Cerberus Rex, Nameless

Wizard Dungeon, 27

Silas and his companions ascended the stairs revealed after defeating Mr. Noarwin's father. Silas looked behind him but didn't turn around. He didn't want the others to notice his weariness, nor did he know how to console them. Mr. Noarwin hadn't spoken since they started their climb. What did one say to a man forced to face something so terrible? What right did Silas have to feel depressed when he'd never endured something so scarring? He wanted to ask Mr. Noarwin his mother's fate but, even without social raising, he knew it an insensitive inquiry. Not long into their climb, they approached the stairway's exit and entered a field. Everyone paused, eyes wide and brows knit in confusion. Wildflowers stretched before them in a rainbow of colors. One of Roes's three moons looked as if touching the horizon.

"Did we make it outside?" Feri asked.

Dar looked around curiously as everyone puzzled over their environment.

"We couldn't have," Asinis said, brow furrowed.

"Can a mage turn one of his dungeons into a field of flowers?" Silas asked.

"I'm sure he could," Asinis said.

"But then—how do we get out?" Feri asked.

"Noarwin!" They paused, shivers running up a few of their backs when they heard someone shouting from the stairs they'd just ascended. They looked into it and found a panting Sir Sefu emerging from below. He glowered at them until his mismatched eyes found Mr. Noarwin. He went to him and grabbed him by the collar. "Where are we?" he shouted.

"Sef?" Mr. Noarwin blinked, his surprise evident and mirroring his friends'. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the Cerulean Hatch when I saw the lot of you chasing a woman, so naturally I followed you. I didn't expect getting warped into a dungeon full of spiders!"

"Spiders? We didn't fight any spiders," Feri said.

Sefu looked down at her. His eyes narrowed, and he let go of Mr. Noarwin. "Isn't this one of the fugitives the Summit Guard is hunting?" he asked.

Silas stepped between her and him, his brow tensed. He'd made a promise to himself. He wouldn't let anyone hurt Feri. Not even someone he suspected a good person.

"You'll be hard-pressed to arrest her," Mr. Noarwin warned. "She and her companion are under the stag's protection. Now. What do you mean about a dungeon full of spiders?"

"Exactly how it sounds," Sefu said, reluctantly turning away from Feri.

Looking at him, Silas did see signs of spider remains and venom on his now duller gleaming armor. "Was that the only passage you had to get through?" Silas asked.

"Huh? Oh. There was the one below, but it looks like you all took care of the creature there, and the summons circle hadn't reset, so I was able to pass without triggering my own nightmare. A relief, honestly." He leaned in toward Mr. Noarwin, his expression shifted to apprehension. "Are you alright?"

He knew about the magic circle's purpose and Mr. Noarwin's connection to the corpse within? Mr. Noarwin beamed a carefree smile at him. False by what Silas could tell, though it looked genuine. Sefu appeared skeptical, too. Probably from knowing Mr. Noarwin for so long and well.

"Why were you in the Cerulean Hatch to begin with?" Mr. Noarwin asked.

Sefu relented his curiosity without a word. "Manjeet sends me there for items she can't get elsewhere within her impatient time frame," he replied. "And tonight's festival has brought in several."

"And you're alright?" Mr. Noarwin asked.

"I was poisoned, but I used my abilities to take care of that. I'm just in need of a hot bath," Sefu said.