Chapter 2: I Meet the Djinn of Lust and Wind
Ichigo and Ri found themselves waking up on the edge of a cliff. Or more like a plateau, Ichigo thought as she observed the sheer size of the dungeon. The rocky terrain was littered with holes so deep Ichigo couldn't see the bottom creating only a few pathways that one could reliably walk forward. Each option led a separate winding path down the plateau to a cave at the bottom.
"Which way should we go? 1, 2, or 3?" Ri asked.
Despite his words Ichigo saw four paths available. The first was a short "z" shape but the ground was unnaturally smooth and steep. If someone were to trip or fall, it was likely they would fall straight into one of the holes. The second was much longer and had a very slow incline but Ichigo suspected there was probably something wrong with it only because of its safe appearance. A dungeon constantly tests the mental and physical fortitude of the candidate-to-be to ensure they are worthy of being selected by the djinn. Taking the easy path was surely a trap. Option number three was a mixture between the former two options with a decrepit rope bridge that split the time needed to travel the second in half. The question was should Ichigo put her trust in such a hazardous looking path if she didn't have too? No. The last option Ichigo saw wasn't even a true path. Down the cliff face was a series of rocks that jutted out several feet. Ichigo realized she could jump down between the rocks and it would be only a little slower than the first option.
Ichigo should have looked for another option, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. There was something calling for her to choose the last option. Ichigo had come to trust her gut feeling, it usually led to a favorable outcome even if her original goal was out of reach somehow things would lead to an even better outcome. So instead of choosing the paths the dungeon had created for them Ichigo chose option four.
"None of those," Ichigo said, grabbing Ri's hand and dragging him closer to the edge above the first rock. Ri gulped seeing the bottom of the cliff, they were at least a thousand meters in the air.
"Princess, please tell me we aren't going to do what I think you are."
"Fine, I won't tell you." Ri sighed at her response. Before they could say anything else a howling gust of wind picked up a cloud of dust as it rushed towards them. They had to choose now or risk being blown down one of the holes.
"Jump!"
"Are you crazy?"
"Just do it," Ichigo said, jumping down to the first rock. Ri followed only a moment later with a yell just missing the gust that blew overhead.
"If we die I'll haunt you," Ri said.
Ichigo ignored him in favor of jumping down to the second rock. They steadily made their way down from ledge to ledge until they reached the halfway point, a larger and flat rock letting the both of them stop a moment to catch their breath. They drank from bottles of water and mentally took stock of their supplies.
Ichigo, as always, had her sword sheathed on her hip and was wearing her magic necklace. In her bag was five days of rations and two more bottles of water, a pack of bandages, a coil of rope, a knife, a set of extra clothes and a few magic talismans for emergencies. Ri had his own curved single handed swords sheathed at his spine for a quick draw due to his fighting style using a reverse grip and unlike Ichigo, his similarly filled bag had no magic talismans. His knowledge on magic was limited to the basics and a few noteworthy feats he'd heard from the military.
"Come on," Ichigo said. "We should-" She was cut off by a loud screech that had pebbles dropping on their heads. They searched the air for the beast that let out the screech but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't see it.
"Do you think it moved on? Or it's farther away than it seemed?"
"No, I can feel it. It's still here." Closing her eyes, Ichigo let her senses drift. She felt the wind rustling her hair and echoing in her ears. She felt something on the edge of her senses. It was cutting through the air quickly and sounded like a heartbeat. There was a steady thump, thump, thump, approaching from the north. Ichigo opened her eyes to the sky and saw a glimmer against the clouds. It was blurry, like a mirage in the deserts of Balbadd in the summer. The blur moved through the sky circling them waiting for an opportunity to attack.
It dropped into a dive bomb and waited until the last moment to pull up, the wind generated from the blurred wings sent them nearly stumbling over the edge. Ichigo retrieved her knife from the bag and waited for the beast to attempt to charge them. As it circled into another pass, Ichigo threw her knife with unerring accuracy into the beast's side. With the knife's handle sticking out of the beast, it made it slightly easier to keep track of it. The beast let out another screech in pain and performed a sharp aerial maneuver with rage in its eyes, not that Ichigo could see them.
"I have a bad idea," Ichigo said.
"You mean this wasn't?"
"It's even worse then!"
"I'm probably going to regret this. What is it?"
"When that beast flies past us again, I'm going to use the short range field of gravity magic to slow it down. Hopefully if we grab on to it the beast will take us down to the ground."
"You're right. I hate this plan. Is this the only option?"
"Well you can try and climb down while the beast tries to kill us for the next hour," Ichigo suggested snidely. His reply was swallowed by another screech as the beast's camouflage rippled away exposing it to their eyes; it had the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle, a gryphon.
"Holy crap," Ichigo breathed in awe. The gryphon had a tan fur and wings which blended in perfectly with the rocks had it been prowling on the dirt. Its slitted golden eyes were filled with wrath as it seeked to repay the damage it had received tenfold. It shifted in its flight by moving its four gleaming clawed legs in front of it to maul them to pieces. Ichigo had to time this perfectly or she and Ri would die. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her narrowed eyes entirely focused on the gryphon's speed and how it moved through the air. From what she'd seen the gryphon used wind as a barrier around it to hide itself from view and could use its wings to send gusts of wind. While it was possible it had other attacks, Ichigo decided to take the risk.
It was fifty feet away when she drew her sword. At twenty feet Ichigo shifted her stance. When it was ten feet away Ichigo used her necklace to lower her personal gravity and jumped off the ledge meeting the gryphon's surprised form as she bent her back in the air, just missing its swiping foreleg and flipped over its head where she stabbed her sword in its back pinning herself to the flying monster while increasing the gravity around herself nearly four times and clung on with all her might.
The gryphon let out another screech of pain and Ichigo reached her free hand blindly along its side for her stuck dagger. She bumped its handle with the back of her hand and fumbled for a moment before latching onto the black grip and twisted the blade between its ribs and harshly yanking it out. She ignored its agonized yelling as she instead stabbed the knife again and again into its back and then its wings until the gryphon started descending to the ground. The impact launched the sword from its back which fortunately flung Ichigo off before it rolled over on the ground and squished her beneath its muscular form.
Ichigo jumped to her feet in a slide before she finished tumbling, ignoring the cuts and bruises she acquired fearing an attack at her back, but the gryphon lay on its side with a clearly broken wing as it whimpered in pain. Ichigo studied the monster for a minute, judging if it was playing possum and waiting to lash out the moment she let her guard down. Ichigo advanced cautiously towards the wounded beast as she stared into the murderous eyes. It pitifully tried to swipe at her but Ichigo leaned just out of reach. Its energy seemingly spent, the gryphon waited for Ichigo to finish it off and dropped its head to the earth.
"Good riddance," Ichigo whispered, and then decapitated the monster. Ichigo saw the look in its eyes, it was a mad beast that attacked anything in its way, its feline nature making it enjoy playing with its food before it died. Such a monster could only deserve death. Ichigo looked up at Ri as he carefully descended the cliff. Despite running into the gryphon Ichigo was glad she had chosen this path. Between the hazardous winds on the other paths, the sheer time it would take, and eroded rock now Ichigo had a different perspective, they had lucked out in their decision. Or rather her decision and Ri was forced along for the ride like usual.
"Please don't ask me to do that again Princess," Ri said once he climbed down to the bottom with shuddering limbs. Between the height, his fear for her, and the strain on his muscles at having to scale the cliffside in a couple places, it was clear why Ri collapsed on his back and took heaving breaths to regain his strength. But because this is a dungeon, things are never that easy.
The ground beneath their feet cracked and they had enough time to grab each other's hands before the land beneath their feet crumbled away and they found themselves in a free fall. Ichigo wrapped her arms around Ri and kicked off the rock wall in an effort to aim for a river lazily meandering off to the side. They hit the freezing water with a loud splash all the air driven from their lungs and Ichigo bounced off the riverbed, she involuntarily cried out into the water and her open mouth was an invitation to rush in. She choked as she flailed what felt like broken arms in a mocked attempt at swimming for the surface before Ri grabbed her beneath her armpits and kicked his legs managing to get himself a breath as Ichigo hacked out water. Ichigo had to kick off her shoes as the weight was dragging her down. With oxygen in her lungs, Ichigo was able to shake the black spots clouding her vision and together they swam for dry land.
"Thanks," Ichigo coughed the last bit of water from her chest. "I thought I was a goner for a moment there. I told you I needed you," Ichigo warmly smiled at her friend, ignorant to the flush creeping down his cheeks to his neck and chest.
"Your welcome," Ri squeaked, before he realized something was missing. "We lost our bags." The loss of their food was unfortunate, but the loss of their water bottles was the real concern. While they were next to a river there was no guarantee they would be able to stay within reach, especially given the monsters that roamed and ever changing terrain. The loss of her talismans were also disappointing, Ichigo was now incapable of performing magic outside of her necklace and magoi manipulation. Forcefully suppressing a sigh Ichigo gestured for them to move on while keeping the river to their left.
They were in a tall cavern that only had two directions which the river traveled and a narrow pathway on the sides. "Lovely, more dangerous footing," Ichigo thought. It was after a couple minutes of silence that they heard rustling in the walls. There were indentations in the walls where the sound echoed from letting them know their next obstacle was about to rear its head. Dozens of wings burst to life as hawks, falcons, owls, and eagles launched from their nests at the intruders.
"I am starting to develop a hatred for birds," Ichigo snarled, her sword slicing through the first three birds trying to claw her face. Ri had his dual blades flashing in the dim light as he covered her back, the two advancing for the exit at the end of the cavern where they could hopefully bottleneck the whirlwind of birds. Ichigo felt a talon nick her ear and separated its owner's wing as it spiraled in the air and knocked another three birds out of the air. She stomped on their fragile necks and skull in their dazed state before rushing to the doorway with Ri at her heels.
Feathers exploded and blood sprayed as the two humans slaughtered the enraged birds as they steadily acquired a plethora of tiny cuts on their arms. There were just so many birds they nearly blocked out the light that it seemed like their numbers were infinite. Ichigo felt cut number one hundred and growled at the stupid, suicidal birds and snapped drawing her magoi to her necklace as she slashed her sword in an overhead swing there was a gravitational sword following her swing cleaving their population in two. The remaining birds cried and the majority fled back to the nests while the last few were easy for the two to pick off.
The sigh of relief that Ri let out had Ichigo chuckling before laughing uproariously at the situation the two found themselves in. They were still alive, still swinging. Ichigo poked her head through the doorway and found a small alcove that had a small opening on the other side, but it would make do as a resting stop. The two collapsed on the rocky ground and Ichigo tore a portion of her robes from her legs and cut it into strips as makeshift bandages. Grabbing a protesting Ri at how she should treat herself first, Ichigo soaked them in the river before she carefully wrapped them around his deeper cuts on his arms. They were the most exposed target for the birds so it was only natural they were so damaged. Ichigo pulled the knot tight around the boy earning a small wince. She had to assist Ri in correctly tying her bandages but in the end the two had red soaked sleeves covering their arms from view.
"It'll do. Get some sleep Ri, I'll take the first watch. I promise to wake you in a few hours," Ichigo cut off the suspicious look in his eyes since he knew she would likely let him sleep until they had to depart. But since she promised, Ri knew she wouldn't go back on her word. She wasn't like that. So, with one last question if they couldn't switch shifts which was quickly denied with crossed arms and a pointed glare, he surrendered and closed his eyes. He was asleep before his head rested against the wall.
Ichigo leant against the wall and thought about the challenges they had faced so far. The first was definitely questioning the character and decision making of the candidate. If they chose the first they would slip to their deaths, the long route meant you were afraid of facing death and the wind would likely push them off the edge. The dangerous looking third path was likely the path they should have taken had she not thought of another option. The question was did the gryphon face them because she "cheated" the dungeon's path? Or was it meant to happen regardless of what path they chose? Shaking her head at the useless speculation, Ichigo turned her focus to the second obstacle.
Surviving the free fall required quick reaction time and faith in her abilities to reach the goal. The birds were a test of endurance because they kept attacking from the same directions instead of trying to flank them. It was like they were just trying to tire them out. The hours passed as Ichigo contemplated possible scenarios of what the dungeon would throw at them next before it was Ri's time to keep watch as she curled up in a ball with her arm beneath her head.
Ri looked at his only friend and princess as a few red hairs had escaped their braid and were next to her mouth. Every time she exhaled they floated out before gravity brought them back to her mouth. He stifled his laugh lest he wake her. She looked younger when she was asleep. The mask of royalty slid off leaving a girl only a few years older than him who was in over her head, at least that was what Ri thought. Though his loyalty was cemented to her, he would never leave her side. Whatever challenges she faced, she could be sure he would be at her side waiting. Whatever problems she had on her shoulders she could share the burden and he would carry them with pride and a smile.
With her shoes missing, torn dress, and bandaged arms Ri thought how different she looked. If it wasn't for the black and silver cuirass around her middle, he would have thought she was a commoner. Ri didn't know how long he spent alternating between looking at her and the dark caverns, but it was the sound of moisture dripping along the cave walls that let out a particularly large drop that startled Ichigo awake, her hand clutching onto her sword's grip. Ri smiled reassuringly at her to show there was no danger before the two continued on for the next challenge.
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There were flying spirits that drifted through the air, Ichigo thought they were called Aurai. They observed them as they clenched their hands around their swords waiting for them to cut their act of civility. Ichigo was expecting everything to be hostile at this point. One decided to drift down in front of them, cutting off their approach to the glowing door on the opposite side of the room.
The room was full of old statues of heroes from a mixture of ethnicities and cultures. A full armor plated English knight from the medieval era to the hunting leathers and silks of China. Or whatever their country's equivalent is in this world. The spirits rested on their shoulders or shields before they grew bored and floated away to find something else to do. But they never left the room or, Ichigo suspected, let their attention drift from Ichigo and Ri despite their ghostly eyes looking away from them.
"Hello," the spirit said, moving to sit on a statue's foot and crossing her legs. "Why do you wish to be king?" Ichigo stared at the spirit before asking, "Are you a creation of the Djinn?"
The spirit laughed at her question, though it didn't sound insulting. More like an adult indulging a child's whims. Something Ichigo pointedly ignored given her age.
"We are all part of the Djinn's creations. The dungeon shapes itself to create a world to test the candidate that the Djinn approves of."
"So this is all an illusion? None of it is real?"
"It is most definitely real. But you aren't wrong in thinking it's an illusion either."
"Huh?"
"The illusion becomes real once you press your hand to the door. That moment where you remain suspended in space, it reads your mind and creates a worthy test for you to test your abilities," the spirit explained.
"I see. Why are you here?" Ichigo asked. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I am a test." Ichigo drew her sword in a flash. The spirits grew rigid at her hostility and drew closer but halted when the leading spirit raised her hand.
"Pease, young candidate. I am not a physical combatant. I wish to test your mind. Why do you wish to be king?" the spirit repeated.
"There are many problems in the Kou empire. I need a large supply of money to start my ventures in fixing them." The spirit tilted her head in thought at her answer.
"The Kou empire is wealthy, why do you need more when you may ask them for it?" She questioned.
"It wouldn't feel right asking my siblings for money. Especially when it might go against their own beliefs of what is morally right or wrong. I'm not usually one that accepts relying on others when I can do it myself unless I have to."
The spirit smiled its glowing white transparent teeth. "A most worthy attitude. However, a king is only a king because he has subjects. Make sure your beliefs don't inhibit you from making the proper decisions in the future should you pass all of the trials. Delegation is a necessity for any ruler." Ichigo took the words of wisdom to heart. She knew that she would face problems that couldn't be faced alone. That was why she had her friends.
"However there is one more thing we must speak about before you leave," the Aurai said. "Only one person may open the door. Whoever enters must leave the other here."
"What happens to the person left here?" Ichigo asked, dread pooling her stomach at leaving Ri alone in the dungeon.
"We will devour them," the spirit said, its teeth transforming into sharp fangs. "Only one person can be king, and only one person can pass the locked door. And only we have the spell to unlock the door. Make your decision."
"I-Ichigo. I can-"
"Like hell!" She screamed. "I won't let you die for some stupid reason."
"But-" Ri was again interrupted.
"No." Ichigo looked into the transformed spirit's eyes. They were focused on her, waiting for the decision.
"So only you can unlock the door?" She received a nod. "And only one can pass through because of the spell used?" Another nod. Ichigo smirked, "Good. Then there's nothing stopping me from breaking that door down and both of us can enter, is there?" The spirit smiled a fanged grin before Ichigo blitzed the door and slashed her sword into the door, the magoi coating her blade and the added boost of gravity magic splitting the door before Ichigo brought her blade down again and again before the door had a hole for the two of them to squeeze through.
"Well done," said the spirit, transforming back to her earlier state. "You may pass on to the next test. By the way, we could never touch you anyway," the spirit pushed her hand through a surprised looking Ri and it left a shiver down his spine at seeing an ethereal limb moving through his chest.
"That spirit tricked me," Ichigo cursed and grumbled under her breath as they went down a passage to the next room. Ri only laughed at her curses, happy he didn't have to die. It is one thing to say he was willing to die for her, but it was another thing entirely to actually experience it. He certainly didn't have a death wish. Ichigo stopped her tirade hearing his giggles echoing behind her. Ri offered her his life without a second thought all to accomplish her goals. Ichigo had found another Chad to guard her back. While their stature couldn't be more different, their fighting spirit and loyalty were the same. It screamed that they would follow her into the depths of Hell itself if she asked and even if she didn't.
"Seisyun Ri, I order you to not throw your life away ever again. Do you understand me?" Ichigo got down in front of his face, her eyes flashing a dangerous gleam with a promise of torture should he disobey her order.
"I-I got it," Ri surrendered, raising his hands to his head.
The next "room" opened up to what looked like the outside. A forested region with hundreds of Hippogryphs grazing, hunting, playfully splashing in a large pool as they washed their mixture of white, grey, brown, or black feathers. Ichigo also saw a couple off to the side intending on increasing their population of hybrids. However, the (flock?) herd stopped whatever they were doing as a loud explosion echoed throughout the forest. The source was made clear as two large hippogryphs clashed and tumbled, sending sharp wind gusts to tear through each other's flesh with every heavy beat of their wings. One was covered in black feathers and was clearly older, indicated by both its scars and size. Its opponent held pristine white and grey feathers that glimmered like silver in the sunlight. The larger hybrid was clearly dominating the fight, its increased size proving to be an advantage over its counterpart. However what the smaller hippogryph lacked in size it made up for in speed and its larger magoi reserves. The grey and white hybrid attacked with nearly countless small attacks that steadily stripped away at the black alpha hippogryph. The alpha had lived through many battles though and used its experience and age to its advantage. It created a tornado with both of its wings and flew higher in the air above the smaller one and as it struggled the resistance of the fierce gale it missed the black alpha dropping on top of its form.
With a cry of pain the hippogryphs slammed into the ground creating another dust cloud. Ichigo ran closer to the two fighting monsters. Her instincts lead her to watch the fight with a hair trigger. Her sword is in the position of quick drawing in a flash. It was a bastardized form of Iaijutsu given she wasn't holding a katana.
The black hippogryph led out a triumphant cry as it tried to end its foe and Ichigo knew she had to stop it. Her necklace released its glowing eight pointed star showing its activation and Ichigo sent out a large burst of magic to surround the monster, it felt a crushing force on its limbs and slammed into the dirt. The silvery hybrid took the chance and bit down on the hollow of the alpha's throat.
Ichigo blurred behind the alpha, her sword flashed once cutting through the spine and was wiped away before it was returned to its sheathe. Between the two forces the black hippogryph collapsed, falling in one direction as its head bounced to the ground in the other. The once silvery looking coat of the other hippogryph was stained in blood from the corpse. The new alpha gazed at her with gratitude and suspicion at her assistance as it fell to the ground its own injuries flaring.
As Ichigo reached out a hand to touch the injured animal it snapped its beak towards the probing hand. Ichigo jerked back and made a shushing sound to try and ease the animal.
"It's alright. I won't hurt you," Ichigo promised. "Ri get some water."
"Um, how?" Ri asked. They didn't have any supplies with them capable of carrying water. Ichigo looked around at the destruction the two monsters made in their clash and saw one particular tree that broke. The branch was wide and domed. If she cut the other side it could turn into a bowl. With a grimace Ichigo summoned up more magoi to the blade to cut through the wood in one blow. After the long fights and use of her gravity magic tool, Ichigo was finally feeling the strain of overusing her magoi. While her physical conditions had improved even more training under her mother, it did not mean she had unlimited stamina. The wave of exhaustion hit her like a truck, but she shook her head to focus on the task at hand.
Ri returned and Ichigo cut more of her robe into bandages. "If this continued she'd be naked," Ichigo joked to herself as she soaked them in the bowl and placed them on the wary animal. The hippogryph studied every move as if expecting an attack. As Ichigo finished her task she was startled by a voice in her mind.
"Thank you," came a quiet murmur that was distinctly female. Ichigo jerked her head to the hippogryphs gaze. The yellow eyes crinkled in a human-like fashion of humor at her expression of shock, her eyes widened and mouth gaping.
"Your welcome," Ichigo whispered.
"Hmm, did you say something princess?" Ri asked. Ichigo just smiled at her friend, keeping the fact that the hippogryph could communicate with her.
"Your assistance was appreciated, but largely unnecessary. I could have won," the monster said in her mind. "That was my kill to take. Why did you step in?"
"I don't know. It looked like you needed help, so I did," Ichigo responded mentally, hoping she could hear the response. The snort the female hybrid made answered that.
"You're rather simple minded for a human aren't you?" The monster mocked. Ichigo twitched in annoyance and dug a finger into one of its cuts earning a squawk.
"I was waiting to unleash my trump card. I would have won," the hybrid denied, its apology conveyed without words.
"I'm sure you would," Ichigo teased back, before asking aloud, "Can you help us to the Djinn. The hippogryph nodded and jerked its head to the east.
"Head that way. There's a glowing gate waiting for you between two pillars," the monster mentally told her.
"Thank you." Ichigo left with Ri scratching his head in confusion at the silent exchanges of glances the two were sharing. Did his princess have the ability to speak to horses? That seemed like the kind of ability that would come up between friends in conversation. Like, "my favorite color is red, I like chocolate for dessert, and oh, I can speak to horses!" Ri shook his head as he trailed behind Ichigo at the weird thoughts in his head. Maybe he was just delirious from exhaustion from all the fighting? He wouldn't learn how close to the mark he was for many years.
The two stood before the gate with the indentation of two right hands. Before they opened them, Ichigo asked a question that had Ri crying in laughter. "Could I just turn the back of my left hand to open both doors myself?"
The friends placed their hands on the door and Ichigo shouted the spell, "Open Sesame!" The magic flash blinded them before once again they were in a new location. A treasure room made of stone. Only the chosen candidate could claim the treasure. In the center of the room was a pedestal with a stone orb, the container of the ninth Djinn Paimon.
Sensing their approach, the orb shined and malleable blue flesh formed in the air into a woman with black hair and long pointed ears, who called out, "Who is the one who would be king?"
She had long red painted nails that rested against her beautiful face. She was only adorned in golden jewelry, her nipples connected by chains between her voluptuous breasts and a collar of gold and rubies, with chained armlets and bands around her thighs which were decorated with more rubies. Her only form of clothing was a piece of white cloth that barely covered more than a loincloth. The only description Ichigo could think of to accurately convey the Djinn's presence was sensuality. It was so strong it oozed from her form and made Ichigo think of all the people and physical aspects she found attractive. The corded abdominal muscles Ichigo saw of Byakuya in their fight on Sokyoku Hill when she cut open his shirt, the arms and legs of Yoruichi as she taught her shunpō, the heaving breasts of Rangiku when they had gone drinking after Aizen's defeat and smashed Ichigo's head against them in her hug of drunken gratitude. Ichigo snapped out of the daze she fell into and smacked the back of Ri's head who was sporting a blush and a similar sheen in his eyes.
"You," the Djinn decided with hardly a glance at Ri as she focused her dark eyes on the Kou princess. "May I know the name of the one who conquered my dungeon?"
"Ichigo, Ren Ichigo," Ichigo bowed to the Djinn.
"My, a polite one. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, young king. I am Paimon, the Djinn of Maniacal Love and Chaos. From henceforth I am your Djinn. Treat me properly, for I am a great woman you know," she said with a teasing glint and pointed her red painted nail at Ichigo.
"I look forward to working with you," Ichigo greeted back.
"I have to say I'm glad you saved that hippogryph. As a gift, how about you take her with you out of the dungeon? She'd make a fine companion." Ichigo blinked in surprise before smiling widely.
"Thank you!" she said, and the silvery hippogryph appeared in a flash with her wounds regenerating before their eyes. The stone treasures transformed back into jewels and Ichigo and Ri stared amazedly at the fortune before them.
"Do you see that belt and bag over there?" Paimon indicated to their right. "It holds a nearly unlimited storage space. As long as you wear that belt only you can retrieve an object from the bag. It's the perfect anti-theft tool made by yours truly," Paimon gushed.
"Did you make that back in Alma Torran?" Ichigo asked.
"Oh, you know about that? I really hit the jackpot with my king. Strong, cute, and smart."
Ichigo blushed at the honest praise. She had never really done well with true compliments. The sucking up nobles and their platitudes didn't count.
Paimon reached into the stack of treasure and retrieved what looked like a broken golden handle. Summoning the body and feathers of the black hippogryph she killed, Paimon used her magic to fuse them together to create a flabellum.
"This handle was part of the sword I used when I was younger. These feathers are proof of your victory and your spoils. Together they make a connection between us. I hope you will become the greatest king who ever lived and I will do anything to help you get there. Good luck in your endeavors my king," Paimon bowed to her contractor and snapped her fingers creating a magic portal out of the tower. With her last task completed Paimon disappeared and an eight pointed star appeared on the flabellum in Ichigo's looked down at the strange weapon in her hands before looking at her sword.
"Why couldn't you have entered into my sword? I thought Djinns latch onto objects we already have a connection and history with?" She shouted, flailing the flabellum in the air.
"We should leave before the portal closes princess," Ri said, interrupting her diatribe.
"Right," Ichigo smiled. "We are going to return as heroes. Let us just get all the treasure first. Quickly shoveling objects that were much too large to fit in the bag which somehow comically shrank the moment they reached the opening of the bag was entertaining. It was only the threat of being stranded in the tower did they shelve their excitement to hurry in packing away every last coin. Even their hippogryph, who Ichigo really had to name now that she thought about it, assisted in pushing the large chests of jewels and statues into the bag. With the belt attached to her waist and bag's strings connected, the two humans and hippogryph finally stepped into the light left by Paimon. However when Ri opened his eyes to the crater of the now-missing dungeon, he was shocked to find Ichigo missing. The feathered monster was poking him with her beak to get to his feet, but the boy found his legs weren't working properly.
"Princess!" Ri shouted, afraid of where she had disappeared without him to guard her back. She had the tendency to do crazy things on a whim. Like conquering dungeons. Who will protect her if he isn't there?
Meanwhile, Ichigo found herself in the middle of a desert as the sun just started its peak over the horizon. Turning her head around she found Ri and her new pet were missing. She scanned the area for any sign of civilization, but all she could see were endless dunes of sand.
"You got to be fucking kidding me!" Ichigo howled to the forsaken land.
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