The crowd murmurs as Lily states her suggestion regarding Threshold’s ultimate punishment. The decision of having Threshold remain in Magecraft City under enforced labor to help the district with the dungeon she herself has put on more than enough effort herself in. However instead of being a vanguard of the dungeon, she is instead relegated to one thing Threshold has dreaded: her assigned position is to be responsible for the children's safety.

“Um, are you sure?” Threshold nervously asks. “I can clearly be more beneficial for everyone if I’m in the front rather than being a babysitter.”

”Oh that is true for sure.” Lily speaks immediately. “But I’ve been noticing how smooth this judgment has been for you, and if I don’t know any better you have been slowly directing the events happening in this party to favor you.” ”No of course not! I-!”

”I know you don’t, but it seems fate truly does favor you in some miraculous way.” Lily stops Threshold from reiterating herself. “And even logically the idea behind your judgment is sound and is also something I’m completely in favor with. However, if we let things happen to your specific desires, then what exactly is the punishment here?”

“I agree.” Machilic finally breaks out from the crowd with a radiant smile. “Threshold’s lucky streak has to end somewhere, and I find it appropriate for her to take care of the ones she truly hurt with her decision.”

”Machilic! What are you-!”

”I agree as well.” Misignor breaks Threshold’s upcoming outburst. “We came here asking for your punishment, and a just punishment is received.” He eyes his chained friend with judgmental eyes, and for once made Threshold reeled back a bit.

“Errm.” Threshold looks down, defeated. She squeaks out an inaudible murmur as the crowd gets clarified what her sentence is.

Though at first the crowd seemed as surprised as Threshold regarding the decision, after a bit of discussion the crowd seemed to not only find the judgment fair, but a bit of enjoyment out of it as well.

“That’s a relief.” Deringer has finally spoken up with his crowd. Selica sees him and Shellon’s group in one round table sipping drinks and piling plates up sky high as the discussion continues. “Now Shellon here doesn’t have to worry about Selica and her friends.” ”What!” Shellon is the first to snap back, “You’re the one here trying to rile up some group to act as the “kiddie patrol” over here.``

“Shut it you ungrateful-!” Deringer stands up and tries to whack his subordinate with the butt of his gun.

”And there they go...” Selica watches Deringer’s group as they agitate an already rowdy crowd. There’s a bit of solace within her seeing her friends actually enjoying themselves and not panic-stricken during the test. Selica then zooms out and looks back at the crowd. Everyone seems to be enjoying the thought of Threshold’s punishment, and with the growing affirmation Lily beside her seems to be nodding in approval as well.

“That settles it then.” Lily claps her hands in approval. She pivots from the crowd back to Threshold with a smile. “On behalf of the new Hameza residents of Magecraft City, I sentenced Threshold, former head of Security of the Magecraft City and City’s councilor with mandated labor within the Hameza District as the caretaker of its children residents.” She looked at Misignor and answered with an approving nod.

“Oh come on!” Threshold complains, for once acting like a prisoner being sentenced. “I have so much to offer the district than baby sit these kids? I could be your scout, your informant, Star Rune’s child, I can even be your vanguard! Why are you forcing me to stay behind and take care of the kids?”

”Well, isn’t that why you made that test in the first place?” The merchant mage from before steps up. “To find people to do the stuff you said? To scout the dungeon in a supposed new world, to gather foreign information that no ordinary mage can decipher, and tackle obstacles your usual residents are not prepared for. We are the people who’s shoes you’re desperately trying to fill, what we want you to do however is to fill one that we can’t. To protect those that placed us here in the first place.” He eyes Selica, “Children! You know who you are, please step up in front.” He looks back at the crowd and a scuffle shakes them as smaller, but familiar for Selica, faces leave the woodwork of people.

“Ugh this is embarrassing.” Hog is the first to show himself, alongside him is a shy Mirna and an awkward Marian tagging behind.

“This is not the debut I was expecting.” Kamphir, now cleaner with an elegant ivory cloak with an iron walking stick on his hand, emerges himself alongside Tatsu wearing a crimson mask and a deep cerulean cloak and...Hiem’rie? The elf from before? Tagging behind the orcish lady while wearing a short dress herself.

”I am not a kid!” Suddenly a female voice shouted from behind! “I’m 96 years old, mind you. I’m older than you!”

”Yes, yes but you’re basically a toddler in Succubus years so move it little one.” Another familiar voice, but this time the voice sounded disjointed, as if it were played on top of another language. ”Come on, Sharra!” A young blonde boy peeks out of the crowd pulling a familiar succubus at hand. Sharra’s face is red in embarrassment as another pair of hands are pushing her out of the crowd. Sharra, Freddie and Tavian are finally out in the open.

“Tavian?” Selica speaks out seeing the vampire happily walking beside Tavian and Sharra. ”Ah Selica! It’s nice to see you.” The disorienting translation filter on his voice is jarring Selica again since she hasn’t heard it in a while. “Thank you again for the translator. I promise I will learn more soon!”

”Oh it’s okay!” Selica waves her hand. “But why are you here? Are you a-!”

”Ah yes! I'm technically a teenager in vampire years.” Freddie waves his hand. “At the cusp of teen years, if I may say so myself.”

“Selica!” A soft hug grabs Selica from behind and she sees Gregor hugging her and behind him is Ashlin walking towards them with a pout. ”Can’t believe you left me to take care of this kid.” Ashlin pats the boy with a heavy hand. Making him flinch a bit.

“Ouuchh!” Gregor exclaims but with a playful tone. “Big Sis didn’t want me to eat steak! She said it’s bad for me!”

”You ate NOTHING BUT STEAK!” Ashlin answers back, “Eat some vegetables for once, here have this rockgrass!” She pulls out a small rock-like plant from her pocket and force it to Gregor. The texture looked coarse but Selica can see some greens interwoven in it. “It’s good for you!” ”Nooo!!” But Gregor defiantly pushed back in disgust.

“See. They’re all sweet little kids, aren’t they?” Lily says as she looks at Threshold who’s been avoiding the young group in front of her.

“I do have a concern though.” Khampir raises his walking stick hand in protest. “I do not like the idea that we’re being required to have a “babysitter”. I think we’ve proven ourselves during the test that we can take care of ourselves.”

“True, I’m not downsizing your innate talents.” Lily answers gracefully. “Truth be told, it’s more for us adults than it is for you kids. Knowing someone will be responsible in making sure you kids are okay alleviates our hearts from worry and allow us to focus on what is asked for us.” Lily then raises her hands and asks the kids to gather up. “Come on now, huddle up everyone. Let’s make this official.” Selica and the rest of the kids awkwardly come together and stand side by side as if they are having their portrait taken. ”There, good.” Lily smiles and raises her hand up high, a surge of viscous black energy erupts from her fingertips. Now in full display, Selica is sure that Lily’s magic is utterly malicious. Jet black streams of lightning forming and turning into insidious creatures circle around Lily, as if they are nightmares manifesting into reality. Their faces are rotten, tattered limbs and husky in its girth, these are monsters Selica says to herself.

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

And yet Lily has total control over them. The crowd of mages instinctively steps back and readies their protective charm, even Sharra, one unaccustomed to her own magic as Tavian has told her, preemptively raises a shield to protect everyone without her thinking about it. The Silencers, who have been passive throughout the meeting party, scurried themselves to the front with weapons at hand. Putting themselves in between the crowd and Lily. Misignor himself pulls out his longsword from his hilt, ready to slice off Lily's head the moment she does anything.

“Relax.” Lily says. “Threshold should attest how much control I’m in.” She looks at the frail truthsayer still sitting beside at the pedestal and watches their little truth trinkets unresponsive from her words. “Now then. I Lily the Scourgelord Heiress of Efervesa, put upon this curse upon thee Threshold.” The crowd roars as Lily's command of the black magic within her manifests into a sharp spear over her head.

“COUNTERSPELL!” A faint but swift surge of mana blitzed through from the crowd and shattered the spear hanging above Lily’s head. The fair maiden quickly turns around and sees a young man wearing a long-sleeved robe adorned in vibrant purples and greens pointing a small wand at what once where the black inky spear was.

“Miss Lily, I do not think the crowd agrees with your decision to curse the prisoner.” He speaks coarsely. “Punishments are meant to be sentenced, not forced upon against the person’s will. So please refrain from doing so.”

”A Jurran Inspector?” Khampir speaks up, noticing the man’s origin. “What’s a detective doing here?”

Lily sighs, “I guess I got carried away.” She looks back up to Threshold, “I only wish to ensure that Lady Threshold here follows the punishment she is meant to do.”

”Hmm.” Machilic at this point has finally reached the pedestal area and is side by side to Lily. “May I suggest a binding?” He tells Lily. “It’s not a curse per se as the recipient has to agree with the rules laid upon them, and in terms of strength is far stronger than any curse.”

“Why are you helping-!”

”Helping my residents comes first, Threshold.” Machilic eyes Threshold. “Oh come on, of all the times you can complain. And besides, taking care of children is a refreshing experience! We’re just doing this so you don’t wander off following your instincts scott-free again.”

Lily looks back at the crowd and they all seem to agree. “Are you kids okay with it?” She asks them.

“Um, yes I guess.” Mirna answers first. “I don’t know much about bindings, but I’m sure it should be better than a curse, right?”

”It’s roughly the same in this scenario.” Hog adds. “I don’t have much qualms about this either.”

“Same here.” Tavian raises his hands to represent their small group.

“Selica?” Ashlin asks her friend. ”Oh yes. From what I know now Threshold is not really a bad person per se.” Selica’s voice turns serious. “But I also agree that for all the damages she has done, punishment has to be met. I think us “kids” should be good enough to look after her to make sure she does well.” Selica sarcastically says as she turns the tables on Threshold instead.

Lily just laughs at the comment. “You heard that Threshold? Apparently they’ll be the one babysitting you.”

”Grrr.” Threshold growls at the condescending spat at her, but in the end sighs again. “Just do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore.” She bows her head defeatedly.

Lily hovers over her hand over the kids and begins conjuring her magic. This time however the magic is less hostile, the charred creatures circling her look the same, but their demeanor is calmer and more observant than aggressive.

“I, Lily the Scourgelord, create this binding between these two parties.” A dark ball of mana forms in Lily’s chest and from it two strands of energy exits and approaches both the kids and the Threshold.

The one strand going for the kids split itself into each of the children and tapped them softly in the chest. Selica was preparing for the worst as the black line approached her, but once it touched her it felt nothing, which is a good thing as she was expecting for it to be malicious. The other line touches Threshold on the chest as well.

“This bind is to create a bond between the children of Hameza and Threshold. Whereas Threshold is duty-bound to protect the children of the city and in failing to do so will suffer the pains suffered by the children.” Lily declares the bond’s details and first looks at the kids. “Do you agree with this arrangement.” ”I do.” All the children unanimously answered in confidence.

Lily smiled and then turned towards Threshold. “Do you agree with this arrangement?” A deafening silence followed. Selica knows that the binding spell can only work if both parties happen. She fears that at the last minute Threshold might refuse it and things might be forced to happen.

“I...” Threshold trembling lips begin to part as she speaks the words. “agree.” She raised her head and looked directly at the kids. Not afraid, but testing, as if she’s assessing each one of them for what they’re worth.

Once Threshold agreed, the line binding the two beings to glow and the circle in the center of Lily slowly unravels itself until it becomes so thin and invisible that there is nothing left. Lily gives out the biggest smile as she clasps her hand. “And the spell is complete!”

The crowd cheered, roaring with happiness. Selica tried to feel the spell now binding her to Threshold and she rarely can grasp it with her senses.

“Hey Lily.” Threshold calls out the elated Lily. “I have a question regarding the spell. Come here.”

”Oh my, what is it?” Lily gently lowers herself towards Threshold and then she starts asking in whispers. “Oh, oh... OH! I see. Yes well I won’t think that matters. Don’t worry. The spell is intricate enough to distinguish the source of pain.” Lily then looks back at the kids, “And don’t worry. Despite my spells...origins, a binding should not have any effects aside from its intended purpose.”

Threshold looks at the old truthsayer and sighs when there wasn’t anything cackling this time. “Oh thank the gods.” She then looks at Misignor who’s been smiling at her for a while now. “Could you please get these cuffs off now? I’ve already been sentenced right? This should no longer be necessary.”

”Fine, fine.” Misignor walks casually towards Threshold and uncuffs her. He carefully took the cuffs away from her wrists and placed it on his pocket.

“Finally.” Threshold massages her wrists and does a bit of stretching. She then leers back at the kids who've been staring at her for some time as well. “Alright, you brats. Come here. Introduce yourself.”

*

Misignor steps back as he fondly watches her former leader and still friend Threshold begins her introduction with her new wards. He can't’ help but feel relieved that this was the outcome of their risky plot to save Threshold from being a political pawn. He’s been anxious about their whole ploy in extracting Threshold from her predicament. He should really thank Lady Caspian for bringing up that idea.

He lets out a sigh of relief, not knowing that someone beside him was watching him do so.

“I’ve never seen a Silencer so relieved in my life.” It was the wand wielding mage from earlier. His darker complexion shows that he came from a warmer climate world and his well kept brown hair shows a professionalism Misignor has been all too accustomed. The man extended his hand and speaks. “Hakief, Jurran Inspector, or should I say former.”

”So you are an Inspector.” Misignor have heard of these people before. They are Silencer-replacement in worlds where the practice of his craft is non-existent. They practice anti-magic spells to fend their jurisdiction against wayward mages. Though it makes him wonder why one is in Magecraft City of all places. “Thank you for your interference earlier, that could have ended up badly.”

”No worries.” He scoffs with a smile, “I am a bit surprised with someone like Lily being here. To think, something as dangerously classified as a “Scourgelord” is seen merrily laughing alongside children. This place is truly something else.” He watches Lily laughs at the sidelines while the kids introduce themselves one by one to the irritated Threshold. Each of them displaying their magic like it’s a show and tell session.

“Believe me this is a first as well.” Misignor have been to many meeting parties just like this before all having the same faced mages attending them with a bit of quirkiness here and there, but none has been as diverse in its populace as the one currently entering Hameza.

“This might just work.” He thinks to himself. Hameza is a dangerous district. one that should have been quarantined if not for the other council parties intervention and their discovery of the crystals within the dungeon. To have mages not only enter said dungeon but live beside it is nothing short of a gruesome fate. But seeing these people right now and their capabilities down to the youngest resident gives him hope. Hope that not only can these mages survive the district, but turn it into a prosperous one. A place where they can live their life and pursue the magic they want just like the rest.