While the tall buildings ahead offer a sort of mild comfort to Kay, the same can't be said for her companions. For her, the wide open spaces were a source of intimidation and anxiety, a reminder of how small she is in a vast and terrifying world, whereas within the streets and alleyways, reality is rationed off into small segments at a time. There are roads to take, paths to explore and places to hide, compared to the vast, empty nothingness beyond the denser bits of human civilization.

During the journey, the group had only encountered a smattering of random encounters, none made up of large or even vaguely organized groups. Not a single one of these groups of attacking fiends was lead by a more intelligent or talking variety. Sure, there were some signs of these creatures, usually a little larger than average, and, known only to Kay, all named, but at one look at the curse marked mouse, they all turned and ran in the opposite direction, clearly recognizing her as a threat that they were not even close to equiped to deal with.

"Is your village near here?" Frederich asks before correcting himself, "Um, I mean, your old one?"

"Yeah. Well, sort of. The city is a big place." she replies, eyes still forward, focused on the pink light in the distance which even the tallest and thickest of walls can't shield. The village isn't all that close, in truth. If it were, if there was a pillar essentially right next to her when she had first obtained the mark, it would have likely been her first destination, but all things are relative, of course. It's certainly closer to the village that the other two pillars were, she largely having picked one at random when she first began her lone trek, taking a little while before she was be able to effectively gauge their distances, even roughly.

"Is this place dangerous?" Mia asks. The three haven't entered the more dense portions of the city yet, but already find themselves framed by tall structures at either side. Tall by their standards, of course, nothing compared to the peaks that the Maker's structures were able to reach deeper within.

"No more or less than most places, I guess. There are probably more of the dark lords around than you're used to, but at the same time, there's also more places to hide. More Makers are well, but that also means more food. If you stay out of their way, the Makers mostly just ignore you. As for the dark lords, though, most around here aren't well fed loyal servants of the Makers. They're hungry, easily agitated and especially dangerous."

Mia simply nods in understanding, following close behind the naked mouse, a black paw raised to the back of the older woman's head, bathing it in a faint green glow. When asked, Kay told her that it helped a little with the pain, but that wasn't entirely truthful. She mostly just felt guilty for blowing up at them, especially Frederich, earlier. Still, she couldn't be quite sure. Maybe it did help just a bit. It certainly didn't make things worse, anyways.

"We've run out of rations, so it's a good thing there's a lot of food around." Fred says, looking about with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety. The three, after having left the water treatment plant, passed not too far away from the mouse city as they walked, and all three of them had considered stopping inside to rest and resupply. Each decided against it, however, for their own reasons. Kay had little interest in stopping, her ultimate goal, even if she wasn't entirely sure what exactly said goal entailed, within reach. As for Mia and Frederich, neither expressed this concern aloud, but both were worried by the curse mark, which appeared to have grown rapidly once the second artifact was obtained. Neither of them knew much about such matters, but between the clearly increased pain (something Kay would never directly admit to, but both of them could read it on her face, no matter how hard she tried to hide it), and the earlier warning received when the journey first began about the nature of such marks, they didn't know exactly how much time Kay had left, and shared a similar desire to finish things as quickly as possible.

The naked mouse, still cream colored aside from the bulk of the fur on her face looking a burnt reddish-black tilts her head down a narrow alley. "The Makers put their refuse over there... and, well, a lot of other places. You should be able to find something down there." as she looks towards the shiny black bags which are supposed to sit within the nearby dumpster, an obstacle far from impossible for a mouse to get into, but rather difficult due to its sheer height. It had been long since filled, however, a half dozen of the large plastic sacks strewn all about it. She begins to walk in that direction when Frederich grabs her by the shoulder.

"Leave it to me. You rest a bit."

Kay bites her lip, every instinct telling her to insist that she doesn't require rest, but even she knows that isn't true. She hasn't slept for days, and while suffering nowhere near the usual effects of such deprivation, as it is clear her body doesn't require it, a mental weariness remained. "Just... be careful." she says. He responds with a smile, and while still cautious and a little worried, he's undeniably eager to explore the new location, especially with the promise of food being abundant. As for her, she takes a seat against a brick wall. The three had, of course, avoided the open streets, hugging along the walls. While the Makers largely ignore their kind, it is still better to not test their luck. While the risk of a roaming dark lord is always a strong possibility, the three, well, now pair, are well out of the eyeshot of any passing humans.

"You... seem to be doing a little better lately." Mia says, sitting down beside her. "Um, I mean that you're talking more, and seem calmer. I can't really say if you're feeling better physically."

"Yeah. I guess venting at Frederich must have helped a little." Kay replies, looking away, still holding a bit of lingering embarassment over her earlier treatment of him.

"Oh, well, that's good! It's good that you're feeling a little... better..." the small sorceress says, the tone of her voice diminishing as the sentence goes on. "Look, I'm just a little concerned. It's about what Fred told you..."

"I know. The idea that my family could come back is a silly one."

"Well, I don't really know about that, it's just that..." Mia sighs. "To be honest, I have no idea what will happen when we get the final key. I just just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"I don't expect anything." Kay nods her head, sighing in general contentment for once. Just a simple sit for a little while in a more familiar environment doing a lot to rejuvenate her body and spirit. "In truth..." she pauses, looking down to her feet. "I'm a little afraid that it might be true."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean. You mean you're scared that your family could come back?" Mia asks, tilting her head to one side.

"Heh, pretty awful, isn't it?" Kay chuckles, shaking her head, eyes closed. "Don't get me wrong, I want them to be back, so they can be together once again. It's just that..." she sighs once again, considerably more discontented this time. "I'm afraid they wouldn't even recognize me. Not because of this mark or because I've gotten older. It's because I'm just not the same person I once was. I'm a far worse one, all things considered. Even if they somehow came back, things wouldn't, they couldn't be the same."

"That's just the nature of time. I imagine you and your children had aged and changed a lot. The differences between a baby and a adolescent are incomparable, after all! And, hey, sometimes they can be difficult, or disobedient. Sometimes you might even think that they hate you, but in the end, you still love them. Family aren't the same as friends or lovers. You don't love them simply because you agree with them or admire the specific qualities they have. Just them being there, existing is enough." The black furred sorceress smiles, but the smile vanishes abruptly as she sputters. "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking... I imagine talking about your children isn't appropriate considering... what happened." she lowers her head.

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"No, it's fine." the naked mouse nods. "It's fine."

A brief silence follows, one which would have lasted considerably longer had Frederich not returned from his scavenging trip.

"Wow, this place is great! There's food everywhere, and a lot of it's still fresh!" he grins, holding bundles of food in his paws, mostly dried bits but the occasional lump of slimy substance which vaguely resembles meat. Not the most appealing looking item, but since so much of the diet of the mice consists of dried bread and the like, the novelty of different textures appeals to them. He divvies up the ample portions to his two comrades and is about to bite into a large chunk.

"Be careful of what you eat." Kay says. "Make sure it's safe first."

"Huh?" The armored mouse asks, confused, having never needed to do such things in the past, until he remembers the fate of one of her children. "Oh, right. Yeah." he nods, tearing it open a bit in his paws first, half expecting to see the glint of something lethal within, but instead relieved to find nothing dangerous inside.

The three enjoy a well earned, quiet meal. Both Frederich and Mia try to avoid looking at the spreading mark across Kay's face, concerned by how much it's grown in a relatively small amount of time, but know there's nothing really to be said about the matter, at least nothing which will improve the situation, and therefore it's best to remain silent.

Eventually, it's Kay's turn to break the silence, largely inspired by the occasional furtive glances Frederich gives. She signs. "Okay, go ahead and ask. I know you've been dying to."

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about." Frederich looks away.

"Yeah, right. It's been just killing you, I know. Ever since that new power of mine was revealed."

The armored mouse blinks, suddenly coming to a realization. While he had briefly forgotten the matter, it's undoubtedly been on his mind but it seemed undignified to bother the older woman about it, especially considering the fact that she's a particularly easily bothered type. He grins wide. "Well, it's not like it's that important... I was a little curious, though..."

"Both you and Mia are now level 26." Kay says, eyes still down on her meal. She'd been nibbling at it regularly, but find herself strangely unhungry.

"Wow! Really?" Frederich hops up onto his feet with excitement.

"Is that a lot?" The young sorceress asks, her head tilted to one side.

"I... have absolutely no idea." The armored mouse says, his enthusiasm faded, replaced with contemplation over the matter.

"The rat king was level 65." Kay says between tiny bites. "I don't really know how this system works, but apparently it recognized all of them as a single unit. That's why I was surprised, too, when more of them were revealed."

"Heh, no wonder it couldn't stand up to our combined power!" Fred beams proudly.

Kay, of course, knew that the pair had both advanced a great deal from that victory and the explorations which followed, but even still, she suspected that levels don't combine in such a linear sense. Each rat was fairly strong, and had they functioned as more of a cohesive unit, even considering their natural mobility disadvantages, things might have turned out much differently. Still, there seemed little to be gained from pointing that out. With their final goal drawing close, a little morale boost couldn't hurt.

"How strong are you?" Frederich asks, his enthusiasm fading even further, having a sneaking suspicion she's incalculably stronger.

"No idea." The naked mouse says, rising to her feet, leaving the remnants of her meal, still the vast bulk of it where she had sat. "I don't see how it matters, anyways. It's just a number. If we run into something hostile, whether than number is bigger or smaller changes nothing. I'm not going to give up after coming so far."

The other two mice nod in agreement, similarly ready to continue their journey.

The sun had set not long ago, but the city always looks a little darker with the countless massive structures offering an extra obstacle to the light of day. It grew darker and darker, the signs of life about them diminishing but never quite fading. No matter the hour, there were always humans about, usually driving their vehicles, few wandering the streets and even fewer still within the alleys. The light of buildings about them gradually darkened and grew quiet, storefronts closed their shutters, and while the city never completely slept, it is abundantly clear that it is, at least, taking a good rest.

Kay, herself, recognized some landmarks, but for the others, the region was simply a dark and twisting labyrinth. Even if few of the Makers were outright visible, they could sense them all around in massive numbers, along with significantly smaller but likewise significantly more predatory beasts which roam the silent roads. The naked mouse stops abruptly.

"We're here."

Mia and Frederich are a little surprised. The trek wasn't quite as far as they had anticipated. They can't help being a little dismayed at what lay before them, however. It shouldn't have been a surprise, of course. Both of the previous lairs had been structures owned by the Makers, why should they have anticipated anything less so deep within their territory? Still, the hope did exist, even if it were now dashed. The building isn't terribly large, reminding them all of the hardware store. A boxy structure, still massive by mouse standards, but nothing compared to the stone fortress they had encountered along the riverside. It similarly has the tell-tale large front door, windows, and a huge sign overtop comprised of characters none of the three could hope to read. Unlike the hardware store, however, this place is silent as the grave. It isn't completely unlit, but the lights feel more like a reminder of this places presence rather than a proper invitation. Slight hints of it are visible through the window, another small one over the door, and, of course, like with so many structures in these parts, the sign is illuminated to make reading it, at least for those able to read, effortless at a glance, even in the dead of night. Still, all that those lights manage to accomplish is making the structure look gloomier and more foreboding.

"No Makers around, on the bright side." Frederich says.

"Yeah, but that means our earlier method of getting inside won't work. Perhaps we should wait until morning?" Mia says, studying the structure from across the street with the others.

"No. Even if we had that much time to waste, it's too dangerous. We got lucky the first time, but it doesn't matter how much your levels have increased. Facing the Makers should be avoided unless absolutely necessary." Kay replies, eyes locked on the building framed in pink light.

"Maybe we can find another way in. The front door probably wouldn't have been a good idea anyways." Fred says, the others nodding in agreement.

Crossing the street proves harrowing. Between being so exposed and the constant roar of the engines in the distance, even the cover of night felt like it offered little shelter. With so many Makers around, and so many places about which could hide much more than just mice, they could really only hope for the best, and pray that nothing dangerous happened to be looking at that one spot as they crossed. It doesn't require a tremendous degree of fortune, however. While it might not always feel that way to a wary mouse, there are only so many hostile forces out there, even within a city as large as this, and, similarly, even more places to look at than there are to hide. Had anything spotted the three during their trek across the street, it clearly didn't see their presence as worthy of acknowledgement.

Caution is still required, of course, but as they reach the front of the building, it is clear that a sizable portion of the danger has passed. Still, a difficult task remained. The structure is an old one, which is a great benefit so far as Kay is concerned. Old buildings have cracks in the walls, to climb up even if not actually fit through. Passages borne form both the natural shiftings of the earth, as well as other explorers, mostly mice but there were others out there who held a similar curiosity and hunger for what could be found within human structures. It is difficult to determine the origins of the path the three discovered, a simple hole near the ground at the back of the building, but it hardly mattered either way. With no signs of Makers about and an easy entrance, the three hoped for an easy journey to their final goal, but even as they began to step through they knew things wouldn't be so simple.

Neither Mia and Fredericht require Kay's enhanced senses to detect the dangerous scent in the air. The smell of a single dark lords would be dangerous enough, but they could clearly detect many.