Pyra, Marshall, and Yana all sat looking at each other in the common room. While others played cards or talked, they just stared at one another. It had been a couple days since the events in the dungeon. Which had been closed by order of Rasputin the Mad Mage, at least according to the group leaders.
However, this confrontation had been building since that day, because Yana had been sleeping for most of it. Something that Pyra found both amusing and infuriating. Which lead to the current stalemate of everyone locking gazes. Until a ripple in the air, like a heat mirage, brought the rest of the room to silence.
"Alright, since you two are acting your age for once I will start." Marshall said, letting out a sigh, "Yana, your actions were stupid and could have gotten you killed at the worst. You are not all knowing and are too arrogant by half." He tilted his head to the rest of the room.
"Each person has their own weird story about what they went through, but I bet the smart ones remember you hanging back." Pointing a finger towards the ceiling, "I don't think many who hung back survived, because they probably didn't want to. So you are either going to be suspicious to people, or a sign of something happening." He let out a long breathe before looking towards the sky.
"I honestly can't imagine how--"
System Announcement...
All Dungeon Protections have been Disabled...
System Quest!!!
Bring broken Dungeon Cores to the Gates of Madness...
The other two looked at him in shock.
"Don't you dare think that was me, probably something your mother did..." Marshall growled, but that didn't seem quite right in his mind. Dungeon Cores, at least in rumor, couldn't be broken because they were part of the System. What did it mean if it was asking people to destroy them?
Yana's mind was working overtime. It wasn't singling out Mother specifically, but asking for all dungeons to be destroyed. If they were right about the purpose of Dungeons, then it was abandoning what they thought it's main goal was. But for what?
Pyra just didn't care at this point. She had lost a lot of trust in her younger brother for his actions, and the System sending out a death mission to dungeons like Mother was the last straw. Standing up she glared at the floor, since they figured the System was actually deep under there.
"We need to get back into that place and get down there. The System is making a move since Yana did something to it, and I bet Mother was doing something too. It's clearly scared and now is the time to strike." The fact that her words were just as hot headed as her name didn't fail to bring a smile to Marshalls face. Sometimes innocence and boldness went hand in hand, but she was also right.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
This would be the perfect time to sneak in there since everyone who was anyone would want the sweet rewards of a Quest, not just any Quest either. System Quests were things hero stories were made from, and each one had seen a rise of a great hero in the last millennium. Even their guild would want a piece of the action, and those who were on the shit list would likely be left behind as punishment... which they would likely be if their luck held out.
"Alright, but lets wait a couple hours until the Guild gives us orders, then we can plan. I think they will have us stay and do cleaning or something. Since we were at the center of the disturbance before." Marshall nodded towards Yana, before raising his fist to Pyra, "I doubt this will be easy, but we can give it a shot at least, why not." He didn't have the same anger towards the System as her, but he knew, now, how it's influence had shaped his life before.
It wasn't something you could forgive when you lost precious memories. Regardless of the reason.
---
Remus started at Rasputin, unsure how to bridge the gap in their positions.
"Well looks like the asshole has shown up." Apparently Rasputin didn't feel the same. He wasn't tensed to fight, or geared to the nines, but there was a lot of embedded spellwork. Likely enough to get past all his protections and deal some serious damage to this avatar.
"I have a feeling that you aren't ACTUALLY here, so fighting right now wouldn't be worth it in the long run." The Mad Mage continued with a few waves of his hands, but didn't look any less ready for a fight, "Now why ARE you here though. I heard your little beasties were dealing some blows in some villages not here." Remus' fists clenched at that. It was true his old followers were doing that, but it wasn't his doing, and Rasputin should know that. The man wasn't an idiot and had played the political games long enough to be able to see through it. He hoped at least, or this was going to be much harder.
"I am looking for a person who holds a secret of the world." To which Rasputin just looked over at the staff.
"That's nice, but I have a real treasure on my hands. One that made the very System speak, so I will stick with it thank you." Power began to build and it was only then that Remus realized that he hadn't seen all of the scripting Rasputin had done.
"Please! She is real and is neither human nor beastkin. Likely, she is of the Faerun themselves!" He shouted, and the power stopped building the same instant. Rasputin waved him to go on, and the fact that he was still obsessed with studying a Faerun was nice to have reaffirmed.
"The name is Pyra, and she appeared before me in Lolacal. A town in the far south of Varithfall, but now she is here, and the Dungeon near her is highly abnormal. Perhaps her home and were she remained hidden for all these years." While the Realm as a whole hated the Felbeasts and their enigmatic leader, those who reached level 100 and at least met here and there. Most were still hostile, but each had a dream of living forever and wouldn't mind hearing him out if he could help them live longer.
It was the perks of [Blood Magic] and [Ageless Cycles] that merged into something that could greatly extend life. Rasputin himself had taken a deal a couple hundred years ago, and now owed Remus. Which was the only reason his avatar hadn't been immolated on sight. Rasputin had a temper, and Remus HAD given the man an unfortunate tattoo while his body was rejuvenating.
"I see," The pause after that seemed to drag for minutes, "I think I saw that name in the city records for those present at the event... a new member of the Cult of Madness." Remus internally cringed at the name even if it wasn't better than Felbeasts. That nickname was given to them by the kingdoms for not being slaves, the Cultists had a choice.
"Alright, I will entertain it, but you must come here personally. I will have her brought her, and if she is related to the staff then something should show." Then came the smile, it was a wide smile, a smile that many feared to see. Especially in the dark of his lab where it seemed to stretch a bit too far.
Remus felt something tick