Cyber Mortality

Chapter 55:

"So, you've come crawling back," Zephyr smirks from his place atop a stone pillar.

"I'm pretty sure you gave me your support to fight in the tournament," I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm just teasing you, May," he sighs and floats down from his pedestal. "What do you need?"

"Wow," I nod in surprise. "Actually offering to be helpful. This is a first."

"Says the one who I have been teaching magic to for weeks now," Zephyr rolls his mint green eyes. "Unless if you've forgotten now that you're famous and all."

"I'm not famous," I shake my head in confusion.

"You're one of the people said to have defeated the first dungeon," he smirks. "That makes you famous. I've been getting free drinks in town when I tell everyone that you are my student."

"How nice," I deadpan. "Can we get back to why I am here?"

"Let me guess," Zephyr sighs. "You need my help for the next dungeon."

"Yes, we do,"

"No,"

"I didn't even get to tell you why," I scowl and take a step toward him. "We need your help. This dungeon is in the air."

"Why do you need me if they have you?" Zephyr crosses his arms over his chest. "The all powerful wind mage DizMay."

"We both know that isn't true," I groan.

"Huh? What? I'm sorry did I hear you say that I am the most powerful wind mage?" Zephyr inclines his head with a haughty grin.

I purse my lips. "Yes, you are the most powerful. I'm but your humble student, oh great and wise one."

"Mmhmm," he nods. "That's what I thought."

"I did manage multiple freefalls though," my lips split into a smirk.

"You did what?" Zephyr blinks with his eyes turning icy. "I told you to not do that."

Perhaps this wouldn't be a good time to bring up the story Pappy told me, I think to myself.

"I was fine. Now, will you help us?" I question again.

"Fine," Zephyr scowls. "Not like there is much to do around here anyways. Perhaps you can give me some entertainment."

"Thank you," I breathe in a sigh of relief. "We've gotta meet the party leaders."

"Oh, there are party leaders now? Well didn't you all get fancy," Zephyr chuckles.

"Um, I mean it would be utter chaos if everyone didn't work together," I raise an eyebrow.

"We're trapped in a video game," Zephyr shrugs. "How much more chaotic could it get?"

"I spoke too soon," Zephyr grits his teeth at the mad house before us.

Tons of people sit crammed into Pappy's bar and talk at a mile a minute. One group wants to do this and another that. Flint scowls across the room, preferring to keep quiet over joining into this shouting match.

"So I think I'm gonna go." Zephyr points toward the door.

I catch his arm and drag him back to stand beside me.

"Please, just stay," I beg. "It'll get better when Vyra gets here. She likes to shout and be bossy."

"Sounds lovely," Zephyr says sarcastically.

Bam! The door slams open and in walks Vyra in her full golden armor glory. Birch stands at her side with his chest puffed out.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Vyra shouts above the cacophony and slams her spear into the ground. The room grows dead silent and she raises her chin proudly. "I don't want to hear any more of this nonsensical rabble! We need to listen to one another and develop a plan. Unless if you would prefer to just die?" No one responds.

"May," Vyra turns her blazing red eyes on me. "You found the dungeon, correct?"

"I did," my knees shake slightly and my voice quivers as all eyes turn on me.

"Tell me what you saw," Vyra commands.

I detail the castle with its spires and large stone gate. Everyones eyes go wide when I tell them of the guardians of the dungeon soaring overhead.

"Why is it always dinosaurs," Vyra shakes her head. "People have no imagination."

"I mean, dragons would have been even more cliche," Birch snorts.

"There's still plenty of time for that, B," Vyra sighs. "This is only the second dungeon. Zephyr, how nice of you to join us."

Zephyr's eyes meet Vyra's from across the room.

"I'm not here for you," he replies coolly. "I came because my student asked for help."

Vyra's eyes turn back toward me.

"I see," she glances between us. "Either way I am glad for your help. I doubt there is a more talented mage among us."

"Hey!" Jez pipes up. "I take offense to that!"

Vyra ignores Jez's comment and continues on.

"Do you have an incantation that could get everyone to the dungeon?" Vyra inquires.

"I could probably carry twenty people. May could probably carry two." Zephyr shrugs. I elbow him in the side indignantly. "But there is no incantation for mass movement of people. That would be more along the lines of the school of Travel Magic."

"Hmm," Vyra nods. "Teleportation. That is your magic, if I am not mistaken, Rocky?"

"I can teleport my party to places I have been, but not large masses of people," Flint shrugs.

"What if you had a beacon?" Zephyr inquires. "Something that you could teleport to. Perhaps not large quantities of people, but so you could teleport to the dungeon."

"Someone would have to get there with a beacon first," Flint replies. "But that could work."

"A small infiltration team then," Vyra nods. "Obviously May and Zephyr would have to be on it, but you would need more people, correct?"

Zephyr purses his lips and glance down at me.

"I think May and I could handle it," he shrugs. "More people means more strain on our magic. We could probably get past the Pterodactyls if we fly fast enough."

"We also don't know what is waiting in the dungeon or if the Pteros can attack you when you land," Vyra purses her lips in thought.

"Pteros," Birch snorts from beside Vyra.

"Not now, Birch," Vyra sighs. "If you think the two of you can get the beacon to a safe place so Rocky can teleport everyone in, then I believe you."

"So, you ready to die?" Zephyr casts me a sidelong look.

"Great,"