A party of adventurers arrive at the Black Box, each one having their reasons.

The first, a dwarf clad in well-worn plate armor. His beard is a sign of his age. Normally a crafter, he had recently embarked on a journey to find a lost family heirloom.

“So,” the dwarf says. “This is the dungeon in question.”

“Indeed,” an elven bard says, his guitar at his back. “Look how it contrasts with the forests.”

“Contrasts,” An elven druid says, “but not invades, there is a difference, Thaddeus.” His leaf-like cloak moves with the wind as he observes the musician’s pied clothing, his gun at the ready.

“Oh, right. You’d know all about nature and its delicate balance” Thaddeus says condescendingly.

“Yer here to look for a way to restore a dead forest right?” the dwarf says.

“Correct,” the druid says. “I want to see if this Divine Dungeon’s blessings can assist with that.”

“I don’t think this one would be of any help,” a cold woman says as she approaches the men, by her side is a perky and exuberance lass. Their cloaks respectively adorned with patterns of frost and storm.

“Well if it isn't the ice queen and the imp,” the bard says.

“I’m not an imp!” the storm-cloaked child says as she takes out her grimoire. “I’m Elena!”

The two girls are friends, one wants to create an icy domain, and the other wants to learn about the arcane arts.

“I’m Isabella,” the snow-cloaked mage says. “The first to the name of Frostheart, and it would do you well not to cross me, jonguler.”

“I can assure you I’m not here to quibble with new mates. Name’s Thaddeus. My strings will help hinder our enemies.”

“I am Thorn,” the armored dwarf said. “Here to drink ale and search for my family’s forge. And they had just banned the ale.”

“Well,” Thaddeus says, “I wouldn't say they banned it per se.”

“Kai,” the druid introduces himself to the ladies. “Kai Wisperwind”

Isabella looks at the sleek black structure. Her sky-blond hair drapes down to her chest. “Rumors claim it has advanced technology as its treasure?” she says.

“People telling tall tales will say anything,” Thorn says.

“We’re a little green here, aren’t we?” Thaddeus says as he strums his guitar. “Chances are whatever ambitions we have can’t be done without money.”

“How astute,” Isabella sarcastically says.

“Can we go now?” Elena says with an eager smile on her face. Her blond hair tied in two pigtails at her neck bounces as she impatiently heads to the entrance.

“Elena!” Isabella says, following her protege.

“Time’s a’wasting!” Thorn says. Kai and Thaddeus follows suit.

✦✦✦

Earlier that week, Heathcliff reads the current issue of the Vox Populi newspaper. The news tells of several incidents, including a criminal being apprehended by police after being found collapsed on the ground, a report of a missing schoolboy following his delivery of issues of the Daily Crier, and the creation of a new radio station dedicated to rumors of Messengers.

Minerva approaches Heathcliff. “I understand some of the Arachne wanted to volunteer to protect Emily from adventurers?”

“They are?” Heathcliff says with a smirk.

Minerva suspects Heathcliff had something to do with this. “Look, we’re grateful to Emily for letting us stay here, and we understand that living here runs the risk of being attacked by errant adventurers. I just want to know if you have the means to try to keep them unharmed.”

“Elizabeth says that Emily can extend the ability to restore defeated Sentinels to guardians in general if that helps.”

“Resurrection comes with its risks,” Minerva says. “Most can recall how they died, the pain, the trauma, the fear. Few are lucky that forget how they died.”

“Well, cheer,” Heathcliff says. “You should know that we working on supplying them with equipment as well. Should be able to do that much anyway. Richard and Sarah are helping with that as well.”

Minerva is still skeptical of the notion of having her fellow Arachne serve in that capacity.

“Minerva,” Heathcliff says. “I understand if you don’t want them risking themselves, but we’re a little short-staffed here when it comes to defense. The Cells are adequate but they are only a tenth of the strength Emily is in the best of times. If you accept, you’ll have my word that they will be well protected.”

“Is that on your honor as a knight?” Minerva says.

“Oui,” Heathcliff says. “I swear by the honor of an ex-paladin of ol’ Charlie.”

Minerva is a little assured. She is somewhat aware of his reputation as the once-famed Crimson Hound. “I’ll consider it. But I will let the prospective volunteers know that this is a dangerous job.”

“That’s all I ask, cher,” Heathcliff says.

“One last thing,” Minerva says. “My daughter, under any circumstance is not to be among these volunteers until she is of age.”

“Understood,” Heathcliff says.

“Also,” Minerva says. “Does Emily know of this?”

“I do,” Emily’s voice echoes to the two, with a tone that indicates she is apprehensive of the idea as well.

Minerva leaves the room to talk with her fellow Arachne about this. “I suppose it would be fine,” she thinks. “We also need protectors for the broods as well.”

✦✦✦

The party of adventurers enters the Black box, they see sleek black walls lined with intricate and glowing blue patterns, as well as patrolling robotic Cells.

“We must needs be careful,” Kai says. “This place—“

Elena ignores the warning and simply charges in, to Isabella’s dismay. The young sorceress attracted the attention of several cells as she opened her tome and conjured up lightning.

The patrollers are stunned by the electric attacks, but several draw near her despite that. Their attacks were blocked by an intercepting Thorn.

“Lassie,” Thorn says as he blocks them with his shield. “You should heed the warnings.” The armored dwarf draws his sword and ignites it with flame magics.

The young lass pouts at the armored dwarf as she draws more spells from her grimoire. The two slash through many of the opponents with thunder and flame, but several more draw nearer still.

“Guess this is my time to shine!” Thadeus says. He takes his guitar out and makes a sequence of several chords. His rocking causes the Cells to hallucinate doppelgangers of Thorn and Elena, and cause them to attack thin air.

Kai uses his wind spells to propel into the fray and blow away several of the Cells, while Isabella lets loose a flurry of freezing winds that stop them in their tracks.

Over the next several minutes, the party prevails over this group of Cells.

“Elena,” Isabella says in a stern voice. Elena looks away from her like a child aware she disappointed her mother.

“I’m sorry,” Elena says.

“Is she always like this?” Thorn says.

“Seems like it,” Kai says.

Indeed looking at Elena gives the impression of a brash and impulsive little lady. “Just wait,” Elena says. “When I unlock the secrets of the Manus Arcanum, I’ll be one of the most powerful witches in Titania!”

The jonguler and druid take note of the ornate book. Its cover gives the impression of a tome of vast arcane knowledge.

The group continues their trek deeper into the Black Box. Along the way, they ask each other about their circumstances.

“I’m a traveling jonguler, here to get me some money and inspiration for my songs. One day they will sing of me and my exploits.”

“I already told you,” Kai said. “But for clarity’s sake. I’m here to restore a forest to life. The mana was drained straight out of it and left everything lifeless and fossilized. I’m the only survivor I know among my friends and family.”

“I’m simply here to form a kingdom of my own,” Isabella says. “This is naught but a stepping stone.”

“I’m here to—,” Elena says “Wait I already told you.”

“Pray tell, how did you two meet?” Kai asks.

“We simply crossed paths in the Iridescent Cliffs,” Isabella says. “Tried to get rid of her at first, but she proved to be useful to my aims.”

Thorn can tell that there is more to her tale but decides not to press the matter.

The party soon arrives in a room filled with more cells. Several of them are patrolling the area in smaller groups.

“Alight,” Thaddeus says. “Here’s the plan, we puck out these Cells a little at a time. Thorn here will get their attention while we attack them from a safe distance. Got it?”

Elena, not wanting to get scolded again, represses her desire to charge in and swallows her breath.

“Guess that’s her answer,” Thorn says. He draws out his ignited blade and approaches the Cells. Three of the thirty cells notice and attack the dwarf as he uses the sparks from the blade to attract their ire. The others pelt them with attacks attuned to lightning, ice, wind, and earth.

The second group of three is lured by the sound of sparks flying and immediately attacks the party, but Thaddeus plays a progression of chords that causes their movements to be slowed. A third group of five is pushed to the wall by Kai’s winds and pinned down by his enchanted arrows. A fourth group numbering three is stunned by Elena’s magic. A fifth group of five is broken by Thorn’s sword creating an inferno. The sixth group, having the remaining eleven systemically taken down by all of them uniting their elemental powers.

“Not bad,” Thaddeus says. “Shame we could get people versed in water, light or dark onboard.”

The party makes their way to the first boss room. There they see the lone construct. The giant mechanical spider attacks them with four elemental attacks. But the party can ward them off with wards attuned to three of these elements.

Thaddeus opens with a guitar solo, a cacophony that enfeebles the boss’ toughness. Isabella then freezes its legs, trapping it in place. Thorn then uses his blazing sword to cut it, letting thermal shock do the rest of the work.

This was enough to cut off sections of its legs. Kai aims with his arrows and snipes at the joints of one of them. With enough arrows, he was able to remove one of the legs. The party then repeats this process for the next three legs.

Midway through the fight, the arena is suddenly lined with petribeam traps. One such beam turns Elena’s leg to stone as the spider prepares to attack her. Kai moves swiftly to get her out of the way.

“It hurts!” Elena says. The pain from her petrified leg prevents her from focusing enough to cast her spells.

Thaddius changes gears and changes the key of his notes. The wails of the guitar coat it in a layer of stone. “This itsy bitsy spider wants to rock? Let’s rock!” he leaps into the fray and attacks with his enchanted axe.

Throughout the hour, the party manages to hold their own against the construct while dodging the new traps, with Thaddius’ weapon being able to launch stones at the joints, aided by Kai’s winds and arrows. With two legs severed again. The construct is left with only two and fails to balance itself. Isabella takes the opportunity and encases it in an icy prison, preventing it from moving. The stilled machine is unable to fight and the stunners and petribeams vanish. The floor swallows the Sentinel whole and spits out a chest.

Thaddius opens the chest, finding a set of robes iridescent in hue, and gauntlets to match. He also finds a small dagger and several silver coins.

“Well done team,” Thaddius says. “Showed that thing something.”

Elena’s leg heals as she takes the robes. Isabella takes the dagger and Thorn the gauntlets. The party then goes deeper into the dungeon, with less than sixty minutes left.

✦✦✦

Thaddeus’ party continues their trek down the dungeon. As they travel the now black and indigo halls. Thaddeus makes some small talk.

“So,” the guitar-wielding man says. “Got any hobbies?”

“Save it,” Isabella says coldly.

“O come on,” Thaddeus says. “This could make a great bonding experience for all of us.

“As if we wouldn't part ways when we quit this place,” Thorn says.

“My ears are still bleeding from your instrument!” Elena says.

“Kids these days,” Thaddeus says.

“She has a point,” Kai says. “I know Jongulers are geared towards using their Bardsong to hinder the enemy, but do you have to subject us to that noise in the process?”

“Just you wait,” Thaddeus says. “One day they will be singing of me! That reminds me, I haven’t gotten the lyrics down.”

Isabella notices something. “Jonguler, Thaddeus was it?”

“We’re on a first-name basis now,” the bard says, “Progress.”

“Ugh,” Isabella says. “You ask for our reasons, but I don’t think you gave us yours.”

“Isn’t it obvious,” the musician says. “I, Thaddeus Stone, am a rhapsodist who aims to make chronicles of my little adventures.”

“And the guitar?” Elena says.

“My instrument of choice,” Thaddeus says as he strums it. “I think the power of rock suits me, no?”

“If it only it was enough to stop my leg from being turned into a literal rock!” the young mage says.”

Kai muses on the encounter with the construct, and the magic it uses. “Light, Earth, Wind, Lightning.”

“Something wrong?” the armored dwarf says.

“Nothing,” Kai says. “Pray tell, did any of us know anything about this place?

“Other than rumors?” Thaddeus says.

“Yeah,” Kai says.

“You suspect something about this Dungeon, Kai?” Isabella says.

“Quite so,” the druid says. “I may not be a resonator, but I know life when I see it.”

“You say that like every dungeon isn’t alive,” Thaddeus says.

“Forgive me,” Kai says. “I suspect that this dungeon had grown rapidly.”

The walls shift around them as Kai explains his hypothesis. “The nature of Dungeons is that they amass mana and power as they grow, raid other dungeons, and leech mana from visitors like us. This is used to create treasures for us to raid them for, you know this right?”

“Yes,” Isabella says.

“Anything else you wanna ‘teach’ us, Captain Obvious?” Elena says.

“You’ve heard of Tarantulapolis?” Kai says.

Thaddeus strums his axe. “Ah yes, a dungeon near Websdale right?”

“The Arachne-populated dungeon had recently fallen. It was all over the local radio stations and papers. And it had even reached as far as Noir. The construct, it resembled a spider yes?”

“Cut to the chase,” Thorn says. “You think this dungeon absorbed the webbed forest?”

“I do,” Kai says. “I can sense similar mana as from that dungeon.”

“Okay,” Elena says. “But why are you telling us this? We already know Dungeons join our ranks to raid each other all the time.”

Isabella expresses a silent disdain for the topic. Kai glances at her with a knowing expression.

“I suspect that if Tarantulapolis was absorbed by this dungeon,” Kai says. “Then elements beyond the mana itself might have followed it here.”

The party hears noises from the shifting walls. As they search the dark blue hallways they begin to find webs and drag-lines on the walls.

✦✦✦

The party finds themselves ambushed by three Arachne, confirming Kai’s hypothesis.

“Welcome,” One of them says, brandishing a sword and shield. “Your journey ends here.” The leader of this trio of Arachne attacks the party. Though they outnumber them, the spiders used their knowledge of the Black Box to escape into the tunnels they carved and the webs they weaved.

Elena takes out her tome, but one of the spiders fires a web at her head, sealing her mouth. The young mage tries to remove the silken obstruction from her mouth.

Thaddeus brandishes his guitar and strums a few chords. Thorn tries to use his fire-enchanted sword to set the webs ablaze.

Isabella helps Elena but freezing the webs in her mouth to a more fragile state. Elena then chomps at the frozen webs to break them and chants a spell from her tome.

Lightning strikes one of the Arachne down. She disintegrates into a purple dust.

“Nice one, Elena!” Thaddeus says.

Isabella turns her attention towards one of the other two. As the spider warrior lunges forward with an ax, Isabella uses her magic to freeze the ground beneath him and cause him to slip on his eight legs. He winds up crashing near Kai, who uses his powers to conjure wind-enchanted vines to trap the legs and arms of the spider. The defeated warrior turns into purple dust as Kai propels him into the wall with a bluster.

The third Arahcne meanwhile lurks in the webs on the walls, aiming to cocoon the party from on high. She manages to trap Thaddeus and Elena in silken prisons. But Kai saw the direction the ensnarement came from and used wind spells to remove the web from that area of the walls. The Arachne escapes the second before the thread is dislodged.

Thorn cuts Thaddeus and Elena from their cocoons and then uses his sword to illuminate the walls.

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout…” the Arachne sings from the shadows.

“You wouldn’t have to have a way to wash this spider out, would you?” Thaddeus says to Isabella.

Isabella approaches the center of the room and signals Thorn to follow her lead. With a single stomp, the snow-cloaked mage unleashes a freezing shockwave that encases the floor and walls in a layer of frost.

The last Arachne moves rapidly to avoid being frozen. Thorn watches the shadows on the webs and walls and soon catches something. He plunges his sword into the wall and uses it to melt the ice.

The frost melts into water, drowning the webs and causing gravity to bring the Arachne down to the floor. She looks at the party and realizes that she is cornered. She attempts to flee, but Thaddeus stuns her with a few notes and Isabella encases her in a sphere of ice.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The frozen Arachne soon dissipates into purple dust. A path soon opens.

“We make a great team!” Thaddius says. “Say maybe we can start a band?”

Isabella scoffs, but Elena and Kai are intrigued by the notion. The party soon follows the newly opened path.

✦✦✦

Tim practices his techniques again. Anticipating the arrival of challengers. He soon sees some pillars and the walls and ceilings rapidly hitting each other, as if they were chattering teeth.

“Emily…” Tim says

“I can’t help it!” Emily says shiveringly. “It suddenly feels cold here.”

“Guess practice is over,” Tim says. Heathcliff arrives with a notice from the guild telling of the visiting party.

“A jongular, two mages, a druid, and a knight, huh?” Tim says as he reads the notice.

“Better not make a pouty face if they whoop you, cher,” Heathcliff says.

Tim closes his eyes. “I won’t, for they won’t have the opportunity.” He then leaves to face the challengers.

✦✦✦

The party has thirty minutes left on the clock. Much of the previous half hour was spent on navigating the Dungeon and fighting the three Arachne.

They soon arrive at a golden room. One that marks great bounty if they can defeat the Sentinel of the dungeon before time runs out. Thaddeus notes how empty it is.

Kai senses the gentle breeze blowing through the room intensifying into a a more forceful wind. Before he could warn the party, they were all forced back by the wind and pushed to the walls of the room. A man lands in the center of the room, Qiang in hand.

The man assumes a horse stance while his eyes remain closed. “Chilly today, isn’t it?”

Isabella greets the man. “Let me guess, you’re our final opponent here.”

“Perhaps,” The man says. “Not that you can best me.”

The battle begins, and Thaddeus decides to test his lyrics out. Strumming his guitar as he utters his verse. “Noble knight, that’s forged in flames. The winds shall rise, to breaking dawn!”

Thorn engages the martial artist in combat. The dwarf tries to land a hit on his opponent, but he dodges and counters with a shoulder strike from behind, seemingly unaffected by Thaddeus’s music.

“Thunder roars and lightning strikes! The storm calls forth! The frozen heart!”

Elena and Isabella use spells to attack the sentinel at range. The ice spells hit him and slow his movement and he is struck by levin bolts. The warrior notices that the spells had a higher-than-usual impact on him.

“Whispering in the wind of a wasteland. Frozen hearts thaw in the rays of the sun. Forged in iron and blood and flames,” Thaddeus sings. His verse ends with a sudden scream of “The hallowed rock shall be your judge!”

The jongular’s music has the effect of making the Sentinel more vulnerable to the magic of everyone else. Thorn charges at the opponent with his shield. The sentinel dodges and uses his momentum to try to trip the dwarf, but he anticipates that and turns, and their weapons clash.

“This dungeon shall not become our tomb!” Thaddeus’s chords intensify. He continues playing his weapon as the Sentinel clashes with Thorn.

“This is the pinnacle! Elemental miracle. Rocks fall as the judgment comes, and this is our victory. The song of storm and frost!”

The martial artist grows annoyed, at the jonguler, at the dwarf parrying his attacks, at the sorceresses and druid pelting him with spells, and more tellingly, at the stricture of the room itself following the beat to the sound of drums.

The sentinel knocks down Elena with a knee strike and uses his Qiang to trip Kai. He tries to cut off Thaddeus and his music but struggles to gain his footing with Isabella freezing the ground beneath him. Thaddeus warms up for a second verse.

“The dungeon calls, for us to rise. O mage of ice, time to roll the dice.”

“The fire burns, the steel forged. In this hour, we claim what’s ours.”

The sentinel knocks Kai out of the fight. As he moves towards Thaddeus he finds himself gripped by Thorn and thrown by a suplex. The sentinel makes an outraged leap and lands in the center with his Qiang, summoning a wind strong enough to push the dwarven knight into a wall and into unconsciousness.

“Whispering in the wind of a wasteland. Frozen hearts thaw in the rays of the sun. Forged in iron and blood and flames,” Thaddeus sings. His verse once more ends with a sudden scream of “The hallowed rock shall be your judge!”

Twenty minutes remain by the time Thaddeus sings “This dungeon shall not become our tomb!” again. He prepares his second chorus. “This is the pinnacle! Elemental miracle. Rocks fall as the judgment comes, and this is our victory. The song of flame and rock!”

The sentinel finally gets close to Thaddeus, but the jongular sees the attack coming and evades it. As he strums his guitar, he dodges the opponent’s snap kicks, wind strikes, and thrusts. Thaddeus gets a close enough look to see the boss’ eyes have opened in an irritated expression.

Isabella prepares to charge a powerful ice spell.

“This is the pinnacle! Elemental miracle. Rocks fall as the judgment comes, and this is our victory. The song of storm and frost. The song of flame ro—”

A lucky strike from the sentinel, combined with the growing tiredness of the jongular, brings the song to a premature final note. He then makes a charging step and knocks Isabella down before she can finish channeling the spell. Tim has emerged victorious.

Time runs out, and the unconscious party is spirited away.

✦✦✦

Outside the Black Box, Thaddeus is distraught. He had ultimately failed to defeat the Sentinel. The others stew over their losses.

Elena approaches him. “The song was nice,” she said.

The jonguler turns to face the electrified mage. “Thanks,” he sighs. “We were so close!”

“Yer win some,” Thorn says. “Yer lose some.”

Isabella scoffs at the sulking bard. “Much as I preferred otherwise, victory was never assured.”

“Quite,” Kai says. “Still we had obtained some money from the excursion.”

Thaddeus turns to the dagger, the bismuth blade shines with a nacreous weave of colors scattered across the stepped designs as it recedes into a sharp edge.

“We could sell this,” Thaddeus says. “I’m sure someone would be interested in it. Besides, knives aren’t my thing.”

“We’ve noticed,” Isabella says. She sighs, wondering why is she still doing here.

“Let’s head to the guild,” Thorn says. “Tis a more proper place for farewells.”

“Agreed,” Kai says. “It’s getting late, we should rest for the evening and then try our luck in the morn.”

The party heads to the Rosenkreuz guildhall and stays there for the night. As the sun rises on the collegia, they talk with fellow adventurers about the value of the dagger, as well as divvy up the coins they earned.

While looking for buyers, Thaddeus chanced upon a strange person. A girl with purple hair and an armored dress. She is accompanied by two dwarves.

“Looks like some artisans,” Thorn says from behind the jonguler.

The three talk with Benoit, a receptionist of the Rosenkreuz guild. The purple-haired girl notices the party and excuses herself to talk with them.

“Excuse me,” the young woman asks. “Did you by any chance visit a Dungeon yesterday.”

Isabella scowls, “we did, what of it?”

The stranger notices their sullen expressions. Their lamentation over their failure yesterday. She also notices the bismuth dagger.

Thaddeus lets loose a chord from his guitar, the strings weep as he looks at the girl. Kai and Isabella notice something strangely familiar about her.

“Can you tell me what you went up to there?” the girl says with a smile. “I’d love to hear about your adventure.”

“Might as well,” Thaddeus says. He strums his guitar and talks in verse about his dungeon. “Five travelers venture forth. Their goals disparate. United only for one purpose. One wanted a dominion. One wanted knowledge. One wanted to reclaim what was lost. One wanted to restore what was lost. As for this one, well he simply wanted to live a life worth singing about.” He strums his guitar as he tells about how they had found each other and how they had prevailed over the construct and a trio of Arachne.

“At the home stretch, we were,” Thaddeus says. “I have sung my heart out trying to weaken an opponent arrogant and fierce. Three of us were versed in spellcraft. One was a knight stalwart and bold. I am a jongular as you can see.” His chords take on a little more exuberance.

“You seem like you’d have a nice party,” the teenager said.

“Please,” Isabella says. “Elena, myself, and these fools made for a terrible group.”

“It didn’t seem like that to me,” the purple-clad girl says. “A terrible group wouldn’t make it as far as you did.”

“That is true,” Kai says.

Thaddeus’ guitar strings slowly accelerate as he continues his ballad. “The sentinel was fierce, armed with his body and an eastern spear. It came down to the wire a stroke of luck and fortune did not favor the bold.”

“Still,” Elena said. “It was fun, at least.”

Benoit calls the girl and she excuses herself from Thaddius’ group.

“Fun, you say,” Thorn says. “We got our keisters kicked at the last second and you call this fun.”

“Of course it was fun!” Elena says. “Do not claim otherwise! We were at least enjoying ourselves!”

“That was under the delusion of potential riches,” Kai says.

“So?” Elena says. “Are we seriously throwing in the tower over one bad trip?”

“Elena,” Isabella says her cold exterior melting.

Thaddeus senses something welling in him as his chord progressions grow faster and faster.

“Are we seriously giving up?” Elena sternly says.

“No,” Kai says, but “But—“

“No buts!” Elena says. “We’re adventurers. We are not ones to just quit after a bad day.”

“The imp’s right,” Thaddeus says as he stands. His hands still picking on the guitar. “We aren’t quitters.”

“What are you getting at, missy?” Thorn says.

“I think that regardless of what we are striving for,” Elena says. “We cannot do it alone. You saw our teamwork! If we are to succeed, our best shot is doing it together, as a team!”

Thaddeus’s strings take on a more triumphant melody. “Hear hear!”

“Of course, he would be all for this teamwork nonsense,” Isabella says.

“I agree,” Thorn says. “In all my years, I worked alone, always shunning the succor of others, it had cost me everything, and if I’m to reclaim it, then I need people at my back. You have my sword, young miss.”

“I was the—“ Thaddeus says. “Fine, I’ve had enough of second fiddle, but I’m not sure if I’m already for the role of lead singer yet.”

“Very well,” Kai says. “My bow is also yours.

Elena turns to Isabella, the woman she accompanied. She simply chucked. “No queen rules alone. Very well then Elena, my powers are yours.”

“So we’re a band now,” Thaddeus says. “How do Thaddeus and the Dugneoneers sound?”

“Don’t push your luck,” Isabella says.

The others laugh. The young purple-haired girl returns and finds the party in high spirits. “I found someone interested in your dagger! They’d willing to take it off your hands if you want.”

Thaddeus looks at the bismuth blade and back at the young woman. “How much, young lady?”

The girl leads them to a fellow adventurer, a rouge from Noir clad in blue, and a member of another guild. He observes the blade and offers five gold coins for it. The party accepts the offer and exchanges the pristine blade for the gold coins. Now a little richer and in higher spirits, the party sets off to prepare for their next adventure together.

✦✦✦

A blue-clad rouge returns from his trip to Rosenkreuz, his newly acquired dagger in hand. The weapon is certain to catch the eye of those who see it. Its blade reflects an iridescent weave of kaleidoscopic colors.

As he walks the streets of the surface layers of Noir. He chances upon a paperboy distributing the issue of the Lancea. The cover storytelling of a rebuking of a controversial narrative linking inoculation to neurodivergence.

He soon finds an entrance to the Underground. “They have watered the streets, it shines in the glare of lamps.” A mermaid at the other side of the door says.

The blue-haired rouge says. “Cold white lamps...” He looks around to ensure he isn’t trailed before finishing. “…and lies.”

The mermaid lets him in. “Tis rare you venture outside Noir, Esteban.”

“A friend of mine wanted to introduce me to someone,” he said. “He also mentioned wanting to meet Julia.”

The mermaid is shocked to learn that Esteban was recently married.

As Esteban enters the Underground he keeps an eye out for mobsters as he enters one of the Rouge Guild’s establishments.

“Welcome back, Esteban!” Julia is filling in for the normal recptionists at one of the guild halls.

“Julia,” he says to his wife. He presents her with the dagger. “Someone wants this rainbow knife here?”

The ex-assassin looks at the weapon, noting its handle is made of a soft but metallic substance. The blade itself is more harder and colorful than the handle. “A client did seem interested in this, he hopes to use it for a ritual dedicated to Halcyon.”

“Ah, yes,” Esteban says. “The Festival of Rains.” He has known that a group of people hailing from a desert region further south had migrated here to Noir long ago. “Heard some the merfolk wanted to take part as well.”

“Honey,” Julia says. “You are heading home tonight, right? I got this nice recipe I want to try out.”

“Of course, Julia,” Esteban says. “I have some errands to run first.” He leaves the guildhall.

Julia tells one of her fellow Rouges to take the dagger to the client. A man wearing a black cloak takes the weapon and puts it in a pocket on his cloak before he sets off. The blade creates a small hole in the bottom of the pocket.

The brown-cloaked man travels the underground tunnels and passages that comprise the underground. Passing by several cheap apartments that Exsecratii dwell in, as well as various train tracks, sewage systems, and of course dungeons.

One such dungeon stands between him and his destination. The Path of Ruin. So-called because of its dilapidated features, as it was once an abandoned district of the underground. The man sneaks around the guardians of the ruins and the sentinels, as his mission takes priority over the treasures it contains. Over the adventure, frictional causes the dagger to poke deeper into the pocket, and the hole it creates grows wider with the cut.

Still, he is a rouge and is therefore willing to relive the Dungeon of some of its prizes if the opportunity presents itself. Such an opportunity does so when several mobsters irritated one of the Sentinels, a stone giant. The hapless criminals try to escape it, but the gigas blocks their way.

The thief takes the time to pick the pockets of the goons as they flee, but in his haste to evade their notice, the dagger falls through the hole in its pocket and lands in a used treasure chest.

✦✦✦

Some of the Colouraturas, Azalea, and Lily wander through the Path of Ruin the next day. They are looking for treasures.

Azalea observes the ruins of the buildings. She uses a spell to filter out contaminants from her water bubble. Lily meanwhile canters across several piles of scrap.

“What a dump!” the young centaur says. “And this is now a dungeon?”

“Whoever became this place must be down the dumps,” Azalea says. Lily giggles a little at the pun.

“So,” Lily says. “What exactly are we looking for?”

“I dunno,” Azalea says, floating over the neglected area. “The Rouges just said there was a dungeon here.”

“Is it safe?” Lily says.

“Of course it is!” Azalea says, her clionid tail nearly touching the dirty road before she swims upward in the air. “The Rouges wouldn’t send us somewhere that’s actually dangerous here, right?”

Lily perks up. “Of course,” she says.

The two explore the ruinous place. Azalea makes several quips along the way at the dungeon’s expense.

Soon, they come across a trail of corpses, each of them being slowly absorbed by the dungeon. The remains are surrounded by signs marking them as gangsters. Lily is a little disturbed by the sight. “The sentinels here wander this dungeon, right? They don’t stay in one place?”

“Yes,” Azalea says with a great big grin. “Pretty exciting right?”

The centaur girl doesn’t see things the same way as her friend, as she wonders if the dungeon is more dangerous than they realize.

As they follow the trail of remains, they soon find several monsters of a furry nature. Azalea attacks with some orbs of water. The attack causes them to become wet. The monsters lunge forward and Lily blinds them with a spell of flashing radiance before kicking at them with her hind legs. Lily’s spells cause the monsters to make each other for their targets and they wind up attacking each other.

While the monsters attack each other, Azalea takes the time to do an impromptu stand-up routine. Talking about the ruins and the monsters themselves and making some jokes at their expense.

As she swims among and chats with the confused monsters, she soon senses a large amount of mana, following it leads her to a small treasure chest. Inside it is an iridescent dagger.

“Oh, shiny,” Azalea says. The blade stands pristine in contrast to the mangy guardians and the surroundings being run down and grimy even by the standards of the Underground. The clione mermaid takes the weapon and swims to Lily.

“Look at this thing I found!” Azalea says, showing the centaur the dagger. Lily is in awe of the nacreous blade.

“What was it doing here?” Lily says aware that Dungeons usually generates gear and materials only after defeating a sentinel.

“Dunno!” Azalea says with a smile. “Maybe someone dumped it somewhere.”

The monsters end up killing each other from the confusion, their wet and decaying fur emits a rancid stench.

“Wow, Lily,” Azalea says. “You really enlightened them!”

The two venture further, hoping to avoid more encounters and search for more “loose” treasures.

✦✦✦

That afternoon. Lily and Azalea head to the Diner, their quest only yielding the dagger and some rusted gear.

“Welcome back,” The waitress says.

Whisper notices the strange dagger. “Where did you find that, young lady?”

“We found it in a dungeon!” Lily says.

The waitress asks, “Which dungeon?”

“The Path of Ruin,” Azalea says. “It was even in a chest!”

The waitress and the squirrel exchange a glance. “I don’t think that dungeon dabbles in bismuth weapons.” She whispers to Whisper.

Whisper turns to the two girls. “There is something I want to confirm with the Rouge’s guild. Can you take care of the dagger until I return?”

“Huh?” Lily Borea Legato asks.

“Sure!” Azalea says.

“Azalea?” Lily says.

“It’ll be fine,” the mermaid says. “As easy as cutting through butter.”

“I’ll be back later,” Whisper leaves the diner.

At this time, Strelitzia, Anemone, and Rose arrive. “Something happened?” Rose says.

“Look what we found!” Lily says, showing the other girls the dagger.

“It’s so pretty,” Rose says in awe of the iridescent blade.

“They say they found it at the Path of Ruin,” the waitress says, keeping her suspicions to herself.

The other three girls since a large amount of mana packed into the knife, more than what could usually be found in that dungeon.

“Isn’t the Path of Ruin the dungeon that’s blocking the section of the underground beneath the Quinn Section?” Strelitzia says.

“It is,” the waitress says.

Anemonia wonders about the blade, feeling like it is out of place with any of the stuff usually found in the Underground’s dungeons. “Even its mana feels different,” she says.

“Whatever Sentinel that dropped this, must’ve been a tough cookie!” Rose says.

“Um actually,” Lily says nervously, “Azalea says she just found it in a chest.”

“We were fighting some monsters,” the clione mermaid confidently says. “Or rather Lily had them fighting themselves.”

Raine, Clover, and Hydrangea soon arrive. Azalea shows them the dagger as well.

“Cool dagger,” Clover says. “Can I have it?”

“No way!” Azalea says. “It’s mine!”

Hydrangea looks at the waitress and notices her expression. “Where’s Whisper,” she asks.

“They squirreled away to deal with roguish matters,” Azalea says.

“Anyway,” Clover says. “Isn’t it our turn for the neighborhood watch tonight?”

“Oh yeah,” Strelitizia says. “It is!”

Rose checks the time, finding it is 3:55 in the afternoon. “It’s almost time too!” She rallies the girls and they begin to set off. Azalea leaves her bismuth dagger on the nook in the diner. “We’ll be back later!” Rose says.

“Take care!” the waitress says, she keeps an eye on the rainbow weapon.

✦✦✦

The Coloraturas set out for their neighborhood watch patrol. Already magicalized, they search the area around the diner and their sector of the underground, beneath the Frankfurt Sector. Looking for stray monsters from nearby dungeons and people in distress.

They first spot a cat stuck on high, at the top of a series of pipes. Its owner, a boy about the same age is crying out for his wayward pet. Clover uses her powers to leap on top of the pipes and deftly retrieves the feline from its plight. With the cat in hand, she leaps off the pipes and safely lands on the ground.

“Thank you,” the tearful child says. The eight girls head off to find more signs of trouble.

They soon find a fire in the nearby street, that threatens to set the neighborhood ablaze. Azalea uses her spells to douse the flames enough for firefighters to arrive to quell them.

They then find a family of Arachne trapped beneath some rubble. The youngest among them were sleeping in a trance and were unable to escape. Strelitizia uses her powers over earth to lift the rubble enough for the family to escape. The mother carries the torpid children outside before the rubble collapses over their heads.

“Thank you, the father of the spiderlings says. But the girls had already vanished.

They then see an elderly couple trying to pass through a crowd. Hydrangea makes an ice bridge above them and takes the elders across. Then Raine ignites a pile of wet wood to keep some people warm in the night, then Rose wraps her tail around a pipe to reach down to the bottom of the pit to retrieve a little girl’s lost doll. Then Lily carries some pets on her back through a dark passage, using her powers to illuminate her path. Finally, Anenmoie helps a baker retrieve some stolen baked goods with her acute sense of smell.

The girls find that their patrol is nearly finished and prepare to head back to the diner until they hear some screaming nearby.

✦✦✦

At the same time, near the subway station. A group of mobsters had just dragged a family of merfolk out into an alleyway.

“What do you want?” the mother fearfully asks, “We’ve paid our dues!”

“Our financiers say otherwise, toots,” the gangster says. “They claimed you’ve missed three months already. Now then, if you want the aegis of our continued security, you better hand over the cabbage!”

The father assumes a defensive stance, fearing an altercation is inevitable. He tells his wife and children to flee. The mother takes her sons and daughter and swims away from the mobster. Several of them chase after her.

The chase is seen from the roof of a low-rise building, and several shadows descend on the surface. The chasing mobsters were struck down by several bolts of lightning and a sparking explosion of light. One was pinned to a wall by ice and another was carried away by a small flood.

“Picking on the defenseless?” a voice cries out. “We will not abide that!”

The reminder mobsters were faced by several brightly colored girls emerging from the shadows. The source of the voice is Raine.

“You guys seem very insecure to me,” Azalea says.

“Isn’t it past your curfew, little ladies?” one of the gangsters says.

“Justice has no curfew,” Anemonie says.

“Really,” Hydrangea says. “You’re going along with that cheesy line?”

“It’s better than having Raine say ‘Justice rains from above.’” Streitzia says.

“Hey,” Azalea says. “I worked hard on that line!”

“Girls, focus!” Rose says.

“Oh, right,” Lily points at the mobsters. “We, the Coloraturas, will stop you thieves.”

“Fine, then,” one of the mobsters says as he cracks his knuckles, “Bring it on!”

The Coloraturas fight the mobsters as the merfolk family hides behind a corner guarded by the young magical girls. Rose uses her tail to coil around some goons and pin them down as Hydrangea freezes them. Raine flies over some of the gangsters and uses a firey diving kick to push them back. Strelitizia uses her trusty labrys to block their ranged attacks and reality with wild swings. Azalea swims around them, water trailing behind her, and creates a geyser beneath the thugs.

“Cheese it!” one of the remaining gangsters says, they try to leave, but Anemone uses her shadow magic to pin them down. The mob is eventually subdued by the magical girls.

“Thank you,” one of the merfolk children says. “Can you help Daddy?” she points towards the alleyway. The Coloraturs arrive there to find the merman father fending off some of the mob by himself. Clover creates a bluster to push the hostiles away from the merman, and Rose stuns them with lightning bolts. Lily then creates a glittery explosion that blonds them and covers their escape, as well as a shining pillar of light.

The Coloraturas vanish with the merman and his family. Before the mobsters could find out what was going on, authorities from the Rouges guild arrived, having been alerted by the pillar of light, and arrested them.

The merfolk family thank the Coloraturas for assisting them. The girls accept their thanks and leap to the rooftops, returning to the diner.

✦✦✦

As the Coloratura approaches the diner, Azalea thinks about the bismuth dagger and wonders what she would do with it.

“Think I can train myself in knifeplay?” the clionid jokester says. “I’m a sharp girl you know? It almost makes me shiver.”

All but Lily groans at the pun.

“I’d get to the point,” Azalea says. “But—“ she stops, seeing several figures through the diner’s windows.

Upon entering the Colorturas find that Whisper has returned and that a mermaid and a brown-cloaked man were also with him. Azalea sees the dagger in her mermaid’s hands.

“Huh?” Azalea says.

“As it turns out,” Whisper says. “Some had lost a bismuth dagger he was delivering to someone at the Path of Ruin.” The wispy squirrel points to the mermaid.

“I’d want to thank you for retrieving this dagger,” the older mermaid says. “Without it, I could not help to take part in the Festival of Rains.”

“I too want to thank you,” the cloaked man says. “’Twas my fault the thing got lost. Should’ve checked to see if there were holes in these rags.”

“We’re glad that Azalia had found the weapon,” the waitress says. “Apparently, the Rouges had gone through a great expense to claim it.”

“The Festival of Rains,” Whisper says. “An honor celebration from the people of the deserts below and of the merfolk of the seas to the east. A celebration of water, of life. Rarely does an Excresatii get to participate in this celebration.”

“Quite,” the mermaid says. “When I found out I was chosen to open the festival, I was shocked. But the opening ceremonies require a special ornamental blade and so I asked the Rouges to try to procure one for me.” She looks at the Bismuth blade, its kaleidoscopic colors evoking the rainbow that comes after a rain storm. “This one is perfect for me. I’m so glad to have it recovered.”

Azalea tries to protest the claiming of the dagger. “It’s mine!” she thinks. “I found it,” yet something prevents her from getting the words out. She reluctantly parts with the dagger. “I see your point,” she says. “And I hope your performance is a cut above the rest.”

The older mermaid chuckled. “Thank you dear, you’re very sweet.” She leaves with the man with the knife.

Whisper notices the mermaid’s sorrowful expression. “Chin up,” the squirrel says. “Sometimes these things happen.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Azalea sighs. “How was I supposed to know it was someone else’s?”

“Well,” the waitress says, “it helps that you remember that treasure chests don’t typically spawn until someone defeats a sentinel. That reminds me. What exactly were you and Lily doing in a place so dangerous, Azalea Adagio?”

Azelia gulps. “Busted,” she thinks.