"Is there any particular reason why she is here?" Diamant asked, his arms crossed as he looked at Nat from across the room.

"Because Zephia refused to give her chocolate chip cookies before bed time the other day and that cost her loyalty," Jack replied quickly.

The group, sans the growing army of monsters nearby, were gathered amongst the many buildings that led to the temple. Luckily, there were many different ways to it - the plaza that had collapsed deep into the ground had only been one of several. Recuperating after the disastrous first attempt was a lot more difficult than it appeared, and the rumbles throughout the ancient city were occurring faster and more intensely the longer time went on.

Still, after what must have been over a day of constant fighting, the group needed to rest, and rest they did. Timerra and Fogado were speaking with their mother in another one of the buildings, away from prying eyes. Natalie had stuck to Jack as if she was glued to him, though, and Jack knew that it was only a matter of time before the question was posed, particularly by the Brodian princes.

Diamant stared at Jack with half-lidded eyes. "And does she believe that she will receive them if she becomes a turncoat and joins our side?"

Jack shrugged. "I mean, maybe? In all truthfulness, though, Diamant - she had her mind fucked with. And I know I'm asking a lot here by having her even be in the same room as you, but I'm going around making sure everyone is okay and you're next."

"I was fine - that is, I am exhausted, but I will be able to see this through to the end, no matter what this Brianna throws at us," Diamant replied, rubbing his forehead. "I will not make this an issue. But, for the time being, please, I ask that you keep us in separate places. When I look at her, all I can see is my father's face, contorted in pain."

"I… understand, Diamant," Jack whispered, nodding. "I didn't know the king that well, but he deserved better than that. I'm- I'm really sorry about all the people I used to know turning out to be jackasses, you know? I guess not everyone was lucky enough to show up at Lythos."

"Indeed," Diamant said. "No, if you please?"

Jack bowed his head. "Of course."

Wordlessly, Jack left the building, and went to the one that was just across the broken street. Alear, Veyle, and Alfred were huddled there, with both the Firenese prince and the Divine Dragon looking to Veyle with rapt attention.

"That is… incredible," Alear said quietly, rubbing his scalp. "If I knew that today would lead to us finding such ancient history beneath the sands of Solm… I wonder what mother has to say about this. Does she know what the Architect is?"

"Well, they said they were a Divine Dragon, right?" Alfred noted.

Alear nodded. "Yes, but still, something about them - even hearing the words from Veyle's mouth makes it seem so strange."

"Does it help that I tried to imitate how they said it? I mean-" Veyle said, before coughing into her fist. "I mean, it was even stranger if you were there. I'd take you down there to see for yourself, but I don't think we'll have the time, Alear."

"I wish I could, but you're right. And we shouldn't put the wagon before the horse," Alear replied, "Still, when we reach the surface, the first thing I am going to do is talk to mother. She deserves to know about this."

"Hearing about all this stuff that was locked beneath Solm's capital, it makes me wonder what might be under Firene…" Alfred trailed off.

"Well, to the south there were some weird islands, but Sombron's forces already visited that place," Jack said, causing Alfred to jump. Alear and Veyle stayed in place, though Veyle's eyes widened noticeably.

"Jack," Alear said, "you really, really scared me just then."

"Really? I couldn't tell. You're as still as a statue. Then again," Jack said, poking Alear in the back before shaking his head disappointingly. "I thought you'd fall down like in one of those old cartoons. Now I'm just sad."

Alear stood up and turned around, rubbing the back of his neck. "How is everyone?"

Jack let out a sigh. "We'll probably be ready to go within the hour. I know it's too late to ask this again, but-"

"I'm sorry, Jack," Alear said, looking down with his fists clenched. "But even if she survived this battle, then she would be at the mercy of the Solmic, and I would have no right to try and vouch for her. We're talking about the lives of thousands of people, Jack."

"I know, damnit, I know, but she's-" Jack ran his hands down his face, took a glance at Natalie who was silently staring up at him, and sighed. "What if she's-? Veyle told you about what the Architect said, right? About 'the Enemy'?"

Alear nodded, his frown growing. "Yes. Mother has never spoken about anything like this, and Marth doesn't know anything either. We're working with a lot of unknowns here."

Jack let out a deep breath. "Yeah, we are, aren't we? I have no idea what the Hell 'the Enemy' is. I didn't even know what the Architect was. How many times have we all collectively said 'this doesn't make any sense'?"

"Oh! Oh! I was counting!" Veyle said, holding up a hand. "Counting you just now, I think it was nineteen. But those were the only ones I was there for."

"I'm going to write a book about this one day," Jack mumbled, half to himself. "It'll be called 'All This Shit Is Weird, starring the Divine Dragon and his lovable American sidekick.' I like the last part. It has a nice charm to it."

"What about me?" Alfred asked, pointing at himself.

Jack thought for a moment. "I mean, I'm open to suggestions. I could add all your titles! Think about it. We could make a killing."

Alear actually appeared to give it some thought before closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head. "We need to focus right now. We'll worry about stuff like that after we've dealt with Brianna."

"That wasn't a 'no'," Jack commented

"Focus," Natalie suddenly said.

Jack nodded. "Alright, spoil the fun before we go off to fucking kill our friend, Nat. Thanks."

"There's still one more thing we need to discuss," Veyle pointed out. "That Emblem we found - Alm. He said he can feel himself starting to fade away now that the Architect is here, but… there's something about this staff. Yes, it can turn the minions of papa and whatever else we find down here against him, but there's something else about this staff. It feels like an Emblem ring, or a bracelet."

Alfred blinked. "You mean to say that this staff is like an Emblem Ring? So… Alm isn't fading away, he's just bound to this staff now?"

"There's only one way to find out. Can you try and summon him to us, Veyle? Act like it's an Emblem Ring," Alear suggested.

"Alm doesn't act like a regular Emblem," Jack pointed out, crossing his arms. "So, who's to say what will happen? What if it doesn't act like an Emblem Ring? Hell, I believe Veyle. Her feelings have been dead on the money so far, so I'm just wondering if it even works that way."

"Let her try," Alear replied.

"Alright, let's see…" Veyle said, standing up before going to the middle of the group. She brought the staff out and held it out. The blue gem atop it glowed brightly as Veyle closed her eyes.

After a few seconds, Veyle opened her eyes and her shoulders slumped.

"I'm not like you, brother," Veyle said quietly, her eyes downcast. "I was never able to summon Emblems. The only thing I've ever been able to do is create more Corrupted, and I…"

"Give it one more try. If that doesn't work, then I will try it, but you were given that staff for a reason. At least, I believe you were. The Architect chose you, and even though I never met them, if even half of what they said is true, then that must mean something," Alear said, smiling. "So, come on. One more try."

Veyle took a deep breath. "Alright. One more try…"

Jack stood by and watched Veyle try again, his arms still crossed and his heart beating in his ears. The blue gem on the staff glowed once more, far more brightly, and a moment later, a familiar form began to materialize in front of Veyle. First, it was a featureless humanoid, like a mannequin, but after a few seconds, it began to show features like Alm's - an iron crown, plate armor, and a sword at his right side. A moment later, Alm stood before them, looking more confused than anything else.

"I… how did I get here?" Alm asked. "Is that you, Lady Veyle? And these people beside you…"

Jack waved. "Hi, Alm."

Alm waved back briefly before going back to the matter at hand. "Did you… did you just summon me? And this power - I feel like I've been revitalized. What did you do?"

"I just felt like there was something more to this staff, and I guess I was correct," Veyle said, giggling to herself for a moment before straightening herself out. "I have been having a lot of weird feelings since we began our descent, but this is the first time it led us to something good."

"I wouldn't say that," Jack said, shaking his head. "Leading us to the Architect was an amazing stroke of luck, not gonna lie."

"And, I suppose I am not going to simply stop existing then? Was it merely a side effect of being bound to that staff?" Alm said, placing a hand against his chest and letting out a breath. "Thank the Earth Mother, I didn't think I'd fear death but after meeting Celica again, the thought of simply disappearing filled me with dread."

"So, you are Alm, then?" Alear asked, bowing his head and smiling. "It's an honor to finally meet you. I think I saw you before we retreated to these buildings, but we didn't have time to say a word to each other."

"And you're the Divine Dragon of this world, or so I hear! The honor is all mine - the Architect treated me well all of these years, and I hope you will do the same," Alm said, a hand on the pommel of his sword. "Until the day comes where we're separated from each other, I hereby vow to serve you and yours until the end. You may count on me!"

"I like him. We can use more of that kinda spirit!" Alfred said, standing up and pounding a hand on his chest, which induced a brief coughing fit. "Okay, not doing that again. That really hurt."

"No, do it again. Maybe you just did it wrong," Jack suggested.

"Ah, really? Well, who am I to argue-" Alfred stopped and stared at Jack with half-lidded eyes. "You're just messing with me, aren't you?"

"Me? Mess with you? Never!" Jack sniffed, turning away. "How dare you besmirch my honor in this manor, my lord."

"Maybe we should take his Emblem away from him, Divine One," Alfred suggested, "He's far too powerful with it. How am I supposed to threaten him?"

"You'll just have to make do, Alfred," Alear replied. "I believe in your strength of character to see this mission through."

"Emblem? Emblem… shit, I almost forgot," Jack said, rummaging in his pack before producing the Bracelet of the Three Houses. "Seforia was using this a while ago but she gave it back to me. And before that I stole it from my sister. Who has been silent this entire time?"

Jack turned around.

"Say something," Jack ordered.

"Something," Natalie replied.

"Okay, good, she hasn't gone catatonic," Jack sighed in relief, nodding his head before turning back to Alear. "Anyway, like I said, this is the Bracelet of the Three Houses. Emblem of… Rivals? I think it was? Its counterpart is the Ring of the Instructor. Which we still don't have yet but hey, details!"

Alear held his hand out, and Jack placed the Emblem Bracelet in his palm.

"Thank you, Jack. I'm sorry you had to steal it from your sister, but…"

"Don't be. She's had it good for too long," Jack replied.

"Oh, go fuck yourself," Natalie groused.

Jack snorted as Alear held the Emblem Bracelet up to his eyes. It was deceptively simple - a gold-banded and jagged bracelet with some sort of black metal making up the body. A moment later, Alear closed his eyes.

"Lead us, Emblem of Rivals!"

A familiar flash of light enveloped the small room, and Jack averted his eyes for a moment until it faded. When he looked back, he couldn't help but smile. There they were - the three lords of Three Houses; Claude, Edelgard, and Dimitri. Somehow, it felt like meeting old friends again. Besides Awakening, Three Houses had been the Fire Emblem game he had played the most.

"Thank you for releasing us from that trance," Edelgard said, bowing her head. "Although, I must admit that the silence was very much appreciated."

"As much as I think our bickering is distracting and unwarranted, I do feel as if that silence was… unnatural. I do not wish for it to happen again," Dimitri chimed in.

Claude held his arms behind his head. "We've been awake for only a few moments and already you two are disagreeing about something. Well, good to know we're all back together again!"

"I had a feeling that the presence in this Bracelet was chaotic," Alear remarked, letting out a chuckle. "And this room just got a bit more livelier, didn't it?"

"I like it when it's lively! Especially in a terrible place like this," Alfred commented.

"At this point I'm still concerned that we're underground," Jack added.

"Oh, we're underground!" Claude said, looking up with a smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Wonderful! Who needs the sun, anyway?"

"Tell me, is it in your nature to be so needlessly blase about everything, Claude?" Edelgard asked pointedly, crossing her arms. "I also have noticed neither of you have thanked the Divine Dragon for releasing us."

"I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we are eternally grateful for releasing us from that Fell magic," Dimitri said, bowing his head. "Or, should I say, I speak for Claude."

"Hold on, alright, you got me. Maybe that was a bit too far too soon," Claude admitted, shrugging. "Anyway, nice to meet you, Divine Dragon. My name's Claude, and the two beside me are-"

"I am the Imperial Princess of Adrestia, Edelgard," the white-haired Emblem said.

"And I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince of Faerghus."

"Oh, we're giving out our titles, too?" Claude asked, placing a hand against his chest. "Fair enough. I was saving that for a nice reveal later on during casual conversation myself. But since these other two already spoiled the surprise, I should mention that I am the heir to sovereign duke of the Leicester Alliance. Not really a big position, really, in the grand scheme of things."

"They're friends," Jack said.

"Oh, that's a very strong word," Edelgard replied. "Nonetheless, you helped us, and so it is only right that we help you in turn. We will gladly face whatever foe has arrayed itself against you."

"Ordinarily, I'd be talking about the Fell Dragon right now, but there's someone else who is our enemy," Alear said grimly. "Nonetheless, I'm glad that you'll be at our backs. Now, I just need to find someone who should take you…"

"What about Veyle?" Jack asked, pointing at the Fell princess, who let out a small squeak. "I mean, yeah, she had Alm and that staff, but she had no one to Engage with. And that can be the difference between life and death in the battles to come."

Alm shrugged. "Engaging with someone other than Celica feels… awkward."

"Not that kind of Engaging, Alm," Jack said quickly. "But still, the point stands."

"You really don't need to do that! I'm serious," Veyle said, looking at her feet. "I've already been given so much. I don't think I deserve to have something else given to me."

"It's not about deserving something. Think of it as a gift, if you want," Alear suggested. "And besides, I've been meaning to give you an Emblem for some time now. We're both dragons so this bracelet will be more powerful in your hands than in someone else's."

"Way to rub it in, Alear," Jack remarked.

Alear shrugged. "I don't like saying it, but it's the truth. If I could make it so everyone had the same abilities with an Emblem, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I can't just tamper with them."

"Have you tried?" Alfred asked.

Alear frowned. "Well, no, but-"

"Can't know unless you try," Jack commented.

Alear put his foot down. "This is serious, alright!? Look, Veyle, if you don't want to join with the Emblem of Rivals, I will understand. Still, I think you should consider it. If only for… well, if only for my own peace of mind."

"Alear…?" Veyle said quietly, looking up before a determined expression crossed her face. "Alright. I'll take the bracelet."

Alear let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Veyle. Now, we don't have much more time to waste. I fear that-"

The ground beneath them and around them shook, and Jack turned to the growing power at the temple.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll let everyone know. We'll meet near the entrance to the plaza," Jack said.

The Divine Dragon nodded in approval, and Jack was on his way, with Natalie in tow.

When the group was on the stairs of the temple, the same place Brianna had walked down from when they had first arrived, Jack could feel his heart in his throat. It was hard to swallow the saliva gathering in his mouth, and his breathing was shallow and hurried. Natalie eventually pulled him aside, just as the others were preparing to move to the top of the temple to interrupt what Brianna was doing.

"If the Hounds get here," Natalie began, "I need you to act like I escaped. Or if they get here after, tie me up, but let me get away."

Jack snorted, though that quickly turned into a cough. "Is that all? Need me to get you some pre-workout so you can act unhinged, too?"

"Asshole," Natalie spat, slapping Jack's shoulder before hissing and shaking her hand. She had hit his pauldron, and Jack looked down at her with a smug grin. "Shut up."

"Really deadset on acting as a spy, huh?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, it's the one thing I can do. Besides, I saw the way that Brodian guy was staring at me. If it wasn't for you I'm pretty sure he'd cut my head off," Natalie remarked bitterly, crossing her arms. "Anyway, seriously, do that and I think I'll be in the clear. I'll find a way to get messages to you guys, I promise."

Jack let out a deep breath. "If you're sure, Nat. Just… please, be careful. I don't wanna lose you a second time."

"I'm tougher than I look," Natalie said, placing a hand against her chest. "So, you know, believe in me or something. I know you'll probably stay here once this is all over but I still wanna go home at some point. I wanna see mom again, make sure she knows what happened."

"You ever wonder how the folks at home are doing?" Jack asked quietly.

"Constantly," Natalie replied. "And I'm sure Lionel and Brianna think about them too. Brianna, probably a little too much."

"Is that what we're calling mass murder now?" Jack queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, I helped kill a king," Natalie said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Maybe not as bad as Brianna - definitely not as bad, really. But I think we know the wrong person in the right situation can do some pretty terrible things."

"Point taken," Jack nodded. "Alright, I think I get the idea. Now, let's get going. The others will be at the summit any moment now."

"Let me talk to her, Alear."

They were at the summit, and Jack could see what Marth had meant earlier - he had only played Shadow Dragon once, and he could see the similarities. Unlike Shadow Dragon, however, there was a massive basin in the middle, filled with black sludge that bubbled like a witch's cauldron. That was where the light had been coming from, the bright dark-light that wasn't unlike a picture of a black hole. And yet, that was where they found Brianna. Completely alone with her back turned to the group. She hadn't moved an inch after they had ascended to the top of the temple, but her hair was moving with the flow of a wind that Jack and the others could not feel.

"Jack, are you sure? Something doesn't feel right about this. The tremors stopped…" Alear noted, looking around. "There is something wrong here, and I don't think I'm the only one who feels it."

"It could be our last chance," Jack pleaded, "a last chance to end this without a battle. We could take her in alive."

"You have to be joking. I don't like that joke," Timerra said, and though her face appeared neutral, Jack could see the faintest hint of a snarl appearing on it. "She has murdered thousands of my people, and you want to take her alive? What, do you think you'll somehow convince me that she should live? After everything she's done?"

"Not so loud, damnit!" Jack hissed.

After no reaction from Brianna, Jack sighed and answered.

"Look, I get it, alright? I'm not asking to spare her, but she and I - we were good friends. Even dated for a while, though that never felt right. All I'm saying, is maybe this doesn't have to end violently. The Hounds are still out there, you know."

Timerra waved a hand. "Go, then. But if she moves from that spot, I'm putting a spear through her. Am I clear?"

"Can you go back to being bubbly and nice?" Jack whispered to himself. "I liked you better when you were. Alright, here I go. Watch."

Jack stepped forward tentatively, as if he was approaching a sleeping bear. He stood just behind Brianna after a couple moments, before finally speaking.

"Brianna? It's me, Jack," he said quietly.

Brianna didn't move.

"Look, I get it, this whole situation is fucked up, but I don't think sacrificing people to… whatever the hell that is, will get us home any quicker. I mean, look at it. It's like school lunch soup!"

Slowly, so slowly Jack wondered if he wasn't imagining it, Brianna turned around. When Jack saw her eyes, he immediately took a step back, and his jaw dropped in shock.

"What the…?" Jack whispered.

At first, he thought her eyes had been removed, but then he realized that they were still there - they had just been turned into a black void. It was like looking into an ocean at night, reflecting a cloudy sky. Jack saw the ring on her finger glow, and a spear sailed through the air a moment later. It was intercepted by a jumbled mess of limbs and swords that may have once been Emblem Corrin, though Jack couldn't tell.

"You don't get it, Jack. You have never gotten it," Brianna replied. She didn't even sound like herself anymore; there was a deep, rumbling undercurrent to her voice that Jack couldn't quite place. "You think I didn't hear that little conversation you just had? I can't die, Jack. I just can't, not while I still have something to fight for. You were lucky, you know. I showed up here, with this pool directly in front of me. And I'm tired of fighting in this place."

After a few seconds, more than a few arrows, spears, and blasts of magical lightning and fire flew towards Brianna, and some of them hit her, tearing into her clothes and flesh, but still she remained standing as the light grew brighter and brighter. Before long, solid blocks of light began to materialize out of the black ooze, forming a door. The space within said door revealed nothing but a void as well - clear, white crystals formed at the edges, but it was animate, as if they were alive.

"Come on, then! No more games! I just need a little more! Just a little more and this will all be over! We'll go home, Jack! Natalie! Lionel! You will thank me for this!"

Jack wasted no time, and the others didn't either as he could hear them Engaging with their own Emblems. Natalie shot a bolt that struck Brianna in the chest, nearly sending her careening into the black hole she had created, but she held on and charged forward like a bat out of hell, flanked by strange, glowing creatures made of the white crystal.

They were like giant, crystalized spiders, with an array of colors within their bodies. They snapped and hissed loudly, but they weren't alone. The Husks returned, as if they had come from the stone itself. The bright white light seemed to cause their armor to glisten as they charged.

"Emblem, Engage!" Jack shouted as loud as he could, and the power that followed gave him a world of confidence when he needed it most. He joined the fight earnestly.

A moment later, Brianna was upon him, with a sword made of light. Jack recognized it as the Omega Yato, and its toothed blade grinded against the Levin Sword Jack summoned. Jack grit his teeth, pushing Brianna back as the fight around them continued. Brianna went for another blow, but was stopped by Timerra, who surged forward from the side and struck Brianna in the chest with her Hammer - she had Engaged with Ike, and her dark blue hair barely hid the scowl on her face as Brianna hit the ground, coughing and sputtering.

Despite it all, despite the grandstanding a moment prior, she was still human after all.

Jack was distracted from Timerra and Brianna by one of the crystal spiders that had crawled out of the portal - or whatever it was. It was like staring at the night sky, that portal - a night sky where each star was not only its own solar system, but an entire universe all of its own.

The spider crawled onto Jack, forcing him from his levitating position and to the ground. He frantically stabbed at his Levin Sword, only for the blade to bounce off, and for the lightning it had been infused with to harmlessly bounce off the crystal. Jack cursed as he instead switched to Falchion, and started bashing the spider with all of his might.

Chunks of crystal came flying from the creature as it opened a gaping, black maw that in some other dimension might have been a mouth. Jack continued to break the creature down until it stopped moving, leaving nothing but a pile of broken white crystal on the floor.

That was when Jack was attacked by a Husk, and he blocked the attack meant for him, but the blow caught him off balance. He went to charge forward with Falchion-

Only for something else to take the Husk off of him and rip it apart messily. Jack saw the glowing blue eyes of a converted Risen, its death mask still gormlessly staring forward, and yet it paid him no mind as it attacked crystal spider and Husk alike.

A beam of magic sailed overhead, and Jack followed its trail until he saw what it had hit - Brianna was sent off of her feet and to the ground, grunting and panting as she got to her feet as quickly as she could and parried a blow from Timerra. The beam of magic had come from the Mogall; Jack could see it readying another attack, only to be interrupted by a swarm of crystal spider-things.

Taking the initiative, and putting aside the confused feelings he had fighting alongside Risen of all things, Jack charged forward before jumping into the air, lightning rippling across Falchion's blade. He slammed into the ground before Brianna, which sent her flying as the Omega Yato fell from her grasp and vanished.

By that point, the Risen had reached the 'gate' that Brianna had somehow created and was spawning the spiders. They braced their bodies against it and began to tug and pull, and the hard-light bricks came loose and crumbled. The void within the middle vanished almost as suddenly as it had been formed, though the remaining crystal spiders put up a fight. The Husks were all but destroyed, their bones littering the ground as Brianna held her bloodied side, standing before the black pool where she had been found.

The sounds of fighting still surrounded them, but somehow, as Jack felt Chrom's power fading from him, he could barely hear it.

"Jack! Is she-!?" Alear said, coming up beside Jack. "She's still alive, after all that… are you going to try again?"

"It's a bit too late to continue without violence, eh? But, maybe…" Jack mumbled, before stepping forward. "Brianna."

"Jack," Brianna snarled back, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've… all of you have ruined it. I was so close. So close. I didn't need much more."

"So close? Brianna, you opened a door into some weird shit and giant spiders started crawling out! Please tell me how that's supposed to get us home!" Jack shouted.

"It told me! It told me! But I suppose that's not good enough for you, is it!? Nothing is ever good enough for you! Not even you!" Brianna screamed. "But even if I wanted to stop, Jack, you know I can't. There's no going back - and I won't abandon him. I won't! I've come too far!"

"Just fucking stop, goddamnit!" Jack pleaded. "Please! We can sort this out! I can talk them out of it! Please! Please don't make me choose!"

"Your choice is already made," Brianna said, and for one brief moment, her eyes were human again. "I'm sorry, Jack."

Brianna fell backward into the black viscous pool, and Jack was frozen in place, unable to stop her.

He felt his heart stop - Brianna had completely disappeared beneath the ooze.

"Jack…" Alear whispered, as the fighting winded down around them. "I'm sorry. We couldn't-"

The black pool crystalized. Jack and Alear stood back as it shattered, spreading bits of itself everywhere, but leaving something in the middle a massive crystalien hand raised out of the dried pool, crackling. It was the size of Jack and Alear combined as whatever creature it belonged to hoisted itself out of the pool.

It was a walking nightmare, like looking at a moving geological formation. Where its eyes should've been were jagged pits that somehow glowed black. Its body was as white as paper, and wispy hair trailed from its head. It was tall, maybe three meters though Jack couldn't quite tell.

It opened a gigantic maw, filled with razor sharp, diamond-like teeth, and a shrill roar emanated from its depths. It was like someone was scratching their nails along a chalkboard and amplifying it in a sound editor.

Jack only said two words as all hell broke loose.

"Brianna…" he whispered, "why?"

So it's only now occurred to me that the Acts have names, but I haven't revealed them yet! Lemme just outline the two here that we've gone through so far:

Act 1 - The Beginning

Act 2 - The Descent

Act 3 - ?

Act 4 - ?

Act 5 - ?

Act 6 - ?

So yeah, turns out the names have some pretty big spoilers, but I'll reveal them as time goes on. We shouldn't be too far into the arc before it becomes obvious lol.

Anyway, we're almost at the end of this Act. Maybe two more chapters and we'll be done. See you then!

Here's a link to our Discord server: discord. gg/u89gs745fn

See you guys next time!