Here we are! The stairs to the floor above! Luck declares, in a good mood. While traveling together for the last week, making detours around the floor, she has been more entertained by the antics of the group and a side of Ted that was nearly forgotten in all the years they had both hidden away.

Madilyn and Sidney, after learning of the strange nature of the dungeon spawned monsters, intentionally started seeking out various opponents. Given the nature of the fights, Luck joined in and acts like a proper sentient combat pet. Frankly speaking though, the combination of ‘Pixie Dragon that also speaks’ is astronomically rare, to the point that minor skirmishes would not be unheard of in years past.

Despite her declaration for the love of fire, and true nature, she mainly provided support in the form of ‘minor’ ice and wind magics to upset the balance, physically or metaphorically, of their opponents. Well placed and abnormally hard spikes of both the length of one’s forearm were in appropriate abundance. As such, the group becomes more adept at not getting in each other’s way when facing down an opponent.

“It really is a grand staircase isn’t it,” comments Sidney. “After our experience getting here I was expecting something more sadistic.”

With a glint in her eye, Luck decides not to mention the extraordinarily convenient magic hidden in the staircase, but drop a metaphorical bomb on him and Madilyn.

Do you mean that magically dark pit on this floor? She says, noting a glower from the two of them.

That pit is considered a punishment from the gods by the adventurers in this place you know. Located on the very first floor is an innocent golem, going about its tasks, with this warning writ large near it: ‘Hail the Gatekeeper, for he is the first guardian of the children of the gods. But woe upon those showing enmity to him, for they will be sent to the deepest depths of hell.’ It has been noted over the years that even tossing a pebble at the golem will trigger a transport, and despite how well you are doing on this floor, not all are as well equipped as you.

“But, we’re not?” Madilyn says in confusion. “We hadn’t really ever been out of the village before this, and most of the last few years was training with the various old adventurers and the cooks and farmers for a few hours a day.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

As the phrase goes, oh my sweet summer child, what surprises we have in store for you. Stay innocent as long as you can, despite what your father thinks of you, Luck finishes with a smirk.

“Why did we ever tell you that part of the story!” she exclaims, throwing her hands in the air and turning around. “I’m leaving! See you at the top!”

Seeing her storming off, Bill flaps over and lands on her head, to her mildly pleasant but annoyed surprise. Sidney sighs, comments on how it can’t be harder than climbing the mountain, and heads off right behind her. As soon as he arrives at the steps, Ted casts a sound dampener over the entryway and a full isolation barrier around himself, Sia, and Luck.

“First off,” Ted begins, “I greatly appreciate you playing along. Secondly, though the timing is off a bit due to your propensity to unconsciously ride the waves of fortune, you were here looking for me, knowing I would show up eventually. It would have been unheard of 200 years ago, but here I am.”

Heaving a sigh, Luck first turns to Sia, saying My dear, can you keep an eye on those children while these old monsters talk for a bit?

Intrigued but knowing the time to inquire is not now, she says ‘Okay’ with a small smile, then hugs both to make a Luck sandwich. She jogs off and up the staircase, without looking back.

Strange girl all around isn’t she?

“Didn’t have that much of a life to live before dying, so the last two decades have been her catching up with all the things she wanted to experience after hearing about them for centuries. Now on with it.”

Sighing yet again, Luck gestures off to the side and requests a time bubble with as much dilation as possible. She levitates a rock outside of the area as the bubble snaps into place in order to keep time. The simple spell is cut off as the dilation takes hold.

Fascinating, she says as there is hardly any movement in the rock. Seeing the other sitting on the ground, cross-legged, she lands. How much time do we have before that hits the ground? We don’t want to worry them after all.

With a twitch in his eye for having been delayed yet again, he whipishly replies, “If I add another layer, we could be here for literal centuries.”

So be it, though it should not take that long to tell the tale. It may take a while longer for us to leave though. Your presence somehow dimmed from the world, though didn’t disappear. I was curious so went to investigate. My deepest condolences on your loss, she says, bowing her head.

Ted begins to glare at the small form of this ancient dragon, before shifting through various emotions.

“I spent the first ten years of Sidney’s life growing up with him, and spending most of that time bitter about his joy and the happiness of the village. After that though, things started becoming easier, and while the turmoil isn’t gone, it does not daily cloud my thoughts. Thank you for your consideration.”

An awkward pause later as Luck has not moved, Ted continues, “Is that it, or is there anything else? The rock has barely dropped a millimeter.”

While it was clear to me you found the perpetrators, she begins, I do know that you never found the instigators. For I stumbled across them while searching for your dimmed presence.

Rage, sadness, grief, all flash through the Other’s visage. Laying on his back, with tears streaming out of his eyes, he motions to Luck and pats his chest.

“Tell me what you know,” he says, as another layer of distortion flashes to existence around them.