Thrash stood behind the counter as his representative Orbite, Una, walked through the portal. Her enormous black eyes immediately scanned the room, noting Thrash’s presence and ensuring he had survived. She glanced at the red mark on the floor, shook her head at Thrash’s inscription, and lifted her tight dress a few inches from her ankles, as though a puddle of blood lapped at her feet. Thrash shuddered again as he watched her eyes dart across the room - they were almost as unsettling as the Minotaur’s. The air felt thick and heavy with an unspoken tension, a rising hint of danger spreading through Thrash’s body.
Una pulled a chair from her inventory - identical to the one she had left behind before - and sat on it, the counter acting as a table between them. She gestured for Thrash to sit opposite her. She seemed almost authoritative, a trait that Thrash hadn’t picked up on before.
‘I’m glad to see that you’re okay,’ she said, grasping Mummy's Tea Set and pouring herself a mug, the delicate clinking of the porcelain echoing across the room. ‘Your father passed along that you were alive, but weak and wounded. I see now that he was referencing your overall status, and not just your encounter with Chuck.’
Thrash snorted, his frustration bubbling. ‘Typical. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, Una. I’m convinced that this whole place is acting against me. There’s a warrant for my death, no?’
Una opened her mouth but paused, tapping the side of her head. Mush’s buzzing halted and her display switched off, her presence fading from Thrash’s mind. He raised an eyebrow, the seriousness of the situation increasing his concern. It was worse than he thought. He could almost hear Mush’s voice in his head, reminding him: Of course it’s serious - someone sent an Adventurer to kill you.
Thrash glanced at Mush’s lifeless body, intrigued. ‘Can I do that?’
Una looked at him as though he was a toddler. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve never accessed her interface?’
Thrash scoffed. ‘Obviously, I haven’t. I wonder who’s responsible for passing along that information, Una?’
Una squirmed slightly, discomfort evident on her face. Then, she sharpened her demeanour. ‘Technically, you should’ve known that before coming here. It’s easy to forget with you.’
‘Sorry to be such an inconvenience,’ Thrash said, crossing his arms against his chest. ‘Do you remember now?’
Una quickly apologised, tapping the side of her head again. ‘There, you’ll be directed to an area when you’re next in your interface. But do it later - I’m here for a reason.’
Thrash noticed the new icon in his interface, pointing toward Dungeon Management. He stopped himself from looking further, leaning against the counter and gesturing for her to continue, bracing himself for some answers - not that he was expecting much.
‘I’m permitted to give you an update, Thrash, but try not to ask too many questions. I can’t go into much detail. The Starr Galaxy is at odds with the Dungeons and Miners Association - and I mean huge odds - and while they’re complying with our decisions, they are very clearly unhappy about it.’
Huge odds? Thrash thought to himself. That’s a bonus for me, I’m sure.
‘Hence Chuck,’ he said aloud. ‘Doren sent him, right? He’s the Adventurer that was given my location?’
‘The official answer is no,’ Una sighed, rubbing her forehead. She looked tired. ‘And the unofficial answer is also no. You’re lucky they didn’t know Thron would be here. We requested his help a few days ago, and now look where we are - it’s messy.’
So Dad was asked, and not the other way around? Thrash fumed, unsatisfied. ‘Was it Doren?’
Una glared at him. ‘I’ve already given you that information, Thrash. You’ve been told that Doren shared your location, so do the maths yourself and put two and two together.’
Thrash raised his hands in apology. ‘Okay, okay. Sorry. I was almost killed, Una - I need to know. That sort of thing sets people on edge.’ He paused, considering another question. The last thing he wanted was to set up booby traps in his own base. ‘Did Chuck have any partners? Or family? Should I expect any revenge heading my way?’
Una shrugged, a gesture that infuriated Thrash further. ‘I can’t answer that. We believe that the overall threat has passed now that they know Thron is involved.’
‘That doesn’t tell me anything, Una. My father has fought for me, I imagine other families across the system would do the same - including Chuck’s.’
Una met his gaze, another shudder running through him. ‘Chuck was alone in the Starr Galaxy.’
‘What about Doren and this apparent mother of his?’ Thrash asked, cheeks turning red in frustration. ‘Will they stop their attempts?’
Una hesitated. ‘As far as I’m aware, yes. How much do you know about Doren’s family?’
Thrash shook his head. ‘As much as you’ve told me - just like with everything else. No memory, remember?’ He tapped at his forehead with a touch more aggression than intended.
‘Okay,’ Una said, calmly sipping her tea. ‘Remember, this is all limited to what I can actually tell you, which is mostly public knowledge.’
Thrash leaned back. ‘Please continue, then. I’m all ears.’
‘The Black Mountains are run by Doren. We’ve had him in custody for the last few days - ever since his threat to you. His detainment is public as his dungeon is closed, but the reasons for it are not. This, of course, has upset those who frequent his location and those who are connected to him personally.’
Thrash let the information sink in. He was aware that he had made enemies during his time as an Adventurer, but he was becoming increasingly concerned about the new enemies he was creating. However, it was too late to wish for an easy life. Thron had pretty much ruined that possibility, and Thrash had certainly driven the final nail in the coffin with his own actions.
Una continued. ‘Doren’s mother is the chief commander on the Dungeons and Miners Association board, and she’s raised four children, all Dungeon Masters. Her fifth child, Dorea, was next in line to take over a dungeon. Can you guess which dungeon that was?’
Thrash could guess. He gestured around him, a tight knot forming in his stomach. Mush half-snored as his hand brushed beneath her body, a quiet beep sounding.
Una smiled at the robot, her expression softening for a moment. ‘Exactly. As I’m sure you’re aware, there is a huge difference in popularity between Adventurers and Dungeon Masters, and while Dorea was at the top of her communities, she didn’t have anywhere near your reach. You can imagine how she and her mother felt when her immediate future collapsed?’
Thrash rolled his eyes. ‘She’s pissed at me because I took her future away? Like I had any say in the matter?’
Una waved his sarcasm away. ‘It doesn’t matter, Thrash. Once Starr Training Base 1 decided your fate, we had no choice but to accept it. Your ratings and viewership alone were enough to seal the deal, not to mention being Thron’s son - people like you don’t just get dismissed.’ She held up her hand to stop him as he started opening his mouth. ‘And don’t give me any crap - this is still your fault. You decided to cheat, not us.’
Thrash closed his mouth and thought it over. She was right, of course, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. ‘Okay. So I’ve got two people out for my blood?’
Una smiled without humour. ‘Far more than that. The whole family is frustrated. Nepotism is becoming a real issue for us, Thrash. There are far too many members of that family on the guild’s board.’
And one too many sons of an Adventurer causing you problems, Thrash thought, wincing slightly at his own appointment. If his father hadn’t been Thron, he was sure he would’ve been dismissed—with death as the only outcome.
Thrash thought back to Sheila, and then to the Devilish Oakenslug. He remembered Mush’s note about the description change and the sudden boss battle. ‘They’re working against me in my own dungeon, aren’t they?’
Una remained completely still, her expression unreadable. ‘It would violate my given rules to confirm or deny that. Any interference to a dungeon’s enemies would reflect poorly on the security of Starr Galaxy. We cannot afford that kind of scrutiny.’
‘But the guild approves sponsors, and the guild can adjust mob usage. I was caught down there with Pierre - we literally saw it happen. Don’t deny it.’
Una stood and began pacing up and down the room. She reviewed her interface as though waiting for an answer. After a moment, she spoke. ‘Okay, that was a serious mistake. We’re not sure how the guild managed it, but you noticing was a bonus for us. We’ve locked down security - no one gets in or out of this dungeon without our approval.’
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‘Great, so I’m doing your job for you then?’ Thrash rubbed the temples of his head, his bandages falling slightly.
Una snorted. ‘You have infinite healing here, Thrash. What’s with the bandage?’
Thrash removed it, shaking her question away with a dismissive wave. ‘Mush - don’t ask.’
Una raised a finger, pausing her pacing. ‘Right, Mush. You wanted me to reset her?’
‘What?’ Thrash half-shouted. ‘When did I request that?’
Una lifted the counter partition and walked to Mush, inspecting her body with a critical eye. ‘You said that she was limiting her information?’
Thrash recalled the frustration, looking up at Mush’s lifeless form. ‘I did. But I don’t think resetting her would help.’
‘Well, Mush has retained all of her experiences with Brigwell - both the good and the bad. AIs of this age are impressionable, so their opinions are often shaped by past experiences.’
‘Which explains her opinions on magic,’ Thrash noted, ‘and pets.’
‘Exactly, but the information she has and the opinions she provides are limited to your level and dungeon rank. We can reset her, but she’d lose some of her quirks - plus some inherent knowledge that might come in handy in the future.’
Thrash considered this. ‘Leave her. She’s no more frustrating than you and your diplomacy are. But going back to Dorea - can we do anything to appease the family? Is there another dungeon opening soon? Or maybe Doren can be killed and she can have his?’
Una laughed, the sound hollow. ‘Doren is set to be released tomorrow, against my best wishes. With the new restrictions on your dungeon, you won’t have to worry about being tampered with - for now. Dungeons can have assistants, so perhaps she can work with him for a while.’
Thrash snorted. ‘The two of them together? What a great help that would be. Shame she can’t come here. We could kill her off, or vice-versa. Either way, the situation would resolve itself.’
Una opened her mouth, closed it, and then repeated the motion. Thrash stared hard, noticing that she was clearly mulling over his mock suggestion. He cut her off before she could speak. The last thing he wanted was one of Doren’s siblings here with him.
‘What happens when Doren is finally released?’ he asked instead, trying to redirect the conversation.
Una seemed lost in thought, practically vibrating with concentration. ‘Dungeon assistant…’
Thrash clapped his hands, jolting the woman back to reality. ‘Earth to Una. What is happening with Doren?’
She sat once more. ‘He’s going back to his dungeon. The guild and us at headquarters have decided to impose a brief visitation ban, preventing him from moving around. That should stop any more information from leaking, but who knows what he’ll do next.’
Thrash considered another possibility. ‘What if they just hire someone to come here and kill me? Would that be noticed?’
Una frowned. ‘We noticed Chuck, did we not? Please, Thrash, we aren’t ignorant.’
‘No,’ Thrash agreed. ‘Just dismissive and difficult.’
She gave him a long, assessing look. ‘You’ve changed, Thrash. You’re a very different person to who you used to be.’
He laughed, pointing to the pacifier embedded in his head. ‘Yeah, I wonder why.’
‘Again,’ Una muttered quietly, ‘your fault.’
They sat for a moment in quiet company, Thrash mulling over everything she had said. His life was forfeit, trapped in a dungeon he didn’t want to be in. He needed to become stronger, to be a force to be reckoned with, but just his existence was enough to make an entire guild turn against him. All he could do was play the hand he’d been dealt. He sniffed and asked another question that had been forming in his mind.
‘What would happen without Dad - Thron, I mean?’
Una smiled sadly. ‘I expect Dorea would already be here in your place, Mush would be on the streets, and you’d be dead in Chuck’s place.’
Thrash nodded. He definitely needed to level up. ‘Will they target him?’
‘We doubt it,’ she said. ‘There’s a reason he’s the only one they fear.’
Thrash drummed his fingers against the counter. ‘But could the guild take him? I mean, all of them against him?’
Una smiled again. ‘We doubt that, too.’
She stood up and adjusted her dress, making sure it still hovered above her shins. Then, as if remembering something, she held up a finger. ‘Oh - here. We’re not sure why you didn’t have this from the start.’
She handed Thrash a small item, which he immediately placed into his inventory. It was a Wall Calendar. Thrash nodded in appreciation and hung the poster beneath the clock. It could be interacted with, though there wasn’t much to it. Seven square boxes were clearly visible beneath the title ‘Weekly Calendar’. The first box was marked with a red cross, indicating that it was day one of the week. There were no named days, dates, months, or years. He made sure that the calendar covered up his previous wall markings. He no longer wanted a reminder of the time he spent here alone, counting each day as though it was a life sentence.
‘It’s a little basic,’ Thrash remarked. ‘It won’t help me remember your birthday, that’s for sure.’
‘It’s for the Weekly Challenges,’ she explained. ‘With so many Adventurers across the Starr Galaxy, an unnamed seven-day system works best for everyone.’
Thrash thanked her, looking at the calendar and back to Una. ‘You got anything else for me before you leave?’
She considered it, her eyes darting toward Sigrid, which lay resting on the counter. Thrash noticed and spoke up. ‘You have information on Sigrid? She’s been well received - first by Doren, then by Thron. What is she really?’
‘Shit,’ Una grimaced. Then, she snapped back to Thrash. ‘What? Oh, that’s a question I can’t answer, unfortunately.’
‘You must have something for me?’ he asked, ignoring her curse.
Una sighed, tapping the side of her head. Her beady eyes suddenly sharpened into focus. ‘This is off the record, Thrash - and only because I like you for some stupid reason, and I don’t want you to hate me for what’s coming next. It seems while messing with your dungeons - specifically, your fight with Sheila - the guild didn’t account for the loot. Sigrid is a well sought-after blade, and she’s ended up in the hands of the owner of Starr Eternal once again.’
Thrash didn’t like the sound of ‘what’s coming next’, but he moved past it for now. He thought back to Brigwell. ‘Brigwell had Sigrid? That would explain Mush’s behaviour towards her, but -’
‘No, Thrash,’ Una interrupted, glowering. ‘Sigrid wasn’t Brigwell’s. That’s all I can say. Do not ask me again.’
She tapped her head muttering, ‘Sorry, brief interference.’ Thrash kept his mouth shut for a moment, staring at the blade with fresh eyes. If Elia the Divine had held Sigrid, and she’d reached the highest tier of dungeon - and the highest Adventurer level at the time - what did that mean for him? Was he on the right path? Did he need to train the sword further? He glanced at Dungeon Management, looking for the Upgrade options. Sure enough, he spotted the Training Room again, a room that could likely help in his endeavours.
Una walked to the portal, glancing back at Thrash. ‘All things considered, you’re doing well, Thrash. Even if we just take your mental health into consideration.’
Thrash blew out a puff of air. ‘Pacifier, remember?’
‘No,’ Una countered. ‘I meant with your connections. People used to come to you, and now you go to them. It’s nice to see.’
Thrash huffed again. ‘So it’s nice to see the nepotism unwind, huh? It’s good to see Thrash the Brash on his knees, grovelling for help with his dungeon?’
‘Yes, Thrash,’ she said plainly. ‘And once you have the followers, Mush will be allowed to broadcast your new life. People will like you, I think. More so than before.’
Thrash rolled his eyes, but allowed a moment to think on it. She could be right; after all, he used to be a monster once, apparently. Yet he still craved power - more than the Dungeon Master seemed to be able to offer. He looked up at Una.
‘I’ll work on it,’ he admitted.
She smiled, a genuine expression that spread across her cheeks and lit up her beady eyes. ‘Excellent. Mush will reactivate when we’re done here, and you can expect a new sponsor notification tomorrow - and a potential visitor. This one has been vetted and approved.’
Thrash thanked Una, watching her as she lingered by the portal. He felt confused, as he often did in her presence. ‘What’s coming next, Una? Why do you look like you’re about to pass out?’
Una nervously exhaled, clearing her throat in the process. Then, the portal dinged, drawing both of their attention.
An Adventurer is on their way. Please close all interface windows and await arrival.
Thrash felt a pit start to form in his stomach. ‘Who’s coming here, Una?’
Una grimaced, straightening her dress and stiffening her posture. ‘This wasn’t on the agenda, Thrash. I’ve only just received word. However, sanctions have been put in place to ensure that no one gets hurt.’
Thrash frowned as a figure began to form within the portal. For the first time ever, his interface flickered off, and a ‘Restricted Access’ note bounced across the centre. His vision cleared just as a small woman emerged from the portal, leaning heavily on an old cane for support, the bottom of it clicking against the floor as she stepped forwards. Una half-saluted, her eyes wide and her body rigid. The stranger adjusted herself, taking a deep breath before her gaze landed on Thrash. Her smile grew wide, her elvish eyes gleaming a striking green.
‘Thrash, darling, how are you,’ she said, voice smooth and seductive. ‘I adore what you’ve done with the place.’
Thrash took a step back, feeling his bones tremble with nerves. He clenched his fists, refusing to show any weakness, hoping the sanctions would prevent any attack. ‘Welcome to Starr Eternal, Mines for the Everyday Hero.’
‘Yes, yes, I know dear,’ the woman said, moving slowly to Una’s chair and settling in it as if it were her own, crossing one leg over the other. She met Thrash’s eyes, her scowl causing his fear to spike. ‘My daughter was in line to run it.’