There is a cyclical nature to the Dungeon that not many understand. On the surface level, it seems rather straightforward. There is a wave every now and again, and eventually it recedes, returning the Dungeon to its normal function.

Further analysis reveals that the waves go through periods of rise and fall. Not all waves are created equal, as some reach greater concentrations of mana than others. When they recede, they are followed by a stronger wave, and that, by a stronger wave still, until eventually the pattern reaches a crescendo, and the waves begin to recede again.

If we track the data, mark the average peaks of each wave, so to speak, then we can track the trend over centuries, even millennia. What is revealed is a pattern of gradually strengthening waves. Each time the cycle repeated, rising and falling, it grew a little stronger.

The implications are… unpleasant, when one considers the future of Pangera.

- Excerpt from ‘Longform studies of Dungeon Phenomena’ by Xinci

Ascendant was still getting used to having a name of her own. It was nice not to be called ‘hatchling’ all the time, especially since she wasn’t a hatchling anymore, but a tier five scout of the Colony!

After her meeting with the Eldest, she’d spent her time doing flying reconnaissance and engaging in combat missions in the third stratum. Seeing the wave there was quite something, so many demons, they were everywhere! It also meant there were lots of monsters for her to fight. She could fly over the plains and have her pick from the dense carpet of monsters fighting constantly below.

The only problem was the constant presence of ash that ate at her wings. She couldn’t fly out for more than an hour at a time before they started to become damaged. By two hours, she could barely fly at all.

Which was why she’d emphasised a self-regeneration function for her wings when mutating them. After evolving to the fifth tier, she’d been able to make significant improvements to her form that enabled her to be a more effective flyer.

A better power-to-weight ratio was important, and adding such densely packed muscle fibres, especially around her back, to keep her overall size relatively small used a good chunk of evolutionary power, but it was worth it in the end.

Mutations to her stomach and added digestive organs allowed her to store more energy in the form of compact sugar reserves that regrew using excess vitality when she rested. Along with improvements to her vascular system that allowed her muscles to work under high stress for longer, she was able to fly for much longer without needing to rest, which was fantastic!

She looked a lot different too, having adjusted the shape and form of her carapace to be more aerodynamic. She even had a piece of clothing! Merchant had insisted. It wasn’t much, just a scarf that she wrapped around her neck, but Ascendant had grown to enjoy it flapping in the wind as she flew.

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But the wave was starting to recede, so it was time to head down to the fifth and catch up with her sister!

“Thanks for having me!” Ascendant chirped to the team she’d been working with, her wings buzzing with excitement.

“You did well for a rookie,” the general, Lieutenant, told her with an approving nod. “Keep working hard and don’t let us down.”

“I will, of course!”

It was a long trip down to the fifth, but she was able to take a gate to cut the trip significantly. It was a little annoying that she had to be escorted once she arrived in the fifth, but only because she was slowed down.

At times like this, she really understood what her senior, Vibrant, was talking about. When she was out by herself, flying over the plains, she’d been able to go her own speed and make her own decisions. Getting locked back into doing what she was told to do all the time was a little shock to the system.

As it turned out, tracking down Hippocrant was a little more difficult than Ascendant had initially anticipated. First she was directed to a fortress high in the fifth that had seen a lot of fighting, which was exciting, but when she arrived she found out that her sister had moved on once most of the patients had made it out of the hospital.

Further down, to another fortress, this one not as close to the frontline, where apparently Hippocrant had been conducting research on different types of mana? Or something?

Only, she wasn’t there either!

Ascendant could only slump in defeat and follow the trail. The next two locations didn’t have Hippocrant either, which didn’t leave her feeling all that hopeful for the next.

Towards the middle of the fifth, there had been a concerted push by the Krath, apparently, trying to make a final effort by using the fading energy of the wave. Hippocrant had gone to work and heal there, or at least, that’s what she was told.

So off she went, trudging through the tunnels along with her escort, only allowed to fly in limited bursts because it was ‘too dangerous’ for her to be zipping about on her own.

Ascendant was going a little stir crazy and couldn’t stop hopping at all times. She felt if more than two of her legs touched the ground at once, then she might just lose her mind!

When they finally arrived at the fortress, she made her way to the hospital, expecting to find that once again her sister had moved on to another location.

Except… there she was… tending to a patient.

“Hipprocant!” she cheered, her wings buzzing to life as she zipped through the air, leaving her escort in the dust.

Full force, she bowled into her sibling and knocked her over, sending the two of them sprawling to the ground.

“Hey! What are you… what are you doing?!” the healer demanded.

“I finally found you!” Ascendant laughed, jumping up and down with excitement. “I missed you!”

Hippocrant sighed heavily and picked herself up off the ground.

“I missed you too,” she said, tapping her sister on the head with one leg. “But can we do this outside of the hospital?”

“Oh… sorry.”

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