Earlier, outside the Level 1 Dungeon, procedures were underway for the Dungeon collapse.
The party of Adventurers who were scheduled to implement the action were busying themselves with filling out copious amounts of hazard forms and fine-tuning their approach.
Even so, the Dungeon was at its lowest level; the fact that such strange abnormalities, plus the death of an inspector, led the Adventurers to approach the Dungeon as if it was a much higher level.
While the party of Adventurers were inside a small tent, outside of it were Guild workers who were preparing the site with safety measures, including staggered guard posts and high-powered lights.
Overseeing it all was the guard in charge of the site; his work phone in hand, held his attention as it alerted him with a vibration.
At that moment, a black limousine drove past; the sudden noise and blast of air scared him, forcing out a slight yelp as he instinctively flinched.
Unfortunately, his phone jumped out of his hand, colliding with the ground and letting out a cracking noise.
“Ahhh!....Tsch, damn it.”
Reaching down, the man claimed his phone and grimaced at the crack that obscured one side of his screen.
The phone vibrated again and nearly made him drop it for a second time. Opening the message, he could only view the first half of it.
“I really hope the Guild doesn't charge me for this.....Right then, let's see what's so urgent.......An entry denial list, only two people, hmmm, Henri and Phill....It must be their surnames I can't view.”
Replying to the message with a positive, he secured his phone and went back to work while mumbling to himself.
“Henri and Phill, they must be pretty dangerous guys to be put on the denial list.”
In front of him, the tent opened up; the leader of the Adventurer party exited and waved to the man.
Wearing what looked like a tattered cloak, the beggar-like material did nothing to take away from his beauty or charm. With piercing green eyes that seemingly captivated the head of security in front of him, he made him second-guess his direction in life until that moment.
“We've decided on a plan of action for the Dungeon collapse. We're going with the standard protocol, plan Gamma. Could you arrange your subordinates as such, please?”
Maintaining his professionalism, the man drove away his wayward thoughts and replied.
“Plan Gamma: destroy the Core first in case of continuous infinite respawns?”
Nodding along with a smile on his face, the Adventurer withdrew a small picture from his pocket and showed it to him.
“Indeed. It's an extremely cautionary tactic, but my oh-so adorable niece made me swear to be more careful at work. Even if the chance of that outcome is minimal, the fact that it has happened once before in history means it may happen again. The last thing we need is a March 11th incident.”
Wholeheartedly agreeing with his reasoning, the man looked at the picture he had been handed. A small girl wearing her Sunday bests while holding a pet rabbit. The same piercing green eyes as her uncle, which instilled an urge to protect one so small.
“You have a beautiful niece. I swear, as the head of security for this site and operation, not a single incident will occur on my watch. That I promise!”
Several hours later, at the advent of darkness, a plain-looking black van came to a stop in a dark alleyway. The passenger looked behind them to the rear of the van, their eyes confirming the equipment that was secured within.
Four solid metal restraints were anchored into the van's chassis, as well as a large spool of steel wire. Bolted to the side of the van was a gas tank containing an anaesthetic, with a large mask attached to administer it to a person. A small box sat in a corner that was full of questionable objects, including a ball gag, eye mask and a stun gun.
Happy that everything was there, the two occupants left the van within the shadows of the tall buildings that overlooked it.
Wearing form-fitting black business suits, two women made their presence known once they strode from the alley and into the spotlights that proliferated the area.
Walking with confidence, the two women only mildly squinted from the harsh light; they approached a flustered security guard.
Stopping at the barricade, the lead woman flashed a smile at the man before offering a greeting.
“Good evening. We're just here to check over tonight's operation.”
While the man's eyes scanned over her prominent features, he matched her greeting before stopping midway and changing tactics when he realised who she was.
“Good evening. Can I se....Ahhh, wait, are you the Divine Phoenix, Miss Herperial!?”
The man's eyes were full of wonder, fixated on her bright red flowing hair that shone in the luminescent spotlights. He strained his eyes not to wander towards her obvious assets that strained under her white shirt, evidently trying to keep his life.
“That name's a tad embarrassing when I hear it in person, but yes, that is my name. This beside me is my maid, Philomena.”
Philomena gave a curt nod to the security guard before her eyes flashed towards a generator that was situated beside her.
With an ecstatic look on his face, the guard smiled broadly at her before he returned his gaze to the object of his fascination. Withdrawing his phone from his pocket, the man began to operate the device whilst talking.
“It's an honour to meet you, both of you! I'll quickly get you checked in.....Sorry it's taking so long; I cracked my phone screen earlier today, it's a nightmare trying to guess what stuff says.”
Swiping away the two men's names from the entry denial list, he quickly began to register Miss Herperial and Philomena as site visitors.
In the meantime, Philomena unnoticeably edged sideways before she quickly reached out and planted a small silver disk on the electrical generator for the security lights.
After not being noticed, she sidled back up beside her mistress and awaited their access.
Henrietta replied to the man and made small talk, all the while her eyes looked past him to the party of Adventurers who were vanishing from sight as they walked through the Dungeon portal.
Henrietta made small talk, trying hard to hide the urgency within her after seeing the Adventurers enter the Dungeon.
“Cracked screens are a nightmare; I end up breaking my phone too often to count.”
Looking up from his phone, the security guard smiled and waved a welcoming arm inwards, beckoning the two to enter the site.
“You're all checked in now, Miss Herperial. I definitely feel safer knowing you're here, and so will the other guys on my team. If you need anything, just give me a shout; I'll be guarding the entrance.”
““Thank you.””
Both Henrietta and Philomena gave their thanks, then proceeded to leave him behind as they walked through the site while talking in hushed tones.
“Did you set the EMP?”
“Yes, Mistress. I just need to plant the gas bombs, and then you are good to go.”
“Good. Is it hallucinatory gas?”
“Yes, Mistress. I put the medicine for immunity into the cake I served you earlier. I know you are still unable to swallow tablets.”
“Philomena, do you think me a child, or a dog? Be aware your answer will determine how much you get paid this month.”
With the profound acting skills that Philomena was proud of, she turned to Henrietta and clasped hold of her shoulders. Staring into her eyes, they shook with fervour and glistened with devotion as she spoke.
“How could you say such a thing, Mistress? You are a Goddess, an angel amongst mortals. A divine Phoenix that graced us lowly peasants with her celestial beauty.”
Removing her hands, Henrietta took a step back and fought against the blush that was running rampant across her cheeks.
“I get it, I get it. I was only joking about your pay! Now hurry up and set those so I can enter.”
Philomena instantly reverted to her cold demeanour. Scanning her surroundings, she withdrew several black disks from her pocket and began flicking them with her thumb at a near-imperceptible speed.
The small gas bombs cut through the night air and found solace in different parts of the surroundings.
Their bases became sticky once launched; the gas bombs stuck to the surfaces they came in contact with, blending in effortlessly.
Henrietta sniffed up multiple times in rapid succession, a peculiar smell tickling her senses.
“Philomena, do you smell smoke?”
“Now you say it, I believe I do, Mistress.”
The horrible thought that flashed across Henrietta's mind came into reality and with it, bringing a sickly feeling to her stomach.
Appearing near them from a puff of smoke, the last person they wanted to see began walking over to them.
“Tsch.”
Philomena let out a rare show of emotion and clicked her tongue in disgust. The simple action made Henrietta let out a small laugh; even so, she was angered by the man's presence.
Misunderstanding her laugh, the man inwardly raged at the woman in front of him who dared to laugh in his face.
“And what brings you two to this site at such an hour? And how did you get in here!?”
Henrietta knew his presence would make things nigh on impossible, but she saw a glimmer of hope and sought to exploit his fragile ego.
“We obviously came through the entrance. I'm just doing my duty for the Guild; it would be a catastrophe if a failure occurred. So why are you here at this time? I thought you never did overtime, Frank?”
After hearing the first half of her explanation, he stared past the two women and glared at the back of the head security guard who had given them entrance. His face soon flicked back to Henrietta's when he heard her mocking tone and choice of a final word.
“Frank? My name is Nathaniel, as you well know, Miss Herperial. I will work longer when I deem it necessary, for instance, when I identify a possible threat.”
With an obvious grin on her face, Henrietta was beginning to enjoy her taunting.
“Ohh, a threat, you don't mean little old me, do you, Carl?”
Balling his fists, he quickly released them and focused on not letting his emotions show. In the end, he failed miserably as the blood vessels across his face were nearly ready to burst.
“I told you my name is Nathaniel! And yes, you are the threat. I saw you earlier performing reconnaissance on this Dungeon portal. You know as well as I do that the acquisition of monster materials from means otherwise deemed acceptable by the Guild is illegal.”
With her hands on her hips, Henrietta closed her eyes and shook her head in disappointment.
“Listen, Natalie, have you ever heard of a word called slander? Also, this is the second time you've randomly approached me. Which word suits it better, harassment or stalking?.....Now then, I'm not saying you're a creep who steals women's underwear or anything....Yet....But you really need to get a girlfriend or something; surely your parents are disappointed you're still a virgin?”
Philomena leaned in close and whispered in Henrietta's ear.
“Pot, kettle much, Mistress.”
Henrietta quickly slammed her foot down behind her, aiming for her maid's foot. Making contact with the concrete, Henrietta cursed Philomena's fast footwork.
Opposing them both, Nathaniel finally managed to find his voice after the barrage of insults momentarily short-circuited his brain.
“IT'S NOT NATALIE, IT'S NATHANIEL! I know you are doing this on purpose! As far as those accusations go, I would never do such a thing; that is ludicrous and an abominable act. The last part about being a vir, vi, virg....Not consummating a relationship, that is a private matter.”
Nathaniel was so irate and flustered that he never stood a chance of noticing what Philomena was doing right in front of his eyes. The remaining gas bombs were distributed around the area, as well as a smaller anti-personnel one finding its way onto Nathaniel's lapel.
Philomena was not only revered for her fast footwork, but also for her godly hands, both being prerequisites to being a high-class maid. Another necessary requirement was to know the mental state of one's master at all times; that was why Philomena immediately noticed that something was amiss with Henrietta.
“Mistress, what is wrong?”
Using the prearranged code, Henrietta gently massaged her temples while she spoke.
“I just have a headache, a VERY bad headache. We should go; I need some medicine.”
Alarm bells were ringing within Henrietta's mind, a sixth sense of sorts that had served her well in the past. It fell short of a premonition, yet it danced around the periphery of the mystical with its accuracy and reliability.
Henrietta completely blanked Nathaniel and turned to walk away. While she did so, she gave the final signal to activate the measures they had taken.
With her hand still massaging her temple, her index finger repeatedly tapped away.
Philomena walked beside her mistress, acting the part of a maid full of concern for the one she serves.
Hidden away inside her pocket, a casual press of a button and the plan was set in motion.
Nathaniel stood in bewilderment as he watched the two women start to leave the site. He took solace in the fact that he got the last word in and even managed to make them leave.
Although that pride lasted for a mere fraction, as all hell broke loose.
An electrical spark emanated from the generator before a pulse spread out in every direction. The generator ceased its function, and so did every other electrical device that made contact with the ever-expanding pulse that continued outwards.
The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) had done its job and plunged the entire area into darkness.
Before the realisation as to what had actually happened could register with Nathaniel, the second part of the attack came.
From all over the site, clouds of gas exploded into existence. Everywhere was thick with a purple gas, a mysterious haze that blanketed the entire area.
Nathaniel was not free from this occurrence, with the device on his lapel exploding in his face and forcing him to inhale nearly the entire contents of the gas bomb.
Nathaniel fell to his knees, choking, his eyes staring forward at Henrietta and Philomena, who had begun acting and turned to try and save him. Their hands outstretched and panic on their faces, they fell to the ground coughing.
Nathaniel saw them collapse and knew his death was only a matter of time. He had no idea what the gas was that he had inhaled, but he believed it to be deadly.
He closed his eyes for a mere moment, but when he opened them, he was in an entirely different place. No longer was he in a purple haze, but he was in the middle of a meadow, the midday sun high in the air and a cool breeze keeping its rage at bay.
“What....Where am I? What was I just doing? Smoke, no gas! Was it an attack?”
Nathaniel's words were cut off when he saw a small person travelling through the air towards him. He soon understood what he was looking at: a small fairy was flying towards him by the grace of its four translucent wings on its back.
Stopping in front of him, the little fairy greeted him.
“How cha doin there, kiddo?”
Even so, with the scenery and mythical creature in front of him, his mind did not fight the inconsistencies, but just accepted it forthrightly.
“Hello, miss fairy. Where am I?”
“Why don't cha ask da tree?”
“The tree?”
Before his very eyes, behind the fairy, a massive oak tree grew from the ground, its canopy casting him in its shade. Upon its tree trunk, an elderly face appeared and smiled as it spoke.
“Ohhhh my, it is aeons since I have seen a rabbit wear clothes.”
Bewilderment was evident on Nathaniel's face, but it only lasted momentarily once he had looked down at his body.
“I'm not a rabbit....Oh, I am a rabbit.”
He saw his body was, in fact, that of a rabbit, albeit wearing a black suit.
Surrounding him on the ground, numerous small brown and white fluffy rabbits hopped about him, all of them looking at him expectantly.
The elderly tree conveyed their feelings.
“Rabbits do not wear clothes. The children wish you to dance with them; will you disappoint them?”
After hearing the tree's words, Nathaniel began removing his clothes, with the aid of the fairy that fluttered about him. A minute later, the now naked rabbit was playing with the smaller ones.
Back in reality, Henrietta and Philomena stood amidst the purple haze and marvelled at the effects of the drug on the people around them.
The security guard they had spoken to on entry was now standing facing a wall and vigorously licking its surface while mumbling about chocolate cake.
The other security guards who were dotted around the area and were stationed out of sight until that moment were all in varying states of delusion.
The main spectacle, though, was right in front of them.
Philomena was standing with her phone out, happily recording the scene in front of her, a small trickle of blood escaping her nose. Slowly she turned her head towards Henrietta and gave her a thumbs up, her professionalism all but vanished in the face of her hidden desire.
Nathaniel had stripped his clothes off and was hopping around in circles while imitating a rabbit, and all the while his little Nathaniel was standing to attention.
The spectacle in front of Henrietta had the opposite effect on her as it did on her maid.
The relaxed atmosphere that had been created by the hallucinatory agents and ethereal gas throughout the area vanished within her mind when she recalled the ominous feeling that brought everything on in the first place.
“Damn, I was nearly lost to this crap. I need to get in the Dungeon. Philomena, get ready.”
Philomena immediately put away her phone, happy with the content she had managed to acquire. Both of them started to approach the portal until something made them stop in their tracks.
Electrical discharges from the portal made contact with the gas in the air and left an atmospheric smell, but that was just the prelude. A figure emerged from the portal, completely clad in black; they were swallowed by the darkness and vanished from sight.
Both Henrietta and Philomena looked at one another, with the maid voicing her thoughts.
“A tail, Mistress. I saw a tail.”
“A tail....His tail! I would recognise that perfect length and girth anywhere.”
Clasping a hand to her chest, Henrietta rubbed at the scale that resided on the end of a chain underneath her shirt.
Comprehending the situation, she quickly made to take after him but came to an abrupt stop. Police sirens and flashing blue lights came from the direction they were about to take off in, and to make matters worse, the spotlights were starting to power back up and illuminate the area.
Philomena grabbed her mistress's hand and beckoned her backwards.
“Mistress, we need to go. You cannot be seen here.”
As if urging her to take heed of her maid's words, the spotlights began to come on, one after another.
The light progressively got closer; Henrietta bitterly chose to flee, longingly offering her quiet words up to the night air.
“Stay safe till we meet again, darling.”