They entered a room made of starry skies that stretched out in all directions. Fake ones, of course. This far underground, getting anything from that celestial realm was nigh impossible. A person— an elf, with those long ears that held rings carved with ancient transcripts.

“Noah.”

That person nodded. Five pillars of steam rose up from five ceramic cups, each with gold and red decor fitting the tastes of an ancient life. They sipped from it with the grace and elegance one would expect from someone that old. With languid arms that carried themselves with grandeur fitting that of a king. Someone so utterly disinterested in life itself.

“Black tea. If my memory serves me right, it should be your preferred. But, as it had the misfortune, the Al-Mosbid breed of tea has gone extinct. How was your stint within your library, incidentally?”

“It was fine. The Lich visited me constantly. How long ago was it when we last met?”

“Ah, time truly is fleeting. I stopped keeping track at least a century ago.”

“Mhm. What have you been up to recently?”

“I should not need to inform you that there are reports of demons running amok, yet again.”

The empty space was punctuated by a long sip of tea. Of everyone in the room, Sylvana did not seem the least bit worried. The elf savoured their beverage.

“Quite aware of that fact.”

“What do you make of the situation, then? Did the gods give you any information, at all? Or might they be the same deadbeat parents as they usually are?”

“That doesn’t concern you. What have you done to prepare?”

Sylvana chuckled. The elf instead chose not to answer by speaking, but by interrogating someone else. Their eyes drifted to Frances. Her eyebrow twitched as the elf’s face approached. They always kept their neutral, amicable smile up. A poker face that never fell.

“What?”

She didn’t like the stare. But, at that distance away, even with the intense eyes, Frances stayed focused. Sylvana was close. She couldn’t help but notice the hairs on the elf’s face. The fine details within the eyes reflected the soft light from the false stars.

“It is concerning that you are travelling with companions, Noah. And you seem to have picked up a strange one indeed. Tell me, Lady Frances, would you be interested in cutting off your connection with the Dragon God? Or is your faith in him stronger than my words?”

“Faith? To him? You’re kidding me. Bahamut doesn’t do anything for me. Now, let’s stop dancing around the issue. What the hell are you doing that’s causing the pulses?”

The elf shook their head. As if she had asked the wrong question. Sylvana sat back down.

“Do you know why, Lady Frances, we must not allow the demons to manifest any longer?”

“I’ve already been br-”

“For you see, we are fundamentally different from them. Those filth feast on mana. They do not hesitate to kill, and know neither malice nor sin.”

“Right. Listen Sylvana, I don’t care. What I want to know is their threat level, and how to stop them.”

“Then you have made the best choice in your coming here. I have the solution.”

“And what’s that?”

“The only solution we would ever need. And with no exaggeration. This is the one thing I have been working centuries for. All in preparation for the eventual return of the demons. I will rid them all.”

“Well? Are you a salesman or a hero?”

“You have interesting jokes. Come. If it was not for Noah, I would have sent all of you away with a stern warning. Do tread with caution, though. It may shock you.”

“Uh-huh. Right. I really doubt anything would.”

There was a noise from below. A low growl, or something of that sort. With the limited information that she had, she could only guess. Sylvana stood up, and drifted down the stairs. She was sure that that was the elf’s true body. Their flesh and blood, and nothing like the ghost from before. Still, either by nature or by trickery, the elf still seemed unnaturally pale. Their hair seemed to have a silky quality to it.

They headed down. Through a winding tunnel of stone and damp bricks, Sylvana led them further. Dimly lit by the occasional passing flame. She blinked as her eyesight adjusted to the light.

“Be careful,” Sylvana warned.

“Oi. You’re insane, right?” Hye-Sung muttered. There was a quiver in her voice. Frances turned to face her. The orange glow lit her pale face, with no blood left. Even Iris seemed to be shaken, though she kept her straight look up.

“I suppose that mages would suffer the most, yes. I had centuries to acclimate to this, but to think you would suffer this greatly. This was a quixotic idea.”

“Carry on. Even if it means entering without them.” Frances walked in front of Sylvana. If it was a beast of mana, then the mages were useless. “The mages will be helpless if we go in.”

“Are you well versed in magic, Lady Frances? There are two basic rules that you must know. In a battle between mages, you either win by quality, or by quantity. And the opponent must respond in kind. If a mage is unskilled, but has an ocean of mana, then that mage can simply overwhelm any defences with pure mass. Similarly, if a mage is able to put up an array of defences, then you can pierce through it with a powerful strike.”

“I don’t care. Just leave them here, and take me with you.”

“You go ahead.” Noah gestured to the path ahead. “I’ll stay here and take care of them.”

“Ever the hero, Noah,” Sylvana muttered. “Come then, Lady Frances.”

The two of them left. The elf placed their hand on the cavern wall, and rotated an imaginary disk. The ground shook as the wall slid open.

A bright blue light burned her eyes. Frances squeezed her eyes shut involuntarily. Even in the artificial void produced from her eyelids, she could still see the lingering effects. In the passing glance, all she could get were crystals. Weird, blue crystals.