《Dungeon Inspector (Book 1 available on Amazon!)》


 Chapter 1 - Inspection

    Blood dripped onto my shoulder. At least, I think 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 light followed my action and cut through the equally dull orange that lit the rest of the room.


    If that was blood, it was both impressive and gross. Rivulets 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 stage. Stone steps led upwards to a raised platform on which a sacrificial altar rested. A terrible looking affair made of black stone with cracks of red light pulsing throughout. I couldn¡¯t see the top too well from where I was standing, but I didn¡¯t see if there was anything on top.


    On either side of the platform were two supernaturally beautiful women. Humans, by the looks of them, 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 were nervous. Their eyes flitted from me, to each other, and then to the altar between them. I was about to speak when the sound of thunder rippled through the cavernous room and a cloud of bats appeared above the altar. The orange light intensified, muting the spotlight around me until it was more gray than blue.


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


    The man¡¯s 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. Actually, it wasn''t a cloak; 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 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 stage, this time accompanied by the sound of hundreds of flapping bat wings.


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


    "She is already nearly dead, heroes! And your deaths will be the exclamation mark 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 trailed off, 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. ¡°Dungeon Inspector Badger, surely you don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    Despite the distance, I still heard him. The acoustics on that stage were amazing. His sound guy did really good work.


    "Yes. 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, inspecting it further. "But, and this part is really throwing me off here, but 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 for validation. "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, that fad only lasted about three years, if that, and it was already considered obnoxious the whole time. No one uses the orange-blue look anymore."


    "Well, I''m going to have a word 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¡¯m having trouble understanding 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 for a reason. You don''t need to change 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.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


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


    "I know, Sarolious, but you¡¯re a brilliant builder. People talk about your work for decades after they¡¯ve passed. The Department of Dungeons still uses your Rathelin dungeon as the standard all other vampire-owned dungeons are measured by." I shook my head and smiled. "Kidnapping princesses is textbook villain, but allowing the heroes 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 of my brethren was a good idea? Candrovis was irritated, but I think it was a good call. 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.


    "Union?" I asked, glancing between the two.


    Leaving the basin, I walked up to the stage. 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. Most things were made with the tall folk in mind.


    "Oh, no," one said. "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 her 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 it were a different dungeon boss and not Sarolious, I may have had some choice words. For this, I just nodded.


    "I think moving away from the Nosferatu types is a good call, even if they put up a stink," I said. I gave the two a critical eye, 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. "I majored in Femme Fatality, so this is right up my alley."


    I looked at Marly. She seemed to wither under my gaze. "Yeah, I have no problem with it, either."


    I wasn''t the only one to pick up on her hesitation. "Marly," he started, his tone supportive. "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, and believe me when I say I¡¯ve accommodated many during those times."


    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. I could have pushed the topic, 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. Eccentric, but mostly harmless.


    "Of course, of course," he said as he returned his attention to me.


    I nodded. "As I was saying, Nosferatu are out and more conventionally attractive vampires are very popular. Opinion is currently split between if vampires should shine in sunlight, but this is unlikely to 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 can 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? 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. "Okay, 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, as discussed."


    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, who had been a human before his undeath, towered over me, so he had to lean forward to do it.


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


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


    "No thank you, it''s a linear enough dungeon. I''ll find 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 during their free time, my pocket started to vibrate. That was my Sending Stone. I pulled the thin, gray 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 both it and its owner chain smoked for their entire life, and I immediately pictured the aging dwarf that had been working at the Department of Dungeons for almost two centuries.


    "Chief Inspector Brackenhorst,¡± I greeted. ¡°I just finished and I''m heading for my inn now. Sarolious Falsavar has the green light. I just have to get the paperwork in order."


    "We''ll take care of the red tape, Badger. 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. Thatcher 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 admitted. He paused, 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, your assignment isn''t the dungeon or the Rat King."


    ¡°No?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes.


    "Your assignment is to keep track of the rookie. You''ll meet her there."


    I sighed heavily. "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 lately the 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.


    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 really sullied people''s trust in the Department of Dungeons, which was something we couldn''t afford to happen. 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 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 town, and could even have been considered a large village. A few solid wooden structures stood proud in the middle. The rest of the buildings encapsulating them all had thatch roofing. I wondered where they got the name from.


    I was dropped off at the center of town. I spared a few extra coins to the driver who grunted in appreciation before driving off. There were 3 structures here that had shingled roofs.


    The first thing to catch my eye was the church. It was a beautiful 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 plethora of 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 town and what values they held. It was obvious that the community was fairly tight knit.


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


    "Charming," I muttered, and took a deep breath. Most of the 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 Halfling?" the mop asked, voice feminine and melodic. I stopped and stared. She pulled back her hair to get a better look at me. Not a mop, an Elf. She looked young. "Hold on, I''ll be down in a second!"


    The rookie.


    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. I could tell that she was a Forest Elf, likely from Athir near the center of the continent. A dark purple mage''s robe with a loose, comfortable fit that was trimmed in yellow that matched her hair flowed around her. Stars were seemingly tossed haphazardly onto the garment, the same color as the trim. At her waist was a simple wand made of black wood that dangled from a holster attached to a thin belt. It appeared like it would be easy to snatch, but that was only if there was no magic protecting it from theft.


    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, thoughts lingering on the wand. Certainly rude as we were just meeting, but as I noted: 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.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Yes, I''m Dungeon Inspector Badger. And you are?"


    The Elf stopped in front of me and suddenly looked serious. 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 said. 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 guess. "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, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. Instead, 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 Human generations. It''s all very exciting. The blacksmiths are all 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, 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, my heart¡¯s beating so fast!"


    "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 stood up a little straighter and placed a hand over her heart theatrically. "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. Well over twice my age and still just a kid. "Insane is certainly one word for it."


    "I know!" she exclaimed, straightening up. "We should go in right now, right? We should, I think. Let''s go in." I waved my arm in the direction of the tavern, indicating that we should, in fact, go. She squealed¡ªsquealed¡ªas she ran to the tavern door and stopped to compose herself.


    I looked around. Plenty of the locals were staring at us. I saw the mayor looking down from the second floor, a balding 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 by hand 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 skin well used to working in the sun and slashes of gray in his dark hair. He stood up to greet Ferrisdae as I approached the table.


    "Hello again! This is Dungeon Inspector Badger, the one I told you about. Mr. Badger, this is Frescan," Ferrisdae said. 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," Frescan said. "As the young miss 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, he 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, his voice incredibly high pitched. He didn¡¯t even bother opening his eyes.

 Chapter 3 - Rat King

    Ferrisdae and I looked at each other. A talking rat. Huh.


    "Greetings, your majesty," she began. 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. It looked back and forth between the two of us rapidly before attempting to roll onto his feet. After a short struggle, 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, narrowing his eyes in thought for a few seconds before he nodded. "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 say such things about your liege!" Krad looked back at Ferrisdae. "I annexed this kingdom, Tah Vern, not long ago during my first expansion, but the transfer of power has not gone as smoothly as I hoped. Frescan does 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 Tah Vern 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 and the sparkle in her eyes that she was enjoying herself.


    "Er, almost right, Krad," Frescan said before looking at Ferrisdae. "A wizard did come through, but he was in a hurry. 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. Luckily, nothing came out of it, 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 sentience after its wizard dies. That was only if they had one, however, which didn¡¯t sound like what had happened here. To gain sentience and power by eating a spellbook was new territory for everyone. It was a strange feeling, being surprised by something new like this. The intellectual curiosity I felt cut through much of my remaining irritation.


    "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 lady 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 magical crystals that they can gather in dungeons power a lot of items from mana-infused weapons and armors all the way to some of the vehicles used for long distance travel. Adventurers are 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 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.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, your majesty,¡± she responded with a slight nod of acceptance. ¡°How a dungeon is made naturally like yours is still hotly debated amongst scholars worldwide. Most are made on purpose with ritual magic or rare 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¡¯s usually been seen most with dragons, there are other powerful beasts that have done the same.¡±


    ¡°That must be what happened!¡± Krad exclaimed, turning and tugging on Frescan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°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. ¡°There might have been a ritual for a dungeon inside, and during your transformation into the Rat King the spell may have been triggered. Somehow.¡±


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t add 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 were. If some wizard was walking around with it in a spellbook and left it lying around, things could end up dangerous. Krad seemed harmless so far, 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. ¡°Basically: power, fame, and wealth. One of the most powerful effects of a dungeon is that the owner of the said 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, wringing his hands with worry.


    ¡°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. Thatcher is almost perfect as a starter zone, if it had a dungeon. A higher level forest may see you running 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 thought this over. It seemed as though he was understanding everything that was being thrown at him. By the way he spoke and acted, I didn¡¯t think it odd for him to retain some of the knowledge left in the spellbook he had consumed. That 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 circumstances that prove too unfair," Ferrisdae explained. "Let¡¯s say that you were a mid-level wizard, and you set up your dungeon under this very tavern. That would be vastly overpowered, right? At most here you¡¯d find a low level ranger, and most who will be delving are going to be fresh faced first levels. We would have to have you relocate 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 tiers of power match up. Generally, that will come with compensation from us in one form or another to make up for the lower tier adventurers coming through until we relocate you."


    ¡°Then is the opposite true?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Ferrisdae confirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re still that mid-level wizard, but your dungeon is in a dense jungle far from civilization. The tier of power in the area is higher than yours, but you want to make it work. If we can¡¯t convince you to head to a safer area, 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 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. The familiar sensation of a dungeon tickled the back of my head. That was a staple of dungeon magic that we called the DTER, the Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response. It affected everyone differently, but it was a built-in warning that the place they were entering was dangerous.


    For regular people, the DTER stimulated a fear response 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.


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


    "Here," I said. She 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?"


    She snatched it from my hand, grinning, and immediately started putting her hair in a ponytail. "Aww, thank you," 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 still took the stairs two at a time with light steps, I don''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 was malevolent, this would 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 replied after looking them over. "I''d say one large, then either a medium or two small sized. That would be the best way to utilize them given their size"


    Ferrisdae''s gaze 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. They could understand us with whatever magic they were using, at the very least.


    "Now, we''re not here to step on anyone''s toes," Ferrisdae continued. "We''re just here to help his majesty 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 guy 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 going at it. 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; no accidentally destroying Frescan''s stock.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The crawlspace was revealed. It was roughly two and a half feet both tall and wide. I could crouch, but Ferrisdae was going to have to crawl through. One of the many benefits of being a Halfling. 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.


    Ferrisdae hummed, tapping her chin. "Hmm¡­" she hummed, 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." The Elf looked at me for guidance, and I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°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. There¡¯s too many to list, though.


    ¡°I am a sorceress,¡± Ferrisdae said, winding down her explanation as she patted her wand. ¡°I use magic that comes to me innately. I can¡¯t learn spells like a wizard can, but I also don¡¯t have to consult a spellbook whenever I want to prepare spells 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. "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 they do 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 Ferrisdae, giving me a clear path.


    In the middle of the tunnel was a small dome. I could stand up straight, Ferrisdae could crouch. Four holes led to small alcoves. "That''s where Rat Pack 2 is going to 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, running a hand along 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 they only spend 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 the intensity of a kid at a festival. Unfortunately for me, Ferrisdae fed off of that. She, too, let out a cheer as she resumed crawling.


    The final room was lit up 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 it was the town 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 were strewn across the floor. It was easy to tell that this was where they slept. Despite the ventilation, the rat¡¯s smell hung heavy in the surprisingly large 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. 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. "As I said before, I''m a sorceress, myself." She pulled her wand from where it was hanging on her hip. It detached easily. "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." She didn''t mention the smell this time. "Tough, but not unbalanced."


    I nodded along. 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 to 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 a place 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 dough, too. Dungeons shocked 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 thought they shouldn''t shirk their responsibility and just needed to practice more. Half-assing a dungeon map could be a dangerous thing in the wrong circumstances.


    I switched quills to one better suited for drawing and produced a slim 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 detail 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 through the door. We locked eyes and I had to stop myself from laughing. Her entire head, 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. "Bager. Badger, Badger, Badger. Hi"


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


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


    "Please don''t, your room is next¡ª 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 asked, leaning against the bed''s foot board. "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 head in my hand. "Okay, so you drunk called the boss. Did he say anything important?" I was no longer amused, but I reasoned she wouldn''t be so calm if it hadn''t gone well.


    "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."


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "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 foot board and tapped her chin. "Something important."


    "Or everything important. Frankly, I''d settle for anything important."


    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 the Stone."


    "Back home, huh?" I thought about that. My circuit out here wasn''t over yet. There would be a lot of work left undone. Brackenhorst did say that Kaelmourn was in the area but I didn''t like that my work would get passed off. Nothing to do but follow orders though. "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?" Her face lit up. "Yeah! There was a question." 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 agreed that 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 attire for inspecting dungeons. Much better than mages robes. "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 be a Dungeon Inspector?" That should keep her talking for a while.


    "Cause I wanted to." I raised an eyebrow, but she did continue 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, too."


    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 Badger 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 foot board. That really couldn''t be comfortable, but I remembered being young. Relatively, in this case. The young could sleep anywhere.


    Unfortunately, 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 could actually lay in the bed. It was easy even though I was small compared to her. Elves were surprisingly light, though 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. "Why aren''t you dying?" I asked.


    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 basically it''s 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 laughter even after she descended the stairs.

 Book 1 of Dungeon Inspector is now available on Amazon!

    Thank you so much for giving Dungeon Inspector a try! If you''d like to continue, the link to book one is above.


    While it hasn''t done nearly as well as 100th Run and Courier Quest, I''m still really proud of this story and where it''s gone. It came before both of my others, and while I didn''t plan for it to get as big as it did, it made sense. I''m really looking forward to finishing off this trilogy with a bang!


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    If you''ve already read book 1, thank you so much for your support! Feel free to continue to book 2 and 3 here on Royal Road before they have a chance to go up on Amazon.

 Chapter 51 - Freedom (Start of Book 2)

    The past month had been full of nothing but exams, waiting, interrogation, waiting, paperwork, and more waiting. While my prison was more a suite than a cell, the experience was not what I would call completely pleasant. There was enough pervasive magic in the air that I could feel it despite not being a spellcaster, though I received several thin assurances 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. I had interacted with only a few people during my quarantine. While they had almost all been mages, they had mostly been quick and professional.


    Mostly.


    I stood in the what was essentially my 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 the city was beautiful from this high up. It could be changed on a whim, but this was the scene I had settled on most during my time here.


    The Mage¡¯s Guild Tower in New Frausta 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. I could admit that 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. This was 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, but the door. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice the stench of wet dog permeating the air. And here I thought the magic scrubbers all around us were supposed to prevent offensive smells like that.¡±


    A tall, 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 juvenile 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.¡±


    She 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, 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 as if daring me to say something, and three thick, bushy tails 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 after all the trouble I had gone through prior to my quarantine, 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 determine the side effects of close contact with the Dungeon Master. Your apprentice, Ferrisdae Anne Runelara, and companions from the Adventurer¡¯s Consortium, Cojisto and Moose, have been likewise quarantined.¡±


    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 spoken with and been examined by several medical professionals, magical investigators, and scribes from both the Mage''s Guild and 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. Some things just aren''t meant to change.¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    Scowling, 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 had been assigned 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¡ª¡°


    ¡°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 make her miserable before looking around at my room. While I would never say 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 consumed 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 by placing my hand over my heart. ¡°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 mushroom-infested 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 Fungus 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.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    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.¡±


    Sophia nodded. ¡°Yes, you said so much in your reports. There was a rumor that you were filling out so many in an attempt to bankrupt the Mage¡¯s Guild on parchment and ink costs alone. I find it quite wasteful, myself.¡±


    ¡°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 Land Pirate, Raitheus Razorbeak. The high level scoundrel traveled around the continent with his eight wagons, each of which had an interdimensional dungeon stuffed inside. His whole gimmick was that you had to complete them in order and the end of each dungeon had a key to the next wagon.


    "The DoD has had issues with him in the past, though he hasn''t had any issues until a month ago. He had raided the city-state of Berald of some item¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t say what¡ªand he absconded with it into 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 we received our mission and met 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, everyone except for the secretary was in the field,¡± 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, clearly not worried.


    ¡°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, it worked. They were together a month ago, at least.¡±


    ¡°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?¡±


    ¡°An ordinary 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 to report in.¡± I paused. ¡°Which was probably a good thing, though I¡¯ll never tell her that because it was still completely reckless to get them involved in the first place.¡±


    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 the researchers before returning to safety, and we wasted no time getting inside the first dungeon we needed to go to in the sequence.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s when you were altered,¡± Sophia said.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s where we first met Himia,¡± I replied with a nod. ¡°After trying to take my gear, and partially succeeding, 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, looks like a Human even though she isn''t, 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 defeated in a nearby mine that the people inside the story were using, so they weren''t coming back until we cleared it out. 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 staple of this particular brand of magic. It warned people that they were entering a place containing 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. There''s definitely 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 continued. ¡°We made contact with an Avian who came out to insult us and, after a short scuffle along with a threat of subjugation, 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 skipped the other two dungeons and went straight into the lead wagon to subjugate Razorbeak,¡± I told her. ¡°He and his first mate, a mage named Swiftfeather, had essentially taken over the interdimensional space. 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 thirty 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 thirty foot tall time traveling chicken,¡± I defended. ¡°Anyways, we fought Razorbeak after restricting 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 said. ¡°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 hole I had 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,¡± she answered. ¡°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 do 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 woman 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

    I squinted and held up my hand to block the light from my eyes as I left the Mage''s Guild tower for the first time in a month. Their magic windows were wonderful, 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. It was nice after so long in captivity.


    It was also nice feeling actual sunlight. Even this high up the city only got a few hours of that due to how packed the buildings were.


    Thankfully, New Frausta had a wonderful sunlight distribution system. This was a necessity due to how the city was layered.


    I had always compared New Frausta to a turtle¡¯s shell. The city bulged upwards 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.


    Important buildings like the Royal Tower, Mage¡¯s Guild, and other diplomatic institutions were on the Top. This was the home of 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 everyone else seemed to wear, and 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 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 when 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.


    Cheesy, sure. A little strange to say, but Tabs was always first to say that she was a warrior, not a poet.


    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 installed 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.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°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.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°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 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.


    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 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 restore 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 section 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 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 there was no getting around that fact. 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 fleeing into the sewer system between layers.


    He failed to rob her, but such assault wasn''t something I was 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 grumbled.


    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 from the stairs. 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 of our tavern was still solid stone with no paint changing it from its natural color. Closer to ground level, however, the walls became colorful. 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.


    Well, one person and one animal.


    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. 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 since the last time I saw him. Even though he was in the middle of the city, he still wore his fur 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 and 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 retorted. ¡°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 our family¡¯s home. It only took up a small portion of the first and second floor, but we had almost the entirety of the third story just for us.


    The guest lounge was big enough for Moose to stand, sit, or lay down while leaving the rest of us with enough room to be comfortable. We had spared no expense back when we first bought the building, wanting to make it a home as well as a business. There was a couch and chairs made by skilled Elven craftsmen, tables were spread liberally, and there was even a full wine rack 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 reading a rather hefty tome on the couch. 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 before I returned the gesture. 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¡ª¡±


    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 weapon 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 exclaimed as if it were an accusation.


    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.¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Heard of you?¡± Cojisto 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, but 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 buried myself so deep into your adventures that Moose nearly worried himself sick!¡± he admitted with a light laugh. 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. At least he started with the best one first. ¡°Danella, the beautiful worshiper of Sasalarn and team medic.¡±


    I scoffed. Of course the stories would only tell of her appearance. ¡°She¡¯s a grandmother now and works off the coast with the Undine, as they won¡¯t just stare at her.¡±


    Cojisto continued, unperturbed by my words. ¡°Then there¡¯s Gro Khal, Orcish archer that could hit a hummingbird¡¯s wings from a thousand paces.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a potter, now,¡± I told him. ¡°Made most of our dishes, actually.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s Ulrich Throm, the only wizard I think has a shot of beating me in an arm wrestling competition.¡±


    ¡°Been missing for about five years now,¡± I interjected. ¡°Damn muscle brain always did pick the most dangerous job; he was bound to get himself killed eventually.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Cojisto said with a frown. ¡°Then there¡¯s¡­ oh! Sophia Blair! Illusi¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 replied. ¡°We mostly ended up talking about work, complained, and I told my story about what happened in the blizzard. This is all new information to me.¡±


    Tabitha glanced back at me, squeezing my leg. ¡°I¡¯d never bring this up if Cojisto 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, 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, I think.¡±


    ¡°Of Tegril?¡± Ferrisdae asked quickly.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, that sounds right,¡± Cojisto answered with a nod. ¡°There was mention of a fifth member, but it was really inconsistent. Sometimes they were a part of the story, 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, bringing his fist down on his open palm as he had his eureka moment. ¡°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 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 replied 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, 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.


    ¡°Second... Cojisto figured it out?¡± I huffed, throwing my hands in the air. ¡°Cojisto?¡±


    ¡°The paladin in the story you told me 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 but it was because she was going through something terrible, and of course it¡¯s bad,¡± I answered one at a time. ¡°Cojisto, you really need some help. You¡¯re going to end up like Ulrich at this rate; probably dead in a dungeon from trying to punch far above his weight class.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Badger. Why don¡¯t you go and relax, 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?¡±


    The look she gave them made it clear that there was only one right answer.


    ¡°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, I guess I do need 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, confused 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 suite 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, writing, and drawing 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 exultation 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 greeted 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 higher up no matter how well they did. 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 straightened 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 thrilled to announce that I¡¯ve beaten Darren Lars in our quarterly exams for the second time in a row, father,¡± she reported 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 pocket. 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 yelled 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 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 absently admitted 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.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    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. Settling into the couch next to my wife, I nodded towards the doors the children had disappeared into. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see they¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°Well, they miss their father, but they know what you do for our family,¡± Tabitha said with a smile, patting me on the leg.


    ¡°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 clearly wasn¡¯t expecting such a serious answer.¡±


    ¡°She said it so politely, too!¡± Ferrisdae responded. ¡°Even if we hadn¡¯t been introduced, I think I would have guessed that she was 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 answered honestly.


    ¡°Badger!¡± she exclaimed, lightly striking my leg even 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 confirmed. ¡°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 agreed with a sage 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 retorted 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. Right now, it looks like yours gets everywhere.¡±


    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 blurted out, 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 go find some, then I¡¯ll go,¡± Ferrisdae offered, raising her hand. ¡°I love Giganbull steaks, 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 to get 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 us, 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. ¡°Please. 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¡ª¡± 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 cultivate 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 instructed Cojisto to tell had us waiting there for a few minutes before we were sent back in our world, but I actually got a little help from someone unexpected.¡±


    Tabitha didn¡¯t say anything but I could tell she was paying attention, so I continued. ¡°Earlier in the subjugation, Himia said that the goddess of community, Cheroske, was watching me,¡± I explained, 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.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, 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, taking her hand into mine. ¡°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 answered, and Tabitha gave me a surprised look. My smile was full of pride. ¡°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 anyone can rely on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Tabs blinked a few times before letting out a low, unbelieving 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, I would have if it meant Ferrisdae was saved,¡± I sighed. ¡°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 giggled, 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 an 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 in a very dramatic fashion 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, and I genuinely believed that. He 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. Possibly the churches, too.¡±


    ¡°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 those crystals 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 a little bit at a time.¡±


    ¡°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 the DoD is 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 argued. 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 argue, 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 for them while I 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, the employees of the tavern 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 braided 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 only took a small amount of effort to cast. 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 accompanied by a forceful expansion of magic. As a sorceress, her wellspring was something that was innately hers, and had likened it to a sister that she asked to supply power for 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 shook it off 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 damn 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 manes 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, Sticky 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.¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Any complaints my daughters had were dashed at Ferrisdae¡¯s promise. Even reserved Emilia was quick to join Willow into the carriage, and were 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 I also heard them in my mind. That was an effect that happened even if I were blocks away.


    Britear was 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 and they¡¯re still getting stuck in the mud of bureaucracy.¡±


    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 use on outsiders. 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 New Frausta worse.¡±


    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, if we weren¡¯t here then someone worse would be. You know this. 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¡ª¡±


    I took a step towards Sticky, and the man immediately tensed up. ¡°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 Hawk wanted to get his hands on¡ª¡±


    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 as smoothly as it could. 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 told her 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 with a extra 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 replied, 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 than 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 were on duty 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 for conferences, 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. ¡°Good to see you, Badger.¡±


    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. She was a Gnome of unknown age but looked to be in her twenties, though 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. As usual, Liddy slipped in words from her native tongue in her speech. She waved hello before waggling her eyebrows 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, ignoring Liddy¡¯s playful warning.


    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 one of the Mage¡¯s Guild¡¯s magic windows. This one also transferred audio as well as video, allowing people on this side to see and hear everything.


    I gestured towards the window with my chin. ¡°What do we have?¡±


    ¡°Carimella Rose,¡± Brackenhorst answered. ¡°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.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s been tracking you since you entered the building,¡± Justisius agreed. ¡°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. ¡°Or go after the others. Both Moose and Cojisto are in the wind, so getting to them outside of the city would have been easy. And, 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 if she didn¡¯t care about making a scene.¡±


    ¡°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 crooned, to which I just grunted. Liddy¡¯s eyes glowed for a moment as she looked me over, and her nose scrunched up. ¡°It is easy to see why she can track you. I have read your report but I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be so potent. 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 earlier 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. ¡°If 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 anyway. It felt like being an adventurer again, getting pulled this way and that all willy-nilly. I removed my Hilt of Holding from my Dimensional Pocket and stuck it in my pocket before I opened the door.


    Carimella Rose was standing on the other side, looking down at me with that same excited twinkle in her eyes. I blinked, trying not to show my surprise, and put my hands on my hips.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°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 replied. Her voice was pleasant and carried well. The Elf moved out of my way, and I walked inside. ¡°You carry the weight of the Dungeon Master.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± I grumbled. 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¡­?¡±


    ¡°Badger,¡± I answered. ¡°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 on full display, and she continued to smile 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 replied 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 lasted for a few seconds before they snapped back to me. ¡°We have a few minutes, so let me just get something off my chest. 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 sighed wistfully, 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 answered. ¡°She¡¯s not here, 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 insisted, not pulling back. ¡°But they will, some day. They will matter once they¡¯ve been given the same gifts we have.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that one of the others had their wellspring forcibly expanded?¡± I snapped. The fact that she said we when talking about the gifts hadn¡¯t escaped me, but that just made me a little more wary. ¡°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. ¡°How do you know th¡ª¡±


    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.


    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 lurched back onto her feet, 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. Almost 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 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, the leader of the cult of chaos, it''s 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 time 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. You get me?¡±


    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. I hadn¡¯t felt this instinct in a long while, but I tended to trust it 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 sliding 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 sarcastically, 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 is 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 dungeon, and now this Dungeonborn was doing it brazenly in front of me? That fact that the Dungeon Master''s secretary also somehow 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. Scales, but only when soft. Horns, I guess. I won¡¯t have anyone calling him a scalie, though. 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¡ª¡±


    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! Yeah! That would¡ª¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°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.


    ¡°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. Just answer the officer¡¯s questions.¡±


    ¡°Not an officer, a Dungeon Inspector,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°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¡¯re quick!¡± 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 don¡¯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. She was so proud of herself. ¡°Well and truly here on your continent. No more hopscotch through the deep dungeons, I¡¯ll just be here.¡±


    ¡°So a Dungeonborn 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ugh, such a pretentious name,¡± CC complained.


    ¡°¡­ On that, we agree.¡±


    ¡°Though, dad gave it to him, so I suppose I shouldn¡¯t mock him 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 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 or dignity to preserve any more; I¡¯ve completely assimilated her personality. Her consciousness is gone.¡±


    At first I was confused. Then, 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 was the most perfect vessel I could find, 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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, placing her hands on her hips as she thrust her chest out. 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¡¯s whole body 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 look on CC¡¯s face shifted unnaturally fast, but my combat focus seemed to slow time down for me and I caught each expression. When the blade started coming her way, she appeared 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 since the fire cauterized the wound as it was made.


    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 with blistering speed. Mid-swing as I was, I couldn¡¯t do much more than shift to reduce the impact of the blow.


    I went flying backwards into the door with enough force that it should have broken, but it held firm. 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!?¡± CC yelled as I planted my foot and spun after her. She wasn¡¯t looking at me, but her damaged hand. ¡°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 worrying, 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 a split 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 asshole! You hurt my beautiful body!¡± 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, trying to push 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!¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    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.


    ¡°Destiny?¡± I scoffed as I looked up into the Dungeonborn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Destiny makes you fragile, short sighted, and 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 hand on my torn wrist didn¡¯t want to work, but it wasn¡¯t completely useless. I tried to turn my fingers into a spear, and two of my digits struggled but 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¡ª¡±


    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 fire, and the spell 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 man 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 wrist, 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 stopped working just as the ambient magic settled,¡± Brackenhorst explained as he walked in to observe the mess. His eyes lingered on the cracked 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 corpse 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.


    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 and side of Carimella¡¯s body 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 not 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 the most perfect vessel she could find, implying that there was something that didn¡¯t line up properly. Not that her word means much.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t?¡± Libby asked. ¡°If she expected to win, she might have been honest with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course they don¡¯t, Libby. Not only was she very confusing, but she had all the reason in the world to lie,¡± I answered with a scowl. ¡°There¡¯s not enough information. The real 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¡ªCarimella¡¯s got the life span for it¡ªbut if it¡¯s the former and they have someone even slightly less perfect, then we¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s the latter, it would suggest that CC was working with Carimella for a very, very long time,¡± Brackenhorst stated. ¡°That comes with its own set of problems.¡±


    No one said anything as they processed the information. We realized just how much of a disadvantage we were in.


    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.


    My Hilt of Holding was embedded in the bricks. 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 finally able to trudge home. The meeting after the fight had lasted longer than I hoped 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 due to her influence. 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. 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 couldn¡¯t wrap my mind around 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 left me nettled. I was glad that she was gone, but it 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. She was only a Junior Dungeon Inspector, after all, and while I¡¯d give her the choice I wasn¡¯t going to pressure her into returning to work early. She could always catch up with me later.


    I took another deep breath before walking inside. No one was around until I made it to the third floor. Tabitha and Ferrisdae were having a quiet conversation 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, but strained, smile. ¡°You have to go, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked, her tone miraculously even.


    I hesitated, loathing myself for allowing that look on her face. ¡°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. ¡°I won¡¯t put up a fight if you insisted, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m insisting,¡± she said, obviously determined.


    I shook my head; of course she¡¯d want to. ¡°We¡¯re going to Athir. Are you okay going home?¡±


    Ferrisdae¡¯s expression changed in a way I couldn¡¯t describe. I wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about seeing her family 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 claimed. ¡°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 replied. 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 whispered, not looking up.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry, Calico,¡± I said, using her community name due to 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 whispered 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.¡±


    I watched my daughter¡¯s door with a frown. ¡°She has every right to be angry, though. If she brought it up in front of an outsider, that means it¡¯s something that¡¯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.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    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¡ª¡± 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. There¡¯s no winning.¡±


    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 while she helps the people who come through our door. 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 supposed to be smart, dad, so why can¡¯t I 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. A teenager, maybe, but that didn¡¯t make her emotions any less valid.


    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 possible no matter how hard you try. It¡¯s unfortunate, but that¡¯s just 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 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 the home that we¡¯ve built. If I had known that this was weighing on you so heavily, I would have looked harder 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 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 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 replied with a strained smile. ¡°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, pulling her into a tight one armed hug. ¡°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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 tonight? 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 that fox 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. The kids were fine in the morning despite being up so late, which 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 as well.


    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 wasn¡¯t feeling 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 worked under me 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. The Kitsune''s smug look had been infuriating. Still, I wore the damn thing just like my daughters wanted me to.


    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¡¯s 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 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 eyes 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 both a threat and 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 abilities, 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 chaos, 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. ¡°Our focus will be making sure that Archmage Della, the head of the Athir branch, is not involved with CC. We¡¯ll approach her after that, and 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.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Dev raised his hand. ¡°Skipping the one year requirement for promotion?¡±


    Brackenhorst considered the question for a moment, then nodded. It broke the rules, but if they did well then they had already proven themselves capable of the task.


    A murmur of excitement went through the rookies while their mentors nodded. Justisius remained focused on Brackenhorst. He would likely make his choices privately.


    ¡°Sure thing, boss man,¡± Liddy stated, glancing over at her juniors. She immediately pointed at Dev 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. Off the record, 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-starved 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 while I supervised. A random dungeon inhabited by rats had popped up underneath a tavern in a small town in the middle of nowhere. 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 its old owner.¡±


    ¡°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 just as we had discussed.¡±


    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 were of another race. It was a beautiful place that was built to be in harmony with nature, which made citizenship highly sought after.


    ¡°Yes, Badger,¡± Brackenhorst said. ¡°Because of Carimella¡¯s involvement around the area, Director Ortaephaen 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 even a few 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¡±


    ¡°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 too long 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.¡±


    ¡°Athir¡¯s probably going to get spooked, regardless,¡± Liddy offered, 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, and that apparently meant something to the cult. Carimella had said we mattered, though not why. The Chief theorized that our 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 on the way to 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 replied, nodding.


    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.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good reminder, 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.


    The Elf 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 her a few tries to conjure her Skymirror Carriage, I didn¡¯t say anything to support or discourage her. This was something Ferrisdae 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. I didn¡¯t like facing the wrong way when traveling.


    Once I sat down, the Astral Horses started moving. The ride was gentle and smooth, and I knew it would remain so 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 sorceress¡¯ 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 black 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 chuckled. 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. Think of all the paperwork I¡¯d have to do if you get hurt like that.¡±


    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 a reflection of her staring at me in the window. 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 wasn¡¯t thinking of asking,¡± she stammered quickly, looking away. That was a bold-faced 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 weapon 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.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    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.


    ¡°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 shell of hers.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that. She takes after me, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯d make it easy,¡± 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, confused. ¡°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 arm¡¯s 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 very 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¡ªand they always think it''s a glorious battle¡ªso 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¡­¡±


    ¡°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, 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 Director Ortaephaen is going to retire eventually, though 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 adventurers, 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 stubborn guy I know.¡±


    ¡°High praise,¡± I said. If they knew who I was before I became a Dungeon Inspector, then that was 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.


    Almost. The whole situation was still supremely annoying.

 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 about halfway 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. The size difference 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 shrill 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.¡± I retrieved my Department of Dungeons badge from my Pocket. Inside the leather flap was a small slab of golden metal in the shape of two side by side doors. 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. ¡°As the prophecy foretold!¡±


    ¡°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. But the prophecy did foretell!¡±


    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!¡± the warrior exclaimed before marching towards the ravine. She 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 we were 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, that¡¯s what I initially thought it was. The more I looked at it the more I was sure it was just some piece of junk.


    Not giving it another thought, 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.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    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.


    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, cobblers anvils, 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 walked around the mound, 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 surprisingly 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 marked the boundary to the country of Athir, spanning almost completely from 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 been put to an end.


    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. It was good that the Elves were patient in their long lives because the process was a lengthy one. Their 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. I could understand that when their childhood lasted 120 or so years, but it wasn¡¯t something I would put up with as I was now.


    Thanks to the incredibly pleasant 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 Lake 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 and covered in ink. ¡°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 warned, 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.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Please, Badger,¡± Ferrisdae said. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can spell Dav Runelara,¡± I snapped before glancing at Ferrisdae. ¡°Figure this out quick.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said again, averting her gaze.


    With a snort, I opened the door and let myself out. Masatera was quick to jump in. ¡°I am so, so sorry. I¡¯m¡ª¡± he whispered before I heard a hard thud. ¡°Ow! Why do your punches hurt so much? You''re a sor¡ªOW!¡±


    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    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. I was just out of earshot so I could hear their tones but couldn¡¯t make anything specific out, but 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¡ªI knew I was a terrible teacher¡ªbut 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. Not 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 mentors, 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 that were deadlier than usual. While I did take on just as many normal cases as others of my tenure, I had more subjugations under my belt than any other Dungeon Inspector 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, s¡ª¡± 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 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. 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 worked in silence, and I made sure to keep him on edge with a few frowns and disapproving glares 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 tree line 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¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°Damnit, a moose and his Human.¡±


    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 tree line. 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. ¡°You know how it goes. The executives trying something new by throwing teams together in the name of unity and efficiency. Shake things up. 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.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    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 wreaking 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.¡±


    ¡°Yup, that sounds like the Cojisto 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 by 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 Moose and Cojisto 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 leaf-filled branches. 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 chaos 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 sighed 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¡ª¡± 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 a pair called Moose and Co¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 muttered, 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.¡±


    The animal in question, 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 repeated, 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¡ª¡±


    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¡ª¡±


    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 sacred to 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.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°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 agreed, 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 now that we got 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 claimed 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 sighed. ¡°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 underground 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 before turning to my junior. ¡°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, so 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? You might as well now that we¡¯re already close to it.¡±


    He gave me a thumbs up. ¡°Yup. Sounds fine to me.¡±


    ¡°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 grumbled, 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 gaps 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 gave 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 dull 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 vaguely humanoid 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.


    These Treants 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 approached. 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 and raising it into the air. ¡°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, at least, and that you were able to arrive so quickly.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°We never received any message,¡± Ferrisdae said sadly. ¡°Leafstill¡­ never made it.¡±


    ¡°More accurately, Athir was attacked by a corrupted Treant,¡± I corrected. My bluntness earned me a glare from Ferrisdae. I ignored her. ¡°That was probably Leafstill.¡±


    ¡°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 nod 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 rare but 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 given the Treants a boost much like adrenaline would do for us.


    Then they ended up like this, shaking from simply walking to greet us. Rage Rot always took 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, bark 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, their 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 shortly 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, 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. They toddled away as best they could. ¡°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 ill, 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

    The sun was starting to set 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 late hour. We went our separate ways after I received directions from the guards.


    The local Green Union branch was on the outskirts of the city in an area called the Riverside Calm. It was filled with stone fences, 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 at a fast pace. There weren¡¯t many lamps here in the Riverside Calm and I wanted to reach my destination before it was completely dark. The trails were winding and idyllic, perfect for the Elves but terrible for people in a rush.


    Maybe I would bring Willow here when we had time. I felt like she would enjoy herself.


    Deep in the Calm, I found it. The trail split off, one leading back to the city and one leading over a magnificent arch bridge made ou7t of stone. It was about twenty feet long over a pond that appeared to be a great place for fishing. The Green Union building was on the other side.


    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 the item in question 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 was a large building but 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. Thorny vines 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 retrieve my Hilt of Holding 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 in the structure. 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 thorns on her arms into my face.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    I ducked low and 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, causing the wound to go numb.


    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.¡±


    A 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 ruled 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 was running out of 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 commanded after I thumbed the rune and activated my next blade. The two foot long blade that appeared was drenched in an icy 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 sharp spikes and scratched my metal shield, constantly breaking only to regrow. 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 couldn¡¯t allow it to 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 grunted from the pain, not allowing her more than that. 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 face remained emotionless 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¡ª¡± 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

    I decided it wasn¡¯t the right time halfway through the trip to the Adventurer Consortium¡¯s Athir branch location. 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.¡±


    I didn¡¯t let my eyes close no matter how much they wanted to. 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 slightly slurred in her sleep deprived state.


    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, 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.¡±


    ¡°What about Moose and Cojisto?¡±


    ¡°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. Moose and Cojisto 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>


    I left the Tall Tree Tav with a bagel in one hand and the report in the other. 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 crowds 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 had an effect. 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.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Apparently, he was quite impressive. Given the fact that he was literally a magic moose, I had to agree with her.


    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. That was the important thing.


    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 all over. 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. It was always sad to see.


    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 willing to sign 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 belonged to. 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 of apartments 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 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,¡± I reiterated since he hadn¡¯t confirmed it before.


    ¡°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 dead,¡± 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 challenged.


    ¡°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 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.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°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. Grandfather Red¡¯s been around ages.¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    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 mused. I might have thought him an uncaring imbecile, but at least he had some knowledge. ¡°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. We went there only to find 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 that I could only get while here.


    ¡°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 recall correctly, 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 is a constant pain in the ass.¡±


    ¡°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 shook her head at my question. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with Head Adv¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come off it, Tara,¡± Dorostreff interrupted 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 appeared to have been 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. ¡°So you know, Inspector, I¡¯m the one that closes out a file when it¡¯s that dungeon¡¯s time. 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.


    A 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 whose 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 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 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 pocket. 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 slim piece of wood.


    ¡°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 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 that had a name plate belonging to the Half-Elf sat prominently on the corner. 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 time 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 incapable of brevity, 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.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Taramelle¡¯s was next. Hers was smaller and far more professional. 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.


    The last was that of the 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 pissed me off further.


    Reaching up and pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed. ¡°Taramelle, how long have you been working as the Chief Records Officer here?¡± 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.


    The process used to be overseen by the DoD, but had been given to the Consortium to make sure the department never got too powerful. That was a decision that was made long before I was even born, and I agreed with it; whoever controlled the resources could help or harm the market as they saw fit.


    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 usually 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 some signatures 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 that the one who forged it is unfamiliar with how Tara usually does it. Whoever did this signature likely stopped to look at whatever they¡¯re copying from. Just a second 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.


    ¡°That¡¯s highly irresponsible,¡± 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. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 started to dissipate.


    ¡°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, returning my attention to the documents. ¡°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. She 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 warmly. ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy for you to get into these kinds of things with anyone, 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, raising an eyebrow. That was longer than anyone assumed they needed.


    ¡°Yup,¡± 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 chaos.


    ¡°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 kill 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 dungeons 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 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.¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°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 going through 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.¡±


    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 Brackenhorst¡¯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¡ª¡±


    ¡°Which we saw as a possibility,¡± she quickly added.


    ¡°We did,¡± I conceded. ¡°Between 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. ¡°Dorostreff is a very popular figure in Athir, especially with the adventurers. He has a lot of power backing him." I scowled, and he clicked his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t you make that face at me. 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 keep Badger from jumping into a fire?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to jump into a fire,¡± I huffed. ¡°I¡¯m just pointing out that 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, sorry. 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.¡±


    Brackenhorst 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 personal 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 and the Dungeon Master¡¯s strange magic,¡± 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.


    ¡°Okay, so they were here officially. Now who was here 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?¡± 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 can¡¯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. 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 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 cure him 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 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 assistants 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 comfortable 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 an Elvish translator 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 after finishing up our request,¡± I said as I realigned the folders he had touched.


    Their contract work with the DoD 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 out of habit, but stopped myself. He was here specifically 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.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°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¡¯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¡ª¡± I cut myself 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 to its owner.¡±


    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 at the tone in my voice.


    ¡°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.


    I was enjoying it immensely. Before Tabs and I moved to New Frausta, this was the kind of environment 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 reveal a huge, ancient mining site.


    The quarry was unnaturally dark and gloomy despite the unobstructed sun. A wide pit at least as large as a village spread from tree line to tree line. 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.


    My route was 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 a hard rule. 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 shoulder-length, bone white hair, everything about her screamed nobility and power.


    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, her gaze intense as she looked at me. ¡°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 the Doorknocker 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. It would have been in poor taste, though I assure you that we would have remained civil. Please, come in. We 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 poorly.


    ¡°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 fine,¡± 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¡ªmost of which were started by the Forest Elves¡ªthey 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.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    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.


    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 to be certain, but they are skilled 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 explained.


    ¡°Oh my, how marvelous,¡± Akshashka said, a sadistic smile blooming on her lips. ¡°I must admit, 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?¡± she asked. "The First Daughter 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 her magic obeyed. ¡°Come to me in the garden,¡± she ordered 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 are.¡±


    ¡°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 comparable 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,¡± Akshashka nearly purred, and she nodded. ¡°I was hoping that she was your reason for coming here. 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¡ª I mean, doing so well with the errant adventurers finding their way into our home.¡±


    I stood up and turned to greet the newcomer. Dalsarel 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 anxious.¡±


    ¡°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, like she had to get it all out. ¡°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 keep a few archers safe in the back, and I¡¯m on the front lines.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ve been doing well,¡± I said, gaining a smile from the young woman. ¡°Please, continue with your story.¡±


    ¡°Right. I was practicing my forms when 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 had all the mobility one would expect a hand to have.


    ¡°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¡ª¡± 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 a Forest Elf, I would be out of line 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 location.¡±


    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 the dungeon,¡± she continued, her voice growing more energetic. ¡°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 if it¡¯s the place I¡¯m thinking then it used to be a dungeon over a hundred years back,¡± I explained, ignoring the flattery.


    ¡°That¡¯s exciting,¡± Dalsarel sighed dreamily. 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.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°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?¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    After a quick squeeze 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 First Daughter spoke the moment the door closed. ¡°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. May I?¡± I asked, gesturing towards her hand. She offered it to me. First I looked it over before I took it in both of mine, testing it. The wood was smooth, but unyielding when I pressed. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°No, Inspector,¡± she answered.


    I turned her hand over, checking the knuckles. They bent with no issues despite being a solid piece. ¡°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 answered. ¡°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 laughed, 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¡­ could work?¡± 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, as you¡¯ve already guessed, 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, hmm. I believe the name in Imperial Standard would be Boulder In A Whirlwind. 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 translate to 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. ¡°It stuck thorns into my hand when I picked it up. My skin absorbed it and, by the time 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 bloomed in my mind. 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 spoke 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 she wasn''t willing to share just yet, I told her about the Dark Elf Quarry.


    Dalsarel was, indeed, a powerhouse far 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 Moose and Cojisto 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 we need to go over. 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 asked instead, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, stifling her enthusiasm. ¡°It was just another failed attempt.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not all winners, but it¡¯s good 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 made a difference,¡± 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, grinning.


    ¡°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 insisted with a scowl. ¡°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, an energy funnel, and a 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.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°I wholly believe they wouldn¡¯t think someone like me could come up with something like that,¡± 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 and 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.¡±


    ¡°Mana Oversaturation is 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 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 mana already in use,¡± I stated, understanding her reasoning. ¡°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 our research division 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 constructed inside and around old trees. They were built to house whole generations and, given how long Elves lived, there were many 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 hypothesized, 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. I handed her the failed Automatic Map after placing my quill back in my Pocket. ¡°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 area 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 met us at the entrance. He offered me a nod, but lit up with a dazzling smile when his eyes met Ferrisdae¡¯s.


    ¡°Welcome, Dungeon Inspectors,¡± he greeted 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. ¡°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 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¡ªand that was the only word I could have used for it¡ªwas 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, there were surprisingly few 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.


    ¡°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 practice music in some form or another. 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.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 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 they 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 I was briefing Dungeon Inspector Badger while 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¡±


    ¡°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 are 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?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°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 and how supportive you are,¡± I said, continuing to keep my voice even despite the disrespect I was being shown. ¡°However, I will not stand for any baseless accusations. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. 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 inspector 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 explained, 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.


    ¡°Official Department of Dungeon 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. Plus, I don''t think she got you assigned to me; if she really knew who I was, then she never would have made that accusation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed slowly. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m going to the Consortium to get your maps, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To make a deal with a devil,¡± I answered 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 away from everyone else. 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.


    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 to secretly look into Carimella Rose and her dealings seemed to have 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 care. 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 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.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°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 a small 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 the DoD missed it,¡± 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 due to luck that we were there.¡±


    ¡°While we weren¡¯t prepared, Danella is a worshiper of a sea goddess,¡± 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 communing, 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. ¡°But 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, could smash 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 them 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, really 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. When we went our separate ways, 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. 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 everyone except Maribelle 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. Ferrisdae had traveled with me this way three times so far. 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. ¡°To actually answer the question, 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 towards the bottom of 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, both on and 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 his 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. Hundreds of 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 was even more 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 chaos was already trying to take advantage of the increase of magic all over the continent, 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.


    I had also gotten something new out of the situation.


    ¡°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 former to the west and the latter 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.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    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.¡±


    ¡°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 left over 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 piece of charcoal 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 located. 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 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, hold on a second,¡± she said as I was about to feed her another name and position. ¡°Is this a ritual circle? Badger, what¡ª¡±


    ¡°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.


    ¡°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 the cult. 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. ¡°Some kind of dungeon summoning, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Is she coming back?¡± Ferrisdae asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to try, but we¡¯re going to stop her,¡± I answered 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, gods damnit,¡± Sophia growled.


    I scowled at her interruption. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here, you know,¡± I chastised 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 rest 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¡ª¡± 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°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 haven¡¯t seen him since I sent him off, great,¡± 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 tails would have started glowing. 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 the wizard¡¯s trail. They¡¯ve been playing cat and mouse and it¡¯s been, according to her, a real thrill. 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 sighed, sounding every bit as old as he looked. ¡°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 his apprentices, every third day,¡± he answered. ¡°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. We¡¯re still not sure how it¡¯s active in a magic-starved zone.¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°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. Things they¡¯d been preparing for are now viable because the mana¡¯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?¡± Sophia asked. ¡°To help CC, I mean.¡±


    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.¡±


    ¡°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 offered. ¡°Has the Director been able to get any more out of him?¡±


    ¡°Quite a few things,¡± 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. The deities have been pushing hard for it, though.¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°This is bigger than I thought.¡± 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¡ªthat¡¯s part of the job¡ªbut 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 grabbed 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 wasn¡¯t 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, damnit,¡± Sophia cursed.


    ¡°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 loudly 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 fighting Cojisto. We had appeared in front of him; I could tell that from his labored breathing and his surprised gasp at our appearance.


    I strategically 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 weapon was longer than it was when I fought her, more akin to a spear 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 chilly blue aura, and the air around it became so cold 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 when I was pushed against a 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 humanoid piece of wood 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 the enemies 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 a puppy-like manner before laughing. ¡°Challenge accepted.¡±


    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 Blackwood Queen 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.


    She 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. She raised her thorn like a club. In return, I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her off the ground.


    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.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    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, pressing her thorn against 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.


    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 lesser 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 of us 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.


    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.


    In addition, Dalsarel was there, unconscious. She had injuries consistent with the kind of damage Cojisto put out. Because she wasn¡¯t in the dungeon, destroying it was going to be very easy. Her presence led to many questions, but they weren¡¯t the only ones.


    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 slicing upward 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 in surprise. There was no doubt 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 seemed 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 man 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 can¡¯t, I¡¯ve teleported too much today,¡± 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 pieces of the corpse 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¡ª¡± I stopped myself, shaking my head. ¡°My 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 agreed 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 open 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 depending on the occasion.


    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 gotten 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 things, 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 Chaos. 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¡ª 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?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid question. 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 quill 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.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Okay, so, let¡¯s start with the 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.¡±


    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 indignantly. ¡°It was the dungeon being tricky, not us being lost. Every time we went in we¡¯d get turned around. Not physically, but 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 trailed off, 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 what 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 her 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 the DTER instills in people just like the Dungeonborns can. 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 was 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¡ªAbara¡ªwas 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 gestured an affirmative, 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. 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,¡± 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.


    Cojisto snorted in amusement. ¡°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 their 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 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 stifled a yawn before looking around with him.


    Alashroe, home of the Dwarves, was situated on top of, around, and inside of a mountain that looked like a multi-tiered pyramid. The Mage¡¯s Guild tower was situated near a sheer drop overlooking 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 centuries ago, but the styles had diverged over time. This was yet another area of contention between the two nations.


    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 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 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.¡± The Dwarf winked at me like she wasn¡¯t twice my age.


    ¡°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 until he ended on acceptance.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°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 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. It looked like the Thousand Year Blizzard¡¯s end had made the flow more powerful than it was the last time I was here.


    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 down the mountain. 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 mana,¡± 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 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 need 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 mana 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 consider keeping 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. I jumped and dove into the water. The rapids grabbed me, but they were shallow enough that I could ride them. Behind me, I heard the adventurer 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 Laroda. 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 it was appreciated.


    ¡°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 it should be more comfortable for him.¡±


    ¡°Lots of beasts 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. Cojisto would have undoubtedly complained about that if we weren¡¯t in our current situation.


    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 rest of the city came into view shortly after. A long wall surrounded Laroda, protecting it from the harsh desert winds.


    We rode 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?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°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.¡±


    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 mirrors and the sun¡¯s light 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 shade 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. The citizens, mostly Dwarves, came and went, grabbing pots and jars of water from the twin waterways that flowed from the center of the city.


    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 unraveled. All the rapport we had built up simply crumbled without warning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡± 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 have 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 adventurer 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. Nice 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 conference room that looked like it hadn¡¯t been touched in years. Old boxes littered the room from the long table in the center to the four corners, but they were covered in dust. 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 quite a while,¡± 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 have our privacy. 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 team 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. There was no need for 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.


    To his credit, Justisius was much calmer and more 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 was a matter of personal pride that he 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 also 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. Brackenhorst hadn¡¯t said anything about them, but Justisius went through a long list of issues they had caused. 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; I expected the royal family, father included, to at least know the basics of magic outside of their realm. Reality was oftentimes disappointing.


    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 dancers 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 he 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 the dungeon. Kabare had taken up almost an entire wing of the palace. Though Justisius had seen most of it, he had never been allowed on the fourth and highest floor. Those rooms could only be accessed from the third floor. The layout was meant to give the visiting nobility 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¡ªand she was going to be safe¡ªI thought about purchasing a book about the history of the building.


    I felt the DTER immediately as we transitioned into the wing¡¯s entryway. There really was a full-fledged dungeon sitting in the middle of the Laroda Jareet Desert. I knew there had to be since Justisius wouldn¡¯t have been here otherwise, but the logical side of my mind had told me that it was impossible.


    Now, I had all the proof I needed to believe. I started looking around, mentally cataloging the area.


    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.


    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 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. You all are a part of a miracle, and some people need to see to believe.¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    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.


    The urge to frown was high, but I resisted it. ¡°I am keeping my face neutral,¡± I whispered back.


    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 their lightweight armor was 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. There was 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¡¯ve 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 easily. ¡°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 relationship? Am I not to be one of your trusted allies?¡±


    ¡°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 announced enthusiastically. His men bristled at the term. ¡°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. Not at all the man I expected.¡±


    I bit the inside of my cheek and managed to keep my mouth shut.


    ¡°I would not do that if I were you,¡± Justisius warned, his eyes now firmly on me and his voice quick. ¡°His bite is worse than your most dangerous snake.¡±


    The Dwarf laughed. ¡°But what is life without thrill, Inspector?¡± he asked. ¡°The blonde girl 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 whispered 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, flexing my fingers. Having a sword in my hand would have been preferable.


    That put a dangerous look in the exile¡¯s eyes for a moment as his aura became redder, 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 the exiled son.


    ¡°I am busy, Damartan,¡± Kabare said, holding up a hand as he turned 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.


    If this was how he acted in an ambush, then he made for a piss poor dungeon boss.


    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 rookies ushered the minister out of the room. I passed by the two Humans as they fought and retreated at the same time. Justisius 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 open 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 shout, 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 lamented with a sigh. He was watching the minister exchange hushed, heated words with Kabare. His juniors were 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 find 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 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.¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever that simple, Badger,¡± Justisius retorted.


    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 palace to get into. It used to be a vault for visiting diplomats to store their valuables.¡±


    ¡°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 for 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 specific 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 your deaths are worth 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.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°I do!¡± Damartan answered quickly. ¡°He was the one who helped Pri- um, the exile learn about dungeons and created this one.¡±


    ¡°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.


    ¡°For prisoners, I was told,¡± he answered. ¡°The two Elven women and the moose, though the cages were there before they arrived.¡±


    ¡°His name is Moose,¡± Cojisto huffed.


    ¡°Moose the¡­ moose?¡±


    ¡°Yes, 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 after our fight.¡±


    ¡°If she thought Abara 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 guards 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 if she¡¯s not evil, 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 visiting 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.¡±


    ¡°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 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 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 open it with his tricks.¡±


    ¡°Can anyone else use magic here?¡± I asked. ¡°Or just Abara?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted, frowning 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 mana. 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, and he tried that. ¡°It¡¯s sealed tight,¡± he stated before 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± 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 the 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,¡± the adventurer 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 it belonged to Moose, or Dalsarel, 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 to see¡ªEH!¡±


    She squealed as I pulled her down into a hug. At first, the Elf 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.


    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 snapped. 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 glared 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 explained. ¡°Some of our magical crystals become green when they¡¯ve had excessive 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 mana like crazy, enough to continually fill my wellspring as if I wasn¡¯t 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 simply has 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 mana 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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, undoubtedly 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 the green ones 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, holding up a hand. ¡°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 glanced at each other before nodding. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what we¡¯re hypothesizing,¡± my junior confirmed.


    ¡°Well then, 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. While the Department of Dungeons did have a claim to it, I doubted the Sultan would see it that way. This was his opportunity to have more than just a single room where magic infused items could be stored. If it were smaller we could probably get away with it, but there was no way we were getting this out of the vault without a lot of help.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Justisius winced, and I could tell he came to the same conclusion I did. ¡°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 if he had something that would give him unfettered access to mana then he¡¯d learn. Still, let me worry about that. It seems there¡¯s plenty of other things worth going through here.¡±


    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 mana 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.¡±


    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 chose to go along with them. 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 dearly 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 thing. ¡°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 adventurer 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 before a disgusted look crossed her face. ¡°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. ¡°He had 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 guy got distracted, Badger leapt over a fountain, grabbed him, lifted him up, and, before anyone could react at the sheer audacity this man is capable of, started running for the exit. Justisius and I stopped any interceptors, and Kabare 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. The mundane ones, I mean. 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 answered, shaking her head. ¡°He disappeared after swapping out the Thornguard. 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 gather all these documents. Ferrisdae, Dalsarel, if either of you see anything urgent, call it out, but otherwise just skim. Moose, Cojisto, 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 exercises I had learned from wandering witches that spoke in riddles. Not magic, but more a state of mind kind of thing. It stopped being effective if you had to keep using it over and over again, but it hadn¡¯t gotten 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 a 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¡ªit was the continental language for a reason¡ªbut many of the notes and what appeared to be manuscripts and essays were written in an alphabet we didn¡¯t understand. 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 my past 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 adventurer, 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. That¡¯s what I¡¯m assuming he did, anyway.¡±


    ¡°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 Moose 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.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    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.


    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 filled with 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 abruptly stopped when the DTER went away. 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 the Gnome 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, it¡¯s 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 work.¡±


    ¡°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, shortly after it became dark, 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 full of sun-heated sand would likely kill him if he had to make a trip during the day.


    Our guides, a pair of Dwarves named Hatenbrow and Kitzkin, had been against the idea of traversing the desert at night until we greased their palms with a few additional coins, and after that they were full of advice and wisdom. We purchased extra clothes with thick layers to help retain 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 vehicle 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.


    The fact that it was working even in an area like this surprised me, but I wasn¡¯t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.


    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 or trying to conserve heat. Cojisto opted to ride Moose, keeping his friend company. None of us argued with that. Expected it, really.


    It wasn¡¯t long into the ride when I sighed and put down the paper I was reading to examine 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,¡± 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.¡±


    ¡°I very likely will,¡± I agreed. ¡°I do think that speaking with your mother will 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 offensively 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, was 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 a temporary one. Ferrisdae had an exceedingly 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.¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡ª¡± she began, but I held a hand up and she stopped.


    ¡°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. It would need a huge source of mana for its magical ignition, but I didn¡¯t doubt that amber crystal would do 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 of Chaos 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¡ªWait, 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 probably 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 everyone 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¡­¡± I trailed off, pursing my lips as I tried to smooth out the paper I crumpled.


    ¡°Badger, that¡¯s awful,¡± Ferrisdae said.


    ¡°Yeah. If anything¡¯s happened to my family, then there¡¯ll 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.


    Hatenbrow and Kitzkin had earned their 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.


    I finished recharging my sword with one of my spare magic crystals. My shield was next, imbuing it with just enough mana to change it back into its buckler form before strapping the crystal on with a string so that it would continue the transfer.


    The moment Hatenbrow told us that we crossed out of magic-starved land, 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, and I certainly didn¡¯t envy the animal. Not only was his magic stripped away, but 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 translated. ¡°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 clicked my tongue. ¡°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 by a single colossal dot,¡± he answered solemnly.


    I stumbled on the next step, nearly falling, but managed to catch myself as gracefully as I could. ¡°As in, there¡¯s a bunch of dungeons that suddenly appeared?¡±


    ¡°No, Badger, as in the entirety of the country has been 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. Whatever happened, Abara must have shifted tactics.


    ¡°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.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°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.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Like with ice? Or¡ª¡±


    ¡°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. He wanted to check on things after hearing that something was suspicious so close to his cousin¡¯s dungeon, so 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 muttered.


    ¡°He went on to say that Athir was under his control and that the dungeon he created was powered by a source the likes of which we had never seen before,¡± he continued.


    ¡°That, at least, should be the truth,¡± I sighed. ¡°While we were in the palace, there was a tall, amber magical crystal that provided enough mana to keep a medium-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.¡±


    ¡°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¡ª¡± 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, is 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¡¯ll 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 portaling 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 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 returned, 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, pointing back at me as she copied my body language.


    ¡°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 protested.


    ¡°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 some 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 appearance of a Human woman, that wasn¡¯t what she was. When we had met, she had called herself an artificial intelligence. An Information Elemental, specifically. 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. While it is a process that I am struggling with, 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 as 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.


    ¡°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 answered 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 explained. ¡°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 angrily shouted. ¡°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 it worse. ¡°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 simplest 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.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    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 remnants of herself in the dungeon.


    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 given me access to 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 explained. ¡°Every time you are subjected to 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 replied. ¡°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 stated as if it weren¡¯t a horrifying thought. ¡°It takes the things you really need to know and lets you know them, but if it happens too often 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 when there is 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¡¯m just saying, Badger. 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 days for most,¡± Himia continued. ¡°However, your magical affinity makes things different. The knowledge lasts longer. It is likely because of the dungeon that spawned around you when you were¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 talking 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, what are you doing?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°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,¡± 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.¡±


    Ferrisdae 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. Sophia would have had to make two trips in order to get Moose back to New Frausta without the extra power given by the Mage¡¯s Guild tower. 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 could 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, she 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 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 satisfactory 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.


    ¡°Yes, 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 feeling of sheer dread that 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 rancid.¡±


    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 arrived at 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 with a book in one hand and a mug 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.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    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.


    ¡°Badger, those¡ª¡± Ferrisdae started.


    ¡°Yeah, those are runes,¡± I answered.


    A peal of thunder boomed through the city, and another bolt of lightning fell miles away to the east. 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. Whatever Abara had planned, he was doing quick work.


    And then, it clicked, and a primal, almost instinctual fear almost caused 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 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 raised 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 would 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 meant 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 greeted 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 an 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¡ªthis whole, brilliant thing¡ªand 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 home when she was possessing Carimella Rose, she said she was going to burn everything to the ground,¡± I told him as I pulled a potion from 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 corrected. ¡°And she¡¯s going to find him and reintroduce the world to a brand new golden age. Most of the inventions we enjoy today could be traced back to him, you know.¡±


    ¡°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 then 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. Her, 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¡ª¡±


    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 whipped up called the Trifecta. Every Inspector got one 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. Boosting my strength and reflexes was a must since I didn¡¯t have magic of my own. Energy surged through my body like the lightning I had just dodged, powerful and 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 had a single effect, 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 caught off guard, 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. Abara had used this spell to great effect back in the Karst of Vile Spores. Cojisto thought it was 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 weapon.


    ¡°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 moving at top speed. 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 as if the portal hadn¡¯t been there.


    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.


    When Abara 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 but 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. I remained calm and focused, but it was hard not to get frustrated. 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.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    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.


    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, only Abara¡¯s ability to pass through them was affected. 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¡ª¡± 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 to pull her leg free. Her attempts were failing, 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 calm 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; imbibing 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. I thought Abara¡¯s spell would turn off at some point, 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. 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 not backing down. 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 stuttered.


    ¡°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, my voice barely heard over the roaring fire. ¡°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 wept. I didn¡¯t blame her for her weakness. In fact, I had even been there before, back when I had lost my status as a paladin. 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 so much together in such a short time. The bond we had was forged in the fires of adversity, not unlike a proper adventuring party. Like Reliable Rhodes.


    It didn¡¯t take long before my faith was vindicated.


    ¡°NO!¡± Ferrisdae yelled. Her voice was full of emotion straight from her core¡ªpain, panic, rage¡ªbut 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¡ª¡±


    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 split them. There was 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.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re pissing me off!¡± 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 their light, almost see through robes 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 the Nymphs of the sea. Unlike some of their kind, they weren¡¯t solitary creatures. They liked to live in settlements and come onto land for trade. 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.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Freeze,¡± I commanded.


    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 erupted from behind.


    No, not just a geyser; the previously still river itself was heading in my direction. It flowed 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 blocked the worst of it, the water crashing around me, and I was sent flying back. From behind my shield, I saw Ferrisdae fire off another Shooting Star, but this one was stopped 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. Leaping, I managed to get out 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 an Undine would, allowing him to control the river. 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 their prey 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 raging river to stop, leaving the ground wet and slippery as time froze it once more. 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 screeched. ¡°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 grunt 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 water rising off of the ground.


    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 to 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 flame consumed us both. Abara oozed to the ground, screeching. It took me a moment to get my bearings. I looked down to see 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 reply was a nervous laugh. 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 wall 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 changed back to its true 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 the Mimic.


    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¡ª¡±


    I got even less of the sentence out than I did last time, and a magnificent 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 called rude. 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 any 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 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. It appeared as though 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 before he lowered his head in apology. ¡°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 only the goddess herself. I was going to have to get used to them eventually, and I might as well start that now.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°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 and wellbeing 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.¡±


    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. 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 her work past that mental block.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, goddess. It is tolerable,¡± 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 many things could happen when divinity was involved.


    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 as if gently placed. 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 the one.


    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 cover her eyes 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 shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you come over here!¡±


    ¡°No, your time is up,¡± I replied, not stopping my approach.


    Abara turned back into its 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 still twitched. 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 from cover 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 un¡ª¡±


    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 needed to 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 much effort 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, fighting spirit, or red hot rage, they were attacks much stronger than its wielder would be normally be capable of. 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 at my foe in a crisp horizontal slash. My blade sliced through the air, hitting nothing. A moment passed as the world caught up with what I had just done.


    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 before stopping, caught by the Endless Moment. Abara¡¯s body was sliced into several pieces as the true recipient of the attack, 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 tree line 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 ran up the magic crystal to the perfectly cut wall before jumping. 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 sent 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 smiting.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    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.


    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 my hair, 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.


    Abara¡¯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?¡±


    Ferrisdae 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.¡±


    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    I was already in motion when she had said no. Raising my sword, I imbued it with divinity 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 disappeared quickly as if I had lit a fuse, 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. Behind us, the sound of the Green Union roof hitting the trees reached us along with the roar of the river as it replaced its missing section.


    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 murmured, 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¡ª¡± 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 cried.


    ¡°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 sobbed 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 said. ¡°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 suddenly nighttime, so get your family to help squash that. Got it?¡±


    Ferrisdae stood up straight and nodded, wiping away her tears. ¡°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 the injured and dead 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.


    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 mid-step.


    Despite her wounds, there was still fight in her. A fire I hadn¡¯t seen in ages blazed in her eyes. I listened, but kept a grip tight on my blade, 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 that cleaved through one of the kitchen¡¯s islands, 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. I arched an eyebrow, glancing towards my wife, but she was looking past me. ¡°I am almost done here, if¡ª¡±


    ¡°Badger!¡± a booming voice interrupted 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 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, but they 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 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 oftentimes 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¡ª¡±


    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 all 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 had a simple explanation considering Sticky had called Ulrich his lord and the runes tattooed onto 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 chuckled. ¡°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 replied, 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?"


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°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 gestured for us to sit 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 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, they were 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 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¡ª¡±


    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 with a smug grin. ¡°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 of power, 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 released Britear and threw her arms around me. I was brought back to the present, and I let go of 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 very quickly. 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 of Chaos 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 wandered the city instead of heading 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 could 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 both the Royal Tower and the Mage¡¯s Guild tower, but every desk was filled. Everyone worked on whatever was needed to ensure that things were documented 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 waiting as well. 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 answered quietly.


    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. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    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 her. ¡°Give me your hand,¡± I said, holding up my own. Confused, she placed her good hand in mine. ¡°The other one.¡±


    Slowly, she switched. I looked down on it with a critical eye. Anyone giving Dalsarel 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 answered, 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. I wasn¡¯t concerned about the feeling of emptiness as I reached the end of my power. Her energy would come back to me, but only with time.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    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 Dalsarel 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.


    ¡°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, sitting down as the last of the energy left me. ¡°Okay, that was a little too much. Probably should have waited, but here I am getting all sentimental. Ferrisdae has not been 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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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 whispered.


    ¡°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. 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 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 magical 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 approached, her footsteps soft against the ground. She was back in her usual spellcasting outfit and fiddled with the wand at her hip. 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 all right and to tell the guards, the Consortium... everyone needed to keep order after 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. She wouldn¡¯t stop prying, trying to figure out what was wrong. 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 last part was technically classified information, but I didn¡¯t say that. What she told her mother was her own business.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t go through everything, though. Some things I just couldn¡¯t get out,¡± she whispered mournfully, staring absently at the sky. ¡°I really wanted to let her have it. Channel my inner Badger and scream about how she shouldn¡¯t be sending money to the place I work to get me into better positions. 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 scoffed. ¡°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 goodbye.¡±


    ¡°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. ¡°She had to go and help clean up the mess Abara made and help restore order, and she just hugged me before she went.¡±


    ¡°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.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to say anything important, though!¡± Ferrisdae exclaimed. ¡°I told her what happened in the blizzard, and then we had to part ways. I didn¡¯t even try to stop her. She would have stayed behind, too. I know she would have. Letting her go was the easy way out. I¡¯ve read so many books where the plot could be solved by simple communication and I always rolled my eyes at how contrived it seemed, but now that it¡¯s happening to me I finally understand how hard it can be!¡±


    ¡°To be fair, you Elves are the kings and queens of miscommunication,¡± I joked. ¡°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.¡±


    ¡°Do not.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it might get cleared up with one conversation.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Right?¡±


    There was a worrying pause before 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 with a playful pitifulness.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll stop trying to cheer up my junior,¡± I said, waving a hand as I cataloged that pause for later. ¡°I¡¯m glad you managed to break through your self-doubt to help me, though. You really did save the day.¡±


    Ferrisdae snorted. ¡°Please. You had becoming a paladin just sitting there in your back pocket this whole time. You could have done it on your own.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true, and maybe it isn¡¯t,¡± I said, waving my hand. ¡°But there was still a very good chance that Abara would have eaten me when I wasn¡¯t expecting it. We¡¯ll never know what might have happened, all we know is what did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose,¡± she conceded. ¡°I do feel a lot better in regards to my self-confidence, at least.¡±


    ¡°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 with a smile. Then, I frowned as I remembered how Durendrelle had basically called me out as someone who was making her daughter uncomfortable. ¡°Did you manage to set the record straight that I didn¡¯t do anything to you other than be my usual, cheerful self?¡±


    Ferrisdae chuckled at the way I described myself. ¡°Yeah, I told her how great you were past all your rough edges,¡± she replied. ¡°Mother did know about your time as the Nameless and wanted me to get paired up with you, by the way. She was surprised when she found out that I knew.¡±


    ¡°So she did want me to be your mentor?¡± I asked.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, and she even requested it. As for why, 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.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    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.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the woman continued. ¡°Because all it proved was that she was in contact with Brackenhorst while I was trying to get into the DoD. She might have not made a demand of him, but that shows she still has influence.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Ferry, I¡¯m going to say something, and I want you to actually hear me for once.¡±


    ¡°Badger?¡± she asked softly, looking down at me.


    ¡°Brackenhorst himself told me that you¡¯re a diamond, how he vetted you himself,¡± I said. ¡°How he thinks of you isn¡¯t anything new. I told you in your own home how impressed he was by the work you had done and he hadn¡¯t even read the report about Krad and Sevensleg. I¡¯ve told you what I¡¯ve thought of you. However, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had time to let it sink in.¡±


    I shifted in my seat to better look at her. ¡°You may think I¡¯m soft, but I¡¯ve had 13 different juniors foisted on me in the last five years alone before they decided to stop trying,¡± I said, causing her to tilt her head as she processed my words. ¡°Now, I generally get put on subjugations because I seek them out. Not only do they allow me extra time with my family, but they¡¯re also work that needs doing. Important. You were on one, so you understand.¡±


    ¡°Razorbeak could have hurt a lot more people, yeah.¡±


    ¡°When I get a rookie, I need them to be someone smart, tenacious, and strong. They need to know the rules of engagement as well as those required of a Dungeon Inspector. They need to be able to watch my back. I need to be able to trust them enough to bring them home to my family. Before, I never had. There was always something missing. You?¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°I was ready to trust you before we left Krad, and, honestly, I didn¡¯t like that.¡±


    The Elf looked back down at her staff, a smile on her face as she fidgeted with her robe. She was obviously pleased by that. ¡°That kind of makes you sound like you¡¯re soft, Badger.¡±


    ¡°Not soft. If you didn¡¯t have it, you¡¯d be in the same place as the others. I recognized that you had what it took to thrive in this position. That when the chips were down, you would have my back.¡± I reached over and placed my hand on her arm. ¡°You delivered on that. It does not matter if your mother got your foot in the door. Now that you¡¯re here, it¡¯s my choice. Your fate at the DoD is in my hands.


    ¡°And, you know what? Even without your magic, I would have fought tooth and nail to keep you on as my apprentice. Sure, I wasn¡¯t lying about sidelining you if you couldn¡¯t keep up, but then we had to deal with Abara and I had to eat my words. But you are a prodigy, and not because your family paid your way in. I recognize that in you. That¡¯s why I pushed you, and that¡¯s why I took all that unnecessary damage from the Burning Hands variant so you could find yourself again.¡±


    The smile on her face faltered. ¡°You did what?¡±


    ¡°That whole name thing?¡± I asked, smiling. ¡°Meant to push you. And you delivered.¡±


    ¡°Badger, that was a horrible moment for me!¡± she protested, crossing her arms. ¡°Do you realize how upset I was?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I did it,¡± I told her flatly. ¡°Because I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me die. Kid, you are great. You think you¡¯re in your family¡¯s shadow, but honestly you put them all to shame. And I should know; I had plenty of time to read up on them while we were in quarantine.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡± she whispered, looking down at where I was still touching her arm.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you about something this important, Ferry,¡± I answered. ¡°You¡¯re not just a junior inspector; you¡¯re my junior inspector. If anyone wants to take you from me, then they¡¯re going to have to step over my bureaucratic corpse for you. You¡¯re already family approved and you know my real name. If that doesn¡¯t show you how important you are, then I really don¡¯t know what will.¡±


    ¡°So that really was your real name?¡±


    ¡°Tabs can confirm it tonight.¡±


    Ferrisdae considered it for a moment before her smile reappeared on her lips. ¡°That does make me feel better, Badger, thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I guess I just couldn¡¯t believe it before.¡±


    ¡°But you do now?¡± I asked, wanting to make sure.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah. The whole thing is just a huge weight off my chest. I¡¯m really sorry about how my self-doubt 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?¡±


    ¡°Two things,¡± I said, holding up that many fingers. ¡°First, what we did with Abara is being counted as a subjugation, so I 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 slightly.


    ¡°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 butt 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 simmer 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 enough 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¡­ No, I definitely am,¡± she concluded decisively. ¡°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 mentioned that 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 received 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, Tabitha doubled down on the whole adoption thing recently,¡± I said. ¡°After everything we¡¯ve gone through, she wants to put it back on the table.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you put my adult adoption back on the table just because I¡¯m having trouble communicating with my mother,¡± she replied, amused. I glanced at her, and she tilted her head. ¡°Wait. It¡¯s still off the table, right?¡±


    I said nothing, looking ahead as we walked.


    ¡°Liam,¡± she whispered, her voice 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.¡±

 The Future of Dungeon Inspector

    Salutations, readers! I come bearing news.


    Back in chapter 100, I mentioned not to expect book 3 until the second half of 2025. I did this so I could have time to plan, plot, and work on Courier Quest 2. With 100th Run dropping 3 chapters a week, I also felt like I needed to get a good backlog in on that. Then I got sick, and it was a whole thing.


    Now I can come in and tell you to sod the expectations, Dungeon Inspector book 3 starts on March 17th! Then I''m going to post every Wednesday after that. We are going back to a once a week schedule, but depending on my backlog at the time I reserve the right to drop extras on occasion. As one does.


    March 17th is also the release date for Dungeon Inspector on Amazon! The link to the pre-order page is down in the author''s note, and for now I''m only putting the first book up. The second still needs a lot of editing done to it that I''ll be getting to eventually, but I''m looking to have it published in about... 2-4 months. That seems doable.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Right now there is no audio, but depending on how well it sells there''s always the chance for Royal Guard Publishing, the same people who did an amazing job on my Courier Quest, to pick it up.


    If I can make a request, it would be for my readers to help share Dungeon Inspector around. It''s not LitRPG or Progression Fantasy (and I was actually advised to rewrite it as a LitRPG, but I felt like the story wouldn''t be enhanced by a system) so I can''t advertise it in as many places as I did my other stories. Word of mouth proved critical for Courier and it was selling strong for months, so I was hoping y''all could help out.


    That being said, it would just be a nice gesture. I don''t expect anything from anyone, so don''t feel like you have to. If all you want to do is enjoy the story, then I got you. That is what we''re here for!


    Thank you all for helping me get this far. 800 followers on a story like this is better than a lot of authors get out there, and I always appreciate all of you!