Faynn's body was gone. Faralynn wasn't there either. Matthew assumed Faralynn took Faynn's body and went back to base. He wanted to check upon them, but he knew that going back meant that he would need to deal with Claudio.

He was now focused on conquering the dungeon before the week's end so that he could wish Titania to resurrect Faynn. He could not afford Claudio stepping on his way. Specially since he knew Claudio would never allow Ffyr to keep the prize at the end of the dungeon.

Despite wanting to talk to Faralynn, make sure she was all right and let her know that he was ok too… Matthew decided to stay in the dungeon and press on.

He marched into the room the Bashmu was hiding in. There he saw a golden chest just like the one he found the gold tiara when he faced the Shedu all those days ago. Inside the chest, resting on a red velvet bed, he found a little wing made of gold.

"This must be another part of that tiara." He said to Ffyr who was still resting inside the necklace on his neck.

"It is." Ffyr confirmed with a tired voice. The poison really took away much of her energy.

"Hope we don't need to whole thing to conquer the dungeon." Matthew said while putting the gold wing in his pocket. "Can you guide us from inside there?" He asked his familiar.

"I can. To the prize in the Labyrinth then?" Ffyr asked.

"Which way?"

"Left."

The timer outside rang showing that the 10 hour cycle had ended. Claudio picked up his stuff and said to his team to clean up for the day.

Outside, Faralynn's mother was already there consoling her daughter while an entourage of elves picked up Faynn's body and took it away with the utmost respect.

Claudio approached the two of them with a contrite face. He put his hand on his chest and bowed to them:

"My deepest apologies for the loss of one of your own." He said. "Lady Nilynn must know it wasn't the will of the Tower to let such thing happen, but it is the nature of dungeons to be unpredictable and dangerous." He added referring to Faralynn's mother.

"I know." Nilynn replied in a dry voice. "It doesn't mean that what happened today should've happened at all. I understand you fled the scene leaving the others to fend for themselves?" She said accusing him.

"I assure you, my lady, if I had any means to help them, I would've. But I'm a mere researcher and my skills are not fit for battle." Claudio tried to justify himself.

"You also lost the boy in there, now that the dungeon cycled." Nilynn's voice was severe and full of anger. "Pray he's alive and that he can leave there unharmed." She warned him. "And be thankful my husband is not on Earth. He would not have been so lenient as I am."

"Certainly, my lady. I thank you for your mercy." Claudio said trying to look submissive, but a hint of a smile crept on his face. He knew that the Laufgraan was a powerful family, but the Tower wasn't far behind in those matters. There wasn't much that they could do against him if he played the game right.

Nilynn took her daughter to the car after that unpleasant conversation. Faralynn laid her head on her mother's lap and nuzzled her head there under the tender touch of Nilynn's hand.

"I'm so sorry dear." Nilynn said as she patted her daughter's head.

"It's not your fault." Faralynn answered. "It's that coward's."

"I meant that there's nothing much I can do for you. Or for Faynn." Nilynn said. "If the Saintess was still around she might've been able to bring her back, but she's long gone. And it's been too long to use Revivify on her. I'm afraid Faynn's gone." She added with tears on her eyes.

"I know." Faralynn said crying as well.

"And are you sure that boy of yours is alright in there alone?" Nilynn asked looking at the dungeon getting more distant from the window of the car.

"Ffyr, his familiar, can navigate the Labyrinth. If he hasn't come out yet, it's because he wants to stay in there." Faralynn relaid her thinking to her mother.

"But what if he was too hurt to get out?" Nilynn asked worried.

"He had potions on him. He would've dragged himself out. My Matt is that kind of man." Faralynn was resolute.

Matthew made quick work of a bunch of Minotaurs that tried to ambush him after the dungeon shifted with him still inside. The walls and ceiling moved and he saw himself inside a different corridor surrounded by 3 minotaurs.

Now at level 24, aided by his demonic mana, minotaurs were not a problem for him anymore. He didn't even need to use unholy mana anymore. His sword coated with flames, with both the Imbue Mana and the Sharpen skills was enough to defeat them easily.

He checked his ammo. He still had 3 full clips and half of another. He decided to save it for when he faced stronger monsters. He was also saving on his potions by resting as much as he could. Ffyr even helped him pointing out where secret treasures were, most of which were potions.

Matthew also found 2 rings. His new Identify skill allowed him to see that one ring increased his Vitality and the other his Charisma. Equipping two items with the same kind of enhancement on them, made only the stronger enhancement work on the wearer. Therefore, he didn't use the Vitality ring, because his necklace was better. But the Charisma ring was a good addition.

Matthew could only tell time by his watch and how many times the dungeon changed around him. It had been 2 days already since he thought the Bashmu. He survived on 2 chocolate bars he had stored for food and potions for water.

He thought of giving up. To find another checkpoint and return home to eat and rest. But Faynn's face looking at Faralynn as life vanished from her eyes was still imprinted on his memory. While his belly ached for food he sat down and ate the last of the chocolate bar.

"Ffyr." Matthew called on her.

"Yes." Ffyr came flying. After 2 days she was well enough to return to her material form.

"I need food." He said rubbing his stomach trying to make the pain go away with a massage. His clothes still torn from the battle before.

"This is a dungeon. There is no food in here." Ffyr noted the obvious.

"There was the Bashmu. Can you find me a living Shedu?" He asked in a somber tone for a monster he knew he could defeat and he knew that had meat.

"You know I can only feel things. I don't have a radar." Ffyr complained to him.

"Are we close to the end?" Matthew asked.

"I don't know. I know it's that way." She pointed to a corridor. "But I don't know how far we need to walk."

Matthew felt the golden wing in his pocket. The real monsters were all protecting these gold pieces of the tiara. If he wanted to eat without leaving the dungeon, he needed to find one of them.

"Then let's search for another piece of the tiara." He asked her.

"Okay." Ffyr didn't argue. She understood his reasoning.

However, there was always the danger of finding another Bashmu instead of a Shedu. And even after leveling up 10 levels, it was very unlikely that Matthew could take a Bashmu on his own.

They walked for 5 hours before Ffyr stopped and pointed to a wall.

"I feel there's something there." She said.

"You could feel the Bashmu before. Can you feel something dangerous in there?" Matthew asked.

"I feel there's something in there. But it's not scary. It feels like home." Ffyr said confused.

They searched for a way to open the wall and found a little switch hidden in the ceiling. Pulling it made the wall open slowly.

Matthew brought his gun out in one hand and a sword in the other. He didn't wait the door to open fully he just aimed his gun and prepared to shoot the first thing he saw.

However, as the wall opened and more of the inside of the room appeared to Matthew, more confused he got. There were plushies of animals on the floor. A bed with pink sheets pressing against the wall. A stand with books, two chairs and a small round table on the opposite side. On the center he could see the golden chest where the part of the tiara should be.

"Don't hurt me."

Matthew heard a female young voice saying from inside the room.

"I won't if you don't hurt me either." Matthew said without lowering his gun.

It is then that he sees a girl coming out from under the bed. She was just a bit taller than Katia, Eric's daughter. She had long bright blonde hair and a bluish gray skin that resembled those of dolphins. Her eyes where all black and bulged out of her face, which made her look a bit like a seal. She was wearing a worn yellow dress and barefooted.

Upon seeing her, Matthew lowered his gun.

"Who are you?"

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