind about my family.


    Adjusting my jacket, I finished recharging my sword with one of my spare magic crystals. I started working on my shield next, imbuing it with enough mana to change it back into its buckler form before strapping the crystal on with a string.


    The moment Hatenbrow told us that we crossed the threshold of the void, I had woken up everyone who had been sleeping so they could maintain their equipment. Ferrisdae and Dalsarel needed the least amount of work since their gear had gone into the Shashilly Bags straight from the protection of Abara¡¯s crystal. All four of us, including Cojisto, were back in our normal wear.


    Ferrisdae and Moose both took deep breaths. The desert was hard on them both, but I certainly didn¡¯t envy him. Not only was his magic stripped away, he also had to make the entire trip on foot. Cojisto hadn¡¯t ridden him the whole way and opted to walk alongside his friend when it became too much. His exhaustion had to be at a level seldom felt.


    ¡°If you need time, take it. I¡¯m going to go on ahead,¡± I told him and Cojisto.


    Moose croaked, and his Human shook his head. ¡°No, we¡¯re with you,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s just some stairs to the Mage¡¯s Guild, right? We¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°If you insist,¡± I said, not pushing the topic as we began climbing into the city. I barely got my foot on the first step when my Sending Stone started ringing in my pocket. Without breaking my stride, I pulled it from my pocket and dragged my thumb across the surface. ¡°We¡¯re coming back to New Frausta.¡±


    There was a momentary pause from the Stone as the person on the other end digested my words. ¡°I don¡¯t need you in New Frausta,¡± Brackenhorst eventually said. ¡°You¡¯re being redirected. I need you in Athir.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I have proof that Abara has been consorting with Sticky, the leader of the Half-Pints,¡± I argued, scowling even as I tried to keep my tone diplomatic. ¡°Not only that, but with other dungeon owners in the area. Something big is going to happen, and I know you can sense that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± the Chief begrudgingly admitted. ¡°Seems we¡¯re coming up on the climax of this little adventure.¡±


    ¡°What an absolutely bardic way of putting it,¡± I said flatly.


    ¡°Still, I need you in Athir.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that we¡¯re coming back to New Frausta,¡± I returned, my voice gaining some heat. ¡°Knowing Sticky means that Abara knows who my family is. Now, I trust in Tabs. She can handle the Half-Pints, but if that portal riding jackass shows up then something terrible is going to happen. I¡¯m not going to get sent away knowing full well what¡¯s lurking in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°You done?¡± Brackenhorst asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to New Frausta.¡±


    The Chief sighed. ¡°Abara is in Athir, and he¡¯s asked for you specifically.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Ferrisdae asked. I turned to see that she was walking awfully close, listening in as best she could. She gave me an apologetic smile and let me get a few steps ahead. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Chief, that¡¯s not very compelling,¡± I said, making sure Dalsarel, who had been trailing behind me on the other side, wasn¡¯t eavesdropping as well. She gave me a curious glance, but she was still a respectable distance away. ¡°We know Abara is a portal master. There¡¯s no reason for me to go there when he can be in New Frausta in seconds. Plus, why even trust him?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m looking at my map of the continent and Athir is completely covered,¡± he answered solemnly.


    I stumbled on the next step, nearly falling, but managed to catch myself as gracefully as I could. That information made me stop. ¡°As in, there¡¯s a bunch of dungeons that suddenly appeared?¡±


    ¡°No, Badger, as in the entirety of the country has turned into one giant dungeon. Now, I can¡¯t zoom in on this map like you can but, based on where the edges are, I¡¯d say it¡¯s suspiciously close to that ritual circle you and Ferry were working out,¡± he explained.


    I slowed to a stop as I wrapped my head around this development. The ritual circle hadn¡¯t meant to make the area a dungeon. That was something I was fairly certain of, though I couldn¡¯t tell if that was because of my expertise or the result of the Dungeon Master¡¯s experiment. Either way, what it must have needed was magic.


    ¡°What if the crystal was put in the desert to stop everyone from finding it?¡± I muttered to myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to speak up, Badger,¡± Brackenhorst said.


    ¡°Like they were just hiding it?¡± Ferrisdae asked, having heard me clearly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Athir has been turned into one big dungeon,¡± I answered, shaking my head as I continued the trek upwards. ¡°And the crystal might have been a catalyst for starting it. Us finding the damned thing might not have been the win we were hoping for.¡±


    ¡°Badger, pay attention,¡± the Chief scolded.


    ¡°I am paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Look, this is what happened. I sent a team of Inspectors to Athir just like we discussed to start trimming away some of the dungeons. They arrived last night to find that everyone and everything there has seemed to become frozen in time.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Like with ice? Or-¡±


    ¡°No, as in everything¡¯s stopped,¡± Brackenhorst explained. ¡°Trees aren¡¯t moving in the wind, the people are frozen in all sorts of different poses like they had stopped in the middle of things, and the mental feedback from the DTER is, and I quote, absolutely terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Who did you send?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Kaelmourn is acting as the primary on this investigation. After hearing that something was suspicious so close to his cousin¡¯s dungeon, he wanted to check on things. He took a few others to divide and conquer, but called me as soon as he saw the state of Athir.¡±


    ¡°Did he just say Kaelmourn?¡± Dalsarel asked.


    Rolling my eyes, I turned up the volume so everyone could hear. If they were going to be rude about it, then I wasn¡¯t going to repeat anything later.


    ¡°So Kaelmourn made his way to Athir, it¡¯s a dungeon spanning the country, and time seems to have frozen over,¡± I reiterated before ignoring the plethora of questions sent my way. ¡°Okay, but how did Abara request me specifically?¡±


    Brackenhorst took a breath. ¡°Kaelmourn called, explained what was going on, and then went silent. Just as I was about to hang up and try to call him back, a voice spoke through the Sending Stone and introduced himself as Abara.¡±


    ¡°Because why not,¡± I said.


    ¡°He went on to say that Athir was under his control and that the dungeon he created was one that was powered by a crystal the likes of which we had never seen before,¡± he continued.


    ¡°That, at least, should be the truth,¡± I said. ¡°While we were in the palace, there was a tall, amber magical crystal that provided enough mana to keep a decently sized dungeon in place. Both Ferrisdae and Dalsarel said that they thought it could keep going despite the environment for at least ten years.¡±


    ¡°Dalsarel? The First Daughter of the Dark Elf Quarry?¡± Brackenhorst asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes, I was displaced by one of that Gnome¡¯s portals,¡± she answered. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger has been kind enough to let me accompany him back to more habitable lands.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s good to have you on board,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be returning home right now. Only those blessed by the Dungeon Master can set foot in Athir now without succumbing to Abara¡¯s spell.¡±


    ¡°Blessed,¡± I spat, rolling my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s what he told you?¡±


    ¡°Aye, but I¡¯m not trusting it,¡± Brackenhorst answered. ¡°His initial request was to have the four of you all go to Athir.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, definitely not,¡± I snorted.


    ¡°Definitely not,¡± he agreed. ¡°But we can¡¯t just do nothing. There¡¯s an entire country swallowed up by a dungeon. We have no idea what¡¯s going to happen next. It might spread by getting bigger, it might destroy itself and the people he has hostage, or something else. We just don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why we need you.¡±


    ¡°Badger can¡¯t just go on his own,¡± Ferrisdae protested. ¡°My family lives there. If something¡¯s happening there, then I need to be there to help him stop it.¡±


    I shook my head before looking back at my junior. ¡°Did you already forget our discussion back in the wagon?¡±


    She recoiled as if I had just slapped her before her face started turning red. ¡°That was all fine back when we were speaking about some hypothetical disaster, but this is my family, Badger,¡± she angrily replied.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll¡­¡± I stopped myself with a growl before taking a deep breath. ¡°Brackenhorst, Chief, I still need to know that my family is going to be okay before I even think about taking up this invitation. Which, no matter how I look at it, looks like a bad plan. You don¡¯t just walk into a villain¡¯s trap, especially after you¡¯ve killed their friend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to walk right into it,¡± Brackenhorst said with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve just been sitting on this information all night, hoping you¡¯d just follow my orders? No, we¡¯ve got a secret weapon. Millicef¡¯s been on the Stone with Sophia. She had the foresight to go to Alashroe to wait for you, and she has everything ready to go.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me anything about my family¡¯s safety,¡± I replied.


    ¡°We could go to them,¡± Cojisto offered. I turned around to see him raising his hand. ¡°Ferry can go with you, and Moose and I can help look after your family.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t set foot in Athir, then I will help as well,¡± Dalsarel added before making a face and glancing around the mountain. ¡°It¡¯ll be better than staying in this place. The only thing making it more bearable than the palace is the return of ambient magic.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both coming up with a lot of assumptions here,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Dalsarel, I appreciate the offer, but you have connections to Abara that I don¡¯t want near my children. We can take you to New Frausta so you don¡¯t have to be here, but that¡¯s it. Also, if anything, Ferrisdae is going back to the DoD headquarters while I go to Athir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go alone!¡± she yelled.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve been back in a magic rich environment for all of ten minutes!¡± I returned. ¡°You¡¯re already having problems with casting your spells in combat and this will be Abara¡¯s turf. The Gnome who¡¯s been portalling all around the continent and doing impossible things? And you want to go into his house and fight him when you¡¯ve barely started to recover?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got potions!¡± she shouted. A few demands for quiet came from nearby homes. Those quelled her fury somewhat, but her tone remained angry. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving this up to you alone. You don¡¯t have to do things alone just because you¡¯re worried about me. My job is to go into danger, in case you¡¯ve forgotten, and this is that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you lecture me on what our job is,¡± I said, pointing up at her. ¡°You¡¯re just getting like this because it¡¯s your homeland. That kind of attachment is going to get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it? Just like your attachment to your family is preventing you from committing to an entire nation¡¯s safety?¡± she challenged, crossing her arms as she stared pointedly at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already all but said I¡¯m going, I just have reservations,¡± I responded. ¡°If Brackenhorst takes my family somewhere safe, then I¡¯ve got no problem going.¡±


    ¡°Then it shall be done,¡± the Chief said. I looked down at the Stone in my hand, having forgotten that we were still in a call. ¡°Badger, you have my word that I¡¯ll take care of your family. That said, Ferrisdae going as backup wouldn¡¯t hurt your chances.¡±


    ¡°Did you not hear anything about how she can¡¯t cast spells?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s a sorceress,¡± was his only reply.


    ¡°That¡¯s a gods damned gamble and you know it, old man,¡± I retorted. Everyone looked like they were about to say something when I lifted my arms. ¡°Alright, everyone needs to stop. Give me some time to think.¡±


    It took a lot of effort, but they simmered down. I closed my eyes, attempting to think things through.


    ¡°At least meet with the secret weapon before you blow up again,¡± Brackenhorst calmly requested. ¡°They should be close to you now.¡±


    ¡°They?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah. I found them, Mills, thanks,¡± I heard Sophia say from behind me.


    Before I could turn around, another voice joined her.


    ¡°It is good to see you again, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± came a feminine, monotone voice. ¡°I come bearing the most powerful weapon of all to soothe your nerves: information.¡±


    I put my face in my hand. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡±

 Chapter 92 - Information

    I wasn¡¯t about to have any type of conversation with the Dungeon Master¡¯s secretary out in the open, so Sophia took us to the Mage¡¯s Guild tower and got us a private conference room. The building¡¯s oppressive magic weighed me down, but it was still better than being outside in public.


    I took my seat beside Ferrisdae as Himia sat across from us. Although she had the shape of a Human woman, that wasn¡¯t what she was. When we had met, she had called herself an artificial intelligence, an Information Elemental. Just like back then, she had long, deep blue hair and wore a bright yellow sundress. Her smile looked slightly out of place, like she needed to practice, and it was a little unnerving.


    ¡°I would like to thank you for not blowing up at me, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she started politely. ¡°You seem angry, and that is a conclusion that I have come to without the use of magic.¡±


    ¡°Is it, now,¡± I said flatly.


    Himia nodded. ¡°Yes, I was able to deduce it given several more mundane observations. I am still not proficient at understanding most social cues, but anger is one of the ones that I am becoming well versed at detecting. It is a process that I am struggling with, but I believe the challenge is worthwhile.¡±


    Frowning, I shared a glance with Ferrisdae. She cleared her throat. ¡°What are you doing here, Himia?¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons-¡±


    ¡°Again with this?¡± I asked, putting my face in my hand. ¡°Just call him the Dungeon Master, we don¡¯t need his full title.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but it is necessary, Dungeon Inspector Badger,¡± she replied, not perturbed at all by my interruption. ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons has decided to allow me to help with your investigation so long as it, in his words, ¡®keeps my sister as far away from me as possible.¡¯ I have picked up many magical signals throughout the continent now that the Thousand Year Blizzard is no longer disrupting the natural flow of mana, and there have been some of note.¡±


    ¡°Like whatever Abara¡¯s done to Athir and whatever the wizard Liddy¡¯s been chasing down has been doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That is correct,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Just last night, 11 hours and 14 minutes ago, the magical profile of Athir spiked dramatically before hitting an all time high and staying there.¡±


    ¡°Wait, how could you possibly know that?¡± Ferrisdae asked, leaning forward on the table. ¡°Haven¡¯t you and your master been hiding away in a secret location? Why do you know when Athir became a dungeon?¡±


    ¡°It is like I said, I have picked up many magical signals throughout the continent now that the Thousand Year Blizzard is no longer disrupting the natural flow of mana,¡± she repeated.


    ¡°So you just know about big magical events, then?¡±


    ¡°So long as they spend at least a few seconds beyond a tier four power level, I will notice it,¡± Himia said with confidence. ¡°The creation of Abara¡¯s country-wide dungeon is tier five and holding. Still, I was able to figure out what he was doing in such a short time. Thus, I offered myself up to help, with the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeon¡¯s blessing, of course. I am coming with you.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t think I can trust your help,¡± I stated harshly. ¡°Because I¡¯ve figured out what these random pinches on the back of my neck mean, and I don¡¯t like it when thoughts that don¡¯t belong to me start popping up in my head. If you want to know why I¡¯m angry, that¡¯s a pretty big reason for it.¡±


    Himia nodded, but her facial expressions didn¡¯t change. ¡°That is the Dungeon Inspector ability we call Knowledge Check,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes, when there is something you do not know, the information you need will appear to you. It does not always work, but it is helpful when it does.¡±


    ¡°And can you think of why that upsets me?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°I cannot,¡± she admitted, lowering her head.


    My hand clenched into a fist. I wanted to slam it down on the table, but settled for a quick rap instead. ¡°Because you¡¯re putting information in my head, Himia!¡± I said angrily. ¡°I was pissed off when you told me you were reading my surface thoughts and doing a deep dive into my aura, what makes you think I would be okay with you shoving information into my head?¡±


    She blinked, slow and deliberate, and I realized that might have been the first time I had seen her do so. ¡°But that is not what is happening, Dungeon Inspector. That was the original plan, but seeing you becoming so upset with me had the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons change it at the last minute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit,¡± I accused, pointing my finger at her. Ferrisdae put a hand on my shoulder, and I took a breath. Himia still looked nonplussed at this whole conversation, like my anger wasn¡¯t a factor at all. That only made me angrier. ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t know what a Blackwood Queen was before I met her, and I¡¯ve been slowly learning these runes from the Southern Continent just by looking at them.¡±


    ¡°You have, yes,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But it is not because we have been shoving information into your brain, or whatever you think is happening.¡±


    ¡°Then what other explanation is there?¡± I asked through grit teeth.


    ¡°You are getting it from the dungeons,¡± she answered as if it were the most simple thing in the world.


    I opened my mouth to argue because not every instance had happened when I was in a dungeon, but then closed it. That familiar tingle cooled the back of my neck, and I knew. The ability had activated when I was out in the world, not a DTER in mind, but the information I was looking for had always tied into a dungeon.


    CC had already started turning the DoD building into a dungeon and, since Carimella Rose was in it, I knew that her body had been turned into one as well.


    Before meeting the Blackwood Queen, I had been in the Red Thicket. She was the one who corrupted Grandfather Red, leaving traces of her in the dungeon.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Even the runes could be traced back to several of the dungeons I had been in lately. The Dungeon Master would certainly know the alphabet of the Southern Continent, and I had been inside several areas that had been tainted by the cult.


    It wasn¡¯t the Dungeon Master who had been giving me knowledge, but the dungeons themselves; he had just helped me access it.


    ¡°You look calmer now,¡± Himia stated, leaning forward as she copied Ferrisdae¡¯s pose. ¡°Have you come to an epiphany?¡±


    I swallowed, realizing that my anger had been assuaged by the revelation. ¡°Explain it to me anyway,¡± I told her.


    The secretary nodded. ¡°As we discussed, your magical affinity is for dungeon magic. I had told you that this was odd, but not unheard of,¡± she said. ¡°Every time you cross over a DTER, your aura interacts and mingles with this magic. Under normal circumstances, you would not be able to do anything with this interaction unless you become very, very powerful.¡±


    ¡°But the Dungeon Inspector class focuses on meta knowledge,¡± I said, repeating what she had told me over a month ago.


    Himia nodded again. ¡°Knowledge Check, as an ability, accesses your aura, which has been storing information from every dungeon you have ever visited. This is meta knowledge,¡± she explained. ¡°If you wanted to know how long a dungeon had been active for, or how many times the boss had been killed, or anything else, then you need only think about it. Now, Knowledge Check is not an infallible ability. There are limitations on it, and it cannot hand you everything you want at once.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, leaning forward. Now that I knew where the information was coming from, I was still peeved but not nearly as much.


    ¡°Because that would melt your brain,¡± she answered. ¡°It takes the things you really need to know and lets you know them, but if it happens too much or with too much data, then you might fall comatose or even outright die. There may also be a dramatic component as well.¡±


    I had been paying rapt attention up until that point, and then I gave her a flat look. ¡°A dramatic component? Really?¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons thinks that the world is a better place with a more dramatic flair to things,¡± she answered with a mechanical shrug. ¡°If it is something you really need to know at that moment, you are more likely to know it, but if you¡¯re asking something out of idle curiosity, then it may take longer to come to you.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, that sounds kind of awesome,¡± Ferrisdae said. I turned to look at her, having almost forgotten that she was sitting next to me, and she put her hands up. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it, Badger, but being able to pull the knowledge from any dungeon you¡¯ve ever been in? And it¡¯s not because Himia is shoving the information directly into your head? I think that¡¯s neat.¡±


    ¡°The information lingering in a person¡¯s aura does wear off after a few months for most,¡± Himia continued. ¡°However, your magical affinity makes things different. It¡¯s likely because of the dungeon that spawned around you when you were-¡±


    ¡°Not another word!¡± I roared, standing up so fast that my chair toppled over. This time, I did slam my fist on the table, cracking it. ¡°Really, Himia? What makes you think I¡¯m okay with you saying things about my past in front of my junior, let alone in a place under such heavy magical surveillance?¡±


    I ignored the look I was still getting from Ferrisdae as I stared at the Information Elemental. The Elf¡¯s thoughts were written all over her face, and I didn¡¯t want to entertain any of them. What had just been said was kept secret for a reason.


    Dragons had dungeons spring up around them. Magical beasts, if they became powerful enough, could as well. In very rare circumstances, even animals revered as local deities have been known to spawn something small.


    Ordinary people did not.


    Ferrisdae wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close. I froze, eyes widening as my glare turned into one of confusion. ¡°Ferrisdae¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You just looked like you needed a hug, Badger,¡± she answered, patting me on the back before letting me go.


    I pulled away, coughing into my hand as I picked up my chair so I could sit back down. In a way, I did feel better, and I wasn¡¯t sure if that was worse or not.


    Himia raised her hand, grabbing my attention, before smiling. ¡°I have temporarily disengaged the magical surveillance in this room,¡± she stated calmly. ¡°Our conversation is private for as long as I want it to be. However, you are right. I was not taking present company into consideration when I chose my words. For this, I apologize most deeply and hope that you can forgive me.¡±


    ¡°That was a pretty big blunder, and I¡¯m not one to forgive so easily,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Then there is simply nothing to be done,¡± Himia replied. She lifted her arm and swung it in front of her. Her voice took on a folksy accent. ¡°Shucks, better luck next time.¡±


    Ferrisdae and I shared another glance before I shook my head. ¡°Alright, I feel as though we¡¯ve gone way off topic and that¡¯s partially my fault,¡± I said, placing my hands on the table. ¡°Let¡¯s backtrack and talk about Abara and what he¡¯s doing in Athir, and why you¡¯re our secret weapon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is why I am here,¡± she responded, nodding and putting her hands on the table like I did. ¡°Abara has tapped into a magical crystal from the Southern Continental Dungeon to invoke time magic called the Endless Moment.¡±


    ¡°Brack said that everyone was frozen, even those in the middle of tasks,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°That is correct. It is magic a few tiers below the Thousand Year Blizzard, but with the power Abara has at his fingertips with the crystal, it¡¯s possible for him to freeze an entire country. Not forever, though,¡± Himia said, rapping her fingers across the wooden conference table. ¡°Two things need to happen before the magic ends. Either the crystal needs to run out of power, which would take roughly three months if my estimates are correct, or Abara needs to be killed.¡±


    The Elf hesitated before asking her next question. ¡°Are the people suffering inside?¡±


    ¡°They are unaware of the passage of time, so, no. When the magic ends, they will wake up as if nothing happened,¡± Himia answered. ¡°That is, so long as they are not acted upon by an outside force.¡±


    ¡°They can still get hurt and die,¡± I translated, glancing at the worried look on Ferrisdae¡¯s face.


    ¡°That is correct. Even if they are injured, they will remain in the Endless Moment until it disperses, at which point any who had sustained enough damage could perish.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we even have to discuss?¡± I asked. ¡°If we step foot in there, we¡¯ll end up like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°That is not correct,¡± Himia said, shaking her head. ¡°Just like Abara has received the blessings of CC, you and your friends have received the blessings of the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons. Both of you are strong enough to fight back against the Endless Moment without being caught up in it. At least, you can resist it for long enough to get the job done.¡±


    ¡°So we can save my family?¡± Ferrisdae asked hopefully.


    ¡°And everyone else,¡± I added.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Okay, but that sounds like something we can do on our own,¡± I said, confused. ¡°If you¡¯re our secret weapon, then what do you do in all this?¡±


    Himia smiled wide enough to show her perfectly straight, white teeth. ¡°In the words of the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons, I am going to put that dog back on his leash.¡± She paused, turning her head almost all the way around before she had to shift her body so she could see the wall behind her. ¡°Also, I suggest we leave post haste. I am feeling more massive magical waves from Athir, and I do not believe any of us are going to like it when this new spell is complete.¡±

 Chapter 93 - Endless Moment

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± I grumbled, arms crossed with my Hilt of Holding firmly in one hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Badger,¡± Cojisto said, slapping me on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of your family.¡±


    ¡°Once again, don¡¯t you dare go near my family,¡± I told him. Brackenhorst had already warned them, so they would be safe if they just kept their heads down. ¡°The cult can find us, so you¡¯ll just be a beacon. Stay away from them, and they¡¯ll probably be safe.¡±


    The man smiled before backing off of the teleportation circle. After the discussion with Himia, we went down to the transport room to be sent on our way. Without the extra power given by the Mage¡¯s Guild tower, Sophia would have had to make two trips in order to get Moose back to New Frausta. That wasn¡¯t what I was worried about, though.


    I glanced at Ferrisdae out of my peripheral vision. Even though I hadn¡¯t wanted her to come on such a dangerous mission without her magic, I couldn¡¯t deny that I needed more help than just Himia. We had gone over several ground rules that she was not, under any circumstances, allowed to break no matter what was happening.


    Ferrisdae had agreed, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I was going to trust her to follow them completely. She had been drinking mana potions as quickly as she could without getting sick, just in case. Either way, the Elf was coming.


    Not as a mage, though, but as an archer. Ferrisdae was back in her Nana Maeal¡¯s outfit. The black leather bodice, torn green cloak, shorts and tall boots had been enchanted to help with accuracy. It was old, but had been treated like an heirloom and its magic still worked well.


    ¡°Badger, did you ever figure out why Carimella wanted to speak to one of us in the first place?¡± Ferrisdae asked, stringing her composite bow.


    ¡°I¡­ did not,¡± I said before looking at Himia. ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°This is only an educated guess, but I believe that CC is interested in the four of you,¡± she answered. ¡°While you do carry my boss¡¯ blessings, the elder Dungeonborn can easily do the same, as you have seen with those you have fought already. I am afraid that, when it comes to CC, there may not be a reason for what she does except that she wants to do it. She is quite perplexing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I like that answer,¡± I said with a scowl.


    Himia nodded. ¡°Apologies, Dungeon Inspector, but neither do I.¡±


    ¡°Alright, are we ready to send you off?¡± Sophia asked, stepping onto the teleportation circle with us. She wasn¡¯t coming with us, but she was sending us off. The attendants of the transport room were only just now starting to filter in, curious but going about their own business.


    ¡°Yeah, send us back to Athir, Sophia,¡± I replied, ignoring the urge to insult her. There would be plenty of time for that later.


    ¡°You be safe, Sophia,¡± Ferrisdae said as she gave the disguised Kitsune a hug. Once she released her, the Elf waved towards the small crowd. ¡°You all be safe.¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± Cojisto said as Moose stamped a hoof. Dalsarel made a face, but nodded.


    Sophia put out her hand, and the three of us reached out to touch it. ¡°Don¡¯t die, Badger. The old lady running the children¡¯s clothing store will miss you too much,¡± she murmured. ¡°I know how much you like their handouts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, and so will you,¡± I quietly returned. ¡°After all, nobody wants that scraggy thing you call a pelt.¡±


    She met my eyes, giving me a nod. I returned it, and we smirked at each other. The next moment, we were gone.


    Ferrisdae put her hand up to her mouth when the teleport dropped us off in the office that Sophia had been allowed to use at Athir¡¯s Mage¡¯s Guild branch. It was the only place she knew of that was almost guaranteed not to have people in it, and that would save us from any tragic mishaps.


    A chill ran down my spine as I took in our surroundings. That wasn¡¯t from the ability Himia had called Knowledge Check, but from the sheer dread that had hit me all at once. It was like someone had taken the DTER and turned it up to full power. I shook my head, trying to put the feeling behind me, and I saw Ferrisdae do the same once she was sure she wasn¡¯t going to throw up.


    Himia, of course, looked absolutely fine. She was, however, standing completely still. We had been warned that this could happen, and she told us to go about our business as usual. While worrying, we took her at her word.


    ¡°You doing all right, kid?¡± I asked, checking my equipment.


    ¡°About as well as can be expected,¡± Ferrisdae answered, grimacing. ¡°This place feels really gross.¡±


    I looked around the room and couldn¡¯t help but agree. Everything had this disturbing look to it, like someone had coated the entire building in a thin layer of grease. I touched the door with the back of my hand to find that it felt completely normal, it just had a strange appearance.


    This effect didn¡¯t go away as we started heading down the stairs. It consumed not only the building, but the people as well.


    We saw them as soon as we hit the stairwells. While the tower did have some magical elevators, there were always some who eschewed them entirely. I stopped in front of a mage reading a book in one hand while drinking out of a cup in the other. He was stopped mid-step, some coffee spilling out of his cup, and looked like he was about to trip.


    I shared a glance with Ferrisdae before pushing him slightly. He tilted, the Endless Moment allowing me to move him, but remained frozen in place. With a grunt, I lifted him up and took him down to the next landing before propping him against the wall. As much as I didn''t care for mages, there was no reason for this guy to tumble down the stairs and spill scalding hot coffee on himself.


    It was a surreal experience, and it only became worse as we entered the lobby. There were several more people here, each frozen, and we walked between them. Ferrisdae clutched her bow tightly to her body, trying to make sure not to knock anyone over.


    ¡°This is horrible,¡± she said quietly. ¡°All these people are just¡­ still. Do you think he plans on killing them?¡±


    ¡°I hope not, but we¡¯re here to stop him regardless of his intentions,¡± I replied.


    The doors outside needed to be pried open, and I did so with the help of my handy letter opener before pushing it open the rest of the way. I blinked as we got our very first look at the outside world.


    Motionless dark storm clouds covered the sky as far as we could see. Numerous bolts of lightning descended from them, some far away, others close by, illuminating the entire area in a bright glow. They didn¡¯t look natural, though, not even at first glance.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Badger, those¡­¡± Ferrisdae started.


    ¡°Yeah, those are runes,¡± I answered.


    A peal of thunder boomed through the city, and another bolt of lighting fell miles away to our left. It contorted into a familiar shape: the rune for stability. Based on the direction and distance, it wasn¡¯t much of a guess to say that one appeared over the Red Thicket. I narrowed my eyes as I ran down the steps to get a better look at the sky.


    The original ritual circle I had devised with the help of Brackenhorst¡¯s map had 64 runes. I spun in place, quickly counting the number of lightning bolts. 39 so far, and another thunderous roar passed through the city as another one fell. Wherever Abara was, he was doing quick work.


    And then, it clicked, and a primal, almost instinctual fear threatened to cause my body to freeze up.


    ¡°Holy fucking shit,¡± I said, placing a hand on my head. ¡°Oh, we have to stop this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ferrisdae asked, pulling an arrow from her quiver. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Badger?¡±


    I raised my hand and started pointing from rune to rune. ¡°Stability, Shift, Magic, Ambiance, Land, Life, Distance, Transport,¡± I listed. Another lightning bolt appeared, and I winced. ¡°Replace.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not making sense,¡± she said, though I could hear her panic.


    ¡°This ritual will teleport the city in the center of the circle and a good chunk of its land, replacing it with a similarly sized one from somewhere else,¡± I explained. ¡°And I bet everything I own that CC is going to be riding whatever shows up.¡±


    Ferrisdae went quiet, trying to wrap her head around it. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s insane, Badger. There¡¯s no way that can be their plan.¡±


    I scowled. She was right, of course, but it wasn¡¯t the only insane thing we had come across recently. Just yesterday we came across another impossible sight with the crystal and the dungeon. Taking a breath, I worked towards calming myself. With clarity came knowledge, and the dungeon told me exactly where we needed to go.


    Instead of answering her, I gestured for her to follow and started jogging towards the Riverside Calm. Ferrisdae followed me, an arrow nocked but not drawn. There was an urgency to our movement that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    We navigated the park, not bothering to take the path, until we came to a familiar place. The arch bridge leading to the Green Union Building was decidedly less magnificent in its current, greasy state, but our destination was on the other side.


    Breaking out of the roof of the simple cottage made of petrified wood was the amber crystal. Its glow was less intense now that it was being drained, but what we could see of it was still a beautiful sight. Standing on the very top, waving his stone staff left and right, was a green haired Gnome. Abara.


    I held up my hand, and we both slowed to a stop. Turning to Ferrisdae, I mimed drawing a bow back and loosing an arrow before pointing at the enemy. She arched an eyebrow before nodding.


    Taking a breath, the Elf pulled her drawstring back. She raised it, her eyes focused on Abara, and waited a second. There was no wind to mess up the shot. Ferrisdae released her breath and her arrow at the same time.


    I followed it as best as I could, hoping that a preemptive attack was going to be enough. This kind of sneak attack was against the bureaucratic rules of the Department of Dungeons, but this situation was absolutely beyond anything that which the rulebook described.


    Against my dearest wishes, the arrow slammed into a transparent shield and fell to the crystal. My scowl returned anew; I could recognize a Protection Against Arrows spell, which means Ferrisdae¡¯s bow was useless.


    Worse yet, Abara turned to face us.


    ¡°And they finally show up!¡± the Gnome yelled, throwing his arms out wide. His eyes turned from me to Ferrisdae before scanning the area. ¡°And just the two of you? No idiot and moose? No delightful, mother pleasing Dark Elf?¡±


    ¡°Any traps?¡± I whispered to Ferrisdae. She looked at me before her eyes turned purple. She shook her head. ¡°Okay, fall back to Himia.¡±


    ¡°I can still fight,¡± she protested.


    ¡°Not with that bow you can¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°Fall back.¡±


    Without waiting to see if she would comply, I started walking onto the bridge. I retracted the letter opener back into my Hilt of Holding before switching it to my blood seeking scimitar. Unlike the Blackwood Queen, Gnomes could bleed.


    ¡°Badger, it¡¯s so nice to see you,¡± he said conversationally, moving to the edge of the crystal to get a better look at me. ¡°I feel like the last two times we¡¯ve met have been under strenuous circumstances. I¡¯m willing to put everything behind us if you are, even killing one of my friends. She can be regrown, anyway. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    Hearing that the Nymph could come back made me grit my teeth, but I didn¡¯t fall for the provocation. I stopped in the middle of the arch bridge. Since the sneak attack didn¡¯t work, I wanted to make sure that Ferrisdae had time to get back to the Mage¡¯s Guild. So, it was time to do my job.


    ¡°Abara, you are hereby under arrest for the illegal construction of a dungeon,¡± I yelled.


    He stared at me, confused, before laughing. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always serious,¡± I replied, noting that no extra lightning bolts had appeared since he turned his attention to me. ¡°Not only was this dungeon not thoroughly vetted by a Dungeon Inspector, but it also goes through several residential, commercial, and mixed-use zones that are considered public property.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked, throwing his arms up. ¡°This is what you¡¯re doing right now? I¡¯ve got this whole thing set up ¡ª this whole, brilliant thing ¡ª and you¡¯re trying to tie me up in red tape?¡±


    ¡°If you do not come peacefully and allow your dungeon to be destroyed, then I will take it as grounds to begin subjugation efforts against you,¡± I finished. ¡°The choice is yours.¡±


    ¡°Look, Badger, I appreciate that you think you can do anything at all to stop me, but you¡¯re a little too late,¡± Abara replied. He gestured towards the lightning with his staff all around us. ¡°My mistress¡¯ victory is assured the moment I finish here. The world is going to change for the better whether you like it or not. You don¡¯t have to be against it just because some moron in green and purple lied to you.¡±


    ¡°When I kicked your boss¡¯ ass back when she was possessing Carimella Rose, she said she was going to burn everything to the ground,¡± I said as I pulled a potion out of my Pocket. The vial was separated into three compartments and the lid had a disclaimer that it was for official Department of Dungeon use only. I popped it open, but didn¡¯t drink yet. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know about you, but I wouldn¡¯t call that better.¡±


    The Gnome waved his hand. ¡°She was riled up. My mistress has the capacity for violence just like any other great leader, but she doesn¡¯t mean what she says when she¡¯s angry,¡± he claimed, as if that made things better. ¡°If she had been able to take over the Department of Dungeons, as planned, then everything would have been fine. She¡¯s simply looking for her missing father.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°The Dungeon Master said he died centuries ago.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t die, he disappeared,¡± Abara replied confidently.


    ¡°That¡¯s the destiny she got all upset about?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Chasing after her probably dead Human father? She wants to burn everything down to, what? Find where he¡¯s hiding? Make it make sense, Abara.¡±


    ¡°Her destiny is absolute, and because the mistress insists that he is not dead it must be so,¡± Abara said sternly. I could tell he didn¡¯t like being questioned, especially about CC.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, and that¡¯s why we call you a cult,¡± I returned. ¡°Blind faith is a terrible thing. You need nuance in your life, Abara, otherwise you¡¯re just a slave no matter how virtuous you think your mistress might be. Yours, though? She needs to stay on her own damn continent and keep us out of her daddy issues.¡±


    Anger flared in the Gnome¡¯s eyes, and the crystal he stood on grew brighter. ¡°You know nothing, Badger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say that I know more than enough,¡± I shot back. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s following a delusional little-¡±


    I threw myself forward as Abara raised his hands, lightning crackling between his fingers, and aimed at me. The spot on the bridge I had just vacated broke apart and fell, though the Endless Moment caught the debris before it could hit the water.


    Rolling to my feet, I quaffed the three potions and jumped, flying into the air as the magic took hold of me. One way or another, it was time to end this madness.

 Chapter 94 - Abara

    The set of potions I drank was something the Department of Dungeons called the Trifecta. They gave one to each of their Inspectors to deal with tough situations. Each potion was rare and expensive, and I tried not to use it when I didn¡¯t need to. I had gone through many subjugations without them, but I wasn¡¯t about to leave anything up to chance here.


    The first potion enhanced my physical abilities. Since I didn¡¯t have magic of my own, boosting my strength and reflexes was a must. Energy surged through my body like the lightning I had just dodged, powerful, dangerous, but controlled.


    The second potion protected me. My skin hardened, though remained just as flexible, and I gained some measure of resistance against harmful forms of magic and dispelling effects. Not only that, but my mind was bolstered as well. Mental magic was heavily frowned upon, especially in a dungeon, but not everyone played by the rules.


    The last potion only did one thing, and I usually only drank the Trifecta for its effect over all the others. It was the one with the most restrictions on it. Not completely limited, but people couldn¡¯t buy them in bulk unless they had a license for it. This was a Potion of Fly.


    Abara¡¯s eyes widened when I left the ground and charged. Even though the Gnome was surprised, he had time to cast one more spell in the short moment it took me to reach him. I readied my blood-seeking scimitar at my side as he put his hands up, ready to take whatever attack he was going to throw at me.


    He mumbled his spell, and a shadow-like curtain descended over his body. Back in the Karst of Vile Spores, he had used this spell to great effect. It looked like a variant of Blink, which made it harder to hit the target. Annoying, but my sword would work through it.


    It should have worked better than it did, though.


    I passed by Abara, my scimitar slicing halfway through his darkened form. He grunted in pain, but I could tell that the blow was shallow because of the lack of resistance. My blade seemed to work, but not nearly as well as I¡¯d hoped. Whatever variant the spell added, it must have protections against my type of weapons.


    ¡°Annoying,¡± I muttered.


    The Gnome didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he threw himself off of the tree-like crystal and fell towards the sloped roof of the Green Union¡¯s building. My eyes never left him, and I spun to follow. Beneath him, a portal to some nondescript room opened up.


    I grit my teeth and willed myself to fly faster, but I was already going as fast as I could. Switching my grip on the sword, I went for a thrust, hoping to catch Abara through the ribs before he fell through or, failing that, charging through after him. Most portals couldn¡¯t close right away if something was still between them. Though they could be dangerous when they ran out of mana, I hadn¡¯t heard of any offensive variants.


    Abara was certainly going to fall through before I could reach him. He shifted his body so that he could fall through without causing any problems.


    Then, he bounced off.


    I swerved off course, slamming into the roof of the Green Union building. It was a better option than going through the portal to who knows where and having to find my way back to Athir in time to stop the ritual. I replayed what had happened in my mind as I rolled towards the ground.


    He had hit the portal as if it were made of glass and literally bounced off of it. When he landed on the ground, I noticed that he left a small crater in the ground as if he weighed more than he looked. It took him a moment before he scrambled to his feet.


    Himia had claimed she could stop him from using his portals. It seems as though she had been right; whatever she was doing was working.


    ¡°What did you do!?¡± he screeched, throwing his shadowed hands in the air. I didn¡¯t answer.


    Thunder cracked the air around me as it followed the cone of lightning. I grunted as pain coursed through me, dulled by the Trifecta, and hit the ground. Abara took a step backwards, and I lunged, aiming for his stomach.


    The shadow aura around him flickered for a moment as I felt more resistance, though still not enough. I went on the offensive, bearing down on him with a flurry of slashes. Portals opened up under my feet, but thanks to the Potion of Fly he wasn¡¯t able to trap me.


    Abara¡¯s stone staff blocked my scimitar as his other hand was thrust into my face. Fire erupted between us, exploding and throwing me back into the building. The petrified wood logs cracked under the impact and my back didn¡¯t fare much better. Once again, the Trifecta took the edge off of the attack, but it still hurt. The Gnome¡¯s magic was as powerful as I expected and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was natural talent or the workings of the crystal.


    Either way, I had a job to do. I pushed off of the wall and back towards the fight. Abara had been launched backwards as well, and now teetered at the edge of the river. I flew past him, scimitar at my side, and slashed through his shoulder this time.


    Once more, I met with a disturbing lack of resistance. Cojisto had said that he hated this kind of magic, and I was becoming more frustrated with every moment. Abara should have been cut in half twice now, or missing limbs at the very least, but he was still in one piece.


    A bolt of lightning pierced through me as I turned around, and I lost some elevation. Teeth clenched in pain as the damage exceeded the limits of the Trifecta, scorching me as electricity coursed through my body. Grunting, I got a hold of myself. My boots fell into the water before I bounced back up.


    I renewed my assault. Abara backpedaled, attempting to parry with his stone staff, but he couldn¡¯t keep up. A translucent barrier appeared in front of him, and I struck it with all the force I could muster.


    Blood flew from my shoulder as the damage reflected back at me, bypassing the extra magical defense the Trifecta afforded me. The physical enhancements likely saved my arm, however. An alarm rang through my head as Abara thrust his hands towards me and I slammed my shield against my chest.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    It expanded, giving me more cover as a torrent of flames rushed over me. I lowered myself to the ground to minimize the damage, expecting the Burning Hands spell to be over quickly, but it was not. The grass lit on fire while the water behind me started to steam. It was clearly more powerful than it should have been, which could only mean one thing.


    ¡°Another variant!?¡± I complained as my enemy slowly stepped back.


    Distance wasn¡¯t what I wanted, and I pushed forward. The flames were forceful, and it felt like I was fighting to walk through a raging river. I was nothing if not persistent. Every step he took, I matched. My shield was beginning to get so hot that I couldn¡¯t see through it anymore, and my jacket was burning. It was hard to tell from all the heat but I was pretty sure I was on fire.


    An arrow plinked off of Abara¡¯s protection, and he turned to look that way. I dove out of the way of the fire before spinning, raising my sword and bringing it down. He wasn¡¯t ready for it. I slashed him from shoulder to hip. There was more resistance this time as I finally caught him with something that wasn¡¯t just a glancing blow.


    Instead of following up, I backed away. The familiar pull of the scimitar as it sought out more blood to drink wasn¡¯t there. It hadn¡¯t been all this time, but I had chalked it up to the strange Blink spell Abara had put on himself. Now that I had finally landed a solid blow, it was immediately noticeable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have blood in you,¡± I said, almost accusatory with my words. ¡°Just like the Blackwood Queen, you¡¯re something different.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really rude,¡± Abara scoffed.


    The shadow aura around him disappeared, showing him and his clothes completely uninjured. I narrowed my eyes, looking for any sign that I had damaged him. There was no way that he should be unscathed. Something was up.


    He wasn¡¯t looking at me, but towards where the arrow had come from. I glanced that way to see Ferrisdae a good distance off. She had completely disregarded my order to fall back. Not only that, but she was still using her bow, not magic. While her actions had helped me at the time, the danger was too great.


    ¡°What are you, Abara?¡± I demanded, moving until I was in front of him, hovering a few inches over the ground.


    The Gnome, or the facsimile of one, looked up and gave me a feral grin. ¡°Like I¡¯m just going to give you the answer, Badger,¡± he replied flippantly. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to figure it out on your own. You and your apprentice.¡±


    A portal appeared on the ground in front of me, and Ferrisdae fell upwards feet first. It was now clear that, whatever Himia had done, it had only affected Abara¡¯s ability to pass through them. I had been right to be cautious earlier. The Elf managed to put her arms over her head before she landed and fell over. By then, the enemy¡¯s hands were pointed right at her.


    Growling, I surged forward and took up a defensive position in front of her. My shield up, I tried my best to provide as much cover as possible, even going so far as to use my own body. Sometimes, being someone as small as a Halfling wasn¡¯t great.


    Fire once again sprang from his hands. Behind me, Ferrisdae gasped in pain before curling up. I did not have that luxury, standing stalwart against the incoming flames. The Trifecta continued to help, but my clothes continued to burn and smolder along with my flesh.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± I managed to say through gritted teeth. My head, at least, was still protected.


    ¡°Badger, I-¡± she started, guilt and panic in her voice.


    ¡°Go!¡± I yelled.


    Ferrisdae got onto all fours, unable to stand up completely due to my size, and stumbled. One of her legs fell through a portal that opened up before closing enough to keep her from getting out. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she tried to pull her leg free. Her hair got singed for her efforts, and she had to lower her head.


    Abara began to move. Not away, but around. I shifted to compensate, trying my best to shield Ferrisdae from the worst of it. She struggled, trying to pull her leg free, and I knew he had to be trapping her there. A normal portal would have pushed her out if it simply ended. He was looking to end this.


    There was a way for me to stop this, one that would very decisively end this fight, but I saw an opportunity. A very painful but necessary opportunity.


    ¡°Ferry, you need to cast a spell,¡± I said as evenly as I could over the sound of the fire. Pain destroyed whatever semblance of even I was aiming for. Dropping my sword, I pulled out a potion and quickly drank it. My wounds healed only to start burning again. That was my limit; any more magic would make me sick. ¡°That¡¯s the only way we¡¯re going to survive this.¡±


    The Elf grabbed her wand off of her hip as her bow burned beside her. She threw her other hand up, forming the somatic sigils related to her spells with her fingers. She made them frantically, accompanying them with words of power. Nothing happened, and the look of panic on her face only grew with every failed attempt.


    Every step Abara took, I matched. My skin had been repaired thanks to the potion I had drank, but the damage was accumulating. Pain made my voice harsh as the onslaught continued. At some point I thought the spell would turn off, but there was no end to it.


    ¡°Ferry, listen to me,¡± I grunted. ¡°I know that you feel lost and confused. Your self worth has been shot, and the event that was supposed to be your triumphant entrance into the world changed you. Since then, it¡¯s been hard knocks. I understand. But you are still here. You are right by my side, enduring this situation just as much as I am, and you¡¯re doing it with a smile on your face. Kid, you are strong enough.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t cast,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I can¡¯t reach it.¡±


    I took another step. The river began to steam and boil behind Ferrisdae. ¡°You can!¡± I yelled, no longer able to downplay my pain. ¡°You can because what you need is inside of you. It hasn¡¯t been taken away from you, like my divine magic was before, it is there. It is you. Grab it, demand it! Your wellspring is not your friend, your sister; you are your power. It is Ferrisdae Anne Runelara, and so are you!¡±


    Behind me, the Elf continued to speak the words of power, but nothing was happening. This was trial by literal fire, and I was taking the bulk of it for her. That was my choice and, as the pain spread, I was hoping I wouldn¡¯t regret it.


    My leg gave out, and yet I dragged myself further. Abara was still circling slowly. I wasn¡¯t sure if he could hear us over the sound of the flames, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Ferrisdae,¡± I said, getting her attention. Her eyes were devoid of hope, and I smiled at her. A sad smile. My last option. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that this is happening. I need you to get to my family.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± she sobbed.


    ¡°Get out of here the moment you can, leave me behind and find people strong enough to fight him. That¡¯s an order, Ferrisdae, and my last request,¡± I demanded. ¡°Tell my family that I love them, and that I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t see them again.¡±


    ¡°Badger, you can¡¯t die here,¡± she yelled, reaching for me. ¡°You can¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡°No, not Badger,¡± I said. ¡°I am Liam.¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what I had said, and I turned away from her. Roaring, fighting the pain through sheer will, I stood up on my burnt leg and took a step towards Abara. The fire shifted, recoiling slightly as if surprised by my sudden movement. I hid behind my shield as I made what appeared to be my final stand.

 Chapter 95 - Determination

    Behind me, my apprentice sobbed. I didn¡¯t blame her for her weakness. In fact, I had even been there before, back when I had lost my paladin powers. The difference was that she could reach them and, if this didn¡¯t work, I had gone through a lot of pain for nothing.


    Regardless, I had full faith in her. It was an odd feeling, believing so strongly in someone I had only met a month ago, but the damn kid had grown on me. We had been through a lot together in such a short time. The bond we had was forged in the cauldron of adversity, just like I had with Reliable Rhodes before her.


    It didn¡¯t take long before my faith was vindicated.


    ¡°NO!¡± Ferrisdae yelled. Her voice was full of emotion straight from her core ¡ª pain, panic, rage ¡ª but it was also determined.


    Determined not to lose a friend.


    Determined not to be the cause of my death.


    Determined to be more than helpless.


    Words of power came from her, loud and strong, and a bright, spinning star made of yellow light flew over my head. All at once, the torrent of flames stopped as Abara, now surprised, threw his arms up. His stone staff glowed, and a translucent barrier appeared in front of him.


    The Shooting Star spell collided with it, spinning loudly as it attempted to force its way through as violently as possible. While some Shield magic could cancel out Magic Missiles completely, a variant like this took much longer. Floating up and taking my weight off of my legs, I looked back at Ferrisdae.


    ¡°Are you good?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she wheezed, chest heaving from the effort of casting one spell. Despite that, there was a spark of life in her eyes that hadn¡¯t been there just seconds before. Ferrisdae pulled her leg out of the ground now that Abara was distracted and the portal disappeared. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter one bit,¡± I agreed, picking up my sword. I had made sure to keep my hand behind my shield so I could hold it properly, and although it was hot to the touch it wasn¡¯t unbearable. I focused on Abara as the Shooting Star finally disappeared. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this together.¡±


    ¡°Finish this? What resistance can you possibly hope to put up?¡± Abara spat. ¡°The gifts my mistress has given me far outstrip y-¡±


    Before he could continue, Ferrisdae cast another Shooting Star. Abara took a step back and raised his hand. Another barrier appeared, this one not aided by his staff, and he started getting pushed back. He set his feet, and they dug into the ground beneath him as he steadied himself. A portal opened up underneath him, but he did not go through it.


    I flew around him, giving my legs a rest, and swung. He knew it was coming, I wasn¡¯t being subtle about it, and he turned to block it with his staff. I thumbed the rune at the bottom of the Hilt of Holding, retracting the scimitar¡¯s blade. His eyes went wide in surprise as I reactivated it a split second later, bypassing his defense entirely.


    This part, I watched carefully. I knew I had struck him before despite his shadow aura, and I was keen on finding out why there wasn¡¯t any damage on him and his clothes. It was already obvious that he wasn¡¯t a Gnome thanks to the way my blood-seeking scimitar didn¡¯t pull towards him, but it was time to find out for sure.


    The sword slashed into Abara, cutting deep into his clothes and skin, and it left mercury in its wake instead of blood. I watched, confused, as my blade cut through his chest in what would undoubtedly have been a killing blow on anyone else. Mere inches behind the wound, the silver liquid returned to flesh and cloth as if it hadn¡¯t been damaged at all.


    Abara attempted to slam his stone staff into my face. Due to the slash, I wasn¡¯t in a good position to defend after the slash, so I dodged to the side before returning to a more neutral stance. Lashing out, I caught his weapon with my own and bashed my shield straight into his face. His skin rippled at the point of impact before going taut once more.


    ¡°You¡¯re pissing me off now!¡± he screamed.


    The Gnome¡¯s form melted once Ferrisdae¡¯s Shooting Star disappeared. Clothes and flesh altered into liquid mercury before it jumped back, getting some distance. We watched in shock as another creature emerged from the slime. This one had seafoam blue skin and was over twice as tall as Abara had been. They had long, black hair, yellow eyes, and four arms. Fins hid their ears, and they wore light, almost see through robes that accentuated their now feminine form. She stood there, and the stone staff became longer to accommodate the new body.


    ¡°An Undine?¡± I asked, surprised.


    Undines were Nymphs that lived in the ocean. Unlike some of their kind, they weren¡¯t solitary creatures. They liked to live in moderately sized settlements and come onto land. Sometimes their lack of cultural awareness, which seemed to affect the entirety of their kind, got them in trouble, but they were generally regarded as good folk by those living on the coast.


    They had the ability to control water, but not the ability to shapeshift, so I wasn¡¯t sure what this was. Either way, the fight was still on.


    I thumbed the rune on the Hilt of Holding to return my scimitar and turned the dial as I flew back into battle. Shining, glittering sand erupted all around Abara as Ferrisdae cast her Stardust spell. They backed up as it covered them, getting into their eyes and mouth. The Elf had explained that this variant of the Glitterdust spell was also a skin irritant in addition to potentially blinding, which was terrible for a combatant.


    Abara¡¯s body turned mercurial again, sucking in the Stardust before expelling it in a glob. Their body turned back to normal in time for me to thumb the rune and summon the blade for one of my two longswords.


    ¡°Freeze,¡± I commanded.Stolen novel; please report.


    The two foot blade became drenched in a cold, blue aura as the magic activated. I flew over Abara¡¯s strike with their stone staff and aimed my strike at their neck. One of their free hands rose to meet my weapon while the other made a weird gesture.


    My sword went halfway into the appendage before stopping. Like before, the wound had turned silver, but it didn¡¯t freeze. Abara grabbed onto the blade while it was stuck inside, but I retracted it again. Landing on the other side, I turned the dial and thumbed the rune as I slashed back.


    ¡°Ignite!¡± I yelled, and flames sprung forth from my other longsword.


    This time, Abara backed away instead of attempting to intercept it. I thought that might have proved fire was worse than ice, but a geyser of water had erupted from the river. It angled unnaturally towards me, and I was forced to pull my blade back so I could plant my aching feet and block this new trick.


    I was sent flying back despite my efforts. From behind my shield, I saw Ferrisdae fire off another Shooting Star, but this one was being blocked by another spell cast from the stone staff. Her body also took on a shimmering, incorporeal quality to it. Like an aurora was protecting her. We met eyes, and she pointed her wand at me.


    My body glowed with more enhancements, and the pain I was doing my best to ignore lessened. That didn¡¯t mean I was healed, Ferrisdae wasn¡¯t capable of that. I dug my feet back into the ground and managed to stop before I was slammed into the building. Spinning, I got out of the way of the water and began running, using it as cover so that Abara couldn¡¯t see me.


    The enemy was dancing now in the same way the Undine did when they controlled the water. It was graceful and mesmerizing, a perfect mockery of what the Water Nymphs were capable of. What they weren¡¯t doing, though, was casting spells that weren¡¯t in the staff.


    A chill passed over me as the dungeon finally saw fit to provide me with information. Abara wasn¡¯t a Gnome or a Nymph, which was abundantly clear at this point.


    It was a Mimic.


    A Formthief Mimic that could perfectly capture the abilities of any creature it consumed. Another creature from outside of the continent, as it was hunted to extinction here. The Gnome must have been a powerful spellcaster already, and I was guessing this new form wasn¡¯t some run of the mill Undine. They needed us to be in a weakened state to fully assimilate, but it was a very real danger in this fight.


    A chill ran through my spine as I realized it might not have been CC¡¯s orders to keep us alive¡­


    It might have been Abara¡¯s, wanting to consume us.


    ¡°Abara¡¯s a Formthief Mimic!¡± I yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t let it try to eat you!¡±


    The Undine¡¯s graceful dance slipped as they looked my way, surprise in their eyes as I correctly named them. This caused the geyser to stop, leaving the ground wet and slippery. Then, their anger became apparent.


    When Abara spoke, it was with a beautiful voice comparable to that of a Siren though twisted with hatred. ¡°No one has named me in four hundred years,¡± they accused. ¡°How did you figure me out, you whelp?¡±


    ¡°You seem basic enough to me,¡± I replied. Their eyes narrowed as the stone staff glowed black. This wasn¡¯t the same as the spells before, and I called it out. ¡°Martial art!¡±


    Abara slid across the damp ground and began thrusting the stone staff at me as if it were a spear. I raised my shield, taking the first blow. It was surprisingly light, little more than a tap, and I found out why immediately after. A spearhead of water formed between me and my shield. I twisted, trying to get out of the way, but it still managed to slice through my shoulder.


    I suppressed a cry of pain as it cut deep. The martial art wasn¡¯t over yet, and I had to fly and twist myself into strange shapes to avoid the spearheads that pierced my defenses. Ferrisdae caught my eye in the distance. She was chanting something long and, hopefully, powerful.


    Furrowing my brow, I attempted to strike back against the ongoing martial art. Abara was using two hands on the stone staff, but the other two were beginning to move in tandem in another dance. I scowled at that, my eyes flicking towards the already rising river.


    I spun in the air, knocking the staff away as I extended my sword arm. The arc of my swing was wide and easily read, but it stopped their dancing. Halfway through, I flipped the hilt in my grip, turning the attack from a slash to a stab.


    Caught off guard, Abara couldn¡¯t move their arm where it needed to be. The flaming sword bypassed the Mimic¡¯s defenses and plunged into its core. For the first time, the enemy screamed in pain as the mercury making up its real body began to bubble. Then, its body burst into a wave.


    It covered me, avoiding my flaming sword, and I felt my skin start to fester as the Formthief Mimic attempted to devour me. I flew into the air, striking at my body with reckless abandon. It didn¡¯t matter if I cut myself so long as I stopped this terrible thing from happening.


    Then, a harsh blue light consumed us both. Abara oozed off of me, screeching. It took me a moment to get my bearings. I turned, seeing the puddle of silver liquid pounce into the river. Ferrisdae had collapsed onto her knees, but there was a look of victory in her eyes. I could see why; I recognized the fire.


    This was the same spell she had cast against the land pirates that had taken up the entire arena, but now under control. Instead of a wide area, it affected only the enemy, even though I had been inside of it at the time. The blue flames continued even as Abara submerged themselves. We watched the light move back and forth as the Mimic swam, trying to leave the fire behind.


    ¡°How long is that going to last?¡± I asked, coughing afterwards.


    ¡°Long enough, I hope,¡± she answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see it didn¡¯t take everything you have,¡± I said. ¡°Thanks for not lighting me on fire.¡±


    Ferrisdae only gave a nervous laugh as a reply. That wasn¡¯t a good sign, but I¡¯d take it.


    Abara rose out of the river and I was immediately back on guard. Its body shifted and enlarged, becoming a hulking behemoth of a creature somewhere between lion, bull, and lizard but the size of a house. The fire didn¡¯t abate at all, but continued to cover the Mimic. Screaming in pain, it charged straight for me.


    I flew upwards diagonally, trying to get out of the way of its massive horns, but it wasn¡¯t going after me. Instead, it blew through the Green Union building as if it were made out of paper. The magic crystal tilted and fell, landing in the trees behind it. The behemoth¡¯s back end, which was the only thing we could see as the building collapsed around it, disappeared as it turned back into its original form.


    ¡°Badger, what¡¯s it doing?¡± Ferrisdae asked, concerned.


    My eyes widened as the pale blue flames started covering the magic crystal. Not just the flames, though, but the silver form of Abara.


    It was trying to eat the crystal.


    Lightning strikes came down from the sky, forming runes at an alarming rate. The Mimic was accelerating the process in a last ditch effort to return to CC, taking us with it. That was probably its only chance of survival.


    I looked up towards the sky. Ferrisdae yelled something, but I couldn¡¯t hear it. My thoughts were elsewhere, guided by my wife¡¯s one request.


    ¡°Yeah, I think this is as far as we can go,¡± I said before taking a deep breath. Pain spread through my body, grounding me. This was the right choice. ¡°Cheroske, Goddess of Community, please-¡±


    I got even less of the sentence out than I did last time, and a gorgeous warmth wrapped itself around me.

 Chapter 96 - Paladin

    The last time I had been pulled into Cheroske¡¯s realm, it had been physically. I had been floating through the astral, praying that my plan to save Ferrisdae had worked, and called out for the goddess in a way that most people would have said was rude and misguided. I wouldn¡¯t have blamed them for saying so right to my face, either; I would have even agreed to it.


    But now it had happened twice, and that was something I was wrapping my head around.


    This visit, however, was mental. It was a subtle difference that I could only pick out due to my previous connection with Tegril. I was not in the goddess¡¯ realm, passing through on my way back to where I belonged. Instead, my consciousness had been snatched away. Such a small amount of time was passing for my body that it might as well have been stuck in the Endless Moment itself.


    I took a breath as I fully took in the hall in front of me. Unlike before, this wasn¡¯t the Bottom¡¯s Up tavern that I called home. Cheroske didn¡¯t choose the venue to soothe me in a time of stress. Instead, I found myself in her divine sanctum, the seat of her power.


    Every deity had a different one based on their divinity. Tegril¡¯s domain was the only other one I had seen personally, and his sanctum took on the appearance of a court of law. He sat as the judge and those called would stand before him. For those who were not prepared for his justice, it could be intimidating, but to everyone else it was a promise that the god would do all he could to make things right.


    Cheroske took a different, homier approach. I stood in what looked like a cozy village hall where a mayor would speak to their people. The building was oval-shaped and made out of wood. There was a fire pit in the center along with a hole in the roof for the smoke. Several chairs had been placed along the walls with nameplates. I could read a few of them, but there weren¡¯t any that I recognized.


    I knew what they were for, though. Paladins and priests, though given what I was here for, there would have been more of the former than the latter. I appreciated the lack of witnesses, however. Even though I was going to pledge myself to her service, I was still a very private person at my core. It was good that she knew that.


    Approaching the fire on the long, red carpet that went around the pit, I turned my attention to the only other people here. There were three seats at the head of the hall and each was occupied. The woman in the middle seat beckoned me closer. She was instantly recognizable.


    Cheroske had kept the same appearance as last time, though she was in regal raiments more fitting her position. The matronly Halfling had her dark salt and pepper hair in a tight, frizzy bun as big as her head, and her smile was dazzling. Her brown eyes told me that she expected me, and I felt my heart begin to race.


    To her right was an Orc with short black hair wearing plain brown robes. She looked like she was trying to smile, but it made her look like she didn¡¯t want to be here. I knew that this was Fom Duro, Cheroske¡¯s Grand Prior. She had a reputation for leaving terrible first impressions, but she was highly regarded among the religious community as someone who was reliable and kind.


    On the goddess¡¯ left was a Human in dazzling silver armor. A thick shield leaned against his chair, matching his gear. He looked young for a Paladin Commandant, highest in the order, and I could tell he was nervous. It hadn¡¯t been long since Doleson Buress had gained his new position, and it looked like he was still settling in.


    ¡°You might be cutting it close, don¡¯t you think, Badger?¡± Cheroske asked, raising an eyebrow at me.


    I stopped about ten feet away, but didn¡¯t kneel. It wasn¡¯t time. ¡°I think so, too,¡± I agreed. ¡°But I had a promise to keep and I needed to see if I could give Ferrisdae the push she needed.¡±


    Cheroske regarded me for a moment before her smile became a grin. ¡°I remember your vow to your wife, yes. It was a promise made to me at the same time, so how could I miss it?¡±


    ¡°What was the vow?¡± Doleson asked. He received a look from Fom, and his eyes widened. ¡°Sorry, sorry. Right. We¡¯re just here as witnesses.¡±


    ¡°If Badger is willing to answer, then he may,¡± Cheroske stated before looking at the Orc woman. ¡°And stop teasing poor Doleson. This is his first Ascension since his own.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he shouldn¡¯t make it so easy,¡± Fom sniffed. It was hard to tell, but I got the feeling that she was pleased with herself. The atmosphere here was completely different from Tegril¡¯s courthouse. I didn¡¯t mind it.


    While I normally would have kept this information to myself, I saw no harm in saying it. These two held the highest positions in the religion below the goddess herself. I was going to have to get used to them eventually, and I might as well start that now.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone outside of the sanctum, but I was once a paladin of Tegril,¡± I said, standing up straight. ¡°I had been approached and given power during a time when all I knew was daily combat necessary for the survival of my people. That is a long story that I¡¯d rather not get into. The unexpected happened, and I fell in love with the woman I am now married to. In order to be with her, I became an oathbreaker.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Doleson looked surprised by my admission. He understood what that entailed, even if he hadn¡¯t gone through it himself. Cheroske nodded while Fom appeared to contemplate my words.


    ¡°My wife has been an anchor for me ever since,¡± I continued. ¡°She has raised me up, kept me from going down dark paths, and was a constant companion in my bleakest days. It is not hyperbole to say that, without her, I would not be the man I am today. She was worried for me when I told her that I was sincerely thinking about joining Cheroske¡¯s service because she had seen me back then. However, she wouldn¡¯t stop me, and she only made me promise one thing before I accepted.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Doleson asked, leaning forward.


    I smiled. ¡°Like any adventurer, she had something specific in her mind,¡± I said. ¡°She made me promise that, whenever I decide to make the leap into faith, I make sure of one thing: that it was a story worth telling.¡±


    ¡°And what a story it is,¡± Cheroske laughed. ¡°I thought you were going to call on me sooner, but I saw what you were doing with Ferrisdae. How is your body? You took a lot of damage trying to help undo that mental block she put on herself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, goddess. I can deal with it,¡± I answered before my smile became tighter. ¡°The pain is harsh, but the bulk of it hasn¡¯t caught up with me yet. I was worried about how I was going to feel after the battle before Abara pulled his latest trick.¡±


    Cheroske nodded before standing up. Fom followed, and Doleson scrambled to his feet last. ¡°I know you¡¯re not big on ceremony, Badger, and that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t call anyone except for Fom and Doleson as witnesses.¡±


    ¡°That is very much appreciated, Cheroske,¡± I said with a nod.


    She walked up to me, and I stood up straighter. ¡°One last chance, but are you absolutely sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice, and I¡¯m fully committed,¡± I answered, standing up straighter. ¡°The only thing that was lacking before was the moment.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll need your sword,¡± she said, almost conversationally, with a nod. My Hilt of Holding had been attached to my belt, and I pulled it free, offering it to her. The dial at the bottom clicked as she spun it, but she didn¡¯t activate any blade in particular. ¡°You still haven¡¯t been able to bring yourself to fill that eighth slot yet, Badger?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answered, holding back a frown.


    ¡°Would you like me to do it for you?¡±


    Taking a breath, I looked at the ground. The Hilt of Holding could contain eight blades and I had seven slots filled. It was impossible to remove one under normal circumstances, but mine were anything but normal.


    A long time ago, the blade I couldn¡¯t bring myself to replace was the Sword of Justice. It was the standard issue longsword that every paladin of Tegril possessed. It could become stronger through the divine essence of the god, and glowed when being used in a just act. A lot of situations had been reexamined simply because a Sword of Justice didn¡¯t have its telltale glow.


    Because it was a divine item, it was taken from the Hilt of Holding when I lost my divine connection. It had been empty ever since as tribute to my past.


    But now was the time to look towards the future. ¡°Yes, please,¡± I said.


    ¡°Then we shall begin,¡± Cheroske stated. ¡°After all, we have much to discuss after you have Ascended, and not much time with which to do so. Kneel before me.¡±


    I did as commanded, putting my head down.


    When she spoke again, power thrummed in her voice. ¡°Badger, you come before me today to pledge yourself to my service. I have seen your deeds, how you carry yourself, and what you do for your community. Tell me your oath, and should it be deemed worthy, I will begin the ritual to share with you a sliver of my own power.¡±


    I placed my hand over my heart. Finding my mouth suddenly dry, I swallowed, but there was no more hesitation. I began to speak an oath straight from my heart, meant only for the goddess.


    <hr>


    Even though I expected for my consciousness to slam back into my body, I found myself peacefully returned instead. I felt a gentle energy flow through me. Divine energy swelled within me, filling a space that had been devoid of anything for decades now. The hand over my heart clutched my shirt as I relished the feeling of being complete once more.


    I allowed myself that moment, but only just.


    Golden light illuminated my hand and transferred back into my body. My burnt and cracked skin began to heal itself, starting with my legs first. It wasn¡¯t like healing potions that violently stitched someone back together, but more like Moose¡¯s magic. The pain abated before the process even began, and was soothed once it was over.


    ¡°Badger?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°Just a moment,¡± I said as I continued to tug on the power inside of me. I brought my hand across my chest, and it glowed blue. When I spoke, it was in the language of the gods. ¡°Divine Raiment.¡±


    My jacket and clothes took on a golden hue, shining brightly and defying the lingering lightning¡¯s blue glow. They became harder than steel but remained just as flexible. It was a spell that lasted only a short while, but it was enough.


    Healing myself and casting the spell didn¡¯t put a dent in the energy inside of me. As a reformed paladin, Cheroske¡¯s divinity seemed nearly limitless. It wasn¡¯t always going to be like this; it was a welcome gift, the same I received from Tegril so long ago. The power to do what needed to be done for as long as my vessel could hold such overwhelming energy.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ferrisdae asked. Her eyes turned purple as she tried to detect my magic, but she was forced to look away almost immediately.


    ¡°I have entered Cheroske¡¯s service as a paladin,¡± I told her as I began walking towards the Green Union building. ¡°She was right. Dungeons are their own type of community, and I have become their Champion.¡±


    I thumbed the rune on my Hilt of Holding, and my new blade popped out. It was a spatha, a double edged blade nearly 30 inches long that tapered into a sharp point. It was thicker than my longswords, but easily allowed for divine energy to pass through it.


    And now I was looking forward to using my first martial art in over twenty years.

 Chapter 97 - Divine Power

    Inside the Green Union building, Abara was still trying to consume the large magical crystal they had brought back to Athir. It was slightly smaller now as the Formthief Mimic was succeeding, its silver body crashing over the gem like waves. Ferrisdae¡¯s blue flames were causing it to boil, but still it persisted.


    As I got closer, the waves started becoming more frantic. ¡°Stay away!¡± Abara said. ¡°Don¡¯t you come over here!¡±


    ¡°No, your time is up,¡± I said, not stopping my approach.


    Abara turned back into his Gnome form. Its hair was almost completely burned away, and its skin was charcoal. I tensed, expecting a spell, but the mimic gestured towards the wall beside it. A portal opened up. At first I thought it was useless since it couldn¡¯t go through, but the sight on the other side did stop me.


    The Bottom¡¯s Up was trashed. Every shelf we had was destroyed, and broken bottles littered the floor. Halfling bodies were strewn about the knocked over tables and chairs, almost all dead except for a few who were still twitching. I ignored the Half-Pints as I quickly scanned the room for any signs of my wife or daughters.


    Britear, Tabitha¡¯s magical green axe, was on the bar. It shook without anyone touching it, but I didn¡¯t hear what it had to say. When my wife was around, the weapon preferred to speak telepathically only to her. I watched as she stood up and carefully peeked over the bar. Blood covered her and she was panting, but she had clearly gotten the better of whatever force decided to go after her.


    Her eyes went wide as she saw me, and she stood up completely. ¡°I¡¯m fine! The city is-¡±


    The portal slammed shut. ¡°Damnit!¡± Abara yelled, expanding back into its mercurial form as it tried to eat the crystal again. ¡°Damnit, damnit, damnit!¡±


    ¡°Looks like your distraction didn¡¯t pan out, Abara,¡± I said. If something had happened to Tabitha, I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d have been able to keep myself on this side of the portal. Thankfully, people had forgotten or didn¡¯t believe the stories about just how tough she actually was.


    Gods, I love my wife.


    I resumed my approach. Tabitha might have been fine, but I was worried about her words. If there were things going on in New Frausta, then I should probably get back there sooner rather than later.


    Tightening the grip on my sword, I started moving divine energy. Despite being so out of practice, it didn¡¯t take nearly as long as I expected. Instead, it seemed to jump at the chance to be useful. A smile I couldn¡¯t stop spread across my lips as I channeled the energy, making the blade glow bright blue.


    Martial arts were special attacks used by the non-magical. Whether it came from one¡¯s aura, or fighting spirit, or red hot rage, they were often powerful. They rarely reached the heights of power that a dedicated spellcaster did, but it still allowed them to enforce their will on the world in unique ways. As a paladin, I was offered a small selection of spells, some healing capacity, and a few martial arts.


    I had been denied them as an oathbreaker, but they all came back to me now. And, as Cheroske¡¯s energy flowed through me, they were more powerful than ever.


    Ten feet away from the Green Union building, I swung my sword in a crisp horizontal slash. The world paused for a moment as it tried to figure out what was supposed to happen next, almost as if waiting.


    The cabin was cut in half, though the crystal persisted. What was left of the roof was blown into the forest as if carried by a heavy wind. Abara¡¯s body was sliced into several pieces, and the part of its mercurial body that was on top of the crystal splattered wherever it flew.


    My smile became a giddy grin, almost like I was a kid with a new toy, but I reined it in; now wasn¡¯t the time.


    What remained of Abara was still substantial enough to allow it to transform. It changed into a small, ugly creature with a wasp head and wings attached to a bulbous, almost baby-like body. It couldn¡¯t have been bigger than my thumb. Turning tail, the mimic tried to flee into the forest.


    I dashed after it, jumping onto the magic crystal. Abara was clearly in sight, but the moment it hit the treeline I was going to have problems even with it lit on fire. The Mimic was simply too small.


    Tapping my blade against my shield, I began to use another martial art. This one was harder to perform as the defensive implement didn¡¯t conduct divine energy as well as my sword had. It was something to practice at. Regardless, the shield warmed up and glowed bright red.


    I jumped from the magic crystal to the perfectly cut wall before leaping again. I raised my sword and angled my shield downwards before releasing the energy. It accelerated, taking me with it, and plummeted directly towards Abara.


    The Formthief Mimic was struck and went flying into the ground. I landed on top of it, creating a perfect circular crater in the ground, one knee on my shield to keep Abara pinned. It started to transform again, putting up arms covered in black chitin as it took the shape of some kind of humanoid insect. My sword, already raised high, glowed with a brilliant holy heat as I activated the core ability in a paladin¡¯s arsenal.


    Abara screamed as I used the divine energy swirling in my core to become anathema to everything evil and vile in the world. I channeled raw, universal goodness into my blade, and it shone with an almost overwhelming light. Just that alone burned and harmed the mimic on a more fundamental level than Ferrisdae¡¯s fire ever could.


    Then, I began slashing.


    The blade, now the bane of all evil, cut through the chitinous limbs. Abara didn¡¯t relent, however. Its transformation became desperately quick as it reformed them. So I continued to cut. Little by little, the Mimic¡¯s mass was tossed aside as it lost more of itself.


    Every swing took more energy out of me, and I felt the divine vessel within me empty. Not quickly by any measure of the word, but any loss was surprising considering I thought Cheroske¡¯s gift was keeping it full. My sword faltered as I was met with a revelation.


    This amount of divine energy wasn¡¯t my goddess¡¯ gift to her newest paladin, this was just how strong I was now.Stolen story; please report.


    Abara, sensing a moment of weakness, lashed out with both wicked clawed hands. I lowered my head, protecting my face and allowing it to catch the top, and felt its fingers trying to crush my skull. With its arms out of the way, I pulled my sword back and thrust it through my enemy¡¯s skull.


    The Mimic¡¯s screams were quick to stop with my final debilitating application of Smite Evil.


    The Formthief Mimic¡¯s body lost any sense of cohesiveness as it became a silver puddle. I stood up and backed off as it grew larger and larger, eventually stopping at the size of a small pond. Some of the silver liquid came over the edge of the crater, but not much. This was the whole of its body. The parts I hadn¡¯t splattered away, anyway.


    ¡°Is it over?¡± Ferrisdae asked, limping around the building.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said confidently, my eyes catching something. ¡°But the dungeon is still active, so we¡¯re still here in the Endless Moment.¡±


    ¡°So we need to start a ritual? Or do you think we can stop it by destroying the crystal?¡±


    Instead of answering, I pointed at something over the center of the puddle. ¡°Do you see that?¡±


    The Elf approached, and I set my hand on her elbow when she stopped next to me. The healing glow passed from me to her, and she stood up straighter. ¡°You really are a paladin again,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Yes. But do you see that?¡± I asked again.


    Squinting, she looked at where I was pointing. Then, she cast her magic sight spell in case there was something she missed. ¡°No, nothing out of the ordinary. What is it?¡±


    ¡°A string,¡± I said.


    It was strange, but there was a string connecting the puddle to the cloudy sky above. It was glowing with a dark red color, though not brightly. Wading into the puddle, I tapped my shield against my chest to return it to its buckler form. A part of me knew I should be trying to get back to New Frausta, but a louder part of me told me that this was important somehow. I just wasn¡¯t getting information on why it was here or what it was. I reached out with my hand and plucked at it, but my fingers went right through.


    ¡°This is highly irregular,¡± came Himia¡¯s voice, and I turned around to regard the newcomer. She was staring not at the puddle, but at the string.


    ¡°You know what this is?¡± I asked, pointing at it.


    ¡°Of course. You may be a paladin again, but you are still a Dungeon Inspector,¡± she stated. ¡°What is irregular is that you can now see the dungeon¡¯s connection point.¡±


    ¡°Its connection point?¡± I asked, my eyebrows raising. ¡°As in, this string is the link to Abara and what he¡¯s done here?¡±


    Himia nodded. ¡°That is correct. This is what the Dungeon Master, Master of Dungeons tampers with to change dungeons, take control of them, and so on. You were supposed to be able to see them eventually, but not this soon. You are exceeding all expectations, Inspector.¡±


    ¡°So if I cut this, everything goes back to normal?¡± I asked, looking back at the string. ¡°No ritual required? Is there any backlash?¡±


    ¡°There is no backlash if it is done correctly, no, but doing so should be beyond your-¡±


    I was already in motion when she had said no. Raising my sword, I imbued it with divinity just in case and slashed the string. A pulse of force shot out in every direction, sending me flying backwards into Ferrisdae. She tried to catch me, but ended up getting knocked over as well. I scrambled off of her, noting that Himia had not moved at all before looking towards the sky.


    The string was disintegrating on its way up incredibly quickly, and another pulse caused ripples in the clouds once it reached the top. All at once, the greasy quality of the world disappeared from around us. Every lightning bolt dispersed before they could hit the ground, and the runes were no more. I took in my first easy breath now that the DTER was gone.


    ¡°You okay, Ferrisdae?¡± I asked, not looking back.


    ¡°A little winded but not hurt, thanks to you,¡± she said, standing up and brushing herself off. ¡°Hey! Everything¡¯s back to normal!¡±


    ¡°Most unusual,¡± Himia stated, and I felt her gaze on me.


    ¡°Well, nothing I can say about that. I¡¯m just your ordinary, everyday Halfling,¡± I said before turning to the facsimile of a woman. ¡°So, what now? Do you need to get back to your master or whatever?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think he will be quite surprised by what I have to tell him,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Then you should-¡± Before I could finish a sentence, Himia disappeared as if she had cast a wordless spell. Shaking my head, I turned my attention to Ferrisdae. ¡°You did good, kid. I¡¯m glad you got over your spellcasting block.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± she asked, eyes widening as if she only just noticed it. The Elf looked down at her hands, staring at them for a few moments. The look on her face changed as she started sniffling.


    I hid my frown, knowing what was coming next.


    Ferrisdae threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. ¡°I thought you were going to die,¡± she sobbed.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ferrisdae,¡± I said, awkwardly hugging her back. ¡°I¡¯m fine, you¡¯re fine, and we did it. There¡¯s no need for this.¡±


    ¡°But I disobeyed your orders,¡± she said quietly into my shoulder, which was becoming wet with tears. ¡°If you died, it would have been all my fault.¡±


    I held my tongue as I slowly pulled myself out of the hug. She remained sitting on her legs, eyes red and puffy as I patted her on the head. ¡°You broke through your wall, and that¡¯s all that mattered,¡± I told her. ¡°Now, you need to get to your family. Make sure they¡¯re okay, and then head to New Frausta when you¡¯re ready. Get some rest along the way.¡±


    ¡°Back to New Frausta?¡± she asked, wiping her nose with her cloak. Disgusting, but it was better there than on my jacket. ¡°But what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a paladin again, I¡¯ve got a lot of power left in me,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ve got a spell that will open a doorway to the place I consider home, but it¡¯ll only work for me. I have to get back, for my wife and kids but also the DoD. You go see your family, and for Cheroske¡¯s sake, actually talk to your mother. If I see you and you haven¡¯t, then I¡¯m going to be far more ornery than usual.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that a threat, Liam?¡± she asked, laughing despite the tears.


    ¡°Yes, it is, Ferrisdae,¡± I confirmed. Thumbing my rune on the Hilt of Holding to retract the blade, I hooked it to my belt and helped the Elf to her feet. ¡°And you know not to call me that in public, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not in public, we¡¯re very clearly alone.¡±


    I ignored her logic and pointed towards the city. ¡°Go. People are going to be confused why it¡¯s been twelve hours, so get your family to help squash that. Got it?¡±


    Ferrisdae stood up straight and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Athir and get back as soon as I can, sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said before turning away. ¡°I¡¯ll be off, then.¡±


    ¡°Good luck. Say hi to the family for me.¡±


    I nodded and took a breath. The next spell I was about to cast was a rare one that I had asked Cheroske for specifically. The downside was, at this distance, it was going to take a considerable chunk of energy. Raising my hand, I swiped it downwards and spoke the divine language. ¡°Take me to the place where I belong.¡±


    A golden door appeared in front of me and, without a second glance back, I went through it, ready to be home.

 Chapter 98 - Unexpected Guest

    I stepped out of the golden doorway into my home. It was littered with injured people and corpses thanks to my wife¡¯s efforts, but as long as she was okay then it didn¡¯t matter. The sound of combat immediately put me on alert, and I pulled my Hilt of Holding off of my belt as I located the source of the noise. I turned towards the kitchen, where the doors had been sliced off of their hinges, and rushed through.


    Tabitha and Sticky were fighting. It only took me a second to assess the situation.


    She was tired and injured, with cuts and bruises all over her body. Her movements were sluggish, playing a defensive game using her axe as a shield more than it was used as a weapon. Britear was alight with its green flames, and I could see the magical item was scuffed up.


    The Half-Pint¡¯s boss, on the other hand, was still fresh with his rapier held high. It looked like he had stayed back while his underlings had done most of the hard work, approaching only when he thought Tabitha was sufficiently weakened. Given what I knew of the man, I had no doubt that was what happened. He demanded loyalty, but felt no such thing himself.


    He was a pox on this city. One that I was about to excise. I took a step forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take this away from me, Badger!¡± Tabitha shouted, and I stopped.


    Despite her wounds, there was still fight in her. A fire I hadn¡¯t seen in ages blazed in her eyes. I kept my grip tight on my blade, but prepared to jump in at a moment¡¯s notice. Less than a moment¡¯s notice, even.


    Sticky jumped backwards, avoiding a wide slash from my wife, and subtly turned to get eyes on me. A look of rage appeared on his face followed by panic, and he backed even further off. ¡°My lord,¡± he said, bowing towards me. I arched an eyebrow, glancing towards my wife, but she was looking behind me. ¡°I am almost done here, if-¡±


    ¡°Badger!¡± a booming voice came from behind. ¡°Tabs! Oh, we truly live in a small world, don¡¯t we?¡±


    The hair on the back of my neck shot up as I took a step and turned, activating and raising my shield. No one had been behind me just seconds before. I knew that for a fact. There hadn¡¯t been any footsteps, no one was breathing, and I couldn¡¯t sense them.


    My shield drooped as I laid eyes on the Human who had appeared behind me. He was tall and shirtless, showing off an absurdly muscular physique. His fur pants and shoes were all he wore, but his upper torso was covered in glowing runic tattoos. Some of them I could read, and others belonged to the Southern Continent. Rings of all shapes and sizes adorned his fingers, and he had on a plethora of necklaces and earrings.


    ¡°Ulrich?¡± I asked, squinting to get a better look at him.


    ¡°In the flesh, my brother!¡± he roared happily, throwing his arms in the air in greeting.


    Ulrich Throm had been Reliable Rhodes¡¯s wizard before we parted ways. His focus at the time had been on Transmutation magic, changing things into forms they weren¡¯t supposed to be in. Most of the time he had shapeshifted himself into exotic and sometimes terrifying monsters. He lived for battle, and his spells and physique said that.


    He was also supposed to be nearly 60 years old, but the man in front of me now couldn¡¯t have been older than 20.


    ¡°Actually Ulrich?¡± I asked again, suspicious. ¡°Or something that ate him and took his form?¡±


    The man¡¯s grin somehow became wider. ¡°Figured out Abara¡¯s secret, have you? No, I¡¯m really me. Look a little different, maybe, but I¡¯m the same man you traveled with.¡±


    ¡°Ulrich, what¡¯s going on?¡± Tabitha asked cautiously. She was just as confused as I was.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to that in a moment, Tabs,¡± the Human said. His mirth faltered as he looked over me towards Sticky. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that Tabitha Rhodes was the subject of your ire when you said there was someone down here in the Bottom that could threaten our plans.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like you cared much about the details, my lord,¡± Sticky replied.


    I took a breath, not liking where this was heading.


    Ulrich took a moment to think about this before nodding. ¡°It seems as though my renewed youth has made me a little less careful of the details,¡± he lamented. ¡°Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I don¡¯t think I would have noticed this until much later in my renewed life.¡±


    ¡°I live to serve,¡± the Half-Pint said, his voice oozing satisfaction now that he was certain he was going to be rewarded.


    ¡°Lived,¡± Ulrich corrected. ¡°You lived to serve. Unfortunately, Tabitha is still an old friend of mine. We go way, way back.


    Sticky''s eyes went wide with confusion. ¡°What do you-¡±


    The wizard snapped his fingers, and I cautioned a turn to see that the mob boss had disappeared, leaving behind only his clothes and gear. There hadn''t been any words, no flash of light illuminating the room. He was there one moment, and then he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Tabitha demanded, still holding Britear up in a combat stance.


    ¡°Sent him to the local jail without any of his usual ways to be free of it. The ¡®lived¡¯ part was really just for dramatic effect; I figured our newly minted paladin here wouldn¡¯t like him exploding outright, though that¡¯s still an option. Congrats, though! I remember how angsty you were back when you lost Tegril,¡± Ulrich said conversationally as he cracked his neck. He reached forward as if to pat me on the shoulder, and I took a step back.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to do better than that, Ulrich,¡± I hissed. ¡°I came here to help my wife against an invasion, and you pop up moments later. What is going on?¡±


    He regarded me for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s fair. We should sit down for this,¡± he said before turning his back to me and walking into the common room.


    I shared a look with Tabitha, and she shrugged before wincing. Moving to her, I placed my hand on her cheek. She leaned into it as I infused my touch with healing energy. A soft, golden glow spread over her body, and she shivered before placing her hand on mine.


    ¡°You really did it,¡± she remarked softly.


    ¡°I did,¡± I replied.


    ¡°It better have been one hell of a story,¡± Tabs said with a smile.


    ¡°I think so, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to top whatever we¡¯re about to hear,¡± I said, offering her a quick smile in return before following the wizard.


    Immediately, I stopped. Ulrich was standing in the middle of the room, hands on his hips, as he looked around. Everything that had been broken was floating all around him, and they were all being fixed. Tables and chairs were mending back together. Glass was fusing into bottles, complete with liquid inside. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right liquid, but they looked like they had been separated.


    The bodies were being unceremoniously tossed outside whether they were alive or dead. It was a worrying display of power. One that only had one explanation, considering Sticky had called Ulrich his lord and the tattoos on his skin. I was hoping that I was wrong, but I wasn¡¯t nearly naive enough to believe it.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked, ducking under a table as it floated over me. It wasn¡¯t meant to harm, it seemed, just moving naturally as part of the process.


    ¡°I got younger, Badger,¡± he answered. ¡°But I suspect you¡¯re not going to be happy with the full answer. Bet you¡¯ve figured it out already, though. You always did have a sharp mind. Inquisitive. Would have made a great wizard.¡±


    ¡°CC,¡± I said, ignoring his blathering.


    ¡°Glorious, powerful CC,¡± he said, pointing at me like I had just won a prize. I stiffened, but nothing happened to me. "Traveling all by my lonesome to the Southern Continental Dungeon was one of the best decisions of my life. They really treat you different when you''re not an entire expedition of warmongers, you know?"


    ¡°So you¡¯re, what? Just another lackey in her cult now?¡± I scowled.


    Ulrich opened his mouth, but closed it immediately after as he nodded. ¡°It really is a cult, I can¡¯t deny that,¡± he chuckled. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t call myself a lackey. Mercenary, perhaps. Someone who¡¯s only in it for the perks. We¡¯ve got an understanding; she knows that I¡¯m not one of her true believers.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°She told me she was going to burn everything to the ground to get what she wanted,¡± I said, crossing my arms as best I could with my sword still in my hand. ¡°Abara didn¡¯t believe me when I told him, but would you?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he replied, waving a hand dismissively. The tables and chairs all descended gently to the ground. He took a seat and offered us spots across from him.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter?¡± Tabitha repeated incredulously. ¡°Ulrich, if you¡¯re a part of this whole thing, then that means you attacked New Frausta just like the rest of those monsters. We used to be heroes, and now you¡¯re attacking cities?¡±


    I glanced at her, worried. Just how much had I missed out on by taking Abara¡¯s invitation?


    ¡°Heroism is overrated,¡± he said quickly, his tone losing some of its good nature. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be saying that in front of a paladin of all people, but I stand by it. Reliable Rhodes was a group that I calculated would lead me to make great strides in my search for power, and CC is a continuation of that after you all decided to quit because of one small failure. Hence, my decision to travel south in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Ral wasn¡¯t just a small failure,¡± she snapped, gesturing angrily.


    I placed my hand on hers. Tabitha glanced at me, and I walked with her over to the table. We sat down, placing our weapons in front of us though not taking our hands off of them. Britear¡¯s flames turned off so it wouldn¡¯t leave burn marks.


    ¡°I assume we¡¯re not fighting,¡± I said.


    ¡°Really wouldn¡¯t be much of a fight, if I¡¯m being honest,¡± he replied nonchalantly. ¡°You¡¯re almost powerful enough to give me a run for my money, but then you have Tabitha weighing you down. No offense meant, of course. That¡¯s just a fact.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± I asked, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re working for CC, I¡¯m working for the Department of Dungeons. Your whole attitude has me perplexed.¡±


    ¡°Perplexed and aghast,¡± Tabitha added. ¡°This is our home, Ulrich. Just because you didn¡¯t seem to know that doesn¡¯t make it okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here because an absolutely obscene amount of divine energy entered the city, and I was on watch,¡± Ulrich said, ignoring my wife. ¡°And then it turned out to be you! An old friend. My whole role here was to take out any strong individuals that showed up, and it was one that I took seriously. Fought a few of the king¡¯s guards, a couple of the Mage¡¯s Guild fops. I was in the middle of fighting a couple people and their pet moose when you appeared. Absolutely blew my mind when the damn animal cast a healing spell. Never would have imagined.¡±


    My grip on my weapon tightened. ¡°And how many of them did you kill?¡± I asked through grit teeth.


    ¡°None of them,¡± he answered, and I blinked in surprise. Ulrich grinned, throwing his arms out. ¡°Come on! The pursuit of power is all I need. Dead men don¡¯t seek revenge. Let them get stronger, then let them come after me. I told them all just as much. They¡¯ll either break or reach greater heights, and I hope for the latter.¡±


    ¡°So you fought Cojisto and Moose and didn¡¯t kill them?¡± Tabitha asked, clearly as confused by this as I was.


    ¡°And Dalsarel,¡± I added before glancing at my wife. ¡°Dark Elf that''s been helping us. It''s a long story.¡±


    ¡°You know them?¡± he asked in return before nodding. ¡°Yeah, that was a fun little distraction. Though, in hindsight, it really was good that the moose knew healing magic, because that Cojisto kid probably wasn¡¯t going to get back up again up without it. I almost felt bad about that, to be a little honest. The kid was so earnest, introducing himself before we fought. Reminded me of a younger version of myself.¡±


    ¡°Gods damn it, Ulrich,¡± I said, pissed but relieved that they were still alive. ¡°If you¡¯re supposed to be here to fight me, then why are we talking?¡±


    The wizard nodded, looking away as he crossed his arms. ¡°A few reasons. One, you¡¯re both old friends and this is a courtesy. Two, because the cult¡¯s forces are pretty much routed. Three, because the moment the fight gets out of hand then the two children upstairs are going to get caught in it and-¡±


    My eyes locked onto Tabitha. ¡°Brackenhorst told me that he was going to get you and the kids somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°He warned us,¡± she said, not meeting my eyes.


    ¡°That was not what he was supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not abandoning our home, Badger,¡± she said sternly in a tone that told me that was that. I scowled, but now wasn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°Yeah, figured the kids were yours,¡± Ulrich interjected. ¡°And, given what I remember of you two, Tabitha would have fought all the harder but you, Badger, would have given up if you thought it would stop me from accidentally killing them.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t apologize for that,¡± I said.


    ¡°Nor should you. That¡¯s your own prerogative. I mean, I don¡¯t understand it, but I don¡¯t have to understand something to accept it.¡± He paused, his eyes staring into the middle distance for a moment before snapping back to us. ¡°And fourth, it¡¯s simply not time for you and I to fight yet.¡±


    ¡°Excuse you?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Not time?¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t. I mean, look at you!¡± he said loudly, sweeping his hand towards me. ¡°Look at you, wearing that divinity like an oversized coat. Trust me, I do want to fight you. I really, really want to see what heights you could reach right now, but it just wouldn¡¯t be satisfying. You¡¯ve got to get used to it again. Back before you dismissed it all for love. No offense again, Tabs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m choosing to take offense anyway, Ulrich, but I suppose I can¡¯t complain about you not wrecking our home,¡± Tabitha replied, though I wasn¡¯t happy with it. She hazarded a glance around the room. ¡°Or about you fixing it back up.¡±


    ¡°It is quite a nice place you¡¯ve built for yourself,¡± he said as he looked around, nodding approvingly. ¡°But, you seem to think we won¡¯t be fighting at all. That¡¯s wrong. If I thought you wouldn¡¯t come down to the Southern Continental Dungeon, I would be all over you right now. But you will, won¡¯t you?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Is this what you mean by it not being time?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, Badger. Keep up,¡± he joked. ¡°CC knows you¡¯re coming, I know you¡¯re coming, if that Mimic wasn¡¯t dead then he¡¯d also know you¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who killed him,¡± I said.


    ¡°Well done, that must have been a handful,¡± Ulrich returned with a proud smile. His attitude was starting to get to me, and I scowled. ¡°Either way, we¡¯re going to fight. It¡¯s inevitable. It¡¯s just going to happen in CC¡¯s house instead of yours. And I¡¯m looking forward to it. Once you grow into Cheroske¡¯s service properly, I mean. Given what CC has made me and what the Dungeon Master and your new goddess has given you, our battle will be legendary.¡±


    I watched Ulrich with intense scrutiny. A part of me wondered if he was simply keeping me here because he was supposed to. Talking things out would hold me longer than a fight would, and if it devolved into violence then that would still hold my attention.


    But I didn¡¯t think he was lying. Ulrich had always had this drive towards strength. It was the reason why he trained his body as much as his mind even though he was a spellcaster first and foremost. When Reliable Rhodes decided the order of adventures we wanted to go on, his destinations were always last because they were, without fail, the hardest of the lot.


    If he said that he didn¡¯t want to fight me because he knew I was coming to the Southern Continent, then I decided to believe him.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said.


    ¡°Okay?¡± he repeated, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, okay,¡± I said again. ¡°There¡¯ll be an expedition to the Southern Continental Dungeon, and I¡¯m going to be part of it.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re going to finish that conversation we started before you left for Athir,¡± Tabitha said. I took a moment before nodding.


    Ulrich clapped his hands. ¡°Fantastic! A chance to fight the Nameless in his prime, better than ever? Oh, I¡¯m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, keep it to yourself,¡± I snapped, scowling. ¡°So where do we go from here?¡±


    ¡°By all counts, the cult lost today,¡± he said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Abara¡¯s dead, your friend¡¯s moose managed to create a really tricky ritual circle that sapped the strength out of the dungeon the cult members were forming, and the majority of the forces we rounded up to attack the city didn¡¯t live up to the effort of gathering them. But I am nothing if not a team player, so I did what I was told and not much more. I¡¯m not bitter about it. Well, maybe a little. Well, maybe a lot. All I can say is, no one can fault me for my superlative, by the books performance.¡±


    ¡°Were you the wizard Liddy was chasing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That little Gnomish girl with the accent? Yeah. That was actually kind of fun,¡± he admitted. ¡°Divination was never my forte. Learned a lot from that. Send her my regards for me.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m going to go and train,¡± he answered, stretching. ¡°Back to the Southern Continental Dungeon. It still has a lot for me to discover, and I want to be in peak shape for when you finally come.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Still asking so many questions, Badger,¡± Ulrich said, laughing. He tilted his head as if listening to something we couldn''t hear, and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m being summoned, and so this is it. Tabitha, lovely to see you and sorry for the mix up. Badger, I look forward to seeing you next time. You better not disappoint, otherwise I might have to come back here. Probably won¡¯t be so civil, then, if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you make threats like that against me, Ulrich,¡± I warned, standing up.


    A feral grin spread on his face as he stood up with me. ¡°If you need to take it as a threat, then take it as a threat,¡± he said, leaning over to put his palms on the table. ¡°But let me make sure you understand one thing. You¡¯re either going to be a stepping stone for me to attain greater power, or you¡¯re going to be the man that kills me. There is no middle ground. That¡¯s a fact, Badger, so it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t fight it. I¡¯ll see you in the Southern Continental Dungeon.¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but the wizard was already gone. No words spoken, no somatic sigils made; he simply disappeared. That was high level teleportation magic that even the Director, the oldest spellcaster I knew, would be hard-pressed to do without any outward show.


    Before I could dwell on it, Tabitha dropped Britear and threw her arms around me. I was brought back to the present, and I released my sword to turn and hug her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked gently.


    ¡°Just some flesh wounds,¡± she replied bravely. ¡°You fixed me up really good.¡±


    I could feel her shaking, however, and I adjusted her head so she could listen to my heartbeat as I ran my fingers through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tabs, you did really well. I¡¯m very proud of you,¡± I whispered, not letting my disappointment that she stayed here show. There was a time and place for everything. ¡°Take as much time as you need, and then we¡¯ll go and check on the girls.¡±


    She nodded, and I rested my head on hers as I held her tight.

 Chapter 99 - Follow-up

    The time I was able to spend with my family was too short for my liking, but a lot had happened in such a short amount of time. News of the attacks on Athir and New Frausta were already spreading throughout the continent like wildfire. The leaders of other countries were spooked, wondering if something was going to happen to them next.


    It was a rational fear. Not only had these cultists almost succeeded, but they had been around for far longer than anyone realized. The scheme in Athir had been happening for hundreds of years now. Everyone was looking inward, for better or worse, with mixed results.


    New Frausta had taken it worse than Athir had, though. The Forest Elves only had to deal with a sudden time skip, while there had been battles in the streets here. Mercenaries, mobsters, and dungeon bosses who thought themselves above the law had banded together under the cult to take over the DoD.


    Given that headquarters was in the Middle, the Bottom had taken more damage than it should have. There had been guards, sure, but not nearly as many as there were in more wealthy neighborhoods. Down here, the citizens were the ones paying the price.


    They had been unsuccessful in their main goal, however. The cult had some powerhouses on their side but, other than Ulrich, there hadn¡¯t seemed to be anyone truly terrifying. Still, they spilled through the streets, wreaking havoc everywhere they went. They had been routed, pushed back and destroyed when the city¡¯s defenses converged on them, but it hadn¡¯t been without cost.


    I didn¡¯t head straight for the DoD. My newfound connection to Cheroske allowed me to heal a lot of people who couldn¡¯t normally afford it. The churches who were going to help were already out in full force, and I fell in easily with them with Tabitha, Emilia, and Willow at my side. I hadn¡¯t wanted the kids to see this, but it was better to show them now rather than later.


    That had been a heartbreaking experience, but one I felt necessary. This wasn¡¯t going to go away overnight.


    It had been several hours since the attack ended, and I read through the news while I waited for Brackenhorst to finish with his current meeting. The Department of Dungeons had been hit hard along with Ulrich going after both the Royal Tower and the Mage¡¯s Guild tower, but every desk was filled. Everyone worked on whatever was needed to ensure that everything went smoothly, some through tears and others through anger, knowing that their work today was making a difference.


    After all, the entire continent was going to be going to war. Nobody had said it, but everyone felt it. That was the atmosphere everywhere, even with the people cleaning up the streets outside. There would be time to mourn, but not yet. Not with these feelings so raw and real.


    To my surprise, Dalsarel was sitting next to me. Her armor had been shredded in the fight against Ulrich, and she wore a white dress that was similar to the style her mother liked. It was strange seeing her out of her usual garb, but she was a noble keeping up appearances. Or, trying to; she was keeping busy maintaining her weapon, ignoring the smudges it was leaving on her new clothes. It was tough with only one working hand.


    Sighing at the report, I put my head against the wall and looked at the magical lights affixed to the ceiling. ¡°You alright?¡± I asked.


    Dalsarel snapped out of her trance with a lurch, looking my way. ¡°No. I am not,¡± she said.


    I nodded as I brought the report back up. ¡°Yeah, I believe it. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have been so utterly humiliated in a fight before,¡± she continued, anger evident in her voice. I returned my attention to her. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to die in my mother¡¯s dungeon, but it¡¯s another to be toyed with in an actual life or death situation. That man had no right to treat us the way he did.¡±


    ¡°Would you rather be dead?¡± I asked bluntly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered immediately. Then, she scowled and looked away. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m conflicted.¡±


    ¡°But alive, and that¡¯s what matters. There¡¯s a lot of people out there who can¡¯t say the same,¡± I told her.


    ¡°I know that,¡± she snapped. I was about to bring the report back up to read when she spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be taking it out on you, Inspector.¡±


    I glanced over at her through the corner of my eye before sighing. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re so worked up over it is a good thing,¡± I said. ¡°Because it means you¡¯ve come across something that you can¡¯t abide by. So what do you need to do? Fix it. Become stronger. You¡¯re going to live a long life, Dalsarel; don¡¯t spend all that time regretting one battle.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been just one battle, but¡­¡± the Dark Elf sighed, holding her wooden hand up. She stared at it for a moment before letting it drop. ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    I grunted, understanding, and began reading the report again. It only took a few seconds before my mind wandered, and I set it down. Standing up, I walked over to the Elf. ¡°Give me your hand,¡± I said, holding up my own. She placed her good hand in mine. ¡°The other one.¡±


    Slowly, she switched. I looked down on it with a critical eye. Anyone giving the Dark Elf a passing glance wouldn¡¯t notice the slight difference in color between her skin and the wood. It wasn¡¯t very noticeable. The effect, however, was.


    It was tough and inflexible. There was no yield to it, and Dalsarel didn¡¯t react even as I flicked it with my finger.


    ¡°What about Moose and Cojisto?¡± I asked absently.


    ¡°Hard to tell with Moose, but Cojisto took it even worse than I did, I think,¡± she said, a sad look etching itself on her face. ¡°Moose stuck around to help with the wounded, but once he was out of magic they just¡­ left. He said something to me, but I could not understand it. Cojisto said nothing. I really thought he was going to die.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll bounce back,¡± I replied, hoping that it was true. ¡°People like Cojisto might initially be disheartened by the appearance of a mountain they didn¡¯t expect, but he¡¯s going to want to fight his way to the top anyway. That¡¯s what I¡¯m expecting, anyway, unless his barking turns out to be all bluster and no substance.¡±


    Dalsarel thought about this for a few moments before nodding. ¡°I also hope that¡¯s true. The man¡¯s simple, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not sure if this is going to work, but please bear with me.¡±


    I received a questioning glance, but she didn¡¯t have time to ask. Taking a breath, I closed my eyes and let the last dregs of Cheroske¡¯s divinity flow through me. Despite the empty feeling I wasn¡¯t concerned. Her energy would come back to me, but only with time.


    For now, I focused on my goal. This wasn¡¯t the same as when I healed everyone else, but an earnest plea for the goddess to do something to help someone who had aided us so much more than she needed to. There had been many paths the Dark Elf could have chosen, but her conviction and morality kept her by our side until the end.


    My prayer was answered as a soft light appeared between us. The wooden hand became slightly more flexible, and Dalsarel¡¯s fingers moved. She squeaked in surprise, almost pulling it back, but I had a good grip on it. Her hand slowly continued returning to normal as the divine healing continued its work.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°How?¡± she asked once it was done, holding her arm up in front of her and marveling at the full use of her fingers.


    ¡°Through Cheroske¡¯s mercy, anything is possible,¡± I said, putting my hands on my knees, doubling over as I felt the rush of energy leave me. ¡°Okay, that was a little too much. Probably should have waited, but here I am getting all sentimental. Ferrisdae is not a good influence on me.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Dalsarel¡¯s ruby eyes teared up. She couldn¡¯t look from her hand, and she was messaging it like it was about to disappear if she stopped paying attention. ¡°Badger, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a gift,¡± I said, returning to my chair. ¡°Thank you for looking after everyone.¡±


    The door opened up and Liddy walked out, a haunted look on her face. She glanced at me and put on the worst looking smile I had ever seen on her. ¡°Turns out, I was chasing a monster,¡± she stated.


    ¡°If it makes you feel better, he said you were fun,¡± I replied. Her eyes widened for a moment before she walked away.


    ¡°Badger, come in,¡± Brackenhorst called.


    I gave Dalsarel a nod before doing as instructed and closing the door. My eyes fell on the old Dwarf. He was uninjured, but the same haunted look on Liddy¡¯s face was on his. Although his clothes were fresh, I could smell sweat and ash. He had changed, but hadn¡¯t had time to do much else.


    Worse yet, his beard had been halfway chopped off at an angle. As the head of his family, he used that to show how proud he was of his family, but now he was going to have to regrow it.


    ¡°How are you doing, Chief?¡± I asked as I pulled my report away from the one I had gotten about the city¡¯s damages to hand to the Dwarf.


    ¡°Ask me again once everything¡¯s settled down,¡± he replied gruffly. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Same, honestly.¡±


    Nodding, Brackenhorst took my report and began flipping through it. ¡°Journey to Athir¡­ Grandfather Red¡­ Akshashka and Dalsarel, whom you¡¯ve brought with you¡­ Laroda. My, you¡¯ve certainly been busy¡­ Went with Himia back to Athir¡­ Confronted Abara¡­ Ferrisdae got her magic back¡­ You¡¯re a paladin again?¡± That made him look up at me in surprise.


    ¡°I am now in the service of Cheroske,¡± I answered. ¡°Not only that, but I do believe a raise is in order.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± he asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Because she has given me the title Champion of Dungeons,¡± I told him. ¡°As each dungeon is a community in its own right, the benevolent one has graced me with it.¡±


    Brackenhorst frowned. ¡°Are you going to talk like that all the time?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, only when it gets me what I want,¡± I replied honestly.


    He snorted a quick laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll see what the budget says, but no promises,¡± the Chief said before getting back to my report. He made no further comments as he read through it a second time. Once he was sure that he got everything, he put it down on a tall stack that still needed to be filed. When he spoke again, his tone was candid, but exhausted. ¡°Ulrich Throm, now as powerful, if not more so, than the Director. By the gods; we came out of this really lucky, Badger.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am inclined to agree,¡± I said, hanging my head. ¡°Cheroske already told me about the plans to take the fight to the Southern Continental Dungeon. I had talked to Tabs about it already, but back then it was still conjecture. I knew it was going to happen, though. It was the only thing that made sense.¡±


    ¡°The reports I¡¯ve been receiving from the King¡¯s Tower, Sophia, and my counterpart at the Consortium have all been talking about the same,¡± Brackenhorst said. ¡°There¡¯s already talk of war. At least four towers worth of wizards are being put on shipbuilding duty, using magic instead of the usual methods. Everybody is taking this seriously.¡±


    ¡°As well they should. It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. In the face of overwhelming power and a continental threat, we need to band together,¡± I replied.


    The Dwarf ran his hands over his face. ¡°If only it were so easy. The Dungeon Master said the fastest estimate he had was six months, and that was one month ago. We¡¯re going to try to be ready in three, four at the slowest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really quick,¡± I said cautiously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I know it,¡± he sighed. ¡°The Mage¡¯s Guild is rallying their forces and pushing through as many applicants as they can. The Consortium is reaching out to the adventurers at the top of their roster. Even the deities are moving, though you already knew that.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°And then there¡¯s what they want us to do, go out and convince dungeon owners to leave their domains and fight for us,¡± he said, turning in his chair to regard the map that hung on his wall.


    I frowned. ¡°They do know that most dungeon owners likely won¡¯t sign up for that, right?¡±


    ¡°I tell them that, but you think they want to hear it?¡± Brackenhorst said, crossing his arms. ¡°There will be some, those who have been at it for a while and are ready for new things, but if we get more than 10% participation I¡¯ll be surprised.¡±


    Silence descended on the room as the thought hung over us. Even 10% was a really optimistic outlook. I thought about it, though, and an idea came to mind. ¡°Is the Dungeon Master or Himia coming?¡±


    ¡°The director is attempting to convince him,¡± the Dwarf scoffed, throwing a hand in the air.


    ¡°Where is he, anyway?¡± I asked. If anything, he should have been here for the fight.


    ¡°Protecting the Dungeon Master in case Athir and New Frausta were just distractions,¡± he answered, shaking his head. That made sense. Although we certainly could have used him, I would have been worried for the city if Ortaephaen and Ulrich had clashed head to head. ¡°Right now, the best idea we have is to convince Oristrella to go and he might follow after. That¡¯s still fifty-fifty because of how scared he is of his damned sister.¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking, the Southern Continental Dungeon is just one big dungeon, right?¡± I asked, though I didn¡¯t expect him to answer. ¡°We could raise the participation rate by offering slices of that. The Dungeon Master knows how to transfer ownership. So instead of destroying it bit by bit, we cut pieces and give them to dungeon owners. Like the report said about the crystal, there is far more ambient mana over there than we were expecting. More than any of us thought possible, even. It¡¯s a shot, but we can always use that as a carrot.¡±


    Brackenhorst stroked his beard as he thought about my words. It wasn¡¯t a simple solution by any means, but it was something I thought could raise the Department of Dungeon¡¯s bargaining power.


    He turned back around and looked through the report again, falling on the last page. ¡°You destroyed a dungeon just by cutting some kind of string, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I confirmed slowly. ¡°Himia called it a connection point between Abara and the dungeon itself.¡±


    ¡°Think you might be able to do it if the Dungeon Master¡¯s too scared to?¡± he asked, looking up at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have nearly enough information to answer that,¡± I answered with a frown. ¡°Only the Dungeon Master and Himia could possibly know, and I¡¯ve only spoken to one of them recently. She said that me being able to destroy it was highly unusual, and then disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose that¡¯s another question for the director to ask, then,¡± Brackenhorst muttered before nodding. ¡°Alright, I believe that¡¯s everything. You are going to be on the front lines as a Dungeon Inspector, Badger, so I¡¯m glad you¡¯re already ready.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but yes.¡±


    The Dwarf rapped his knuckles on my report. ¡°The events in Athir are enough to count for as a subjugation. I know you won¡¯t be able to sit still with the city like this, but take the time to relax for your week off. You¡¯ve had a lot on your plate.¡±


    ¡°And my raise?¡± I asked cheekily.


    ¡°It¡¯s under review,¡± he returned. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Try not to get too burned out, Brackenhorst,¡± I said as I stood up, smoothed my coat, and turned to leave.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really envying your week off right now,¡± he replied as I opened the door. ¡°Oh, and send in your new junior. We have to get her trained up during your break. While she¡¯s off to a good start with a good foundation, there¡¯s still a lot to learn.¡±


    I froze, having heard the words but being a little slow to comprehend them. Dalsarel stood up, having put away her sword and maintenance kit, and gave me a genuine smile.


    ¡°I hope you can relax on your week off¡­ sir,¡± she said, still rubbing her hand.


    Taking a breath, I turned around to give Brackenhorst a half-hearted glare. His laughter was genuine, likely the first bit of actual mirth he had felt all night, and I stalked off. ¡°See you in a week,¡± I told her, ignoring her salute as I left.

 Chapter 100 - Ferrisdae (End of Book 2)

    Late in the night, I received a message from Sophia that an emergency teleport was coming in from Athir. Emilia and Willow were already in bed, and I had been sitting comfortably with my wife, happy to be without drama for any amount of time.


    Alas, such moments were never meant to be. It was nice while it lasted, but I left Tabitha¡¯s warm embrace for the cold of the city, making my way to the Top where I sat on a bench just outside of the Mage¡¯s Guild tower. I stared up at the stars, a sight I couldn¡¯t see from home, and waited. It wasn¡¯t long before someone escorted a Forest Elf out of the guild and closed the doors behind her.


    I didn¡¯t say anything as Ferrisdae walked towards me, her footsteps soft against the ground. She was back in her usual spellcasting outfit, though now she had a red wood staff in her hand and was using it like a walking stick. I wasn¡¯t sure how to take that, and I didn¡¯t say anything as she sat next to me.


    ¡°I am such an idiot,¡± the Elf said, following my gaze to look at the stars. She placed her staff on her lap with both hands gripping it.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s wrong, but I¡¯ll hear what you have to say first,¡± I replied. ¡°What about this time?¡±


    ¡°I talked to my mother just like you said I should,¡± she started. ¡°After I explained everything, she sent the family to make sure everyone was alright and to tell the guards, Consortium, everyone needed to keep order what had happened.¡±


    ¡°If anything, your mother sure knows how to get things done,¡± I remarked, not sure where this was going.


    Ferrisdae nodded. ¡°I was going to help, but I got pulled into a long discussion about what was going on. Not about the Endless Moment, but with me. Once I started, I couldn¡¯t stop. I told her everything. From the excitement of the first day with Krad, manhandling Sevensleg, to the Dungeon Master and what he did to me.¡±


    That was technically classified information, but I didn¡¯t say that. What she told her mother was her own business.


    ¡°It all culminated in this huge rant about how my family shouldn¡¯t be sending money to the place I work to get me into better positions,¡± she continued, staring absently at the sky. ¡°I really let her have it. It was almost like that time when you were scolding me for inviting Cojisto. On the way to Ori¡¯s dungeon, remember?¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly forget?¡± I asked sarcastically. ¡°He¡¯s fine, by the way, but he and Moose slunk off without so much as a goodbye.¡±


    Hesitantly, she nodded. ¡°Cojisto reached out to me on my Stone. They¡¯re going to be gone for a while, but they promise to come back. He sounded¡­ wrong, but he did say to apologize to you and the family for not saying bye.¡±


    ¡°Some things change a man,¡± was all I said on that topic. ¡°What about your mother?¡±


    ¡°I have sap for brains,¡± Ferrisdae immediately replied, bringing her hands up to cover her face. She screamed into them, kicking her legs, and I was about to be concerned for a moment when she looked down at me. ¡°I come in with the most heated speech I have ever flung her way, and my mother hugs me. She hugged me!¡±


    ¡°She is your mother and you have been through a lot?¡± I asked more than said, not sure why that was such a big deal.


    ¡°She was so calm about it!¡± Ferrisdae exclaimed. ¡°She took me to her office, saying she had some things to explain, and brought out the family finances for the last two hundred and fifty years.¡±


    I pursed my lips, feeling like I knew exactly where this story was going.


    ¡°The Anne Runelaras donating to the Department of Dungeons isn¡¯t something that happened when I showed interest, Badger, they¡¯ve been doing it for centuries. And not just them! The Consortium gets donations, the Mage¡¯s Guild gets donations, even the schools and museums do! Here I am, having heard one thing from my father who I know is a terrible listener and I start having a, what? An early life crisis?¡±


    ¡°To be fair, you Elves are the kings and queens of miscommunication,¡± I joked, trying to cheer her up. ¡°You all can sulk about something for decades before everything comes to a head and it turns out everything was a big misunderstanding. It¡¯s one of the curses of a long life.¡±


    ¡°You are not doing this to me right now,¡± she deadpanned.


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. This could have been cleared up with one conversation.¡±


    ¡°Do not.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it was cleared up with one conversation.¡±


    Ferrisdae smacked me on the shoulder with the back of her hand, trying to hold a firm expression but failing. ¡°Stop teasing me,¡± she whined.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll stop trying to cheer up my junior,¡± I said, waving a hand. ¡°I am glad, though. That you¡¯ve reconciled with your mother, that you have your spirit back, everything. Is spellcasting easier for you now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t have to struggle with my wellspring anymore. It¡¯s much clearer than it was.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you solve a crisis of self-confidence,¡± I told her before waving my hand. ¡°Keep going, then. What happened next?¡±


    The Elf nodded and sighed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all good news,¡± she replied. ¡°Mother did know about your time as the Nameless and wanted me to get paired up with you. She had a long chain of letters both to and from Brack about it. You¡¯d probably like her method, but she always writes a letter twice. One to send, and another to keep.¡±


    ¡°I do the same,¡± I said, nodding approvingly. ¡°It¡¯s easy to forget things you wrote about, especially if it¡¯s sent to someone who would take their sweet time with a response.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what she¡¯s always said, too,¡± Ferrisdae stated. ¡°But she let me read them. Mother never once demanded that I be accepted into the Department of Dungeons. She didn¡¯t demand that I become a Dungeon Inspector or a Junior Dungeon Inspector instead of someone in the background. There was only one request after she heard the good news.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Where she wanted me to be your mentor?¡± I asked.


    She nodded. ¡°And it was a request, not a demand. I don¡¯t know if she outed you to Brack as the Nameless or she thought he already knew, but she called you that right out in the letter.¡±


    I grunted. ¡°He knows, but still. Don¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°I figured,¡± she said, offering me an apologetic smile. ¡°But Mother went on to lay out the reasons for the request. She had nothing but good things to say about your track record, talking about how I would be the one to meet your demands as an apprentice. It was an appeal to challenge me more than anything else. Like she wanted to make my job harder by sending me to you.¡±


    Thinking about that for a moment, it made sense. The Anne Runelaras were an adventuring family, and adversity was their bread and butter. They sought it out, assessed it, and overcame it. By sending Ferrisdae to me, Durendrelle was raising the bar for her daughter¡¯s success as high as she could.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was being overprotective, she was just raising the stakes. I wasn¡¯t sure I liked that any more than thinking Ferrisdae got a free pass, but I didn¡¯t have to like it to accept it.


    ¡°And it didn¡¯t even matter,¡± the Elf said. ¡°I read Brack¡¯s reply to that letter. Do you know what it said?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even two paragraphs,¡± Ferrisdae laughed. ¡°It was, by far, the most bureaucratically passive message I had ever seen. I wasn¡¯t even sure if it said anything at all, to be honest. Mother hadn¡¯t, either, and sent a follow up letter. The next one, though, was thoroughly embarrassing.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°In that¡­ the Chief definitely had a lot of positive things to say about me,¡± she said hesitantly. The Elf looked back down at her staff, a smile on her face as she fidgeted with her robe. ¡°I knew he approved of my work ethic and everything, but reading about how I was a credit to the Anne Runelara family and he was looking forward to seeing how well I did was¡­ something else.¡±


    ¡°Brack doesn¡¯t get the chance to wax poetic very often, but from one head of a huge family to another, he probably thought the praise was well deserved,¡± I told her. ¡°But how he thinks of you isn¡¯t anything new. I told you in your own home how impressed he was by you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did,¡± she sighed. ¡°The whole thing is just a huge weight off my chest. I¡¯m really sorry about how it affected me.¡±


    I held up my hand, not wanting to hear any more of that. ¡°If you really want to be sorry, I have something else you can apologize for.¡±


    Blinking in surprise, Ferrisdae turned to face me. ¡°What do I need to apologize for?¡±


    ¡°First, what we did with Abara is being counted as a subjugation, so we have a week off before I have to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I can see that. Deal with what?¡± she asked, clearly worried.


    ¡°Second, apparently Brackenhorst is considering your apprenticeship with me a success,¡± I said.


    Ferrisdae gasped. ¡°Am I going to be a full Dungeon Inspector? Already?¡± she asked, voice shrill from excitement.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re way off,¡± I said, trying not to laugh at how excitable she was. ¡°You know the rules.¡±


    ¡°A junior must be a junior for at least a year,¡± she stated as if she was reading straight from the rule book, deflating some.


    ¡°These are some dark times, but not so dark that we aren¡¯t following the rules,¡± I chuckled. ¡°No. Thanks to you, I got saddled with a second junior.¡±


    She sat up straighter. ¡°You did? Who? Do I know them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you know them. Apparently, they volunteered and were hired on the spot,¡± I said, trying to sound sour.


    ¡°Who?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Dalsarel.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ferrisdae asked, eyes wide. ¡°Then I apologize most vehemently. She helps out a little bit and Brackenhorst throws her to you? I studied my ass off to get accepted into the Department of Dungeons, and all she did was grow up in one! What¡¯s her qualifications? Tell me.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow at the Forest Elf¡¯s stated vehemence. ¡°She grew up as the sole heir of one the most successful dungeon owners on record. Noble upbringing, great education, and she stuck by us when it mattered most. She¡¯s not so different from you, Ferrisdae, so I¡¯m going to need you to calm down.¡±


    She opened her mouth to say something, and then took a breath. ¡°Wow, yeah, I do, don¡¯t I?¡± she asked, chuckling nervously. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to have your own little Badger and Sophia on your hands. At least, until we can actually get along. Sorry. I promise it¡¯ll get better. I got along well with Kaelmourn when I met him, this should be easy.¡±


    ¡°It better be. Though, are you the Badger or the Sophia in this little situation? Because I don¡¯t want to deal with either of them together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that,¡± Ferrisdae said, shaking her head. ¡°Neither one is flattering, and I¡¯m not going to be stuck choosing one or the other.¡±


    ¡°Good choice,¡± I said, looking back up at the stars. ¡°You¡¯re alright, though?¡±


    The Elf took a moment to answer, considering the question. ¡°I think¡­ I am,¡± she admitted. ¡°I feel guilty thinking that I came out of this in a better place than I was when it started, what with everyone who didn¡¯t, but I¡¯m not going to lie about it either.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for anything more than the truth,¡± I said. ¡°So if you¡¯re alright, then that¡¯s good. We can do what we need to in order to make sure that everyone gets the chance to do the same.¡±


    ¡°For what little time we have, anyway,¡± Ferrisdae replied. ¡°Sophia said we might be going to war soon.¡±


    I cast my eyes towards the Mage¡¯s Guild tower before nodding. ¡°No might about it, we will be. Three months, four, doesn¡¯t make a difference. We¡¯ll be setting sail south.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a lot of notice.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky to have gotten any kind of notice at all,¡± I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s life. Whether through sheer coincidence or divine contrivance, the world keeps moving despite any workings against it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Does Cheroske have anything to say about it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just that this war needs to be done, and that I¡¯m going to be called to action whether I like it or not,¡± I answered.


    ¡°As a paladin? Or as a Dungeon Inspector?¡±


    I glanced her way, seeing the worry on her face. Ferrisdae¡¯s real question was clear to see. ¡°As a Dungeon Inspector, which means you¡¯ll be by my side.¡±


    Relief flooded her face. ¡°Okay, good.¡±


    ¡°Along with Dalsarel,¡± I continued.


    ¡°Great, fantastic,¡± she continued.


    Smiling, I stood up and stretched, motioning for her to do the same. ¡°You know, it¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t allow Tabitha to adopt you the last time you came to visit,¡± I said.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± she asked, taking a moment to stretch as well.


    ¡°Because I¡¯d never let my kids go to the Southern Continental Dungeon whether I was with them or not,¡± I answered. ¡°And because you reconciled with Durendrelle.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you put my adult adoption back on the table just because I was having a spat with my mother or anything,¡± she giggled. I gave her a look, and she tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s still off the table, right?¡±


    I said nothing, looking ahead as we walked.


    ¡°Liam,¡± she whispered, barely a hiss. ¡°It¡¯s not still on the table, right?¡±


    ¡°Come on, kid,¡± I snorted, my neutral face finally breaking as I started walking away. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±