With a deep breath, Roxy slowly nodded before jumping to her feet and walking off. She briefly paused, turning back to the group as if she wanted to say something, but then bit her tongue and turned away again. Once she was far enough away, Tabitha sighed in frustration and turned to the group.

  “Alright, thoughts?” she asked.

  “I… don’t know,” Kat said. She was holding Alicia’s hand, nervously wringing both of their hands as she talked. “The timing is really suspicious, but everything she’s saying makes sense, more or less.”

  “What happened down there?” Elias asked.

  “We got into three fights total,” Alicia said. “The first two went alright, I even leveled up and got a new ability, but the third fight was against a massive, undead bear. It completely overwhelmed us, and was about to rip my neck out, when Roxy jumped on its back and finished it off. She saved my life, and it sounds like she had a great reason for being suspicious of us in the first place, as gross as it is to think about someone following me home.”

  “I don’t like this,” Tab said, kicking a rock into Elias’s pond. “There’s just something off about her, but I can’t put my finger on it. Are you seriously saying you believe her sob story?”

  “Look, Tab, ever since this started, you two have stressed time and time again how horrible Ashes To Ashes can be. Based on what I know, everything Roxy says makes perfect sense! Ditching that prospective member, blacklisting her and ruining her delving prospects, that sounds just like them.”

  “What about Burl?” Kat asked. As she spoke, she pulled her hand away from Alicia and started up her healing Inspiration again. “He was one of the registered delvers I talked to. He said he went a little nuts on his first delve, and now none of the Guilds will so much as look at him, but he’s still on the official list. Do we really think Ashes To Ashes has enough pull to manipulate official city records?”

  “I believe it,” Tab said bitterly. “The scars of the Change are still fresh, and everyone in charge is terrified of the Dungeon overwhelming the city again. As much as we hate Ashes To Ashes, there’s no denying that they dominate the delving schedule, and without their numbers we’d struggle to hold back all the monsters. It’s easy to pretend that the city being overrun was just a result of being caught off guard, but the Dungeon still spawns monsters at incredible rates. That gives Ashes a lot of sway when it comes to bullying elected officials. I’m not saying I believe Roxy’s story, mind you. I’m just saying it’s possible.”

  “Okay, I feel a little stupid asking this, but I want to clarify something.” Alicia turned again at Elias’s request, then continued. “The worst-case scenario is that we die, right? If she’s not actually on our side, we’re scared she might just kill us when we’re weak down in the Dungeon?”

  The other girls nodded in agreement, but it was Tab that spoke up. “Exactly. And remember, even if she’s not with Ashes or any of the other Guilds, she could still just be in this for herself. Maybe a mercenary, or just an awful person looking for an easy score by taking us out and selling the Key Shard for the main Dungeon. We’re completely alone down there, and if we die, no one will blink an eye. Hundreds of people die in Dungeons every day.”

  “But if she wanted us dead, then why save us?” Alicia said. “She could have let that bear kill us!”

  “The bear didn’t have the Key Shard. I’m assuming the real treasure is another floor or two down. If that’s all she’s after, she’ll need our help to get there, but once she gets the Key Shard, we become disposable. Plus, if we’re already weak from a boss fight, we’ll be easy to pick off.”

  “Except we need her too.” Alicia winced as she raised her voice, her bruised body protesting the extra effort. “If there’s anything to learn from our first delve, it’s that we’re not ready for this.”

  “We don’t know that for sure, Cherry Blossom,” Tabitha said, kneeling next to Alicia. “We still have almost two weeks. We could keep training, grind out some experience on the first floor of the Dungeon, buy some better gear with our loot. I think we could do it without her.”

  Kat switched to a new song, one that seemed to match the heightened energy of the conversation. “If Roxy is telling the truth, the extra help would be invaluable, but she’ll also understand us if we exercise caution around her. I vote we let her help, but just assume that she’s planning on betraying us. Either way, time will reveal her intentions, and we get extra help for the Dungeon.”

  “I’m with Kat,” Alicia said. “She saved my life, and I think we need all the help we can get.”

  Tabitha sighed, then looked over at Elias. “You wanna gang up against me too?”

  “I just want to see you safe, and I’m not even delving with you guys,” Elias said, his hands still channeling around Alicia’s injuries. “But, if you actually want my input… I think a known threat is better than an unknown threat. That way you can least prepare for it.”

  “Ugh, I’m not going to argue when it’s three to one. Fine, we’ll let her help.” Tabitha stood up again, stretching her arms over her head. Her back popped in several places, and once she was done stretching, she picked up her swords and sheathed them again. She turned to walk away, presumably to find Roxy, but stopped herself. “Look, I’m not trying to be a contrarian. You all make good points, and… I guess it’s nice that it felt like you were actually listening to me. Whatever she does, just don’t let your guard down. Violence is often the least effective way to tear a group of people apart.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Before Alicia could respond, Tabitha crouched down and sprinted away. She appeared to be taking a leisurely pace—she wasn’t quite a blur—and Alicia instead turned to Kat. “You really think she’s out to get us? I felt the pain in her words when she talked about her time with Ashes.”

  “It’s not that, Alicia. I just think we can’t afford to take any risks.” Katrina stopped her music and leaned down to kiss Alicia. “When you and I met, there was nothing to be gained on either side. I didn’t know about the Key Dungeon yet, and you didn’t know how much of a threat it actually was. Tabitha is famous enough that it was obvious she wasn’t lying. Even if Roxy is completely innocent, there’s no room to give her the benefit of the doubt. I just… I can’t lose you, Alicia. I refuse to take any risks unless they’re absolutely necessary.”

  Alicia’s face grew warm, and she smiled to herself as Kat resumed her music. There was nothing else Alicia wanted to say in the moment, and she instead closed her eyes to focus on Elias’s healing while they waited for Tab and Roxy to return.

  When they did, they didn’t appear to be in a rush. Roxy was smiling and talking a mile a minute, but Tabitha didn’t share her enthusiasm. Once they were close enough, Tabitha coldly gestured for Roxy to sit down again, then turned to face her directly. When she spoke, her words were unusually demanding.

  “Alright, Roxy. You want in, there are going to be some conditions,” Tabitha said, her arms crossed.

  “I’d be suspicious if they weren’t any!” Roxy said through a warm smile.

  Tabitha held up a finger. “One: unless we’re in the Dungeon, all your weapons stay with us. if I find so much as a letter opener on you, at any other time, you’re out.”

  Roxy nodded.

  “Two,” Tabitha held up another finger. “You tell us your Ten, your abilities, your Level, everything. When you’re finished, Kat will scan you to make sure it’s accurate. If you lie about anything, anything at all, you’re out.”

  “Not a problem!” Roxy said.

  “Three!” Another finger. “From here on out, we log all the loot we find in the Dungeon. None of it gets spent without unanimous approval from everyone here. Outside of critically important purchases, none of us get any loot until we have the Key Shard for the main Dungeon. If we suspect that you’re skimming coins or resources off the top, you’re out.”

  “That’s… that’s fair,” Roxy said. “I’ll need money to eat and stuff, though.”

  “We can keep you fed while you’re here with us,” Alicia said, returning Roxy’s smile. Although she saw where Kat and Tab were coming from, she still wanted this newcomer to feel somewhat welcomed.

  “Four!” Tab said, interrupting the moment. “No more sneaking around. This isn’t just a place with a Dungeon, it’s a home. Everyone here deserves privacy, and you’ve already spat in Alicia’s face by following her out of the main Dungeon Camp. If we’re not in the Dungeon, we need to know exactly where you are at all times. Based on the timeline, I have a suspicion you’ve already picked out a place to camp out.”

  Alicia hadn’t thought about it, but Tab was right. She’d been assuming that Roxy was commuting here every day like Tabitha, but it made more sense that she was probably holed up in one of the abandoned houses.

  Roxy nodded. “You’re right, and again, I’m incredibly sorry for the secrecy. There’s a small house a few blocks down, I’ve been staying there. I’m more than happy to show you where, but I’m also happy to move closer if you want me within earshot. Or, alternatively, if you want to, I dunno, lock me inside a house at night to make sure I’m not sneaking around, I’d be up for that too.”

  Tabitha turned to look at Kat, seemingly pleased at the idea, but Alicia spoke up again. “There’s no need to go that far, Roxy.”

  “Well, whatever you all think is best, I’m just happy for the opportunity. You seem like wonderful people, and being here feels right. It’s so refreshing to see delving from a different lens, one that’s not tainted by shady Guild posturing.”

  “Look, if you want to write a poem about it, you can find the time later,” Tab said, rolling her eyes. “But right now, you need to start talking. Level, Ten, everything.”

  With a deep breath, Roxy launched into a small monologue about her Status. According to her, she was Level Six, had slightly above average stats, and a small suite of Class Features that supported the fighting style she’d described earlier. Her only notable Racial Feature was Deep Feeding, which gave her a deeper well of sustenance for any Demonics that fed on her.

  When she finished talking, everyone looked at Katrina while they waited for her to Scan Roxy. The process took a while, as Kat wanted to be thorough, but soon they had their answer.

  Roxy seemed to be telling the truth about everything.

  Alicia sighed in relief, but she noticed that Tabitha didn’t share the sentiment. Still, with nothing suspicious in the Scan results, the group decided it was safe to turn in for the night. Roxy showed everyone the house she was camping in, then promptly went inside and promised she wouldn’t leave until morning. Tabitha, ever the skeptic, decided to spend the night at Alicia’s place to keep watch in case Roxy tried anything.

  “You sure you’re okay with me seeing Alouette again?” Kat asked, hugging Alicia tight as Tabitha walked inside.

  “I promise, Kat. Besides, I seem to recall that I enjoyed her dancing even more than you did.” Alicia laughed quietly between kisses as she savored every last moment she had with Kat. “What about you? Not about Alouette, I mean, but Roxy. You’re okay letting her hang around?”

  “Tabitha is spending the night, and she won’t be going to sleep until I get back. Our competing sleep schedules mean we can have someone on watch 24/7. I hope you’re right about Roxy, Alicia, I really do, but she needs to earn that trust from us. What about your Regeneration? Do you still get it if you’re inside your Tree?”

  “Oh, absolutely,” Alicia said, looking up at the canopy of brilliant pink blossoms above them. “Its branches are my own. After all your Inspiration, and Elias’s healing, I think I’ll be ready for another attempt tomorrow.”

  They pushed their hands together, interlacing their fingers as they kissed again. “Sleep tight, Alicia. I already miss you.”

  Alicia giggled as her face flushed with warmth again. “Same to you, Kat. Say hi to Alouette for me, will you? And I’ll see you when you wake up tomorrow evening.”

  With one last kiss, the girls parted ways. Alicia moved through her Heart Tree to find Tabitha and made sure the Foxgirl had everything she needed for her impromptu sleepover. She explained how Tab could simply knock on the tree to wake her if needed, but didn’t haven’t the energy for much else. Between the multiple fights and the sting of Elias’s healing magic, Alicia felt completely drained. She sank into the strong embrace of her Heart Tree and, within moments, had fallen asleep.

  "I don't like her, Nyx."

  So I noticed! At least the group came to decision. More importantly, they were alive to talk about it.

  "I'm not saying I'm not thankful she saved Alicia! It's just too suspicious!"

  Hey, Dungeons are serious business. Honestly, it's surprising you haven't run into more trouble with strangers trying to muscle in on your game.

  "I hate the thought of that. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

  Worse than pig's blood?

  "Hm... not quite. I don't want to throw up yet. Anyways, let's talk about something more important, yeah? Today's song is by Schubert! I don't think we've heard anything from him before, which is odd considering how big he is in the classical music scene. So, today, we'll be listening to Erlk?nig by Franz Schubert. There's a lot of fascinating history behind the song, and the poem it's adapting, but I'll spare you the details. Importantly, make sure you grab a classical guitar arrangement! It's traditionally performed by a piano and a vocalist, who tells the story of a supernatural creature pursuing a small child. The music captures this vibe very well; I can picture a dark and ominous creature racing through the woods in pursuit of its nefarious deeds, perhaps just like another ominous creature that recently showed up."

  Is that personal bias I hear you sneaking into your musical education?

  "N-no! Shut up! I'm not biased, you're biased."

  Well, as long as "I don't like Roxy" is supported by the original poem, I'll allow. Should I look up the original by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and check?

  "Now you're just making fun of me. I'm gonna be the bigger girl and walk away!"

  Hehehe.

  Nyx <3