Chapter 26: The Lord of the Undying

When morning comes, Solor and Lili step downstairs to find that the Seekers are already at the breakfast table. Curiously, two spots are open; the two search around to discern to whom these seats are intended, but are quickly ushered to those very seats by Jenetta. Solor's wounds have healed, and both she and Lili are looking well-rested compared to their haggard appearances from the night before. Before jabbing a fork into the pancakes Jenetta has cooked, Lili takes a brief look about her to see what party is going to assist her in the upcoming battle with the Undead King. Cyrus is here, having pressed his suit from last night in order to wear it again; Gwenivere and Lissa sit at his flanks; next to Lili is Clarisse, who is busy trying to steal a strip of bacon from Fiona's plate.

Lili decides to not comment on this, and instead begins to eat her meal. Jenetta's usual cheer appears to be amplified on this morning. She holds Friedrich in her arms, occasionally scratching behind his ear as she hums to herself. "I'm so happy to see my guests returned home safely." Looking to Cyrus, she follows, "I was about at my wits' end when Cyrus stormed out of here with no armor." She giggles at this. "I guess you all managed to meet him before he could get into trouble." Everyone shakes their heads to the notion; "What?"

Pointing her fork at the man in question, Solor says, "This guy actually ran through the 15th floor by himself, Jenetta. He's as crazy as he is sharply dressed." She then dons a smirk as she follows, "Maybe even crazier."

"Solor, my dear, flattery will get you everywhere."

She scoffs. "As if I was complimenting you." She takes another look around the party before asking, "So what's our plan? Have you thought this through?"

Cyrus nods, a soft smile forming on his face. "Indeed. Since Lili will be accompanying us, I figured we could bring Fiona into the setup to run Chain Flame." He snaps his fingers to summon a portal of darkness; from this portal, he pulls a notebook with a pair of reading glasses on top of the cover. After donning the glasses, he flips to a page deep within the notebook. "From what research I've done on the Necromancers in this world, I have devised what I feel to be a reliable approach to the encounter." Looking to Lili, he follows, "Of course, it is all merely conjecture; I'd like to get the opinion of a proper expert before I finalize anything."

Lili giggles at this, giving a casual wave of her fork as she says, "I don't know about being an expert, but I'll help however I can. What do you wanna know?"

"Crow is a Necromancer as well; can we expect him to use Skills comparable to your own?"

"Yes, our family's techniques are passed down through the generations. I'd worry about how far he's tweaked them, though."

Chiming in, Solor says, "Some of the wraiths Lili summons can be pretty damn fickle at times, but I'd expect the pawns of the Stank Lord to be disciplined."

Cyrus nods to this, removing a pen from another portal to add a short addendum to his notes. Lissa leans over to get a better look at the notebook's contents, letting out a sharp whistle upon seeing just how much is present. "You really take this seriously." She grins, poking at his cheek. "You're such a nerd." Cyrus' reply is a silent adjustment of his glasses, coupled with a downward stare of disapproval. "Mm, I kinda like this stare of yours; you should wear these glasses more often."

Gwenivere chuckles at this. "I had a feeling Elizabeth was a woman of fine taste."

After taking a sip of her lemonade, Fiona looks over to the others and says, "From what Cyrus has told me of the creatures within this Stratum, we'll need to focus on fostering a defensive formation, one that will last long enough to supplement our offense." She closes her eyes, taking a moment to think. "I will likely need to increase the range of my Chain attacks to clear out the rabble, but that requires setup."

Clarisse says, "We have two uses of Tri-Shield for that. If Co draws power from the two of us, Lissa can do the same thing against the next wave of attacks." She glances at Gwenivere as she follows, "Our Overlord can save Tri-Magic for the later stages of the fight; you know, in case the Undead King summons a bunch of wraiths that we don't wanna deal with."

Lili nods to this, smiling at Clarisse as she says, "Yeah, and I can save Chain Blast for later, too." Her gaze then falls to Gwenivere. "You know Chain Blast, too, right?" Gwenivere nods. "Then we can switch up the user if need be; I'll just leave the call to Cyrus."

Placing a fist to his lips, Cyrus' expression shifts to convey deep thought. He is silent for several moments, drawing the attention of a few of his comrades. He absently says, "We'll need some items for this." He then takes to pointing a finger at some choice party members as he counts to himself. Curiously, Lili and Lissa are counted multiple times, while Cyrus himself is only counted twice; Fiona and Clarisse are counted once. He ceases his pointing and returns his fist to his lips. "That should leave us covered with a baseline." Looking to Lissa, he says, "Dragon Roar will be a part of my buff roster."

Shading her eyes at him, she asks, "You're really going all in with this Lightweight strategy, aren't you?"

"I am, and I'm taking as many precautions to ease your concern as I can."

"It's not impeding your optimal vision, is it?" He shakes his head, but she remains unconvinced. "How do I know you're not just saying that?"

"Lissa…remember what you said a few days ago?" His expression conveys a tinge of regret as he says, "I don't want to hurt you with more lies."

'He really took that to heart, didn't he?' Her expression softens as she shoots a smile towards him. "Don't make that face, love; you know I trust you." She falls silent, staring at him with her gentle gaze before saying, "It's…been a long time since I've seen you putting so much effort into a Stratum Boss setup." She blushes. "It's also the first Boss we've tackled together in years; I want to see you at your best again…and to fight at your side." He nods to her, electing to maintain his silence. "Glad we settled that. Now, what about everyone else?"

Looking to Fiona, he says, "Fiona is running Chain Plus, Amplifier, and a Bravant." The eyes of both Lissa and Fiona go wide at the notion, to which Cyrus can only chuckle. "We're short on buffs right now, so making use of Bravants seems reasonable."

Pointing at him, Fiona says, "You barely used them back when they were relevant in Armoroad."

He shrugs. "We had better options." Lissa raises an eyebrow to this, asking for his third buff. "You'll toss a Stonard to me." She throws her hands up in the air and adopts an expression of disbelief. "This is all part of the plan."

"Who are you and what have you done with the man I love?"

"Now that's just rude. I would have used Stonards in the past if they at least reduced incoming elemental damage. They get a pass this time since I want the insurance." He nods to himself, as if in affirmation. "Between Ray of Light, Dragon Roar, and the Stonard, I should have enough defense to withstand an attack even if I screw up a dodge." He then scratches under Balto's neck, chuckling as he says, "Balto's passive healing will provide a much needed buffer, even if I'm not expecting any mistakes. We'll head to the marketplace right after this."

When breakfast is complete, the group proceeds to the marketplace as planned. Syrik's expression is one of relief and joy upon seeing Solor and Lili in their healthy states. "I knew you'd be alright!"

Lili steps over and gives a bow, her expression shifting to put her guilt on display. There is an apologetic visage to her gaze as she says, "I'm sorry for worrying you, Syrik." She looks to the left to see Egar approaching; a fishing rod is in his grip, presumably new if the still-attached price tag is any indication. Lili jumps in place, holding her arm up as she waves. "Hi, Guildmaster!"

"Ah, it is good to see you have returned to us." Looking to the Seekers, he says, "I had a feeling you would come through for the people." Looking to Cyrus, he says, "Someone is looking dapper today; what is the occasion?"

"We're going to slay the boss of the Fetid Necropolis today."

Egar raises an eyebrow to this, though no one can see it. "Dressed like that?" When Cyrus mentions a strategy revolving around Lightweight, Egar chuckles. "Ah, of course. You would be surprised at how many Phantom Duelists refrain from using that Skill. I admit that it is certainly difficult to master." He looks among the group in an effort to gauge the nature of their setup. Upon realizing that Lissa is also present, he chuckles again. "Combining a Phantom Duelist with a Shield Bearer? If only I could join you; I would like to see how this sort of setup will turn out."

Resting a hand on her hip, Lissa smirks as she says, "We'll be sure to give you the full story once we return, Guildmaster."

Syrik looks to Cyrus and asks, "So, what can I get for ya?"

"We're in need of a decent haul this time, Syrik. We have need of three Bravants, one Stonard, and five Fire Jars."

Syrik's eyes widen at this. "And here I was thinking you guys never used items. I mean, you rarely buy medicine anymore…I was beginning to think you had gotten a new supplier." He rubs the back of his head as his face turns red with embarrassment. "I guess that was pretty silly of me." He gathers the items the party will need, and, upon receiving payment, dons his usual smile as he says, "Pleasure doing business!"

Around 3PM, after the party has run through its setup several times and adapted to Lili's pace as a combatant, the Seekers return to the 15th floor with Solor and Lili in tow. The door leading to where the Undead King resides continues to exude its malefic aura, which causes Cyrus, Lili, and Gwenivere to recoil in disgust. An ominous presence draws near, directing the group's attention to yet another approaching horde of undead creatures. Solor, just as she did last night, brandishes her scythe, a sinister grin upon her face. "You guys go on ahead; I'll handle these idiots."

As he opens the door, Cyrus glances back and says, "A pity you won't get to see the beating that's about to occur."

"I could say the same to you." She takes a single step forward, a thick miasma forming around her. "Take care of Lili for me."

The others nod to her, though she can't actually see the gesture since her back is turned to them. Lili wishes her good luck before stepping through the door with her comrades. Once inside, she takes a moment to focus, which calls forth two wraiths. Both appear to be male explorers, with one being a Fencer like Cyrus and Fiona; the other is a Warlock. They look about the party, with the Fencer donning a knowing smirk as he nods to Cyrus. Though he says nothing, his message is clear. They look to the girl who summoned them as she asks, "Can we count on the two of you to help?" They nod in reply, which brings a smile to her face. "We'll break his hold over this place; then you can rest in peace."

Cyrus focuses aether to his left arm, conjuring his replacement once again. It fills out the sleeve of his suit's blazer, making the setup far less awkward to look at. His shoulder cape has been absent since this morning as well, making the ensemble all the more noteworthy. He clenches his left fist, letting out a sigh as his attention is drawn to the center of this massive room. A creature that is distinctly inhuman stands before the party, glaring down at his intruders. The Undead King towers above the group, garbed in regal attire befitting an ancient pharaoh. Crossing his arms, Cyrus sizes up the king and says, "Not exactly what I was expecting."

Lili trembles with a mix of anxiety and anger, her hands balled into fists. She glares at her ancestor, her eyes filled with disappointment and disgust in equal measure. "You really abused the Ring of Undying. Your sister would weep to see what you've become."

The creature looks down upon the party, his eyes scanning them with no real investment or care concerning their strength. When he speaks, it is through his own voice, rather than through telepathy; most of the party wince as his voice sounds through the area, akin to metal being torn asunder. "I am the Undead King, ruler of these ruins." He points at the party. "To those who venture into my lair, only death awaits." His gaze falls upon Lili as his mind begins to wrap around her previous statements. "You…a descendant of my nemesis. You shall not have the Ring of Undying; for you, there will be only death."

Crow then recites a swift chant, which calls some sort of contraption to the soon-to-be battlefield. It sports an avian design, and seems to serve as a set of removable wings for the Undead King. Where the tail feathers would normally be is instead a pair of snake-like coattails. Both of them hold within their maw an undead swordsman that looks disturbingly similar to the Skeleswords, but are classified as a unique instance. The swordsmen are dropped to the field in front of the Undead King, and brandish their blades. Crow then dons his wings and takes to hovering a short distance behind his minions.

He calls for the wraiths to defend him from harm, but the Seekers are already several steps ahead. Cyrus snaps his fingers to send forth a shower of swords of ice, all of which explode into dust in front of the Undead Fencers. Even though they are undead, and should have no need for standard vision due to their lack of eyes, they are somehow affected by the alteration Cyrus' use of Phantom Swords applies to their depth perception. One of the Fencers holds its position and takes up a defensive posture; its ally rushes into the party's formation and attempts to take a slash at anyone nearby. Tri-Shield blocks the majority of these attacks, while Fiona dodges one completely.

The defensive formation of the Undead Fencers is disrupted by both Clarisse and Lili; the former fires an arrow coated in a debilitative substance, and even prompts Balto to outright trip one of the Fencers so that Falcon Rush can no longer be used. Lili calls for her summoned Warlock to lower the defense of the Undead Fencer standing guard in front of Crow. He nods to this, and uses up his essence to convert his form into an orb that explodes around the Fencer. Its defensive stance is broken, though it has not been damaged. Lissa stands behind Cyrus and gives a powerful roar, which envelops her comrade in a yellow aura.

Cyrus smirks at this. "Thanks, love. Now to see if I can go the distance."

"Don't take on more than you can handle, OK?"

After casting Amplifier on herself, Fiona, and Lili, Gwenivere takes the Bravant secured to her waist and tosses it at Cyrus. He catches this bottle, and drinks its contents along with the Stonard provided by Lissa. By this point, the Fencers are rushing at him, not only as a result of Lissa's use of Dragon Roar, but also because the under-geared swordsman looks like an easy target. He casually sets the bottles on the ground, and then draws his sword. Fiona has finished prepping her Chain Skill, and is now taking a moment to drink the Bravant passed to her by Lili. Clarisse endeavors to fire another arrow at the Undead Fencer she neglected prior.

Cyrus stabs his blade forward, taking out one of the ribs of his target. His blade is swiftly removed as he steps to the side to avoid a sword slash aimed at his person. His assailant is rewarded with two additional swift stabs, which takes out more ribs. Crow calls for a Wraith Dance, but both of these attacks are dodged in turn. Three blue flashes overtake his form, signaling the activation of Ray of Light. Lissa falls back to the rear line, allowing Fiona to take her place at the fore between Cyrus and Clarisse. The latter of the two drinks the last bottle of Bravant the party brought after Lissa tosses it to her. She then preps her bow, ready to make a shot that will assist Fiona.

A white flash briefly envelops everyone except Lili, triggering Gwenivere's use of a Union Skill. She has chosen Chain Blast, and hurls the orb she has conjured without delay. Her efforts seal the head of one Undead Fencer, the head and arms of the second, as well as the arms and legs of the Undead King. She chuckles to herself as she begins chanting a fire spell. 'Not too shabby.'

Clarisse motions to the flank of the opposition in order to fire an arrow that pierces through the legs of one of the Undead Fencers. As the victim loses its footing, Fiona rushes in to stab it with her blazing sword. The strike is enough to cause the wraith to fade from existence, which gives Fiona an opportunity to hit the remaining Fencer with Chain Burst. Though it does not fall from her efforts, it is promptly turned to ash by Gwenivere's casting of Explosion. The Undead King is left alone for a moment, allowing for another volley of attacks.

The party is unable to deal much damage at first, due to a need to disable the defensive buff the Undead King's allies left behind. Fiona swaps places with Lissa again, due to a need to re-establish the effects of Chain Plus. Amplifier's effects are also about to fade, prompting Gwenivere to cancel her use of Focus Chant in order to bolster her comrades. Clarisse and Lili lower the Undead King's defenses once again for good measure.

Crow casts off his wings and summons a pair of Undead Archers that rest on the back row. Cyrus frowns at this before stabbing the necromancer in the eye. His scream is no different from the awful cacophony generated by rusted metal being scraped against a spinning saw with dull blades. "Augh! My eye! Who stabs people in the eye?! You wretch! Archers, destroy him!"

Lili puts an immediate stop to this by combining her forces with Gwenivere, Cyrus, and Fiona to cast Tri-Magic, which obliterates the Archers before they can do anything; this leaves the party with two additional attempts to lay into the creature. Despite Crow's lack of an eye, he still has enough control over his spatial awareness to strike Cyrus. Though his efforts deal pitiful damage, the fact that he managed to land a hit at all is enough to remove Cyrus' accumulated stacks from Ray of Light. 'Well…dammit, that's annoying.' He feels a sudden power decrease, signaling the cessation of his Bravant. 'The Stonard is gone, too.' He takes a step back, readying his blade as he says, "One more volley, team! He's going to call his wings back in a moment!"

Though their efforts send the Undead King crashing and rolling along the ground, he is able to pick himself back up and call upon his wings once more, which brings with it another pair of Undead Fencers. Clarisse is out steam at this point, breathing heavily as she slowly makes her way back to her comrades. "Co, BB is looking pretty tired, too. What's the plan?"

He glances around to find that Lili has no more wraiths to call upon. 'OK, so that's out…OK, I've got it.' He takes a step forward. "We'll have to risk it; charge at the Undead King! Lissa, we need a Line Shield!" He rushes past both Fencers to take Crow by surprise, stabbing him in the stomach. Fiona charges in with a follow-up from Chain Flame, calling for Cyrus to dodge as she does the same. He spins to the side to avoid the Undead Fencer, performing two swift stabs that take out its shield arm. Crow withstands the assault, calling for both of his wraiths to attack again. Even with Lissa's use of Line Guard enveloping Cyrus in a protective aura, he is struck twice, both resulting in deep gashes in his chest. He falls to the ground, unable to keep himself steady as the pain wracks his system. 'I let my guard down.'

His allies are unable to dispatch Crow, for he calls for the use of Undead Shield to keep himself protected. Gwenivere, with no strength left to cast magic, rushes over to Cyrus' fallen form, evading an incoming sword slash so that she may administer a bottle of Nectar. As Cyrus' eyes open, he can see the tears in her eyes. "Darling, are you alright?" When he asks if the battle is ongoing, she nods to him. Despite the little strength that he has remaining, he can see that the Undead King is paying more attention to the wraiths attacking Fiona. Gwenivere looks away, albeit briefly, to procure a bottle of Medica II from the pouch at her side. "Hold still; I'll grab some medicine." When she looks back to where Cyrus should be, he is gone. "Cyrus?"

She then looks over to see him charging at the Undead King. "Hey, Stank Lord!" The Undead King isn't given a chance to retort, for he is stabbed through the brain. This causes the Undead Fencers to stop moving; they soon turn to dust shortly after. Cyrus pulls his blade from the target and performs a back-flip to the ground. He sheathes his blade as he watches the Undead King collapse forward. Just before Crow can hit the ground, his body disappears, much like the wraiths he once commanded. In place of where he would have fallen is a ring. Cyrus lets out a sigh as he picks up this ring. "We cut that one way too close." He looks to the others as he says, "Excellent work, everyo-" He is promptly cut off by Gwenivere and Fiona crashing into him. A brief surge of pain wracks his form, reminding him of the gash wounds he still bears. "Ladies, please!"

Gwenivere only just now recalls this same notion, and pulls herself away immediately. Tears are still welled up in her eyes as she looks to his injured form. "You had me so frightened, Cyrus."

Fiona pulls away in turn. "Right, you took two sword wounds just then. My bad." She lets out a sigh of relief. "I'll be damned if that didn't scare me, though."

"I'm sorry I left you with those wraiths, Fiona; you suffered some wounds in turn."

"True, but I'm not the one who nearly died. You were dancing on the edge during the entire fight; I'm just," a single tear streams from her eye as she smiles, "I'm just glad you're alright."

Lili steps over, a look of concern plastered upon her countenance. "Cyrus…you shouldn't be standing up like this; please, sit down."

"There's no need; I'll rest this off once we get back to Iorys." He then hands her the Ring of Undying; "I believe this belongs to you." She takes hold of the ring, cautiously running her fingers against it. Tears flow freely from her eyes as she falls to her knees. Cyrus takes a knee, wincing at the pain of his wounds, and rests a hand on Lili's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She giggles, finding some humor in her current state. "I- I'm sorry; it just hit me that my family is finally free from this curse." She wipes her tears and rises to her feet. She looks to the Seekers, an earnest smile upon her lips. "Thank you so much, everyone! My ancestors can finally rest in peace."

Solor steps into the battlefield. Her attire is torn in some areas, and the debris of shattered bones can be seen flaking from her with each step she takes. "All of the monsters I was fighting just up and vanished; I guess that was because of you guys. Too bad I couldn't join th-" she then catches sight of Cyrus' wounds. "Damn, they got you good; are you alright?"

"Nothing I haven't experienced before, Solor; glad to see you're alright."

"Yeah, likewise. I admit I was kinda worried about you, but it looks like you were just fine out there." She looks to the ring in Lili's possession; "That the ring, Lili?" Lili gives an enthusiastic nod, smiling as she tells Solor that their struggle is over. "Good to hear; we're done here, then. We'll head back to the city and get some rest." She grabs Cyrus by the arm, and starts pulling him along; "That includes you; you're not stepping up to the 4th Stratum looking like that." To her surprise, he is quite easy to drag; it is then that she realizes he is going along with her willingly. "You're…not gonna resist?"

"No, you're right. We have requests to handle before we ascend as well, and I…" He blushes, looking away from Solor to direct his gaze at his team. The others are looking to him with knowing smiles, which causes him to just look at the ground instead. "I don't want to worry everyone."

The group warps out of the Labyrinth, returning to the Seven Hills Plaza; the time is around 5PM now, with the sun's current placement bathing the city in a warm orange hue. Instead of turning in their report to Ramus immediately, the group returns to Jenetta's Inn to rest and address its sustained injuries. As they step inside, they can see Jenetta conversing with a woman who stands slightly taller than Cyrus, Gwenivere, and Lissa. As she turns around, her features become easier to ascertain. She appears to be in her mid-20s; long purple hair, almost black in color, tops her head, with her bangs sporting enough length to hide her left eye. Her right eye is ruby-red, though her gaze is gentle in contrast. Though garbed in form-clinging Celestrian robes, this woman is distinctly Earthlain. Lili and Solor take a step back out of reflex, wary of the powerful aura this woman exudes.

A smile forms on her face when she sees Cyrus and Gwenivere, though it quickly shifts to convey concern as she takes notice of the former's injuries. Though she is quick to admonish Cyrus, her voice is loving as she says, "Son, how I wish you would take better care of yourself in battle."

"I was doing quite well until the end approached, Master; you should have seen me."

Looking to Cyrus, Lissa asks, "As in…Master Annora? The woman who taught you magic?" Cyrus nods to this, a smile forming on his face. Lissa's eyes widen as she takes another look at Cyrus' supposed master. "Wait, that means she's also…" She then rushes over to the woman, taking hold of her hand with both of hers, shaking them earnestly. Lissa's expression takes a serious turn as she looks the woman in the eyes and introduces herself. "I- It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm one of your son's lovers; my name is Elizabeth, but you may call me Lissa…"

The woman chuckles at this, her soft smile persisting. "Cyrus has spoken quite highly of you, young lady. I admit that I was expecting someone more petite."

"My growth spurt finally kicked in after Armoroad."

"Indeed. You're as tall as your beloved now. Ah, but my manners. Well met, I am Diana Annora – mother and mentor to Cyrus Coelistis." When the eyes of the strangers go wide at this notion, she giggles. "Do not let my youthful appearance deceive you; I am truly over six thousand years old."

Solor, dumbfounded, asks, "What's your secret?"

"Eat well and sleep well."

Cyrus face-palms at this. "Mom, you're forgetting that you're also a vampire; that's kind of important."

Feigning ignorance, Diana simply smiles. "Ah, yes, that too." She looks about the party, chuckling to herself as she says, "Surrounding yourself with women again, I see."

Jabbing a thumb in the direction of Solor and Lili, he quickly clarifies that, "These two are in a separate Guild; we all just happened to team up before you arrived."

"Hm, how convenient. I figured seven would have been enough for you."

It is at this moment Valerie steps downstairs and voices her agreement with Diana's assessment. "I said the same thing, Master Annora." Upon fully stepping down to the ground floor, she catches sight of Cyrus. "Damn Chief, what happened?!"

Rapid footsteps can be heard approaching from behind Valerie, signaling Fae's imminent arrival. When the child touches down on the ground floor, she rushes over to the party with a smile on her face. "Welcome home, everyone!" She then takes hold of Cyrus' hand, pulling him towards the inn's medical ward. "We gotta take care of you, Uncle." Looking to Diana, she makes a request: "Could you help me, Ms. Annora? These wounds look bad."

"Certainly, little one."

When the hour strikes 7PM, Diana and Fae release Cyrus from the medical ward. His dress shirt and blazer have been confiscated due to being sliced open by the blades of the Undead Fencers. Cyrus instead wears a t-shirt similar in design to what Amy wore when she revealed her figure to Clarisse back in the Tutelary Forest. Cyrus' shirt is also black, but instead of sporting an image of Pyro Jack, his features a tiny snowman wearing a pointy blue hat. The creature waves to all who look upon the image, and upon the back, written with trails of frost emanating from the letters, is the creature's name – "Jack Frost". He motions to depart alongside Lili and Solor so that they can make a report to Prince Ramus.

Diana joins the trio, along with Clarisse and Lissa. "I intend to register with your Guild, Cyrus; we can handle that after your report is turned in."

He turns to face her, a look of surprise upon his countenance. "You're…gonna explore with us?"

"Yes, that's not a problem, is it?"

"No, no, certainly not! I just…is there a reason for this?"

"I wish to see the world of which you're so fond for myself."

When the group steps into the prince's office, he is relieved to see them. He makes his way over, rushing with all the effort a royal is allowed. He looks about the group, noting their lack of injuries. "It is great to see you all safely returned to us." The group takes a moment to recount the battle with the Undead King, also explaining the circumstances that led to the situation unfolding as it did. "I see." Looking to Cyrus, he follows, "Making use of Lightweight was quite the risky play, Cyrus; I ask that you exercise even greater caution in the future." He nods to this, sheepishly voicing his assent as his cheeks turn red. "I do not mean to lecture explorers, but you are all important to us here in Iorys." It is now that he takes note of Diana, who has been silent this entire time. "Hm? Might you be a new member of the Seekers?"

She nods to him. "Soon to be, yes. I am Diana Annora; though Cyrus does not seem to operate as a mage in this world, I am the one responsible for his training."

"How interesting. I have heard many tales about Cyrus during his earlier adventures in this world; he was always cited as a powerful, albeit unorthodox mage. Am I to take it that you are responsible for this unorthodox nature?"

She chuckles at this, shaking her head in kind. "No, that is all him; my son was like that long before I took custody of him."

"S- Son? Beg your pardon, ma'am, but you look barely a day older than Cyrus."

She chuckles at this. "Such are the perks of being an immortal, young prince. I am over six thousand years old by this point." It is all Ramus can do to avoid showing his surprise. "What impressive restraint; most would reel at the notion. In any case, as a member of the Seekers, you will have my assistance added to your list; I look forward to working with you, Prince Ramus."

She extends her hand to him, which Ramus promptly shakes. A smile forms on his face as he says, "Likewise, Diana." Looking about the rest of the group, his eyes fall to Cyrus. He disappears behind a pillar, soon reappearing with a large bag of ental in hand. He hands this over to Cyrus. "This is a token of our gratitude; please accept it. May I ask what your Guild's next move will be?"

"We have many quests to handle before ascending to the 4th Stratum; I ask that you grant us your patience."

"You shall have it. Be safe out there, everyone."

After exchanging farewells with the prince, the party makes way for the Explorers Guild. Solor and Lili yet remain at the Council Hall, likely with unfinished business to which they must attend. Egar turns to see the party enter the grand hall of the Explorers Guild, raising an eyebrow upon taking notice of Diana. "Greetings, Seekers. I am told that you helped vanquish the creature accosting the city's favorite pair of explorers. For that, I thank you. Now then, who might this be? A new recruit?"

Stepping forward, Cyrus motions to Diana as he says, "This woman here is named Diana Annora; she's my mother, as well as the master who taught me the arcane arts." Knowing the expression Egar currently wears, he follows, "I know what you're thinking. She adopted me after I lost my family…and she looks so young because she's a vampire."

"Ah, that explains everything. Very well." Looking to Diana, he says, "Well met, Diana; I am Egar, Guildmaster of Iorys. Do you have an idea of what Class you wish to take?"

"Indeed I do, Sir Knight. I will register as a Celestrian Necromancer. After a bit of research, I have decided to walk the path of the Spirit Broker."

He hands a clipboard to her as he asks, "Did you wish to change your title as well?" She raises an eyebrow to this, suggesting to Egar that she was unaware of such an option. "All recognized Masters are able to choose their own personal title – there are no restrictions, so choose whatever you like."

"Hm…" She closes her eyes, adopting a contemplative stance to facilitate her thinking process. She soon raises a finger, her expression brightening. "Ah, I've got it. I shall be the 'Soul Manager'. Yes, a fitting title indeed." She looks to her son, giggling to herself upon seeing his confused expression. "You'll understand why it's fitting if you think about it for a moment, Cyrus."

With Diana registered, the party makes way for the Twilight Tavern. Solor and Lili are here, each of them dining on a meal that Mirina appears to have just served them. Mirina smiles upon seeing the Seekers. "Welcome back, everyone. You did real good work today." Seeing Diana, she chuckles. "Adding another beautiful woman to the roster, Cyrus?"

"It's not what you think, Matron; she's actually my mother." As Mirina raises a finger, he follows, "She's also a vampire." She then motions her hand to accentuate her raised eyebrow and questioning expression. "I was adopted; I realize that I never told you of my younger years."

"Alright then." She smiles, looking to Diana as she says, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Diana. Your son has been a big help around here; you raised him well." This brings a smile to Diana's face in turn, though she says nothing in reply. "So you guys here for work?" When Cyrus looks over the list of available quests, he can only shake his head, claiming that the Guild still needs to work on the two it took a few days prior. "Right, you still haven't found a place for that seed, have you? Well, I won't keep you; thanks again for your hard work, and it was a pleasure meeting you, Diana."

"Likewise."