Genesis Locorum

The group arrives back in the Black Box, after a long and harrowing escape from Hamlin. They enter Emily’s dungeon body.

“Okay, chers,” Heathcliff says, catching his breath. “What just happened?’

“Well,” Carla says. “The village’s mayor had accused me of child abduction,”

“Daddy distracted him long enough for us to escape,” Euryale says.

“And we had to use Revotos’ Valley as our escape path!” Charlotte says.

“Where we encounter angry guards, “Tim says.”

“A werewolf with an uncanny resemblance to Heathcliff,” Elizabeth says

“And a giant moth,” Emily says.

Heathcliff takes in these details. “And you say that the Piper is related yes,”

“Yes,” Emily says.

“I’ve been there for most of it,” the knight says. “But it’s still a lot to take in.”

“So find the Piper, find the kids,” Sarah says. “Perfect.”

“Sister,” Richard says. “Do we even know how to find him?”

“I don’t think it would be necessary,” Emily says, recalling his ominous mention of a gift. “If anything I think the Piper will come to us”

“But why come to us?” Nina says.

“I have a theory,” Elizabeth says. “Have any of you heard of demons before?”

“Demons?” Sarah says. “Like Archfiends and such?”

“Weren’t those eliminated ages ago?” Tim says.

“Demons?” Emily says.

Elizabeth gathers everyone into one of the black and blue rooms inside the now five-story dungeon. She takes out a tome that she asked the Rosenkreuz guild for and opens it on a table. The illustrations of the book revealed various battles between bizarre and dangerous entities, vividly detailed alongside narratives of divine conflict.

“Demons are known as the adversaries of the Administrator,” Elizabeth says. “Created when the Lightbringer felled and was banished by the Ascendant.”

“Lucifer and Michael,” Heathcliff says with familiarity of the legends. “A once-namely Administrator and the first Messenger.” Emily takes the book and peruses its pages.

“Correct,” Elizabeth says. “Lucifer was in fact named by his vanquisher in ‘honor’ of a similar figure from his original world. In the wake of such came several other phenomena, the Unlifetree being one, but also the metamorphosis of the Luciferians, those that served the Fallen, into the original Archfiends.”

Emily takes interest in one story detailing a demon that had betrayed her peers and embarked on a quest to seal them, and her ascent to the Administrators’ ranks as a result. Her eyes widen in awe at the lengthy tale.

Carla asks, “Why tell us about them now?”

“I suspect that the Piper and the kidnapper are pawns of a demon,” Elizabeth says.

Carla gasps as Charlotte takes the book. She finds herself entranced by a tale of how a figure known as Harmonia had confronted a demon named Discordia.

“Okay, so we fight the demon,” Sarah says. “Find an exorcist and the problem’s solved?”

“It would be if fighting one is so easy,” Minerva says

“Indeed, “Elizabeth says. “Demons are not only powerful but cunning and crafty entities. The Archfiends’ servants can worm their way into many institutions and groups and corrupt them from the inside out.”

Tim sighs, recalling bitter memories.

Nina takes Elizabeth’s tome next and finds a tale chronicling what it believed to be an incarnation of the Sunlight alongside a figure claimed to be a Messenger, tole in the style of a children’s storybook.

“Now then,” Elizabeth says. “This is still a theory of mine, but one I strongly suspect is true. Can you tell me about any strange events that happened today?”

Emily is the first to speak up. “I heard a voice I believe came from the Piper. He claims to have a gift for me, it’s why I think he’ll be coming here sooner over later.”

Elizabeth grimaces, realizing that there is a chance that a gift of theirs would be dangerous. “Anything else?”

“That moth,” Nina says while reading the book. “It attacks us with scary illusions.”

Carla speaks up, “The alleged demon, I think it is trying to get to me.”

“How so?” Elizabeth says.

Carla takes a deep breath. “Six months back, my husband had noticed something amiss in Hamlin, around the time, the mayoral elections were happening. He had discovered bizarre occurrences at the Brokeback Mountains and sought to check them out, eventually finding a cult and alerting the guards.”

“A cult?” Richard says.

Carla nods. “Hamlin’s Gerda Marie and Samuel had investigated and found evidence of arcane rituals, some using the local fauna. One of the monsters I took care of was a victim of their practice. The rituals were stopped, but the cultists had taken their own lives, vowing to declare vengeance.”

“A demon can emerge from negative emotions,” Elizabeth says. The fairy flutters closer to Carla. “Can you elaborate on these strange occurrences please?”

“With pleasure,” Carla says. “The first sign was in Revotos’ Valley…”

Nina hands the book to Euryale and Stheno. They find the current page tells a tale of the namesake of the Dungeon. Revotos, the Reaper.

“The Valley,” Carla says. “Had gown more hostile and fearful to anyone not of Hamlin, Samuel, and Douglas had ventured there and learned that it senses a hostile presence in the area, but despite the town’s best efforts, no one could find anything suspicious.” Carla begins to wonder if that was the point where people began suspecting her. “Merchants from Noir and Gardenia had sense mentioned having strange nightmares while they stayed in Hamlin,”

“Come to think of it,” Heathcliff says. “There had been talk of some village near here being cursed.”

“More recently,” Carla continues. “I’ve been hearing voices.”

“Voices?” Emily says.

“At first I thought it was stray thoughts of mine,” the Alraune says. “But now, I’m certain the seed of doubt was planted by a demon who wanted to hurt me. Trying to have me think Hamlin would betray me. It is with great shame that the village would prove him right.”

Heathcliff grimaces.

Emily thinks back on her encounter with the voice. “Proof…”

“Something wrong, Emily?” Elizabeth says.

“The voice gave me a name as well,” Emily says. “‘The Piper Pruflas’ they said.”

“Pruflas…” Elizabeth muses on the name before taking the tome back from the twins. She could not find any instance of the name anywhere in the legends. Not among the list of seventy-two demons sealed by the Hope, or among the Luciferians encountered by Michael, nor among those the Pathfinder recover from amid the water in the seal of souls.

“It’s getting late,” Heathcliff says. “We should get some rest.”

Everyone heads to their rooms in the dungeon, preparing for the next day.

✦✦✦

The next few days are spent looking for signs of the Piper, now suspected to have become a host of the demon.

Emily heads to the Rosenkreuz guildhall, looking for any leads of missing children, but finds the mission board did not mention any sightings.

Heathcliff and Tim ask the many adventurers for information, but their queries turned up nothing.

The dwarven siblings returned to Eastshire in search of leads, but could not find any clues there either.

Elizabeth meanwhile stayed at the Black Box. Carla approaches her.

“You seem stressed,” Carla says.

Elizabeth sees the Alraune and notices that despite all that happened, she does not exhibit any sign of tension or distress.

“It is hard to be calm knowing a demon is on the loose,” the fairy says. “I don’t know why you appear so calm.”

“Practice,” Carla says. “When dealing with monsters, it is best to not show fear. They will act on all signs of hesitancy.” Her voice is graceful, but Elizabeth can sense the turmoil inside it.

“I’m sorry things turned out this way,” Elizabeth says.

“Why do you need to apologize?” Carla says. “It’s not your fault. Nor is it Emily’s.”

“And yet we—“

Elizabeth smells a calming aroma in the air that instills in her an urge to relax.

“I understand your guilt, Elizabeth, but there are better things to do than fret over every time something bad happens. Besides things will usually work out in the end right?”

Elizabeth takes a deep breath. “You’re right. Thank you.”

The fairy soon leaves Carla alone. “That’s right,” carla things. “Things will work out. I’m sure of it!”

✦✦✦

Euryale and Stheno wander the Dungeon. Thoughts about their parents are on their minds. They look at the shifting sleek black walls as they ponder about if their father is okay.

“I’m sure Daddy will be fine,” Euryale says. “Right?”

“Of course dear sister,” Stheno optimistically says. “Daddy is the smartest, bravest Daddy we know.”

“Will that be enough?” Euryale says.

“I’m sure,” Stheno says. “They wouldn't hurt Daddy after all he had done for them, right Eury?”

They two soon chance upon an Arachne woman. Lydia meets the human children and smiles. “So you are the village kids I’ve heard about! I’m Lydia, it’s nice to meet you!”

The bubbly spider unnerves the twins with her sudden presence, but Euryale puts aside her hesitancy and greets Lydia. “I’m Euryale Arion, that’s Stheno!” she says.

“I’ve heard you two will be staying here with us for a while,” Lydia says. “And so Emily has tasked me to help take care of you!”

“Emily did?” Euryale said.

“Of course!” Lydia says. “I made it my duty to help care for the wayward children that reside in the dungeon! Now come with me, the other kids want to meet you!”

Lydia takes the twin girls to where the Archane spiderlings are. They already found Charlotte and Nina nearby.

The broodmother grabs the attention of her young charges. “Everyone!” she says. “I’d want to introduce three young girls to you all. Two of them will be staying with us for a while.”

A spotlight shines on Charlotte. The young Alraune lass timidly introduces herself. “I’m… Charlotte Truce.”

Another spotlight then shines on the twins. “Is this really necessary?” Euryale says, embarrassed by the myriad of eyes on her.

“Salutations, fellow children,” Stheno says with a higher-than-usual amount of poise. “My name is Stheno, and this is my dear sister Euryale. A pleasure to meet you.”

The spiderlings gather around the three girls, to their surprise, but none more surprised than Charlotte, who saw a stark contrast between Hamlin and its lone school.

“You’re a tamer’s daughter?” A female Arachne girl says to Nina. “Awesome!”

“Can you teach me about the sea beasts?” one boy eagerly asks.

“I heard your father is an adventurer!” another child says to the twin girls.

“Can you three take a look at my webs?” another girl says.

Lydia giggles. “It seems they took quite a locking to you!”

“Hey,” Nina says. “They were my friends first!” In her haste to her friends, she nearly cuts the leg of another spiderling when her bladed leg makes contact with it.

“Nina,” Lydia says. “Be careful with those blades!”

Nina realizes the near miss and apologizes.

The day goes by with many of the children earnestly wanting to play with the new children and especially Charlotte. A far cry from her feelings of isolation in Hamlin. Before long Charlotte begins to sense the mana coming from the exuberant Arachne children, as warm as their smiles.

✦✦✦

The next day, Carla soon chances upon Heathcliff while he is out assessing the Nightwatch. “Oh, Heathcliff.”

“Hello, Carla,” he says with a small smile. “How are you taking to here, cher?”

It has been a few days since they escaped from Hamlin. Carla has taken to her new residence well. “I’ve been asking Emily to help me redecorate a bit.”

“Oh,” Heathcliff says, “Why?”

“The previous aesthetics has been… arduous to think about.”

“I see,” Heathcliff understands as much that the recent developments had weighed heavily on Carla’s mind. “Want to talk about things?”

“Maybe later,” Carla says. “But since you’re here I understand you had a night watch program?”

“Ah,” Heathcliff says. “About that we had created it to keep an eye on the wild animals, it was a stopgap measu—“

“I know,” Carla says. The motherly Alraune looks around. “But with this demon at large and the children from Hamlin still missing, I feel it might be worth having some of the Dire wolves and Chimera take part.”

“Have you got them to help?”

“I did,” Carla says. “They are proving well in adapting to the changes Emily’s encroachment on their territory had made. A little too well, but for now, they can sense if any intruders are here and ad been trained to warn us.”

“Excellent,” Heathcliff says. “I knew you’d do well here!”

“Thank you,” the Alraune says. “Have there been any word on demonic activity or the missing children?”

“Sadly not, cher,” Heathcliff says. “On the bright side, we haven’t heard any word on people from Hamlin paying us a visit either. Plus the guild is looking into smoothing things over until we can get your name cleared.”

“That’s good to hear,” Carla says. Things have been moving so fast, a few days ago, she was Carla, tamer of Hamlin, husband to Samuel, but not she is Carla, new resident of the Black Box, accused for both kidnapping and murdering her husband on baseless grounds. “Charlotte is also doing well.” She says with a warm smile. “I think she likes it here.”

“Glad to hear it, cher,” Heathcliff says. “Emily and I want to make sure you well and conferable while you stay here.”

“I know,” Clara says. “And I thank you, Heathcliff.” Clara leaves the knight to do his duties.

✦✦✦

“First a giant spider, now a moth?” Emily’s voice echoes to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is observing several new constructs, machines resembling the moth that Emily encountered back in Revotos’s valley, without the swirling rainbow patterns of its wings or the hum that echoes a pipe’s sounds.

The mechanical giant moths, while still smaller than the original entity, are still large enough than the usual insects. They flutter around the room, spewing glistening blue flakes from their wings.

“You’ve generated quite a large swarm of these,” Elizabeth says.

“Is there any way to turn them off?” the dungeon asks.

“Haven’t I told you?” the fairy says. “The creation of Cells and Constructs is an unconscious process.”

“Ah there you are Elizabeth,” Sarah arrives to the room. “Brother’d been wanting your opinion on—what in Titania are those?”

“The newest constructs,” Emily’s voice echoes to Sarah.

“Sarah,” Elizabeth says, “can you try fighting one of these new cells?”

Sarah smirks. “Leave it to me! I’m always itching for a fight!”

Sarah leaves to fight one of the mechanical moths.

A while later, she stumbles back towards Elizabeth, “Heh, piece of cake!” Her mind is addled by the flakes that are shed by the machine, causing her vision to see squares instead of more natural shapes. “Hey, where did you go, Liz?”

“I’m over here!” Elizabeth waves. She sees a blueish glow in Sarah’s irises.

A moment later the effect on Sarah’s vision fades and she is able to see normally.

“What did the moth do?” Elizabeth says.

“Kept trying to ram me and sprinkle these flakes around,” Sarah says.

The fairy is a little disturbed by Sarah’s swinging her hammer around, and causing blue square flakes to fall around her. Emily controls the floor to pool the flakes in a single pile and create a box to contain them.

“I’ll let Heathcliff know about them,” Emily says, begrudgingly dealing with the fact that she has to live with cybernetic moths inside her now.

✦✦✦

Later that day, when the night has fallen. A man begins entering the dungeon. Clad in black and red, and carrying a pipe. The man makes his move into the Black Box. The sounds of a pipe follow in his wake. Despite all of this, happening inside. Emily does not sense the Piper’s presence. Even as he makes his way to the depths. Until he is just before the core’s room.

Several Arachne notices the intruder and rush to greet him with venom and weapons. But the Piper dispatches them easily, tricked by the illusions of the man’s instrument. Several of them disengage to warn the others of his presence.

“The opening act is over my friends,” the bard says. “and it is time to start the main event!”

Tim is the first to wake up. Knowing the incoming threat. He arrives to greet the demon. “So this is what became of the ratcatcher from Noir?” Tim says as he assumes a horse stance.

“I am but a simple man, bearing gifts.” Despite his polite tone, the Piper Pruflas makes a combative stance.

“Release the kids,” Tims says. “You’ve caused enough grief.”

“The children of Hamlin? Very well then.” The Piper plays a haunting melody on his pipe. Before Tim knows it he sees nearly a hundred and thirty children emerge from the shadows behind him. Entranced and dazed, but empowered with a cacodaemonic force. The kidnapped children surround Tim.

“This young man wants to play with you, children,” the Piper says as he plays a tune, his black and red suit and hat make him appear like an Empyrean from Noir despite Stanley Piers’ more humble origins.

The children, possessed by the tune of the pipe, block Tim’s attempts on the Piper. By this point, Emily is now awake and aware of the invaders.

At the same time, Lydia is standing watch over the children living in the Black Box, including the Arion twins who had become the dungeon’s guests. Sleeping among the Arachne children in their webbed cocoons. They soon hear the dulcet tones of the pipe and unconsciously cut through the silken webs. Sleepwalking while Lydia is busy talking to one of the night watchmen about the intruder. By the time she turns back, she notices the absence of the twins. Horror washes upon her face as she and the night watch search the room for them.

“Not all of the honored guests are here it seems,” Pruflas says. Tim meanwhile tries to avoid harming the children as they serve the demonic Piper’s back and call.

Pruflas senses an attack from above him and sidesteps a crossbow bolt.

Richard from a ledge curses missing him as the bolt fails to sting the demon.

Three chimeras arrive with Carla, finally face to face with the Piper. “So the kidnapper finally arrives,” she says.

“Kidnapper I’m not,” Pruflas claims. “I’m a proofless man. Just as you are proofless, o beast tamer.”

Carla is not amused. She glares at the man. “Release them!” she says.

“Of course,” Pruflas says with a smirk. “But not now, they are not ready. And besides, their safety won’t change a thing.”

A chimera growls at the Piper, before charging, but the Piper plays a tune and several of the Hamlin kids move in front of the Piper, suffering cuts from the beast’s attack.

The cries of the wounded children echo across the room as Pruflas dodges the Chimera’s attacks.

Emily is now fully aware of Pruflas’ location and tries to move her walls to seal him.

“Tut-tut-tut, young lady, where’s your manners? It is very rude to reject your gifts.” The Piper plays a tune that causes Emily to involuntarily release him.

“What the” Emily’s voice echoes through the room.

Richard fires another shot, this time the bolt manages to impale the Piper’s leg and sting Pruflass with several bolts of lightning. Pruflas is shocked but the child captives of the Piper also suffer from the crossbow bolt’s strike.

Richard is stunned, he didn’t aim anywhere near the children.

Tim takes the opportunity to make a charging step to the man and trade some blows. Sarah also arrives to assist him with her hammer. But Prufles proves to be more indomitable than it initially seemed.

“Be careful!” Emily calls out to them, “He’s done something to the kids!”

“Why dear Emily, I merely brought them here,” the Piper lied. “It is not my fault the children were harmed.” He cackles as Time moves behind him and attacks with his shoulder. Separating him from his pipe.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Nina find the Arion twins sleepwalking. The two girls try to wake up Euryale and Stheno from their trance, but nothing they can do is able to rouse them.

Minerva arrives at the scene of the battle, using her webbing to restrain them. Carla meanwhile asks her chimeras to move the children away from here. But their attempts fail. Whenever one child is bound they vanish, and Carla and the chimeras are unable to move them from where they stood.

Nina and Charlotte chase Stheno and Euryale to the core room. Pruflas notices the presence of the twins. “And so the pieces are fully gathered,” he says.

He manifests his pipe to his arm and starts playing a tune. “By the powers that are vested in me,” he sings. “From forces infernal, damned, beyond grace.”

The children of Hamlin suddenly vanish, including Euryale and Stheno. The room transforms into an illusory copy of Hamlin ablaze.

“I offer these young tributes all to you.” The man shifts from the form of a Pied Piper into that of a gigantic rat, its suit transformed into a tattered crimson and ebon cloak that matches its matted fur in hue. His face retains a humanoid shape, adorned by horns and with striking emerald eyes. In his hands, he holds a red orb.

“Best me if you can, and take all my gifts!” Pruflas looms over the illusion of the burning village.

Emily tries to move the walls and floor, but the Bardsong of the demonic rat forbids her from acting. Her dungeon body is paralyzed, but…

Elizabeth and Heathcliff arrive on the scene, both seeing the gigantic rat within a room that now resembles a village on fire more than it does its true nature.

Elizabeth flies close to the rat. “Oh holy light, radiant and bright,” she sings. “Shine forth and smith the demon’s blight!”

A pillar of light strikes the demon, but Pruflas doesn’t react. Sarah launches Tim into the air and he uses the momentum to strike the beast with a kick. He then takes his Qiang out and stabs the rat while Pruflas is staggered.

“Bravo, oh warrior of eastern winds,” the Piper says. “But it will take more than that to best me!”

Charlotte finds her mother paralyzed by the fear of the sights around her. Haunted by the nightmares roused by the Piper’s conjured illusions.

“Mom!” she calls to the spellbound Clara. Who could only turn and see her daughter turning into a smoldering pile of ash before her. Even though Charlotte isn’t truly on fire.

The piper turns to the Alraune family. “Oh Tamer, I pity you, you still hope. But the village has already shunned you. Forsaken, abandoned, left to the flames!” A barrage of fireballs is conjured by the piper to attack the two. Carla sees her daughter be consumed by smoke and ash.

“Charlotte, no!” Carla cries out. “This can’t be,”

“Oh, but it is, for our daughter is dead!”

Carla turns to the voice and sees an apparition of Samuel, his flesh blazing revealing a charred skeleton, in his hand is a knife. “Carla, why? Why did you kill her? Why did you kill me?”

Charlotte meanwhile finds herself lying on the floor near Nina, her legs yanked away by the spiderling’s webs as the fireballs collide with the ground.

“Phew!” Nina says. “That was close.”

Charlotte sees her mother seemingly frozen, stunned as she looks towards nothing at all.

✦✦✦

Emily activates her avatara and leaps into the action, vowing to vanquish the intruder from herself once and for all. She glides through the illusions of burning cottages and strikes the demonic rat with her two blades.

“A proxy body? It would never do,” Pruflas boats. “Tis best to accept your gifts in person.”

The rat launches fireballs at Emily, Tim, Elizabeth, and Sarah, but they all dodge the blast as Heathcliff moves forward and attacks with an earth-enchanted shield. “You and your gifts are not welcome here, demon!” the knight says as he bashes the gigantic rat with his shield and slashes it with his sword.

Clara stares at the apparition of Samuel as it solemnly approaches her. The phantom accuses her of his murder. “You left me to rot, you betrayed Hamlin!” he says.

“I did neither of these things!” Carla says. “I wouldn't hurt you, You must believe me!” Her mind is trapped at the moment, despite that she should be aware that the dead didn’t rise or that she isn’t really in Hamlin.

Charlotte finds a chimera nearby. “Please, help me save Mom!” she pleads. The chimer lets her mount it and they rush towards Carla.

A demonic beast rushes towards Carla as she pleads with the geist of her fallen husband.

“Charlotte is dead now, and it is your fault!” “Samuel,” says. He hurls statements of hurt and betrayed feelings towards Carla, trying to force her to break down and let the Piper kill her. Swarms of rats on fire surround Carla, ready to ignite her before the chimera arrives to save her from the swarm.

“Mom! Please…” Carla hears a voice cry out. Clara blinks and sees the face of her daughter, alive, unburned, but crying. She snaps back to realize and realizes that the man she had encountered was an illusion a tick of the Piper Pruflas. She turns back and learns that the blazing rats at their heels are very much real.

The chimera maneuvers the burning streets as the rats race to singe and ignite the beast. The serpentine tail and the goat head faced the swarm and hindered it with icy breath, but it was not enough to quell their flames.

Meanwhile, Richard takes several shots at the Piper from his ledge, not coated in the illusions of a burning rooftop. The heat haze and smoke hinder his accuracy as he struggles to snipe the demonic Piper.

The Chimera, with Clara and Charlotte riding it, rushes to the Piper to aid the others. Clara morphs her arms into vines in a bid to ensnare the gigantic rat and topple him. The demon looks down. “So you had broke free of my illusions?”

Charlotte follows her mother’s lead and uses her arms to bind the rat as well. She dismounts the Chimera and wraps her arms around the leg of the rat, while Carla and the Chimera ensnare the other leg. Tim meanwhile uses his wind and earth magic to propel himself into the air and stab the rat with his Qiang.

“And they dare to call me the fool? How false!” Pruflas says. He summons the children of Hamlin in the form of a barrier of innocent playful smiles.

“Shine bright, shine true,” Elizabeth harmonizes to both blind the rat with light and coat Tim’s weapon in radiance. The weapon strikes Pruflas in the abdomen and causes him to topple. Charlotte roots herself to the ground by morphing her legs to ensure the young Alraune remains anchored, but Carla uses the chimera as support.

Minerva uses her webs to bind one of the rat’s arms and Nina binds the other arm with her before climbing onto it and dancing with her bladed legs for good measure. Pruflas struggles to stand upright or move with his extremities bound.

Emily’s voice calls out to the rat, echoes in his mind. “Release the children, Now!”

The demonic rat cackles. “I cannot release them dearest dungeon. The children bound to me, are locked in. Only my demise can free them from these chains.”

Emily prepares for a final strike. “Oh holy light,” she sings. Her Bardsong covers her twin blades in a brilliant light as she leaps into the sky and impails the demon.

✦✦✦

Pruflas’s form disintegrates into a swarm of shadowy raters, vanishing into the ether alongside the illusion of a burning Hamlin. The settling now reflects the reality of a sleek black and purple room, adjacent to the room where Emily’s core resides.

All that is left is the body of Pruflas’ prior form, the form of the demon’s host Stanley Piers, clad in black and red garb. “So you have bested me, dearest dungeon.” The demon says with a smile.

Emily takes both the Pipe and the red orb. As she does so, the Hamlin children reemerge inside pods that form from the dissipating rats. Charlotte sees Euryale and Stheno inside one of these pods, transparent and filled with a glowing crimson fluid in contrast to the violet hues of the floor and walls.

“Ugh, my head,” Euryale wakes up inside the pod. “What happened?”

Stheno follows suit “What a terrible dream,” She mutters.

Elizabeth senses something is off. The fairy turns towards the Piper’s body, lying on the ground and vanishing into a black mist. She then sees the red orb in Emily’s hand, a Pyrosphere, alongside the demonic instrument.

The Arion twins’ pod opens and the two groggily climb out. Charlotte hugs them, but as she does, she notices their faces feel a little different.

Emily observes the Pyrosphere. An Elementalist’s sphere of fire, blazing in scarlet hues with a slight vermilion tinge at the center of the orb. She lets the floor absorb her avatara and what she holds in her hand.

The sphere reemerges in the core room, next to the orange Geosphere on the formation. The Dungeon, and her allies, can now access the element of fire.

Carla looks at the pods. “Emily,” she says. “Are you able to release them?”

“I can try,” Emily’s voice echoes to the Alraune. She concentrates on the red pods, connected to her through the floor on which they rest. Sanguine-colored fluid floods the room as the pods open and the children of Hamlin step out one by one. As the last one exits, Emily begins hearing a familiar and dreadful tune.

“Agh,” Euryale cries out in pain.

“Sister,” Stheno calls out before suffering a headache. The children of Hamlin collapse onto the ground.

“What in the?” Heathcliff says, “Emily! Is something wrong, cher?”

Emily begins hearing Pruflas’ voice. “Congratulations on your newfound gifts.”

“Pruflas!” her voice booms across the room. “What have you done?”

“I did what I have come here to do, dear,” the demon cackles. “You have bested me, and so taken my gifts. The mana in the pipe carries their essence.”

Digital lines begone form on the children. Along with whiskers and ears resembling those of a rat.

“Once they were bound, they can never be unbound. Their chains can only be inherited,” the demon’s voice echoes through the dungeon.

Elizabeth realizes what is happening and gasps in horror. The demon had goaded Emily into turning the children into Cells.

The metamorphosis is complete and the twins look at each other in surprise in horror. Carla too looks on in horror at what had befell them.

“Farewell and adieu, my dear audience,” the demon says with a cackle. His voice leaves the dungeon, never to be heard again.

Realization dawns on everyone as Stella dawns on the land. What was seemingly a victory was instead a trick, and the demon, despite his defeat, had departed with the last laugh.