Symbol

 The wave of water receded down the pit, entering the unknown abyss below.

“H-Hiiro!” Eris calls out, to no avail.

“Enough! There is nothing we can do at this moment! We must seek the hunter above’s help!” Nerissa explained, hastily standing.

“S-still… They won't let us…” Manako, who uses the large tulip to help her stand, says.

“I-I know! But-” Eris begins, looking at the two girls. “Eh?”

“W-what?” Manako looks quizically.

“Where did they go?!”
“W-what?”

“O-on her-” Eris points to Nerissa. “On her head! They were-”

“Enough! There are more pressing matters.”

Tap.

The sound of talons meeting the ground interrupts the group's bickering.

“...” Absalon looks towards the path leading down without moving. Uda mimics his movements.

The two stare, making no motion towards the girls.

Moments pass in total silence.

“T-this is our chance-”

“E-enough!” Absalon shouts. “T-this must be a test… Yes, a test. For what is to come, for both Lunia’s return and our mission… And for mine revenge… It is necessary we overcome this fear!” Absalon explains, talking in the direction opposite the girls.

“... You are correct…” Uda agrees.

“Yes! So let us finish this!” Absalon turns and faces the girls, anger and fear plastered on his face.

“Hear mine call, oh sirens song!” Nerissa instantly called out, releasing two spirits of water from their necklace.

“Spirits?”

“Drown!”

The spirits could not use magic on the lower levels. However, as beings of pure Mana, they could use their own bodies to cast spells.

The two spirits wrapped around Absalon, attempting to drown him.

“Hm?” A second later, the spirits flew backward. The two beings of pure aqua just barely manage to catch themself before smashing into the sandstone walls.

“Hk!”

Uda Wrobel quickly lunges towards the three, her arms reaching out towards them.

“Hah!” Manako lets out, throwing a seed just before Uda. “Ohpikiw!”

The seed grows, quickly becoming a tulip that dwarfs Uda in size. The flower, a white tulip, blocks Uda’s path, reeling backwards on the collision. Like a slingshot, the large flower sends the avian women flying backwards.

Uda flies backward a few meters before mimicking the spirit's actions and interrupting her flight with the wings growing from her arms.

“Great job!” Eris calls out, having drawn her sword. I’m completely useless at the moment… Hiiro…

“ENOUGH!”

The entire passageway froze. Absalon's voice carried throughout the dungeon like a banshee.

“There’s no need for games. Return to your cell. If you do not do so, I will be forced to make you!”

…

No one moved. Seeing this, Absalon pushes his glasses up.

“Fine, have it your way!” Absalon looks toward the girls, his gaze catching on Eris “łą-”

FWWWSH!

At the moment Absalon attempts something, his eyes seem to catch something behind the girls.

“Wha!?”

Absalon's eyes catch on to the reflective silver falling from above into the large hole. His eyes immediately recognize the large silver armor, though there’s only half of it. For only a few seconds as it falls past, Absalon witnesses the body of Walter Hoshea falling into the Abyss.

“Wha… Why… DAMN YOU!!!” Absalon breaks into a scream, his anger even surprising his partner beside him. “FIRST YOU TAKE MY SISTER, NOW YOU TAKE MY FRIEND TOO? FINE, I SHALL GIVE YOU JUSTICE!”

Absalons' rambles, causing Uda to become distracted.

“Let’s go-!” Manako starts running ahead, before being interrupted by a blast of fire. “GAH!”

“No!”

Manako is sent flying backward, but suddenly the fire changes shape to become a hand and pulls the girl back. At the top of the pathway is a red scaled dracoling, covered in fire. Before seeing the outcome, a wall of fire appears, separating the Dracoling and the Elf from the others.

“Manako!” Nerissa screams.

“No! H-how can he use magic?”

BOOOOM!
ROAAAAAR!
With no forewarning, an azure dragon breaks through the roof.

“AAAAAAAAH!”

The dragon, in an attempt to remove the nuisance on its nose, rushes to the wall.

CRRRRASSH

The dragon's head smashes into the wall, causing everything to shake wildly.

“Wha-woah!” Hiiro, who had jumped off the dragon at just the right time, landed next to the two girls.

“H-Hiiro!” Eris calls out.

“Eris! Glad you're okay!”

“T-that sword?!”

“Oh! I found him!”

“H-him?” Eris tilts her head slightly.

“Y-”

“ENOUGH!”

Absalon screams as both he and Uda charge forward.

🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮

Manako quickly throws a seed on the ground.

“Ohpikiw!”

A white tulip quickly grows, giving it the strength to combat the fire's grip.

“Hk!” Manako fights the fire hands' force, pulling her back. “Gaaaa!”

Finally, the fire slips off of her. Her green kimono torn and burned, revealing porcelain white skin beneath.

“Gah…”

“Damn you! Damn you! DAMN YOU!” The red scaled dracoling screamed, fire flowing from every orifice.

“Wha..!” Manako recognizes the situation. The Gila flower can be used to produce a drug… What was it called? I don’t remember… It heightens fire magic, but burns your insides to shreds… It was banned after… After…

“DIIIE!”

“Ah!”

The dracoling rushes forward, his tattered shirt burning in the flames. Under the shirt, tan scales reveal themselves.

“Ohpikiw!” Manako yells as she throws the rest of the seeds, attempting to stop Shaw’s approach.

“RAAH!” The fire burns through the flowers, leaving nothing but ashes.

“NO!” Manako, surrounded by flames, freezes up. Fire… FIRE… I remember the fire, it… IT…

“AH!”

Shaw was now just in front of her, but Manako could no longer pay attention to that.

Her eyes catch on the symbol above Shaw's left peck. A three-headed snake, wrapped around the world, and each head swallowing one of the three moons.

It’s… Real?

Manako’s mind shatters like glass.