“My, my, Kame-san, this hallway is so long!”

Mama Kou could not help but marvel at the construction of this mansion. The elongated hallways seemed to stretch, with no discernible twists or turns within them. Still, Kou floated through the sea of chocolate, sipping at her tea, wondering when she might see an end to things. Yet none arrived.

Perhaps this, too, was some kind of enchantment? But at the very least, she’d not yet found that same elongating trap preventing her from passing any further into the manor. Was it because she and the other fellblood were not actively seeking one another out? Solaria, this magic was confusing to an old woman who’d never any formal training. But theory was secondary to making progress! And so Kou forged on as the scenery around her changed and morphed; the hallways elongated and grew darker, and shadows nipped at Kame-san while they floated.

She was not sure if they were beckoning her in or warning her to turn back.

A roar interrupted her from her musings.

Kou startled, the excitement stirring her own poor heart. She would have fallen off her turtle if its shell was not large enough to support her. What in the world was that? It sounded like it had come from…

There!

Kou grasped at her cane, no question in her mind that she might jump in and intervene. That young man was somewhere around here, and even if she had little combat prowess she would not let him face danger alone! Steering the turtle closer to the door from which she’d heard that horrible noise, Kou gripped the handle and twisted with no hesitation.

What she found inside was a monster.

A gingerbread man, who may have once worn a smile on his face of piped icing and gumdrop buttons, now a behemoth whose original purpose was twisted beyond recognition. How could someone take something meant to be enjoyed by all, bring smiles to their faces, and turn it into an enraged sentinel?

On the other side of the room, Kou spotted the taller young man - with a crystalline Drake whose spun-sugar scales caught the dim light from her cane - and felt her shoulders sag in relief.

“Young man! I’m here to rescue you!” She cried, raising her staff.

At the same time, the gingerbread sentinel raised his chocolate weapon.

Javal stared down the gingerbread knight with a glare filled with determination and anger, “Little Candy friend stood back looking for somewhere to hide, okay? I’ll be fine, I’ll take care of everything so don’t worry just watch me defeat this monster, okay”, he said, petting the little fellow on the head before it scurried away towards the entrance hiding behind a large candy cane pillar.

Javal stood tall against the grimacing gingerbread Knight who held his chocolate Lance with two hands. He took out his katana and sprinted forth as the monster charged at him Lance raised. The two clashed against each other and Javal was getting pushed back by the candy behemoths' pure size and mass. They both got momentarily distracted as the door ahead of them was opened by a strange new force.

At first Javal was alarmed and confused by the elderly woman's appearance here, her voice sounding familiar.

“Madame, everything is going to be okay, don't worry”, he said with a bright smile as he pushed back against the beast's power.

The candy monster roared in annoyance and focused its attention on Kou as it retreated from the battle with Javal and charged forth at Kou lance raised and ready to attack her.

“Nooooo”, he shouted as he sprinted forward jumping in front of Kou trying to take the hit intended for her.

At the same time Kou proclaimed her desire to save him, the young fellblood renewed his assault on the sweet sentinel, his courage emboldened. It was unclear exactly who was saving who in this scenario. It seemed that each was firmly convinced they were the one waving the other. And perhaps that was true; mutual aid in a time of crisis was the only way they would survive, after all.

But Kou was no fighter.

The gingerbread beast whipped around, chocolate spear whipping through the air at her - Kou could not move out of the way fast enough. All she could do was hold her staff overhead, as if the wooden staff, the culmination of her grandson’s love for her, might protect her from being hurt. The young fellblood reached her first.

Kou heard his panicked shout and saw the smattering of blossomed red where the chocolate weapon struck his shoulder, shearing through armor and breaking skin. Alarm lanced through her - two battles in one day? She was not sure her body could handle the stress. But it must. It had to.

“Young man, don’t give up now! Here, have a snack and you’ll feel right as rain.” Mama Kou reached in her bag for a woven basket, one she always kept some spare food in. It was a good thing she’d stopped before entering this manor to steam some extra dumplings! It was always good to have some extra rations while traveling, and if she wasn’t hungry, she’d planned on giving the leftovers to Yasei once she met him at their destination, but they were coming in handy now!

She did not wait for a response before shoving one of the dumplings in his mouth, the sweet aroma from her homemade red bean paste taking effect almost immediately.^[1] Whether real magic or merely the effects of an old woman’s love, the fellblood’s wound would begin stitching up; not a perfect fix, mind, but it would keep him from bleeding out. Good. She patted him on the side, a smile stretching her cheeks so wide that it almost hurt. “Now doesn’t that feel better?”

The gingerbread beast let out a vicious roar that rattled the fancy papers on the wall and the candy-cane floor. The smile slid off of the grandmother’s face as she bent down, leaning on her cane while she grabbed her thick wooden sandal off of her right foot. The golem raised its spear again, piercing the floor. The shock from the blow made the room tremble, but Kou held tight to her cane; even still, she was almost bowled over from its force.

With a disappointed, stern glower, Kou lifted her sandal in the air. She reared back and hurled it, the heavy, clunking projectile soaring through the air and striking its ginger hull with a hollow SNAP. Cookie cracked and crumbled, the sandal soaring through the air and completing its round. With the practice of a stern woman who’d smacked her fair share of ne’er do wells with her shoes, Kou waggled it in the air like she was reprimanding the creature.

“Now, that’s no way to act, is it? If you go about attacking all willy-nilly, then you’ll never know whether we meant you harm or not, will you? We come in peace, and we merely seek a way out of your lovely home! Now, will you continue to act silly or do I need to let my sandal do the talking again?”

---

1. Minor Health Potion given to Javal

Javal smirked as he stood in front of Kou taking the blow meant for her his shoulder flowing crimson red as blood seeped to the floor. The chocolate spear had not only pierced his armored shoulder but gone through it it zoomed back to its owner.



“Everything is going to be okay, miss, don’t worry about a single thing. I can do this, this evil fellow will be crushed momentarily”, the azure fellblood said with the most reassuring brave face he could muster.



He grits his teeth pushing past the pain and lifting his katana to the monster once more as his left shoulder is in searing pain. He put his guard up ready to anticipate the next move from the monster trying to put himself in front of Kou. He was determined to keep her safe as well as his little candy buddy above all else right now. His focus was quickly broken as he felt his mouth get shoved with dumplings almost choking from surprise before coughing and swallowing them down his throat.



He chuckles, “That does indeed feel a lot better, thank you miss those were quite delicious, I’d love to have some more once we’re not facing candied demon monsters”.



He glanced over his shoulder as the bleeding stopped although he did feel some slight aching pain from it he didn't feel the searing pain as much.





The chocolate monster roars in anger as some of its chocolate breaks off from Kou’s hit; it manages to roar out a single word, “HURT” before grabbing its weapon with two hands and slamming it down against the two adventurers.



Javal holds onto his sword as he tries his best to push back against it; he glances over at Kou with a smile and says, “Don’t worry about me ma’am, I can hold it off for as long as you need. If you’d like to escape or hide now’s the time to do so. If you have any magic that would also be much appreciated”, he says between tired breaths still pushing back against the monster’s weight.

It warmed her heart to watch the dumpling work its magic, love in every bite and seeped into the very fabric of the filling. Mama Kou might not have had a grasp of her magic in the traditional sense; she knew how to harness it, but not why she could. Nor why her magic was so thoroughly infused into her food, let alone strong enough to affect others. That was enough for her - some people spent their life demanding answers to the secrets of the world they could see and touch and not enough who allowed themselves to be content with the little mysterious miracles of life.

The true answer though, if she bothered to look, was love.

A love so strong it was baked into the very formulae with each knead of the dough, each hug, each breath and smile and reassuring touch and cheer, from her food to her adventuring.

And right now, it was her fear.

Not for herself, mind. But for the young man who so fervently protected her, putting on a brave face in front of the threat bearing down on them. Kou was under no illusion she was a fighter. Her bones were too brittle, her muscle sinew, a cut of steak past its prime. It could make her a… burden when it came to battle, but Kou would not allow him to face the beast alone.

It was easy, she’d learned, to pull bravery from fear when one had love as a shield in their heart.

“Young man… the moment we free ourselves, I shall make you all the dumplings you desire!” She promised.

A promise that might be too sweet to be true, given the golem’s sudden, enraged shout from the injury Kou wrought. She staggered back, supporting herself with her cane before she fell, the young warrior diving in to catch the blow from the gingerbread monster’s chocolate spear. Kou gasped in the moment steel clashed against sugar. The young man’s arms trembled as he staved off the monster’s onslaught; his smile, in contrast, remained firm.

Kou was reminded of Tarou in that moment.

She spared a moment to wonder what her grandson was doing now. Such a busy boy he was, always taking care of business and assuring her that everything was fine, he could take care of everything himself. Always with a kind word for her, always so sweet trying to spare her feelings. You've held the torch for this family long enough, he would insist. It’s my turn, yeah?

“Young man,” Kou started slowly, resolve firming with each passing second. “Even if I were to flee this room, there is nowhere for me to run. We face this monster together, and we escape together!”

They would find a way past this immovable bastion and find the key to their escape! His body was made of strong gingerbread, far too firm for any of her spells to pierce. But his spear… his spear was chocolate, and Kou had already seen what happened to the tempered sweet in this manor! Clutching her cane in a white-knuckled grip, Kou hastened her speed as quick as she could to the stalemate. They needed heat! Stealing herself, sweat gathering in her brow, Kou summoned the flames protectively around herself, a ring of fire whose flames licked at the chocolate spear.^[1] the sugar began to drip, taking on a waxy sheen - and sure enough, the weapon itself began to melt, leaving the gingerbread golem defenseless.

If there was any time for the young man to press the counterattack, it was now!

---

1. Flame Hoop

Javal grinds as much as he can, putting on his bravest smile as he continues to push back against the large weight, “Of course miss, I look forward to taking you up on that dumpling offer later. Don’t worry about me, I'll hold it off as long as I need for you and Candy Drake to get out of here safe. I can keep him distracted for as much time as you need to look for an escape”, Javal was worried less about himself and more about getting the elderly fellblood and his new little buddy away from here.



He looked over in shock as the weapon he was clashing against suddenly melted, hitting his body with some splattered chocolate. He held his tongue out in eagerness as he caught some chocolate in his mouth swallowing it with greed.



He focused on his chocolate desire and shouted, “Thanks miss that’s all I need, leave the rest to me”.



He pulled his blade back at the panicked golem left without any method of protection and swung, slicing through its soft gingerbread chest and cutting it in half. It shrieked as its two halves lay on the floor on top of the puddle of chocolate that had appeared.

The heat from her spell did just the trick - a little bit of love and just a touch of hellfire, and the chocolate weapon had melted. And soon enough, the young fellblood slayed the creature that had been attacking them. Though Kou was able to relax now that the danger was eliminated, she could not help but feel sorry for the little fellow. It could not help the circumstances of its own creation… whoever created this manor had brought to life creatures to do its bidding, and based off of the drawings she could see on the wall, forced them to kill.

She clasped her hands together and offered a small prayer to Solaria-Sama for its soul to pass peacefully, the words flowing in her native tongue. Though it had tried to kill them, she bore it no ill will.

Once her rites of passing were complete - or, modified, because she had not the time to light incense for it - she turned to the young man who’d helped her. “Why, that was quite the debacle, was it not?” She asked, her voice bright despite the dim situation. A candle in the dark. “Though I’m glad we were able to find one another… it’s been rather hectic, has it not? But two heads are better than one, and now we can figure out how to get out of this pickle!”

She blinked before her eyes widened behind round-rimmed spectacles.

“Oh! But where are my manners? I am Kou Miyami, but you can call me Mama Kou.” She beckoned him to kneel down so she could pinch his cheek. “Here. I’ve got some starberry candies in my bag, let me just grab some for you. As thanks for helping me out. But I’m an adventurer too, you know! If there’s any more danger in this home and you need my help, don’t hesitate to call for me, okay?” She patted him on the cheek once more as she shuffled through her bag… ah! There was the candy she was looking for.

She put it in his palm and smiled.

“Good boy. Your mama raised you right, respecting your elders. Now. Let us figure out what we’re dealing with, are we?” She straightened, bones in her spine popping and cracking if she did. So much excitement today… at this rate she’d need to sit or lie down soon. But they could not stop now. If they gave up she got the feeling that they would simply lack the will to break free, until they dissolved like sugar, or until they were found and killed by the candy constructs.

Yes; locating an escape route was rather prudent!

“Now, if this were some fairy tale, there would be another secret back entrance from which a witch could pass through unseen…” She muttered to herself, tapping her cane along the walls and floor.

Javal cheered in delight as he saw his gingerbread opponent fall, its roars silent now and its body dead.



He then bowed towards its body and offered a small prayer out loud, “Thank you for the great fight my friend, although you were a mean fellow who tried to kill me and my friends you were really strong and had no control over yourself. I swear to you I’ll find the person who's pulling the strings behind all of this and bring them to justice”.



He finished and bowed once more before hearing the elder fellblood’s call and turned to face her, “Yes it surely is not every day that you fight a candy monster who has a chocolate lance. I agree with you it’s awesome to be united and tackle this mysterious crazy candied house together after all I’m not sure how much more floating and flying I can do alone anymore”, he says, reminded of his previous challenge.



He then kneeled as instructed and couldn’t help but smile as she pinched his cheek, reminded of his mother. He smiled widely and said, “Thank you for your generosity dear Mama Kou, my name’s Javal Zarrias. It’s awesome to hear another adventurer here and of course, we’re now officially partners in getting out of here together”, he stood up and leaned down offering his hand to shake for the elderly fellblood.



He then caught the candy and threw it into his mouth after taking the wrapper off and responded, “Yes ma’am my mother raised me incredibly after all raising five fellblood children isn’t an easy feat especially all on your own”.



Javal then led the way followed by his little candied drake friend as they marched forward through the halls in search of a secret entrance.



Javal agreed with Kou’s sentiments and did the same, running his hands through the walls looking for any secret levers or pressure plates. After about five minutes of trying he decides to give up. His attention focused on his little candied Drake friend who was whistling or whatever the equivalent was next to a bright red sofa chair.



“Hm, what’re you saying buddy?”, The fellblood questioned as he pulled back the bright piece of furniture, “Woah good work little buddy”, he exclaimed as he saw a large lever on the floor previously hidden by the chair.

Kou nodded in understanding at the young man’s trepidation at the journey ahead. Thus far the manor seemed to have been filled with no shortage of traps, it would behoove them to exercise a bit more caution. After all, this monster had proven a challenge for two accomplished heroes; who knows what might have happened if she’d left him to deal with this alone? “Then we tackle this challenge as a team!” She finished, her resolve shining like a diamond in the dim. “I may not have much in the way of physical prowess, but I’m a decent enough healer! I won’t let any harm come to you for as long as you’re under my watch.”

She nodded while the young man spoke. “Javal? Yes, a strong name, a strong name. Goodness, five children?” Though she’d lived at home with her parents, Kou had practically raised her son, Nomura, on her own until he set off into the world when he was old enough to do so - and such a feat had been difficult, to say the least. For Miss Zarrias to do as such five times over was commendable!

With a newfound respect for the woman who’d raised Javal, and the young man who clearly held her in high favor, Kou set out investigating the room they’d found themselves in.

She gave the puddle of chocolate and candy a wide berth, moving along the walls. Pieces of parchment were plastered along the sides, depictions of schematics she could not understand and words she could barely read. Kou did not understand much common, especially in the written format. She could only make out small words, like ‘food’, ‘kill’, and ‘eat’. Though the fact that this was the only room thus far that had any hint as to what this house might be for was not lost on her. Kou got on her toes, balancing precariously with her cane supporting her in case she fell, plucking a few sheaths of paper from where they were pinned against a chocolate wall.

It took a moment for her to adjust her spectacles on her nose and see what was drawn on the paper - only to recoil in shock. They were… plans. Plans that resembled the golem they’d just taken care of, plans that resembled monsters even more fearsome. Peppermint, four-legged sentinels that resembled wolves with gaping teeth - cages with iron spikes molded into the bars - even a miniscule draconic creature in charge of luring children into the home and giving them a false sense of security…

Kou glanced back at the little creature that Javal seemed to have picked up during his exploration.

It was perched next to a plush red armchair, looking rather innocent as it guided Javal to some sort of wooden lamp that looked like a shoddy cover for a lever. Kou pursed her lips, glancing down at the plans in her gnarled hands. She was not normally a distrustful person, but part of her was wary about the little fellow…

“Javal? Where did you find that colorful creature?” Mama Kou asked, tucking the papers in her bag and hobbling over towards the candied dragon. The creature tilted its head at her, candy chitin glimmering as it refracted the light from her cane. It certainly did not look dangerous, but what if it was leading them somewhere even more deadly?

“What have you found?” She asked, poking at the lever with her cane. Nothing happened. Well… nothing ventured, nothing gained, yes? Kou wrapped her hand around the lever, glancing at Javal with curiosity alight in her eyes. There was danger, of course. But they would never find freedom if they didn’t take the risk to find something new in this place. Choosing to trust the little dragon, who seemed to have helped Javal thus far, Kou pulled the lever.

And the ground dropped out from underneath their feet, plunging them down a sloped chute.

Javal could only manage to say, “I met HIMMM” before suddenly the room’s floor under them disappeared and soon the three of them were plunged into a strange metal chute that took them through a crazy trajectory. Javal was behind Kou and behind him was the baby candy drake holding tight to Javal’s back as they twisted and turned through the mysterious tunnels until suddenly they stopped at a dead end.



Javal then chuckled nervously, “Well at least that stomach-churning coast is over”, before suddenly for the last time the metal tunnel floor under them disappears. The floor below them is dark and looks like they're falling into the Abyss.



Javal taps his cuirass once more summoning his red wings (1. Red Dragon Plate) and grabs Kou and his little candy drake buddy in his arms as he slowly floats them down.



They land softly in a completely white room, Javal turns his head confused, “Hey Little buddy where did you take us”.



The candy drake just shrugs and points his head towards the middle of the room where a single giant corn lies.



“What’s up, buddy? Do you want us to get that?”, he asks, confused.



The candy drake nods his head and points his tiny talon towards the white door to the left of them with an acorn-shaped keyhole.



“Oh makes sense, Oh I forgot to answer your question since we kinda fell through the floor but I just kinda found him around”, he then starts walking towards the acorn in the center of the room caution thrown to the side.

Having one’s stomach drop out from under them as the solid ground disappeared from underneath their feet was a funny one to be sure! It was safe to say Kou had never experienced such a harrowing drop. Unfortunately, it was also safe to say that she didn’t have anything to defend herself from the impact of the fall. She flailed, nearly releasing her grip on her cane… the precious gift from her grandson. No! She couldn’t lose it! She might not have been the kind of person to cling to material possessions, but this gift meant far more than just a staff to her. She would not lose it as long as she lived. As they twisted and tumbled, she used the last of her strength to cling to the Sakura staff. Its fine construction and pink petals, still their only beacon in the pitch black nightmare.

And then Javal reached out and grabbed her before she could plummet, bless his heart. Kou gasped as his strong and sudden grip secured itself around her back and lowered her gently to the floor. Kou did not relax, even as he set her on her own two feet once more.

“Goodness! That’s enough scares for the day, I should think.” She huffed, her voice little more than a breathy wheeze. “Once this is all said and done I’m rather looking forward to a nice nap!” She had neglected to take one earlier, hastening her journey back to where she was to reunite with Yasei.

Yasei… the thought of her friend dimmed her mood, somewhat. How long had it been since she’d found herself in this place? Had Yasei noticed her lateness? Was he worried about her, or did he think nothing was amiss?

Those were questions that did not belong in the present moment, she figured. When they figured out how to escape, then she could bring her new friend back with her and they could all sit down and enjoy a meal and a smile once more. Sadness about the future would do them no good in the present. So Mama Kou rolled up her sleeves, and got back to work. Perhaps they could make their way back from where they came? But it was so high up, and she could not fly like Javal…

“Javal? Do you think that you could use your magical armor doohickey again and fly us back up to the chocolate golem room?” Kou asked, but Javal had already made his way to follow after what the candy drake had shown him. She blinked, turning just in time to catch him bending down to pick up a piece of sugar-spun candied corn, explaining where he’d picked the drake up all the while.

“You just found him around the manor? Wait just a tick, Javal.” Kou bent down to be at an even level with the little creature once more, her knees flaring up as she did so - but she needed to be sure. The candy-scaled creature blinked its eyes and stared at her. Innocent and cute, the kind of youthful and loving eyes that could make one’s heart melt. Kou wanted to believe in the little guy, but looking at what had just happened, she wasn’t so sure she could!

“I do hate to be a bitter Betty, but I think we should be cautious. The little guy has been helpful to you, but he also got us stuck down here. Are you certain we can trust him?” She asked, turning her gaze towards the fellblood. “I trust you and will listen to your judgment. If you think we can go where he tells us to go, and that will lead us to safety, then I will drop my suspicions. But it is a fool who allows a starving dog to bite their hand a second time.”

Javal then turned to face Kou with a curious expression on his face as he listened to the older woman speak. He takes a moment to think about what she said, it made sense and was very reasonable. Thinking critically it was a bad idea to just up and trust a random little friend after meeting it for less than an hour. However, Javal hated thinking critically but still was going to take Kou’s advice in mind while sticking to his own beliefs.



“I can understand your hesitance, Madame Kou. What you said is rational and true. A little caution couldn’t hurt. However, I do have to say that I believe in this little drake’s judgment as much as I believe in yours. We don’t know where we are or how any of this is happening but I do know one thing. And that is believing in people, sure I may be a fool for trusting him but we don’t know yet for sure. If he indeed proves to betray us then I shall take care of it but for now, let’s just see where this goes, okay friend? After all, distrust and suspicion won’t help us now we have to stick together and work on getting out of here”.



He then waits for Kou’s response before nodding and turning back and walking towards the acorn in the middle and picking it up. It was very odd and elegant looking, to say the least. He then walks back towards Kou and the candied drake holding it as he turns to face the doors to his left and right.



“Hm, now which one do we use this thing on?”, he says glancing at the acorn-shaped keyholes on both doors, “What do you think Kou?”, he says looking at the elderly fellblood waiting for her wisdom.

Her worries regarding their little candied companion were… eased somewhat, listening to Javal speak. Not because he offered any points that might make her believe it really was not leading them to their death, but because Javal was right. In uncertain situations, strangers leaned on one another not because they knew with one hundred percent certainty, but because they had to. And it was a beautiful thing that in humanity’s darkest moments the only thing they could believe in was one another.

“You are quite correct, young man!” She leaned on her cane, pulling herself to her knees. The action ached, but she did not mind. Besides, if sticking together was all about doing what was best for the individual, then Javal would have had the right to leave her behind ages ago. Kou knew she was not as spry as her attitude; physicality and demeanor at odds with one another. It made her… slow. And by all means, she was far from a combatant. It was not about the self, but the team.

“Consider yourself part of our group for freedom, little friend!” She smiled before turning to Javal. “Does he have a name?”

But Javal had already moved on, picking up the candy key and investigating the two doors in front of him. Youth these days were so fast! Always looking towards the next thing rather than enjoying the moment. Never mind that the ‘moment’ was in the middle of a candied dungeon while they desperately searched for freedom. Kou’s face scrunched up when Javal spoke to her, making the wrinkles on her forehead all the more prominent while she thought. The two looked virtually identical from one another! She had no divination magic to speak of, but being raised Shita Eodum-Taiyang, she was not without her superstitions.

“Hmm… left is an unlucky direction.” She said, pointing to the door on the right. “Best to follow the good luck.”

She had a feeling there was little good in this place, considering it was a veritable dungeon. Not to mention it did not seem to be made of chocolate the way the home had, which meant they would have a harder time forging through. All that was left was for them to keep moving forward and hope there was a secret exit in this place. She reached upwards on her toes, trying to turn the door as Javal unlocked it.

“Don’t worry, young man! If there is something unfortunate behind this door, I shall protect you.”

Javal couldn’t help but grin as he looked at the old woman as she mulled over the decision about the doors. He never had a grandmother, or well, he did? At least he thought so. He knew nothing about his father’s side even when asking his mother about it she told him all she knew and that was that he never spoke about them in detail just saying they weren’t in the picture or they weren’t important. On his mother’s side, he had a grandmother he knew that he just never met. Most of the times he’d go there she was either asleep, in a business meeting, or just too busy to speak to her grandson. It was fine with Javal he didn’t know what a grandmother meant, he was okay with that considering he didn’t know what it was like to have one so he found Kou curious and adorable.



He nodded as the elderly fellblood pointed towards the right and said, “Sounds great my friend, your wisdom may have saved us once more”, as he placed the large ornate acorn into its keyhole, turning it, causing the door to open slowly.



Javal smiles at Kou’s remarks and says, “Of course, my friend, remember that I also shall be protecting you. We can protect each other and get through this together whatever comes next”.



Soon the room is revealed and it’s a strange sight, a room filled with squirrel memorabilia. Cartoonish images and toys scatter the room; the middle contains a large stuffed squirrel toy. There lies another dear behind it decorated with the symbol of a smile.



“Whoa! What’s is all this Kou, it seems strange some of this stuff seems odd”, the young fellblood says as he starts investigating the room touching everything without restraint.

“Of course, of course! We shall protect each other… so you stick behind me, okay? You know, I run a rather successful adventuring business!” She explained as Javal unlocked the door and allowed it to open… neglecting to mention that she was the only member of said business, and the biggest threats she’d taken care of were swarms of angry bees and such. “I’m quite used to handling my fair share of hardships, so if you need to hold my hand, don’t hesitate to ask, okay dearie?”

With that, she hobbled inside, unsure what to expect. In a dungeon as dark as this, she would not be shocked if there was a torture chamber of sorts in here, or some wicked an oratory for experimentation and such!

What they found instead was a room that was not decorated with candy, but no less whimsical for it. Squirrels were painted on the walls and stuffed toys were scattered everywhere. Bad home decor aside, the room gave Kou a bad feeling… the superstitious old woman clapped her hands together and started murmuring a prayer under her breath, as if to protect them from the bad energy.

Javal turned to her, confused, but Kou already had an idea of what the room was for.

She stared at the smile on the door at the other side of the room, summoning her courage.

“Javal…” She breathed a heavy sigh, leaning her weight against her cane, which still glimmered with a soft light. “Since we’ve been here I’ve discovered some unpleasant things about what the manor’s previous owner was doing here. I suspect she was a witch of sorts, spiriting youths into these walls with colorful candy and sweet treats, and…”

She shook her head. She could not bring herself to speak of such injustice, especially in a room she suspected was once a prison.

She took a breath and continued.

“Unrestful spirits have been steeped in every room of this place thus far, and if the function of this underground space was similar to above; then there will only be more. I can light some incense but prayer and good spirits will only do so much. Not to mention there may be more of these sugary golems around.”

She turned to the little candied drake who was batting his little claws at one of the stuffed squirrels playfully. “Do you know if there are more like the chocolate fellow up ahead?”

The drake looked up at her, tilted its head as if considering her words, and nodded.

Kou glanced at the still-smiling door. It beckoned, as if inviting them in.

“I truly hope that this way forward holds the exit we need…” She sighed. “Prepare for another battle, Javal! I’m no spring chicken but I reckon I could handle another scrap. Anything to make sure the two of us exit this place alive!”

No matter how grim the situation was, Kou wasn’t giving up.