{"id":2619,"date":"2017-08-26T13:29:46","date_gmt":"2017-08-26T13:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wandering-inn\/?p=2619"},"modified":"2025-12-24T00:56:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T00:56:47","slug":"3-07-h","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/","title":{"rendered":"3.07 H"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are fragments of the past, Ceria Springwalker. That is all we are.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ceria sat on her great-grandmother\u2019s lap and looked up. The small cottage was covered in hanging herbs, braids of garlic\u2014every time she breathed in, a myriad of spices tickled her nose. She sneezed, and her great-grandmother sighed.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one has told you yet, have they? They just tell you to stay clear of Humans, which is true enough. But no one\u2019s told you of your other half, your heritage.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we were descended from Elves.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true. But how much of us is Elf? No one even remembers who they were now, do they? They aren\u2019t in any legends\u2014it\u2019s just a word. Even the oldest stories only talk of half-Elves, not Elves.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut they did exist?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes. But only Dragons would remember them, I think. And even then, only the oldest of Dragons. Yet, we still call ourselves half-Elves after all this time, even though thousands\u2026tens of thousands of years have passed. Why is that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ceria shifted. Her seat wasn\u2019t that comfortable\u2014her great-grandmother was too bony, and she was holding the young half-Elf tightly in case she slipped away, which is what Ceria wanted to do. She hated questions like these.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Because we\u2019re half-Elves? Half and half, right?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNot quite. How could we be half-Elves? Think about it. If an Elf and a Human had a child, <\/em>that would be a true half-Elf. But their offspring\u2014if they had a child with a Human, then what would you have? A quarter-Elf. And so on.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

An impatient sigh\u2014Ceria felt her ear tips being flicked and she hunched over sulkily.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThink, child. There are no Elves left anymore. Half-Elves either marry each other or they mix with other species. So many generations have passed\u2014what part of us is Elf, do you think?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. A quarter\u2014an eighth? Less? Can I go now?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The small child wriggled, but her great-grandmother was too strong for her.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet. This is important, so sit still or I\u2019ll pinch your ears.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Chastened by the threat, Ceria sat as still as possible, trying not to move. She heard a quiet sigh from above.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too young. But someone has to tell you and those prideful fools would never speak of this. Ceria, the truth is that after all these long years, our people probably have only a drop of Elven blood in our veins. Only a drop, the smallest fraction of fractions. Only that. We aren\u2019t half-Elves. Not even close.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The news didn\u2019t disappoint Ceria, because she didn\u2019t fully understand. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what? We\u2019re all Human?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, not quite. Do you want to know something interesting, Ceria?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes? Is it a secret?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly a small one. The interesting thing is this: when a Human and a half-Elf have a child, the child is always half Elf. Did you know that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Why is it interesting?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Another sigh, but this time Ceria didn\u2019t receive a flick to the ear.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe interesting thing is that this is always true, Ceria. No matter how many generations pass, a half-Elf with a thousand Human parents on one side will always produce a half-Elf child. No matter what.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The young half-Elf sat pensively, and then looked up into the wrinkled face and white hair.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt means that our heritage cannot be erased, child. Not by blood or time. We are part Elf, and that will always ring true. Isn\u2019t that amazing?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ceria\u2019s doubtful reply elicited the first laughter from her great-grandmother she\u2019d heard in a long time. The old half-Elf stroked Ceria\u2019s hair gently.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt might not seem like much to you yet, but it is something to remember. We are mostly Human, for all the others like to pretend we\u2019re so much better. All we have is a drop of our heritage, Ceria. But it\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEnough?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEnough. What runs in our veins is a fragment of what we were. An echo of legends past. But it is pure magic in our blood, Ceria. The purest. Even Dragons bowed to Elves as masters of magic. And though the Elves are gone, we remain. It is in our natures; magic. It comes to us easier than any other species, because of who we are. Who we were. The blood of Elves cannot be extinguished, and it calls out even after untold millennia. That which shall never fade.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The child caught her breath. She didn\u2019t understand fully, but what she did hear in her great-grandmother\u2019s words called to her. The old woman continued, speaking softly in the quiet of her cottage.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe live it. Breathe it. We are magic, and magic is us. So when a spell burns you, or you play with the fish or eat them, remember. The magic will never fade.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNever?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNever. Remember that, will you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI will. But what does it mean?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt means\u2026in the oldest of tales, the ones only our people tell, the ones I heard as a child from my great-great grandmother, the Elves were said to be immune to charms and curses. They were so deeply magical that any attempt to hex or bewitch them was impossible. Because they were too magical, you understand? The spells just burned away from them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut half-Elves aren\u2019t like that. You said.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI did. But we have a part of that in us, Ceria. Remember? Just a part, but that means in time, any spell holding you will fail. If I tried to put you to sleep with a spell, eventually you would wake up.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone wakes up, great grandma.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A laugh.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTrue. But you would wake up no matter what. No matter how powerful the enchantment on you, it will fade. Slowly, yes, but there is no spell your blood will not break in time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cReally. But don\u2019t you go letting people cast spells on you, Ceria. And don\u2019t think this makes you better than the Human children. Don\u2019t go near them. You can play with the others in the stream now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWill you come with me?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I have work to do. Just try to remember, won\u2019t you, Ceria? You\u2019re the only family I have left.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The young half-Elf didn\u2019t even see the pained expression on her great grandmother\u2019s face. She raced for the door, laughing.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll remember! I promise!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, Ceria.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI will! I will, I will, I\u2014\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria spoke the words aloud. And then she woke up.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

—-<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was dark. That was all Ceria saw. But in the instant where she was not quite dreaming any longer, and not quite awake, it almost felt like she was dreaming still. The half-Elf tried to move her legs and turn her head, searching for her great grandmother.<\/p>\n

Then she woke up a bit more and remembered that her great grandmother was dead. Nearly two decades dead and buried in her garden in a village on another continent.<\/p>\n

And then she woke up further, and Ceria felt other sensations flooding in. The first was taste.<\/p>\n

Taste. Ceria could taste vomit in her mouth, sour and vile. It was dried and made her gag\u2014and she tasted blood as well. Ceria dry-heaved and scrabbled at her side reflexively. She had a flask of water\u2014<\/p>\n

No. She didn\u2019t. And that was when the other feelings hit Ceria at once. She was hungry. In pain. Bleeding?<\/em> No\u2014but she could feel dried blood on her left shoulder, and cold air on her lower body. In fact\u2026she was naked from the waist down. That was to say, she had her mage\u2019s robes on, but someone had taken her pants.<\/p>\n

\u201cWh\u2014wha\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

What had happened? Ceria\u2019s mind was still too jumbled for short-term memory. She only knew that she was in pain, and something was horribly wrong. She looked around for her pants, or for the water bottle, but she could see practically nothing in\u2026wherever she was.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t totally dark. Ceria could see outlines of something in the darkness. But whatever light source was providing the light, it was too faint. She had to see. Ceria raised one hand and croaked a word.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Light].\u201d<\/p>\n

A glowing orange ball of pure light floated out of Ceria\u2019s palm and she blinked, dazzled by it. But then her eyes adjusted, and Ceria finally saw the truth of where she was.<\/p>\n

She was in the pit. The pit. The place she and the others had been teleported into after the trap. Yes. Ceria remembered. And she was lying on something. A pile of things that moved.<\/p>\n

Ceria looked down. Something white, many white and yellow things shone in the light. She reached down to touch one, and stopped.<\/p>\n

She was lying on a pile of bones. Bones, and horrible black filth. And some of it had been stained by her vomit. And blood.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t scream. Ceria didn\u2019t scream, but she immediately rolled off the pile. She rolled down onto something hard and rough. Solid stone, crusted with more of that black substance.<\/p>\n

For a few seconds Ceria just lay on the ground, trying not to react to the countless horrors around her. She breathed in slowly, trying to keep calm. The air felt dead and there was a horrible smell.<\/p>\n

They were in the pit. Trapped. The half-Elf slowly got to her feet, holding her head. It was aching horribly, and she still felt disoriented. But more memory was coming back to her. Yes, they were trapped. There had been the spell and then\u2014<\/p>\n

Sound. Over to her left. Ceria spun, reaching for a dagger which again, she didn\u2019t have. Her robes swirled about her as she spotted something that wasn\u2019t bone or filth in a corner of the circular pit.<\/p>\n

A\u2026shape. A body. Ceria squinted and the orb of light at her side grew brighter. Then she saw who was sitting next to a pile of bones.<\/p>\n

Ksmvr. The Antinium was moving. Ceria stumbled closer, head ringing, and saw he was moving. Rocking, rather. And then she heard the whisper, low and desperate. Ceria stopped as she heard what the Antinium was saying, whispering.<\/p>\n

\u201cno. nO. yeS. No. yES. NO. yEs, YeS\u2014no\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

He was repeating the words over and over and he rocked back and forth in one corner of the room. The Antinium was bleeding, or he had been. Green ichor had dried around his left side, and it looked like something had smashed his carapace and ripped part of it away. A huge area was just\u2026missing, exposing his vulnerable innards soaked with green blood.<\/p>\n

Insanity. Now the rest of the pieces of memory fell into Ceria\u2019s head and she remembered. She\u2019d gone insane. Insane, just like everyone else. There had been the spell and then\u2014<\/p>\n

Her shoulder hurt. Ceria glanced down and saw a wound in her shoulder. It looked like someone had stabbed her with a dagger. Maybe she\u2019d done it to herself. Ceria didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u201cKsmvr?\u201d<\/p>\n

The word was horrible in her mouth. Ceria nearly retched again as she tasted the foulness in her mouth. But the Antinium didn\u2019t respond. Ceria raised her voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cKsmvr. Can you hear me? Are you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Again, nothing. Ceria looked away. Ksmvr was lost, and so was Yvlon and Pisces, wherever they were. She had to get out of this pit, figure out a way to undo the spell.<\/p>\n

The spell. Ceria looked around wildly and her headache grew worse. That was right. She had to disable the spell! Had she thought that before? No? Yes?<\/p>\n

The mark of [Insanity] was on one of the walls. It was the other half of the light in the room, that faint, ghostly glow. Ceria caught sight of it as she looked around wildly. There. It was on one of the far walls, high up in the pit. She looked away the instant she spotted it, but too late.<\/p>\n

Her headache grew worse. Suddenly, Ceria realized what was happening. Her innate half-Elven nature had helped her fight off the enchantment, but it was still active. And it was trying\u2014<\/p>\n

Trying to make her crazy again. Ceria lurched towards the sign and looked up again. It was high on the wall, too high to climb to. She caught a glimpse of the runes again and closed her eyes, but too late. The magic washed over her mind, trying to control her.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t. I need\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Against her will, Ceria\u2019s eyes opened. She twisted her head to stare at one of the filthy black walls, but now she knew the symbol was there. And she wanted to look. Had to look. She had to. It was the only thing that made sense.<\/em><\/p>\n

The symbol flashed in her brain, and Ceria turned her head to look back at it. She couldn\u2019t help herself. The magic runes bored into her retinas, overwhelming her senses. Ceria grinned, bit through her lower lip\u2014<\/p>\n

And went insane again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He knew he was insane. It was the one conscious, deliberate thought in his head. Ksmvr rocked back and forth as he stared into the darkness of the pit. His trap. His hell.<\/p>\n

The magic spell flashed in the peripherals of his vision. No matter how Ksmvr tried to look away, he couldn\u2019t. The magic was too pervasive, and he was too weak.<\/p>\n

He was insane. Ksmvr had to remember that. It was the only knowledge he could cling to. That, and his own nature.<\/p>\n

He was Antinium, and so despite being insane, there was still a part of Ksmvr that could think, could try to act. The Antinium had no spell casters, or at least, none that Ksmvr knew of. But they were familiar with the dangers of enchantments and illusions, so safeguards had been built into their very natures when each Antinium was created.<\/p>\n

One of those protections was an innate resistance to mental trickery. The Antinium had their own way of fighting off hostile enchantments. So it was that while Ksmvr was functionally insane, part of him was fighting back, trying to seize control of his body. It was an effective bit of mental conditioning that made the Antinium so effective in battle. It didn\u2019t work in regards to Aberrations of course\u2014<\/p>\n

That was different. But Ksmvr could still think, as mired in the [Insanity] spell as he was. So he noted Ceria\u2019s actions. The half-Elf had been stumbling towards the pulsing runes, but now she turned back and lay on the ground, laughing and choking on the blood gushing from her lip.<\/p>\n

This was the third time the half-Elf had awoken and gone insane. Ksmvr had counted that. He had logged each occurrence in his mind. At first he\u2019d thought it was just chance, but now he was sure. She could break the enchantment. She could, but within moments she would relapse.<\/p>\n

Because of the symbol. It pulsed, and Ksmvr felt his mind being pulled to pieces again. He shuddered and tried to concentrate. He had to act.<\/p>\n

But the insane bit of him didn\u2019t want to. So Ksmvr was fighting.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Yes. nO. Yes. on. Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was weak. Ksmvr fought to stand up as the insecurities of his mind preyed on him with the effects of the spell. He wasn\u2019t worthy of being a Prognugator. They\u2019d been right to take that away from him.<\/p>\n

Klbkch was superior to him in every way. His Queen was right to exile him. He was useless. He hadn\u2019t contributed anything to the team. They\u2019d only accepted him out of pity. If Klbkch was here, he wouldn\u2019t have gone insane.<\/p>\n

The knowledge haunted Ksmvr. He was pathetic. And yet, he still tried to stand up. He had to do something. He was the only one who could. There was no Klbkch to give him orders, no Queen to do the same. He had to do it himself.<\/p>\n

One leg. Ksmvr twitched<\/em> and shook <\/em>horribly, trying to make his rusty limbs move. He\u2019d done it once before. He\u2019d taken Ceria\u2019s pants and her belt. Hadn\u2019t that been harder than anything he\u2019d ever done before? But he\u2019d done it. Now he had to stand up again.<\/p>\n

Ceria\u2019s magical ball of light illuminated a trembling form as, in the corner of the pit illuminated by the light, Ksmvr stood up. He shook, and then lurched towards Ceria, holding something in one of his hands. He tripped over bones, crawled\u2014desperate to get to her in time.<\/p>\n

The half-Elf was still lying on the ground, grinning upwards. She was spitting out blood into the air and trying to make it land on her face. Ksmvr ignored that and seized her head. Ceria made no move as he lifted her upwards.<\/p>\n

Slowly, he tied the strip of fabric he\u2019d cut from Ceria\u2019s pants around her eyes, tying the knot securely to fasten the blindfold. Ksmvr\u2019s hands shook as he finished the knot. He slowly backed away from Ceria and felt the madness overwhelming his conditioning again.<\/p>\n

The part of Ksmvr that could still think steered his body away from Ceria. He walked back over to his corner and sat down. Then Ksmvr gave up and let the madness sweep over him again. His mouth began to chant, the distorted words echoing around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. yES, YeS, YES, yEs, Yes, yeS…\u201d<\/p>\n

His fingers scrabbled at the exposed chitin on his side. Ksmvr slowly, painfully, pulled part of his exoskeleton off, feeling it break as he ripped it from his side. He put the chip of black armor up to his mouth, and his mandibles opened. Ksmvr crunched the bit of himself down as he rocked back and forwards again. He slowly reached down and did it again. And again. And again\u2014<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ceria remembered falling in love when she was twenty three. Trying to sneak off with the young half-Elf boy in her village\u2014being caught. She had a dream where she ate her great grandmother and buried what was left beneath a blooming cocoon where something lived and tried to burst out.<\/p>\n

Then she woke up. Again. This time, Ceria sat up and felt the pain of her lip first. She touched at it, nearly screaming at the pain. Then she realized she couldn\u2019t see a thing.<\/p>\n

She cast [Light] several times before she realized there was a blindfold on her head. Ceria reached for it. Her fingers scrabbled on the cloth, but they were too weak to undo the sturdy knot Ksmvr had tied. And before she could rip it off her face, Ceria\u2019s memories came back.<\/p>\n

The spell! The ward! It had made her crazy again. Again! Ceria remembered coming back into consciousness several times before that, but each time the symbol had\u2014<\/p>\n

The blindfold on her face. Ceria felt at it and realized something had happened. She wasn\u2019t sure what, but this was the only thing keeping her from looking at the symbol and going insane. Her head still hurt, but it was bearable this time.<\/p>\n

And now Ceria Springwalker knew exactly what she had to do. She had to destroy that damn symbol, or at least cover it somehow.<\/p>\n

And she had to do it without seeing. For a few minutes, Ceria just sat on the ground, trying not to scream as all of these thoughts came crashing down. She fumbled at her broken lip and found the hole, touched the wound on her shoulder and realized she was half-naked again. At least she hadn\u2019t taken off her underwear in her craze.<\/p>\n

Not that it would have mattered. Ceria didn\u2019t know where the other three Horns of Hammerad were. She knew Ksmvr was close by, but he\u2019d been unresponsive last she checked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, focus Ceria.\u201d<\/p>\n

She muttered to herself and spat out some blood as she tried to concentrate. The first thing Ceria did was conjure a stream of water out of the air. She washed out her mouth and spat several times until the worst of the blood and vomit was gone. She was terribly thirsty, but she knew better than to drink the magical water she\u2019d created. It would just mess with her body and dissipate soon enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould\u2019ve learned [Create Water].\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria muttered to herself as she stood up and tried to find her way to one of the walls. It was horrible being blind. She kept running into piles of bones and things she wasn\u2019t sure of, which was far worse. But Ceria moved forwards, climbing over bones, slipping, falling, getting back up until at last her fingers touched something hard and rough and flat.<\/p>\n

The wall. It was coated with that same black, flaking substance she\u2019d felt on the floor earlier. Ceria pulled her hands back in revulsion, but now she knew where she was. She remembered the symbol had been high up, but she didn\u2019t know where.<\/p>\n

How was she going to do this? The only thing Ceria could think was that she had to take off her blindfold and cast a spell as fast as she could, but even that felt like a mistake. At the very least, she could follow the wall. It wasn\u2019t as if Ceria\u2019s blindfold was perfect; she could still sense some light. And if she dispelled her [Light] spell and followed the source of that faint light\u2026<\/p>\n

Ceria stumbled around the perimeter of the dark pit, feeling her way ahead and kicking bones and other things out of the way as she held one hand to the wall. She was in a massive pit, at least forty feet across by her count. It was clearly meant to capture hundreds of people, and from the bones Ceria kept running into, it might have already served its purpose countless times.<\/p>\n

The light, the piercing light that made her want to tear off her blindfold kept getting brighter and brighter. In the darkness, it was Ceria\u2019s only guide. She stopped where she thought the light was the brightest\u2014she couldn\u2019t look in any direction without it growing dimmer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria raised her skeletal hand upwards, trying to figure out where to aim. She remembered…the symbol was about ten feet off the floor? Higher? Maybe a bit.<\/p>\n

What spell should she use? Ceria was under no illusions. Anyone who could cast a spell like [Insanity] and anchor it here was probably a far better mage than she was, and they would have protected the runes with wards that her best spells\u2014[Ice Spike] or [Fireball]\u2014would fail to overcome. What should she do then?<\/p>\n

Ceria remembered the black gunk that she\u2019d touched on all the walls and the floor. It was everywhere. Maybe that was the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cCover it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, if she covered the spell, it would lose a lot of its power. Ceria didn\u2019t know any spells that could create smoke or fog, but she could always improvise. It wasn\u2019t easy to make new spells, but altering existing ones\u2026<\/p>\n

First, Ceria made water appear out of the air. She held it in place, and then materialized earth, as if she was going to use the [Stone Dart] spell. Earth and water. She mixed the two together, and felt thick mud trickling between her fingers. She smiled, winced, as the pain in her lip flared, and lifted the ball of mud up.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t even a spell, really. It was just using the basic theories of magic to create\u2026well, an inefficient mess. If she\u2019d known the spell\u2014[Mud Ball] perhaps\u2014she would have been able to use it far more effectively and with less mana.<\/p>\n

But this would do. Ceria held the sloppy mess between her hands as she tried to figure out where to throw it. The spell would last for a while if she put enough mana into it, enough time to cover the damn rune. But where was it\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing, boy? Shirking your duties again?\u201d<\/p>\n

The harsh voice in her ear made Ceria shout in surprise and jump away. But a cold hand caught her in a steely grip, and a sharp sensation from her side made Ceria freeze in terror. A familiar voice whispered in her ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrying to hide in the library? Not on my watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPisces?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was his voice, but not him. Pisces would never have thrown Ceria backwards as the man did now, and he would never have threatened her with a weapon. The young man Ceria had known had always hated physical violence, regardless of how he had changed in every other respect.<\/p>\n

This person was not the same. He held her in place, driving the sharp object into Ceria\u2019s side, cutting into her flesh. What was it? A knife?<\/p>\n

No\u2014jagged edges. Bone. Ceria shuddered as Pisces\u2019 voice grated in her ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve told you once; you get up and you do the practice every day, before dawn! Anything less and I\u2019ll have your hide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria held her breath. She knew Pisces was as deadly with a rapier as he was with spells. In his hands, the jagged length of bone might well kill her before she could take him out with a spell. Carefully, she tried her most soothing voice possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cPisces, it\u2019s me. Ceria\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? What? <\/em>You don\u2019t get to call me names, boy. My name is \u2018sir\u2019 until you can prove you can handle a blade!\u201d<\/p>\n

The shard of bone dug deeper in Ceria\u2019s side. She gasped\u2014she could feel it piercing her skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter! Now, why aren\u2019t you in the training grounds?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pressure eased on her. Slightly. Ceria\u2019s hands were clenched. She had no idea what to say to him. What could she say to a madman who thought he was his father?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014can\u2019t see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Stop talking nonsense!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2014look!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria pointed to her blindfold. Pisces must have been able to see in the dim light, because he paused. His voice sounded approving.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlindfold, eh? Good lad. Helps with your reflexes. Now, dodge this\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

She only had a moment\u2019s warning before the sharp feeling in her side vanished. Ceria felt air moving and ducked. But the blow Pisces gave her was a kick to the stomach. The half-Elf dropped to her hands and knees and retched. Above her, Pisces laughed nastily.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to move faster than that if you want to become a true [Fencer], brat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pain was nauseating, but at least she didn\u2019t throw up; there was nothing left. Ceria gritted her teeth as she stood up. The mud was still in her good hand. If she threw it\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cPis\u2014sir, I need to get rid of that rune up there. Could you help me with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRune? What rune? Stop talking rot, boy! There will be no magic in my household. If you\u2019ve been making sparks\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, that rune! There!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat? That\u2019s just the moon. What, is it too bright for your eyes? Take off your blindfold and let\u2019s begin already!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria let out a despairing groan. It was no good. Pisces was trapped in his imaginary world. She had to do something. But what?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m waiting, boy. Don\u2019t make me impatient!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria hesitated. She clenched her fist, and then heard another voice, growing closer. This one was dignified, and each syllable was carefully enunciated with a delicate inflection in the woman\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is this commotion all about? Do you people not know what time it is?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Yvlon\u2019s voice, raised to sound more high-pitched. Ceria groaned. Perfect. Another insane person was all she needed. Her first thought was that Yvlon might be persuaded to help even in her delirium, but then she remembered how most Humans treated half-Elves. And a second thought on the heels of the first: she had a sword. Ceria grew very still with fear, but Pisces raised his voice as he apparently turned towards Yvlon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell there you are, boy! Ready for morning practice at last, or do I have to burn all those damn books of yours to get you to pay attention?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI beg your pardon?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvlon\u2019s outraged voice gave Ceria hope. Pisces was snapping at her as if she was\u2026Ceria? He wasn\u2019t differentiating between Yvlon and Ceria at all. They were all the same to him. They were all \u2018boy\u2019, which was to say\u2026Pisces. Ceria knew who the man she heard in Pisces\u2019 voice had to be.<\/p>\n

His father.<\/p>\n

And he was trying to train Pisces. But Yvlon wasn\u2019t cooperating. She gasped with indignation, and then, all of a sudden, her voice changed, grew deeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Ylawes Byres, [Swordsman] and heir to the Byres name. Who are you to challenge me with weapon in hand, stranger?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2014what? Are you pretending to be a nobleman? I\u2019ll knock that arrogance right out of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would do well to lower your weapon. I am armed\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take you on, old man!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria shouted the words and ducked away from the two, heart racing as she stumbled in another direction. She heard a grunt of surprise, but then a harsh laugh from Pisces.<\/p>\n

\u201cChallenging your old man at last? Fine then, I\u2019ll draw your blood as a lesson!\u201d<\/p>\n

She heard footsteps, but not towards her. Yvlon\u2019s outraged voice echoed off one of the walls as Ceria crept away.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou dare to bare your blade against me? I\u2019ll have your head for that!\u201d<\/p>\n

This time Ceria heard ringing metal as Ceria unsheathed her own blade. She heard another laugh, and then a grunt <\/em>as she heart the thunk<\/em> of something striking metal. Yvlon cried out in outrage as Ceria looked around wildly.<\/p>\n

Her two team mates were about to kill each other. Pisces was a skilled fighter, but Yvlon was in armor. Either way, one of them would die unless Ceria hurried.<\/p>\n

Where was the magic symbol? Ceria looked up and saw a glow around the edges of her blindfold. She raised the mud and threw it as hard as she could. She heard a splatter, but the light didn\u2019t dim.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it. Where\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

More mud. Ceria slopped it into her hands and threw it again, but she sensed the mud splattered in the air rather than staying in a ball. She cursed again and tried to mush the mud together. She threw wildly, but nothing changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere? There!?\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t working, and Ceria could heard Yvlon cursing as she struck the ground and Pisces taunted her. Ceria raised her arm, and then heard a voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot there.\u201d<\/p>\n

She jerked, but it was Ksmvr. He was calling out to her across the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the left and down slightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria didn\u2019t hesitate. She adjusted her aim and threw.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou missed. A bit higher and more left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Desperately, Ceria poured earth into her hands and added water. She molded a sopping mudball and took aim. She heard Yvlon cry out in pain and aimed desperately. She threw into the darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The light went out. Instantly, Ceria tore the blindfold away from her head. The world was absolute darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Light]!\u201d<\/p>\n

This time, the flare of light was a dark green, and it didn\u2019t burn her eyes. Ceria looked around wildly, and saw two struggling shapes fighting over a sword.<\/p>\n

The magic had ceased, at least for now, but the others were still insane. Ceria ran towards both of them and cried out as she raised her right hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop! [Stone Fist]!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvlon turned and raised her arm for only a second before the stone hand smashed into her chest. She fell backwards and Ceria turned and knocked Pisces backwards with a backhanded swipe. He stumbled back, staring at the gauntlet made of rock that covered Ceria\u2019s good hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cMagic? You dare? I\u2019ll make you suffer for this!\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes were wild and he had Yvlon\u2019s sword. Ceria raised her skeletal hand warningly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t make me do this, Pisces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, I\u2019m not\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCeria!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr appeared in a shower of bones. Pisces leapt back as a few flew towards him, and then narrowed his eyes at the Antinium. He said not a word, but charged with a wild cry. But Ceria was faster.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Ice Shard].\u201d<\/p>\n

The frozen icicle that shot from her finger flew as straight as an arrow, but the difference in this one was that the head was blunt, rather than sharp. It struck Pisces squarely in the forehead as he leapt at her, and he staggered. Ksmvr shoulder-charged him to the ground and struck him with one hand. Pisces sagged, and he went limp.<\/p>\n

\u201cDead gods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria took one deep breath and then another. Ksmvr lowered Pisces to the ground as Ceria sat down hard\u2014on a piece of bone. She yelped and tossed the yellowed thing across the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cCeria Springwalker, are you well?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? I\u2019m\u2014fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could taste blood and her lower lip had a hole in it. Her right shoulder still burned and Pisces had drawn blood with that damn bone. She was not<\/em> fine, but other things were more important.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Yvlon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr pointed and Ceria saw Yvlon standing and staring blankly ahead. The woman\u2019s blonde hair was matted with blood, and she had a deep cut down one cheek where Pisces must have struck her. But she didn\u2019t appear to notice any of that. She looked over haughtily as Ceria and Ksmvr approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cYvlon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Yelen Byres\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRot, she\u2019s still under the spell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria sighed. Ksmvr looked uncertainly at Yvlon.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould we knock her out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI beg your pardon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s wise. Let\u2019s just tie her hands and legs up so she can\u2019t hurt us if her personality changes again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is wise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr approached Yvlon. The armored woman backed away, raising her voice in outrage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ve never been so offended\u2014unhand me, you\u2014!\u201d<\/p>\n

She clawed at Ksmvr, but her two hands were no match for his three. In a few minutes he had her trussed up and lying in a clear part of the pit. Yvlon shouted angrily at them until Ceria stuffed her blindfold into the woman\u2019s mouth. Yvlon spat it out and she began gnawing at the ropes like an animal. It wasn\u2019t ideal, but at least it kept her occupied.<\/p>\n

That done, Ceria had to take a few seconds just to breathe. While she was doing that, she finally took a good look around the pit she\u2019d found herself in. The dark room was lit by her green light and it made the lurid piles of remains all the more disturbing.<\/p>\n

Swords, bones, rotted fabric. The pit was a huge tomb of bodies, corpses and yellowed bones, all that remained countless adventurers who\u2019d been trapped here. Time had eaten away almost all the details of these fallen people, but Ceria could still see some clues as to how they\u2019d died. A skull split by the worn shaft of an axe, a skeleton cut in two here, and one whose bones looked scorched\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria shuddered as Ksmvr came to stand next to her. She looked at the Antinium and saw that he was holding his injured side, where a good section of his chitin had been picked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay, Ksmvr?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am only moderately inconvenienced, Captain. As soon as you covered the magical symbol I regained use of my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. That\u2019s\u2026good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria breathed in and out a few more times. She could still remember being insane, remember the sensation of losing all the structure in her head. She looked at Ksmvr, and then remembered she was still half-naked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are my pants? And my belt\u2014did you see them, Ksmvr?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI removed them to construct your blindfold. My apologies. They are over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Antinium retrieved Ceria\u2019s possessions and she put her pants back on with a sigh of relief. The Antinium had cut a large strip out from one of the legs, but some clothing was better than none. She sat on the ground and began attaching her belt.<\/p>\n

More importantly, with Ceria\u2019s belt came her water flask and the healing potion she\u2019d brought. She greedily drank water from her flask while she offered the healing potion to Ksmvr. He applied half to his torn-up side and handed it back to Ceria. She hesitated, and then drank the potion rather than apply it to each of her wounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cGah! That\u2019s foul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria tossed the empty bottle to one side and winced as it smashed. Ksmvr hesitated, and then sat next to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a most dangerous trap we were caught in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The half-Elf shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe nearly died. If it hadn\u2019t been for my heritage and luck\u2014how long were we under the spell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI cannot say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beside her, Ksmvr shifted to look at Ceria. His normally impassive voice changed slightly, grew a bit uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you believe that spell will affect Pisces and Yvlon for much longer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria rubbed at her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe? It might wear off soon, but you never know. At least it wasn\u2019t real insanity that hit us, just the spell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr looked at her. Ceria nodded tiredly, feeling the healing potion getting to work on the rest of her body.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just the magical effect. Real insanity\u2014you\u2019d have to be a better mage to really create madness in people. This is just\u2026an approximation. The spell reaches into your head and messes up your world. It\u2019s close, but not the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. That would explain my experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Antinium nodded a few times as he sat next to Ceria. He hesitated, and then cleared his throat awkwardly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the spell had created true insanity in me, I would have become Aberration at once. And then I would have killed all three of you within seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria just looked at him. How was she supposed to respond to that? But maybe that was Ksmvr\u2019s way of saying he was glad things had worked out. She thought for a second, and then looked at the place where he\u2019d sliced her pants apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cKsmvr? You said you made the blindfold for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. Cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I was\u2026unable to do more. I regret my failure to act, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ceria and Ksmvr sat in silence for over twenty minutes before Pisces woke up. He came to with a shout of surprise, which turned into a groan.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy head\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t appear to be insane, but Ceria and Ksmvr were ready for anything as he staggered upright. Pisces took one look around at them, at the bones, and the foul pit they were in, and then he asked if they had anything to eat. That reassured them he was back to normal.<\/p>\n

Ceria had a thing about bones, in that she didn\u2019t like seeing them, especially if they were her bones. Add that to the general unsanitary nature of the pit, with the black foreign substance crusting every part of the room, and she was feeling quite unhappy with their current predicament. But Pisces seemed to regard the dead bodies as mere furnishings, and he happily crammed some dried meat into his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you and Ksmvr eliminated the spell? Most efficacious. Allow me to congratulate the both of you. I was completely subsumed by the enchantment. What was my reaction to the [Insanity] spell, incidentally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought you were your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces paused mid-chew.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you tried to run both me and Yvlon through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI apologize for that. I am relieved I was so ineffectual.\u201d<\/p>\n

He chewed the rest of his bite slowly, and swallowed, no longer looking quite as pleased. Pisces glanced over to Yvlon. She was still drooling on the bindings on her wrist, looking more than a little rabid.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Perhaps we should leave before your mud wears off. I would not like to repeat such a harrowing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria nodded. That was her first thought too, but\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cHow the hell are we going to get out?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pit was dark, and as far as she could see, the walls extended upwards at least thirty feet. If there was a ceiling, it wasn\u2019t within her [Light] spell\u2019s cone of illumination.<\/p>\n

Pisces looked up. He frowned and conjured a ball of light himself and threw it upwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

His orb glowed with pure white light. Ksmvr and Ceria both saw it fly upwards, and then break\u2014splash, really, the light becoming fading motes\u2014across a dirt ceiling. Ceria groaned and Pisces made a similar noise of displeasure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trapped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces nodded, looking unhappy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho knows how deep we are? We could dig up for years and not reach the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot necessarily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both mages looked at Ksmvr. The Antinium nodded as he stared upwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be an entrance higher up. Companion Pisces, if you recast your spell, I believe we may be able to identify an opening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you assume that, Ksmvr?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria looked curiously at the Antinium. He looked back at her without a shred of doubt as he replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this room were truly a sealed chamber, we and those who have preceded us would have quickly used up the supply of air within the room. The fact that we did not suffocate instantly indicates an air source of some kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces looked at Ceria and then both mages threw orbs of [Light] upwards again. After a minute of studying the ceiling, Ksmvr exclaimed and pointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces squinted upwards, frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you certain? I cannot see anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy eyes are used to the dark. There is an opening there. If we dig, we will most likely find some sort of passageway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo now we just have to get to it. Any ideas?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria eyed the smooth walls doubtfully. Aside from the black coating, the stone looked unblemished. Pisces just smirked as he stroked his chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis issue should be easily surmounted. Allow me to rectify my earlier deficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

He clicked his fingers, and Ceria felt the room move. Not the ground or the walls, but everything else in it. The bones of the countless dead began to shift.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPisces?\u201d<\/p>\n

He just smiled as yellowed bones began flying into the air and upwards. Ksmvr stared at the shifting bones without comment, but on the ground Yvlon stopped biting at her robes and screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNecromancer! <\/em>Kill him at once!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh hush.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces frowned and pointed at Yvlon. Two piles of bones stood up and became skeletons. They walked over to hold her down as she wriggled and tried to break free of her bindings.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! Don\u2019t touch me! Stop!\u201d<\/p>\n

She wailed\u2014Ceria had never heard Yvlon make any sound like that before\u2014as the skeletons held her in place. Yvlon thrashed wildly, but she was unable to break free. The real Yvlon might have mustered the strength, but Yelen Byres, whoever she was, was a weak noblewoman who couldn\u2019t do a thing.<\/p>\n

And meanwhile, the other bones were floating in the air, rearranging themselves. They weren\u2019t forming a creature\u2014instead, Ceria saw with horrified fascination, they were forming a staircase. Small bones and big ones ordered themselves into smooth ledges, and, step-by-step, an ivory staircase built itself upwards, leading to the spot Ksmvr had indicated.<\/p>\n

Pisces wiped some sweat off his forehead and exhaled a few times as the last bone flew into the horrific set of steps. He smiled cheerfully at Ceria and Ksmvr, both of whom were giving him the fisheye.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere. We have a way up, and the means to dig as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria looked uneasily at the staircase. She did not<\/em> like Necromancy, but neither was she stupid enough to turn down a good solution. Ksmvr just stared at the bones and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cEfficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only Yvlon was upset. She screamed at the skeletons as they lifted her up, staggering under the weight of her armor. Pisces frowned\u2014he waved his hand and several more skeletons stood up out of the collection of bones still littering the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt appears that this trap, however temporarily detrimental to our health, has one unexpected benefit. I can conjure as many skeletons as I need to from this supply.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you won\u2019t run out of mana? I know you\u2019ve got to be tired, and we don\u2019t exactly have any mana potions to spare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria looked doubtfully at Pisces. He hesitated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have used quite a bit. But it seems wiser to expend my resources in creating more undead to aid us, especially given our weakened states.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue. Okay, summon as many as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese five will do for now. I shall begin digging upwards, unless Ksmvr thinks it will cause a collapse?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr studied the dirt roof and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces pointed upwards, at the small dark crevice in the ceiling. Two skeletons ran up the staircase and began digging energetically at the spot, showering dirt into the pit below. They were holding rusted blades and pieces of metal\u2014the remains of some of the adventurer\u2019s gear.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should take them just a little while to clear the obstruction!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces shouted down cheerily as he walked up to supervise his skeletons. Ceria shook her head as she found a place to sit on the now-cleared floor of the pit. She wasn\u2019t going up that staircase more than once; solid it may be, but Pisces had opted not to build guardrails, and the bones hovered in the air without any solid supports. It was an amazing piece of magic, but it still made her queasy to imagine climbing it.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d have to in the end, but that was later. To take her mind off of that, Ceria looked around. Now that the ground was clear, she saw something that had been buried under a pile of bones. Cautiously, Ceria walked over to it. It was dark and bulky, and at first she thought it was a part of an adventurer that had yet to rot. But this wasn\u2019t meat. Instead, Ceria found dark, rough fabric. She cast another [Light] spell and saw what it was clearly.<\/p>\n

It was an adventurer\u2019s pack, still neatly secured to the skeleton of its owner. Ceria hesitated, and then shifted the bones aside and lifted the bag. It was quite heavy.<\/p>\n

\u201cKsmvr, here\u2019s something else. Can you take it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Antinium walked over and hoisted the pack easily. Ceria nodded to him, and then heard a shout from above.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see light! We\u2019re right below the tunnel we uncovered!\u201d<\/p>\n

Both adventurers below sighed in relief. Pisces grinned at them from above, and then shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch out!\u201d<\/p>\n

They saw a skeleton falling from above, brought down by a cascade of dirt. Pisces blew away the dirt around him with a barrier of air and Ceria and Ksmvr covered Yvlon, shielding their heads as the skeleton struck the floor of the pit and shattered.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr shouted up as Ceria looked around. The flailing skeleton hadn\u2019t done any damage to the staircase, but her blood ran cold when she saw something glinting on the side of the pit.<\/p>\n

\u201cDead gods! Watch the sides!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces looked down and swore.<\/em> The flailing skeleton had, in its fall, struck the black, encrusted wall of the pit. In doing so, he\u2019d knocked some of the unnamed substance free, and glowing behind the covering was the unmistakable symbol of the [Insanity] spell.<\/p>\n

Both Ceria and Pisces reacted with the speed of panic. She threw mud and he blew a cloud of dust in front of the spell before it could work on them. The partially visible runes disappeared as Ceria hurled more mud to cover it and stopped, panting heavily.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was quite dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria wiped cold sweat from her forehead as she stared at the spot. She looked around the pit and shuddered as she suddenly realized the true nature of the trap.<\/p>\n

\u201cRunes underneath\u2026? All the walls must be covered in the [Insanity] spell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr looked around.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruly? That would be a most dangerous effect. It is fortunate that previous adventurers managed to coat the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re telling me. If we\u2019d been exposed to the spell from all sides, we wouldn\u2019t have had a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria wondered what the black substance was. She looked down at a flake of it on the ground. It was almost like tar\u2014although spread quite thin. It couldn\u2019t be magic; even the best spells faded after time. An [Alchemist]\u2019s concoction of some kind? Whoever it was, Ceria gave her quiet thanks to them for doing what they had.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see light! The tunnel\u2019s wide enough! I\u2019m going up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces shouted down to Ksmvr and Ceria after a few more minutes of dirt falling. She raised a hand in acknowledgment.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces disappeared above. After a few seconds, he poked his head down.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on up! Ascend carefully\u2014my skeletons will help you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria and Ksmvr didn\u2019t need the help of the skeletons to walk upwards, although they did move quite slowly and deliberately to avoid slipping. But Yvlon had to be dragged up by three skeletons, all of them holding her as tightly as possible as she cursed and struggled, oblivious to the drop.<\/p>\n

It was a small tunnel that Pisces\u2019 skeletons had dug upwards. They\u2019d followed the already-existing passageway and broken into the very same tunnel where Ceria and the other Horns of Hammerad had been walking earlier. Pisces pulled Ceria out of the pit, coughing as she shook herself to get most of the dirt off. Ksmvr easily clambered out of the ground and helped the skeletons pull Yvlon up. She was still screaming curses at Pisces.<\/p>\n

\u201cFoul [Necromancer]! My father will have your head for your sorcery, do you hear me? If it\u2019s a ransom you want, he\u2019ll pay it. Only do not touch a hair on my head! The Byres family will not tolerate any\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am concerned about comrade Yvlon\u2019s mental state, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr calmly held a hand over Yvlon\u2019s mouth. She shouted into his hand as he addressed Ceria.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has not awoken from the effects of the spell. Should we knock her out to aid in that process?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria shook her head as she looked around.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not a [Mage] like Pisces or me, and she doesn\u2019t have\u2026whatever you have, Ksmvr. The spell will take longer to wear off, but I\u2019m sure it will in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. Then, what should we do? Press on or wait?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we just\u2014wait a second?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria panted as she sat down on the smooth, wonderfully solid stone floor. Pisces sat down as well, and after a pause, so did Ksmvr.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re alive. We were in the worst of traps but\u2014we\u2019re alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces and Ksmvr nodded. Yvlon drooled on the ground around Ksmvr\u2019s hand. Ceria sighed. She lay back on the ground, stretching out. She wanted to shake and cry and laugh and vomit. They\u2019d made it. It wasn\u2019t the first time she\u2019d gotten out of a hairy situation but this\u2014<\/p>\n

This had been one of the worst. And they\u2019d done it as a team. No one had died. For a few minutes, ten, really, she just lay there. Then Pisces coughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs unpleasant as that last obstacle was, it occurs to me that we must have been underground for a long time. Hours, perhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDays?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe. I cannot be certain. But it is clear that we have two options as of now. We can either retreat and regroup with the knowledge of these advanced deterrents, or\u2026we can advance.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed. Ceria looked, and saw the door. The damn door.<\/em> They\u2019d come out in the last part of the passageway, almost directly in front of the door that had sent them into the trap in the first place.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re telling me that thing just teleported us down?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most efficient use of mana. It only makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ksmvr nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a formidable obstacle, but now that we have uncovered the danger, is it worth moving forwards? We are nearly out of food, and we all require rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think, Ceria?\u201d<\/p>\n

The half-Elf looked up at Pisces. He looked down at her, quite innocently. But there was a gleam in his eyes. He knew what she was about to say. She sat up and stared at the plain wooden door. Then she looked at the other mage.<\/p>\n

\u201cPisces?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, oh Captain of mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet your skeletons to grab whatever weapons they can and break down that damn door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be my pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An hour later, the door fell in. It wasn\u2019t because the wood had been shattered by the constant hammering on it, or that the four adventurers had cast any particular spell to break it. No, the reason the door broke was simple: the skeletons had chipped away at the stone around the hinges set in the wall until the masonry cracked, and the door obeyed the forces of gravity.<\/p>\n

The four skeletons that had done all of the work stepped back, rusted blades in hand as three adventurers peeked into the opening, coughing as the small dust cloud that had been raised temporarily obscured all vision.<\/p>\n

Pisces, Ceria, and Ksmvr stood behind the wall of skeletons, ready for anything. They were exhausted, hurt, and hungry, but all were sure this was the final barrier, and they were determined to be here. And they were all alive. The only incapacitated member of their team they\u2019d left a few feet away, wrapped up in a blanket.<\/p>\n

Yvlon lay on the ground, shuddering. She was safe, but not up to any further exploring for the moment. She was still gibbering a bit, but she had stopped assuming different personalities and better, she had regained bowel control. It had deserted her in a rather unfortunate way as she slowly came out of the effects of the [Insanity] spell.<\/p>\n

Now the three adventurers tensed, waiting for the cloud to clear. They expected another trap, or maybe an antechamber, the beginning of another part of the hallway, but then the dust cleared and they saw the light.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t sunlight, or artificial light, but rather, the golden glow as the light from outside touched something in the room and made it shimmer. Ceria lowered her skeletal hand and breathed out. Slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh dead gods.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fallen door had revealed only a small chamber at the end of all these deadly traps. It was a small room. Yes, a small room, but one filled with one thing. The thing all adventurers dreamed of.<\/p>\n

Treasure.<\/p>\n

Pisces and Ceria gaped in wonder, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads. Peeking around one of the motionless skeletons, Ksmvr nodded in approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see quite a number of swords. This is considered good, correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

In truth, the room couldn\u2019t have been more than twenty feet across, and it was certainly narrower than it was long. It was the storage closet of treasure vaults, but the quality set it apart. Ceria and Pisces could see it in the glimmering aura that manifested itself the instant they laid eyes on the treasure.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria half-screamed as she pointed. The room was small, but it had a rack of weapons that first caught the eye. Glimmering weapons and metal that didn\u2019t look like any ore Ceria had ever seen before hung in the form of swords, daggers, even a battleaxe.<\/p>\n

On the other wall a bookshelf full of clearly magical tomes stood, a treasure in itself. A mage\u2019s library. But that wasn\u2019t all. Glittering gold coins and gems occupied the back of the treasure room glowing and glimmering in the adventurer\u2019s light. But what drew Ceria\u2019s attention was the small desk, the magical tome and small bag sitting next to it, and the staff almost casually propped up against the wall.<\/p>\n

Any other eye might have been drawn to the gold, or like Ksmvr to the artifacts in the forms of weaponry. But both mages only had eyes for the staff. They saw what others could not; the magic that emanated from the object like a beacon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe staff. I can\u2019t believe it! Can you see the aura, Springwalker? Can you see<\/em> the power in it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can! I can! It radiates\u2014just look, Ksmvr!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see swords. Where is the staff?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was actually a staff in two parts. Twisted metal\u2014or was it stone?\u2014snaked upwards, dividing, becoming thin tendrils of metal which eventually tapered off into nothing. A foot of space, and then the tendrils reappeared, moving in the opposite direction, reaching the top of the staff which was set with a huge aquamarine gemstone. The two pieces of the staff were perfectly connected, as if there was steel in the place of air.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt even looks <\/em>magical. Ancestors, look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to touch it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces breathed the words and Ceria thought the exact same thing. Ksmvr looked doubtfully around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould we check for traps first?\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither mage heard him. They ran forwards, jostling each other. Ksmvr walked after them, staring around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to try one of the swords. Do you think that would be acceptable?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces and Ceria ignored Ksmvr. They practically fought each other to be the first into the room, both reaching for the staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cIntruders.\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice was soft, but full of malice. Both Pisces and Ceria froze, hands reaching for the staff. They looked around, and saw something appearing in the center of the room.<\/p>\n

Flames licked into being, and then coalesced. Air became fire, and the fire itself knitted together to become a solid thing, a shape, a figure made out of the white-hot flames. A man, or what looked vaguely like a man, stepped out of the air and stared at Pisces, Ceria, and Ksmvr.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are trespassing in the personal sanctuary of Warmage Thresk. Identify yourselves or be destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria breathed the words, her heart tight in her chest. They\u2019d forgotten. In their haste, they\u2019d forgotten the golden rule of adventuring. Never let your guard down at the end. That\u2019s when the worst trap starts.<\/p>\n

The fiery creation looked at her, eyes burning blue in its formless face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you? Why do you enter this place? Answer, or I will burn you asunder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something was burning in the center of its chest. A jewel? Ceria squinted at it as Pisces stammered a reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ah, Wistram<\/em> mages, here to consult with Warmage Thresk on a matter of great importance. We apologize if we are disturbing\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fiery eyes burned. The construct opened a mouth and showed them insides full of red flames that burned against his incendiary white-hot exterior.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one may enter this place save for Warmage Thresk or those of his blood. You are thieves. You will be burnt to ash.\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised a hand and extended it towards the three. All at once, the heat in the room grew until it was practically an inferno by itself. Ceria shouted at the same time Pisces did. Both mages extended their palms out.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Frozen Wind]!\u201d<\/p>\n

The spell blew freezing cold air towards the apparition for a moment. Just for a moment, that was all. It barely halted the rising temperature of the room, but it gave the two mages and Ksmvr the moment they needed to dash out of the room before they were cooked in their skins. Ceria gasped as she ran down the corridor; her skin felt burnt <\/em>from the second they\u2019d been in the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cPisces! Use the skeletons!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight. Defend me!\u201d<\/p>\n

He called out to the skeletons as the three adventurers rushed past them. The skeletons charged the fiery being\u2014and immediately turned to ash as they got too close. Ceria didn\u2019t even bother to swear; she just pumped her arms and legs faster.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Frozen Wind] had no effect!\u201d<\/p>\n

She screamed at Pisces. He shouted back, face pale.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know! That thing\u2019s way too powerful! We have to retreat!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no escape!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Flames burst out of the ground in front of them. Pisces, Ceria, and Ksmvr skidded to a halt as the fire wall blocked off their exit. This was no ordinary [Fire Wall] spell either; the flames were not just red or orange, but white-hot like the construct, and the stone cracked<\/em> and melted where the fire touched.<\/p>\n

\u201cDead gods.\u201d<\/p>\n

They turned and saw the apparition of flames. It was walking towards them, slowly, nonchalantly, as if it had all the time in the world. Ceria grabbed Pisces\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any spells you can use?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? You\u2019re the ice specialist! You do something about it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria gulped. The hallway was large enough to dodge the flaming being, but he was walking faster now. He was reaching out to them, and a sword of blue flames grew in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cKsmvr, Pisces! Distract it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAcknowledged.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces gaped at her. But Ceria was backing up. Ksmvr ran forwards and slashed at the monster\u2014his sword melted before he got close and he stumbled away, keening<\/em> in distress. Just the proximity to the fiery being had cracked his carapace with the heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cPisces!\u201d<\/p>\n

He gulped but ran towards the fiery being. It swung the sword at him, but Pisces took a step and his form blurred. <\/em>He dashed around the construct, nimbly avoiding it as it swung twice more.<\/p>\n

[Flash Step]. It was one of Pisces\u2019 old spells, and Ceria was relieved to see he hadn\u2019t forgotten how to use it. Pisces danced back, keeping a very large distance away from the fiery being as he let it approach him. He dodged and wove back and forth with nimble steps, careful not to let it corner him in the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cA spell would greatly be appreciated, Springwalker!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria didn\u2019t even bother to reply. She was focusing, trying to call upon all the mana she had left for an attack.<\/p>\n

Her best spell was [Ice Spike], but if she concentrated, Ceria could fire one shot from all five fingers. She drew mana into her skeletal hand, calling on all her reserves.<\/p>\n

The apparition lunged forwards, and Ceria heard Pisces scream. The fiery blade hadn\u2019t touched him, but the creation had moved too close and Pisces had been burned by the heat emanating from the being. He leapt away with the [Flash Step] spell and then collapsed against a wall, moaning. Tendrils of smoke rose from his burnt side and hundreds of blisters appeared like magic on his arms and legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will be burnt.\u201d<\/p>\n

The construct walked forwards, blue eyes burning. Ceria shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cTurn and face me,<\/em> you damn Golem!\u201d<\/p>\n

It turned. There was no fear in the construct\u2019s eyes as it saw Ceria approaching. It raised its sword and lowered itself to charge, but Ceria didn\u2019t give it time to do so. She raised her hand and shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Ice Spike]!\u201d<\/p>\n

Five wicked shards of ice, each as long as Ceria\u2019s arm burst from her hand, shooting out like ballista bolts at the fiery apparition. The ice flew towards the flaming creature, struck his outer flames, and screamed<\/em> as the ice evaporated into steam instantly. The fiery construct blinked once, his flames not even dampened by the spell.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Ancestors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria backed away from him. The construct advanced, sword at its side. It had no fear of her, not even wariness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will perish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot her. Turn and face me first!\u201d<\/p>\n

This shout came from the side. Ceria heard what almost sounded like a sigh coming from the fiery thing, and then it turned. Yvlon stood with her shield and sword in hand, facing the apparition fearlessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cFace me, thing. I will not run from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria\u2019s heart leapt in her chest, but her mouth opened to shout a warning as she scrambled backwards, away from the fiery being.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t block its flames! It\u2019ll burn through your armor!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvlon heard the warning as the creation hurled white flames at her. She dropped her shield and rolled. The fire missed her, but from the way Yvlon cried out, Ceria knew she had to have felt the intense heat of the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no way to block against it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces moaned and Ceria saw that he and Ksmvr had pulled themselves into the small room. The construct froze, and then he seemed to grow larger, as if in rage.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one may enter the treasury.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen come and stop us if you can!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces shouted, and the guardian obliged. He hurled more fire, but this time Ksmvr and Yvlon pulled the door up, the door that had proved unbreakable, and blocked the fire. The white flames dissipated as they struck the innocuous wood, and the guardian hissed.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was distracted, and ignoring Ceria for the moment. But she was caught between a hot place and the wall of flames it had created. She glanced at them as she stared at the guardian. Nowhere to run. But she wasn\u2019t about to abandon her friends.<\/p>\n

Think. The construct had to be powered by something. No spell could ever power such a being for long, not without the mage supplying mana. Then where was its power source?<\/p>\n

The thing she\u2019d spotted in the chest. Ceria squinted as the construct advanced. Was it\u2014yes there it was! She saw something glowing in the chest. Some sort of mana stone. But how could she strike it?<\/p>\n

The construct hurled fire, but Yvlon ducked behind the wooden door she was using like a shield. She darted out, baiting the construct as it swung at her, but dove backwards again. She couldn\u2019t get near enough to strike, not that her sword would have hurt the guardian, but she was occupying it as it advanced. In a few seconds though, they would be cornered.<\/p>\n

If only they could bypass the flames\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cUse the door!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria screamed at the others. The guardian turned its head, but she pointed, heedless of the danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a gem in its chest! Use the door and smash it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot it!\u201d<\/p>\n

The three adventurers backed away from the construct, holding the door as a shield in front of them. It hesitated, aware of the power of the door to mitigate its flames.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will not stop\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

All three Horns of Hammerad shouted as they rushed towards the construct, pushing the door forwards like a huge shield. At the last moment, before they got too close and were burnt alive, they let go of the door. Ksmvr kicked it forwards, and the massive wooden section of wood fell slowly towards the flaming guardian.<\/p>\n

The fiery being took one look at the falling door\u2014<\/p>\n

And dodged. He stepped swiftly to one side, avoiding it. Not swiftly enough; the door crushed his left side and the guardian howled<\/em> in what sounded like true agony. But he was not dead. Ceria saw the gemstone in his chest, a pulsating emerald stone the size of her fist. But already the flames were swirling around it, growing, rebuilding his body.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Byres and honor!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvlon shouted as she charged forwards. Ceria saw Ksmvr and Pisces trying to drag her back, but the armored woman ran at the fiery guardian. It raised its flaming sword, but she cut through it. Her own silvery sword was mere metal, but for a brief second before it evaporated, the metal was still strong. And it struck the gem at the construct\u2019s source.<\/p>\n

\u201cAaah!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria heard Yvlon\u2019s scream first, right above the crack<\/em> of the gem breaking.<\/p>\n

She howled as her silver armor glowed red. The sword melted as it dropped from her hands and she stumbled away. Her silver armor was melting <\/em>over her hands, making the young woman scream.<\/p>\n

And the construct howled too. It reached for the gem, and then it faltered. The flames in its eyes went out. It tried to step towards Ceria, stumbled. Then it looked up at her and roared.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the secret of this place cannot be protected, then everything will be destroyed. And you will perish with it!\u201d<\/p>\n

It stood up, and stumbled back into the treasury room. Ceria shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

But it was too late. The construct fell to the ground, and the white hot flames began to spread. It was engulfing the room! The flames were spreading, reaching outwards into the corridor. The guardian was trying to burn the treasure\u2014and the Horns of Hammerad with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet away, everyone! We have to run!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces and Ksmvr ran away from the intense heat, shouting in pain. They grabbed Yvlon, who was still clawing at her smoking arms, and pulled her towards Ceria. She turned to run\u2014<\/p>\n

And saw the white-hot flames, still burning, a solid wall blocking their escape. The flames had diminished somewhat, but they were still so hot that Ceria knew touching them would sear her to the bone in seconds.<\/p>\n

Pisces and Ksmvr stopped beside her, burnt and smoking. They stared in horror at the flames blocking the entrance, and then at the fire slowly engulfing the treasury room, making its way down the corridor towards them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we do, Captain? A spell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the walls?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t tunnel through that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trap below!\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces shouted, and Ceria looked. Yes, there! The opening in the floor was still visible. She grabbed Yvlon\u2019s legs\u2014the woman couldn\u2019t even move as she still screamed, and all three adventurers ran towards it.<\/p>\n

Ceria nearly fell off the bone staircase, but Ksmvr caught her and they rushed down the stairs, already feeling the heat overhead. Ksmvr and Pisces laid Yvlon on the floor and she screamed again, trying to pull her melted armor off. But the metal had fused<\/em>, and her arms were still smoking. Ceria caught her breath and reached for a potion, but Ksmvr was faster. He poured it over her arms and into her mouth while Pisces poured the last of their water over Yvlon\u2019s arms. Steam rose and she stopped thrashing.<\/p>\n

She was alive, for now. Ceria diverted her attention upwards. She could still sense the heat, and she knew the flames were spreading. And that fire\u2014it was magical flames, of a Tier she\u2019d never seen before. It would burn away everything upstairs. The treasure, the swords\u2014everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, no!<\/em> We were so close! It can\u2019t end like this!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceria shouted in despair, but she knew better than to go up. Ksmvr reached for her, but Ceria knocked his hand away. She hammered the ground as she screamed in desperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pisces\u2019 voice made Ceria look up. The mage was standing, robes burnt, skin blistered, but determined. A fierce look was in his eyes and he raised both arms up, his voice growing deeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cArise! Arise and heed my call! Go into the depths of flame and bring me a ransom of gold and magic! Go now, treasure seekers! Go, fallen comrades!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The room trembled. Every bone in the room\u2014from the staircases to the bones Pisces had left untouched, began to shift<\/em> and come together. Skeletons rose up, and began running the instant they were formed, before they were even fully formed. Ceria stared as they dashed up the staircase of bone. Up.<\/p>\n

She knew what they had to be doing. The skeletons dashed into the room and snatched up burning objects, heedless of the flames that cracked<\/em> their very bones. Over half fell before they could return, their bones catching fire and literally disintegrating from the heat.<\/p>\n

But some\u2014yes, some made it out of the room, and what they took was scooped up by other bony hands, brought back. Burning skeletons fell down from above and Ceria and Ksmvr shielded their faces as burning bone fragments crashed to the ground around them. More skeletons ran up, and Pisces shouted, his hands pointed up as sweat poured from his brow. He gasped, pointing, as more skeletons emerged, even more burnt than before, falling into the pit.<\/p>\n

And then the fire grew more intense, and not a single skeleton returned. Ceria saw the last burst into flames even as he climbed up into the tunnel above, and Pisces collapsed on the ground. Ceria rushed over to him and found the mage breathing hoarsely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe heat\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

It was growing hot. So hot. Ceria lay down on the cool stone and saw Ksmvr cradling Yvlon. Her arms\u2014didn\u2019t look right. Melted silver intertwined with flesh, and she was unconscious. Pisces lay on the ground next to the burnt bone. Slowly, Ceria looked around.<\/p>\n

Scattered objects. Burnt things, barely recognizable. A cracked sword, blackened by soot. A buckler almost cut in half.<\/p>\n

Worthless things. And no staff. Ceria despaired, and felt her eyes stinging. If she had water in her to cry, she might have. But then she saw a skeletal hand, holding something. Ceria crawled over to it, and saw a burnt tome.<\/p>\n

A book. Its cover was gone, and half the pages. Ceria brushed aside white ash and saw a page and glowing symbols. She clutched it to her, holding it dearly as the heat grew even worse, and air became a luxury, then a memory.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Ksmvr collapsed to the ground, still holding Yvlon. Pisces didn\u2019t move, and the stairway of bone fell to the ground. Ceria didn\u2019t even look up as something struck her back. She couldn\u2019t. She just held the book and breathed in. Out. In. Out. In\u2014<\/p>\n

It was so hot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are fragments of the past, Ceria Springwalker. That is all we are.\u201d Ceria sat on her great-grandmother\u2019s lap and looked up. The small cottage was covered in hanging herbs, braids of garlic\u2014every time she breathed in, a myriad of spices tickled her nose. She sneezed, and her great-grandmother sighed. \u201cNo one has told you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-2619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3.07 H - The Wandering Inn<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3.07 H\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cWe are fragments of the past, Ceria Springwalker. That is all we are.\u201d Ceria sat on her great-grandmother\u2019s lap and looked up. The small cottage was covered in hanging herbs, braids of garlic\u2014every time she breathed in, a myriad of spices tickled her nose. She sneezed, and her great-grandmother sighed. \u201cNo one has told you […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Wandering Inn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"881\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"pirateaba\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WanderingInn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WanderingInn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"pirateaba\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"63 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"pirateaba\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4\"},\"headline\":\"3.07 H\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\"},\"wordCount\":12529,\"commentCount\":48,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"fantasy\",\"inn\",\"web novel\",\"web serial\",\"Writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Volume 3\",\"Writing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\",\"name\":\"3.07 H - The Wandering Inn\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"3.07 H\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Wandering Inn\",\"description\":\"The Wandering Inn is an ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial by pirateaba with millions of readers worldwide.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"TWI\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Wandering Inn\",\"alternateName\":\"Wandering Inn\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":881,\"caption\":\"The Wandering Inn\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/WanderingInn\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thewanderinginnverse\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TheWanderingInn\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thewanderinginnverse\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-wandering-inn\"],\"description\":\"The Wandering Inn is a popular, ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial authored by pirateaba, captivating millions of readers worldwide. Known for its unique blend of epic fantasy, immersive worldbuilding, and character-driven storytelling, The Wandering Inn follows the journey of a young woman navigating a world shaped by magic and levels. With a dedicated fanbase and consistent updates, The Wandering Inn offers readers an engaging experience through its website, Kindle, and audiobook formats, and provides exclusive content through Patreon for fans eager to delve deeper into its world\",\"email\":\"media@wanderinginn.com\",\"legalName\":\"pirateaba llc\",\"taxID\":\"88-1575608\",\"duns\":\"078154126\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"1\",\"maxValue\":\"10\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4\",\"name\":\"pirateaba\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"pirateaba\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/author\/pirateaba\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"3.07 H - The Wandering Inn","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"3.07 H","og_description":"\u201cWe are fragments of the past, Ceria Springwalker. That is all we are.\u201d Ceria sat on her great-grandmother\u2019s lap and looked up. The small cottage was covered in hanging herbs, braids of garlic\u2014every time she breathed in, a myriad of spices tickled her nose. She sneezed, and her great-grandmother sighed. \u201cNo one has told you […]","og_url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/","og_site_name":"The Wandering Inn","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn","article_published_time":"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":881,"url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"pirateaba","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@WanderingInn","twitter_site":"@WanderingInn","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"pirateaba","Est. reading time":"63 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/"},"author":{"name":"pirateaba","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4"},"headline":"3.07 H","datePublished":"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/"},"wordCount":12529,"commentCount":48,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["fantasy","inn","web novel","web serial","Writing"],"articleSection":["Volume 3","Writing"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/","name":"3.07 H - The Wandering Inn","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-08-26T13:29:46+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-24T00:56:47+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/08\/26\/3-07-h\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"3.07 H"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/","name":"The Wandering Inn","description":"The Wandering Inn is an ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial by pirateaba with millions of readers worldwide.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization"},"alternateName":"TWI","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization","name":"The Wandering Inn","alternateName":"Wandering Inn","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","width":1600,"height":881,"caption":"The Wandering Inn"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn","https:\/\/x.com\/WanderingInn","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thewanderinginnverse","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TheWanderingInn","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thewanderinginnverse\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-wandering-inn"],"description":"The Wandering Inn is a popular, ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial authored by pirateaba, captivating millions of readers worldwide. Known for its unique blend of epic fantasy, immersive worldbuilding, and character-driven storytelling, The Wandering Inn follows the journey of a young woman navigating a world shaped by magic and levels. With a dedicated fanbase and consistent updates, The Wandering Inn offers readers an engaging experience through its website, Kindle, and audiobook formats, and provides exclusive content through Patreon for fans eager to delve deeper into its world","email":"media@wanderinginn.com","legalName":"pirateaba llc","taxID":"88-1575608","duns":"078154126","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"1","maxValue":"10"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4","name":"pirateaba","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg","caption":"pirateaba"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/author\/pirateaba\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfPPse-Gf","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52856846"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2619"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2619\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2619"},{"taxonomy":"twi_volume","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/twi_volume?post=2619"},{"taxonomy":"twi_collection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/twi_collection?post=2619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}