<3^rd POV>

After Berry had Stozo and Belace follow him to Tokito’s shelter they entered the cavern opening to see a valley of grey dead trees. Currently they’re in the dungeon Stozo puzzled and Belace worried about the Quabets whereabouts. The monsters reacting to the two’s life force drew near making trekking the dungeon dangerous as they could only rely on Stozo’s scent tracking to find the Quabet in the miasmic fog.  

“No wonder that Hiphon went out by its lonesome. Its master must o’ got sucked into this dungeon when it formed. Bu’ how did this even happen? There shouldn’t be enough chaos for a low class monster to appear, much less a dungeon?!” Belace exclaimed as she whipped a phantom skull into a pair of skeleton willow wisp.She leans against a dead tree trying to catch her breath as both her and Stozo haven’t stopped moving since entering the dungeon. .I hope the lads not hurt. Most of his highest skill be earth based, but those can’t work in here. An’ all these monsters being of the dark type an’ him not havin’ any light skills puts him in a pinch. His other tame being dark won’t be of any help either. Goodness gracious, there are a lot of these ghost types! Hold on sugar we’ll find you real soon. Just hold out till we get to ya.

Belace anxious wasn’t aware of a small spinner descending from the tree she’s leaning on. Stozo taking his saber out its holder pulls Belace from the trunk stabs the sneaking spinner pinning it to the tree. “Make sure to cover your own back here! I’m not getting paid to take care of you old timer. Besides we won’t get any answers by walking leisurely and attacking every monster we see. We’ll be surrounded at this rate if we don’t pick up the pace.” He replies retrieving his weapon and with gusto in his footsteps walks away.

“If that be the case why are you set on findin’ the lad, mercenary?” Belace asked pushing her hat further onto her head catching up to his pace.

“Why don’t you think about it? Your brain shouldn’t be too feeble to come up with an answer.” Stozo says stopping among a patch of trees to face her.

Like the wind Belace holsters her gun pointing it at Stozo’s long snout. “Now, let me make it clear! Since we in this place with a similar objective of finding the poor boy we won’t stoop to any funny business that could get us both killed, you hear me? However, try to pull a fast one on me and you’ll be joining the undead here. I know we aint friends, but down here we’re partners. Plus this old timer still got a few tricks up her sleeves that would make even your own mother not recognize ya.” She cocks her gun firing besides Stozo’s ear.

Unfazed by the threat Stozo looks to where Belace shot only to see the bullet lodged into a dead poofing tree ent. It had been controlling a red crystal vine that was about to lasso his foot. Had Stozo kept walking forward he would have been ensnared, pulled into the monsters mouth to become its next meal. Finding new respect for the old timer Stozo watches Belace as she struts past him further into the dungeon where she saw thunderous lightening in the distance.

…….

<Tokito>

Amahte not waiting for Tokito to answer him stopped rubbing his sore cheek placing himself in front of the crossbreed hands outstretched, palms upwards in expectation.

“Come crossbreed, you must complete our deal. And do not dare to flee from our agreement. There is no escaping this as you have already fulfilled your part per our previous contract.”

Tokito scowled but acknowledged that he did make a deal and had a feeling if he did try to run only horrible consequences would follow. However, he hesitated unsure of what was to be done as no one precisely explained how the children were to be conceived. Heck, he was sure it wouldn’t be remotely close to what his human biology classes taught, but that didn’t ease his shaken nerves.

 Ok, dude. I understand you want to have kids, but do we have to this here! You act like I should be ok with having kids with you, but the way you are going about this is totally scaring the shit out of me! And doing this in a dungeon seriously doesn’t help your cause! This is like the perfect set up for a horror scene to start. Those dumb couples always get killed when they’re about to make out even when they’re in their own freaking house. And you want to wish for kids in an undead infested dungeon…. Dad of the freaking year!  

Seeing his hesitation Amahte thought Tokito was simply scared of the process or didn’t understand what he needed to do, softly whisper his assurances, “Do not worry, there will be no pain. Just place your hands on top of mine and wish strongly for wish elementals to be born.” Amahtes began to glow as they shaped to resemble amethyst stones.

 Are those words meant to comfort me?! Because let me put it out there it’s doing the fucking opposite! Let’s just get this over with before a monster or something comes to fuck us over.

As soon as Tokito began placing his hands over Amahte’s, a tingling sensation similar to what he felt when he granted the tree spirit its wishes fell over him. The air of chaotic miasma became agitated swirling into a magical energy vortex as the dungeon responded to the two beings malevolent powers. Having more control this time compared to last the little fear Tokito had at the beginning ebbed away as both Amahte’s and his energy were about to mix.

Bang!

Yes! Fucking thank you to whatever luck Gods are out there! It might not be a bell, but I’ll still take the save.

Tokito stepped back no longer feeling the chaotic energy take over. The vortex of chaotic miasma dissipates, leaving everyone in ghastly silence.

“Tsk!” Amahte eyes changed back to normal as he looked where the sound of the gunshot came from. “It appears we’ll have to continue this at a later point crossbreed. I recommend putting on a new head piece before company arrives. Ta ta, for now.” Amahte winked at Tokito before disappearing in a plume of smoke.

Wait does that mean he’s going to keep trying? Jeeeeez! Why can’t I ever get a break!

Tokito promptly wore the Tigon jade skull to mask his features whilst wrapping his hair in a tanned wolf skin. Making sure to cover up what he could he hurriedly put Alaula in his chaos space along with the phantom cub until Calamity stops him.

‘Wait Tokito! If you put the cub in your chaos space now the dungeon will collapse before you could scream oops. This dimension is unstable and its core disappearing will be like pulling out its heart. You’re going to have to keep the cub out and upon leaving the entrance put it in your space.’

Huffing in disappointment as Tokito couldn’t hide the cub now he packs the zombie lion drops readying himself to leave.

All of a sudden yelling came from the direction of where he heard the gunshot earlier. Takito ran to the shouts to discover a frenzy of monsters swarming like a hive nest. Hastily he camouflaged among the dense trees to not get caught and setting the swarm on himself. Inching closer Tokito sees in the middle of the crowd of monsters Stozo plunging his saber to a banshee but passes through  its body as it became see-through. Whipping ghouls and spiders away from Stozo’s back, in a tree Belace made sure to support him by firing a shot whenever an opening between the two occurred.  Tokito, ele’ele, and the phantom cub didn’t join them straight away, but watched waiting for an opening so they didn’t get caught in the crossfire.

……

<3^rd pov>

 Earlier, after Belace fired her gun monsters gathered even more fervently towards them. Of course, Stozo and Bleace weren’t troubled by the monsters as they were too low of a level to be of much hindrance. Conversely, awaiting them was a far worse enemy expecting them to be easy prey as it felt their tiny life signatures.

“GHaaaaaa!” a womanly humanoid spirit figure skin tightly sticking to its skeleton wearing a torn up shroud screamed as it sensed its prey. The banshee chased the life signatures that entered into its territory.

 Stozo and Belace hears the screech causing chills go up their up their spines became conscious of the powerful undead’s blood-lust. Not wanting to fight this threat they sped up to out run the high level monster only to be halted by a mob of ghouls and spinners.

“Now I guess we’ll see if those skills of yours are really up to snuff old timer.” Stozo irritably says as he gets into a protective position.

“Call me Belace little pup.” Belace replies as she takes out her whip and gun going into her support role.

The banshee approached as the mob of monsters blocked any escape points cornering the two into exchange blows. The banshee screamed casting [mana silence] to prevent any magic to be used against it. Stozo was unaffected, but Belace couldn’t access most of her skills now incapable of buffing the both of them.

“Little pup! You going to have to keep that spirit busy ‘til my skills come back.” Belace hollers, flicking her whip she pulls herself into a tree gaining a better vantage for shooting and whipping away enemies from Stozo’s back.

“Got it, but stop calling me pup! If we live through this I’ll let you call me Antigua. It’s my nickname for when I’m not on the job.” Stozo retorts as he nimbly dodges out of the way of the banshees’ sonic scream.

He plunges at the banshees chest aiming to destroy its heart to end the battle fast, but he went through the banshee as it became transparent. Stozo taunted the banshee using [raging yips] provoking it to materialize to get a clean hit in. Being mocked the banshee fumed steam of dark ghastly chaos. Its yellow orb eyes gleams intending on feasting on this prey that dares to provoke it came out of its transparency sucking in chaotic energy to scream a curse of death. Stozo swipes at her but is hindered as a skull phantom that pushed past Belaces support used fire blast forcing him to block its blow, his hair blackening from the fire.

“Gah, Belace shoot the banshee now before it finishes its death cry!”

 Belace, seeing the banshee about to scream took the opening shot the banshees mouth unhinging its jaw from the rest of its rancid skull.

“No more of that screeching from you ghouly girl!”

Blowing out its moldy tongue the banshee couldn’t scream its death cry enraged evermore fired dark pulse at Belace. Stozo deftly takes a light bomb from his thigh pouch throwing it at the ball of darkness causing an explosion damaging the tree Belace is perched on. The tree creaks’ saying the end is near, Belace swiftly flicks her whip onto a nearby branch swinging down to rejoin Stozo in the fray of monsters.

“You doing ok there old Belace?” Stozo ask snickering facing his back to Belace's who continues fighting off the hoard of monsters.

“Bones are a little stiff but I can keep going. My mana skills are almost back, but at this rate we’ll have to break a retreat before finding the lad.” Out of the blue Belace recalled one of her farming skills not requiring mana to activate that could easily purify these undead. The only bad thing about the skill is that she needs a lot of light for it to work. “Hey, do you have any more of those light bombs on you?” Belace asked as she stomped on a skeleton hand that tried grabbing at her ankles.

“Yeah, but I only have two left. Why? What’s the plan?” Stozo questions as he flurries out blows of his saber killing off oncoming spinners that pounced from the tree tops.

“I think our undead friends here could use a bit of sunshine if you get my meaning.”

Stozo with tacit understanding throws his bombs high up, Belace snipes them while activating her trait skill [Mornings Glory]. Woes of anguish resonated all over the dungeon as legions of undead disintegrated from the cleansing light, poofing all but the insects.

“So young Antigua does this old bird still got her tricks up to snuff or what?” Belace smirks whipping what little of the surrounding spinners remained.

“Hmm, Would’ve been more convenient for you to do that at the beginning, but yes you have some moves. I’ll grant you that. Now let’s say hi to our sneaky friend over there.” Stozo points to the tree Tokito is hiding behind.

Belace points her gun at the tree about to fire thinking it was an enemy that escaped from her skills radius, Stozo pushes her gun up before she fires though.

“Are you trying to kill the person we came to rescue?! Come out boy! I can smell your scent from here.” Stozo yells to the trees.

After a minute nothing happened, making Belace wonder if Stozo might have been hit with a confusion curse. However, she soon found herself taken aback as rustling of twigs and grass head in their direction, Tokito and ele’ele unhurriedly emerge from the underbrush. Stozo and Belace almost didn’t recognize the Quabet as the jade skull and tanned wolf skin masking his head altered his form so much he could be mistaken for one of the undead.

“Boy you nearly scared me half to death coming out of the fog and trees looking like that!” Belace reprimands Tokito as he approached them. “I could ‘ave shot ya dead if it wasn’t for Antigua here! Then that form would ‘ave really suited ya with bein’ an undead ‘nd all. Now come on! We needs to get out o’ here before more monsters spawn.”

 Belace and Stozo turn to leave but seeing Tokito not following stopped puzzled at why he was just standing there.

Tokito pointed at the materials that had dropped earlier. “Not picking up?”

Stozo stares at the Quabet like he just asked the dumbest question in the world. “Listen. Kid. There are only a few of us, not counting you, that are barely equipped enough to handle a small group of goblins much less undead. We have no healer, no tank, and our supplies won’t be useful if any of us suffer a critical injury. This scenario isn’t something we can take our time to leisurely pick up these massive amounts of drops without taking huge risk. And I won’t jeopardize my being anymore than I have to for money. You should be glad I even came down here to save you. Especially since I won’t be getting a pay raise from this little adventure.”

Saying those last few words Stozo left not giving Tokito or Belace any chance to counter.

Belace gave a pity smirk to Tokito, but followed Stozo out as she felt they accomplished what they set out to do. “Let’s go child. You and I both know he’s right even if he be a bit too of a snark about it. Plus we’ll have to report this dungeon to the capital before it develops more floors. So no time to waste sugar, come on.”

*****

Mean while in the largest humanist capital….

 Closely resembling New York of 1800’s, in the largest building, in a council room a large table cluttered with documents sat of a variety of human crossbreeds and a red haired manly woman in a man’s Victorian suite currently discussing the current politics of the world with her council men.

Bam!

That is until her father bust into the council room. Seized by soldiers a short plump bitter man shouted,  “I demand to speak with my daughter! How dare you bar my way. Unhand me good sir! Silvinesa, why are you here?! You should be meeting with potential suitors! Not conversing with these degenerates and half breeds!” he said with callous endeavor. Then looking at his daughter, “Why are you wearing a mans suite?! You are a proud woman of the Logostas house! There's no need for you to be a councilman! I swear of my 9 children, you and your sister are the only ones that can actually be contributable by marrying into an alliance with another house and yet you deny your woman hood!”

Slam!

“Shut your mouth now!” Looking around at the shocked councilmen she decides to leave before doing something regrettable. The red hair woman ushers her father to the council door. “Hold that last thought gentleman. I need to have a few words with my father.” She says with an apologetic smile.

Inside the stunned gentlemen looked at each other wondering when they’ll be able to tell the high counselor the news of finding chaos signal locations.

In the lavishly decorated hallway the red haired woman and plump man are staring each other down, “Father you know I have altered my name to Silvistor. And that you only have 8 sons and 1 daughter, my sister. You must get used the fact that I will never marry and you know why it must be so.” Silvistor spoke assertively to her father.

Her father defiantly but pitifully looked at his daughter. “Dear, it doesn’t matter that you can’t continue our bloodline. As long as you marry as the second wife to a powerful house then what does it matter if you are unable to-”

“That’s enough Father! I’m done with this conversation and I’m done with you… when you can see me as your son that has found happiness in his work and not a daughter you can profit off then you can meet me, but until then stay away.” Silvistor leaves her stumped father as the guards escorts him out of the building.

********

At the entrance of the dungeon Tokito stops, taking the cub out from beneath his tanned skin and transfers it to his chaos space. Stozo and Belace standing a few feet away are chatting about what information they would need to convey to the capital, but without warning they felt the earth rumble. Not understanding what was going on they looked towards the opening of the dungeon and saw that the cavern mouth was collapsing.