A week passed after the fight with the Baron Roberts. Life around the Black Box Dungeon continued as normal. Yet Emily is still shaken by the Baron’s words towards her. She looked towards the Bleumaw. What was until recently, known as the Verdemaw, a natural scene of greenery is now changed to a cybernetic blue hue.
She walked toward the recent expansion of her domain and saw a quiet place within the azure forest. There she had meditated for a few hours. She first focused on what happened earlier that day.
The morning of, Emily, Elizabeth, Atsuko, and Tim had delved into the microdungeon of Tim’s Qiang, Spearhead’s Peak, and talked with Wu Jingyu.
“You must be the fairy tied to Emily,” Jingyu said. “Greetings and my humblest apologies.”
“Hello,” Elizabeth said. “I understand you wanted Emily to revive the Golden Spear sect?”
Jingyu nodded. “I again, offer my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience, I am aware that most faiths are against the art of cultivation and likewise as begins so connected to the Administrators as you are that—”
“Don’t worry about that,” the pink-haired fairy said. “I had revived clearance for us to pursue the art. But…”
“But,” Jingyu said.
“Recent events had us wondering about… things,” Emily said.
“I see,” Jingyu said. “The very fact we can meet again proves you have overcome your urgent struggle,” Jingyu said.
“Yeah,” Emily said.
“I was wondering about why [Alkahestry], no [Cultivation] is so despised by the gods,” Elizabeth said.
“Hmm, you notice the contradiction in your statement here?”
“Yes, I do,” Elizabeth said. “I supposed it is more accurate to ask why they are claimed to have despised [Cultivation].”
Jingyu walked around his room and looked out to the kaleidoscopic sky outside. “If my hunch is correct, it began with a misunderstanding. The path of cultivation in general is tread to the very end, which would see the cultivator walk amongst the gods themselves. Therefore it would stand to reason the Administrators would test their worthiness of the role.”
“It would make sense,” Tim said. “They are at least claimed to want what is best for mortalkind. It would stand to reason that if they would want to ensure anything seeking to join them would be attuned to that goal as possible.”
“Though the existence of the Fallen, Lucifer, implies that they don’t always stay that way,” Atsuko said while looking at several of the items gathered on this trip.
“Though the seed of misunderstanding is just that a seed,” Jingyu said. “There needed to be a gardener to have to bloom. What began as a mere understanding became a cause for people to think it taboo. Likely by those that saw it as a threat to their power.”
“You don’t think they—” Elizabeth said.
“Why not?” Jingyu said. “There are many interpretations of the scriptures, after all.”
“Like the Universalists,” Atsuko said. “They have a global reach and the influence to match, many of the faithful’s worship is derived from their practices.”
“As a counterpoint,” Tim said. “There are also protestant groups like the Agneists. Those who have a different opinion on how worship is best concocted.”
“That’s an understatement,” Atsuko said. “I pretty much skipped Gardenia because the city and surrounding area had no dungeons.”
“That is true…” Elizabeth said. “They somehow thought that [Dungeons] are a force to be exterminated.”
Emily has a question of her own. “So how did the cultivators survive these attacks.”
“It’s simple, we hid,” Jingyu said. “We retreated to the shadows and practiced in secret.”
“It also helped that an exodus caused Jiangese to leave the nation and spread their secrets throughout Titania. Who knows how many cultivations sects exist beneath the noses of the governments and the churches?”
“I see,” Emily said. “If I may, Mr. Wu?”
“Please, Emily,” Jingyu said. “The time for formalities is long gone.”
“Right, sorry. Jingyu. I want to ask about the Qiang.”
“The one we’re inside right now?” Jingyu said.
“From the information that was…for lack of a better term, downloaded onto me,” Elizabeth said. “The Qiang Tim wielded was of great importance to your sect.”
“That Qiang was one of four weapons, and the most important of them all,” Jingyu said. “It was left behind by the founder after he ascended, along with all of his knowledge. In fact, he made certain to have the Qiang contain his wisdom. It was passed down through generations of Elders, who used it to teach their disciples our Alkahestry. That is why I had ensured it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
“I see,” Tim said.
“I might have also told you that the other three weapons were likely scattered throughout the world, but the Qiang’s importance meant that those who would come across them would try to get the Qiang. It is more than a weapon, it is a symbol of our school and therefore is vital for its restoration. With the fall of the Golden Spear, four seeds would be planted. Only one of them would become the successor to the fallen, the one with the highest claim to the power and legacy of the Golden Spear.”
With that, Emily’s recollection of the earlier meeting ended. She performs several breathing exercises before she focuses on her memories of the Baron. She then focused specifically on the Last Bastion Protocols, and how they helped her barely eke out a victory over the Baron. How they helped her survive.
A while later, amidst the tranquility of the converted forest. Emily heard leaves rustle nearby. She turned her head and saw Tim approach her.
“Never thought I’d see you here,” Tim said.
“It was getting a little noisy back there,” Emily said.
“Ah,” Tim said.
“You came here to meditate too?”
Tim sat down. “Well yes, but also because Heathcliff wanted to ask a favor.”
“Oh?”
“We found out that the Fallow Institute over at Pacifica found out about you. They are currently talking with the Guild about having one of their researchers explore the Black Box. Given recent events, Pauline and Heathcliff wanted to ask you if you’re okay with that.”
“I’m okay with having many people inside me if that’s what you’re asking,” Emily said mischievously.
Tim is taken aback by the innuendo. Emily chuckled. “I’ll head to the guild alter and let Pauline know I’m fine with them. After all, can’t keep everyone away from me over one hectic day.”
“That’s true,” Tim said. “As a dungeon, your job is to help the flow of mana by culminating it inside the gear you create and having them spread far from here.”
“Gathering mana. “The way you put it, that almost sounded like Cultivation,” Emily said.
“Perhaps,” Tim said. “That might be another reason why the art is considered profane. I had asked Master Wu about it, but he had given only cryptic answers.”
Emily stood up and stretched her arms. “I’m done for now. Feel free to meditate here, Timmy.” She began walking away from him.
“Um, Emily?”
“Yes?” Emily’s avatara responded.
“You do know that this place is a part of you now right?” Tim asked.
Emily realized that she had forgotten that the Bleumaw was part of her now. Infused with enough of ehr essence, and ehr nanomachinery, that she could simply recede her avatara into ehr surroundings here and return her consciousness to the core from here. “Right.” Her avatara melted into a silver mass and merged with the foliage. With no distractions. Tim began meditating.
✦✦✦
Meanwhile, Atsuko and Saizo are in the middle of keeping tabs on the mana of everyone’s weapons.
“Alright,” Atsuko said. “With the recent trip, Tim’s Qiang gained five percent more efficiently with the mana flow. That puts it a little over Emily’s swords and Streltizia’s labrys and staff.”
“What about the items?” Saizo asked.
“Hoshikage fount that they possessed microdungeons of their own.” Atsuko looks at one of the monitors. “That reminds me, where is she anyway.”
“She took Kasumi and the Colorturas to see a movie,” Saizo said.
“Is not one of those Pearly Templeton flicks, isn’t it?”
“What can I say,” the shinobi said. “She loves her musicals.”
“Come to think of it, maybe Emily could install a theater in her,” Atsuko said.
“Atsuko,” Saizo sighed. “You know a theater is out of our league right now.”
Atsuko finished her research for today. “Right.” She turned to her retainer. “Any news from Yamatai?”
“None so far, Lady Atsuko,”
Atsuko sighed. “Okay, I know there is a war going on, but would it kill Mom to write me every once in a while?”
“Depending on the circumstances, yes,” Saizo said.
“Not, helping.” The teal-haired nekomata looked at her large bow. “Gonna take some target practice. If Sarah asks, let her know. She wants me to help her ascertain if the expeditions affected the material composition of the weapons.”
“Noted,” Saizo said. “Best of luck, Lady Atsuko.”
✦✦✦
Later that day, Emily’s avatara arrived at the Rosenkreuz guildhall and met with Pauline at the counter “Hi Pauline!”
“Welcome, sweetie,” the blue-haired elf said. “How may I help you?”
“I heard I have a pending ‘guest’?”
“Fallow,” Pauline said. “They want to ask for the chance to get some material out of you for research purposes. Apparently they found something in Noir’s Joyfuller Island that came form you. Surely you know something about that?”
Emily remember Tim trading one of her rabbit statues for the Umbraspehre. “Nope, can’t said I have.” She lied.
“Uh-huh,” Pauline said. “Don’t worry about it, dear.”
“How are the repair efforts?” Emily said.
“We have managed to repair much of the damage Mister Robers made on the way to the neighborhood. Though the absence of the Engines meant the area’s economy was heavily impacted.”
“Oh?” Emily asked.
“The Engines turned out to be the where that region got its processed steel from.” Pauline said. “That meant they now have to import from other parts of Liberté now.”
“Huh,” Emily said. She began realizing that the Baron’s attack and the result of that had affected Cerberus drastically. “I’m sorry.”
Pauline laughs. “What had you got to apologize for? He had to be stopped and the regional guilds and factory knew it. Though some were a mite slower on the uptake then others. The various towns had reported that the impact isn’t quite significant, and some folk from Noir are seizing the opportunity to build refineries to fill the void.”
“Still…”
“Listen, honey,” Pauline said. “I’ve seen many a Divine Dungeon come and go over my years at this humble guild. Its nothing to get hung up about, Emily.”
“Right,” Emily said. “Anyway, what is Fallow?”
“The Fallow Institute is one of the leading research firms in Liberté, they make it their goal is to advance science and technology. Many a seasoned engineer came form their ranks. And many dungeons that encounter them tend to become a bit more infamous.”
“How so?”
“Well for starters, one of the consistent projects involves looking for unique Dungeon Materials and seeing their applications in various fields of the sciences. Those that end up connected to them tend to be seen as more valuable. They also try to look into how the materials dangerous qualities and how to best mitigate them.”
“That makes sense,” Emily said. “How soon will they arrives. I want them to have the opportunity.”
“I’d say a week or two, give or take,” Pauline said. “Is that all?”
Emily thought about if there are nay other errands. “Actually, did Esteban and Julia return from Noir?”
“I’d think you’d be the first to know if they had, dear,” Pauline said.
“Right,” Emily said nervously. “Guess that’s it then.”
“Tell Heathcliff I said hi!” Pauline said.
“Will do!” Emily said as she left.
✦✦✦
The next day, Elizabeth went to a library in Rosenkreuz. She approached a Porcine librarian.
“What can I do for you miss?” the librarian asked. His furry ears and legs had designated him as of the Caledonian strain. He wore a sweater vest over a white shirt and dark blue slack pants.
“Hello,” Elizabeth said. “I want to ask about tomes on magic and martial arts.”
“That’s in the one thousand, three hundred and fifties,” the Liberian said.
“Thank you, sir,” the pink-haired fairy asked.
The Liberian noticed Elizabeth’s wings. “Are you by any chance a sprite?”
“No,” Elizabeth said. “[Dungeon Fairy].”
“The librarian is aghast with surprise. “A dungeon fairy? Why are you interested in those topics? You should already know about them!”
“I know,” Elizabeth said. “I thought so too, but recent events had me thinking otherwise.”
The Porcine Librarian stroked his chin, before recalling what he learned the other day about the Engine’s rampage. Before he could ask her, Elizabeth had already fluttered away.
Elizabeth flew to shelves 1350-1400. She looked at the various books on display.
“Let’s see,” she said. “The Art of War, The Ars Encyclopedia, The Bard’s Guide to Bardsong and other Bardic Arts…” As she looked through the titles of various books, her hand soon ran into another. Elizabeth turned her head and saw Anemone Aria and Hydrangea Harmony here.
“Anemone?” Elizabeth said. “What are you two doing here?”
“I always come here,” the lilac-haired girl said. Her lupine hears erect in surprise. “Well ever since Emily adopted us that is.”
“I’m just here to return my copy of Fantomas III Volume 4,” the cyan-haired girl said.
“Oh.” Elizabeth had hard forgotten that those two loved reading and would naturally gravity towards the local library.
“What about you?” Anemone said. “I haven’t seen you enter a library since we met in Noir.”
“Oh, um well,” Elizabeth said. “I wanted to expand my horizons a bit.”
“I understand, it’s fun learning about new topics,” Anemone said. “But why the Arcane and Martial Arts section? I’d thought you’d—”
“Know all there is to know about [Dungeons] and [Adventurers],” Elizabeth said. “I won’t blame you for thinking that. I thought I did as well.”
The three head to a nearby table. Hydrangea had a question. “What had you thinking that?” the bespectacled girl said.
“Atsuko’s hypothesis proving correct for starters,” Elizabeth sighed.
“That a strange reason. It is a novel field of study, after all,” Hydrangea said.
“It’s more than that, Hydra,” Anemone said. Her pointed hat nearly flew off her hair from the wind of a nearby fan. “It’s the first breakthrough in Dungeon research in over five hundred years!”
“More than that, I’ve been wondering if it really was true that the [Administrators] had programmed me and fairies like me with all the knowledge needed to guide [Divine Dungeons]. If [Obsidian] had withheld knowledge for me.”
“Why would he do that?” Anemone said while moving one of her ringlets to her back. “The Administrators prefer knowledge to be spread, usually.”
“That is true,” Elizabeth said. “That is the reason they send [Messengers] and [Divine Dungeons] to [Titania]. To aid in the spread of knowledge. Yet despite that…”
“Now that you think about it,” Hydrangea said. “It does seem strange that the church would claim mana Cultivation is a taboo art and try to suppress it.”
“Necromancy too,” Anemone said. “Thought that hasn’t really stopped them, or dungeons for that matter from dabbling in that.”
“The stated reason is that these areas were forbidden because they are dangerous, but at the same time,” Elizabeth said. “There were other fields that could be said to have just as much of an impact. [Alchemy] had a large influence on [Alkahestry], and also paved the way for chemistry when it diverged from it. While [Bardsong]’s potential to manipulate and control hearts and minds, and its unique power to bypass the need for [Elementalist’s Spheres] for most, were known for millennia, yet those weren’t forbidden arts.”
“That reminds me,” Hydrangea said. “With the Aquasphere in Emily’s hands. Does that mean she has access to all of them?”
“Not quite,” Elizabeth said.
“You know how some people claim there are actually ten elements?” Anemone said
“Oh?” Hydrangea said. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Anemone said. “I’ve recently read that there is a serious debate in academia about the existence of two special elements. Commonly attributed to be the Stars and Mana itself by proponents of the theory.”
“Hmm,” Elizabeth said. “I have noticed that the Spherebed had ten slots, despite there being eight commonly known elements.”
“It’s been like that for most other dungeons as well,” Anemone said. “This had to be used as evidence for the existence of these two elements.”
“But at the same time, “Elizabeth said. “Mana and the Stars? Those are magic itself and the domain of [Astra]!”
“Is there any published material on this, Anemone?” Elizabeth asked.
“Let me see,” Anemone stood up from the table and moved to shelf 1356. She looked for a specific title until her eyes widened. “Found it! An Argument for Ten Elements, by Johannes Brown of the Astromancer’s Institution of Divination.”
“Astromancy?” Elizabeth said. She took the book from anemone and perused its contents. She found a passage from it and read it. “Though [Bardsong] is axiomatically considered ontological to magic in its ability to draw on the elements without magic. The [Stardeck]’s existence provided a counterargument against the notion. Believed to be blessed by the [Planete Administrators], each subdeck is attuned to one of the eight elements. With our current framework, it should be that not all of the subdecks would be accessible to those without the respective spheres. Yet that is not the case. People who had never touched the [Geosphere] were known to have drawn the deck of [Phaenon]. It likely held no effect on the probability of getting specific decks. Thus for it to be true that [Bardsong] is the only method of calling upon the elements without the spheres, there has to be another source of elemental mana to draw on.”
“It therefore stands to reason that the Stardecks draw upon a ninth element. Given its nature and what I had gathered from my time at the Astromancer’s Institution and my experience there has led me to believe that this source is Star mana.”
Elizabeth remembered the Stardeck wielder from before their trip to Noir. “It is true, [Stardecks] were anomalous in their ability to allow one to wield all known elements.”
“Star elements, that would explain a lot,” Hydrangea said.
Elizabeth read further into the book. There she learned about the discoveries of indigo and white-colored spheres of unknown origin. The former was discovered by the author examining unusually colored Aquaspheres and Umbraspheres. The latter were discovered in places that were wreaked by Cataclysms. She also learned about the common counterarguments for them, that being that the former was “tainted” by influence from both water and dark mana and that the latter were normal spheres that were stripped of their aspects by the cataclysms. The book addressed the former theory by pointing out how the blue-violet spheres are the instances of color outside the usual eight existing but had no word about the theory about the white spheres being the result of drained spheres.
Elizabeth’s closed the book. “Thank you, girls,” she said. “I think this would be useful in filling these gaps.”
Elizabeth, Anemone, and Hydrangea gathered more books and tomes and then headed to the Porcine librarian for checkout.
“Did you find what you are looking for?” the librarian asked.
Elizabeth nodded. “Thank you, kind sir.”
“Please,” the Procine man said. “Call me Beaufort.” He checked out everyone’s books and then the trip set off to return to the Black Box.
✦✦✦
Later that night, Elizabeth had a dream. Standing in front of her was a gigantic man. His body is covered in dark blue armor, and what few parts that weren’t covered had bright yellow veins. The large man is seen clanking on an equally large sheer of molten metal.
“Obsidian?” Elizabeth said. She fluttered close to the man’s face.
Obsidian looked at the small creature fluttering to him. Recognizing it as one of his creations, he let her land on his finger like a butterfly. “You had made quite þe mess of þings,” he chuckled.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Elizabeth tries to get out the words to ask her iniquities. “I-I-I’ve have some questions!”
“Clearly,” Obsidian said. “Few are þe ones that can speak with me and not have doubts about þemselves. Speak.”
Elizabeth prepared herself. “I want to ask why. I though you granted us all we need to know to guide the dungeon core.”
“You assume omniscience?” Obsidian said. “A common mistake.” The gigantic man looks to his current creation and takes a pair of players. He uses it to drop the metal into a tub of water. Steam erupted from the tub as the metal cools inside. “While þe knowledge I granted to you and oþers is vast, it is [the Teacher]’s domain to teach, not mine. I’m sorry but I do not grant you all my wisdom.”
“But why?” elizabeth said.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Obsidian said with a smirk. Elizabeth saw fog rolling in. “It seems our time here is cut short.”
Elizabeth fluttered in panic, futily trying to stave off the fog as it encroaches. Obsidian recalled soemthing.
“Before you rouse,” Obsidian said. “Þere is one last thing to note.”
“Huh?” Elizabeth said.
“You guide the [Black Box] yes?”
“Emily?” Elizabeth said. “Of course!”
“I want to make clear þat while it is true she is permitted to cultivate, þe trials she will face on þat paþ, both from us and from oþers, will be harder than it would be with mortals. For as a [Divine Dungeon], she must be forged and refined. If she is to master þe Alkahest’s path, if she can master herself, she will need your guidance now ever more so.”
“Understood, father.” Elizabeth said as the fog enveloped her.
“Go, my child,” Obsidian said. “Guide your sister, and help her forge her own path.” He let loose a slight smile as Elizabeth fades from his view, and the fog enveloped Elizabeth.
✦✦✦
The next day, Emily, Elizabeth, and Atsuko meet in front of the Kaguya Parallel Mirror.
“We’re doing my swords next?” Emily’s voice echoed to Atsuko.
“Yep!” the teal-haired nekomata said. “The Femtonauts and the Takarabune are ready, so we just need to fill out the team for a bit.”
“I’m here, cher,” Heathcliff said. “Sorry for the hold-up, had to take Pauline to her appointment.”
“Appointment? “Emily said. “For what?”
“Hormones,” Heathcliff said. “She had to get a prescription for estrogen therapy.”
“Ah,” Emily said.
Tim soon entered the room. “I’m here,” he said.
“Been dying to test out your new skills, Timmy,” Emily said impishly.
“Perhaps,” Tim said with a smirk.
Rose slithered into the room. “Pick me! Pick me!” she said.
“Rose seems very excited today,” Atsuko said.
Hoshikage and Kasumi entered the room next. “Kei and us will take care of the Mirror while you’re in the sword.”
“Now,” Elizabeth said. “Remind me again, are we doing the left or the right sword?”
“I don’t think it matters,” Atsuko said. “So far it seems like these two are so attuned to each other that they share the same microdugneon. A similar phenomenon is seen with the Coloraturas’s weapons.”
“Oh yeah,” Rose said. “I did notice my staff handled better after we went to the one inside my rapier.”
“That said,” Atsuko said. “Emily’s weapons are so attuned to each other that the process will fail if she tries to bring one of them with her, as another reminder. You’ll have to rely on your magic for this one.”
“I’m aware, Atsuko,” Emily said.
Rose saw Anemone and Hydrangea enter the room. “Hey guys, you want to go too?”
The two girls nodded.
“What about the others?” Emily asked.
“Raine’s too busy working with Richard and Sarah,” Rose said.
“Lily, Streltizia, and Clover are looking for dungeons to raid,” Hydrangea said. “While Minerva took Nina and Charlotte out to set up gravity glyphs for more unwanted intruders.”
“As for Azelia,” Anemone said. “She says she’s helping Euryale and Stheno with their attempts to rouse the dormant memories of the Hamlin children this time.”
“As for the Hernandezes,” Heathcliff said. “They’re currently checking in with the rouges at Noir right now.”
At that point, Kei had entered the room. “Apologizes, I was looking at the Bleumaw for inspiration,” the writer said.
“Guess that’s settles that. Atsuko said. “Everyone head to the pods.” She led Heathcliff, Elizabeth, Tim, Rose, Anemone, and Hydrangea to the pods while Hoshikage and Kasumi launched the Takarabune to Emily’s swords. With the vessels miniaturized and in her Microdugneon. Emily creates an avatara there and the others’ pods activate to stream their consciousnesses into the Femtonauts.
✦✦✦
Emily and the hero party arrive within the microdungeon of Emily’s swords. As the Femtonauts leave the Takarabune they notice something unusual has happened.
“Hmm,” Atsuko said.
“This place,” Emily said “looks different.”
“I’ll say,” Atsuko said. “The microdugneon used to resemble the Black Box more in aesthetic.”
The Takarabune is in the middle of a gigantic room that resembles a hospital lobby. The wall behind them is lined with transparent windows, but no doorway. The other three walls of the vacuous room had only unmanned desks and screens depreciating symbols of an unknown language.
Tim noticed that there was a symbol on one of the windows. A white diagonal line is etched into the glass.
Anemone and Heathcliff’s noses pick up a faint metallic scent.
“Is that…quicksilver?” Anemone asked.
Emily looked at the ceiling and saw a large window on the roof, framed by an array of fluorescent lights. The bright white lights and the tessellating sky cast dancing shadows on the people and objects in the large lobby.
“It’s so… strange,” Emily said. “Why does this resemble a hospital?”
Atsuko made an excitable face as she observed the various changes around her. “This is huge!” the teal-haired nekomata said. “I’ve gotten to take samples!”
“Care to explain, cher?” Heathcliff said.
“The fact that the microdugneon changed so drastically, meant that enough of Emily’s mana had poured into it to alter it completely!” Atsuko said with a giddy expression. “Her mana flows so easily into the weapons that it had transformed the microdugneon entirely!”
“Wait,” Rose said. “Does this mean that—”
“That the weapons are taking in her memories,” Elizabeth said.
“But I don’t recall ever setting for into a place like this!” Emily said. She then remembered that she had no memory of what happened before the dream, from before she awoken as a Dungeon core.
“That is a quandary, I’ll admit,” Atsuko said. “Perhaps it is your subconscious?”
Emily considered her options. She looked around and saw that while the windowed wall had no doors, the other three did. She looked at one in particular, a teal door with a window peeking into the corridor beyond.
“Do you wish to know?” a childlike voice echoed to Emily and only Emily. As if in a trance. Emily slowly walked to the door and gazed through the window. The corridor was as clean as the lobby, but the hallway stretched for what seemed to be miles.
Emily snapped out of her trance and looked back to her friends. “I think we should go this way.”
Heathcliff gathered the others. “Alright, cher. Allons!”
The group explored the microdugneon, finding the place very deserted. They see only empty doors filled with operating tables. Yet they also hear sounds that break the silence. Footsteps, the whirling of machines, the buzzing of screens. Eventually, they ended up back in the lobby.
“Well that was a bust,” Emily muttered.
“It’s not your fault, cher,” Heathcliff said. “Many of these dungeons have paths that loop back around. Helps keep them away from the prize.”
They noticed that the lightning had gone a little greener than when they arrived and that another door appeared at the opposite end of the room. Emily approached the door and saw that the lights had greened even more through there. She her her group through the door and they explored the green-lit hallway. They soon found another doorway. Heathcliff opened it and found a new room.
The room was dimly lit, yet still as free of dust and grime as the hallway. Emily tried to draw her swords before she realized they weren’t on her.
“Be on your guard,” Tim said as he assumed a horse stance. “Something’s here.”
“Emily,” Elizabeth said. “Let’s summon some lights.”
“Right,” Emily began a Bardsong spell to summon a medium-sized mote of light to illuminate the room. As the mote appeared, she was startled by the sight of something, and her concentration was broken. The mote vanished as soon as it appeared.
“Something wrong?” Atsuko said as she pointed her bow in front of Emily.
“I..” Emily began another Bardsong spell, her nerves were steeled for what she is about to see. As the room lit up she witnessed a person hooked to the wall, attached to several tubes of blush-green fluids.
Emily approached the figure. “Hello?” the entity stayed silent. While everyone made out a humanoid frame, much of it was clad in metal, and even the flesh that was bared was attached to tubes of the fluid. Everyone noticed the signs of rot and decay on the corpse.
“We’re sorry, that patient had recently passed away.”
The group turns to the source of the voice. A person clad in a nurse’s gown and a cap with a medical symbol on it. The figure had a feminine frame, but their face was covered in a featureless reflective mask. Despite their eerie aura, everyone could tell she wasn’t hostile.
“Welcome to the Medica Memoria, are you here to schedule an appointment?” the nurse said.
“Not quite,” Emily said.
“What is this place?” Rose said as she slithered close to Emily.
The nurse chuckled. “The Medica Memoria is a special place, where people come and go to become better.”
“Better, huh? how?” Tim said.
“We provide various services designed to treat every malady and illness,” the nurse said.
Emily looked at the figure and felt fear. She couldn’t explain why she felt this way. An image flashed in her mind, but she was unable to discern its details before it vanished.
“Fear not, I mean no harm,” the nurse said to Emily. “After all Emily, I wouldn’t want you to be hurt.”
That the nurse knew what her name was only disconcerted Emily further.
“I’m sorry,” The purple-haired avatara said. “There is a mistake, we are not interested in any treatments right now.”
“Understood,” the nurse said. “You are here to improve the swords right, not yourselves. That much is noted.”
“Yeah,” Emily said.
Heathcliff had a question. “So, nurse, I take it you are the core of the place?”
“Golly,” the nurse said. “I am but a humble employee, if you want to visit the founder, you’ll want to head to the tenth floor. The elevator is this way. She pointed to the left.
“Elevator, huh,” Atsuko said.
“Thank you, nurse,” Emily said.
“My pleasure,” the nurse said with eerie serenity. “Good luck, you’ll need it. The patients here are getting rather unruly.”
The group leaves the dimly lit room and the nurse. They soon find an elevator and enter it. Emily noticed it only had one button and pressed it. The doors close and the elevator ascents to eh next floor, opening to reveal the lobby again, but with two diagonal steps and the windows revealing a higher view outside. An endless sea of buildings and trees beneath the tessellating blue sky.
✦✦✦
Venturing further into the dungeon, Emily and her friends discovered more eerie sights. People contained in tubes, medical monitors, and beds that are covered by sheets and lumps. By now they had arrived on the fifth floor. The floor’s mark now resembled a V.
Elizabeth is concerned by the imagery she has witnessed thus far. She saw a pod in the lobby and approached it. “These pods, they look familiar somehow.”
Atsuko examined the pod and noticed similarities in designs to the pods used for traveling to the Black Box’s expansion in Noir and back, and the selfsame ones used to house the bodies while the conciseness is streamed to the Femtonauts. “So more recent memories are seeping in huh?”
“Let’s get moving,” Emily said. “The place is creepy.”
“Don’t worry, Emmy,” Rose said. “Us heroines of justice will ensure nothing bad happens to you.” She gestured to herself, Hydrangea, and Anemone.
Tim sensed a presence zipping past them and took Shis Qing out. He closed his eyes and listened for the incoming enemy.
“Is something wrong?” Anemone said.
“Quiet,” Tim said calmly. “Something is approaching.” He listened for the invader’s footsteps. He listened for the movement of the hidden foe. Moments later he turned and made a charging step towards something, with lightning speed, he thrust his Qiang into the interluder. A seemingly mechanical figure clad in teal cloth and with surgical tools in place of hands.
“Tumors detected, surgery required, “the figure said.
“Shut it!” Tim aid. He thrust with his spear and then moved it to the right, followed by slashes. His attacks caused fluid of the same color as the clothing to flow from the gashes. He then used the Qiang and his wind spells to leap behind the mechanical foe.
Rose uses his rapier to make trusts and slashes of her own, using them to channel lightning into the machine. Heathcliff then charged forward and slammed into it with his shield.
Emily used Bardsong to conjure water around the entity and then freeze it. Then Tim, with well-placed palm strikes and punches broke the icy prison and the entity trapped inside into pieces.
“Well, that was something,” Heathcliff said.
The ice was soon melted and green-blue ooze flowed into the drains.
Anemone looked at a nearby door and noticed more discernible words on it. “Surgical Ward.” She approached the door and then beckoned to the other purple-haired girl in the group.
Emily opened the door and the group was greeted by spots of crimson light in the hallways.
The group follows the hallway until they find a room with “Pediatrics” on the door. There they see several smaller pods, each one containing a child inside.
“Pediatrics?” Emily asked.
“It means that children are being cared for here,” Elizabeth said. “Usually.”
Rose slithered to a pod that captured her attention and saw what appeared to be herself sealed in one of them, with all of her flesh replaced by sleek white machines. She recoiled in fright at the sight of her counterpart in such a state.
Heathcliff and Emily search for clue sin the nurses. They are careful to not disturb the pods, or the biomechanical children inside.
“Well things had gotten weird fast,” Heathcliff said as he tossed aside a book with indecipherable writing.
Emily looked at the strange surroundings, of the children floating in the pods, and of the view outside.
“We have to hurry! There isn’t time to waste.”
A masculine voice flashed in her mind. The room suddenly flashed scarlet light and so did the pods. The one with the Rose doppelganger open first and the robotic lamia slithered out. Rose readied her staff for a confrontation.
“Mommy,” the robotic lamia said, “Where are you?” the doppelganger slither to rose. “Are you my mommy?” her voice has a mechanical tone to it.
“No?” Rose said. The pink-pigtailed girl is disturbed by her other’s counterpart.
“Who are you?” the child innocently said.
“I’m rose, Rose Rhapsodia!” the more outwardly organic Lamia said. “Seeker of Justice, bane of Evil—” she caught herself before finishing.
“That’s funny,” the other Rose said. “That’s my name too.”
Hydrangea and anemone notice the other pods opening and the children emerging from them, including counterparts of themselves and their friends. All acting in zombie lack fashion.
“Mommy!” “Daddy!” “Where are you?” The biomechnaical figure crawled, swam, trotted and otherwise moved on the ground in confusion in agony. They then began crying.
The others noticed the gorund tremble as the windows reveal a changing landscape the outside gave way to an emerging corridor with three surgical robots in it. Emily has another flashback.
“Her condition is becoming unstable. We need to put her in stasis!”
“Sir, the ‘Destrudo’ protocols are activating!”
The flashback ended and Emily saw Tim, Heathcliff and Elizabeth fighting the surgical mechs. While Atsuko launched a volley of heavy arrows from the entrance and the three Coloraturas protecting the crying and panicking children.
Emily used a lightning spell to help fight off the mechs. The biomechanical entities used their scalpels and tools as instruments against the party. Soon they managed to ward them off and the hallway is cleared.
Rose and her double managed to pacify the rest of the children and they retreat into their pods. The coral-pink haired girl still disturbed at her doppelganger.
“Do you still have a mommy?” the robotic lamia said.
Rose refused to answer.
“It’s okay, its not your fault. Good night.” The robotic lamia slithered to her pod and entered suspended animation with the other biomechanical children.
Rose shivered. “Okay, lets get out of here!”
Elizabeth noticed that some of the children in that room resembled the Coloraturas. “That is strange,” Elizabeth though.
The party continued on the path made from the shifted room and found another elevator. Set to take them to the sixth floor.
✦✦✦
Later, the party arrived on the ninth floor. The mark on the windows now had two parallel lines with a vertical line intersecting the one on the right. By now they had witnessed many bizarre figures and fought off many madded cybernetic patents and doctors.
As they rest near the Takarabune. Emily approached Elizabeth. “Hey Lizzie,” she said.
“Yes?” the fairy replied.
The two looked outside and see the sky is obscured by dark green clouds. They see rain fall on the windows and hear thunder roaring in the distance.
“Do you…” Emily struggled to articulate her query, but Elizabeth knew what she is trying to say.
“I know as much about this place as you do, which is to say next to nothing.”
“Oh,” Emily said.
“But I do have a theory. If this is being influenced by your subconscious, then its possible that it might be your past. Before you became a [Dungeon Core].”
“That…does make sense,” Emily said.
“[The Pathfinder] gathers souls from other worlds,” Elizabeth said. “That much is obvious, almost axiomatic. You understand what that means?”
Emily swelled on it for a bit. “That they speak to dead people a lot?”
“Correct,” Elizabeth said. “To be a [Messenger], to be a [Divine Dungeon], is to reincarnate. Though the methods vary. For Messengers, [The Pathfinder] seals most of their meiosis as they send the souls to infant bodies. Only to be awakened at a certain age when they have enough skills to survive in the world. For others namely [Divine Dungeons] they memories usually stay locked in the subconscious. But they can awaken under certain scenarios.”
“I see,” Emily said.
“I think this is one of these scenarios, Emily,” the fairy said. “But if this is true, than that means you will eventuality learn how you had died, and of the life you left behind. Are you prepared for such knowledge?”
Emily mulled over her words. “How I died?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “[The Pathfinder] prefers not to disrupt the lives of the living even from other worlds. Those few exception were because of other [Administrators] or [Demons]. For example, [Stella, the Sunlight] is said to had used her dreams as a method to walk among us.”
“Really?” Emily said before. “Never mind. That can wait for later.”
“I understand if your hesitant on answer the question,” Elizabeth said. “It is not a light topic to broach.”
“Do I have to answer it now?” Emily said.
“That will depend,” Elizabeth said. “If you want to hone your blades with Atsuko’s method than the probability of learning on your past life ended approaches one hundred percent with each step.”
“I know,” Emily said. She thought about it for a few moments. “I want to continue, at least for now.”
“Continue what?” Atsuko said.
“Exploring the microdugneon of course,” Emily said.
“Oh, well that’s good to here!” Atsuko said. “We only have this floor and the next to explore.”
“Actually, Atsuko,” Elizabeth said. “May I have a word with you?”
“Of course.”The teal-haired girl said. “Shoot.”
“Among your travels in Liberté, you encountered many dungeons, yes?”
“Uh-huh,” Atsuko said.
“And you had seen many [Elementalist’s Spheres] as well?”
“Yes.”
“Have you encountered some unusually colored ones by any chance?” The fairy asked.
Emily is confused.
“Ah,” Atsuko said. “You know of the ten element theory then?”
“Does that means its true?”
“What theory?” Emily said.
“There is a hypothesis claiming that there are two extra elements here,” Atsuko said. “Usually claimed to be stars and mana.”
“Wait, two?”
“Yes, two.” Atsuko takes out her note pad. “There is evidence for it, but nothing quite concrete. The hypothetical Astrasphere and Manasphere are very rare, with the latter only being seen in cataclysm sites. Whoever is able to find and confirm their experience would become quite big in the magic and scientific communities.”
Emily is surprised by the theory.
“Another thing,” Elizabeth said. “I would like to talk to you about other [Dungeons] you had visited.”
The flash of lighting coated the outside view in a blinding white before vanishing a second later. As if to reflect Atsuko shock at Elizabeth’s request. “Well, I-I think I can let you go though my notes for something like that.”
“Thank you, Atusko,” Elizabeth said.
“Please, call me Akko,” Atsuko said.
“Alright, then. Thank you, Akko,” Elizabeth said.
The group has gathered enough rest to continue their exploration of Medcia Memoria. They soon found the elevator and began their ascent to the tenth floor.
✦✦✦
They arrived at the tenth floor of the hospital. They find that the lobby is drastically different. The lights had shafted from emerald to ruby hues. The windows are now blocked by large sheets of metal, with the only detail visible being an X-like shape, and a single solitary nurse is in front of a red door.
“Thank you for your patience,” the nurse said. Their mask reflected an eerie calm as much as it did their surroundings. “Doctor Kevin will meet you now.”
“Guess this is it, cher,” Heathcliff said. “Ready?”
“I’m ready,” Emily said.
The group entered the door and gazed upon a large room with an operating table at the other end. They see a mechanical figure loom over the table.
“Yes,” the entity said. “The Network is working quickly and smoothly.” He then turned back and saw his patience. He wore a gas mask and his fingers were replaced with various tools. some are used for surgical applications, but others resemble screwdrivers and jacks. “And who are you supposed to be?” the figure said.
The group refused to answer. The doctor looked at Emily and noticed familiar features. As Emily took a step, the green lights turned red.
“What is this?” the doctor said. “The patient is dying! The Network is rebelling.” The doctor shrieked as the patient mutated into a mass of cords, circuitry, and sludge. They absorb the doctor and stand from the bed. Letting out a mighty roar.
Emily attacked the creature first, using darkness to befuddle it. Tim and Heathcliff then attack it with their weapons while Atsuko fires heavy arrows at the monster. Anemone used her own bow and arrows to pin the tendrils of the mass in place while Hydrangea used Theurgy glyphs to freeze the fluids. Rose used her staff to zap the mass with lightning and Elizabeth used lightning enchantments to enchant everyone’s weapons.
Those attacks had damaged the beast but did little to stop its advance. Emily evaded its attempts to absorb her. Time used earth spells and fluid arm motions to pin it down and Emily followed up with an earth spell that petrified part of the monster.
The entity roared as it melted into the floor. Tim is struck by cords emerging from the walls and pinned to the opposite wall.
“Damn…it!” Tim said before losing consciousness.
“Tim!” Emily is shocked to see the beast so easily knock him out.
“NEURAL NETWORK INCOMPLETE. NEED MORE MINDS!” an electronic voice emerges from the beast.
Heathcliff rushed to cut the cords binding Tim. He cuts through a bundle, but two more emerge to take its place.
“This thing is behaving like a hydra!” Heathcliff said.
Emily grips her head in pain, as a memory returns to her.
“The Network is going rampant. Patient Zero is dead. I repeat. Patient Zero is dead!”
“Evacuate the premises! Abandon the subjects, they cannot be saved!”
Emily shrieked in pain. Elizabeth and Rose tried to aid her, but the boss intercepted them and pinned them to the floor. Anemone and Hydrangea ended up trapped within the mass as well, leaving only Heathcliff, Atsuko, and Emily herself.
“The minds are…unifying?” the three hear voices echo through the halls.
“It’s no use, we’re trapped!”
“Mommy? Where are you!”
“I want my Daddy!”
Emily’s avatara collapsed onto the ground, unable to bear the surge of memories.
“Emily!” Heathcliff said. In his moment of distraction, the boss managed to pin him to the ground. Emily lay motionless on the floor as she saw the boss drag Heathcliff’s body towards it. Atsuko dodges a slam from the beast and retaliates by firing a volley of enchanted arrows. The beast and Emily cry in pain simultaneously.
“Atsuko rushed to the avatara and helped her up. “Emmy! What’s wrong?”
“It hurts, the memories!” Emily said.
The ass of chords and circuits begins to rampage around the two. As Emily sees image after image, she hears someone call out to her. She hears a plea to stand. A voice from someone she recognizes, and yet doesn’t recognize. A voice familiar and unfamiliar.
The beast writes until it takes a form that resembles the Baron Roberts. “H…thetic!” it cried out. Emily’s flood of hazy memories ended and she glares at the monstrosity. The monster tries to absorb Emily but she jumped and landed on the tentacle. She ran toward the beast and used Bardsong to sun it with lightning. She landed off the tendril and saw something in the beast open.
“Akko!” Emily cried out.
Atsuko saw the opening and prepared her bow. She fired a single heavy arrow. Emily jumped out of the way of the projectile and the arrow flew into the opened maw of the creature. The enchanted heavy arrow pinned it to the wall and forced it to explode. Emily saw Tim among the sludge and rushed to his aid. She helped him up as the beast reformed.
The beast tried to absorb Tim again, but Tim dodged and countered with knee strikes into a pair of snap kicks. Emily used magic to freeze the opponent’s solid and Tim used his Qiang to break the frozen form. Rose was freed from the attack.
“Ugh, my head is still spinning,” the lamia said as she got herself up. She saw the monster reform and open its maw again and reflexivity sent bolts of lightning into it. Hydrangea and Anemone were freed from the resulting splattering of its matter everywhere. Emily and Atsuko helped the young girls up.
The beast reformed once more but before it could attack, it suddenly stopped and began having a seizure. Heathcliff emerged from the monster, covered in slime.
“I ain’t nobody’s lunch!” the knight said with a defiant smirk. The escape left the monster severely weakened and Atsuko and Emily fire an arrow together. The arrow flew into the maw of the beast and caused it to explode for good. Freeing Elizabeth from its remains. The boss room soon melts into ooze and Emily led the party back into the lobby.
The lobby had now been changed again, becoming more like the first floor. Except with one key difference. A young girl lay on the left wall, her body hooked up to a bed and the tubes of teal-colored fluid. She looked at Emily with an intense gaze.
“Hello, me,” the child said with a cough. Her brown hair was the image of mundanity, yet the tubes and the pallor were anything but. Her height was only slightly shorter than Emily’s avatara’s.
Emily approached her other. “Hello, who are you.”
“I’m you of course, well one of you at least,” the child said. “One of many who became the Network.”
“The Network?”
“You’ll remember one day,” the child said. “I hope we’ll meet…again…one day.” Her body lay prone. Her eyes glazed over as she fell into torpor.”
Emily looked at the image of her past self staring blankly at her. “So many questions, so few answers,” she thought.”
They board the Takarabune and set off into normal space. Emily looked back at the unconscious girl before she boards the vessel.
✦✦✦
Later, Emily meets up with Tim at the Bleumaw. “Here to Meditate?”
“Actually, I want to ask you a favor?”
“Oh?” Tim asked.
“Can you teach me bajiquan?” Emily asked. “I’ve realized that I need another way to fight beyond magic and my swords.”
“Are you sure?” Tim asked. “I mean Elizabeth should be privy to Master Wu’s techniques—”
“I’m sure,” Emily said. “I want you to train me Tim.”
Tim sighed. “Okay, if you insist.” He led Emily yo a more open area. “The first think to learn about baji is that it uses your entire body…”
The rest of the day is spent teach Emily the basics of bajiquan. Later, after her avatara has dissolved and her consciousness returned to the Black Box’s core. She had noticed Elizabeth staying up late, reading the books she had checked out from the library recently. As she saw the fairy study, she began wondering just what this “Network” was and how did it factor into her past life.