An hour ago, Selica and the girls were still planning on how they would tackle the test they are in. ”You know,” Gallian speaks up after they’ve formulated their “drilling through a hole in the hill” plan. “There’s a slight problem regarding the “Mirage” plan.” ”Don’t be such a contrarian Gallian,” Selica immediately responds, “Just because it’s Ashlin’s idea that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

“No no! That’s not what I meant!” Gallian immediately stands up and gives an apologetic look at Ashlin. Ashlin is quite surprised that she is actually being apologetic for once. “I mean the problem is these are Silencers, and from where I came from, they usually carry those pendant things that let’s them detect magic. So even if we wear their garbs, they can still determine that we are mages.” There’s a brief silence before Ashlin could respond. “But aren’t they magical? So the rain could have stopped them.

Gallian sit back again after a good sigh of relieve, “I mean yeah, but they are small and these Silencers are wearing some heavy clothes. So there’s a good chance they can keep in dry enough for it to work.” She looks at Selica who has now mellowed out from her previous accusation. “It’s just a possibility.” ”And a very real possibility as well.” Ashlin agrees with Gallian’s concern, Selica notices that aside from their snarky remarks at one another, both Ashlin and Gallian actually compliments one another especially in situations like this. “So we might need a plan B just in case.”

“Probably a good bait and switch tactic? We could lull these Silencers with a bait then spring a trap when they let their guard down.” Gallian proposes.

“That’s a good plan, but who’s going to be the bait?” Ashlin asks, “And how can we be sure they won’t kill the bait outright before we could do anything?” ”I’ll be the bait!” Selica raises her hand in confidence, shocking both Gallian and Ashlin

“No Selica, that’ll be-!” Ashlin tries to stop her, but Selica interrupts her appeal. ”I’m the slowest of us three and the most likely to be seen as a good bait.” Selica starts to defend her case, “You two are fast enough to adapt when the trap is sprung by the Silencers. Having me as the natural bait only makes sense.” She pause for a bit, “I want to take as much risk as you guys as well. All of these might still be new to me, but I can’t let you two carry all the burden” She remembers just how fragile these girls were just awhile ago. She didn’t want for them to carry her just because they are already accustomed to this. She wants to be part of the team, not just their umbrella. Gallian snickers and smiles, “Okay then, you’ll be the bait Selica.” She affirms Selica’s decision. “Just so you know, you’ll have to act in front of the Silencers to make it look believable.” ”Oh please.” Selica brushes Gallian’s comment aside, “I can act better than you. You’ll see.”

*

“Do you have a name Miss Silencer?” Ashlin asks the suspended Silencer casually, as if they are just hanging out.

The Silencer looks at her, then smiles before answering, “Enyilo” She says. “Enyilo Annatera”

“That’s...quite a bit.” Ashlin tries to mentally say her name but visibly stumbles.

Enyilo laughs at her open confusion. “Just call me Enyi, darling.” She looks back at Ashlin’s friends, who are obviously still having fun teasing each other. “So, what are you going to ask me?”

Ashlin’s squints at the suspiciously accommodating Enyi. “Why are you so friendly?” Enyi exasperates, ”Look, we both don’t like what’s going on right now.” She begins her tirade. “Most of us Silencers don’t like what’s going on either, this was not what was originally briefed on us regarding the test.”

“So you’re saying all of these are just last minute?” Ashlin asks back, “So what is the purpose of this test? What is going on?” ”Yes, well...um... okay we can, hmm... this is hard.” Enyi was about to begin explaining, but she seems to stop as to try to where to even begin. Ashlin picks up on her confusion and asks her again with a more direct question. “What was the original plan?”

“Okay, that’s better.” Enyi readies herself, “Originally the test should have been a tournament where all the participants will be split into 5 different groups. The top 500 contestants would have been accepted to be a part of the new district.” She eloquently explains. “However, someone, and I mean someone BIG, thought that the tournament would not solve the one problem the district tenants will have to face.”

“District problems? What do you mean?” Gallian, who has finally escaped Selica’s furious grasp, raises her hand in query.

“Wait, you don’t know about the District responsibilities?” Enyi asks Gallian dumbfounded. “Is anyone else unfamiliar with that?” She scans at all three girls and they all give the same clueless looks to each another. “Mother’s mercy, that makes sense. I’m also guessing you all just came up to our invitation just because the city is a “Haven for mages”.” All the girls looks at each other then answers ”Yes.” together. Selica realizes that all three of them seems to have their own interpretation of what “Haven for mages” is but none of it are correct.

Enyi sighs. “Well, I guess I need to start from the top then. Ehem.” She clears her throat as if she’s about to give a speech. “In Magecraft City, we provide free residence to all mages who have been accepted through our trials. However in exchange, we ask them to take care of their respective District Capitals in exchange. A District Capital is a building or location where all the tenants of the said district has to contribute to. For example, if one of the District Capital is a wet market, that means all the residents in that district has to take part in maintaining, working, or improving the said market. Is everyone following along?”

All three girls nods obediently.

“How the work is distributed is all up to the residents, and what that they do outside of that, as long as it’s within the laws, is none of the city’s concern. That’s why a lot of the tests we do for new tenants has something to do with their District Capital’s main function.”

Enyi pauses, waiting for the girl’s realization. “I guess you’re seeing where I’m leading with this.”

Ashlin is the first to catch on Enyi’s explanation, “So the newly opened district’s capital involves fighting, is that right?”

Enyi smiles for having a very smart audience. “Yes, however for the big shot, knowing how to fight wasn’t enough. She believed it’s important for the tenants to be able to fight with all the odds against them.” She tries to gesture their surroundings with just her head, “That’s why all of this is happening. Every set piece employed for this test is made specifically to go against the very nature of being a mage. Of course since it’s still a test, some of the odds has to be scaled back a bit.”

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“But why?” Selica finally speaks up. “What exactly is the new District’s Capital?”

Enyi shows some hesitance in responding to Selica’s question. She examines the building, inspects the girls, and even assesses her and her friend’s current situation. Eventually she sighs and opens up with a response. “I shouldn’t be the one who should say this, but seeing what you kids- my god you are just kids- can do, I guess you three have a chance.” She takes one deep breath and stares at the girls with serious eyes. “It’s a dungeon.”

“A...what?” Gallian is the first to respond to Enyi’s ridiculous explanations. “Like an actual “monster-and-treasure” type of dungeon?”

“Yes...kinda?” Enyi tries to pick the right words in her mind. “Technically it does have monsters and treasure inside. Hmm how do I go on about this? I guess I should start explaining. Well it’s like-no it’s not, but maybe it’s like-” Enyi’s increasing difficulty to explain the situation is starting to hamper her speech.

Ashlin looks at the pitiful state of Enyi and looks at Selica. “Selica, can you drop the torrent?”

“What? You want me to release them?” Selica’s eyes grows larger at Ashlin’s suggestion.

“Yes, as a gesture of good will.” She stares at Enyi who is half listening to them and half preoccupied in trying to explain it to them with the right words. “Is that okay?”

Enyi nods in agreement.

Selica takes one good look at both Ashlin and Enyi before releasing her spell. The ice quickly evaporates despite being frozen, releasing both the Silencers to the ground. While Enyi is fine as she falls on the floor, the other unconscious Silencer falls lifeless towards the ground, fortunately Enyi is able to catch him before completely falling. She places her friend properly on the floor and face the three girls anticipating her explanation. “So, where were we?” Enyi asks. Her body language shows a carefree of someone who is not currently in a gruesome blood sport.

”Oh, right.” She walks a few steps forward towards the girl’s center and sits cross-legged in the middle. "Okay then, let's start. You first. She points at Gallian. "So there are treasure inside this dungeon?" Gallian's excitement resembles a kid getting a new gift on their birthday. "Yes! They are crystals!" Enyi briefly answers. "Mana Crystals! A whole cavern of them!" "Eh? Mana Crystal?" Gallian's voice immediately becomes deflated. "They're not treasures at all!" Mana Crystals are the fuel equivalent to what coal is to a steam engine. For mages, mana crystals are often used to power arcane contraptions without the need for a mage to manually supplying mana to it. "I mean, technically, it is treasure considering the dungeon appears inside Magecraft City." Ashlin intervenes. "They do use quite a lot of mana crystals considering their populace." Gallians heavily sighs in dismay. "I guess..." She mutters. "I was hoping for some actual shiny treasure or something. This sucks." "Well comparing it to normal mana crystals we have here, the ones found in the dungeon are vastly different." Enyi closes her eyes, recalling the information what made these crystals special. "When the initial excavation team entered the dungeon, they took home some samples back to be researched on. The results were spectacular; crystalized energy essence-datinh all the way back during the war of the gods. These crystals are ANCIENT. A shard of it is enough to empower a Magecraft City district for months." There’s silence amongst the group, only the sputtering of the rain echoes inside the house. "The war of the gods?" Selica raises her voice. She recalls the story of when the gods of old used to fight one another vying for the mortal's worship. Each one aiming to become the monotheistic master of the cosmos. "Isn't that a myth? Even if it did happen then these crystals are supposed to be-!" "Eons old." Enyi confirms Selica’s suspicion. "And no, the war of the gods is not a myth, it's historical really. Very, very old history, but history nonetheless." "And you're saying you found these eon old crystals inside the Silicon Mountain?" Ashlin's voice nestles her doubt. "No, I mean-! Oh, right." Enyi's eyes are confused at first then she suddenly realizes she wasn’t telling something to them. "The discovered dungeon isn't a place inside the Silicon Mountains. Our excavators found a portal within the mountain." "How-!" "What-!" "Okay, hold it just right there!" Enyi raises both her hands as the girls almost started to raise the questions of the dungeon's origin. "Look, just go with me on this one, okay? Even if we do have all the time in the world, I don't think I can properly explain the technicalities of this one. Just accept that the city found a portal connecting to a different place outside of our planet, okay?" She sighs in relief. Selica is having great difficulty understanding this “portal” thing right now. "Okay moving on," Ashlin pushes the conversation forward. "What about the monster part?" "Oh that," Enyi begins pondering once again. "Yeah, these monsters are the actual reason why this test is made the way it is. During their first dive into the dungeon, the excavation team unfortunately encountered the residents of the dungeon pretty quickly." Enyi begins retelling the stories she has heard regarding the dungeon. "Their first encounter is with a bunch of of quad-pedal beasts that is covered with anti-magical fur. It was so resistant, it took a few fireballs to even burn the damn things. Their second encounter were far worse, I've heard that they were some kind of plant-like fauna that devours mana, whether it's crystal or man it didn't care. And lastly, I've heard that they've encountered, fortunately from a distance only, a robotic beast that had hollow faces that are seen devouring ceiling’s worth of crystals in gulp."

Silence overtakes the group once more as Enyi anticipates the girl’s reaction. The girls on the other hand seems have been overwhelmed by the reality of the dungeon.

“So you’re telling us,” Selica opens her shaking lips. “That even if we pass this test, we’ll still have to fight daily inside Magecraft City?” ”Well, not exactly fight.” Enyi tries to lessen the blow, “It’s more of spelunking really, but from what I’ve heard the beasts wouldn’t be able to enter the portal even-!” ”No!” Selica shouts. Her eyes shaking from denial. Her lips quivering in fear “No, no, no, no, no! I didn’t come to this city to fight! I- I-!” Selica’s mind is hysterically slipping. She didn’t come here to become a fighter, an adventurer. She came here to be with mages just like her. To be surrounded with studious people, to be free from prejudice of being seen as an outcast by the other adventurers. But they’re telling her that despite all the time she spend avoiding her village’s destiny, she’ll wind up being forced to accept it by the very city she hoped that would rescue her?

“This is bullshit! Fuck this!” Selica pushes through the girls and storms out of the door. For the first time throughout this trial, she has felt the cold embrace of the Psy rain directly on her skin. She can feel the magical foundation within her body being washed away by the rain, along with her hopes and dreams of this place.

“Selica wait!” Ashlin tries to stop her, but she has already pushed through the door and out in the open storm.

“Damn it,” Gallian’s eyes are full of sullen despair, “She ain’t like us, princess. This might be the stick that broke her donkey’s bank.” Gallian starts to move towards the door. ”The rezz spell is both a triggered and has an amnesiac spell on woven in it.” Enyi speaks up, eyeing at the corpses cluttered up on the second floor of the building. “A cleric is responsible in triggering the effect of the rezz, and if you do get revived by it after the trial, you’ll forget everything that happens here. To keep our trials, and secrets, intact.” She pauses for a bit, “A whole day’s worth of memories in fact.” Gallian pauses as she listens to Enyi, stands still for a bit, then slowly walks off towards the door. ”Galli, you won’t!” Ashlin tries to grab Gallian by her bad arm, but she immediately dodges it. Gallian looked back at the distraught Ashlin with a set of fierce, and pained eyes. “I’m gonna save our Selica, princess. One way or another.” Gallian says her piece before starting to run outside the building unprotected.

Galli won’t do it, would she? A moment’s doubt clouds Ashlin’s mind, but she immediately shakes it off as any hesitation in these situations could lead to death. And a death to a new friend is not something Ashlin is ready for.