“Do we really all have to go?” Shores and his crew were elated, but Jimbo and the boys were not so much.

“Of course not.” Cira replied with a twinge of surprise, “The reason any of you are helping me in the first place is beyond me. I’ve given up trying to understand it. You could all stay behind if you felt like it. We don’t know what’s beyond the first tomb, but for what it’s worth, slimes are all but immune to physical damage.”

It was the morning of the next day, and everybody had gotten a good night’s rest. Green Pit was a quick trip and Shores returned with the unfortunately christened Saint’s Wings. Apparently, the good Reverend felt more comfortable with his trusty sun cannon nearby. To be honest, so did Cira if it had any juice left.

“Yeah, I feel like we were pretty useless last time.” James interjected, “You need mages, not us.”

“What the hell are slimes, anyway?” Tawny asked.

“I’ll explain on the way, but you can think of it like hungry mana.” Cira paced across the forge and popped open a trunk. “If you’re coming, it’s time to gear up.”

The trunk was full of cheap metal jewelry and Cira led the way by pulling out circlets of various sizes, “Two bracelets, two anklets, a collar, and belts are on the table.” She instructed, equipping the simple charms and grabbing a belt to weave through her dark-attuned ribbon robes.

“Hey, I remember these.” Gil approached briskly to grab his own set. “They just give off a little fire mana, don’t they? What does putting them on do?”

It was a reasonable concern, as they were rather low output. That was how Cira could produce so many of them without dipping into her catalyst reserves.

“Well, we’d be in trouble if we had fire slimes on our hands,” Cira replied, “but slimes typically don’t like fire. Something we have already confirmed. These should at least act as a ward and make their attacks more predictable, as they act on instinct alone.”

After much deliberation, James, Joe, and Skipper ended up sitting out, but Jimbo was raring to go. Skipper tried to make his case of having mastered Lamplight, but Cira shot him down. He was but an amateur swordsman, and Joe was out of shape so staying behind was no issue. Even Kuja grabbed a set of circlets and looked excited to finally push further into Archaeum.

“Next, all of you grab a bag.” Cira had actually hand-sewn some unenchanted leather satchels for this, “The artifacts within should be able to enter the slime when thrown, but not exit, allowing us to pick off individuals by converting their dark mana to light.”

“Whoa,” Jimbo said, “They’re made of mana, aren’t they? That’s cold blooded.”

“Hardly,” Cira countered, “Perhaps if we threw them at goblins, or Captain Wick with a few minor adjustments, but slimes can’t be considered living creatures. Don’t get me off track… You will notice a small pocket on the side with a handful of rings. They are single use and each should be good to block one fatal strike—no don’t put them on at the same time.”

Cira shook her head as Jimbo started piling them on. “There are weapons too, right?”

“Of course, of course. Let us head to the training hall.” The first thing they had done after waking up was secure the treasure. After all, it was sitting out for a couple days on the side of the mountain. Anyone could theoretically have pulled up and stolen it, but luckily, all steered clear of the Valley of Curses.

The staves would not have fit in the forge, nor did Cira want to try stuffing them in. They were all lined up and grouped in like elements. “I would have preferred to let you guys practice first, but take your picks.”

According to James, they recovered two hundred and thirty-six staves of various quality, while the artifacts were still piled up next to the ones Cira prepared.

Jimbo followed her as he had no use for a staff at this point in his training. “I don’t really know what any of these do. What would you recommend?” He looked over the ocean of artifacts with an overwhelmed confusion painted on his face.

“I’m glad you asked.” Cira grinned and picked up a crystal dagger off the ground, “This is made of condensed mana and will return to you in a beam of light if you throw it.”

“Okay, we got tons of stuff I can throw.” He seemed unimpressed, “Give me the craziest thing in this pile.”

Cira pouted for a moment, as she was quite partial to the utility of thrown artifacts. It was typically a sorcerer’s instinct to avoid physical combat, but that was something she was working on.

“Alright, big man, why don’t you try on those gauntlets?” They were too heavy for Cira to hand them over.

“Alright—urghhh, god damn. What are these things made of?” He had to slip his hands into them and form a fist before lifting with his knees to get them off the ground.

“They’re only about ten percent orichalcum. Go ahead and try punching that training dummy.” Cira pointed to one of the human-shaped statues standing about the hall.

“I-I’ll try…” His fists hung taut at his sides and his face washed over with uncertainty. “Maybe I’ll just try one.”

He dropped the other with a loud crash and strained to use his free hand to support his right fist. Under the weight, his approach could best be described as a lurching power walk. When he reached the dummy he threw his whole body into it and connected square in the statue’s chest before disappearing in a crimson explosion.

A radiant smile formed on Cira’s lips as she was bathed in the brilliant light. Her Robe’s many loose ends fluttered in the wind and a heavy gauntlet skipped across the stone floor. Jimbo rolled into view shortly after as the light faded, distinctly lacking any burns, with a terrified look in his eyes and his hair blown back.

“It works better than I could have possibly imagined!” Cira had whipped this up earlier, but couldn’t test it while everybody slept. “Definitely needs another few barriers, though you probably would have been fine if you still held the other gauntlet. Still, maybe they’re not ideal tools for indoors.”

“What the hell was that?!” Jimbo looked at her with crazed eyes, meanwhile the others had coming running up shouting.

“Is it an attack?!” Ike held up a brilliant silver staff which shined gold.

“Lady Cira, get back!” Rictor had already begun to form the scorched ground before her into a defensive wall.

“It’s not an attack, you idiots!” Cira was flabbergasted, “Didn’t I tell you no one can get in here?”

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Tawny barreled right past her and cradled Jimbo, “Are you alright? What happened?”

“He was merely testing an artifact.” Yeah, it was big, but it wasn’t as serious as it looked, “He should be fine save for a little tumble. How do you feel, Jimbo? Would you perhaps prefer the second craziest artifact in my collection?”

It couldn’t be said the gauntlets were number one, but visually, they fit the request. Jimbo had been thrown back a fair distance, but in his path was a giant crack in the training hall’s floor that travelled up the opposing wall. There was no trace of the stone dummy and all behind it was charred black.

“What is wrong with you?!” Tawny stood up and got in her face, but Jimbo actually came to her defense.

“Now hang on, Tawny. I asked for it. This is completely my fault.” As the shock of his explosive punch faded a faint grin began to grow, “Let’s see the next step down.”

The girl practically pulled out her hair and scolded Jimbo, ultimately, for being a reckless idiot, like he apparently always was.

“What’s the deal with you guys?” Cira could help but ask. “She yells at you like the wives I’ve read about in stories.”

Tawny was stunned silent for a moment while Jimbo chuckled, “She practically is.”

“A-are you serious?” Tawny turned red and scoffed, “Except I’m not.”

“Well… what do you expect? I’m always going to be exploding or fighting sharks or something. I can’t in good faith put a ring on you when I’m liable to go out in a blaze of glory at any moment.”

“Uhh…” Cira grew awkward as Tawny didn’t seem to take the subject as lightly as Jimbo did. I guess that was insensitive. Maybe I should think before I speak more often.

“Not the time, guys.” James cut in before giving Cira a glance, “You should really learn to think before you speak.”

Damn this man. “Yeah, my bad, guys…”

“Whatever,” Tawny turned away, “Let’s just get on with it.”

Everybody calmed down after a few moments and rustled through the artifacts for anything they thought could be useful, with Cira guiding them as to their uses. Jimbo settled for taking recommendations after a short and decisive argument from Tawny, and the group set forth to the shadowy depths.

___

Olive was still asleep when they left, not that she had a role down below, but Rocky had also elected to stay. This much neither surprised nor bothered Cira as James and the boys saw them off and they quickly made it through the first layer of the necropolis.

This time there were more bugs, but they were easily dispatched. When they tried to crack open their shells, the brothers found their water to have enough pressure to pierce straight through. Then Gil and Tawny could also simply conjure spears of fire to do the same. Their new weapons certainly helped, but there was a noticeable improvement in their skills. Cira had more or less turned them loose on training themselves after going over the basics, owing to her lack of time, but seeing them now made her promise to give them a new lesson once they returned.

Cira’s crew became cautious as they came off the stairs into the former living quarters—Cira’s newest territorial acquisition.

“Careful, everyone.” Jimbo whispered, placing his hand on a miniature shoulder-mounted cannon, “I can feel them watching us.”

This weapon was his single concession to tone down his artifact craving. Next to him, Rictor’s sandstone staff lit up dimly and metallic needles formed in the air before him, “Let them come.”

“H-hold on guys.” Cira waved turned and waved her hands around, “I really don’t think we need to worry about them attacking us… You can lower your defenses.”

Kuja gave her a playful grin, but her paladins were worried. “What makes you so certain?” Oliver asked.

Taking a deep breath, Cira let out a sigh, “There’s… something I’ve been keeping from you all.”

Shores’ crew only displayed concern, but Jimbo looked at her like she was about to say something stupid. Meanwhile, Tawny crossed her eyes and squinted suspiciously, “Well? What is it?”

“You see. I’m… I’m the goblin king.”

“Nice.” Jimbo clapped, “Movin’ up in the world.”

“What does that even mean?” Tawny now looked at her like she had indeed said something stupid. It was only natural.

“It means I defeated their regent in ritual combat. They should not attack us, though I suppose one may challenge me to a duel.” Cira nonchalantly strode through the street between dormitories. She could hear the goblins inside as well, but none deigned to show themselves. It was fine by Cira because she didn’t have time for her kingly duties right now.

“They do seem to be avoiding us.” Ike observed, using his bloodwood staff as a walking stick, “It’s only naturally these creatures too would recognize your divine grace.”

“Easy, buddy.” Cira warned, “Let’s just hurry up. I would like to make it to the slimes before any distractions present themselves.”

There were light footsteps in the alleys between buildings, and it almost sounded like they were following the group, much to Cira’s dismay. Her paladins’ Lamplight couldn’t reach far enough to see anything, but they were surely there.

The bloodlust of creatures so stained with mana was usually palpable to even the aura-bereft, like the previous goblin king and angry mob, but Cira felt no such pressure. Even if there would be no ambush, that didn’t set her at ease.

Soon they reached the courtyard from before and her fears were realized, there was once again a crowd of goblins forming a path down the center.

“Ahh, damn.” Cira clicked her tongue and peeled ahead of the group. “Come on guys.”

Cira waved her crew toward her to get them to stop shaking in their boots. Each one of them save for Kuja was ready to attack at the first sign of aggression, but none of them moved. The goblins hardly made any noise except for hushed mutterings, but some had similar eyes to the paladins. It seemed the goblins were happy to see her.

Naturally their king had to lead the way, and Cira dauntlessly stepped through the hallway of shadow goblins with her crew following close behind looking increasingly nervous. Once they had almost reached the staircase, a certain odor reached Cira’s nose. It smelled like blood, and it did not take long to find the source.

A pile of bugs, rats, and other mismatched beasts from whatever dark crevices of this mountain the goblin knew about. A pool of blood gathered on the ground, and when they got closer, the crew froze in horror staring up at it.

“Are they…” Gil asked, “gonna add us to the pile?”

“No.” Kuja said, “This is a gift.”

“Ridiculous…” Cira gawked at the mountain of corpses, “Have they been hunting outside the mountain? What am I supposed to do with this?”

She gazed out over the hundreds if not thousands of pitch-black goblins surrounding her on all sides now with expectant glints in their beady little eyes.

“It’d be rude not to eat some of it.” Jimbo said, looking none too eager to do so himself.

“I don’t know about that…” Goblins could consume a great deal, because their bodies simply stripped their food of mana and disposed of the rest, but Cira couldn’t finish a meal half that size—even if it were cake.

“According to Goblin Lord Gazen,” Kuja took on a cheeky tone, “refusing the people’s gift of succession is akin to saying your citizens and all their efforts are worthless.”

Great… Why didn’t you leave a goblin dictionary? “Hey! Any of you speak high common?”

They all looked confused by the large ape’s speech patterns. Dammit… okay, I have to think outside the box here.

Cira walked over to the crowd who shuddered with anticipation and picked one up like a child. The goblins gasped and oohed as she walked away with it and placed it next to the pile of meat and such. It quickly turned to look up at her with wide eyes, trembling slightly.

“It’s okay, little guy.” Cira crouched down and grabbed something’s liver off the pile, “Here.”

She placed the morsel in its hand and motioned to eat it. The little goblin shook in fear for a moment before slowly reaching his hand out and trying to feed the liver to Cira.

“No, no, no.” Cira took its clawed hands and gently pushed them towards its face. She felt bad for basically rubbing a liver against the goblin’s face, but it eventually opened its mouth and chomped down, sudden terror filing its eyes. Putting on a bright smile and the friendliest tone she could muster, she gave it a few light pats on the head, “Very good. Well done.”

It nervously took another bite and Cira walked back over to the crowd, pointedly sweeping her eyes over them then motioning to join the other. She had to physically urge them along at first, then they started to catch her drift. After the next few joined in on the feast the others must have realized it was what Cira wanted and soon there was a ravenous mob pouring in from all sides, nearly drowning Cira’s crew as they cried anxiously at all the goblins brushing against them.

“That should be fine, right?” Cira turned to her partner in goblin cultural studies.

“Who knows?” Kuja shrugged, “They seem happy.”

They were in fact feasting quite audibly and those yet to reach the meat cheered as they made their way closer. Many heckled like hyenas and Cira assumed it to be laughter coming from them.

“C-can we get the hell out of here?!” Jimbo squealed, “I don’t like ‘em touchin’ me. They’re all sticky and gross.”

“No, I think you just got a sticky one.” Cira’s guest participant certainly wasn’t, “But yes, It’s time for slimes.”