Smugglers and Dungeons!

Just as Basila had said, the dungeon was in the middle of the forest. Right next to a waterfall. Although Icarus had been ready to follow the stream which went from the palace to the waterfall.

But Basila really knew a better way. A deer trail. One used by poachers, if the signs around the trees were any indication.

She was an enigma for him, and yet, he decided that now there were more important things.

"Shouldn't dungeons be caves?" He asked. Basila nodded, her face illuminated by the early morning light. Her hair had a shine to it, Icarus couldn't help but notice.

It was not the shiny gold that Ingrid's hair was in the mornings, but it still had a reddish shine to it.

"Hey!" Basila yelled, slapping his hand away. "Don't touch my hair! Your hands are still covered in sewage, and I just washed it! It's still wet!"

Icarus sighed.

"Sorry, my lady," he turned back to the mine before them. Then looked at the map.

There was no mistaking the waterfall. Or the strange tree which grew next to it. A tree with pure white bark and orange leaves.

It was spring. It wasn't supposed to have orange leaves.

But Icarus was soon looking at the lock of the mine. He smiled.

"Ok, time to break in!" He said, as he began to look around.

There was no way for someone like him to get their hands on a bottomless bag. But, hey, he still had something from his time as a bullfighter.

 Something he had kept for himself.

Just in case, someone decided to sneak in a boss mob among the bulls.

As he took out the mana rich scissors, Basila just raised an eyebrow. Still, she just stood there.

Looking at him.

Icarus cut the chains which were holding the entrance together with a snap of the scissors. He smiled at Basila, who was looking at his most valued possession with narrow eyes.

"How did you do that?" When she came to him and offered her hand, he placed the scissors in it. "Ah, I see."

Icarus scratched the back of his head.

"Now, that's good. Because I couldn't have explained even if I tried. This is…" he began, only for her to shake her head and to hand him the scissors back.

"A piece of Emperor's Basil's sword: Order. It is only fitting you have it," but it was strange, Basila had to admit.

Icarus was a miracle. A princess who was the granddaughter of an Emperor who had blinded the Horselords' army had married not just anyone, but the Prince Rebel: Isbul Dulo.

To be honest, if Basila didn't know any better, she would have thought that the Prince had kidnapped the Princess.

But, if that were the case, then Icarus would have had a horrible childhood. And he didn't act the part.

And Princess Irina had been quite the Warrior Princess back in the day, besides.

"I wonder where the other pieces are," Icarus said, as he pushed against the door. It opened with a dust cloud and cobwebs flying in all directions. "Seriously? Did those chains really managed to keep everyone out?"

Basila shook her head. Something wasn't adding up. But the mine was buzzing with mana.

She looked at the strange tree to the side. It looked dead now.

"There is a Lich inside," she didn't know if the core had created it out of a poor lost soul or if the Lich had been a result of the slave runes, but she still made the first step forward. "We can't let them suffer."

Icarus snorted.

"Very righteous of you," he could already imagine Basila saying the same thing about his own clan members. He knew she was cold, but he hoped to make her respect life.

Even just a bit.

"A Lich is a plague on the land," Basila protested in a leveled tone.

"Yes, but a Lich is still a man or a woman," there were no children Lich, or so Icarus hoped. At least, he had never heard of any. "A Lich can still talk, feel pain, feel joy."

Basila narrowed her eyes.

"What are you saying?" She snapped. Refusing to offer up the lives of so many for just one person.

"You just thought of the Lich as a person, didn't you?" Icarus asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Are you using our connection to spy on me?" She got closer to him, her finger jabbing into his chest soon after. "How dare you!"

"I'm not," and even if Icarus wanted to, he didn't know how to do something like that. "But, hey, if you think that I'd do something like that, then say it to me loud and clear!"

Basila took a step back.

"Because I have been nothing but friendly towards you! And for a time, I thought that you were finally getting better!" Icarus could not help his disappointment.

Finally, someone who was a connection to his blood elf heritage, and he couldn't even get their support.

It was sad in a way.

"What do you mean? That I should be like Ingrid? To suffer a cheater?" Basila yelled, as she weakly hit him on the chest. "I will find the dungeon core by myself!"

Icarus was just about to apologize when the girl ran off!

"Wait, Basila!" He yelled after her, but she didn't come back.

Just as he was about to rush after her, a stone fell and blocked the way!

"Basila!" Icarus didn't want their last conversation to be filled with so much bitterness! With so much anger! "Wait! I care! I care for you and the elves!"

But no one answered him.

Icarus cursed and balled his fists.

"You can't have her!" He yelled, knowing that the dungeon core was listening. He needed to find something! A hidden lever, or maybe something that could point him at the real entrance! "She is my flesh and blood!"

She wasn't, but Icarus was going to make her so.

And buy her 1,000 dresses.

Just to see her smile…