The morning air in Westford was crisp, carrying the scent of baking bread and sun-bathed cobblestone.
My baby and I had our breakfast, something we now have unexpected fun with, and now we were on our way to the city's core.
The true dungeon run was today, and both of us were pretty excited about it.
'On a side note, since Qwy doesn't have a dedicated mouth, she eats with her entire body.'
Food, be it solid or fluid, vanished into her leather skin... something I have been finding pretty interesting since yesterday.
'But considering how unique she is, this much should not be that surprising.'
The morning sun had barely begun its shift, painting Westford in soft, golden light, but we were already on our mission.
I found Reddy near the central fountain, her gaze distant, already mentally preparing for the day as the guard captain of the city.
That focus shattered the moment she saw me, as well as what was perched on my shoulder.
Her steps, going around in circles, faltered. "Aria…" The voice that came out was soft, but also deep.
I reached her, a grin tugging at my lips as we stood before her.
At the same time, Qwy, my feathered, one-eyed companion, shifted her weight, her halo of white feathers puffing up with pride.
"Morning!" I greeted her joyfully, perhaps a little too brightly.
But Reddy's eyes were locked on Qwy, her expression a perfect blend of shock and intense professional curiosity. "…What is that?"
"This is Qwy," I announced, a proud motherly grin present on my face.
"Qwy~!" the little creature also chirped at the perfect timing, as if confirming her own introduction.
For a long moment, Reddy just stared at her.
She found the eye, the physical features questionable and strange; she perhaps used her appraisal skill, but that did not work on her, making the question in her eyes even deeper.
Then the alchemist in her took over.
She leaned in, her fingers twitching as if she were mentally cataloging every detail processed by her senses. "I heard about the light from your room last night," she murmured. "I assumed it was another one of your… experiments. But this…"
Reddy carefully reached out to Qwy's feathers and brushed them lightly. Then the same with her eye.
As if on cue, Qwy sneezed the moment her eyelids were touched.
A puff of shimmering, gold-flecked dust filled the air between us, smelling faintly of honey and summer rain.
The event seemed scripted as Reddy's breath hitched.
She didn't brush the glitter away immediately.
Instead, fighting her instincts, she reached out, carefully catching a few glittering motes on her fingertip.
She brought them close to her eyes, her gaze sharp behind her glasses.
She perhaps used her professional skills once again; there was a light in her eyes and on her fingertips.
"Incredible," she whispered, her voice full of awe when her analysis was finished. "It's not just dust. This is… structured. It's holding the echo of natural magic."
"Or..." She was more knowledgeable about these things, but I still offered my observation. "She's just messy."
Reddy ignored me with a sigh, already pulling a tiny glass vial from a pouch at her belt.
She meticulously collected a sample of the glitter, treating it as if it were some valuable material. "Do you have any idea what she's done? This is an organic alchemist's dream."
"I was mostly just hoping for a friend who wouldn't steal my lunch; instead, I got a messy, adorable baby."
She could tell I was just as clueless about all this as I looked, and nodded with a sigh.
She then sealed the vial, her expression hardening as she looked from Qwy to me. "She's a marvel, Aria. Truly. But we can talk more about her after your dungeon run today.
You must be careful. You've already drawn enough eyes to yourself. Don't give them more reasons to stare."
She was more like my mother than I was towards Qwy. How much more motherly would she be towards our child then?
"I'll be on my best behavior," I promised, meaning about half of it.
She knew I didn't mean it, but she could only sigh and shake her head at me in disbelief.
We found Cass waiting for us at the edge of the main plaza, clutching his staff like it was the only solid thing in the world. His face was pale, again.
"I still don't think I should be a battle mage," he mumbled, looking utterly unconvinced of his own existence.
The association's classification still hadn't been accepted by him, it seems.
"You'll be fine," I reassured the little mage, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Think of it as a live test. We're just gathering data today."
He looked at me, bewildered. "Data?"
"Exactly. The dungeon won't know what to make of us."
He groaned softly, but fell into step beside me, his eyes darting nervously. Qwy, sensing his anxiety, let out a soft, reassuring squeak. For more chapters visit novel·fire·net
Qwy's existence was surprising yet not unconventional to him, as if he was used to seeing all kinds of weird creatures of this world.
The calming feeling he sensed from her was also pretty useful. Thanks to Qwy, it did not take him long to get back on his feet.
Then we finally focused on it, the entrance, and even my brave front wavered at the phenomenal sight.
The dungeon's true entrance dominated the city's heart.
It wasn't a gate so much as a tear in the world.
Two colossal pillars of dark, veined stone framed a swirling, silent vortex of deep violet and silver.
There were no doors, only that shimmering, opaque surface that swallowed the light and sound around it. Ancient runes were carved around the arch, their grooves faintly luminescent, pulsing with a slow, steady rhythm like a sleeping giant's heartbeat.
The plaza around it was a chaos of its own.
Armored figures checked their gear, robed mages muttered incantations, and merchants shouted last-minute offers for potions and items in the plaza.
The air thrummed with a low, pervasive energy that set my teeth on edge.
I took a deep breath, taking in the sight before me. "Well. This is it."
Different from the entrance inside the association, this was far more exciting. I could feel my goosebumps already.
Cass made a small, terrified sound beside me. Qwy, in contrast, let out an excited chirp from my shoulder.
Reddy stood back, her arms crossed. "I'll be right here by the time you two come back. Don't be heroes when you go in.
Just get a feel for the place today. We'll find you a real party tomorrow."
"Scout's honor!" I shouted, giving her a salute.
Then, with a smile, I looked at Cass.
He gave me a shaky but prepared nod.
Together, we walked toward the shimmering veil. The noise of the plaza faded as we approached the illuminated darkness of the gate, replaced by the static hum of raw magic.
The air grew heavy, pressing in on us.
"Don't get in trouble again... please."
Then, with one final shared glance between Reddy and me, we stepped forward.
The world dissolved into a rush of cool, silent darkness, and then... we were through.