Terri's fingers tightened around her mug as she watched Cedez and Dumpich take the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dumpich announced with a theatrical bow. "Tonight we bring you the tale of love n' loss! The Dungeon Diver's Lament performed by the D&C duo!"

Dumpich took center stage while Cedez settled into position with Shady-violin. The tavern grew quiet as the first notes filled the air.

Dumpich began in a rich baritone:

"Down into darkness, sword held high,

Seeking glory 'neath crystal sky,

Fortune calls with siren's song,

Through these halls I'll prove I'm strong!"

His Vitalix rushed down his hand, turning into a green rapier with which he tapped Ignix Kitlix around the stage, igniting them one by one.

Cedez's voice joined in, her blue eyes gleaming as her instrument alluringly thrummed along with her words.

"Come closer seeker, venture deep,

Such treasures here for you to keep,

Each step you take leads further down,

Until my shadows make you drown..."

Dumpich dramatically marched in one spot, looking left and right, acting out the role of a lost dungeon diver.

"These chambers hold such wondrous sights,

Crystal gardens filled with lights,

Why does this place feel so known?

Like memories carved in living stone..."

He sang.

Cedez covered her eyes with a gloved hand.

"Your voice... it stirs forgotten dreams,

Of days before the shadow schemes,

When I was flesh and you were mine,

Before I made these walls my shrine…”

She sang.

"My heart recalls a love so true,

A maiden with eyes of deepest blue,

Lost to darkness years ago...

Could it be? I need to know!"

Dumpich sang.

"Too late I recognize your face,

In my Sentinels death's embrace,

The one I loved, now trapped within,

My hunger adds you to my sin..."

Cedez sang, forming a small Shadowbeast that pretended to chomp on Dumpich.

Dumpich dramatically slipped down the stage, pretending to be dead. Cedez stepped over the fallen dungeon diver, her figure wrapped in dancing shadows.

"Two souls bound by tragic fate,

Reunited far too late,

Yet even as the darkness falls,

Love echoes through these ancient halls..."

Both of them sang together.

A Kitlix Nuntix sitting on a stand in front of the singers absorbed their voices and projected them across the pub, doing the job of a microphone and a speaker at the same time.

"Though flesh may fail and light may fade,

Our love survives the choices made,

Perhaps one day we'll find a way,

To break these chains and see the day..."

"Until that time, I'll hold you here,

Your spirit kept forever near,

Within these walls we'll wait as one,

Until our freedom's finally won..."

The singers finished with a flourish.

The tavern erupted in applause as the final notes of violin faded and Cedez made a "twangg" noise with her strings, grinning widely at Dave who was applauding hard along with everyone.

Terri offered polite applause as Cedez and Dumpich returned to the table, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"That was... quite moving," she said carefully. "I didn't know you two performed together."

"Oh yeah, back in the day we used to do this from time to time," Dumpich grinned as he activated the shimmering privacy curtain, cutting off the sounds of the other bar patrons. "Before I got all responsible.”

“You? Responsible?” Terri arched an eyebrow.

"I'll have you know I'm very responsible now!" Dumpich protested with mock indignation. "I only get into half the trouble I used to!"

“Was that an original song?” Dave wondered.

“Yep,” Dumpich nodded. “Ceddy and I wrote it together. The lyrics sorta reference her grandfather’s late fiancee.”

"How long have you known each other?" Remicra asked.

“Two years give or take,” Dumpich shrugged. “Used to stop at the Snail Cafe daily. I even offered her to join our dungeon delvin’ party, but she rebuffed my advances, told me that she was waiting for her own party.”

"Really?" Terri's voice grew slightly colder.

"Yeah," Dumpich nodded, oblivious to the growing tension. "Said she had this dream about some hero who'd come change everything. Wouldn't shut up about it!"

"I see," Terri said, blue sparks dancing in her eyes.

“I’m shutting up about it,” Cedez commented. “Cus I found him.”

"How... convenient,” Terri let out between her teeth.

“Eh?” Dumpich blinked.

Cedez waved a hand at Dave and Remicra.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Hah… so that's why you're all dressed up in matching outfits,” Dumpich laughed. “Wait… Dave's your dream guy? The one you've been waiting for all this time? You ain’t pulling my hoof?”

"Yep!" Cedez beamed. "Though technically he's Remy's dream guy.”

“What? How does this work exactly?” Dumpich asked.

"Oh, it's quite simple really," Cedez grinned mischievously. "Dave is Remy's dreamboat, and I'm their shadow kitten.”

"Shadow kitten?" Dumpich rubbed his chin. "What, like... a pet?"

"Yep!" Cedez nodded enthusiastically. "I follow them around, make adorable noises, knock things off tables to annoy Remy, and occasionally turn into an eldritch horror!”

Dumpich laughed.

"More like a persistent fungal infection," Remicra grumbled, her scales flickering between orange and pink.

"A fungal infection that makes amazing coffee," Cedez corrected. "And dresses. And gives excellent relationship advice!"

"Your relationship advice consists entirely of telling me to date Dave," Remicra growled.

"And has that been wrong so far?" Cedez wiggled her eyebrows.

Remicra fell silent, her scales flashing brilliant pink.

"Awww. Isn't she adorable when she's flustered?" Cedez cooed, elbowing Dumpich. "Like an angry rainbow!"

"A... rainbow that can break every bone in your body," Remicra hissed.

"Too bad for you I ain’t got those,” Cedez winked, swaying in her seat as her dark tail wiggled back and forth behind her. “I’m wriggly like a tentacle.”

Dave watched the exchange with amusement while Remicra rolled her eyes. Terri remained quiet, her fingers drumming against her mug.

Leon cleared his throat. "So, about that dungeon plan..." he began diplomatically.

"Right!" Cedez perked up. "Operation: Pretend to Conquer What's Already Conquered! Or PCWAC for short."

"That's a terrible acronym," Remicra commented.

"You're just jealous you didn't think of it first," Cedez stuck her tongue out.

. . .

As the group discussed logistics, they settled on a two-pronged approach.

The healers and Hyrei would assist Leon in harvesting and preserving the corpses of the Voidbeasts to plant in his garden so that he could begin growing his own Void Lotuses. Murdoc would secure the entrance with Bessie.

Meanwhile, Dave's party of Cedez and Remicra would focus on raising Dave’s rank and establishing him as an eccentric out-of-town Highborn interested in dungeon conquest.

Terri remained withdrawn, quietly staring at Dave and the leather-clad Remicra and Cedez.

Night approached quickly as plans were made and a timeline was set. When the outside windows grew dark, Dave and the two girls bid adieu to the healers, heading out.

After Dave's group left, Dumpich stretched and yawned. "We should head out too. Early shift tomorrow at the Hall and then dungeoneering time, ye?”

“We’ll catch up to you,” Leon said.

“Aight,” Dumpich slid out of the booth. “See you tomorrow!”

Once Dumpich departed, Leon turned to Terri who was staring at her half-empty mug.

"Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Terri replied, not meeting his eyes.

"The tension. The barely concealed hostility,” Leon listed off. "That's not like you, Terri. Talk to me. Come on, what’s really bothering you?"

“I… I have a very big mission on my shoulders,” Terri confessed. “Far bigger than I thought it would be. My family’s legacy, my Cantigeist’s mission. I should be with David, monitoring him, keeping him… safe.”

“Safe from what, exactly?” Leon asked.

“Safe from… himself,” Terri massaged her temples. “From his skill. He’s growing too fast.”

“From what I saw today, his Vexirium got better,” Leon commented. “His core dimmed considerably.”

“It did, yes,” Terri sighed. “But he could make another mistake, make it worse… if I’m not around.”

“Why? Are the Shadowmancer and blacksmith dangerous?”

“Clearly they are,” Terri gritted her teeth. “Did you not see those shimmering bruises? That’s metal poisoning from the smith.”

"It doesn't look like he minds it," Leon observed. "He seems... sane and content. He’s got a Green, he can heal himself with her.”

"That's exactly the problem!" Terri burst out, then immediately lowered her voice. "He's being reckless, letting his guard down around them. Adventuring in the wilds, pretending to be a Highborn and messing with a High Lord asshat like Burgundy? It’s… too dangerous, for all of us!”

“You don’t like the plan?”

“There are too many pitfalls, Leon! He… David should be… with me!”

“Because you like him?”

“No, damn it! Don't you see it? That dragoness is literally poisoning him with Pathosteel and that fox is just egging it on! She… She isn’t even alive,” Terri dug her fingers into her blonde mane, trembling. “She’s a dungeon Sentinel, an imprint of a person that could come apart at any time and hurt him, push him over the edge into madness… I’m terrified, Leon. You know what happened last time… nineteen years ago, when all of Shandria caught fire. I don’t want this to happen… I can't let this happen again!”

"You're worried about history repeating itself," Leon observed. “But Terri... have you considered that maybe this time could be different?"

"Different?" Terri let out a bitter laugh. "How? The pattern is exactly the same! A David Horowitz Walter appears in Shandria, gains power rapidly, makes dangerous allies and then everything goes to shit.”

"This David isn't Kells," Leon pointed out. "From what I understand, Kells was already broken when he arrived - physically and mentally damaged from his time in the Dragon Emperor's domain. This David is... different. He's whole.”

“For how long?!” Terri hissed, blue spirals igniting in her eyes. "My grandmother died helping Necromancer Kells. The palace was razed, thousands died! He's mine to protect! My Cantigeist's Champion! Not theirs! I… I should have met him sooner, should have awakened to the truth earlier, should have gotten him to join me in Healer’s Hall to stay by my side!”

"Terri," Leon said. "Your eyes are glowing blue. The Cantigeist is taking over."

"I... I know," Terri exhaled, pressing her palms against her eyes. The blue sparks faded. "It's harder to separate her desires from my own when I see his smile. He looks like Saint Saria's David. He's still whole. Still good, still kind. He still has that earnest look of hope in his eyes.”

"Terri," Leon said gently. "You need to let him make his own choices. You can't control everything."

“You don’t understand,” Terri’s eyes filled with tears.

“What don’t I understand?”

“My mom doesn’t even know that I have Saint Saria’s journal!” Terri cried.

“Oh? Did she not give it to you?”

“No. A letter was delivered to me by an Arx banker when I turned eighteen… that grandma left me something, something that I had to claim in person, a package… in one of the deep vaults.”

“Your parents don’t know about the book then?”

“No,” Terri shook her head. “I can’t tell them… They wouldn’t understand. Mom wasn't compatible with the Cantigeist. I... I really don’t know how to stop what’s coming! I thought that I liked David, but… I’m also scared of him, scared of what his arrival heralds!”

Leon put his arm around the trembling girl.

“What’s coming?” The Healer asked.

“My parents Voicecast me this morning, Leon. They’re subleasing the farm and relocating to the capital. They ordered me to begin my transfer to the Healers Hall of Illatius. Our family’s ancient Seerscope ward is pointing towards the farm’s destruction.”

“Do they know the details?”

“No,” Terri shook her antlers. “But something very bad is coming by this year’s end, danger creeping ever so slowly our way like a slowly advancing glacier. Maybe another revolution… or an invasion. It’s how my parents survived last time, by staying in the capital while Shandria burned. They are running away and they want me to run too.”