"Why do I feel like I'm walking into something's body?" Rin eeked, avoiding to step on maroon mushrooms sprouting from crevasses between the sloping floor's bricks.

It's been about eight minutes since they've entered the tunnel. A straight walk so far, and a straight walk it will probably stay to be, as neither the left wall nor the right appeared to be curving up ahead. Both were rigid, and painted with purple moss-like things that were definitely alive. Their smell similar to dead rats, coagulated meaty texture, and surface glistening as Gleen's lights hovered past them, made the tunnel feel as if it was the throat of something colossal. Rin has just voiced out pretty much what the rest of them were probably thinking.

"That's because we are." Linus gave her an apologetic smile. "This tunnel led us directly into the giant shroom's body. Although we're probably underground by now, these walls are still being encroached by the main organism."

"W-Wait. Are you saying these mushrooms are alive?" Rin's eyes grew, a horrified shade dimming her face. "So creepy."

"Idiot." Bling snapped. "Mushrooms are fungi. They're their own living beings. Of course they're alive."

"What did you just call me?!"

"Keep it down, lady. You don't want these fungi waking up, do you?"

"Wake...up...?" Rin took a pause and gnawed on her nails as she anxiously eyed the mushroom-infested wall next to her.

Bling grinned.

"Cut it out, Bling." Linus scowled. "It's okay, Dame Rin. There are no sentient mushrooms in Trimpell."

Bling's grin dropped. "Side with her, why don't you?"

Rin's nervousness vanished as exasperation quickly took over. She hissed. "Don't you make fun of me, shroom boob."

"Shroom...boob...?" Bling gradually, very gradually, like she was about to face an inescapable truth, looked down.

Rin held her hip with one hand and pointed with another. "That's right! You're flatter than a flat topped mushroom!"

The air around Bling ignited.

"Stop it." Talc tugged on Rin and tossed her behind. "If Rin really is that scared of sentient mushrooms, of course I could make it happen. Though it appears I won't even need to." The black mage pointed ahead.

"Kekek." Abnormally huge white-eyed mole rats with mushrooms growing all over them scurried to attack.

Linus opened his palms, taking a stance to prepare to fight. "Those are shrodents. Their dead bodies are being manipulated by the mushrooms on their backs. Just immobilize them."

Rin, after being tossed by Talc, was squatting on the floor. "D-D-Dead bodies?"

"There's a lot of them." Winston pulled out his weapon.

Dorias buried his blade in a mole's skull. "I didn't think you'd see that as a problem."

A smug grin climbed onto Winston's face. "Just pointing out the fun part."

Rin gasped and looked on with concern crumpling her face. "You guys! We've already seen how crazy confident you two are but right now isn't the time to be cocky! There's only one way to run from here."

"Shard Shots!" Thomas aimed his blade and obsidian bullets launched at the critters.

Winston sliced a mole rat in half. "Alright then. Let's think of a way to end this fast."

"Look there!" Gleen let one of her orbs travel to illuminate holes in the walls.

From there, the shrodents were pouring in like water from a destructed dam.

"Icicle Spray!" Winston hacked the air, sending spires of ice that then impaled rats coming at them. "Let's clear our way. The rest of you push them back. Dorias and I will be plugging the holes with our swords' spells."

"Sounds like a job for me." Linus collected energy between his hands. "Magnetize! Pushing Pulse!"

Winston and Dorias jumped back, just in time to avoid an invisible wave that Linus shot.

So strong was that pulse that the shrodents were all sent tumbling back by several meters.

"Well done!" Winston readied his sword. "Winter Wall!"

Frost blew at a hole's edges and swiftly closed to form solid ice. Mole rats at the other side could only sniff and scratch the surface.

"Obsidian Wall!" Dorias casted.

"Look out." Gleen warned. "The ones that have managed to get in here are getting back on their feet. Also, I still see entrances that some of them are coming in from."

"One more then." Linus charged up again. "Pushing Pulse!"

The mole rats flew back a second time.

"Winter Wall!"

"Obsidian Wall!"

Gleen looked left and right. "I don't think they can get in elsewhere."

"Great." Winston's fervent eyes failed to conceal his amusement. "Let's enjoy with what we have."

"Slice them up. Keep these zombies from acting alive." Dorias's eyebrows met. "Obsidian Razors!"

"Frozen Feathers!"

Shrodents dropped one by one, some twitching, as the fungi seemed to refuse losing their host. There just was nothing they could really do though, as the knights made sure the shrodents stayed dead.

Talc kicked a limbless shrodent over towards Bling. "I admit to not being of much help. But neither were you. Your brother, on the other hand..."

Bling frowned.

"H-Hold on!" Linus spoke up, the rush evident with the shaking in his voice. "I just thought of something."

"On yeah?" Rin grinned greedily. "If it gives you an advantage, you better keep it to yourself. You wouldn't want your sister using that against you, would you?"

"Well..." Linus reached for his nape. "I just wanna say I think you guys were right. We can worry less about whether or not this really is the dungeon."

The knights glanced at each other.

"Those mind-controlling mushrooms. I've never seen them in Trimpell before. If they're able to manipulate mole rats, surely they can spread to other parts of Trimpell as well. At a fast pace, too, considering how many there were in here. That being said, I think dad made sure this dungeon is completely confined to prevent the things here from spreading out. What's more is the confinement would also prevent external factors from affecting the environment here and ruining the conditions dad has set for when Bling and I finally enter the place."

"That makes sense. Dad is the type to make sure everything is taken into consideration." Bling gazed through an ice wall.

Mole rats were piling up, trying desperately to dig their way in.

"Well then!" Winston returned his sword to its container. "Nothing should be holding us back now. Let's see what other presents your dad has left for you."

Everyone nodded.

Thus, all of them proceeded. Down the corridor seemingly leading them towards Earth's core.

*******

The walls' motif continued all throughout. The same smelly, purple hallway, only that the fungi have become denser and denser, the deeper they went. The tunnel had also remained straight, even as they approached the end. End? There was no end. Or, at least, they haven't gotten there yet. After seventeen minutes of walking, all they found was that the tunnel split into two. Two straight paths going the same direction, with ends that cannot be seen. Cannot be seen not because it was dark, but because it was just too far. If only it had just been the darkness. As a matter of fact, both the splits were already illuminated. By violet fireflies feeding off of pinkish mushrooms giving off feint light.

Gleen unsummoned her orbs. "Which do we choose?"

"Obviously, we're gonna have to split up." Rin grabbed Linus by the hand and dragged him to the right tunnel. "I'm choosing this one because right is always right."

"What makes you think you should be the one choosing?" Bling growled. "Ugh. I guess it's fine. Little lamey will be needing your help for sure."

"Little lamey?" Linus grinded his teeth. "Well then, you're... you're--!"

"Anyways! If you're both going in there, then I'm choosing the left one. I'm getting tired of putting up with you two."

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going with Rin." Gleen walked over.

A curt smirk appeared on Talc's face. "I'll be escorting Bling."

"Winston." Dorias called.

Who will Dorias be coming with? Whichever, the answer would surely be exciting for Winston. Would the black knight prefer to be with the more docile Bling or the headstrong Rin? Dorias has never really shown interest for a partner during the whole time they've been together in the Academy of White Knights.

"I'll be coming with Linus. I doubt those two would be able to protect him if anything happens."

Ahh. He chose Linus and Rin. But for that reason.

"Understood. I'll be coming with Bling then." Winston peeked at Talc, and whispered, "I'll have to watch her too."

"Very well! If either party finds a dead end, turn back and go the other tunnel." Dorias instructed. "We won't be coming back to get you."

Winston agreed. "Alright! Bling?"

Tears were overflowing from the girl's eyes. "Did Dorias seriously just choose her over me?"

"Ahh. He has his reasons."

"Let's go!" Talc was already moving ahead.

"We're following!"

Bling used her knuckles to wipe her eyes, dragging her feet to continue down the way they have chosen.

*******

Eight minutes passed.

They were still walking the same way, and, from what it seemed, had more time to spend before getting anywhere. It'd really have been disappointing if they ended up finding a blank wall. Knowing how much longer they'd have to spend going back and following the others.

"Smpft." Bling sniffled.

She was still sobbing a little, which, at that point, has actually become quite comforting, as the other group's absence has left them with too much silence. As much as Winston was relieved having a break from Rin's constant complaining and the twins' arguing, the dead underground air and fireflies' feint buzzing just weren't keeping him sane anymore. More noises were absolutely welcome. Though he really shouldn't be relying on them for much longer either. Much better to start a conversation. After all, he was actually looking to hear from Talc.

"So!" Winston jogged to catch up beside the black mage. "Talc, right? Thomas was really glad to have teamed up with you last week."

"I too." The lady grinned. "Winston, I know you're worried about something. I don't even have to use my magic on you to know. Which is good, because... I somehow can't use my magic on you at all."

Winston smiled.

"Strange. Only King Lux has ever been able to block my magic."

"Anyone who's been with her for a while will eventually learn how to block her." That's what King Lux said to Synth back at the garden.

Winston has since learned that one must know of the Dread Mage's fears so that their own may remain hidden. And they have to be aware of that condition too. Luckily, Thomas was able to mention how horrified Talc was when she couldn't use her power against Navi. Apparently she's afraid to be powerless.

Winston glanced behind. At Bling, still sulking.

She's probably not even listening to the conversation.

"Why'd you choose to come with her?" Winston whispered.

Talc snickered. "The only way for me to notice that my magic doesn't work on you is if I tried using it, right?" The black mage twisted to glance at Bling too. "That's right. I used it on everyone."

Winston's eyebrows twitched.

"Since you already know how to block my power, I guess there's no reason for me to hide what else I can do. See, my main ability lets me extract fears from anything that can think, then create a physical manifestation of whatever that fear is. But I also have a second ability that lets me affect the occurrence of events. For example, if someone fears losing, I can increase the likelihood that they won't win."

"Is Linus afraid to lose?"

Talc shook her head. "Neither of the twins are. Rin is. That's why I knew to come with Bling the moment Rin chose the right tunnel."

"Because Rin and whoever came with her are more likely to fail."

"Yes. Although there's still a possibility that neither of our groups will fail. Both of these could lead to the same place in the end."

"I guess that's good. Saves our group needing to walk all the way back. But why didn't you tell everyone else when you figured this is the correct way?"

Talc snickered again. "I really just wanna see the looks on Rin and Gleen's faces when they realize they chose wrong--"

The two of them stopped walking.

In front of them was a drop deep enough to kill anything that falls.

Behind, Bling had her head down, and realized late that she had bumped and pushed both her companions into the pitfall when she wasn't looking. "Gasp. Magnetize! Heave!"

Winston and Talc both let out dismayed sighs as the Magnet Magician lifted them back up onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" Bling bowed.

Talc shook her head then stared into the hole. "It's a long jump from here to the other side. I can teleport over there but you two won't be able to cross."

Winston pulled his sword. "Winter Walk!"

An ice bridge formed only to melt faster than it had appeared.

"Odd. It can't be that hot in here."

"Hold on." Talc faded out and in, teleporting to the other side, but was immediately forced back to where she was originally standing.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Nullifying magic?" Winston whispered.

Funnily enough, it was exactly the kind of magic Talc dreaded.

The black mage gritted her teeth.

"Wait." Bling rubbed her chin.

"What is it?" Winston turned.

"It can't be nullifying magic. Or, at least, it mustn't be nullifying all kinds. I was able to use mine to save both of you just now."

"Ahh. You're right."

Bling stepped forward to gaze into the hole.

Talc closed her eyes to think.

Magic to nullify all but one, maybe? Winston wondered. That place was built by Deli Mussis, Linus and Bling's father. The diary said it existed to protect treasure, but right then it felt as if its sole purpose was to be some sort of competition. If the place was indeed created to keep something locked, shouldn't that mean the creator must have intended for at least one person to have a key? If not himself... then... someone he can trust. Bling. Or Linus. Could Linus's magic have worked there too? Perhaps. But what did they have to do?

"Magnetize! Attract!"

The tunnel grumbled as a stone slab slid from the wall to their right.

Bling pulled and pulled until it could no longer budge and was wide enough to walk on. As she stopped, behind the wall, a loud thud exploded, as if something large had just crumbled.

"I see. So that's how we cross." Talc looked at five indents in the wall, sizes similar to the slab Bling had just pulled.

Bling bobbed her head. "Magnetize! Attract!"

Another one slowly jutted out.

"Magnetize! Attract!" Bling repeated three more times. For every single slab successfully lugged, grumbles followed, sending vibrations from the other side. And just before the final one, Bling had sweat glossing her forehead, and her breathing had become heavier than the stones she's hauled. "Magnetize! Attract!"

One more grumble. One more thud. No more slabs left to pull.

The three of them successfully crossed. But Bling had to take a while, breathing like she was sucking all air in the tunnel as she lay on the floor. That alone took ten minutes, and the walk they took after lasted fifteen.

*******

By the time they reached the end, Linus's group was already there.

"Well, well! Your crew was luckier after all." Talc approached Rin and Gleen.

"I wouldn't call us lucky. No." Gleen seethed.

"What happened?"

Gleen's eyes glistened as tears began to swell. She covered her face and buried it in Talc's chest.

"Well." Linus scratched his head. "We actually found a dead end and were about ready to head back when shrodents stampeded from where we came from. I pushed them back like I did earlier and Sir Dorias created a wall to keep the rats from reaching us. But we were stuck. And the wall couldn't really hold off that many. Just when it started cracking, suddenly the dead end that kept us from going further just crumbled to a hole that was apparently below it. That happened five more times before we had a way to get here."

Bling gazed gaping at Dorias. She looked as if love hearts were popping in and out all over her. "Did I just...save my prince?"

Talc pushed Gleen off of her. "Where are we?"

A massive room extending all the way up. The shape was nearly cylindrical, only it narrowed ever so slightly towards the top and sloped outwards at the base. The ceiling was at least a hundred meters high. The wall surrounding was still naturally adorned by the same purple fungi that wrapped the tunnel's walls. Gladly, it didn't smell as horrible. And at the center of the room was a circular platform, the edge linked at four points by four chains to a ring up above.

"There's an upper floor there." Dorias had been looking up, oblivious of Bling drooling at him. "I've guessed that this circle on the ground is some kind of lift."

"How do we use it?" Winston asked.

"It's connected to that ring. If someone can pull it down, the chains will tug the lift up. We've had Rin try with Tailor Magic but her spell dissipated before it could even reach half way."

"I see. We've had something similar happen in our half of the tunnel. Seems like the rest of our magic are being blocked."

"Sounds like you've figured something out."

Winston nodded. "Bling could still use hers."

The girl jumped, apparently paying attention to them speaking.

Dorias smirked. "Great. That means it can be pulled down."

Rin scoffed.

Gleen's eyes trailed the chains from the ring to the platform. "Wouldn't that mean she'd have to stay here and let her brother win though?"

The red mage leaped excitedly. "Really?!"

"Well, she won't really be able to pull the ring down if she's above it."

Dorias faced Linus. "Is your magic working too?"

"Oh. Umm." The boy directed a swift, repelling wave at shrooms on the ground. "I think so."

Winston caressed his chin. "Halfway up, Linus can switch in and push the ring down. That way both of them can be up there."

Bling and Linus peeked at each other before humphing synchronically.

"Would you two be able to carry all of our weights at the same time or will some of us have to stay here?"

"I've just pulled six stones ten times heavier than myself. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine." Bling crossed her arms. "Don't know about little lamey over there though."

Linus also crossed his arms. "I can handle twice what you can, shroom boob."

"Hihi." Rin cupped her mouth, hiding what her giggle looked like. "We might have had taught him a thing or two."

Bling glowered.

"Enough! We won't be getting anywhere if you all just keep arguing." Winston walked between the twins and onto the platform. "We'll just have to see if you both can really do this."

"Hmph!"

"Well, then. Let's all get on."

Dorias followed first, then Gleen, then Rin and Talc, and finally Bling and Linus.

"Magnetize! Heave!"

The spell reached all the way up, quick to grab hold of the ring, henceforth straightening the once saggy chains as they stressed and began to carry the platform.

Bling heaved and heaved, proving the words she had so confidently spat out.

They ascended.

More.

Higher and higher.

Higher until such point where the ring and their heads were perfectly leveled, and Linus could take over to carry them up.

"Magnetize! Repel!"

Then, exhaustion failed Bling's knees and forced her to falter, the sudden motion sending the platform plummetting down as Linus's magic lost grip.

"Pull!" Bling raised her hands, summoning her magic once again, stopping their drop, and allowing more time for Linus to take proper hold.

"Magnetize! Push!" Linus released all energy that he could. That, and a little assistance from the gravity acting upon the ring, let them all slowly continue upwards.

Meter by meter, they rose, until they've reached the second level.

*******

"Here. Let me help." Winston lent a hand for Linus to reach.

The boy halted his spell, leaped, and caught Winston's fingers just in time before the platform descended back to the ground.

"Whoa." The mages gawked at the room they had entered.

This time it was a saucer.

The ceiling was shorter, but the area was about eighty times wider than the lower floor. That shape put on top of the previous one would form a mushroom, and was likely what they were inside of right then.

"Look at these." Bling plucked out a tiny shroom from the floor. "I haven't seen these before. They're cute."

Not taller than a thumb, it had a coin-sized umbrella that's equally black and white at either sides.

Linus hurried to get on his feet after Winston helped him up. "I wonder how we'll be getting back down there."

"Worry about that later." Rin pulled Linus along. "Let's start looking for what you should be looking for."

Gleen faced Winston and Dorias. "What should they be looking for?"

"Supposedly there's a scroll here somewhere." Winston answered. "Whoever can read the incantation on it first will be the Mussis heir."

"There can only be so many places to look for in this room." Talc let her eyes travel from right to left. "It's wide but it's pretty open."

"Are we sure this is the last part of the dungeon?" Gleen let her sight climb the ceiling. "Maybe there's another--"

"Wrng-trn-wrng."

"Who's burbling?" Rin whirled. "You're disgusting."

From above, a metal-bodied golem crashed, right in front of the red mage, forming a crater where it fell. As it stood, its silver mechanical body towered over all of them, its rusted joints creaking, and its feet flattening mushrooms clinking.

"AAAAAH!"

"Wrn-trrn-wrn."

"Stop shouting, you imbecile. Run!" Talc opened her palm. "Dread Magic! Tulpa!"

A black mist wafted from Rin's head, collected, grew, and solidified to a blue four-armed man, with four horns, hundreds of fangs, and dressed in a woollen jacket and baggy pants.

"AAAAAH." Rin darted off, her arms flailing like fabric in the wind. "It's the same thing from the jungle! It's back! Save meeeee!"

Bling held her hips. "My, my! What an amusing sight. Do you know why such a scary thing is in those kinds of clothes?"

Gleen palmed her face. "I'm sure Rin wouldn't have minded it so much if it was naked."

"Oh."

"Looks like our magic will be working here." Dorias gripped his weapon's hilt.

The blue man leaped and readied to swipe with long, sharp claws at the golem.

"Listen." Talc twisted to see Bling and Linus. "That's a rilou golem. See its chest?"

On its was a similar pattern to the locks on the gates outside of the dungeon.

"Wrnn-trn-wrnn." The golem countered the blue man's attack by swinging its solid arm.

The blue man's nails bent.

"The golem won't stop until it's unlocked." Talc continued."That means..."

Linus looked at his sister.

Bling nodded. "We'll have to open it together."

Winston gave the twins a hearty grin. "We'll help out. Dorias and I will be keeping it still to make it convenient for you to cast."

"Understood. Thank you." The twins stood ready.

Winston unsheathed and swung his sword. "Frozen Feathers!"

Dorias pointed his blade at the ceiling. "Obsidian Shower."

Ice razors and dark blue spikes fell upon the rilou and caused scratches here and there.

The rilou turned, switching targets, and was about to plod towards the knights, when the blue man climbed and clashed its horns against the golem's metal head. "Wrrrrn!" The rilou's right arm rotated, detached, and launched towards Winston.

The knight jumped to a side and dodged very easily. But the rocket arm kept going, heading towards Talc instead.

"Attract!" Bling used her magic to bend the arm's trajectory, twirled, and released, sending the rocket back at the rilou.

"Pushing Pulse!" Linus punched the air, sending a boost to propel the rocket faster forwards.

The blue man leaped off the rilou as the arm clanged against the golem's face.

"Wrrn." The golem's arm reattached itself.

Dorias pointed with his sword. "Shard Shots."

At the tip of his blade, a magic circle appeared, and obsidian started firing like bullets from a gun. Every single shot landed successfully. Dents had even began to form on the rilou's face. Even the golem knew it needed to hide its face to prevent further damage. It raised an arm to cover its head, and fired the other at the knights again.

"Ice Rise." Winston casted.

Ice spikes grew in the rocket's path. They shattered to millions of chunks, but the collision fooled the arm into returning to its body.

Talc's blue man came back onto the rilou.

The golem took a heavy step back, reached over its shoulder, gripped the man by its neck, crushed it, and tossed the body aside.

The blue man faded.

"Wrrn!!!" The golem faced Talc's direction, arm rotating again.

"It's slow on its feet." Gleen pointed out. "If you freeze half of it, it'll be stuck in its place."

Bling and Linus readied their magic.

The rotation stopped as the rilou crossed its arms to cover its chest.

Dorias gestured for the twins to stay back.

"It's quite intuitive." Winston laughed. "Just then, it actually figured Talc was the one manipulating the summon."

Talc snickered.

"And its arms are too mobile. Once it's frozen, it'll just punch the ice off."

The rocket arm started rotating once more.

"Let's stop its arms first, then." Dorias twisted a bit to see Talc. "Can you summon another?"

The black mage's eye slid to see Rin shaking behind Gleen. "As many as she fears."

"Good. Winston, I'll be handling its left. You take care of this one coming."

Winston nodded and turned towards Bling and Linus. "I'll be needing your help. Could you slow the rocket down enough for me to freeze?"

The twins charged up. "Ready!"

"Alright!"

"Dread Magic! Tulpa!" Talc called up five more summons.

Slimy, three-feet tall mushrooms with nimble limbs, which all charged immediately towards the golem.

The rocket arm launched and soared straight for Talc.

"Magnetize!" The twins casted. "Suspend!"

The rocket slowed until it paused and hovered in air.

"Khione's Breath!" Winston brandished, and a cool mist engulfed and cased the arm in a frozen pillar.

The sentient mushrooms hopped at the golem.

Dorias squinted. "Shard Shots!"

The rilou raised its remaining arm, preparing to slam the mushrooms down, but before it could, and it couldn't anymore, an obsidian shard managed to get stuck inside its shoulder's left joint, forbidding it of motion.

"Now?" Bling raised her hands.

"No." Dorias lowered his weapon.

The mushrooms slid off the rilou and scampered away. The rilou nearly fell on its back, but Winston arrived just in time and created a block that the rilou backed up against.

"Khione's Breath!" The knight hunkered as he swiped, sending a freezing breeze at the rilou's feet.

"Now!" Dorias commanded.

"Magnetize! Attract!"

"Magnetize! Repel!"

"Wrrn! Wrrn-kkk!" The rilou struggled, only to shut down as its chest swung open. It collapsed. On its face. In the crater it's created. "Kkk--"

Bling plopped to the floor. "Phew. Thank goodness. We did it!"

Linus breathed a deep, long sigh.

From inside the golem's chest, a brown cylinder dropped and rolled.

Rin, who has been shivering that whole time, froze as she watched the scroll make its way right in front of Bling.

"Huh? Is this...?"

Rin gawked, hand reaching out, as if she couldn't believe what was about to happen.

Bling unrolled the paper and read.

"Looks like there's a winner." Winston sat on the floor.

"Th-This can't be." Rin's eyes twitched. "She's gonna be blinding Dorias with money."

"Wait." Bling poked her nose into the sheet.

"What is it?" Linus came close.

"There is no winner." Bling looked up to see everyone's reactions.

"Whaaaaat?!" was everyone's collective response.

"Here." The girl gave the scroll to her brother.

"'Bling and Linus! If you're reading this, that means you're still with each other. I'm glad. Nothing in this world could ever make me happier than knowing my children are still together. How would I know? Well. This whole place was built and hidden by me, not only to protect the legendary treasure of our family, but also to test your relationship as brother and sister. Had either of you been greedy, and wished to be above the other, neither one would have been able to conquer this place. But here you both are! My dear children! You never fail to make me proud. Oh, you're gonna make me cry. Not that I'm not already crying while writing this.'"

"Are you really gonna let them all hear what's written on that?" Bling's eyes begged.

"Keep reading," eagerly requested Talc.

Linus shrugged. "'Always remember that I love you. You are my pédila. You have both let me soar in happiness, and have opened my rilou of a heart. Always remember to love each other. Don't ever let any feud ruin your relationship as brother and sister. Just as you haven't allowed this inheritance to separate you. Speaking of, there is nothing to inherit.'"

"Wait."

"What?"

"Whaaaaat?"

Linus jumped and rushed reading. "'Mussis lands have been distributed to the citizens of Trimpell and ownership of the Mussis Mansion has been temporarily granted to the Rotwell family. Mussises may only regain ownership once the next Mussis generation is born. I know you prefer your lives as knights, and I wish not to take that from you by leaving you with responsibilities. Good luck fending for yourselves though! Love you! Your very proud father, Deli Mussis.'"

Bling massaged her forehead.

"'P.S. The black and white mushroom growing from the floor is the legendary mushroom. The white and black one is poisonous.'"

Gleen looked down. "Legendary mushroom?"

"'P.P.S. Just kidding. They're the same.'"

Gleen crouched.

"P.P.P.S. You can eat them raw but I suggest you sauté them with garlic.'"

"Your father sounds..." Winston scratched his head. "...like a fun guy."

"Ugh." Bling lied down. "Relationship as brother and sister? All we've done together this whole time was fight. And not even over anything apparently."

Linus rolled the scroll back to a cylinder, a pitiful glint in his eye.

"I've been forcing you to." Talc tried to suppress a snicker, but failed rather embarrassingly. "You two were under my influence this whole time."

"What are you talking about?"

Talc finished her laughter by breathing a deep sigh. "Back in the jungle, I saw your greatest fear. Both of you. And it was the same thing."

Bling pulled herself up.

"You were both afraid to lose each other." Talc shrugged. "I've been trying to use my ability to keep you guys fighting, but..."

So that's what it was?

Winston laughed internally. "Think about it. This dungeon was built for you to compete. Well, that's what you were told. But it turned out you actually had to work together to be able to complete it. Even from the start."

"The gates couldn't have opened if not the two of you were there. " Talc raised a tutoring finger. "After that, Linus cleared the path through the shrodents. Then Bling let you through the split tunnels."

"Ohh." Gleen was cupping the floor for mushrooms. "Then you had to work together to bring all of us up here."

"Finally..." Winston gestured with a thumb at the rilou. "You were working together this whole time. If this was your team in bad terms, dear god Animus knows what wars you could win together."

"Seriously, your father's one mad genius." Talc pressed her stomach as her ha-ha's erupted again.

Bling and Linus stared at each other, eyes beginning to water up.

"Bling!"

"Linus!"

"I'm sorry I called you a shroom boob."

"I'm sorry I called you lamey."

The twins tangled in a hug.

Talc shook her head. "What children."

Winston let out a sigh of relief.

"Aha! Found one." Gleen announced, brandishing a mushroom. "Why are these legendary, by the way?"

Dorias picked up two of the same things.

"You're taking some?" Winston asked.

"You listened to what that rotting man said about what these do, right?" Dorias tossed one into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. "If you ask me, these are way better rewards than the wealth they could have gotten."

By Winston's hand, one of the mushrooms was poking out.

What they do?

Allows affinity to a second domain of magic when consumed. Whatever that meant.

*******

After all tears have been squeezed out of the twins, realization of their situation, that they were stuck with no way out of the giant mushroom's head, had dawned upon them. Luckily it hadn't taken longer than an hour for them to notice that there was a final post script on the scroll instructing them to find a secret one-way portal to teleport back in front of the rilou gate entrance.

Midnight, it was, when the group was finally able to return to the Mussis mansion, and found all residents still awake, anxiously waiting for them.

A long discussion went between Mr. Rotwell and the Mussis twins. All the while, Winston and Dorias continued the supper they hadn't finished, and the rest of the ladies took theirs that they never had.

After, they slept.

In the morning, farewells were exchanged between all the knights and the residents of Trimpell. Tears glossed Mr. Snichel's plump face. People flailed handkerchiefs as the knights boarded their spheres. There were two now. One having been brought by the mages back when they followed.

The journey home took another four hours.

It was nearly noon when they had landed back on Morpheus Castle's cycodecks.

"Oh it feels good to be back in civilization!" Rin stretched, walking down the ramp. "That dungeon's silence was way too eerie. It shall never be missed."

"You were barely ever silent though." Talc teleported to the field.

"My voice doesn't count! It's so calming and gentle, people often consider it white noise."

"If I said that's true, I'd just be white lying." Talc rolled her eyes.

"I am never going on a quest with you ever again!" A lady's voice struck the winds.

It was Layla. The Avian Mage.

"I for one miss the quiet." Gleen yawned, following Rin off the cycodecks. "What's happening?"

"Oh yeah? You think I won't say the same after learning how dumb you can be?" Alder scowled, lighting the air between him and the lady.

"Gasp! Me?! That was your fault!" Layla's fist transformed into talons.

"That you flew into my amber?!"

"You deliberately threw that rock at me!"

"Stop arguing you two." Odess appeared from a cycosphere to the left. "I took care of it, didn't I?"

"Have you guys just returned from your last quest?" Winston waved and offered a polite smile.

"Yeah." Odess crossed her arms. "It was tougher than I thought. It should be paying well though."

"Hey! Winston! Dorias!" Thomas called, running from the castle's great hall.

"Thomas?!" Dorias hurried off the cycosphere. "I won't ever forgive you for leaving without--"

"Hey! Gris told me we've gotta go."

"Don't ignore me!" Dorias chewed his own teeth.

"Go where?" Winston blinked.

"Oh." Thomas pointed at a floating sphere chamber linked to the castle's grand tower. "We're having a meeting in the Baronets' Assembly."

*******

"We're so sorry, Your Highness." Winston, Thomas, Dorias, Bling, Linus, Rin, Gleen, Talc, Odess, Alder and Layla all bowed.

"Wow. There are so many of them." Clarence leaned back, crossing his arms.

"To think Odess would be late too." Ling blew at her nails to make sure they glittered just fine.

"We've all just returned from our quests." Odessa gulped.

King Lux giggled. "It's alright, you guys. I've expected this unexpected delay." The king's hazel eyes fell very briefly upon Winston's. "Sit down."

They obeyed.

"Now then, now that we're complete. What are we here for, Your Highness?" Synth leaned forwards, mumbling numbers as he glanced at every single member in the room. "Actually, I take that back. Icarus's group isn't here yet."

"That's because I've already sent them." King Lux summoned the solar calendar. "I apologise for bringing this up in such a short notice. I didn't want some of you being distracted by this while they had other matters to attend."

Winston leaned against the table. According to the calendar...

"In two days, we'll be joining a war against the Kingdom of Melpomene."