Prelude to the Music [Ipos/The Main Hall]

As he looked on he would stop his singing. As he notice the egg moving side to side. Whatever was in it was about to come out and this put a smile on his face. Grabbing the crowbar he would tap it on his shoulder just a bit. As he watched the egg start to crack. Yet the poor little beast was taking it's time to come out. Clearly it was having trouble. " Hold on I will help you out ok. But keep in mind no eating me as I am your savior." He would make a light joke as he walked to the giant egg and lightly was hitting on it as lightly but surely it started to break apart. Ghost would look on as he was happy about this." Could this be a test,should I bring this dungeon beast to the king of this tower? But I must first deal with who ever followed me." He would say this as he turned around. Taking no chance he would call forth his knight. As it stood tall the bright light it light off would clearly be a sign it was in combat mode. Ghost would look on and clearly be ready to throw down.

As he looked on me would say, " people refuse to let me be but What ever." This knight was his powerful spell known as Signs Of Eden.

Spoiler:

The old man would gin to himself as a tone is produced from the tile that he is standing on. It seemed like the tiles formed some kind of song and there were 16 of them. There could be some kind of pattern that they all had to stand on to get the right notes but he felt that was not a case. He felt like it didnt matter which you stood on and that it would be interesting to see what would happen if they all stood on the tiles. He would turn to the others shouting after seeing not everyone was on a tile. "come come children, there is no harm in seeing what happens if we all stand on the tiles at the same time. I am interested to see if anything happens, perhaps afterwards we can sing together." he says grinning at the odd group and shou keeps standing on his tile.

The young princess found herself feeling somewhat underwhelmed at the simplistic results of the panels that had actually been stepped on. Nothing more seemed to happen than a melody of sorts manifesting from the otherwise silent cavern each time another body took position upon the markers on stage. At the very least she was able to confirm that nothing had been triggered that would have immediately killed whoever stepped onto the panels. A long sigh escaped the young Fanalis's lips as she brought her hands to either side of her waist and looking down momentarily. For the first time since she had entered she found herself wishing she had brought Merlin along with her.

She hated to admit it out loud but of all her mother's children he was clearly the smartest. Far more than Menat herself even, though she'd refuse to ever admit it to him, or their mother, out loud. But there was the fact that their mother had put so much focus into having tutors and teachers come provide him lessons on a daily basis so of course he'd be more educated than Menat who had lived her young life in Reim sheltered in other ways. But she knew better. Merlin was smart, of course, but he was still her younger sibling and as far as she knew this was still an extremely dangerous place. As his older sister it'd have been a tremendous mistake to have brought him into the dungeon with her.

At least for the moment. Perhaps once he was older and had become more adept at his use of magic and protecting himself it would be a different story. Perhaps she'd even take to bringing him on her adventures regularly. But that was in the far future. Currently her focus should, and needed to be, the room and it's puzzle. Feeling as if the panels had only been left there as distractions, lures to throw off thieves or, more likely, idiots, she took to scanning around the cavern in search of some other form of clues. It was rough as the only source of light came from the illuminated gem encased on the altar behind the stage. Not every single shadowed area was exposed but it was enough that she got a good enough look.

"Wait a second..." She murmured to herself as she paused. She had taken notice of something she found mildly concerning. "Um everyone? I'm not sure if you've noticed beyond your little stage performance but I think we're all stuck in here." She voiced aloud to the rest of the group. "I don't see the way we came in or a way out either for that matter." That fact added on top of the mysterious altar and stage of musical markers just seemed to drain some of the redhead's spirit. 'Papa. I know you can't hear me, I don't even expect you to be in this dungeon to begin with, but I always feel like talking to you helps. Wherever you are.' She began thinking to herself.

'I don't know how to get out of this one Papa. Was this the kind of problems you and Mama had to deal with when both of you went into your dungeons?' The typically confident young princess actually felt less certain of herself and her current situation. "Papa. Mama. I don't know if either of you can hear me but I could use your help here. I know I'm not the smartest in our family and I need you to hold my hand once in a while and this is one of those times." She spoke quietly, not wanting the rest of the group to hear her should they all step off their spots and the music stop. "But please. Just help me find a way to figure out how to move forward towards the djinn of this dungeon." The way she spoke was so direct that she put true belief that, even if her parents weren't there with her physically, they'd be able to hear her pleas.

A ghostly ensemble ensnares the young assassin's ears with their ephemeral strings and percussions, a quaint tune which reverbs miraculously down the ear canal. It was a peculiar note, much more peculiar than the altar he heard not a peep from. On aloof feet did he rise to the fretting words of the redhead in their midst.

Yes, it was time to return and face the music.

His mind tarry not on their supposed entrapment nor their dismal cognitive capacity, but tapped its metaphorical foot to the not-so-metaphorical beat.


"Trapped you say? I prefer the term, 'temporary detainment.'" Confidence toned his voice in well-mannered jest to Menat. However, confidence alone would not bring about answers, for these markers still remained largely untapped. So, in compliance to Silva's request, he take his place on the marker with a leap and a quite vocal message.

"I disagree with Ten— I mean that dashing gentleman with the one-eye," ah, yes, his contrarian was showing, but not without a measured step of decent reason. "Recall what carried us to our little alcove— it was not our feet, but a choir moody adolescents, incapable of harmony! So, lets sing until our voices grow hoarse— nay! Let us not fall to a discordant cacophony of frivolous arguments like that choir! I say lets sing until our throats bleed while we dance till we're dead for neither is mutually exclusive to the other!"

His recourse took a hard swerve at the end, but it was to be expected of this wayward drifter.

With an open hand, he gestured to those off-stage to come up and join them. "Lir, you have quiet set of vocal chords on you, why not take point? We'll harmonize to your lead."

The one eyed man would let the melody play on his ears as people stepped on the place markers, wondering what they should do before noticing that they were trapped based on what the redhead girl said. She was right, only the altar remained and the path was closed.

“Hm..” Tenma tried to move from his spot to notice that one tone was gone before stepping on the markers again only to hear the missing tone once again. He would ask Rui Li to do the same only to find out that the note playing on her side was different. Out of curiosity, the one eyed man would walk towards the markers that didn't have anyone standing on it, testing the tone. "Feels like a giant piano... Every markers has different tones."

What Khalik said about singing might be right although the one eyed man was amused on how the other man used his words, sing until our throats bleed and dance until we’re dead, huh?

“You might be right, however…” Tenma would respond to Khalik as he reached into his pocket and took out a flute, “Remember the singing that we heard from before when we just entered? Perhaps that has something to do with this? Maybe we should play the tone? I’m pretty sure it went like this...” The one eyed man began to replay the music he heard from before with his flute, although he wasn't sure if he was right. “I am not sure though. I do have another theory. 16 place markers might have a meaning like 16th musical notes or Semiquaver that has one-fourth of a beat. Perhaps we just have to create music that has one-fourth of a beat? What do you think as an expert, Lir?”

“Amazing…” Noir murmured as Eight reanimated the woman by tapping his sword to the corpse's head, although the moment she saw the pained face on the dead body, the black haired girl was pretty much taken aback. That was pretty scary even for Noir and she would unconsciously take a step back and her hand gripped her staff tighter than before.


The magician's gifted eyes would be staring towards the now ‘alive’ woman, seeing nothing floating around her. “There’s no magoi within her…” She would say as she took several steps forward, getting closer to the woman. “Should we reenact the activities depicted from the paintings? So… morning meals, fishing, midday naps and maybe make her do some singing and keening?” She would also remember the angelic voice from before, the one they heard before they met the bard. "Perhaps make her sing the music we heard a while ago as well?" Her good memory would be able to make her remember every details of the angelic voice she heard before and she would give 8 the example of the music by singing it out herself.

‘What a lovely puzzle this is - and a lovelier solution you have proposed, Tenma!’ Her amber eyes sparkling, Zubaidah certainly was enjoying herself. ‘And, might I add, some lovely music you played as well.’ She was not joking there, as her hips had been swaying as the flautist Tenma played.

    ‘I think it best that we each take a panel for the moment and listen to which note we have - and what chord we produce.’ Whilst she spoke, her and Amnet returned to their previous panels and regarded the pitch and rhythm of their note. ‘Tenma and Khalik may be on the right track, so why don’t we recount and harmonise on that tune we heard before?’

Hyperion would heed the council of his friend. He would use his silk rope and tie it at the head of the pole to create a makeshift fishing rod. He already concocted a way to make the zombie reenact those paintings with ease.

The Ooze overlord would create a small, fist sized morsel made of slime magic. Then waving the woman around through the control of the Demon's Sword and feeding the slime food to the body.

Then handing over the make shift fishing pole to her so she could fish in the water.

After letting her have a few minutes to fish with the rod and string. He would lay the body back from where he had disturbed it, removing his animation magic control of the body. Perhaps this combined depiction of the paintings would free them.

Magoi: 325

Demon's Eye Sustained 5 Magoi

Tier: B
Class: Race
Type: Supplementary
Range: Close (1m)
Requirements/Drawbacks: Healing can only be applied after consumption. Snack time does not enable regeneration, it only assists the basic healing function of the body. The benefits of Snack Time cannot be stacked; a character can only gain the benefits of Snack Time once per turn.
Scaling: For every 10 extra Magoi spent, the tier of healing is increased by one.
Sustain: No
Cool Down: 3 posts
Cost: 30 Magoi
Description:
The user spurns a gelatinous snack to be devoured. Albeit an acquired taste, this jelly bun is rife with magically nutritious prokaryotes which enhances the body's capacity for healing. For the next four turns, the target is healed as if targeted by a D-Tier healing spell.

As the crowbar tapped against the shell of the egg it would shake around and wiggle for a moment before suddenly a foot had broken through the shell, it was the foot of a bird's but then suddenly the head had busted through and it was the head of a baby human. Then as the rest of the shell was broken away it had become obvious that it was a creature with the body of a bird, but the head of a human.

While one might take the moment to consider what a creature like this really was and how it could survive along with what it could do there was little time for one to actually consider it. Within a few moments, there was a loud interruption with the sound of rushing and flapping.

It might've been easy for someone to forget that there would be a mother to this beast and for her to be angry. A large bird with sharp talons and a massive wingspan as she stood over three meters tall. As she stared down at Ghost she would let out a loud screech, but seemingly did not engage in combat. Instead, she looked at her child who began singing the song it did before. Then they would both look upon Ghost waiting for his reaction.

---

As the music played from seemingly nowhere Lir would listen to it as if he was studying it with his heart as well as his mind and ears. He was tuned out from their conversations and this would be obvious as when he was engaged he would take a moment before hearing them.

"Oh, you want me to sing with you all?" He asked as he got his instrument out and prepared himself for a moment. He stopped on his way towards the circles as he suddenly heard something that seemed to come from all around him.

From Menat's plea towards her family and her deep-hearted wish, the Magoi of the dungeon responded in kind towards the earnest desires of those inside. Invisible to all but those who could see them the Rukh rushed past Menant's and the ears of others, it was of every song they had heard on their way here, discordant or harmonized there was multiple singing together. Then a brief image of people linking arms would flash through their heads. As these memories played the music from the altar markers would get louder.

As Lir got closer to his place marker he would stare at it as it began to glow and add its notes to the song they were already playing. "I think we're right on the singing, and i"m not sure if the song matters, we might be missing something, but I'm going to sing and all I can say is just try to have fun with it." As he finished his sentence he took his place and soon enough his soft sing-songy voice rose as he gave a deep swell and his fairy melody began.

Underneath him, as he sang the place-marker would glow brighter, but nothing else would happen except that each of the unused markers would glow briefly and the ones that had people on them who weren't singing would blink for a moment. It seemed they were close but still had one last step.

---

Throughout the process the body seemed to have been disturbed, it was as if it was upset by the thought of being disturbed from its rest. Its scowl holding even as the food was placed in its mouth and it dissolved away into nothingness soon after. It wasn't until that she was layed back where shad been and was put to rest that her face had shifted. Having been put where shad chosen peace it was returned to her as her face had shifted to a content smile.

It was an odd scenario indeed, there was very little for them to actually do inside of the cave, there was nothing but a painting depicting people's lives and a single person laid to rest there. They had attempted to figure out their one lead and instead things had gotten worse until they had chosen to stop and return things to how they were.

If they were to stare at her corpse for long they would see that it seemed that she had been buried before so it would look like she was staring at the sky, or more importantly the rather simple peaceful of people accepting peaceful lives. It would make one wonder if she used this as she accepted whatever fate and awaited her there.

Post Notes: Ghost your ability didn't count because you have to link the ability as well as post the changes in your magoi and stamina values.

As the egg hatched he would look on. As he called it right. It was indeed a bird he would think as he saw it's foot come out of the egg. Next thing next he would see the head pop out as well. It was indeed humanoid to say the least. As Ghost would look on he would the bird creature as he would give it a thought. "Just what could this thing be?" Trying to put hus finger on what the little beast was. Soon enough it would start to hum the song he was singing. Rocking back and fort he would look on. " Ao you like that song do you very well I shall sing it yet again." Soon enough he would ready himself as he looked on at the beast. It seem to really like the song. As he started to sing Ghost would look nack to see something walking up on him. But he was not scared as it was up to fate itself. Soon enough he would start to sing with it. A hunting we will go a hunting we will go pop goes the marry rose a hunting we will go." He would repeat this for quite sometime.

Soon enough he would be stepping his feet as a way to add sound to the music keeping on pace and in tone. Looking back at the beast that was staring at him he would slowly say to it. " There is another song I use to sing it all the time when I am sad. I mean your little one no harm but it was alone and I only acted to watch over it. But if you like I know you can understand me. Seeing as I see your magoi coming off of you. I can teach you the song if you would like me too. He would say this with a smile and cheering voice. As he continues to jam with the new born chick. As he only wanted to make it out and be was ready to defend himself if need be. Hopefully the beast would listen to his please.

He would smile as he hears people talking about singing and some even doing that. He would inhale before singing a sea shanty he once heard about mermaids or seals or something, he could not exactly remember what the song was actually about. Shou would once again follow his masters lead and start singing a folk song from his country about a tortoise. Once they had the vision in their head the duo would look at each other and nod. If they are close enough to each other on their platform they would link arms if able as they sing their different songs. They would grin as they were actually getting into this probably more than they should be.

Menat wasn't sure if it had been because of her silent pleas or if the dungeon itself had simply become active once again but the echoing melody returned and filled the cavern. The mysterious muse Lir took to infusing the notes of the melody into the song he began to strum on his instrument once her was on one of the panels himself. It seemed the theory of how they were all supposed to stand in place and sing as one was the correct theory. With no other options available to her the young Princess of Meridia took her own place among the illuminated tiles. She herself had never sang before and found herself struck with a case of performance anxiety over the idea of her first time being among these strangers she was participating in the dungeon with. She didn't even know if her voice was good enough for the act. Yet still the girl sang s best she could, following behind Lir's lyrics as close as possible. Of course she was unaware of the actual song he sang and found herself stumbling from time to time, missing the right words and replacing them with her best guess.

Was there much to say? Not really, but he couldn't let the old dolt have all the fun. Without rhyme and only some reason, he'd wrap his arms around Tenma and Zuzu's shoulder, and joined in song. He gesture to both with a silent nod to join him in merry high kicks while they sing in key. Admittedly, he was indulging far too much in trial as if enjoyment with the primary directive, and not survival. However, its argue against a voice that harmonizes so well to the medley. It seems all those vocal practices with his old man payed off, but not in a way that would make his dead ancestors any proud.

Tenma would find it amusing to be able to saw a vision inside his own head, the image of people linking their arms together while singing made the swordsman chuckled. It seemed like he was trying too hard to solve the puzzle and turned out he didn't need to try that hard. As the others began to sing, the one eyes man would sing along with them, wrapping his arms around the person who was standing on both of his sides.

Khalik who was on his side was really into the singing it seemed, the high kick that he did made it clearer that he was really enjoying it. So the swordsman nod back towards the man, joining him in the merry high kicks. He would glance to Rui Li, giving her a signal to join the high kick parade as well.

Noir would observe the corpses when Eight commanded her to reenact the daily activities, the face of the corpse would make the magician worried because it was as if showing that she was upset that her sleep was disturbed. Her expression returned to a peaceful one when she finally got into the nap stage, with a content smile that made Noir curious. Once again, nothing besides the face of the corpse changed and the magician got weary of thinking what other ways that they could use to escape from the area.

Her golden eyes would stare towards the corpse as she tried to think of what else they could do before letting out a sigh. “...I don't think there’s anything else we can do at the moment. Not only that, all of this and the shortage of air makes me feel a little bit drowsy…” Noir would sit down on the ground, right beside the altar of the corpse. “Yes I agree, I’ve been looking around and observing, but I can’t figure out what else we can do. This is truly a strange dungeon…” Shousui would say as she joined Noir to sit on the ground. The magician would then lay down, with the same position as the corpse, wanting to see what she was seeing before her death on the ceiling. Noir was thinking that if the corpse gave such a peaceful look when she returned to her sleep, did she accept her death? So the magician decided to accept her fate too, well, she didn't know what else they need to do inside...

Welcoming the spry Khalik, she hooked her arms around him and Amnet. She joined his deft kicks with characteristic flourish - high and slender as her mentor Ho Lea taught. It was something refreshing, dancing with her friends and rivals in this Dungeon. She had ventured through two Dungeons, arduous and deadly; this third Dungeon gave her enjoyment.

Standing upon her glowing panel, the sweet Zubaidah harmonised with Lir. Her voice hung light upon the cavern’s air, like sugary icing upon a cake, decorating the rocks with her song. This Dungeon was her stage, and she would surely entertain her audience.

Hyperion had grown weaker, he would let the oxygen from the bubble continue to sustain them. There was no other choice to make, he had tried everything but prolonging the inevitable was no way to live. It was something he didn't believe in, struggling to survive til the very last second versus dying with dignity.

Hyperion knew that this perhaps was not everyones ideals, but it had seemed as if his religious partner would kneel down and pray to her sun god with a smile, believing she would be blessed. Perhaps this wasn't so bad. However, he had put Noir and her own partner on the line and had sacrificed their lives for making the decision to come to the dungeon to sate his own gluttony.

As the creature looked at Ghost it would screech for a moment before spitting out a small bone and then looking at him once again with a calm look, and then it spoke in a somewhat raspy voice. "I would love to learn any song to please my babe, but I can't sing with these bones stuck in my throat, would you reach down my throat and remove them and I would be ever grateful."

The creature stood there for a moment before making a surprised expression before saying something before Ghost could respond.  "I'm sorry I should've introduced myself, I'm Tethys, just be careful and I hope I can trust you to do this."

Without waiting for an answer she would lower her head and open her human mouth, but it stretched a bit wider than a human mouth should. Besides that she had also had different teeth, it was a bit sharper as if to shear meat. but they would spread out as she opened her mouth widely. If Ghost were to look at her eyes he would see she was staring at the ceiling, maybe out of embarrassment? Deep inside her wet, wide maw, the bones could be seen as soon as one got close, sticking into her throat a bit though it looked to be a miracle it hadn't pierced.

---

Lir looked around for a moment as they had all finally began to sing and hold each other's hands. Even if their chosen notes or skills weren't naturally good something around them was tuning their voices and even adding in notes. Finally, a loud angelic voice came to join in and Lir looked up to see the light from the shrine pulsing in every color. The pedestals began to radiate brightly with energy as suddenly harmless light would burst from them surrounding them and the phantom voice grew louder. As they heard each note and choir of music they would notice even if they stopped singing it was like their voices had taken flight and sung without them.
The song rose and swirled around them and it echoed loudly, and then there was a hole above them where the light has shown through.

It was then that all the sound would seemingly deafen as it created a form of sound barrier around the entire party. Then this sphere would close around them all and lift them as the harmonized low notes free them from gravity and bubbled them in with nothing but each other and the sound of raining falling on a roof. They would get a moment to talk to react and think before a voice would sing in slowly.

A woman's voice, it was youthful and sing-songy, and at first, she seemed to be singing random noises, but soon the mysterious voice spoke soon. "Singing and Dancing is better with friends isn't it?"

As her voice would linger for a moment it didn't respond had they said anything and soon enough her melody was gone. Then as quickly as the voice and appeared and reappeared the orb of sound they were in shot up the sunlight. The hole seemingly disappearing behind them if they were to look down.

---

The silent serenity of the cave despite its deadliness held only being interrupted by their conversation and that eventually lost as they chose to rest. For a moment nothing had happened and then there was a soft sound of a cricket, and then another, but then it was followed by a lyre and panpipes that all swirled together into a sweet lullaby. It was calming and if they listened to it closely you could even hear a soft voice singing.

Except that voice wasn't coming from around them but instead it was coming from the corpse, it's mouth was not moving but something was using it as an emitter for its song. Though after a moment the singing had stopped the lullaby would continue. It would likely make them wonder, had the dungeon given them enough time to think about it in-depth.  The voice had returned but it was whispering now.

The voice of an elderly woman, possibly one close to death, spoke to them sweetly as if they were her own grandchildren. "I know you wanted to come back, but sometimes when we're in a place we don't wanna be in we're actually in the place we need to be. You can't always go back, and sometimes you shouldn't all you need to really do is take a moment to discern where it is that you need to be."

With that there was nothing and the oxygen would be seeped out of the room entirely. It would feel like an eternity, but within that eternity the ground below them would have disappeared. As they fell suddenly before they could make themselves fly the lullaby had wrapped them in a bubble of sound as they descended into the cavern below.

---

For both groups that were flying through the tunnels, the sounds around them would be silent as they were transported quickly and with silence besides what they could say to one another in the moments that passed. For the larger group, they would see gems suddenly as they moved through a crystal cave with an underground lake. There at the edge, there were golden-haired creatures that seemed to be playing with one another. They could look at them, but they would not be heard by them nor would the creatures see them. For Noir and Hyperion's group, they quickly descended through twisting tunnels. There they would pass by what looked like a large cave and be occupied by a sleeping creature of large size. Luckily they darted past it before anything could notice them.

As their trips came to an end both spheres had come to meet in a cavern as they spun around each other for a moment before they were all lowered to the ground and the bubbles disappeared with the sound of a choir of melodic voices. It seemed they had been brought back together after having chosen to separate from on another. Assuming they had gotten adjusted after their trip and seeing each other again they would likely notice what was at the end of the cave.

Carved in the wall was a large gate with a frame and door made of marble, there was gold in the detailing and used throughout to accent. There was a large artwork of it that looked like a war between very different peoples, some like monsters and some like animals, but it culminated around the door with a winged man and women who seemed to be holding hands around where the handles would be. As they stared upon it they would feel the same feeling as they had before they entered the dungeon. The door would give off the same feeling as the entrance had, they had found the gate, and now all they had to do was touch it.

Must say you've touched the gate to move onto the next room.

Ghost would look on at the mother of the newly hatch beast of the dungeon. As he start to think to himself. Right after she agreed to learn a new song from him. But she was in need of his help. She had something stuck in her teeth. She would ask him to remove the said items from it. As she looked at him before looking away. Her jaws would be wide open. Ghost was a trusting person to say the least. So right now he needed to trust her so he could get out of here. As right behind the egg and the hatchling was a new pathway. Ghost would take a deep breath as he pulled out his stave. Soon he would walk slowly towards the dungeon beast. He would grab his heart not literally as he would slowly put his stave wielding hand inside of it. He would slowly gain more courage as he did so.

As he started to peck at the teeth to remove the bones. He would realize this thing eats meat. But he did not want to end up her dinner. So as he was doing that. He would tap his right foot on the ground. As it started to make noise. He would give off a small melody. " You know there's this song I use to sing back when I was younger and even now. It helps to lift my sadness. It goes a little like this, Here comes the sun do, do, do Here comes the sun And I say it's all right. Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here and that's all right. Here comes the sun..." He would stop ad he used the song as a way to distract her as he finished cleaning out her teeth.

"Well then I did two things at once. Now I really need to be going. Would you mind showing me where to head to get to the master of his dungeon?"

Silva smiles as they all seemed to do well and pass the test of this path. They were now all incased in a bubble and being transported to another location. He would glance at the others thinking about how things may go later on here. He did not care too much for the power of the dungeon but he knew that the others most likely would and found it surprising that they were all helping each other out so smoothly. Their bubble would eventually come to a stop at another massive door where they would be joined by the two that got trapped, there was no sign of the flasher though. He would shrug and without much though he and Shou would touch the next do together.

Menat was astounded that the answer to their problem had been such a simple act like singing. As each of them began to sing to the best of their own abilities the dungeon seemed to have activated once more, tuning their voices in real time and filling the gaps in lyrics where it was needed. Menat herself would be the first to notice that, despite her own song no longer being produced from her mouth as she had fallen silent in awe, her voice continued to produce the song she had begun prior. She found the sensation odd. To hear herself without actually saying, or in this case singing, physically. Yet the melodies grew louder, more powerful even, as some form of sphere encased their entire group and lifted them from the ground.

A hole had appeared in the celing above that seemed to act as the passage for their new collective bubble to allow them to leave the chamber. Their own songs had finally ceased and only the sound of rain filled their bubble for a moment before yet another melody began. The voice, this time, was that of a youthful young woman. Menat found herself feeling that odd fluttering in her chest once more as she listened, finding the voice itself to be a beautiful medium as it commented on how singing and dancing were better with friends. The final word made Menat's thoughts start to overflow and distract her from the situation at hand. She had been attempting to make friends all this time yet none of those who currently shared the confined space of the invisible sphere had become anything she could even remotely begin to consider a friend thus far.

Of course there was the pretty lady with the violet hair, she had given her that same fluttering feeling as Ms. Noire had when she first saw her in the hot springs back in Kina but so far she had paid little to no attention to Menat herself directly. Before she realized what she was doing a heavy sigh escaped from her lips. However it was, as far as she hoped, unnoticed by the others as they were launched up into the new opening in the ceiling above shortly after the mysterious and beautiful voice had finally faded away. Their trip in the bubble came to an end when they arrived at a large set of sealed gates embedded into the far wall of the new cavern. Approaching the gate herself Menat found a sensation radiating with her not unlike that of the entrance to the dungeon itself. There was something that simply compelled her forward, to reach out and place her hand against the marbled structure. An act she did as simply as breathing.

Notes:

Measured between the chords, maybe in the quarter note from the whole, the eyes of the young assassin would trace his companions with a subtle disbelieve. Since when did the old man have such a pair of lungs, and since when did the red-haired child begin to sing on key? Just by what means did this vocal arranged manage to overcome its jarring? Was it by chance gift muscisians in disgu— Oh, no, that would be magic. Right, how silly of him to forget. Of course, any sighting of magic in this dungeon would be remiss if the angelic choir failed to kick in and lift their spirits... No, literally, it keeps lifting them, and whisking them off without consent. Well, at least the journey had a wonderful backing track; one which served perfectly for internal monologue to the disembodied voice's mysterious message.

Naaaaaaaaaah. He wasn't of some lesser character to commit to an extended dialogue, dark, brooding, and riddled with the duality of man's heart. No, he saves his extended dialogue to discuss the intricacies of societal reformation via the lens of the cabbage farmers forced on hard times by the cruel hands of the corrupted bureaucrat, and oligarchs, and the indiscernible others.

That is what he reserves his monologues for. That and these absurd tangents you're reading.

Once his feet touched down, there was brevity named "hesitation." With a cheery smile and a wave tossed behind him to those left, he followed the others and touched the gate.

"Don't dally for too long," he said with a sly smile before his hand made contact.

The one eyed man would notice how their singing and dancing finally triggered something within the altar area, amused by the mechanism within the dungeon as he never been in one before. He would also hear a voice singing along with them and soon after, they were lifted within a sphere into the opened ceiling, possibly transported to a new area. But he would only hope that Noir would make it out so they could reunite again in the next area, it was not that he didn't trust her strength, but who knew what kind of danger might be lurking...

Even though it felt stable and steady, the one eyed man would move to the purple haired girl, "Careful milady." Tenma would offer his arm to Zubaidah as the sphere kept floating. "This has been a really nice adventure so far, I thank you for coming in with me." He would smile towards the woman, "This dungeon reminded me of this story that I heard when I was a child. A story about mysterious creature luring people into their lair with their singing." A chuckle would escape his lips, noticing how he might sound silly after saying that.

It was as if his wish had came true the moment he saw Noir again upon landing into the new area, but he wouldn't bother to approach her, simply knowing that she was alright would be enough for the swordsman and he would keep watching her from afar.

The man would take a minute to observe the gate and his surroundings, noticing the large artwork that depicted a war between different people. He would keep the details in mind before he approached the gate with his companions, touching it to move forward.

As Noir closed her eyes, she would hear cricket sound, which was... strange because she nor Haku or even Shousui could find a single cricket within the area. She would then open her eyes slowly only to hear lullaby produced by both lyre and panpipes. As she listened closely, she would hear a faint singing as well, but the magician decided to say nothing, trying to listen more to the instrument and the singing to find out where it came from.

Much to her surprise, it came from the corpse and her eyes widened, surprised that it finally let out a voice. Was it Eight who controlled her to sing? But when she wanted to ask her comrade, she would hear a voice, this time it was not a singing but a word of wisdom which was...very well fitted to their situation at the moment. However she had no time to think as the ground below them suddenly disappeared and they fell, although a bubble would caught them quickly and transported them to another area.

Noir would be awed as she landed on the ground, not because she was reunited again with the others who came into the dungeon as well, but because of the details carved on the wall. Her eyes would dart from the large gate, the gold details and to the artwork, this time she would take a minute to memorize it, saving the image of a war between creatures within her memory. She would also stare towards the winged man and the women art, before noticing that the others had touched the gate.

"Eight, shall we go?" Noir would ask her companion before walking towards the gate with both Haku and Shousui, touching the gate to move to the next area.

Noted: Touching the gate

Zubaidah found their music beautiful, if crude. Indeed, it seemed the Dungeon agreed. Surrounded with songs and protection, the Dungeon sent them upwards towards their next challenge. Though steady upon her feet, Zubaidah would join Tenna, leaning her head onto his shoulder.

As that voice spoke its last words, Zubaidah saw Amnet scribble something down. Reluctant to part from Tenma, she asked Amnet to explain her notes aloud. Sighing, she would agree, ‘Well, that voice belongs to something from this Dungeon, right? Perhaps the Djinn, y’know, speaking truth in riddles and all.’ ‘Hmm, yes. It certainly spoke some truth. I mean, I love a good dance with friends. But I don’t think it was the Djinn. They keep to their thrones for the most part.’ ‘Eh, okay then. Well, whatever that was, it was probably something other than the Djinn then. Maybe it was from one of the Races?’

Whilst they approached the Gate, Zubaidah would notice the mural above it. The figures looked familiar, as if memories in the back of her head. They reminded her of what she had heard about in the Tales. ‘Those are certainly from the Races…’

With a quiet murmur, she and Amnet would place their hands upon the Gate.