There is very little to do for Iskara other than return to the Academy and acquiesce to her parents' demands.

Walking toward the meeting point with Jacob--she's been instructed by her Aunt through a message to meet with the Guide of the Champions to visit an Elite Dungeon she needs something from--she wonders about what she's going to do next.

What her parents basically told her is that if Jacob was to become a threat in any way, shape, or form, she must inform them. And she can of course conclude that the only way they're going to deal with him is going to be through violence. Blackmail, she supposes, would be the course if Jacob was a common Infernal. It's not unheard of marrying a commoner into nobility or, in the most egregious cases, Royalty, in order to acquire the skillset of a very talented commoner. As her family often preached, it's always better to indoctrinate a commoner and give them a Royal's treatment than have someone who might perhaps become strong enough to lead a rebellion against them be dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.

Yet, Iskara knows Jacob enough to know that he'd never cave in to blackmail or the prospect of becoming a Royal. First of all, she finds the notion of her parents accepting a Human into the Infernal Royal Family laughable at best--something that would have people hanged for suggesting it, at worst. But even if she managed to convince her family that it's better to have Jacob marry into Royalty, Jacob wouldn't accept. He's tied to the Academy and being a Knight in a much larger measure than he is to whatever nobility or Royalty. And she doesn't forget that Jacob is technically Royalty. He's a Valemont bastard. And even though the Valemonts are not even close to the influence that Infernals exercise over the world. It doesn't make him a plebeian either.

But all that this does is to make the current situation even more difficult to deal with.

Iskara finds herself between a rock and a hard place.

If she doesn't report on Jacob, her family might strip her of everything. If she does report on Jacob, there's a very good chance that he will be stripped of everything.

Jacob saved her--and every Champion's--life from Azrakel in the Tomb of Fate. Without him, they would have all succumbed.

Yet, despite the deep gratitude that Iskara feels toward Jacob, she is not sure of what to do next.

I've worked so hard for my freedom, for my independence. I've finally mastered Lucifer's Veins, one of the best possible Rainbow Skills I could ever find. I am the sole inheritor of the throne and there's no one who would ever oppose my claim. Power is at my fingertips... I'm getting so close to be strong enough to gain my freedom.

In a few decades, or perhaps longer, Iskara would gain enough power to be immune to the blackmail and threats from her family. Sadly, that's not the situation right now.

Right now, she still has a choice to make.

Jacob or herself.

Hopefully, he doesn't have terrible ideas that would force me to reveal everything to my parents and have him hunted down. Even with the Headmaster protecting him, I'm not sure my family would stop. They are wary of the man, but it doesn't mean they don't feel confident in taking him down if worse came to worst.

Finally, she arrives at the vessel they're taking to go explore the Long Shadows Grotto, the Elite Dungeon that her Aunt wants them to retrieve something from.

When she arrives at the ship that has been arranged for them, she sees three familiar faces.

Jacob, the recipient of her latest dilemma.

Lancelot, his Squire.

Orrivane, one of the other Champions and a very powerful Void Mage who controls a terrifying Rainbow Skill.

Yet, there's a person she doesn't recognize.

Standing alongside them there's a woman with pitch black hair and deep blue eyes. She's stunningly gorgeous and Iskara can already feel from the little vibrations coming from her aura that she's also very strong.

Who's that? she frowns.

"Princess," Jacob smiles.

"You know I don't want you to call me that," Iskara says, not taking her eyes off the raven-haired woman.

"Sure," Jacob coughs, confused. "This is Nimirea. She goes by without last names. You might know her father, though. Sir Renquell, the Elven Wandering Knight."

Iskara narrows her eyes and nods.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Nimirea. You met Jacob through your father, I assume."

"Princess Iskara," Nimirea smiles thinly. "No. I was about to be sentenced to death. Jacob, Lancelot, his Squire, and Lord Orrivane jumped into the fray as my champions during the trial and saved my life. It was all Jacob's ideas, I heard."

Iskara briefly turns over her shoulder where Eliskar, the strongest of her Squires and escort for this trip, stands on guard. She gives him a long eyeful and he returns an imperceptible nod. He's going to gather as much information as possible on this girl.

"Jacob has always been a charitable man," Iskara says, staring at Nimirea from head to toes. "Too much, at times."

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"Indeed," Nimirea smiles. "I heard that he saved your life back in the Tomb of Fate. No one knows the details, but rumors say you two share a special bond."

"We do," Iskara says.

"I mean, we're both Champions," Jacob intercepts. "All Champions got very much closer after what happened in the Tomb of Fate."

"Oh, so is it just because we're Champions that we've got a special bond, Jacob?" Iskara asks pointedly.

"I mean, err..." Jacob is left speechless.

"You did see my naked body and touched it as if it was the most normal thing in this world," Iskara says with a seductive smile. "Is that something you've done with all the other Champions as well?"

"It was because of a Skill!" Jacob protests.

"So those rumors are true as well," Nimirea smiles. "Good to know. But there's very little that the flesh can do against a union of the spirit."

"OK! Boarding now!" Jacob says, throwing his hands up. "I have no idea why you two are behaving like this, but we're burning daylight. It's a short ride anyway. Let's get this over with and come back before tomorrow, please."

Iskara nods slowly, "sure, let's go."

* * *

Jacob brings everyone in front of a giant cavern's entrance marked by an equally giant portal.

"This Iskarand is uninhabited apparently," he explains. "This Dungeon has too many random spillages, even when it's half empty. From what Professor Veythra says, it's because of all the Shadow Mimics that hide inside the Long Shadows Grotto. They alter the balance of the ecosystem. Our mission today is to kill as many as we can find. My Skills are capable of identifying them anywhere. But they're all at Early Diamond Level and given how strong Shadow Mimics are on average, being able to copy one's Skills and all, it's not going to be easy."

"We have two Champions," Iskara sneers, "what do you think the challenge will be, exactly? The Shadow Mimics' powers are not going to be greater than ours. They're most likely going to copy me and Orrivane since we're the strongest. Let's just keep an eye out."

"Someone's a bit arrogant," Nimirea comments. "Who says that you two are the strongest?"

"The fact that we're Champions, Elf," Iskara replies.

"I wasn't there for the Champion's Test or there might have been eleven Champions," Nimirea states confidently.

"We'll see how all this talk translates to fighting," Iskara snorts. "I'm very curious to see what you're capable of, milady."

We enter the Long Shadows Grotto and I explain what I've read from the information.

"There are only two floors, but one of the problems of this place is the lack of directions. Usually, Dungeons have rooms and corridors because of how the System organizes the wild energy in them. Here, we have to rely on alternative forms of navigation."

The entire group has entered and we're resting on what looks like a threshold of complete darkness. There's no walls, no stone, nothing to reference to in order to orient oneself. It's almost as if the Dungeon has been completely smoothened out by the shadows it hosts.

"I can't really see what's what," Iskara frowns. "How are we going to move through that?"

"We could use magical resonance. Shoot Mana across the walls, wait to get a good sense of--"

"That's the first room," I say, pointing toward one of the corners of the place.

"How do you know?" Iskara frowns.

"Skills," let's get moving.

Iskara looks skeptical for a second since Jacob has just pointed at a lump of darkness that looks like every other bit of darkness.

"What, you don't trust your own Guide? Is that because you're an Infernal and you believe yourself better than anybody else?" Nimirea asks.

"You two, behave," I quip. "We need to stay focused."

"My bad," Nimirea sighs. "I was rude. I apologize, Princess."

That's nice, I think to myself.

That's not a real apology.

What?

But Iskara's next question distracts me from my inner conversation with King Baalrek.

"Why did you accept coming here? What are you looking to get from this Dungeon, Jacob?"

"Nothing in particular from this Dungeon. However, your Aunt promised me a Skill Crystal if I was to succeed retrieving whatever it is that she's looking from the Boss."

"What Skill Crystal?" the Infernal Princess asks.

"I'm looking at Hellraiser Sword, the Diamond-Ranked Skill, to be my Platinum Class Cornerstone."

Iskara's eyes go wide.

"That's..."

"A Forbidden Royal Skill," I reply. "But don't worry about it, I don't have any bad intentions."

Well, not toward Infernals. Certainly toward the Cults, I think to myself.

But Iskara seems still shook.

"Jacob, do you understand how dangerous that skill is? Do you have any idea what it means for someone to base an early Class such as their Platinum Class on it?"

"I mean, I thought you'd be the first to understand why I want it," I say, frowning.

"What do you mean?" Iskara asks back.

"Well, there's only so much I can progress in sheer power to catch up with the other Champions, no? That's why I chose a future Class that is more suited to my talents. The only reason I won against your brother is that I had Hellish Reversal. Without it, I would have never been able to win. But with it, I could kill someone much stronger than me. If I become an Affliction Specialist, which is like a very specific type of Support who can double as a Breaker in specific cases, I can be much more useful on the battlefield. It also pairs well with my role as a Guide."

"Jacob," Iskara says speaks very slowly looking straight into my eyes. "Hellraiser Sword…"

"What's the matter, it's just a Skill," Nimirea says.

"It's not just a Skill," Iskara spins and hisses at the Elf. "Your people are weak. Their Classes are weak. You don't understand what kind of power he's trying to mess with!"

"Princess," I say, balking, "please calm down. Why are you getting so worked up if your Aunt is good with this trade?"

"My Aunt is a fool!" Iskara stomps her foot.

Eliskar, her giant Squire clears his voice.

"Your Highness," he says in a low voice. "Please, show some restraint."

"Silence, Eliskar!" Iskara spins on her heels and rages at her Squire as well.

"Iskara, is everything ok?" I ask, confused. "What's going on?"

"Nothing! Everything's good! Let's just move on!" The Infernal Princess says, smoldering.

Any idea what's going on? I ask King Baalrek.

I got a hunch.

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