The next morning, Clara and Charlotte meet Geraldine at their front door.

“Thank you again for house-sitting, sister,” Clara said.

“My pleasure,” Geraldine says. “Are there any problematic critters I should know about?”

“The Owlbears already left last night,” Clara says. “Charlotte, did you release the Bicorn?”

“I’ve sent the Bicorn from last month to the foot of the mountains,” Charlotte says. “Its herd should be there right now.”

“What about the Musgrave Watchers?” Geraldine asks.

“They were taken care of last Monday,” Carla says.

“You’re still here?” a voice calls from the distance.

The three Alraunes turn to find it came from Douglas, with Euryale and Stheno in tow.

“Have you decided?” Carla says with a warm smile.

“They can come, but the missus wants me to chaperone,” Douglas says.

“Ah,” Carla says. “Is everyone ready?”

“I’m ready,” Charlotte says.

“Sister and I already packed last night,” Stheno says.

“We’re ready to go!” Euryale says.

The group of five bid farewell to Geraldine, as they embark on Revotos’ Valley

The group makes them through the dungeon, the Valley granting them safe passage. Carla sees a quaint tablet on the ground. It reads.

“Good luck on your journey. I pray that you will have reason to return. Beware the stray thoughts.”

Carla takes the tablet away, unsure of the tablet’s warning. The first two sentences fade away as she puts it in her satchel.

Douglas leads through the passage, telling the children to not disturb the creature in the valley. They make their way past a lake, once as sanguine red, it is now a clear color. The remnants of the Ophidian resting at the depths of the lake. Charlotte senses its shadow move.

“Looks like they went through a lot just to get here,” Euryale says.

“Aye,” her father says. “The Valley may be the safest route to Hamlin, but that doesn't mean it is safe in any way.”

It was the first time, Charlotte, Euryale, and Stehno set foot outside the humble village of Hamlin. Charlotte has some questions, but she is uncertain how to phrase them.

“Girls,” Douglas says to the twins, “the first thing you have to understand when adventuring is that the dungeons are alive, not in just the sense that they teem with life.”

“Indeed,” Carla says. “The Dungeons can sense our movements, our emotions, our presence. Revotos’ Valley in particular has a good relationship with Hamlin.”

“Heh, when Samuel and I first went there, it was a nightmare to traverse. Who knows how many monster keisters we had to kick before getting them to agree to be the protector?”

“Protector?” Charlotte says.

“Aye,” Douglas says.

“I heard the valley had offered to protect Hamlin from external threats as long as the Adventurers can beat its challenges.”

“A tradition twenty years in the making,” Douglas says. “Samuel and I were the best at it of course.” He says with a nostalgic sigh.

The group enters the caves with no sign of hostile beasts. “Of course,” Douglas says. “That you tended to its wayward Cells and beasts probably helped as well, Carla.”

Carla is surprised to hear that. She was aware that several creatures she and her daughter looked after came from the valley, including a gigantic bat-like monster. As they navigate the caverns, they find several gaps.

“Of course,” Carla says, “Favors can only go so far,”

“Aye,” Douglas says. “Safer does not always mean safe.” He crouches down and turns to his daughters. “Come on.”

Euryale and Stheno climb onto his back, Douglas then lands and runs towards the gaps, before making a mighty bound that carries him to the other side.

Carla uses her abilities to turn her arms into thick branches of wood and extend them through the gap. “Go ahead Charlotte,” she says. The younger Alraune balances herself on her mother’s branch bridge and slowly walks herself over. Whenever she shifts in one direction, Carla ensures she doesn’t fall by moving that side up. Whenever she loses her balance, Carla‘s branches react and help her regain it. Charlotte makes it across.

Carla retracts her branches and they morph back into her arms. “Okay,” she thinks. “My turn,” he observes the width and length of the gap. Too much for her to jump though. She soon hears the sound of wings flapping in the distance. She looks towards the source and finds a large bat flying through. The bat notices her from a year back when its wing was clipped and it crashed right on the road to Hamlin. The monster senses the others on the far side and moves in front of Carla. Making a gesture that she intuits is an offering of its assistance. Carla grabs onto the talons and the bat carries her across with little difficulty.

“Thank you, little one,” Carla says as she lands on the other end of the gap. The not-so-little bat leaves the group alone.

“They seem so docile,” Euryale says.

“The dungeons, and the monsters within,” Carla says “Can tell their friends from foes.”

“So how are the dungeons alive?” Charlotte says.

As the group of five makes their way past the ashen woods, Douglas tells the kids about the Forgemaster Obsidian and how it is claimed to have created the Dungeons, as well as their purposes. Soon they are at the other end of the valley. The trees moving their branches in a manner evocative of waving arms.

Carla takes her map, and finds that there is a town nearby, they hake towards the settlement.

✦✦✦

Emily and her group are not home. Her avatara vanishes as her dungeon body wakes up. She now senses a larger animal presence within her.

“Minerva?” her voice echoes out to the Arachne, “We’re home.”

“Welcome back, Emily,” Minerva says. “How was Hamlin?”

“Well,” Emily says. “We have found a beast tamer, but…”

“No luck huh?” the spider says. “Did Nina give you any trouble?”

“Well, no but,”

Before Emily could finish, little Nina greets her mother, clad in armor and weapons, to Mienrva’s visible dismay.

“Nina?” Minerva says. She can see the metallic and leather armor now donned by her daughter and blades attached to her eight legs. “How?”

Emily and Nina told them of the trek through Revotos’ Valley and how unusually generous it was with gear for the spiderling specifically.

“I see,” Minerva says with a sigh. “You think the dungeon sees a destiny for my daughter?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Emily says. “Elizabeth thinks it is unlikely, but.”

“I hope she’s right,” Minerva says. “But…”

Meanwhile, Heathcliff is already at work assessing the state of the animals. Lydia gleefully mentions to him how Minerva, Richard, and the newly constructed had fended them off.

“Richard fended off several packs of beasts? How?” Heathcliff says.

At the same time, Sarah examines her brother’s modified crossbows.

“Not bad,” Sarah says. “For an amateur!”

“Well I’d ask a professional, but she was busy gallivanting to remote villages,” Richard says playfully.

Sarah laughs. “So you used stunner parts on your crossbows?” she says. She noticed the scope was loose and the capacitors were also attached somewhat poorly. She sees the mechanism used for charging the crossbow bolts was also done haphazardly. “Since I’m not busy ‘gallivanting’ around now, I can give them a look, but be careful! Stunners are still dangerous.”

“Sister, you know I am always cautious,” Richard says.

Sarah finds his usual worrywart self giving way to an unusually cocky persona. She tests the weapon itself on a small training dummy, the bolt emits a minimum voltage of thirty thousand. She then fired a fully charged bolt, which shocked the dummy with fifty thousand. The standard for electrified weapons.

She takes the crossbows. “I’ll see what I can do, but, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, be careful. These bolts can get us in trouble with the guild if misused.”

“Noted,” Richard says.

Heathcliff arrives and sees the crossbows. “Heard you fended off some beasts, cher,” he says.

“Indeed,” Richard says proudly.

“Hopefully, monsters are the only thing these bolts are being used on,” Sarah says.

Heathcliff notices parts from the stunner on the weapons as Sarah leaves with them. He turns to Richard. “Let me guess, modified with spare parts?” Heathcliff says.

“I can be a dab hand when it comes to tinkering,” Richard says.

“Cher,” Heathcliff says. “Those things are—“

“Dangerous,” Richard says, “I know. Sarah told me.”

“Did you use anything else for them?” Heathcliff says. “Any animal statues should I be aware of?”

“Goodness, no,” Richard says. “The petribeams are too unwieldy for my liking,”

“I see,” Heathcliff says. “Well, you never stuck me as the reckless type so far, but do try to be careful with these things, Richard. Guild would be on my case if these hit the wrong targets.”

“Understood,” Richard says. “Any luck with the tamer,”

“Non,” the knight said. “We found one, but we not sure if she willing to move.”

“I see,” Richard says.

Heathcliff leaves the altelier to check on the rest of the dungeon.

✦✦✦

Later, Heathcliff asked the Arcahne to set up a night watch for the monsters. Several of them agree, including Minerva and Nina. Meanwhile, Elizabeth talks with Emily while she is in the core room.

“So do I need to sleep?” Emily says.

“It’s not ideal,” Elizabeth says. “But Dungeons do not need to rest to maintain their bodies. Do you want to help with the night watch?”

“Yes,” Emily says. “I think I should help them at least, and it isn’t like they would let me sleep anyway,”

“We gotta find a tamer soon,” Elizabeth says. “More of them are arriving by the day.”

“At least Minerva, Richard, and the construct kept them away from anything important,” Emily says. “By the way, how was my Bardsong?”

“Still needs work,” Elizabeth says. “But you show some promise. A few more months and you’ll be singing as you’re ‘slinging.”

“Thanks!” Emily says.

“Good night, Emily,” Elizabeth says with a yawn. She then heads to her bed to rest. Emily meanwhile spends the night helping the Arachne patrol her body.

A few hours later, she senses a pack of dire wolves nearing the atelier. She directs Lydia to the pack. She leads several Selinopidae to hypnotize the wolves into moving into a tunnel recently constructed by some Atypidae and Atracidae. For the next hour, she moves her walls to trap the cordyceps-infected deer inside a maze while simultaneously leading Minerva and some Lycosidae to deal with it. The Tepidaprporum in the brood, already reclusive, had already taken measures to ensure the animals did not disturb them before Emily could alert them to their presence. The night passes as Emily does everything in her power as a dungeon to help with the animals.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Carla and her party are now in the town of Rosenkreuz.

“Hamlin huh?” Benoit says to the travelers. “That’s pretty out of the way.”

“We’re aware,” Douglas says. “Town’s working on it,”

“Yes,” Benoit says. “I’ve heard of the Backbreaker infrastructure project. I’ve also heard it would take years to finish even if it started today.”

“I’m curious about one thing,” the Alraune mother says. “I’ve heard your animal specialists are all occupied?”

“Afraid so, umm,” Benoit says.

“Carla,”

“Carla, right,” Benoit says. “The tamers and beastmasters are all currently assigned to other dungeons in the New Virginia area. And those that aren’t are being scouted by Noir, Gardenia, and Pacifica. I take it you’re asking because you’re interested in filling in that void for a specific dungeon?”

“Well, umm,” Carla thinks she is not interested, yet something in the back of her mind argues with her.

“The village, without closure, shuns you still,”

Carla thinks back to the warning from the valley. She brushes this stray thought aside. “Ignore me if you must, heed not my words. But their deeds make themselves clear as day.”

“I just wanted to assess the situation at the Black Box?” Carla says.

“The Black Box?” Benoit says. “Yeah, there was a recent influx of beasts and monsters there,”

Douglas looks at Carla curiously. He suspects something is off.

“If you want, I can lead you there?” Benoit says.

“There is no need for that,” Carla says as she holds up the map. “I can find it myself.”

Meanwhile, Euryale and Stheno are in a friendly contest with Charlotte. The twins aim to try to complete a coloring sheet faster than their Alraune friend. As the color of the crayons in the blank parts of the pages, Charlotte matches the twins by using both arms. Crimson wax glides across the black and white sheet, and Cerulean and Chartreuse hues flood the petal-shapes in the pages. Orange, Fuschia, and Violet color the blank half of the page to form the gloam of dusk on he twin’s pages. While Cerulean and Azure hies fill the void on Charlotte’s.

“We win!” Euryale says as they finish their sheet. It was close, with Charlotte only leaving fifteen percent of the page uncolored.

“Aww,” Charlotte says. “No fair!”

“It isn’t our fault the burger place only gave us two sheets!” Euryale says.

“Sister,” Stheno says. “It’s rather uncouth to gloat.”

Charlotte humps, before giggling a bit. The three girls then look around the unfamiliar halls of the Rosenkreuz guild.

“Suppose I do decide to offer my talents,” Carla says to Benoit. “How would you arrange for transposition to and from Hamlin?”

“I’m certain we’ll think of something. Many of our adventurers are quite skilled. Though the matter of Revotos’ Valley is one we need to address.” Benoit looks over the paperwork. “It is possible that you might have to stay nearby for a few days until we can get things squared away.”

Douglas has a concerned look. “Carla, are you considering—“

“I’m not,” Carla says. “Not yet at least.”

Douglas understands her turmoil. “Those blasted rumors are still dragging you down huh?”

Carla sighs.

“Rumors?” Benoit says, “What rumors?”

“It’s nothing to concern yourself over,” Douglas says.

“Alright,” Benoit says. He hands them some paper. “Just in case.” The paperwork before Carla is for preparation in the event she does decide to work with the Black Box. A preliminary measure.

“Actually,” Douglas says. “While we’re here. I have a question, you know my son, Orpheus Arion?”

“The name does ring a bell,” Benoit says. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering,” Douglas says with a polite and friendly tone. He is not one for unnecessary conflict. But Benoit can see something in his eyes.

“You want to know why he was rejected,” Benoit says. “Unfortunately I don’t have a clue. Pauline was the one that was handling that she she’s currently visiting Gardenia right now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Douglas says, thank you.

“It seemed rather strange,” Benoit says. “Orpheus was the only applicant from Hamlin that was rejected. How’s he doing by the way?”

“Managed to get hired by some folk in Noir,” Douglas says.

“Ah,” Benoit says. “Glad to hear he got work at least.”

Carla finishes signing the paperwork and hands it over to Benoit.

“Awesome,” Benoit says. “Rest will be up to Heathcliff, but I don’t think he would deny you given the circumstances.”

“He likely won’t,” Carla says. “The choices here are mine and mine alone.”

“Search your heart, find the truth, and know it so. Hamlin neither wants nor needs your presence.” The voice in the back of her mind says. “For they do not tolerate murderers.”

Carla looks back at the message on the tablet. “Beware the stray thoughts,” She is left to wonder if all of her thoughts are truly her own, or if someone is manipulating her. Her trail of thoughts are interrupted by her daughter’s trying to get ehr attention.

“Charlotte dear,” Carla says. “What’s the matter.”

“I just wanted to show you there!” Charlotte displayed the picture she had colored in proudly. The scene depicts a forest in the daylight with a yellow sun beaming down onto the lush trees. However many of the colors bleed past their boundaries, leaving the trees striped in brown, green and blue, and the sky having edges of green.

In contrast, the Arion twins picture is more refined, the wax of the crayon not trespassing beyond their boundaries as they depict the same forest in twilight. Even despite the fact that both girls were sharing the same page and coloring it in simultaneously.

The group finish their tasks at the guildhall and continue towards the Black Box.

✦✦✦

With the Black Box, the residents had found the monster encounters grew more frequent in number. In addition to the fungus-infested deer and the dire wolves. Tim had fended off a serpentine feline, a Tatzelwurm. Heathcliff had fended off a few chimeras and Elizabeth and the giant tarantula construct had fended off a strange chimera.

After a while, they, along with Emily, Richard, and Sarah discuss what to do about the monsters if they are unable to find a tamer.

“We could hold out for a few more months,” Heathcliff says. “Chances are that if we grow more powerful, they might pose no threat to us, cher”

“The Arachne are a different story,” Elizabeth says. The response had the knight realize that they might not be as able to fend off the “guests” for long and that it would be difficult for them to get enough gear for them all.

It is at this point that Minerva arrives, “We have a visitor, she doesn’t seem to want to raid the dungeon.”

Emily looks at the entrance and finds visitors from Hamlin, Clara, Douglas, Charlotte, Euryale, and Stheno.

“Heathcliff,” Emily’s voice rings to him, “maybe you should go greet them? They’re close to my entrance”

The knight heads to the part of Emily she specified and is surprised to find Clara and her entourage there.

“Clara!” he says.

“Heathcliff,” Clara says.

“Seems you decided to take up my offer?” Heathcliff says.

“Not quite,” Clara says. “I’m here to see just how bad this is first.”

“Oh,” Heathcliff says. He notices the other three with Clara and Charlotte.

“Have we met before?” Douglas says, “You seem pretty familiar.”

“Me and my mates were staying in Hamlin for a while,” Heathcliff says.

Douglas couldn’t help but notice something else about him like he should have known of this person before.

“Nina does, life here, yes?” Stheno says.

“Oui,” Heathcliff says.

“Can we, um play with her?” Charlotte says.

“That depends on her mom,” the knight says. “Follow me.”

Heathcliff leads the group from the blue and black entrance.

“Minerva?” Emily’s voice echoes to the Arahcne mom, “Some of them want to play with Nina?”

“Oh dear,” Minerva says. “Did Nina make new friends while in Hamlin?”

“Yep!” the spiderling says with a cheerful smile.

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“I knew I forgot something!” Elizabeth says. “Sorry about that.”

“Can I?” Nina looks at her mother. Her eyes are not powerful enough to try to move Minerva’s mind, but her sparking expression convinces Minerva to let her daughter play with her distant friends.

Meanwhile, Carla sees several of the beasts and monsters that now made the dungeon their home, and several of the residents contending with these intruders. The Arachne adventurers fight to repel a pack of dire wolves and Tatzelwurms, the spider construct gathers several manticores and dire rats in a room.

Douglas also looks at the strange place and the bestial intruders. “Well, is there anything you can do short term?”

Despite the alien appearance, Charlotte feels a sense of warmth from the walls of the dungeon that she never felt in Hamlin outside her house.

The group soon enters a room, which rapidly morphs to resemble a living room with furniture formed from the floors and walls. Minerva, Nina, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Richard are already in the room. Nina rushes to greet her friends.

Clara notices a certain absence among the group. “Where is Emily?” she says.

“She’ll be here in a moment,” Heathcliff says. “Isn’t that right?” he looks at Elizabeth as he says this, but the true recipient is someone else.

“Guess some introductions are in order,” the Alraune says. “My name is Clara, this is my daughter, Charlotte. I’ve arrived from Hamlin for a short visit, nothing at all.”

“Name’s Douglas, an old friend of Clara’s husband, the other two girls are my kids.”

“Pleasure to meet you, my name’s Stheno.”

“I’m Euryale!”

“I’m Char—wait,” Charlotte turns to Clara, realizing her mother had introduced her.

“My name’s is Minerva, Nina’s mother.” The older Arachne says.

“I assume you already met my sister Sarah?” Richard says before introducing himself. His electrified crossbows were nowhere to be seen on his dark-skinned and blond-haired body.

“I’m here!” a voice calls out. Everyone turns to see Emily’s avatara, tripping over herself as she runs towards the room.

“Little clumsy today, cher?” Heathcliff says.

Clara already suspects Emily is the Dungeon by now, but she decides to humor the girl. “I’m glad we can meet again, Emily.”

“So,” Emily says, since you’re here and all.

“My daughter and I will see what we can do, no promises,” Clara says with a gentle smile.

“I’ll try to lend a hand as well,” Douglas says. “You guys have a real monster problem here.”

“Yeah, we know,” Tim says in an aloof manner.

✦✦✦

“So, you three have never gone outside Hamlin before?” Nina talks with the three girls about their trip to the Black Box.

“Didn’t we already tell you that?” Charlotte says.

“I think she forgot,” Euryale says.

“I’m not quite sure myself,” Charlotte says.

The four children were helping the others by finding the exact number of larger monsters. As they explore the Black Box’s rooms, they find a pack of wolves and a swarm of dire rats.

“Okay,” Charlotte takes a deep breath. “Mom told me a few things on the way here.” She approaches the wolves first. Her petals spread a pleasant and calming aroma that lowered the wolves’ aggression towards the Alraune child.

“You guys are lost, aren’t you?” Charlotte says to the wolves. Several of them seem to make gestures affirming as such. “Can you tell me where you came from?”

The wolves lead the kids to a patch of meadow that has now been covered by the sleek black and indigo floors and walls of the Dungeon. Their territory is now part of the dungeon and the animals are placed in an unfamiliar land.

“Did the dungeon spread over your home?” Charlotte says.

As Charlotte talks to the wolves, Euryale and Stheno notice her pleasant aroma. “I feel…tired..for some reason,” Euryale says.

“Lotte, dear,” Stheno says, “I think your...scent is too…”

Charlotte turns and finds the twins lying on the ground, knocked out by her petals scene. She rushes to wake them up.

“I’m so sorry!” Charlotte says, “Nina can you—“ She turns to find Nina also lying in a stupor.

“Okay,” Charlotte concentrates on a different scent. She turns to the dire wolves “Please bear with me!” instead of the previous aroma, her petals soon emit a pungent odor that fills the room. The other three girls are awakened by the stench.

“Ugh,” Nina says, “what stinks in here?”

“I’m so sorry,” Charlotte says as the twins wake up. “I didn’t notice my petals were too sweet-smelling!”

The wolves leave, fearful of the odor, and head towards another room.

“So,” Euryale wipes her eyes. “What did we find out?”

“The dungeon had,” Charlotte says. “Well, it had overtaken their lands. Removing them is easy but they are gonna need a new forest to live in.”

“Oh,” Euryale says, as she pinches her nose.

“That’s one dire wolf pack so far, right?” Nina says with an eager smile.

“Yes?” Charlotte says. She stand sup and upon seeing that both Euryale and Stheno had pinched their noses, focuses on changing her petals’ fragrance to a more pleasant one. The girls go to tell Elizabeth about the wolf pack.

✦✦✦

Tim, Richard, and Sarah lurk behind some treelike structures. They see several mountain lions prowling the converted forests.

“How did mountain lions arrive here?” Richard says. “There aren’t any mountains near Eastshire!”

Tim notices a presence behind him, one of the predators poised to ambush him. The feline leaps toward the group, but Tim dodges, turns, and uses the momentum to strike its abdomen. Richard fires one electrified bolt at it. The wildcat flees after the shock.

Sarah looks around, finding four more of the creatures. “Okay, so five mountain lions,” she says. “Can we move on now?”

“Wait!” Richard says. “This room is rather large, there could be more here.”

“Heh,” Tim says, “I thought you’d be the type to leave.”

“I’m the type that obsesses over detail,” Richard says. “I’d rather not find out that there was a hair out of place because we were too lazy to delve deeper. Besides, I’m not gonna turn down a chance to practice my marksmanship.”

Tim smirks, “Yeah, fair enough.” In truth, he is looking for a reason to practice with his earth spells as well.

Sarah sighs. “Well, if we have to be through,” The three move deeper into the converted woodlands. They do not see anything of note beyond the pack of five lions. Tim fills in an obstructive void with his earth spells. Sarah fends off one of the mountain lions as they draw closer to the three. Richard provided covering fire with his modified crossbow.

Sarah was curious about something. “So Tim,” she says. “How did you wind up with that knight, anyway?”

“Heathcliff? We just bumped into each other, is all,” he says. In truth, he had sought out the Crimson Hound himself as a mentor in adventuring.

The dwarves are a little skeptical of that. Richard has his own questions. “How long have you been traveling together?”

“A few years now,” Tim says.

The three soon hear something in the converted trees around them. Tim sees a pair of feline eyes in the shadows and assumes a horse stance. Sarah also prepares to fight as well.

Emerging from the shadows is a chimera, a beast with the body of a lion, the wings of a dragon, and the heads of a ram and lion. Its serpentine tail holds the head of a snake.

“A chimera!” Sarah says. “How lovely.” The dwarven woman attacks the chimera with her hammer, pinning its serpent tail down with a smack.

The tail bites Sarah and injects her arm with poisonous saliva. She is rendered barely unable to lift her hammer as she grows woozy.

Tim makes a charging step and stops short of the hybrid, he uses the moment to make a rapid succession of punches and palm strikes on the beast, hitting where the goat’s head merges with the rest of the beast’s body. He then uses his spear to combine wind and earth magic. Creating stones from the air to pelt them, with the force of the gales accelerating them as she leaps a distance away from the agitated hybrid.

The leonine head of the beast opens its maw. Richard aims his crossbow at it and fires a shot. The projectile was swallowed by the beast who proceeded to zap it from the inside.

The chimera is now angered. It makes a headlong rush toward Tim, but he sidesteps and causes it to hit the metal bark of a tree. It charges again, but Sarah recovers from the poison and leaps onto the beast, riding it like a mere horse.

The serpent’s tail attacks Sarah as she holds on to the body. She dodges its bites as she continues to ride it. “Come on now, I’ve met foals with more buck than that!”

The chimera, taunted by Sarah makes a great leap with its wings in an attempt to remove its unwanted rider from itself. The goat’s head turns towards the dwarf, trying to lash at her alongside the snake’s tail. Before the chimera could land, Tim knocks it back into the air with snap kicks. The beast hits another metallic arbor. The collision causes it to deform and melt a little, trapping its leg and tail within its bark. Sarah dismounts and climbs down.

“Is that enough now,” Sarah asks. Love me a good fight and all, but—“

She is interrupt by the sound of growling form behind her. She turns and finds two smaller chimeras. The silver-haired dwarf turns back “You get my point.”

Tim and the dwarven siblings dodge the cubs’ attacks and Tim uses wind magic to repel them as they escape. They rush back tot he room’s entrance. Emily seals the room’s entrance after the three make it across.

“Three chimers, five mountain lions,” Richard says as he, his sister and Tim catch their breaths. “Close enough for me.”

“Yeah,” Tim says. “Let’s head back.”

✦✦✦

Heathcliff gives Carla and Douglas a tour of the dungeon as they search for monsters.

“So,” Douglas says. “Are you certain we haven’t met before?”

“Yes, monsieur,” Heathcliff says. “We haven’t.”

The three soon find three Tatzelwurms asleep. Carla approaches the slumbering serpents. She uses her fragrance to keep them asleep as she observes them. She finds that the structure of the room resembles a forested area and a nest for the feline monsters specifically.

“It’s as I feared?” Carla says. “The dungeon had expanded and taken over the nearby forests and meadows. Yes?”

Heathcliff nods. “For obvious reasons, we don’t quite want to give them the boot yet.”

“You seek a tamer hoping to have the monsters serve the dungeon?” Carla says. Her deduction is not unfounded. She knows that tamers are commonly employed by dungeons to help them use the native fauna as deterrents to visitors, a supplement to the Cells.

“That’s the ideal scenario, cher,” Heathclifff says. “But I understand in you don’t want to help with that.”

Carla notices that patches of scales on the Tatzelwurms look different from the other scales, resembling the walls more than any natural pattern. “It seems like the dungeon is already mutating them,” she says.

“How did it exactly expand?” Douglas asks. He is aware that an Arahcne-populated dungeon had recently vanished.

“If I had to guess,” Carla says. “Rapid influx of mana.”

“That would be close, cher,” Heathcliff says.

“We should get going,” Carla says. “Three Tatzelwurms so far.”

All this time Emily had listened in, thanks to Elizabeth’s help she can still perceive an extent of her senses within her dungeon body while piloting the avatara body. She turns to Elizabeth. “Mutation?” she says

“Oops,” Elizabeth says. “Forgot to explain. Dungeons in general have an effect on the monsters and such living inside them, causing them to adapt to their new surroundings. In some cases they could even become a new type of Cell entirely!”

“Why do we even need a tamer then?” Emily says.

“Problem is that unlike Cells, they still possess their own will. They cannot be controlled by the average core. Only worked around. The number of mana a core needs to use just to control these beasties is quite significant.”

“Aw,” Emily says. She recalls the Arahcne eyes and Bardsong in general. “Can Bardsong help?”

“No,” Elizabeth says. “It generally can cause people and monsters to feel specific emotions, but it cna be resisted. The eyes of an Arachne can work, but the ones currently lviign here are incapable of that level of power right now.” She sighs.

Emily’s avatara turns to find Nina, Charlotte and the tewins. As she steps she somehow slips before Elizabeth catches her. The four kids tell the fairy about the wolf pack and the location they had found it.

✦✦✦

A few hours later, Carla, Heathcliff, and Douglas enter another room.

“So we have, three groups of cat snakes,” Heathcliff says as he looks over the information Elizabeth had given him. “A deer with a bad fungal infection, a dozen dire wolf packs, three chimeras. At least ten swarms of dire rats and five mountain lions.”

“How did mountain lions even make it here?” Douglas says.

Heathcliff shrugs.

Carla looks at the room and sees its last residents are a trio of hippogryphs. The feathers of the winged equine bear patterns, similar to the spots of the Tatzelwurms. The creatures look at the trio with agitation.

Carla uses her fragrances to soothe the beasts, but it instead provokes them. The three attack Carla, Douglas, and Heathcliff. The knight already intercepting the first blow with his shield.

The walls around the dungeon move in reaction to the beasts, unable to focus on containing them with her conciseness still operating the avatara. Douglas takes out his hook and chain. “Seems like a little force is needed,” he says as he throws his hook around one of the hippogryphs. The beast

Carla changes her arms into wooden knives. Not wanting to harm the beasts, but aware that she cannot idle if they are this agitated. She blocks one of the talons of the hippogryphs with her bladed arms. Her scent turns into a pungent odor to deter the beasts from attacking her.

In another room, Emily senses something within her other body and her avatara faints. Now that she isn’t preoccupied with it, the dungeon can focus on the source of the sensation. She looks and sees the three hippogryphs and attempts to contain them. The walls rapidly shift to box them in. The mammalian avians are too fast and agile for her attempts as they take to the air and attack Heathcliff, Douglas, and Carla with their feathers.

Carla sees something unusual, an object piercing the feet of each of the hippogryphs. “Doug!” she says, “Can you tether their legs?”

“On it!” Douglas says. He takes his chained hook and uses it to ensnare the avian horse, dragging it close enough for Carla to approach it.

“There there, it’s okay,” Carla says gently. She dodges its claw strikes as she draws closer to the bound beast. She soon removed the object from its leg. A talon that had been dislodged and been causing it great pain. The monsters grow a little more docile afterward but still tries to attack the Alraune. Clara dodges as the creature breaks the fetter around its leg and flies off.

Clara sees one of the remaining two locked in a fierce battle with Heathcliff. His shield loosens the piercing talon in the monster’s leg as it blocks its diving attacks.

“Rather fierce little monstre,” Heathcliff says as he prepares to clash with it once more. The two combatants lock talon with sword and the clash causes a cut to appear on the hippogryph’s foot. The piercing nail was removed as a result of the open wound.

Carla rushes over to the monster and uses one of her petals as a makeshift gauze for the leg. After its wound was tended to, the hippogriff screeches and flies away.

The third hippogryph was trapped inside a mass of spikes. His pained leg jutted out as it tried to escape its cage. Carla takes the piercing talon off its leg.

“You can let it go now,” Carla says. The dungeon obliges, and the third hippogryph leaves to join its siblings.

✦✦✦

Later that day, Elizabeth visits Richard. “You wanted to see me?”

“Ah Elizabeth,” the dwarven artisan says. “Come with me.”

The fairy passes by Sarah, who is busy forging several swords. The dark-skinned silver-haired dwarfette carefully moves a molten blade from the furnace and places it on a nearby anvil.

Elizabeth soon finds an Arachne. “Hello, Mistress Elizabeth,” he says. He stands in a room surrounded by images of headshots, each sporting several distinctive hairstyles.

“Hello, Keith,” Elizabeth says to the spider man. “What brings you here,”

“Our diminutive friend had wanted my services,” Keith says with a polite tone. His slick raven tresses cascade down to his back as he observes the fairy. “He says he is in need of a hairstylist.”

“Huh?”

Richard soon arrives. “There you are!” the blond dwarf says.

“You wanted to see me?” Elizabeth says.

Richard nods. “I wanted to expand my horizons a bit. I know there is more to fashion and style than just the outfits themselves.”

“Master Richard especially wants to get into hairdressing,” Keith says.

Elizabeth realizes the bizarre request. “You want to give me a haircut?”. “It has been a while since I had one,” she thinks.

Richard nods and beams a smile. “I’ve several ideas if you are interested.” He shows Elizabeth several examples of short hairstyles.

Elizabeth compares to her current one, by now her magenta hair is slightly longer than she is tall, dragging on the floor as she walks. The fairy is intrigued by the offer and looks over the examples. “How about that one?” she says.

“Hmm.” Richard looks at the selected image. “Keith?”

The Arachne man hands him several equipment; a pair of scissors, some shears, and tools for washing the hair. “Rest assured that I already explained to him the art of styling hair,” he says.

Elizabeth flutters to the chair and sits down. Her mane draped off the back of the seat.

“This is going to take some time,” Richard says.

An hour later, half of Elizabeth’s magenta hair was cut off. During this time, the three talked about several topics, including Richard’s goals in the space of fashion and an interest in Noirian styles specifically. While Richard was careful, his inexperience showed in the sloppy chopping of the fairy’s hair. Another thirty minutes later, Richard had managed to crop off enough hair to the desired length. However, the dwarf’s sloppy work is still shown in the uneven cuts.

“Not bad for a beginner,” Keith says. “You show some promise, but will need some more practice.”

“Thanks,” Richard says.

Richard allows Keith to even out the ends of her hair while Richard works on other aspects. By the hour’s end, Elizabeth’s new haircut was nearly finished. Richard applies the finishing touch with some bands used to tie some of the hair into buns.

“It is done, Mistress Elizabeth,” Keith says. The fairy soon stands up and stares at a mirror, appraising her new haircut. Her hair now stretches just to her back, while parts of it are tied up in two buns.

“Wow!” Elizabeth says. “That’s amazing.”

“I’d hope so,” Richard says.

“I’m glad we met your expectations. And I thank you for accepting our sudden request,” Keith says.

Richard turns to the Arachne stylist. “Thank you for the assistance,” he says.

“My pleasure,” Keith says.

Elizabeth and Keith leave the atelier. Sarah being too busy working on her swords to notice Elizabeth’s new tresses.

✦✦✦

Later, the group reconvened and Emily reactivated her avatara.

“So,” Emily says.

“Quite a few critters are making this place home,” Carla says. “Most concerning are the chimeras and hippogryphs.”

“Any ideas for fixes, cher?” Heathcliff says.

“Maybe we can—“ Charlotte makes

Carla interrupts her daughter. “I want to stay the night, if possible,” Carla says.

“It is getting late anyway,” Douglas says. “Who’se up for supper? My treat!”

While everyone is getting ready for dinner. Charlotte looks around the technological dungeon. She can sense warmth emanating from her walls. A stark contrast to how the village feels outside her house. Emily soon approaches her.

“Dinner’s ready!” Emily says. “Your mom sent me to get you.”

“Oh,” Charlotte says.

“So,” Emily says. “How is the dungeon?”

Charlotte looks at the purple-haired teenage girl beside her. For some reason, her ability to sense mana could barely detect her. To Charlotte, it is like she isn’t even here, yet her eyes can see that she is, and her ears can hear her voice.

“Oh, um,” Charlotte says. “It, nice?”

“Nice?” Emily says.

“Nice,” Charlotte says.

Emily looks around the room, almost as if she was a little insulted. She then looks back at the younger Alraune. “Is something the matter?”

Charlotte isn’t sure how to answer that question. She looks back on her time in Hamlin, memories of a cold atmosphere despite the effulgent sunlight shining on the quaint village. Memories of her encounters with Charles and his barbs, memories of her being ignored by most of the villagers.

“No,” she says as she beams a smile, “But the dungeon is very nice!”

Emily sees the warmth in the child’s voice as she says that. Yet Emily can still detect a tinge of sadness in the young Alraune.

Charlotte meanwhile looks at Emily and senses that her mana is blending in with that of the room itself.

“Thanks,” Emily says. “But are you sure everything’s alright?”

“I’m sure, thank you, Miss Emily, “Charlotte says.

“Alright,” Emily says. “But if you need anything while you’re here, just let me know, ‘kay?”

The child nods as the pair head to dinner.

Everyone is already gathered inside a small set of dining tables, fabricated by the dungeon herself and merged into the floors.

As everyone eats, Charlotte begins to recall memories of what it was like when her father Samuel was alive. A time when guests were frequent, and when dinners were a little warmer. She begins to wonder when did Hamlin changed.

Her mother has similar feelings as she takes a look at the food behind her.

“A feast, spectacular, effervescent,” A voice rings in her head. “Cooked with kindness you have long since been denied.”

Carla’s seed of doubt tries to get her to abandon Hamlin. She gazed upon the various people of the Black Box enjoining themselves.

“Hamlin has no place for thee, the betrayed. The people call you a monster, a murderer. No better than the beasts you take care of.”

“Shut up!” Carla thinks, trying to deny the seed of doubt a larger foothold in her mind.

“Deny me all you wish, it matters not. The die was already cast long ago. Even if you try to give them closure. They would still never accept you or kin.”

“I’m not in the mood for your foul games, Invader,” Carla thinks. “Now leave!”

The voice chuckles. “I merely unveil the doubts in your heart. If you truly had faith and conviction. Then why, why are you in this dungeon?” The voice fades with these haunting words.

Charlotte sees her mother’s forlorn smile. A grimace that masked feelings of confusion and sorrow. A face she wore many times herself as she pretended that her father’s death had not bothered her too much.

Both Emily and Heathcliff notice Carla’s expression as well. “Seems she is holding back some deep scars,” Heathcliff thinks.

Sarah has already finished her plate. “More please!” the female dwarf says.

“Sarah!” Richard says. “The rest of us haven’t even finished!”

“I don’t think I’ve seen someone finish a plate like that so fast!” Douglas says.

“I’ll take care of it,” Heathcliff says. Emily follows him.

As Heathcliff and Emily head into the nearby kitchen. The two exchange words.

“You seem pretty determined to get her here,” Emily says with a cheeky smile, “Huh, Heathcliff?”

“It’s not for the reasons you think, cher,” Heathcliff says. “I’m just trying to make you a proper specialist is all.”

“Uh-huh,” Emily’s avatara sits on one of the counters, she beckons a cabinet to open and fires a bag to her hand. She hands it to the knight who opens it to find it has a loaf of bread wrapped inside it.

“Tomatoes,” Heathcliff says. Emily places a bag of the red plants in her hand and hands it to Heathcliff.

“Lettuce,” The knight says.

“One of the guests seems pretty insistent on knowing you before, Crimson Hound,” Emily says. “Is that true?

“Who knows, cher,” Heathcliff says, “I’ve met with many folks before. I do know that I do not want people to know that the Crimson Hound is around these parts, made me too many enemies, cher. Now then where’s the bacon? Gotta make the bacon!”

“On it,” Emily says. She opens a cabinet and sees several strips of pork, land on a platter, freshly cooked. She hands the meat to Heathcliff.

The knight soon finishes the sandwiches and places them on several garnished platters.

“These will keep her full,” Heathcliff says. The two deliver the food to the hungry, hungry dwarf.

✦✦✦

After Dinner, Elizabeth leads the guests to their quarters. The group of five was surprised to find a recreation of the interior of Carla’s house!

“Hmm,” Carla says. “Something seems very familiar here.”

Douglas’ face carries of sense of annoyance. “I had work weeks and nights to finish Samuel’s house, and here I find the dungeon is somehow able to recreate it instantly.” His daughters chuckle.

“Sorry,” Elizabeth says. “We thought you’d be more at home in familiar trappings.”

Douglas looks at the flustered fairy and sighs. “Well, at least it makes finding the guest rooms, easy, c’mon girls!” Euryale and Stheno follow their father. Emily’s avatars approach Elizabeth, Clara, and Charlotte.

“Evening!” Emily says.

The two Alraunes notice the peculiarities surrounding Emily. Clara muses on the uncanny recreation of her home, down to the details. Charlotte’s special sense still could barely discern her from the ambient mana of the Black Box.

“Thank you for hosting us,” Clara says with a warm smile and closed eyes. “Miss Dugneon,”

Emily and Elizabeth are shocked to find that the elder Alraune knows Emily is the dungeon.

“H-how did you know?” Elizabeth says.

“Lucky guess,” Carla lies. “Don’t worry, dears, you’re secret’s safe with us, right Charlotte?”

“O-of course!” Charlotte says. After processing what her mother had just revealed to her.

“We were planning to tell you later,” Emily says. “If you wanted to join of course,”

“It’s okay,” Carla says with a motherly smile. “I understand the need for secrecy here.”

“Does Douglas know?” Emily says.

“I don’t think so,” Carla says. “He seems more focused on your knight friend. Wonder why?”

“I’ve never seen a dungeon core up close before, “Charlotte says.

“And you still haven’t, “Elizabeth says. “The form before us is Emily’s avatara.”

“You could’ve let me explain that, Elizabeth!” Emily says.

“Sorry,” Elizabeth says, robbing her back.

“Anyway,” Emily says. “It’s some sort of puppet body?”

“Puppet body?” Charlotte says.

“I’ve heard of those,” Carla says. “People telling of how Dungeons raid each other with humanoid forms. These avatara are how they explore the world beyond their walls.”

Charlotte begins to realize something. “Is that why I could barely sense your mana?” she asks.

“Pardon?” Emily says.

“You can see mana?” Elizabeth says.

“Oops!” Charlotte says.

Carla notices her daughter’s slip. “Charlotte was born with a rare gift, she can perceive mana. It proved quite helpful when helping me care for the monsters.”

Elizabeth is intrigued by the little Alraune lass, Charlotte’s indigo petals and hair contrast with her green complexion. “The ability to sense mana. Only Dungeons should have a power like that.” Elizabeth thinks. She recalls something back in Hamlin, how three people sensed something off about the Piper, Charlotte being one of them. But the others were Emily and Nina. “I wonder,” the fairy thinks about if little Nina somehow has a similar power as well.

“It’s getting late,” Carla says, “We really should head to bed now,”

“Good night,” Emily’s says to the Alraunes. Her avarata sinks into the floor. Elizabeth leaves the Alraunes as well, heading to her bed near Emily’s core.

✦✦✦

The moon shines brightly over Hamlin. The glow of Tranqlitias radiates. The only light over the dead of night. The sleepy village stilled in the moonlit air.

A shadowy figure stands atop the tallest roof of the village. “It is time, let the performance begin!” He plays his pipe.

An enchanting melody covers Hamlin. The sleepy bodies of children awake. Entranced, they walk outside their beds and rooms. They sleepwalk to the siren tune of the pipe. Deftly leaving their homes in silent daze.

“They come, the future of the village comes.”

Six and a half score in number, they walk. The children converge into a dazed line. Not awake, but neither asleep either. They march to the mesmeric Piper’s notes.

“Follow me into eternity, kids. Hamlin has no need for you anymore.”

The Piper continues his fell Bardsong. Children move to the village’s ingress. Their egress punctuated by the tune. The Piper leaps in front of the parade. Playing his merry melody to them. The torpified children follow his sounds. Without fail, awareness or interest. As their souls are trapped betwixt two places. One is the enthralling subconsciousness. The other, the bard’s corrupted soul.

“To the dungeon, we go, empower, ingress. For it will seal Hamlin’s true future!”

The parade marches away from their homes. They tread into Revotos’ Valley. By the emergence of the sun, they were gone. The children had all but left the village. Excluding those left unable to walk. The Piper drops a knife onto the ground. Beyond it, the children hover in the air. No longer leaving a trail to follow. They float above the Ophidian’s lake.

“Fly, ascend, your new destiny awaits. You will find a new home, a newfound life. And the dungeon shall come to house you all!”

✦✦✦

Dawn rises over Hamlin. Geraldine wakes up first, to tend to the animals and monsters her sister had entrusted her with in her absence. She tends to the few in her care as she notices a strange feeling in the air. A sense of dread.

An hour later, beneath a violet and fuchsia sky, she hears a knock on the door. “I wonder who could it be at this hour?” Geraldine opens the door.

It was Ms. Guarjardo. An elderly woman is known for her kindness to the other villagers. The woman is in tears.

“Ms. Guajardo,” Geardine says. “What’s wrong?”

“My granddaughter,” Ms. Guajardo sobs. “Ella is missing!”

Geraldine is shocked to hear this. She tries to comfort the inconsolable elderly woman.

At the same time, within the village, Officer Owens awakes to find several parents, teachers, and grandparents, all united in the purpose of filing missing people reports for their children. His wife was among them.

As Stella shines above the village, murmurs and rumors abound as to how the children had vanished. Concerned parents panic over the loss of most of their babies as they go about their days. The school, bereft of students, closes.

The guards searched for evidence and found a trail of footprints, but that lead had gone cold as they suddenly faded at the foot of the lack in Revotos’s valley, marked by a familiar knife. Several of them, fearing the worst, search for corpses, but the dungeon confirms that the only corpse in that lake is that of the undead Ophidian.

Owens finds a tablet nearby. It reads, “I am sorry, I cannot save the children. Someone has absconded with them through me. They are now far, far away from Hamlin. My condolences, people of Hamlin.”

Owens gathers his men and returns to the village, with the tablet in tow. The villagers take the dungeon’s message as an ominous one. They worry more about their wayward sons and daughters. Their panic turns to fury.

“Who’s responsible for this?” a villager cries out in grief.

“First Samuel’s death, now this?” a woman shouts.

“Mark my words, whoever did this, they will pay!” a man shouts.

Geraldine and Medusa sense the furor in the air. They are unsure what has happened, but they are sure that the collective grief is transforming into hateful malice. If the children are dead, they need to know. If they are alive, they have to know. Whosoever captured them beneath their slumbering noses, they must know. The villagers of Hamlin will find their closure, no matter the cost.