Thrash sat on the cold, hard ground of the dungeon floor, staring at the mess around him. Now that things had settled, and the stairs leading back to his base had appeared behind the Painswick King, he allowed a moment to himself, hugging his knees to his chest as tired tears welled in his eyes. The bodies of fourteen Adventurers surrounded him, each a testament to his survivability. Compared to his time with Sheila, when he had nearly died in the process, he had barely received a scratch. His health was back at 100% in an instant.

He checked his interface. A myriad of notifications and achievements washed over it, flashing for attention like fireworks. He took in a deep breath, shakily making his way to his feet. Around him, more loot than he could imagine waited to be collected. He walked between each of the cultists first, kneeling and checking them, paying no attention to the items that entered his inventory.

Mush, can you make a list of this stuff for me? Thrash asked, emotionless.

Indeed. Please see below.

Items Acquired:

75x Gold Pieces

12x Basic Mana Crystals

11x Potions of Healing

6x Throwing Knives

Cultist Robes (x3)

Cultist Bracers (x2)

Cord of Binding

Rusted Dagger of Minor Poison

Thrash rubbed his eyes, smudging something across his cheek. He wiped it with a finger, shuddering as he realised what it was - blood.

You look beautiful, darling, Mush said to him. I’ve never seen a prettier makeover.

Thrash ignored her, moving toward the Painswick King, closer than Juliet’s remains were. He inspected the mob's items before collecting them.

Painswick King

Level 5 - Lootable Corpse

Item 1: Heart of Damnation

Item 2: Spell: Roots of Wrath

Item 3: Painswick’s Blade

Item 4: 45x Gold Pieces

Without fanfare, he collected them. His interface dinged again. It was a message from Pierre.

1 second ago: Pierre: Are yer alive, Thrash? What happened?

Thrash considered ignoring it for a moment, but relented, knowing that he’d want to hear back from Pierre if something similar had happened to him.

1 second ago: Thrash: Alive. Not sure what’s coming next.

Finally, Thrash moved to Juliet. He inspected the corpse, her open neck wound sending shivers down his spine. The blood had collected in a small puddle, red and sticky, with soft green smoke rising from it. It had merged with the other puddles in the room, the stony floor covered in a murderous polka-dot pattern. Her body convulsed, causing Thrash to gag. He was pretty sure he’d never gagged before.

Juliet, Toxic Witch

Level 5 - Lootable Corpse

Item 1: Lovers Tiara

Item 2: Handwritten Note

Item 3: 100x Gold

Again, Thrash collected the items, placing them in his inventory. He let out a sigh of breathy relief, and then headed to the stairs. There was nothing else in the room for him, and he needed a break. Slowly, signalling his intent, the stairs shimmered as he was pulled into them, reappearing in an instant in his base. Before he could reach out to Mush, the portal chimed.

An Adventurer is on their way. Please close all interface windows and await arrival.

Thrash groaned, limping toward the counter, even though his legs were in full health. Mush beeped down at him, and he could feel the grin on her face.

‘Brigwell used to fight like that,’ she said simply. ‘I used to love watching Brigwell fight.’

‘I know, Mush,’ Thrash said. He let out a short moan, sitting down in one of the chairs. Mush produced a bowl of Miners Delight. Without meaning to, his hand reached towards it, bringing a spoon to his mouth. It tasted delicious. He felt a touch of new energy reach his fingertips.

The portal shone, and almost immediately, Pierre walked out. Thrash started to laugh in disbelief, inspecting the farmer.

Pierre: Level 7

Race: Human

Class: Farmer

‘You’re already Level 7?’ Thrash asked.

Pierre walked over to him, eyes narrow, and jumped the counter. ‘Yer look like shit.’

Thrash shifted, uncomfortable in his seat, staring at his own stats. Unsurprisingly, he’d gained a little bit of momentum, though he was still only Level 6. He checked through his experience. He’d received a total of 1,003 experience points. His feet were bouncing against the floor - this was his largest ever gain. If he could do that again tomorrow, he’d reach Level 7. Unfortunately for him, he noticed a bright, flashing red icon on Dungeon Management.

Pierre asked Mush for a cloth with some ice, while Thrash gulped, inspecting it.

Descent Statistics: Mines of Painswick Hill (Single Trip)

Number of Adventurers: 15 - Thrash (Dungeon Master), Juliet (Toxic Witch), 13x Cultists

Floors Completed: 0

Enemies Defeated: 1x Painswick King

Adventurers Lost: 14

Single Trip Experience Gained: 1,003 XP

Dungeon Experience Gained: -1,400 XP

Thrash cursed aloud, jumping up and kicking the counter with such force that a boot-sized hole appeared. He turned, smashing a fist across the shelf that Mush had broken, splinters flying through the room. He looked around for something else to break, noticing that Pierre had jumped back near the portal, holding a piece of wet cloth.

‘Bloody hell - take a breath, yer gonna give me a heart attack.’

Thrash inhaled sharply, glaring at Mush. ‘Explain the maths.’

Mush blinked down at him, Pierre looking between the two with wary eyes.

‘You received 100 Dungeon Experience points for the descent,’ Mush informed. ‘You lost 100 experience points per death.’

Pierre whistled, cutting the sound off as Thrash swore again, his eyes darkening further. Neither Pierre or Mush spoke as Thrash seethed in his anger, his hands clenching an apple. His fury flared again, and the apple exploded, fingernails cutting deep into the palms of his hands.

‘My dungeon lost 1,400 experience points because of those cultist shits?’ he spat on the floor. ‘For fuck’s sake.’

He kicked the chair, Mush remaining high in the air above his bed. It shattered against the wall. Thrash shot his furious gaze towards Mush. ‘Am I back to being Unranked?’

She beeped in confirmation, and Thrash kicked his counter again, another hole appearing. The portal chimed.

An Adventurer is on their way. Please close all interface windows and await arrival.

‘No!’ Thrash yelled at the portal, Pierre jumping to the side of the room as he approached with Sigrid, blade raised. ‘No more visitors today.’

He swung at the portal, but nothing happened. He tried again, beating at it as though it had killed his mother, furiously swinging the blade again, and again, and again, until the portal flashed. A body stepped out, instantly reflecting the sword and sending Thrash flying backward into the counter. He landed against it with a thud, stars flashing in his vision, his mouth filling with blood. He spat again, glaring up at the approaching figure.

‘Get out,’ he shouted, struggling to stand. He looked at his leg, the bone evidently broken. He cursed, feeling faint, collapsing back to the floor.

Before him, Una the Orbite stood, staring down while she shook her head. She was clearly speaking to someone else. ‘Yep, understood. Will do.’

She touched the side of her head, nodded to Pierre, and then walked over to Thrash. Behind her, a new figure flashed out from the portal. It was another Orbite, though this one was wearing a white lab coat, heavy square glasses on their face. Thrash could see that it was a woman, similarly built to Una, but couldn’t make out any distinguishing features.

Una clicked her fingers, Thrash’s body locking in place, completely unable to move. Mush tried to rush down, but Una switched her off in one quick motion. Thrash looked up at his representative, feeling like a pig ready for slaughter.

‘Your pacifier needs resetting,’ she said simply, the second Orbite leaning down with a syringe in her hand. ‘See you when you wake up.’

Thrash started to speak, but felt a needle prick into the side of his throat. He gurgled, arms flailing, and then fell still, Pierre finally approaching as Thrash’s eyesight faded.

Thrash felt a buzzing in his head. He tried to reach up and scratch at it, but nothing happened. He couldn’t move. His body felt as though it had been put together in the wrong order, every thought foggy and disoriented. His mouth tasted horrible, despite a sweet, sugary hint tugging at his tongue. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

‘Yer okay,’ a voice said. Thrash coined it as Pierre’s.

Slowly, the room around him came into focus. Una stood by the counter, looking over at Thrash on his bedspread, a hint of contempt on her face. The other woman had disappeared, but Pierre sat beside him, and Mush was still on standby nearby. Thrash slowly sat up, his head pounding. ‘Where am I?’

Pierre handed him a cup from Mummy’s Tea Set. ‘Drink. And take a breath.’

Thrash did, nodding his thanks. ‘My head…’

He reached up, running his fingers along the side of his scalp. A series of heavy stitches were once again protruding from his skin. The memories of the dungeon floor flooded back to him, each one adding a pang of guilt to his heart, stacking up like a series of monumental mistakes.

He looked at Una, wide-eyed, and then down at his hands. They were spotless. There was no blood at all. The image of Juliet’s headless, shuddering body flashed through his mind. Strangely, his stomach refused to churn. He didn’t feel horrified or remorseful. He felt… justified. He looked back at Una.

‘What happened?’

Una sniffed, eyeing him carefully. ‘You feel okay?’

Thrash squinted, a dull hum buzzing across his skull. ‘I’m alive.’

Una nodded. ‘Excellent. I need to leave - now. I have treated Pierre to the details.’ She paused, looking down at him. ‘You’ll survive.’

‘Wait!’ Thrash shouted after the Orbite as she moved toward the portal, head pounding. ‘You messaged -’ he paused, fumbling through his previous messages. ‘You said this was a mess - why?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Too late, Thrash. Far too late.’ She pointed at him. ‘Adventurers kill other Adventurers, Thrash. Always - it’s a core element of Starr Galaxy Entertainment. Dungeon Masters typically try to avoid it.’

She rubbed her eyes, exasperated. ‘You’ve given me a bunch of work, and Zorina will more than likely be making an appearance soon.’

She looked at Pierre. ‘I need to go. You got this?’

Pierre shrugged. ‘Yer want me to do yer job?’

Una swore, the first crack in her professional demeanour Thrash had ever seen. She gestured at Pierre, who’s mouth dropped in surprise. ‘There, are we good? I really need to report back.’

Pierre froze for a moment, but then nodded. He scratched his chin, glancing over at Thrash before muttering, ‘I’ll pass yer words along.’

‘Hey now -’ Thrash started, but Una was halfway through the portal. He rubbed his forehead, and Mush reactivated instantly.

‘OUTRAGE!’ Mush shouted in disgust. Thrash had no idea how much she’d picked up from that conversation, but he raised a hand to silence her. To his surprise, she actually held her tongue. Thrash winced as Pierre helped him to stand, his legs shaky, moving him past the counter and toward the remaining chair. Thrash could see that they’d cleaned up after him, the holes in the counter boarded up, and the shelf fixed. The fate of his shattered chair remained a mystery.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Pierre lowered him into the seat, crossing his arms against the counter. Thrash noticed that the farmer’s recent level increases were slowly altering his appearance - his muscles were more defined, his face sharper, eyes more alert. Thrash shook his head to try and shake off the groggy feeling, but nothing happened.

‘I don’t understand,’ Thrash started, rubbing his eyes. ‘What happened?’

Pierre sighed, scratching at his chin. ‘Yer not gonna break the room again, are yer?’

Thrash winced. ‘It depends on what you tell me.’

Pierre pointed at Mush. ‘Well, apparently, she and yer father muted your pacifier.’

Thrash paused, his hand reflexively touching his head again. He was barely shocked. It sounded exactly like what Thron would find entertaining. He checked his interface, spotting his father’s most recent - and only - message, bold and bright on the screen. He re-read it.

Three hours ago: Thron the Conqueror: Oh baby - that’s the best TV I’ve watched in years. Finish it, son.

Thrash shared the message with Pierre, who read it with a grunt. ‘Uh-huh. That adds up.’

Thrash swore, a wave of dread washing over him. ‘What do you mean?’

Pierre lowered his gaze. ‘Well, as far as I’m aware, it seems yer father took offence to yer situation. Una reckons yer changes - since leaving the training base, that is - have been fairly permanent. Yer used to be a brute, and now yer… well, nice. She reckons the memory alterations are to thank, see. Yer have been managing things well, holding yer temper and all. But it was lowered just enough to -’

‘Want to kill those cultists,’ Thrash finished, rubbing his head. He thought back to his time with Mary, and before with Zorina - all following his father’s visit. He’d been angry, sure, but not unable to hold his temper - not out of control. In fact, he doubted he would’ve let Juliet survive even if his pacifier had been fully active. She had deserved it.

He looked back at Pierre, an unexpected worry rising through him. ‘Wait - how much do you know, now?’

Pierre sat back in his chair, as if in trouble. ‘Everything, I reckon. Yer dismissal, yer memory changes… I knew yer were changed, but I didn’t know much more than that - nobody did. It isn’t surprising, considering how different yer are.’

‘And you’re okay with it?’ Thrash asked, panicking slightly. ‘I mean, I was expelled - and I don’t even know why. I created a lot of enemies that day.’

‘Yer also made a friend,’ Pierre said, a genuine smile in his eyes. ‘Yer haven’t been anything but helpful and kind to me.’

Thrash rubbed his eyes, the two feeling considerably stickier than normal. ‘That’s not the way I planned on revealing that secret, but thanks, Pierre. It means a lot.’

Pierre smiled, gesturing for Thrash to sip some water. Thrash did, and the soreness of his throat lessened. ‘Why didn’t anyone notice?’ he asked. He wanted to feel angry at Mush, but didn’t have the heart. With how Brigwell had supposedly treated her, he wasn’t surprised that Mush jumped at the chance to try and make him more aggressive. ‘Why didn’t Una see it?’

Pierre exhaled, shrugging. ‘Communications were off at the time. Yer father made sure of it.’

Thrash cursed his father, scratching at the new stitches. ‘Okay, so why was it a huge mistake?’ he asked, wanting to hear the full context.

‘Killing the cultists, yer mean? Well, a Dungeon Master killing his own patrons adds a certain metric to yer stats, see. I saw it on the way over… it had me heart beating, that’s for sure.’

Thrash checked Dungeon Management, filtering through the interface to find the relevant statistics. Sure enough, on the dungeon preview, a new figure appeared, showing 14 Adventurer deaths. Sitting beside it, tiny in comparison, was the count of successful descents - only 2.

Thrash let out a sharp breath of air. ‘Well, shit. And now Zorina’s going to force me to fix that ratio, and I don’t think I can.’ His mind raced. ‘Do we know if the cult is connected to Zorina? Or if Romeo is intent on revenge? They said that they didn’t know this was my dungeon, but then after I killed the small one, Juliet said she’d been ordered.’

Pierer shrugged. ‘I caught very little of that conversation, but yer Orbite seemed keen on reporting back. I reckon she’s looking into it for yer.’

Thrash shook his head, fuming. Then, the familiar pulse of his pacifier surged through him. The force of it nearly knocked him backwards. It had definitely been muted. He turned to Mush.

‘Why?’ he asked.

Mush sniffed. ‘Thron the Conqueror requested assistance.’

‘That’s all?’ Thrash asked, skin tingling with festering frustration. ‘What did you expect would happen?’

Mush buzzed in defiance. ‘Mush expected excessive force and violence. Like Brigwell.’

Thrash gave a half-hearted smile. That was his exact prediction. He rubbed his eyes and sighed again, sinking back into his chair as the weight of the situation settled on him. ‘We’ve lost our rank, right?’

Mush buzzed. ‘You currently have a total of 0 Dungeon Experience points. This cannot go any lower.’

Thrash pouted, mulling it over. ‘That’s easier to live with,’ he admitted. His interface was flashing at him more than ever. He noticed that Sigrid was literally three points away from her next level. Thrash cursed that there hadn’t been another cultist, and then quickly dismissed the thought. He didn’t want to dwell on them any longer than necessary.

‘I can’t believe Thron would do that,’ Thrash muttered. ‘Well, I can, but I don’t know how. How does he even know how pacifiers work?’

The question was picked up by Mush. ‘He was estimating.’

‘Estimating?’ Thrash asked, exchanging a glance with Pierre. ‘What do you mean?’

Mush buzzed again. ‘Estimating how to lessen the effects. It worked with some guidance from Mush.’

Pierre shuddered, but Thrash brushed it off. ‘So he messed with my pacifier while I was unconscious, without even knowing how it worked?’

Pierre braced himself for another outburst, but Thrash sat silently, deep in thought. He opened up his interface. ‘He’s not watching anymore?’

This time, Pierre picked up. ‘Uh-huh. I heard a little about that. Yer father might be facing some trouble there, see. Yer Orbite - Una - weren’t best pleased. Said something about limiting interaction.’

That didn’t surprise Thrash. A part of him wanted to thank Una for blocking the man on his behalf. ‘This is messy.’

Pierre snorted. ‘That seems on brand for yer, friend.’ He hesitated, looking at Thrash through wary eyes.

‘What?’ Thrash asked. ‘Spit it out, Pierre. I’m not going to hurt you.’

‘What were it like?’ he asked, voice almost a whisper.

‘What? Killing the cultists?’

Pierre nodded, his expression timid but respectful.

Thrash sighed. ‘It felt normal. There was no fanfare, no horrific argument - I was attacked, and I needed to defend myself. Simple.’

‘Simple!’ Mush chirped in agreement. ‘And sexy,’ she whispered afterwards.

‘What about yer pacifier?’ Pierre asked. ‘Yer didn’t feel anything there?’

Thrash sighed, rubbing at his leg. The itch lingered, though it had already healed. ‘No. But, I would’ve done what I did regardless. That whole cult had it coming.’ A thought crossed his mind. ‘Could you do it? Have you considered needing to kill someone?’

Pierre shook his head immediately. ‘Before I met yer, I thought me life would be all parsnips and crops. Dungeons crossed me mind once or twice, but I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone.’

Thrash sniffed, another thought surfacing. ‘Do you think you should stay away? I don’t want the cult - or the Dungeons and Miners Association, for that matter - to hunt you down.’

Pierre waved the concern away. ‘Not a chance. I want to meet yer goose.’

Mush suddenly roared, as if just powering up. ‘NO GOOSE!’

Thrash allowed a weak smile. ‘Pierre has officially requested a goose, Mush.’ He looked at his new friend, warmth tingling in his chest.

Mush will be speaking to Pierre’s mother, Mush messaged Thrash privately. Your relationship is moving too fast.

Thrash ignored her, but it was Pierre who spoke next. ‘So, what can we do to get yer rank back up?’

‘You have until midnight to restore your rank before further negative consequences occur,’ Mush buzzed. ‘I recommend addressing this immediately.’

Thrash nodded, thinking back to his previous dungeon experience gains. ‘Mush, can you pass along that list of items I looted? Between those and the achievements, we might have something to help.’

The list popped up in his interface. ‘You also have seven new achievements to review,’ Mush added.

Thrash gestured at Pierre. ‘Are you sticking around? I appreciate you being here, this has all been much easier with someone that I trust.’

Pierre waved his thanks away. ‘Not at all, sir. I’ll keep an eye on yer for the night.’

‘You will forcibly be removed at midnight,’ Mush buzzed abruptly.

Thrash frowned. ‘Excuse me?’

Mush swerved toward the portal. ‘Apologies, Pierre. Thrash lacks basic knowledge. Without additional bedroom space, you cannot stay the night.’

Pierre burst into laughter, which only grew when Thrash tried pushing Mush away, only to be knocked from his chair as the robot remained immovable. Pierre helped him up. ‘Go on, then. What did yer get?’

Thrash grinned, quickly checking the list. ‘With the gold that we gathered, we have 364 pieces. Mush, we could get the bedroom and the pet room.’

Pierre grinned back, but Mush’s display dropped to a disgruntled glare. ‘Mush requires some time to adapt to the idea.’

‘I thought Mush would like a few friends,’ Pierre said, looking at the robot. ‘A goose will imprint on yer, see - yer can raise it however yer like, if yer looking after it.’

Apparently, that was all it took to sway Mush. Thrash exchanged a look with Pierre, awe spreading across his face. He watched as Mush hovered silently for a moment, without sound or movement, and then chirped, seemingly considering the matter. She turned to Thrash, extending her arms.

‘Please provide the goose egg for safekeeping. Mush will raise the disgusting, feral beast.’

Thrash chuckled, nodding at Pierre in thanks. ‘Let me finish looking at these new items, Mush. I won’t be long.’

Thrash placed all the items from the cultists onto the counter, and Pierre leaned in to inspect them alongside him. The Basic Mana Crystals were simple enough, but useful for crafting, and the other items were fairly standard. The Cord of Binding - a rope made entirely of unbreakable metal - caught Thrash’s eye, a host of uses coming to mind. The Potions of Healing and Throwing Knives were welcome additions to his inventory, but after sorting through the rest and offering anything to Pierre first, Thrash decided to list the following on the Vendor Exchange: Cultist Robes (x3), Cultist Bracers (x2), and the Trusted Dagger of Minor Poison. The dagger was neat, but not particularly useful to either of them. Pierre’s Long-Handled Hoe was still serving him well.

Mush buzzed as the items vanished from the counter. ‘Mush expects a bedroom before the end of the day.’

Thrash smiled up at her, feeling his energy levels waning. He turned to inspect the Painswick Boss’ drops next.

Roots of Wrath (Spell Book)

Item Rarity: Uncommon

Wouldn’t you like to indulge in the power of nature’s fury? This spell causes roots to erupt from the ground and bind your enemies in place for 5 seconds. Perfect for keeping troublemakers exactly where you want them - struggling and stuck.

Just be careful where you aim; your midnight companions will not appreciate this level of bondage.

Spell Effect: Immobilises a single target for 5 seconds. Duration increases with each level.

Spell Cost: 50 Mana per cast

Spell Cooldown: 60 seconds

Note: Earn spell experience each time you successfully immobilise a target. Levelling up increases immobilisation duration and reduces cooldown time.

Thrash passed the description over to Pierre, who nodded as he read. ‘Yer gonna have quite the collection of spells, soon.’

Thrash nodded in agreement, ignoring Mush’s noise of disgust. He’d learn the spell later - when Mush wasn’t looking. ‘It certainly seems that way. The blade, though - that’s interesting. Hold on.’

He pulled out the new sword, Painswick’s Blade, reviewing Mush’s read-out.

Painswick’s Blade

Item Rarity: Rare

Item Level: 3

Commiserations! You have been awarded Painswick’s Blade.

This rare blade was forged from the twisted thorns of the Painswick King’s domain. It cuts deep into those unlucky to cross its path, its thorn-like edges tearing skin from bone. It isn’t the cleanest weapon, but then again, neither is the mess that it leaves behind.

This blade will treat you well - and it’s ribbed for her pleasure!

Effect 1: 15% chance to cause Bleed, dealing damage over time for 5 seconds.

Pierre grunted with amusement. ‘All of yer descriptions are like this, are they?’

Mush chirped proudly. ‘Mush takes great pride in her descriptions! Thrash requires all of the hand-holding that can be provided.’

Thrash barely registered the remark, still focused on reviewing the blade’s value on the Vendor Exchange. ‘This could sell for 50 gold pieces. Thoughts?’

Pierre took the blade, holding it effortlessly in his hand. It was a touch longer than Sigrid, more suited for a one-and-a-half-handed use. He weighed it thoughtfully. ‘50 gold pieces, right?’

He opened a trade window with Thrash, who’s eyes widened at the sight of the glistening coins. ‘Excuse me? Where did this come from?’

Pierre shrugged casually. ‘Una. That’s what she gave me before she left - yer know, for sticking around and explaining things. As if I wouldn’t have done it anyway…’

‘You don’t need it?’ Thrash asked, touched by the gesture.

‘No, sir,’ Pierre said. ‘Farming is lucrative. Made a decent bit of coin already, see.’

Thrash’s head spun at the generosity. ‘Your not even going to think it over? Or maybe consider whether or not you need this sword? Your hoe seems to be working just fine for you.’

‘Yer not wrong,’ Pierre conceded, ‘but I need a weapon that can scale with me - like Sigrid. The hoe’s good for now, but this sword - this is an investment, see. I’m anticipating more fighting than I expected, truth be told.’

Thrash smiled, accepting the trade. ‘I’m expecting more fighting as well, to be honest. This is going to help massively, Pierre. Thanks.’ He turned to the last item from his haul, the one Juliet had been seeking. ‘Now, this is what I really wanted to review. Shall we?’

The item was a large, dark crimson crystal, shaped like a heart. It was encased in twisted, back thorns, groaning and writhing when touched. It pulsed like a heartbeat in Thrash’s hands, dim red lines appearing like fractures across its surface. He read the description aloud.

Heart of Damnation

Item Rarity: Rare

Commiserations! You have been awarded a Heart of Damnation.

This item is rumoured to have been created through dark, forbidden magic. It serves as a bridge between the living and the dead, a key to harnessing the secret of death.

Many believe that by using this item, one can summon a fallen friend from the battlefield. However, the true nature of the Heart is unpredictable, and the power it offers is as much a curse as it is a gift.

Mummy recommends an intense review of this item. DO NOT USE WITHOUT CONSIDERATION.

Effect 1: Bond of Malice: Using this item can form a bond between one living being and another. This bond permanently amplifies all stats and abilities, but at a cost. Be warned.

OR

Effect 2: Forbidden Rebirth: By offering blood and life force to the Heart, revive a fallen ally. They will return, but at a cost. Be warned.

Thrash and Pierre shared a wary glance, interrupted by Mush buzzing down and staring at the pulsing heart. Thrash spoke first. ‘So… she wanted to bring back Romeo, right?’

Pierre shook his head, holding the heart up for a closer look. ‘Might be. Yer said she were only Level 5, right? Could be that there were more Juliet’s before her? I used to watch a programme with cultists - they replaced their leader every year.’

Thrash stepped back. ‘That’s a solid theory - I hadn’t thought of that.’

Mush chimed in. ‘Pierre has brains, where Thrash has none.’

Pierre snorted again, placing the heart on the counter. ‘Starr Galaxy is all about storylines, right? Yer might be caught up in the middle of one, now.’

Thrash sighed, clutching the heart thoughtfully. Then, he considered. ‘We won’t find out unless we list it on the Vendor Exchange, will we?’

Pierre grinned. ‘Fancy inviting Romeo around for tea?’

Thrash shrugged, listing the item for offers only. ‘We’ll see soon enough, won’t we?’

‘Might be that the rest of Juliet’s loot explains more?’

Mush immediately transferred the item list to Thrash. He reviewed it. Juliet had dropped a Lover’s Tiara and a Handwritten Note. He reviewed the tiara first.

Lover’s Tiara

Item Rarity: Rare

Commiserations! You have been awarded Lover’s Tiara.

Ah, how lovely! You’ve acquired a tiara. Go on, put it on - doesn’t it make you feel just a bit more charming; a little more exotic? The delicate silver weave, the glinting emeralds... it’s all so enchanting.

Remember, a tiara is a symbol of a woman's strength. Every princess knows this. Settle down, and Mummy will find you a prince.

Effect 1: This item increases your base charisma by 10%

Effect 2: This item boosts charisma when interacting with followers (Cultists, Guilds, Parties, etc)

Thrash finished reading the description, comparing the item against his Paparazzi Hat. It wasn’t worth the swap, despite the allure of the 10% charisma gain. He wasn’t ready to lose the intelligence and magical resistance buffs his hat provided. He passed the item along to Pierre. ‘Any use to you?’

Pierre shook his head. ‘Looks like it's tailored to someone managing large groups. Might be worth keeping?’

Thrash agreed, stashing the item in his inventory. He let out a breath of relief, finally pulling up the last item.

Handwritten Note

Item Rarity: N/A

Commiserations! You have been awarded Handwritten Note.

How exciting! Do you remember writing letters? Or notes? Or ANYTHING? MUMMY DOESN’T - SHE HAS NEVER USED A PEN!

This tattered note was found in the pocket of Toxic Witch, Juliet, part-leader of Starr-Crossed Lovers. See below:

Juliet - the Heart of Damnation will help. Seek out ‘Mines of Painswick Hill’. Revive the one.

Pierre let out a deep breath. ‘Well, I’m glad that’s cleared things up. Anyone fancy a bite?’