The morning was damp but crisp. Forest leaves dripped dew while thin mist snaked between the towering roots of ancient trees. The air carried the rich, living smell of earth, and the local birds—completely ignoring the existence of anything that could swallow them whole—sang happily.

  Jay walked ahead, blue cloak swaying lightly over his shoulders with each steady step. His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings with the caution of someone who knew even mushrooms could try to kill you.

  Layla followed close behind, balancing her giant axe on one shoulder like it was a simple bamboo pole. She growled under her breath every time a leaf tried to snag her lion-like mane.

  “You guys sure this road’s safer?” the little amazon grumbled, wrinkling her nose. “Because I’m starting to think bureaucrats would be less dangerous, meow…”

  “Less dangerous maybe, but way more annoying,” Su Mei muttered, arms crossed, posture straight as a dancer’s. “And you’d end up decapitating some tax collector.”

  “Meow! I’m not that kind of person, Su Mei! I’m offended.”

  “This one already had to put you to sleep once, or you would’ve eliminated every road inspector in Belrad, Layla.”

  “I don’t remember that. If I don’t remember, it didn’t happen, meow.”

  Nessa walked a few steps back, expression calm as someone at peace with the world despite her white boots now caked in mud. She watched the sword on Jay’s back—so quiet. It didn’t even seem like the same weapon that forced them out of Edsoria so suddenly.

  Jay stopped abruptly, raising a hand in warning.

  Everyone fell silent.

  Between twisted branches, silver light pulsed… floating in air like a mystic beacon.

  “Hmm…” Jay murmured.

  “I’m on it!” Layla announced, already gripping axe haft. “Could be a boar or a forest spirit! But if it’s a murder monster—even better!”

  But before she could spin her weapon a second time…

  “Ah, finally found you guys,” a lazy voice drawled, thick with impatience.

  The light burst in a soft violet mist.

  And in the clearing’s center—Amy appeared. Navy-blue robe, red hair fluttering, paper fan in hand (decorated with badly-drawn chibi fox-girls). She looked like she’d stepped straight out of an arcane spa day… except for the very clear “I’m pissed” face.

  “…Amy?!” Nessa blinked. “But how did you know we were here? Were you tracking us?”

  The mage rolled her eyes.

  “Of course not. I simply triangulated using fifth-dimensional particles, refracted Solariis light projected across your energetic outlines, and the trajectory of your accumulated boredom over the last two days.”

  Silence.

  “That all means you were tracking us…” Nessa concluded, eyebrows flat.

  Amy pretended not to hear.

  Jay crossed arms, giving a small smile.

  “Thought you decided to stay out of this.”

  “I thought so too.” She huffed. “But then I remembered—if you die out here, it’ll be to some stupid golem and not my hands, and that would be extremely unfair.”

  She smiled… but something strange flickered in her eyes. Less sparkle. Less sarcasm. Hidden weight between words.

  She knew. The scroll. The forbidden spell…

  Jay noticed. Said nothing.

  “Besides…” Amy turned to Nessa. “We need to talk about your sword. And your fate just changed.”

  “My person… was already picturing Bretalia…” Su Mei lamented, hand to forehead like fainting maiden. “Hot springs… soft beds… real pillows…”

  “And tons of food, meow…” Layla sighed.

  “Save the drooling, girls. Priority now is Dhrom’s Lair.”

  Jay went serious.

  “The lair?”

  Amy nodded, giving Nessa a direct look.

  “That’s where we’ll find Krafnner. One of the elves I told you about, Jay… someone who can help us understand that sword before something… less friendly activates it.”

  …

  Crossing the forest with Amy leading was either heaven-sent… or hell’s punishment. Depending who you asked.

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  She opened temporary portals, conjured light bridges, melted trees in the way, and slid the group point-to-point with bored finger-snaps.

  Three hours later Su Mei had dimensional nausea.

  “You could’ve warned the ground would… rise like that.”

  “Thought watching your face would be fun,” Amy replied, sipping conjured aromatic tea out of pure spite.

  Layla dropped to all fours the moment they arrived.

  “I’m gonna kiss this dirt… even if it smells rotten… meow…”

  And the place really did smell bad.

  Dhrom’s Lair was an ancient stone labyrinth sunk in a mystic swamp. Yellowish puddles bubbled, surrounded by slimy vegetation and… strange creatures.

  “That’s… a slime?” Nessa pointed.

  “Many slimes,” Jay corrected.

  Blue. Green. One menacing translucent cube. And several… yellow.

  “The yellow ones are worst,” Jay said, already drawing sword. “Melt leather, fabric, armor... Clothes in general.”

  Layla’s eyes went wide.

  “Melt clothes?! Amy—cast celestial glitter barrier! QUICK, MEOW!”

  “Relax, Layla, you’re kinda immune… you’re already half-naked.”

  “Heeeyy!!”

  But too late.

  One slime jumped Su Mei. Another melted Nessa’s sleeve cuff. Amy floated above, hurling flaming explosions with impatient air while Jay cut monsters down with stoic face.

  “Defeating slimes with blessed sword… forty-two times in a row…” he muttered. “Still more fun than filling out real-estate guild paperwork…”

  In under fifteen minutes swamp was clean. Except for hot goo splattered everywhere, and bits of everyone’s clothes…

  “…Amy.” Nessa tugged remended tunic collar. “Couldn’t you have cleaned this with magic?”

  Mage smiled.

  “Could. But… you all looked so cute panicking I wanted to see where it went.”

  Jay—indifferent—collected yellow slime scraps in glass jars.

  …

  Night fell fast. They camped on dry patch near lair entrance—short grass, less death smell. Amy raised soft-light magical barrier around perimeter.

  Jay and Nessa volunteered for watch.

  “Jay…?” she murmured, staring cloudy sky. “You think… this Krafnner can really help us?”

  Jay took a moment.

  “I think so. But what matters more… is what you want to discover, Nessa.”

  She looked at sword leaning against rock—still inert.

  “I don’t know… yet. But I’m ready to find out.”

  Jay smiled. Even in dark night, faint light seemed to glow in his eyes.

  Sky closed. Stars vanished.

  And Dhrom’s Lair waited.

  …

  The smell.

  First thing anyone noticed entering Dhrom’s Lair second floor.

  Greenish mist hovered near ground, giving viscous soft glow. Air hot, humid… reeked of mold, expired pickles, and warrior clothes after three weeks on road.

  Jay sighed—conjuring shield one hand, holding Layla’s axe other.

  She’d dropped weapon moment first giant worm appeared previous corridor—after screaming “I’m-not-touching-that-thing-even-dead-meowwww!” and running circles, accidentally almost knocking Su Mei into slippery slime pile.

  “This one… refuses to touch anything so… repulsive,” Su Mei said calmly—hanging on paladin’s back like living backpack. “Jay… be a dear and protect this one’s pure body from such horrors, yes?”

  Jay—sweaty, goo monster each side—just nodded.

  Amy—meanwhile—watched from distance, perched on floating pillar, legs crossed, holding pack of magical smiling-face cookies.

  “You’re a very functional group,” she commented—malicious smile. “Reminds me old days… when I did everything alone too.”

  Next descent tense—but not monster tense.

  Third floor—traps began.

  Ceiling blades. Floor spears. Exploding confetti-acid stones.

  “…Confetti?” Nessa murmured—shielding head with divine barrier. “Is that really necessary?”

  “It’s to humiliate enemy after killing,” Amy explained—dodging everything lazy steps like knew every inch. “Style matters.”

  “And you won’t warn anyone?” Jay asked—blocking invisible arrow rain with cloak.

  “Where’s fun in that?”

  Then they reached arena.

  Circular domed hall—dark columns stretching to lost ceiling. Center—creature rose from earth.

  CHRRRRAAAAAAGHHH!

  Colossal cockroach.

  Nearly three meters tall.

  Shiny black armor shell. Red eyes. Long antennae tinkling air like cursed harp strings.

  “…I refuse,” Amy said—pale.

  “Me too,” Nessa agreed—clutching mace to chest, trembling.

  “MIAUUU!” Layla screamed—dropping axe, hiding behind Jay.

  “…This one considers death reasonable option,” Su Mei murmured—now clinging paladin waist.

  Jay snorted.

  “I’m just paladin! Not pest control!”

  Creature charged—fast as shadow, smashing columns, splattering acid goo.

  Jay raised shield and yelled:

  “By Gram—stay behind me!”

  Amy—seeing bug dangerously close—lost composure.

  “No one gets near me without buying dinner first!”

  She raised staff—eyes blazing ruby.

  “Oh Vortex of Void, hear my call! Bring me from cosmic darkness most shadowy fate… aruuma FAERAE NEXUS ARCANEA! [ARCANE BLACK HOLE!]”

  Black circle—bigger than creature—appeared above, spinning infernal whirlpool. Sound of thousand cockroach screams echoed hall—or maybe just everyone’s imagination. Second later—creature sucked in and obliterated.

  Silence.

  Jay blinked. Layla eyes wide. Su Mei dropped waist grip. Nessa dropped her weapon.

  “Amy…” Nessa began—soft voice. “You’re… incredible…”

  “That’s… my new best friend, meow,” Layla said—eyes sparkling.

  Amy blew on fingers—like snuffing invisible candles.

  “It’s nothing… just basic thing any mage with talent and style can do.”

  “This one… reconsiders everything said. Marry me?”

  “Not in thousand years, fox.”

  …

  Entering next level—atmosphere changed instantly.

  Putrid stench impregnating corridors vanished suddenly—like swallowed by another reality. Air lighter, almost sweet—mineral freshness like post-storm breeze.

  Blackened stone floor gave way to white marble—so polished it reflected steps like still lake. Arcane symbols engraved surface pulsed celeste-blue—lighting and fading in near-breathing rhythm—as if space itself had heartbeat.

  And there—center of hall—he stood.

  Monolith.

  Perfectly rectangular—lines so immaculate seemed carved by gods’ geometry.

  Six meters tall dominated space—casting blue shadow that ignored natural light laws.

  Surface covered Osandian Archaic inscriptions—lost tongue of ancient Osans—people whose glory shone Era of Ghr?me then vanished like wind-blown dust. Words not just carved: they moved. Each syllable vibrated silent echo—reverberating in mind of anyone daring stare too long.

  From stone interior translucent glow—not gold, not silver—something between—color of stars seen by eyes that never sleep. Pure-light runes detached surface—floating air in irregular orbits like miniature living constellations. Silent ballet around monolith—tinging walls with deep-sea-wave reflections.

  And there—before impossible sight—whole world seemed hold breath.

  Nessa approached reverent.

  “What place is this…?”

  Amy fixed hair, crossed arms.

  “This… is Mirror Sanctuary of Veil. Domain of archmage Krafnner, Fire Forerunner.”

  Jay narrowed eyes.

  “Didn’t expect elf mage that ancient make home in lair so… filthy and dangerous.”

  “He doesn’t exactly live here… We’ll need short trip to another world. Will be quick—don’t worry.”

  Layla began cold sweat.

  “But… teleport can’t… mess with Nessa’s sword, meow?”

  “Maybe.” Amy shrugged—turning serious. “Oh, one more thing… don’t offend host. Krafnner older than many kingdoms. Lived over two thousand years. Eccentric, paranoid and… sensitive.”

  Jay frowned.

  “Define… sensitive.”

  “Hm… Once he nearly destroyed entire kingdom because warrior called him ‘old man’.”

  Everyone swallowed dry at once.

  “Be polite.” Amy smiled.

  …