The Descent

Cecilia cast a glance at Petra as she was being arrayed in her armor by Hilde, trying to avoid making eye contact with Petra’s midriff.

Petra was half-sitting on the arm of an elegant plush couch in her skimpy suit of armor. She smiled at Cecilia's surreptitious gaze and posed provocatively. She hoisted her left shoulder strap and gave Cecilia an arch look.

"Are you curious about trying it on?"

Cecilia froze. "Uh, no," she replied nervously.

"Ah."

Petra did not push the matter further, and her eyes bore into the back of Hilde's head, willing her to stay silent. They needed to ration their provocations carefully. She did not want to make Cecilia so desensitized to the teasing that she would ignore her flirtations. It would rob them of one of her favorite sources of entertainment.

At that moment, Macy burst into the parlour from her room. "Comrades! I am prepared for deployment!" She paused when she saw Petra. "Why are you wearing that?"

"What do you mean that?"

Macy paced in front of Petra with her hand holding her chin, nodding in appraisal.

Petra shook her head, ready for battle. "With this armor, my defenses are absolutely airtight! Capable of stopping a full-grown, charging war-boar dead in its tracks. I can move easily, it's light, and I can get my gear on in seconds," she paused. "And also, the craftsmanship is peerless," she added as an unrepentant afterthought.

"Oh, no doubt," Macy agreed, shaking her head vigorously. "It makes quite the bold statement, but perhaps I'm a bit overdressed..."

"Uh, you're perfectly fine!" Cecilia blurted out.

"The enchantment on this work is impeccable. The style just radiates Early Third Dominion." she noted, tapping Petra's chest armor insistently with the rounded end of her staff.

"Can you stop that?" Petra protested indignantly, shrinking away from Macy, and shielding her chest with one arm. "Have you no sense of decency?"

Stifling a cough, Hilde reached for a cloth to stiffly wipe down some droplets that she had inadvertently sprayed onto the golden scales of Cecilia's armor. She got up and saluted to Cecilia.

"Arming complete, Senior Cadet Gullfot!"

Cecilia nodded, as Hilde turned and exited the room mechanically.

"Shall we go?" Cecilia looked at her companions who nodded.

The three exited the room to join Hilde and Nadja outside.

* * *

Cecilia's group stood in front of their suite in the Lost Grotto. They could see other vanguards assembling before their rooms. Groups of curious guests also gathered to observe their preparations. Nadja was dressed in worn but well maintained leather armor; Macy was in her hat and robes, while Petra was covered with her green cloak with the hood pulled over her head.

The other vanguard members began heading down to the assembly area, followed by auxiliaries carrying their supplies. Cecilia, with her helmet under one arm, bent to pick up her pack, but Nadja put a hand on her arm.

"I think they're expecting a show," Nadja told Cecilia. "Hilde and I will carry the gear and follow the three of you."

Cecilia almost froze at the thought of being under the scrutiny of the influential and noble spectators. She had to maintain flawless etiquette. She nodded and gave a small smile of gratitude to Nadja.

The walls and floors of the Lost Grotto were still wet from their early morning cleaning, and Cecilia noticed that the nobles that walked alongside them navigated the slick stones effortlessly, elevated by their high-heeled footwear that kept both soles and trailing hems and trains from contact with the damp surface.

They went to the lifts and waited in line with other vanguards until they could be transported down to the assembly area. When the lift doors were opened, they exited and walked down a darkened concourse. The flickering torches along the corridor gave off the faint scent of lavender and vanilla.

They entered a large chamber. Cecilia looked up, and realized they were at the bottom of the central pit of Gardanmah. She could see people looking down at them from over the railing of the lower promenade. There were additional observation galleries dotting the walls beneath the lower promenade filled with spectators. The pennants of aristocratic houses were draped over railings, and cheers were directed at noble vanguards that waved back in response.

At the center of the chamber was a circular stone dais. Several Erziehungsoffiziere and an elderly wizard stood atop the platform. Flanking the sides of the dais were the Selecta vanguards, grouped in orderly fashion.

Cecilia said goodbye to Hilde who gave a gentle smile before leaving them. Cecilia turned to the others and took up her pack. She lead the way as the provisional vanguards lined up in single file in front of the dais, grouped by academy.

The officer stated they were performing an orienteering task with the objective of setting training anchors at a designated locations within the dungeon. The initial location for each group would be randomly assigned.  A new location would be provided by Selecta members who would be stationed at each anchor site to proctor and resupply parties if necessary.

Teaming up with other vanguards was discouraged, except in cases where there was a duty to act. This directive also included interactions with other civilian exploration parties which they might encounter within the dungeon. Most of these excursionists would be located on the first two sub-levels, but some (such as the group of the imperial chancellor's son) might be encountered deeper within the dungeon.

The officer gestured to the Selecta groups, and cadets stepped forward to the ranked vanguards units bearing stacks of bound ledgers. Each vanguard leader would take one packet, which contained a set of dungeon maps, and a random assignment sheet indicating the location of their first anchor site.

To conclude the briefing, a demonstration of an actual anchoring would be performed on the dais. Holding up an anchor dramatically, the Erziehungsoffizier drove the spike half-way into the center of the dais with his hand. He stood back and bowed, introducing the wizard as Master Finck, a senior fellow of the Atelier.

As the the Erziehungsoffiziere stepped from the dais, Master Finck raised his arms and began to chant. Magical power began to gather in the chamber, centered over the anchor. Flashes of energy sprang from the anchor as a metallic screech echoed against the walls.

The stone around the anchor began to crumble and turn to powder as the spike began to increase in size. Arcs of energy crawled along the dark metal surface of the growing anchor as Master Finck retreated from the dust that enveloped the lower portion of a metal pillar about twice the height of a man.

"Do not fear the dark; be the light that claims it for the Dominion!" proclaimed Master Finck to the assembled vanguards. He was met by the cheers of cadets, as well as those of the spectators above.