Maria stood by the door of the changing room, looking out at the stage.

The Ringleader hadn't moved an inch, but she still didn't trust him. While Chariot and Tanalia changed into their equipment, she offered to stand guard in case he sprung on them. To her surprise, he never did.

The dressing room was rather spacious. Along one wall was a row of wooden dressing tables adorned with ornate mirrors and an assortment of makeup brushes, palettes, and other cosmetics. A single oil lamp hung in the center of the room to give them luminescence. The costume rack was beside the door and accompanied by several wardrobe trunks. One of the lids was propped up to reveal a chaotic mess of props used in the performance earlier. It felt strange to be in a place so lively by themselves.

“Has he done anything yet?” Chariot asked.

Maria glanced back in for a second. She had stripped naked and was in the process of equipping her under armor. “Not yet, no.”

“He has to be toying with us,” Chariot said.

“Why wouldn’t he just kill us?” Tanalia asked. She had changed much quicker than Chariot. She didn’t have an entire set of armor to equip, after all.

“He said it wouldn’t be a fair fight,” Maria said.

“There’s no way a man like him cares about a fair fight.”

“Take the blessing while he’s giving it to us, and redress.”

“I’m already done,” Tanalia said, tying off her light green shawl around her waist. “Your turn. I’ll watch over him.”

Maria nodded and switched places with Tanalia. “Were you seriously not wearing any underwear beneath that dress?” she asked her.

“Not the time,” Chariot said, slipping on her chestpiece.

“I’m just curious,” Maria said, quickly removing her dress. She opened her inventory and spawned all her equipment out into a pile. Maria scrambled to put her clothes back on.

“Has he moved?” Chariot asked Tanalia.

“No, he hasn’t. Worried he’s going to get a peek at your breasts?”

“No, I’m worried he’s going to attack us while we’re still vulnerable.”

“I think we can trust him on this,” Maria said, sliding into her star-studdered cloak.

“We can’t trust anything he says,” Chariot said.

“Why not?” Tanalia said. “He hasn’t lied to us about anything.”

“She’s right,” Maria said. “As much as we shouldn’t trust him, we don’t have a choice. He’s been truthful about everything.”

Chariot grumbled and finished equipping her gear. Maria plopped her witch cap on, and she too was finished.

Name: Maria Marigold

Lvl: 21

HP: 1100 >> 1336

MP: 220 >> 258

Total Defense: 0 >> 83

Total Attack: 1 >> 45.8

Name: Chariot Crowhaven

Lvl: 24

HP: 1251 >> 1741

MP: 251 >> 42

Total Defense: 0 >> 585

Total Attack: 1 >> 166

Name: Tanalia Taymore

Lvl: 28

HP: 1450 >> 3545

MP: 290 >> 49

Total Defense: 0 >> 322

Total Attack: 1 >> 60

Maria drank an Ironskin potion, as did Chariot, who chugged an Endurance potion with it. “Alright, let’s get him,” Maria led her party out of the dressing room.

As they walked across the stage, the Ringleader rose to his feet and snapped his fingers. The stage lights were redirected to track them. “Ah, that's more like it. Look at the fine colors of those outfits, the gleaming armor, and the sparkling robes. The knight and the witch look spectacular, but I must say Tanalia has changed very little since last we met.”

Maria glared up at The Ringleader as he hopped back onto the stage, and slowly entered a performative fighting stance. The permanent smile carved into the mask only infuriated Maria even more. She knew he was actually smiling under it, and she couldn’t wait to wipe it off his face. “This is for Master Eardwulf!” she hurled a {Firebolt} at him.

The Ringleader dodged to the side. Tanalia fired an arrow, predicting his dodge, but the Ringleader caught it in his fist and laughed. “Oh… what a show.” He squeezed and snapped the arrow in two. “Your arrows are too slow, much too slow to hit the likes of me.” The instruments rose around the trio and started up a new song, one much faster-paced than before. “Now, show me what you really got,” The Ringleader bowed, and hopped back to the center alley row of seats. Two circular disks with central handles appeared in his hand. They were adorned with four double-edged blades. His fingers twirled around the handles, causing the blades to spin so fast that the individual edges merged into a blur.

Tanalia pushed off the stage and double-jumped. Her dagger reappeared in her hand, and she unleashed a flurry of violent swings. The Ringleader sidestepped as she landed, and moved into the row of upturned seats, keeping his distance from Tanalia. He hurled one of his weapons at Chariot and Maria, causing both of them to dodge out of the way.

“Stay still bastard!” Tanalia followed him. With the narrow rows and seating, it made room for only one person to come at him at a time. “I promise I’ll make it quick!”

The weapon whirled through the air like a boomerang and returned to the Ringleader. It veered to the side, redirecting to Tanalia, and she ducked down, narrowly missing it.

Chariot summoned an entanglement of vines, but as they sprouted, the Ringleader leaped up and danced atop the rows of seats. The vines intertwined with the soft leather, getting tangled before vanishing. Tanalia double-jumped over the rows of seats after the Ringleader, firing arrows and trying to get close. Chariot tried coming around the other side of the seats, and flanking the Ringleader from behind, but all the acrobat had to do was summersault over Chariot’s swings. She flung a radiant arc of light forward and stuck Tanalia on accident as the Ringleader flipped over her, and landed on Chariot, kicking her down onto the hard carpeted floor. The seats cracked under the weight of her armor.

“Another valiant effort, but not quite valiant enough—”

Maria hurled {Lightning Bolt} at the Ringleader, and struck him. He was knocked into the next row of seats. Maria ran up the center aisle towards her friends as a flurry of cards swarmed up from the rows of seats, and slithered through the air before striking the ground beside Maria. She had become entrapped in a whirlwind of playing cards that zipped and slashed at her as they passed by. Maria cast {Flames}, and burnt up the cloud of cards, causing them to disperse in a fiery tornado before incinerating.

The instruments flew closer to the fight, keeping up the pace and rhythm as Chariot and Tanalia got back to their feet.

“Watch where you’re swinging that damn thing!” Tanalia yelled at Chariot.

“Tsk, tsk, fighting already?” The Ringleader said, appearing behind Tanalia as the playing cards dispersed. Tanalia spun around and got her dagger caught against The Ringleader’s disc blade. He twirled the weapon and ripped Tanila's dagger from her grasp. She resummoned it to her palm and released another relentless flurry of strikes. Chariot ran at the Ringleader as he stepped out into the main aisle. Chariot charged him, her heavy armor clunking and clanking as she took her turn of swings at The Ringleader. Maria hurled two {Firebolt}’s at the jester, and yet again he leaped out of the way. A series of glyphs appeared strung in an arc overhead. He ran across them, running upside down as if gravity were reversed.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Maria cast {Lightning Bolt} and struck The Ringleader once more, knocking him off his glyphs, and causing him to crash onto the fake stone tower on stage.

Within a second, he was back on his feet.

“Oh my, I must say your aim has gotten better,” The Ringleader said to Maria, and folded an arm behind his back, before thrusting forth a hail of playing cards. Maria dove behind one of the wooden sets to take cover. The cards soared past her, and over to Chariot and Tanalia.

Maria jumped to her feet, and drew her Serpents Blade, whipping the weapon at The Ringleader. He dodged again, much to Maria’s frustration. Withdrawing both his disc blades, he ran at Maria, and she retracted the blade, and hardened it back to a sword to block his attacks. Behind her, Tanalia and Chariot ran and hopped around the theater, trying to avoid the cards as they whooshed and sliced at them. The cards cut at the supports of the chandelier above, and it plummeted, before swinging through the theater. Chariot ducked as it nearly hit her.

“Maria, can you burn these cards!” Chariot yelled.

“I’m a little busy at the moment!”

“She’s a little busy at the moment!” The Ringleader said along with her.

There was nothing Maria could do. She was too slow with the sword, and she didn’t have endless MP. Soon, her sword was caught between the blades of the Ringleader's weapon. He twirled them, her sword was ripped from her hands. The Serpents Blade landed beside the fake ocean waves.

Tanalia double-jumped between him and Maria. She swung, but her weapon too was caught in the Ringleader's weapon. He used it to twist Tanalia's arm and force her to bend over awkwardly to avoid her arm snapping. The Ringleader then delivered a hard punch to her gut and swiped her legs out from under her. Tanalia collapsed as Chariot ran up onto the stage.

The Ringleader ducked under her swing and grabbed the knight by the throat.

Maria cast {Firebolt}, but the Ringleader used Chariot to block the attack. The fire struck her armor, and she groaned before the jester pirouetted, and slammed the knight into the floor, stomping on her back, and cracking the stage beneath her. She groaned and desperately tried to reach for her sword, but it was kicked away, and she was subsequently lifted back up and tossed effortlessly through the fake ship. The splintered wood flew back with a loud crack.

Tanalia tried to get to her feet, but she stumbled and collapsed. Her breathing was ragged like the wind had been knocked out of her. She groaned and held her gut. She had been sliced up in dozens of small knicks from the playing cards, and small trickles of blood ran down her face.

“Your turn, witch,” The Ringleader taunted her. The instruments floated back over to the stage. Their melody had grown somber and slowed down like they were highlighting a dramatic moment in the show.

Maria stood there, panting. She had no weapon… no, wait, she did!

Maria pulled the Scorching Scepter from her inventory and ran up to The Ringleader as the weapon materialized in her hand. She swung the scepter and sent a {Fireball} at the jester. He dodged to the side, and an explosion of fire erupted on the stage, igniting the set pieces, and spreading the fire quickly.

Before Maria even had time to react, The Ringleader was before her. He grabbed her staff, pivoted, and slammed it up between her legs before twisting it again and knocking Maria upside the head with it. She groaned, and stumbled away, collapsing to her knees.

The Ringleader simply chuckled, twirling Maria’s Scorching Scepter in his hand. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, you gave it your best shot, but in the end, it simply wasn’t enough.” He raised the scepter like a bat and slammed it down onto Maria repeatedly, beating her head and shoulders in before delivering a swift kick to her face. Maria gasped, spitting out a clump of blood as she groaned and recoiled. Pain flared through her entire body. She could barely stand.

“Get away from her!” Chariot yelled. She stumbled over, though weaponless, she still raised her fists. The Ringleader swung Maria’s Scorching Scepter, and sent a {Fireball} at Chariot, striking her, and knocking her back as the flames exploded against her. She lay there, her armor hot and red, desperately trying to take it off. She removed her chest piece and returned it to her inventory. Her HP, which Maria could see, had dropped dangerously low.

With the trio subdued on the ground, the Ringleader chuckled. “Something tells me you three knew you weren’t strong enough to beat me though. A little voice deep down inside said you could still do it.” The Ringleader knelt and pinched Maria cheek’s. She struggled against him as he forcibly tilted her head up to gaze at him. “Isn’t that right, little sister?”

The instruments abruptly ceased their playing. Maria froze. She stared back into the empty black voids behind the eye holes of his mask, utterly silent.

“Excuse me?” Chariot groaned. She weakly got to her feet, quickly drinking a healing potion.

“Little sister?” Tanalia glanced back at Maria.

“Why yes, you heard me correctly,” the Ringleader spun around to face the other two. “Siblings reunited at last.”

“What are you talking about?” Maria asked. The Ringleader let go of her. Blood filled her mouth again, and she had to spit it out. The room was getting warmer, the fire had reached the ceiling, and it was licking at the supports.

“Have you not a clue? I would have expected more from the girl born of his seed.”

“I- I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maria stuttered.

The Ringleader tilted his head slowly. “The demon king was a man of focus, power, and sheer will. He had many children and many wives. The elves, the dwarves, merfolk, arachnids, giants, orcs, nymphs, nagas, trolls, dragons, and many many more… even humans. There was not one creature in Mytharia that didn’t spend a night in his bed. When those children were born each bore a stark similarity. His crest is forever memorialized on each of his child's left wrists.” The Ringleader pulled down his sleeve and flashed a matching mark to that of Maria’s. The demon king's emblem was printed onto his pale skin like a birthmark.

Maria’s heart stopped. She stared wide-eyed up at the Ringleader. She opened her mouth, but not a word came out. He was a child of the demon king? She had a sibling? The Ringleader was her sibling?

“You haven’t told them, have you?” The Ringleader laughed and grabbed Maria’s arm. He forcibly hoisted it up.

“Hey! Let go!” she yelled hoarsely.

The Ringleader ripped the bandages from around Maria’s wrist and turned it to face her friends. Maria struggled, trying to yank her arm away, but only whimpered as the Ringleader's firm grip crushed her wrist.

Chariot stared at the marking on Maria’s wrist, her mouth gaping open.

“What the hell?” Tanalia muttered.

“Your friend here is none other than one of the daughters of the demon king.”

“I said let go!” Maria tried to kick at the Ringleader, but he dodged and hurled Maria across the stage. She rolled over the floor of shattered wooden splinters, groaning as a piece dug into her cheek. Her vision was flashing red, her health was nearly depleted. {123/1136}, the numbers were burned into her eyes. She desperately pulled a healing potion from her inventory and drank it.

“So, tell me, what power did our father give you?”

“W- What?” Maria stuttered, gasping as she finished chugging her potion.

“Powers. Which of his did you inherit?”

“I… I don’t…”

The Ringleader threw his head back with a sigh. “Such disappointment. Were you even put in charge of an army?”

“What?” Maria asked.

“You didn’t know? All of his generals are his children. Born of his seed.”

“I… I’m not from here… I don’t… What the hell is going on?”

“That may be why I haven’t seen you before. Who was your mother? Which of my stepmothers birthed you?”

“Just shut up,” Tanalia barked. She weakly rose to her feet and grabbed onto one of the set pieces for support. She drew her dagger once more and aimed it at the Ringleader.

“Still standing up to me while you're knocking on death's door. I admire your determination. Oh, how fun this will be. After all, what's a show without a pivotal, dramatic death?”

Maria tensed up. “Leave her alone.”

“Perhaps I’ll be swayed to spare your teammates. You’ll just have to do something for me. I’ll give you this offer only once,” The Ringleader bowed forward, and offered his hand out to Maria.

She glared at him and growled. “Are you insane? You really think I would just join you?”

“If you were as smart as our father, then yes.”

“I’m nothing like Moldark!”

“So it seems. Oh well. Maybe this is for the better. Three pairs of eyes are better than two. Though I suppose we won’t be able to share the real treasure.”

“What are you talking about?”

The Ringleader gave the trio a low, maniacal chuckle. A chill ran down Maria’s spine. “Our father plundered and ravaged this world of many things, and left little behind… except for one thing. Something only his children can possess. He was a man of a great many powers, so many he was near unstoppable… and that is what’s awaiting us within his vault. The key to unlocking our father's power. Oh, just the thought of that much power flowing through one's veins is enough to light a fire under you.”

“Yeah, I would never help you get something like that!”

The Ringleader slowly straightened his back and threw his arms out to the side. “You made a good attempt, and it has been fun, but we’re nearing the end of our show, the grand conclusion! So take a bow and accept your fate.”

Fire belched above the trio. The flames had nearly engulfed the entire stage. The chandelier over the seats rattled violently. It was hovering in midair, creating a haunting melody that only added to the floating instruments around the stage. The Ringleader mimicked hurling an object, and the chandler broke free from its chains and flew toward the stage. Maria grabbed Tanalia and ran off the side of the stage. The Chandler crashed behind her, exploding into a colorful display of glass, crystal, and metal shards. The resounding crash was nearly defined by the bellowing flames and did nothing but stir the fire.

“Chariot!” Maria yelled. The knight was on the ground, out of harm's way, but the flames were rapidly eating their way closer to her. Maria dropped Tanalia and tried to lift the knight to her feet. “We need to leave! Now!”

The Scorching Scepter flew through the air and nearly pierced Maria as it stuck itself in the ground. The blade at the tip of it broke the wood easily. Maria pulled the weapon from the ground and tried pushing her party out the back doors.

“Run, run, run away, live to fight another day!” The Ringleader’s voice echoed over the roaring flames. His laugh filled the air, slowly turning cynical as the instruments swelled, and finished their dramatic tune.

Smoke filled the air, and burned at her lungs, causing her eyes to water. The fire had spread much quicker backstage, filling the hallways with bright, burning colors, and heat. She could see the back door, but a support beam collapsed and crashed down in her way.

Chariot groaned and pulled out her Crimson Petal. She must have retrieved it at some point, but Maria didn’t stop to think about it. As soon as she sliced through the beam with {Arc Slash}, Maria helped her and Tanalia out towards the back door.

The cool night air enveloped them as they stumbled out.

“Keep going,” Maria groaned and limped with her party into the back alleys.