I page through various documents. Correspondence of lunatics. They were in the so called bishops' private chambers. The dwarf wouldn't mind me rifling through his personals. He was dead afterall. Now the boring part, finding whatever the sick fucks were hiding. Correspondence with a Sir Watson. Crowing about how he condemned my daughter to starve. Count Ericnae had already informed me of his betrayal, and my daughter's survival. This makes me want to add a zero to his bounty. No it's plenty, he will be found or he will never enter a Queendom city again.

  I sigh, I had sent her there because I believed it safer than the growing shitstorm that was the capital. The poor girl doesn't know how to stay out of trouble. The alchemist guild wanted her silk bandages to disappear, adventurers wanted more of them. She showed herself to be alive, showing her cute little ears to a bunch of fanatics that want to kill her specifically.

  I huff, I say daughter but there are two Saras now. The two see themselves as Sara. She caused such division of minds in two other girls. Her aunt and the aunt's lover. They have steadily gained more of Sara characteristics. They had petitioned me to get them to Gadvak dungeon mithril vein. Their bodies had grown heavy from the iron that laced their bones. It was a fun romp.

  My void cuts end the hydra fast enough. I had asked them if they had gained anything else. Beatrice had pouted when Barbain smiled a toothy grin at me. The tiger fangs flashing. It reminded me of how Sara would always try to intimidate others in the same way. They each ate half the vein in the end. It lightened them enough. By the end Beatrice had her own set of fangs.

  I got a note recently about Barbain being pregnant and if there would be an issue of further changing while gestating. I informed them that it shouldn't be a problem, her mana would continue to infuse the growing child. I wish the two the best of luck. The girl would never quit school over a pregnancy. Sara's command never weakened.

  A knock on the door.

  “Enter.”

  Cecelia came in. She bore a letter.

  “A runner brought this, said it came from the east front.”

  Her anger at me still existed, tempered. I had denied her reunion. Her movements are being watched by an annoying fly. She understood the logic but her heart had already been shattered by news of losing Sara. That the girl keeps popping up alive brought both of us joy.

  To Countess Magdeline

  Annoying, not a friend then. Best see what inane clap this was.

  Greetings Countess,

  My name is Qorth and I am the aide-de-camp to Lady Sara Maxwell Magdeline. Two weeks ago we were transferred to Krakner command. Upon our arrival, my Lady had disappeared from camp the same evening. Tracking her through a connection I located her in a secluded place. My attempts at speaking with her initially bore fruit but only half of her was awake. As days went by she has become more and more secluded. I have been bringing her food but I fear others have discovered her location. Please come to Kargnia at your earliest convenience. I will visit the tavern every night for the evening meal.

  Knight in Training, Qorth

  There was a dab of blood in the corner. Seems daughter is adding to her retinue. A secluded place? Her dungeon. Only half was awake? Just one of the Sara minds was active then. This Qorth had been keeping her supplied with blood.

  “Cecelia, we are going to need a carriage.”

  The woman returns to me as I hand her the letter. She looks at me in anger again.

  “I know, you must believe me, I want her safety as much as you do.”

  She huffs, “It is as you say, Mags.”

  -----

  It took a week to get to Kargnia, my entanglements delaying us. Cecelia left ahead of me. I was in the tavern waiting on both food and this Qorth. The food came first. The various rumors are a garnish.

  “They said the new dungeon just produced its third key.”

  “Who would plumb that forsaken place?”

  “I dunno, plenty of horned rabbits and Yetna tigers to slay. What's not to like?”

  “Spoken like someone who never tried further, deeper you go the more likely you kill yourself.”

  “Ah, but the dungeon just kicks you out, a little anemic sure but you lose nothing else.”

  “As I said, spoken like someone who hadn't been deeper. I personally hate that I know exactly how I'd kill myself. God the screaming the worse. Anytime someone gets chucked out, the depths start screaming.”

  “You hear what's at the bottom?”

  “A replica of a bandit hold near Yetna? Ya, heard sometimes you can find a girl with a spider lower half. No one managed to get by her. Hell no one managed to [Identify] her either. The webs are thick down there.”

  “Ah, our group found the bottom, it was empty. Plenty of spiders and bandits though. There's even a mithril horned rabbit if you're lucky. Though I heard the last group that spotted the bastard seem to get a direct confrontation from the spider girl.

  I ate my fare. Terrible. A yellow skin Orc woman approached me. Chimera woman. She wore Sara glasses. Clearly one of Sara's [Supplicant]s.

  “Apologise my Lady but are you—”

  “Sit down Qorth and I prefer Mags over honorifics. I am not my daughter and care little for decorum.”

  I weave a cover spell. Qorth looks annoyed. I can sense two separate sets of emotions in her. Clearly she can converse with her other mind now.

  “What can you tell me?”

  “Tracking Sara initially led me to a burnt out fire, a dessicated corpse of an adventurer was there. I had felt Sara emotions go through so many feelings that ended in pure unadulterated blood lust. She felt consumed by it for an hour and after that she was full of sorrow. I can only assume she killed the man. The puncture four wounds on his neck all but proved it.”

  “Do you know who it was?”

  “No, his features were withered…I think she used sustainer magic to keep him alive as she drank.”

  Meaning anything distinguishing about him changed as his body aged. My daughter's hatred of this man must have been great.

  “Any equipment?”

  “An empty flask and a crossbow. There were brown hairs and grey ones near his body.”

  Derrick, if she found him and ambushed him she must have been convinced he was guilty. No doubt asked him. The fool blamed himself.

  “No scuffle?”

  She shakes her head. Must have gone in with compels.

  “Tell me about her dungeon.”

  “When I found her rift, it was still the single room. At first she would talk to me, the one that was awake in the morning. She told me her other half never woke up after killing her daughter's murderer. She assumed her sister didn't want her to see the bastard murdering her and her daughters. I brought her game from outside to drink. She would wring it out over her body. Right, system, the Sara I talked to is the manifestation. She told me she couldn't get back in her body. When I brought a live rabbit to her, Sara's body started screaming. After that the dungeon was like any other. A barrier and interface with a key. That hump of dirt. I walked down the dungeon, she was in the depths. Sara's body was there in a cell, morning Sara next to her. She stopped saying much to me after that. Only that her skill leveled and it reduced the costs of maintaining her soul space. When a second key formed, I never saw her again, it didn't matter which key I used.”

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  Avoiding her, “How were you able to traverse the dungeon.”

  “Her monsters she made don't attack her soul.”

  Ah, because she is a [Supplicant]. If I could get Barbain and Beatrice here we could force a conversation with one of us…but Sara's command means they won't leave school. Only the summer break would be long enough.

  “Has Cecelia entered the dungeon?”

  “Yes, she was attacked immediately, the dungeon shuddered and the wailing began.”

  The woman in question takes up a seat at our table.

  “The wailing is the worst, it begins anytime I enter the dungeon. It's her voice screaming out. Monsters that attack pause at moments while others engage freely. I think she can only control so many, which causes the rest to fight on instinct.”

  I think on this, three keys now. I can get to the end and so can Qorth.

  “How far did you get Cecelia?”

  “To the bandit hold. She remade those she killed. A mind mage, two bruisers and an assassin. As a combination it's ruthless. The mind mage strength far outclasses its level. The assassin is undetectable. The bruisers seem far sturdier than they should be.”

  Sounds like they are borrowing Sara abilities.

  “So you died in there.”

  “A few times, but unlike the other adventurers I never have blood removed from me.”

  “She is taking the blood of adventurers?”

  Both women nod at me. And the blood causes Sara to wail, it's not mundane blood but living. She is torturing herself for feeling euphoric.

  “You'll need to get good enough to reach her cell, Cecelia. I feel we are in a race against time.”

  “Will you go in, Mags?”

  “Not until we can force a confrontation, can't risk her making countermeasures to me. If she makes a fourth key we will have to wait for Barbain and Beatrice in the summer.”

  “Why can't they come now?”

  Qorth has grown angry. She wishes to help her mistress, not able to understand how others could delay this. I give a sad smile.

  “Sara's other two [Supplicant]s have a standing order to complete their education. They won't leave school unless they have a long enough break. Hence the summer.”

  -----

  Even with my training Cecelia couldn't reach the bottom before a fourth key formed. I continued to train her. Which amounts to me and her raiding Gadvak cultists. She was tier two by the time summer rolled around. Qorth remained near the dungeon, always keeping track of what news was heard. A fifth key was formed.

  Qorth was waiting for us when Cecelia pulled my rather large carriage in front of her. She was completely exhausted. She walked around and knocked on the door. I came out first followed by Beatrice and Barbain. They [Identify] as Tibyder's now, their daughter in Barbain's silk sling across her chest. They had eight legs each. One pair shorter than the others with hands instead of claws. They bore my daughters ears. A full spider abdomen attached to each of their backs.

  Qorth was fascinated by this, she only had the fangs at this point. She had refused to leave for mithril to fix her bones. Though a braid was left for her on a visit to the dungeon. I was almost forced to compel her to eat it, so loath was she to use the gift.

  “Those who share sorority, do you have her desire for blood yet?”

  “Huh? What? No, just normal food for us. I tell ya, making my abdomen full took a lot of food. Like why did Sara's tail decide it needed to balloon out into some giant food store.”

  “Ah, but the looks of all the others made that meal all the better, love.”

  Barbain looks annoyed at her wife. There has been quite a commotion at the school when Beatrice leveling made her ravenous for food. Apparently the final change is the spider one. She just kept eating as more legs kept sprouting. Barbain waited for her pregnancy to come to term before leveling herself. Fool didn't wait a day after delivering, eager to match her wife. Their baby took an infusion almost immediately after, also a Tibyder now.

  “We should hurry up and try this, we only have a day before we must return.”

  I look at the panting Cecelia.

  “Do it, Mags.”

  I revitalized her body, a week of her life rested all in a few seconds. A week of her life gone.

  -----

  I am waiting at the entrance to the Bandit’s Suicide. A cheery name that got stuck after so many adventurers killed themselves in it. The aura of worthlessness gets thicker as you go deeper. Usually the dungeon is named after the boss but no one manages to [Identify] Sara. Likely because her body holds that information. I very much doubt the manifestation lets anyone approach her body. She will have to today.

  Qorth, Barbain, Beatrice and Cecelia all have begun their walk to the depths. The first three will find no issue. I need to give Cecelia half a day head start. We aim to force Sara into one of her cells. A dungeon must have a path to its heart afterall. An inane system rule. Barbain took her daughter, certain that Sara would never harm her granddaughter. That she already thinks of her as her mother is curious. My suggestion of being the baby great grandmother was rebuked. She did allow Cecelia the title though. Much to the woman's mortification. Perhaps because of it.

  Times up, I head down with the fifth key. The field I enter has a stream to the left and a set of woods further in. I walk by the various horned rabbits, they are docile unless provoked. The woods immediately shifts into a low light area. I dispatch the Yetna tigers that leap at me with simple flicks of my wrist. Their pittance of exp reports will sit in my back log of notifications that I stopped looking at years ago.

  Leaving the forest I end up in a graveyard. My Sara appears to be cribbing off her memory. It's not dark here like it is in Na's Crypt, likely because the girl never saw it as dark. I walk through the graveyard dispatching goblin skeletons armed with spears. A juvenile hydra guards the stairs down. My void construct cuts it in half. The stairs lead out to a dilapidated keep.

  Long abandoned by those who could maintain it. The bandit hold that was a slaver camp when Sara knew it. I walk in. The two bruisers charge me. I create a void wall behind myself, it catches the assassin that was attempting to ambush me. I charge forward, throw punches that utterly destroy the two faces of the bruisers. A mage shouts at me from afar. I walk up to him and snap his neck with a slap. More notifications to ignore. The path to the stairs is linear, none of the side rooms that you'd expect were there. Sara's memories of the place are rudimentary at best. Though she had the slavers' memories, did she ignore them for her own? Or does the dungeon Sara lack access to all her memories.

  The stairs are full of blood red silk. Her silk. Qorth told me of the change after Sara became a Tibyder. Both Barbain and Beatrice still had white silk. I burn it with light magic, not wishing to waste mana testing Sara fire resist. I walk down, the stairs chocked full of giant spiders. They don't resist light magic either. At the bottom of the stairs I see a mithril horned bunny. I raise my voice.

  “Sara, pull your pet away, mother wants to talk to you.”

  The bunny hops past me, no longer baring hostility. I walk down the cells. No other antagonist approaches. At the end I reached her cell. It's open, the dungeon not allowing the path to the dungeon center to be barred. Sara is there and Sara is there. One is a full sized Tibyder, her abdomen full. The other is gaunt, back against the wall, her head lolled down. Her thick tail between her eight legs. That Sara is unconscious. The dungeon Sara looks at me then her eyes are downcast.

  “Mother.”

  “Hello, Sara.”

  She titters, not unlike Phenolp. It turns into cackles.

  “She's Sara, I'm just the dungeon.”

  “You told me you both were Sara.”

  “That was before Sara cast me out. Now she is Sara and I'm me.”

  “Do you not share a soul, Sara?”

  “Stop calling me Sara.”

  The dungeon shudders. I crouch down and touch her shoulder. She pulls back before I can pull her into a hug.

  “Fine, not Sara.”

  She just starts tittering again.

  “Its time for you to wake up, Sara.”

  “Sara won't wake, she won't let me in. Sara denies me the memories of our daughter's murderer. I tried to wake her. I made all our scales deep purple. Aren't they pretty mother?”

  Still sees herself as the mother even though she denies the name. The scales on the sleeping Sara are a discordant array of colors. I cut my hand and held it over the sleeping Sara. The other Sara panics.

  “No, don't.”

  The drop falls, it lands on Sara. She starts screaming again. The dungeon itself shudders.

  “If you don't wake up this instant, I will tell your sister the truth.”

  The screaming intensifies, I feel as if the dungeon wishes to eject me but the dungeon Sara is in control and denies it. Not sure what grave truth I hold.

  “Last warning Sara, I tell her or you do.”

  Tears start going down the girl's face. The screaming stops, her eyes open.

  “Why?”

  The dungeon Sara collapses. Finally allowed to sleep. No doubt living through the terrible truth. Her cracked sanity is not likely to survive.

  We stare at each other. What hatred I feel is directed inward, not at me. She asks again.

  “Why?”

  I reach down and cradle her. The body which should be monstrously strong has wasted away to nothing. She does not return my embrace. Either she lacks the strength or she doesn't believe she deserves the comfort.

  “You did a terrible thing, you killed a man whose only crime was the guilt he carried of your death. He blamed himself. I assume he confessed when you compelled him.”

  “He did, I asked him if he killed my daughters.”

  A whisper.

  “And so you close yourself off, hoping to die.”

  “A monster like me deserves it.”

  Another whisper. Before I can tell her differently, she begins to cry.

  “Even now I want to bite your neck, to take your blood, to have my body burn in the throes of bliss, a monster.”

  “You and your impractical bites.”

  She tries to give me her toothy grin, her fangs thinner, more needle like and much longer. They are not the fangs her [Supplicant]s have. Failing the grin she shudders and cries more.

  “How can I continue, mother? Once sister knows, she will torture herself as much as I am.”

  She doesn't know her sister is mad. I need to distract her for now. To lift her spirits at least some. I don't know if she will survive this new truth, or join her sister in lunacy.

  “Have you seen Barbain? She has a daughter now, she insists you’re the grandmother.”

  She searches my eye trying to find the lie.

  “I'm not the dungeon, sister is currently, I can't see her.”

  “We'll have to wait till she wakes up then…Sara, you call yourself a monster but all this self recrimination tells me of your humanity. I myself have done terrible things, enacted terrible vengeance. It burdens our souls and our lives keep getting longer. You carry his memories, you saw his self destruction, it ended with you. The cycle continued. Now you destroy yourself, but you're not alone. You also condemn your sister with you. You saw her collapse, she hasn't slept since you rejected her.”

  I watch my daughter look down sullen. I present my arm to her.

  “Only what you need.”

  She shakes her head, “It will wake sister, tell me more of Barbain's daughter, I assume it's Beatrice's?”

  I smile, her emotions letting go.

  “Her name is Xena.”