“Are you alright!?” Korr yelled, his body highlighted in vibrant green Magick energy.

Wanjeon picked himself up from the ground and nodded, wiping blood out of his eyes from the open cut on his forehead. His health bar was screaming at him, but it didn’t matter. They had a role to fulfill.

Towering over them was the Level 20 Queen Banshee, the final boss in the Hachainn Dungeon. Ten feet of grey horror wrapped in soiled rags, the creature floated above the two men, hands outstretched, her fingers ending in sharp claws. Her face was wrenched into despair as she prepared her next attack.

“She’s going to use it in five seconds!” Wanjeon shouted, raising his panpipe to his lips. He quickly played the melody he’d memorized long ago and waited for the two seconds before he could use it. The Lochan felt it activate and directed the ability at Korr.

“Here you go!” He shouted, hurling the buffing spell at his companion. Dazzling sapphires of Magick erupted from the end of his instrument. They swirled around him, before launching at the Witch on the other side of the cavern.

Haste!

The grizzled old caster was hit with a blue beam, and a sundial appeared above his head, the shadow on its face spinning quickly.

“Yes!” Korr exclaimed. The Magick did its job, and in two more seconds, he felt his charged ability activate.

Negate!

Korr threw the rebuff at the Queen Banshee just as she opened her mouth to scream. It was successful, and his counterspell landed in time to mute her bellow.

“Now!” Wanjeon called out, and in a flash, a violet shape rocketed across the cave floor and sliced through the Banshee’s body. The attack was super effective, and the creature turned into a glowing silhouette as the last of her HP disappeared.

Critical Strike!

Numbers exploded around the beast’s body as the final tally of the sneak attack ripped her apart. The glow reached an absolute threshold and then disappeared with a loud snap.

When the light faded, a tattered-looking creature stood in the center of the cave, still holding the glowing purple spear that had vanquished the boss.

“Great job, Crake!” Korr exclaimed, rushing over to his other companion and clapping him on the back.

“You’ve still got it.”

Wanjeon relaxed. The tension from the fight was replaced with elation. It had been some time since he’d actually had to try during battle. It had been a long time since he’d done any battle at all, until recently. He waited for the spoils to appear as Korr and Crake celebrated their victory.

Formed of bits of rag and straw, Crake’s long, lank frame leaned against his summoned spear. He was breathing heavily. Wanjeon had to admire his pluckiness. The Fir Bholg had agreed to travel with them without a moment’s hesitation.

The scarecrow man turned to look back at the Lochan, his sunken and shadowy eyes pinched with the effort of the killing blow still fresh in the memory of his muscles. His stitched mouth smiled wide.

“It’s good to have the old gang back together.” Crake said, his raspy voice filled with a cheeriness that Wanjeon had to admit he had missed.

“Indeed!” Korr agreed, dropping to his knees as he began collecting fungus from the ground.

The spoils window appeared before them, and the three adventurers divvied up their loot.

Spoils

Vermilion Wand

[Magick Weapon] [Imprinted Item]

Rarity: Ultra Rare

Type 1: Wand

Type 2: Sanguine

Durability: 123 / 201

Fey Attack: 371 - 419

Chance for Petrification

A crimson wand that appears to be forged from the blood of some creature. It would be wise to choose its bearer carefully. Requires Level 20. Restricted to Druidic Class.

Bone Hairpin

[Magick Accessory]

Rarity: Uncommon

Type: Bewitched

Durability: 40/40

+10 to Shield

An intricate barrette crafted from the yellowed finger bones of a Fomorian. Gives off a faint aura when equipped.

Queen Banshee Powder [x2]

[Ingredient]

Rarity: Rare

A malodorous ash used principally for crafting high level poisons. Be careful not to let it touch your skin!

Billowy Tatters [x1]

[Crafting]

Rarity: Rare

Torn fabric that belonged to the Queen Banshee. It is enchanted to always appear to be ruffling in the wind. Spooky!

Spoiled Meat Steak [x4]

Rancid Meat Steak [x1]

Coin acquired: 350 G | 75 S | 31 C

“Nothing really worthwhile though, is there?” Korr asked, examining the space around where the Queen Banshee had been.

“It’s not really the same,” Crake responded, his spear dispersing with a magical crack. “and it really makes you long for Mag Mell.”

“There was definitely a real element of danger then,” Wanjeon said, “the loot was better too.”

“Remember when Pauper tricked Felix into letting him take the Scroll of Infinite Might?” Korr asked, chuckling, “he couldn’t even use it, and it was a Cursed Item!”

“...and Felix kept trying to figure out a way of killing Pauper so the scroll would drop, but Pauper had all those Resurrection Stones!” Crake said, his voice sounding as though it would break with laughter at any moment.

“Poor Felix waited so patiently for the Scroll to drop, but instead, Paup would reappear every time, saying he’d forgotten his keys!” Korr had tears in his eyes as he recounted their former friend’s’ misadventures.

Even Wanjeon had to smile at the memory. “Simpler times,” he said.

The three were silent for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, Crake brought them back out of it.

“So, supposedly, the secret door is around here?”

“That’s what that strange NPC indicated,” Wanjeon said. Dressed head to toe in red leathers with a black mask to hide his face, the person calling himself the Cardinal had enigmatically explained the details of the Quest before disappearing. He had made sure to mention to keep an eye out for a hidden door. The Lochan had found the whole interaction quite annoying.

Wanjeon played a few short notes on his panpipe, and his body was engulfed in a healing mint-colored aura. The Magick took immediate effect, and his health began to quickly fill once more. The wound on his forehead sealed up and disappeared, and the bruises on his arms and face evaporated. Then began searching through the debris within the cave.

The Queen Banshee had made a roost out of wood and rocks and bones. Carefully, the Lochan sifted through the mess, keeping a watchful eye for any signs of a door or hatch.

“Explain to me again why we need to find this door?” Crake asked.

“This was the path that the Guild of Vagrants chose before,” Korr said, holding a magical torch aloft in the darkness. The light helped a little but didn’t unearth anything new.

“Wait,” Crake began, stopping in the middle of his search, “if you’ve done this before, how come you don’t already know where it’s at?”

“I wasn’t there for this Quest,” Korr admitted, “I was… busy.”

“Stomach issues, eh?” Crake said, throwing a grin at the wooly Witch, “I will say, it still baffles me that stuff like that happens, you’d think they—“

“Found it!” Wanjeon called.

The other two adventurers gathered around the Lochan as he held up a skull from the pile of rubble at his feet. Carved into its forehead was a rough depiction of a door frame. Wanjeon raised an eyebrow at his companions and placed his fingers below the bottom jaw. With a smile, he wrenched the jaws apart, and suddenly, the skull flew into the air above the trio. Its lower jaw slid to the ground, and in the space between the two bone pieces, a doorway formed. A swirling vortex of bright light and cool colors swam inside of the barrier.

“Is this it?” Crake asked, taking a few tentative steps toward the glittering portal in the center of the cave.

“I think so,” Korr said, dispersing the torch and looking to Wanjeon. The Lochan Troubadour returned his look with a shrug.

“It’s the best lead we have,” Wanjeon said and moved right up next to the portal.

Crake placed a hand on Korr’s shoulder.

“You sure you’re ready to relive this?” He asked the human.

Korr nodded. “I have to be. We need to figure this out, and the newbies here won’t be strong enough.”

“How many of us are even left?” Crake asked.

“I think it’s just us,” Wanjeon said softly, his eyes still on the doorway.

“Man, that sucks,” Crake stated, “what I wouldn’t give to have a bit of Nix’s wisdom right about now.”

“She did always seem to have an uncanny ability to spot when we were about to engage in something foolhardy.” Wanjeon agreed. “Guess it can’t be helped.”

“Well,” Crake asked, motioning toward the Magick doorway, “what say we tackle whatever this is and hopefully not get eviscerated in the process?”

“Not getting eviscerated sounds just aces,” Korr said and straightened himself. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and walked through the opening without another word.

Crake looked back at Wanjeon, and with a wan smile, he too stepped into the doorway, disappearing into the ether beyond.

Wanjeon took one final look around the cave and then back to the skull door.

“Whatever lies on the other side, I will make sure I protect you both.” He said, and then he too passed into the doorway.

In the empty cave, the doorway still stood open for a moment, and then, with a snap, the skull hit the ground, and the portal was gone. After a moment of silence, a shape slid out from the shadows where it had been watching the three adventurers. The cloaked form quietly moved along towards the entrance to the cavern and back outside into the rainy night.