Anabel and Ell sat down on one side while me and Risa sat on the other with Clyde and Natasha on either side of us, “Well let’s start with the introductions first, Clyde take it away” he finally glanced away from Ell and looked at me with a confused expression “Hm? What?” while his sister seemed too busy trying to hold in her laugh. “We’re introducing ourselves blockhead, I’m Natasha Warren and that’s my twin brother Clyde” she took a deep breath seemingly holding in her laughter, while Clyde figured himself out I continued “They are Cerberii like I use to be, this here” I gestured at Risa who’s arms had now imprisoned my right arm between her bosoms “Is Risa Xioqu, she’s the sister of Emperor Alexus Xioqu and well…” before I could continue Risa interjected “Matt’s woman, my pleasure to meet you” her grip tightened. They both gave her a wry smile “I’m Anabel Connery, nice to meet you all…” she turned to Ell who hadn’t really spoken “Ellaila Kellent, my pleasure as well”, Ell then gave me a sceptical expression “And what did you mean by wanted criminal? Matt?”. I went through most of what happened on earth without going into too much detail, Anabel went through a series of suddenly standing up, slamming her fist on the table and staring in astonishment. When I was finally done explaining I ordered a coffee from the crystal “So how’s your week been?” they both just stared at me with complicated expressions, “Nothing like yours…I cannot believe the academy…No…the government!” she slammed her fist on the table for about the fourth time “The outfit leader’s been keeping us busy with all the new dungeons popping up all over the place, fortunately most of them are tame and co-operative but we are still required to map them out and rank them…” Ell then joined in “Not to mention the strange ones…Last one we scouted was a full slime dungeon! Me, Anabel and Lia had to scout it on our own because most of the slimes were corrosive and we weren’t too happy with having the guys there too” I noticed Anabel visibly shiver at the thought of it.

“Dungeons? What do you mean popping up all over?” Natasha chimed in reminding me that they knew little about what was going on around Etyria, “Since the second wave the realms have destabilized making travel between each one easier, because of that there will also be rifts that may open due to the shift. One specific realm seems to be very close to Etyria’s time space compared to the others so rifts are even more common between them, that other realm is completely ruled by a sentient core race known as living dungeons. They are capable of highly detailed mana manipulation to the point of creating monsters with a single thought, the first we’ve ever found was killed by Matthew over here so the alliance demanded more research to be done and therefore most squads are currently taking on that contract. Some are quiet the headache to deal with although we’ve rarely had to take one out, when one does happen to be aggressive enough to call for elimination…the elite squad is the one that does it as dungeons tend to be very dangerous if their lives are at risk. As for how to kill a dungeon…” Anabel stopped talking and looked at me “You have three options, destroy the core if it’s too strong, corrupt it and take it over or…Absorb it like you would with other core based races. Matthew I wanted to ask, back then…what happened to you? From our research…absorbing a core means connecting your soul to it’s and that means the dungeon itself might very well absorb you…Leya didn’t tell us anything and told us to never ask but…why were you so desperate? Surely you knew how dangerous it was to connect with it?”. I suddenly remembered what I had gone through on that mission, the desperation and loss of control…” And why do you want to know that?” I gave her a cold expression to point out that I wasn’t fond of explaining but she unexpectedly fully met it with her own “You’ve been chosen for leader of the second Elite squad, a position I wanted for myself. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I cannot accept a leader who’s a possible loose cannon”.

I chuckled at her determination which made her shift awkwardly “Well…I’ve already told you of what I use to be, tell me Anabel, do you know how does one gain control over something like a Cerberus? Ask yourself, why didn’t we all just fightback? Surely we could have killed hundreds of them before the poison took effect!” I sensed the annoyance emanating from Clyde and Natasha but continued anyway as Anabel closed and opened her mouth wordlessly “Here’s why, imagine you’re nine years or younger and you’re forced to go through days of physical torture while the only place you ever see is a five meter by five meter white room littered with your own blood. At night when you try to sleep they purposely play the same damn song while they whispered through a mic things like “We’re all you have, nobody cares about you anymore. Trust us, fight for us, worship us”, we weren’t slaves because we couldn’t fight back!” I slammed my fist on the table noticeably denting the metal “When you have nothing left, nobody left…you’ll cling to whatever keeps you sane. Everyone clung to something or someone, all I had…was that white room…for years seeing nobody at all…I clung to fake safety that room gave me”. I laid back in the chair and stared up at the roof “The things they did to us…even knowing that I still felt safe in that…damn room…when the doors closed to the dungeon…the feeling of something watching me…toying with me…I lost control”, I lowered my head and stared at her “Yes I’m a loose cannon, yes I’m probably not qualified for this position. You think I asked for this? You think Zeaxar will just let me walk away now?”. She lowered her head “I shouldn’t have asked…I’m sorry…”, “Good job on ruining the mood” Clyde spoke as he pulled out a pair of earphones connected to a music player in his hand. “What is that?” Ell suddenly rose up over the table to take a closer look at the device, giving Clyde a full view of her breasts trying to escape her black shirt. Clyde just stared at her wide eyed while trying to compose words “It…ah…m…”, Natasha sighed and walked over behind him “it’s an old music player” she slapped the back of his head “He doesn’t let anybody touch it, not even me”.

Clyde just glanced away with a slightly red face “Didn’t have to hit me sis”, Natasha just chuckled “Yeah, definitely taking your attention away from those without hitting you” while Ell stared with an amused expression at the both of them. I inwardly sighed (“Well…they are unnaturally…”) I suddenly sensed a piercing killing intent coming from right next to me, I glanced down to see Risa glancing between me and Ell while pouting “Risa?...” she locked her gaze on Ell as everyone else including her sensed Risa’s aura so they turned to look at her. (“Saya…Ember…Advice on what…”) but Ember responded before I could finish (“Pig”) followed by Saya (“Fiend”), I slumped down my shoulders as Wayne’s laughter filled my mind. I shut all three of them out of my mind “Risa you…alright?...” she glared up at me momentarily then cloaked which surprised everyone including me, “You’re gonna have to teach me that one…” Natasha began poking where Risa’s ear should have been. I sighed as Risa finally spoke “Humans can’t do dark magic…” suddenly Anabel stood up “Ah! I almost forgot!” everyone turned to look at her which made her shyly step back “I should…get going…”, Ell peered up at her “Training room?” which made Anabel freeze and give her a wry smile “I never said that…” suddenly Ell clapped her hands together “Idea! Let’s show Nat-chan and Risa-chan around! We’ll pass by the training rooms too!”. She stood up grabbed Anabel’s arm and dragged her over to Natasha who’s arm was also grabbed while a vine grew out of Ell’s back and grabbed onto the still cloaked Risa, she dragged all three of them away while Risa whispered “What…monstrous…strength!...”. Clyde looked over to me and took off an earphone “What just happened?”, I sighed “We got abandoned, come on I’ll show you around” I stood up and began walking away as he momentarily stared at me in confusion but quickly followed.

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Risa’s POV

The vine wrapped around my waist and pulled me away from his arm, it was so sudden and I was so surprised that I wasn’t able to fight back. Natasha looked too confused to do anything and when I glanced at the loose mouthed Anabel she seemed too used to this, I trashed and tried to pull the vine off but before I knew it we were climbing the stairs. In the end I just surrendered myself “Where are you taking us?...” I uncloaked, the woman known as Ellaila giggled “Training room”. When we finally stopped we were standing in a long corridor of perfectly spaced doors with what I knew as numbers written in their language on each door, we stopped by the fifty second room and entered “This…an empty room with a barrier?” I glanced around (“No tools, weapons or targets?...”) I sighed “Hey, monster breasts” I glanced at the Elf and she looked at me with a confused expression “Why did you take me too?”. She released the vine from around me and walked over “So we girls get to know each other” she placed her hand on my head as if she was talking to a child, “Don’t…” I pushed her arm away “Do that…” she gave me a smile and shrugged “I also thought you could tell us about what Matt-senpai can do now, you’re the closest to him so…”. She was getting on my nerves now “senpai?..wa…Why should I?” I then glanced at Anabel “Mostly with her, after your tone towards him why should I?” (“Bitch is lucky I haven’t killed her yet”), Anabel just lowered her head shyly as I glared at her “I didn’t mean to…” I walked over to her “Mean to what?” I was too annoyed to mind my tone “Everyone has problems, who are you to question his then?”. She suddenly straightened up and tried to meet my gaze “I’m sorry if I seemed too harsh, I didn’t mean to make him remember his past. If we are to be comrades though I don’t want something like this to divide us, please don’t let it blind you. I truly am sorry ”, her sincere apology caught me off guard “Oh…I…” but before I could speak monster breasts cut in “Then let’s make up!” she grabbed the both of us and pulled us into a hug while laughing.

Natasha sneaked up behind her “I am curious as to what you all know about his skillset…” she grabbed Ell by the shoulder and pulled her back “So…Miss Elf, what can you tell me?...”, “Huh?Ah…ahh….Don’t…” Natasha had begun fondling her mounds while Ell tried to resist “Oh…these are perfect…so Ellaila...what can you tell me?...” Ell moaned and tried to escape but Natasha had her locked down “I…don’t…”. Me and Anabel glanced at each other and looked back at them in absolute fear, after Ell had told Natasha whatever she could in between moans and cries Natasha let her go and she fell onto her knees drenched in sweat and red as tomato. Natasha glanced at us “So…who’s next?...” she cracked her fingers, I immediately cloaked and stepped behind Anabel “Sorry!” I pushed her towards Natasha “Oh how nice of you to actually come to me” she grabbed on Anabel and spun her around. “N…nno….this…is…abuse…” Anabel cried and laughed as Natasha discovered she was ticklish, “It’s not if you like it…” she giggled and divulged onto Anabel’s breasts “Oh…a hidden bust…”. I stood by the metal door staring in absolute fear as Anabel also fell onto her knees out of breath, Natasha turned around and faced me “I sense you…” She giggled and began walking over while I took steps back.

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Matthew’s POV

“Dude…what the hell is wrong with your sister…” me and Clyde stood outside training room 52 listening in on the haven inside, another moan from Risa filled our ears “They locked themselves in with a predator…she swings that way…”. Having had enough of listening in on their torture I move in to open the door “Yo you mad!?” Clyde whispered frantically “I ain’t walking in on that!”, I glanced at him and sighed “Oh? So you don’t want to save your Elven princess from the clutches of your evil sister?” he turned red the second I finished that sentence. I chuckled as I pressed my palm to the panel to open the door, the second it opened Risa rushed to my chest and held on for dear life “Natasha, that’s enough torture. Ell, Anabel, If you really were going to take the newbies on a tour you should of taken Clyde too. Made it too obvious you wanted information on me and from what I can tell” I chuckled when I saw their expressions “You ended up giving information instead of getting”. “Take Clyde with you and actually show them around, I need to go find someone” I patted Risa’s head “Go with them, you need to familiarize yourself with the base anyhow” but she shook her head “I’m coming with you, with who you meeting?” she peered up at me, I chuckled “I’ll tell you later, I won’t be gone for long and the entry test shouldn’t be long now” she momentarily glanced away and nibbled her lip “Fine…” She let go of my shirt. I turned around “Ell take care of them for me” and began walking away, “Yes sir captain sir!” Ell giggled after saying that and I glanced back at them “Ain’t your captain just yet you fool, see if you can pass first”. I walked away from them and over to the console where I engaged the teleportation system and set my destination to the library, I thought that if anybody had the information I was looking for it had to be the librarian. The second I phased into the library I noticed him through a window inside the small room reading a book with a couple more stacked next to him on the desk, “What can I do for captain Anderson?” he glanced up from his book with an amused smile “Does news travel that fast around here? Or is it just you?” I walked over to the open window.

“Just me, so what might you be looking for today?” he closed his book without marking the page and put it ontop of the others, “Firstly I came to return this” I had taken the gloves out of my room when I went to show Clyde where the dorms are “The journal you lent me, I have many questions about it also if you do not mind”. Loke nodded “Ask away” and laid back in his chair “The one who edited this journal, who was it?”, I summoned the journal out and handed it over to him “The book was edited by my daughter for the purpose it states, some information was too personal to publicize” he began turning through the pages. “The original author, I understand it was William Smith Yesventis the human Hero of Darkglade?” his wry smile didn’t go unnoticed by me “Yes, he is indeed. I also understand that he is still alive…nothing can kill that man…” Loke chuckled as he turned another page, “Why did you give me this journal?” he glanced up to meet my cold expression “because I knew what you were the moment you entered, the same as him” he turned a couple pages and set his palm over the book. “Read” he turned the book towards me and pointed out the very last page “It’s empty” I pointed it out but moments later I wasn’t so sure anymore, words began to burn into the paper forming sentences which then formed paragraphs. I began to read the top entry of the page “It speaks to me constantly in my mind now…I cannot keep it out for much longer, I honestly think death is a better path than what I’ll have to go through if it takes over…It calls onto me to find it’s champion…It calls me their priest…but I won’t give in. My freedom is earned and I will not give it up easily, to whoever might read this beware the Gods that watch over this world. They force us to play their games, they want us to fight their war and If I survive Darkglade and am able to cast off this monster from inside my mind…I’m such a fool…I wanted power so badly…I practically let it in…even now Chaos tries to shatter my defences but I will not fall” My eyes widened at this revelation, Loke noticed my expression “Continue” so I began reading the second and last entry “It’s champion…but of course…Gods cannot effect the realms at their full power without a vessel…the champion…is it’s vessel…If I survive this day, I will kill this unborn vessel”.

I closed the book and pushed it towards Loke “Chaos...vessel…He was the Priest of Chaos?...But he wanted to…kill me…Does that mean he died before he could do that?...or was he taken over?...Loke…explain…” I looked up and inside the room but he was nowhere to be seen “When did he…”, suddenly I felt something touching my right wrist “What the…” out of nowhere an Iris appeared there beeping with a notification. “How…” I sighed (“This only gave me more questions…Have I really disconnected from Chaos? Has William died or taken my place? Is Loke a damn ghost?!”), I momentarily glared down at the Iris but then gave up and tapped it on “Right…the elite ceremony…” I sighed again as I swiped away the notification (“I’ll ask Zeaxar…actually…that’s a horrible idea…”). I shut off the Iris and head to the console where I selected the large training floor I was being called to, I activated the teleporter and phased out while giving one last glance at the journal on the window as a hand pulled it in “You sly bas…”. “tard…” I phased into the training room as I finished my sentence, “And tardy you are captain, last one to arrive really” Clyde was sitting at the very edge of the benches looking into the entry tunnel where I stood. I ignored his remark and walked over “Matthew Anderson reporting in” I faced Leya who stood by the entrance, “Step into the arena captain, his highness will rank them himself” I noticed Zeaxar standing on the podium on the other side of the room with the other Elites. I nodded and walked through the barrier then kept walking till I reached the very middle of the arena, Zeaxar’s voice echoed through the whole arena “Elite candidates, enter the arena and stand at your given position” they all took position at the edge of the arena with Risa to my back, Anabel to me left, Ell to my right, Natasha to my front right and Clyde to my front left. “The rules are simple, you have ten minutes and if at least one of you is taken out you all fail” the arena’s barrier went completely black as I noticed everyone except the twins tense up, Clyde and Natasha had instead entered a state of full concentration with no expression what so ever on their face.

“To make this just a bit fair, Matthew you are only allowed to use one spirit and no more than one” Zeaxar stopped talking momentarily as he scanned the others and their expressions “Now then…” he laid forward onto the railing as a grin curved it’s way up his mouth “Let the game…begin”.