Starry Resonance

"AH!" It took a single slap for Selt jump awake.

"We gotta go, the whole dungeon is falling on us," Yvain said.

Selt looked around the now disappearing forest, his gaze finally landing on the decapitated body. "Damn you really killed him. He was a nice person you know," he said with a wry smile.

"Nice or not he was about to kill Nora, and I wasn't going to let that happen." Yvain went over to where the body laid and started ripping off the remaining pieces of armor, fully revealing the chainmail underneath. It was already falling in pieces too, but he was tired of being n.a.k.e.d and it would at least cover the important parts.

Thinking about how he was going to get them off with the dragon-like appendages in the way, Nora appeared next to him. He quickly grabbed her by the waist, Nora grabbing onto his shoulder for support. With a sad smile, he noticed that she really was just hopping on one leg.

"Tap on his c.h.e.s.t twice, then twice on his left t.h.i.g.h," Nora said.

Setting her down, Yvain followed her advice. The c.h.e.s.t unlinked itself right by the middle, but the pants remained the same. He looked at Nora, the question on his face obvious. She spun her finger in the air and Yvain quickly understood her meaning. Turning the body over, the tail came into view coming out of a hole in the pants. Above that hole, the pants had unlinked themselves just like the shirt.

"This is the first time I've seen clothes like these," Yvain said as he started to rid the cadaver of its garments.

"It's not something humans need to think about after all," Nora said, patting the part where a tail would be growing out of Yvain if he was part of the dragon race.

"You have a point. It's pretty cool but it'd be a waste of effort for us." After he finished removing the clothes, Yvain realized Nora hadn't removed her hand. Choosing instead to keep touching his rear to her heart's content. He looked back at her with a raised eyebrow but she just grinned at him.

"This is gross," Selt, who had been watching the couple with disgust, finally spoke.

"I'll say it again Yvain, you killed a good man, and all for a woman," Selt stood and looked at Nora with annoyance, "I thought you and I were pretty similar, but I guess I was wrong." Finished, he started running for the exit.

Yvain was stunned at the kid's words. More at their bite than their content. It was the first time he had seen actual anger on him. Nora didn't miss his change in mood and got closer to him, laying her head on his back.

"Is he going to be alright?" she asked.

"Maybe? This is the first time I've seen him like this," Yvain said. He got up and started putting on the tattered chainmail. Was the man he just killed really that good a person? He didn't feel Selt would be someone to take a liking to just anyone. But his judgment couldn't always be trusted.

Finally fully clothed, Yvain lifted Nora up carefully, taking care to not hurt her leg any more than it was. Nora, as if it was natural, and grabbed on to his neck and rested her head against his c.h.e.s.t.

"I don't know what the relationship is between the two of you, but you should probably catch up before we lose sight of him," Nora said.

"He'll be alright. Besides his feelings, he isn't the type that can be hurt easily." Yvain was happy that Nora would worry for his friend, even if his friend didn't seem to have taken a liking to her.

"No, what I mean is that we'll both need you to get us out of here. The dungeon will collapse in about two minutes." Nora said it with such nonchalance that it took some time for the gravity of her words to hit Yvain.

"Why didn't you say that before?!" Yvain started running after Selt at his fastest speed. They were too far into the forest. Two minutes would never be enough for Selt to get to the exit. He wasn't even sure it would be enough for him. He could see the castle far ahead, its size hiding how truly far it was.

"You might not be as fast as me in my peak, but I saw how you moved. We'll make it." And that was that. The confidence he could hear in her voice was so absolute that Yvain's worry vanished completely. Right then Selt appeared in front of them still running at a steady pace. "Grab on to my neck tighter," Yvain told Nora.

Without any warning, he grabbed Selt like a sack and sped up.

"Let me go!" Selt started trying to break the hold on him.

"Stop you idiot! This place is about to break apart!" Yvain yelled.

"It's a bit more than that I'm afraid," Nora said, with the same unconcerned voice from before, "this dungeon is inside a different space than the one containing our reality. If it collapses with us in it we'll just keep floating in a void until we die of old age, hunger, or dehydration. None of our senses will work at least, so it won't hurt, but we'll be fully conscious."

Selt suddenly calmed down and spoke with a fearful voice, "You can make it right?"

"Maybe if you wouldn't mess around so much we would already be outside," Yvain said in a somber tone. But with Nora's calm demeanor it was hard for him to get worried even with the new dungeon tidbit.

They reached the stair in what Yvain hopped was good time and took three steps at a time. Selt started up his struggle again when they reached the great hall. The huge double doors were still closed.

"Wait! Wait! Grab the gold!" Selt screamed.

Nora closed in and whispered in Yvain's ear, "Let him grab a handful."

Ignoring the goosebumps, Yvain nodded and spoke to Selt, "Grab some of it on the way out, but we aren't stopping." Selt reluctantly nodded and Yvain moved him closer to one of the piles of golds.

"You can let me go you know," Selt said, but Yvain shook his head. "Not until we're in the clear." He wasn't too sure the kid wouldn't just stay in the great hall trying to grab as much gold as possible as space collapsed around him.

As soon as Selt grabbed as much gold as he could with both his hands, Yvain ran to the front of the double doors and kicked them open. Once they all got out, the doors instantly shut behind them. When Yvain looked back the castle was already completely destroyed. Only the double doors were standing. A few moments later they started crumbling down too. When they finally broke down completely every piece of metal and rock turned to dust, the wind carrying them away. In its place, all that remained was the same rocky ground that formed Great Divider.

Yvain released Selt, some of his gold coins falling on the ground, then set Nora down. With everyone now safe, he just threw himself on the ground. He was done for the day. When his friends arrived they could just carry him down.

The night sky was as beautiful as always. Filled to the brim with lights of all shapes and sizes, lunaris in the middle sending down its light. But the light Yvain wanted to see the most was not showing up. "Selt send the signal already," he said, but no answer came.

"If you're that tired why don't you just lie there as I cut you in half?" Hearing the threatening words, Yvain instantly rolled to the side expecting an attack, but none came. Instead, he was grabbed by the neck and lifted up, his feet leaving the ground. There was only one person he knew that could do that.

"E-evening, Freya," Yvain said with a bright smile, choking on his words. A woman with dirty blonde hair that fell around her shoulders was glaring at him while she tried her best to choke him to death. On her back was a great sword much longer than Yvain's old one that was as wide as his back.

She was wearing her combat armor if it could be called that. Her b.r.e.a.s.ts were covered in a metal plate tailored to her specific needs. Moving down her visible and well-defined tanned abs, one would find a loincloth that, while long enough to pass her knees, fully showed off her long muscular legs. Lower still were well-worn boots that had seen enough combat to last a lifetime.

"That's master to you, welp," Freya's hand pressed down on his throat harder and Yvain sent a kick toward her solar plexus, holding nothing back. She managed to tighten up her core on time but still had some air from her lungs forced out. Her grip weakening, Yvain grabbed her wrist and freed himself.

Freya didn't look bothered at all by her student holding nothing back. She even looked ready to pounce on him again. That's when Selt came in.

"Freya I missed you so much!" Selt said as he jumped and slapped Freya's b.r.e.a.s.ts with all his strength. The way they bounced was as impressive as always but Yvain knew what would come next and pulled back.

Leaving a slight afterimage behind, the greatsword that had been on Freya's back appeared next to Selt. A crack that extended for about ten feet was at the tip of the weapon. Selt was completely unharmed, sporting an infuriating grin. "Nice try titty monster!" he yelled and ran away laughing to where Yvain could see Nelimir waiting with a serene expression. Yvain wouldn't dare to laugh, but he had to admit that Freya's b.r.e.a.s.ts couldn't be natural. They were at least twice the size of her head. Not counting her height, just that alone was impressive when seeing how agile she could be.

"You'll run out of luck one day you pest!" Freya screamed after Selt, then focused her glare on Yvain, "and you!" She put her greatsword away, "explain yourself!"

"I'll gladly tell you all what happened, but can we get some aid for my friend first?" Nora had so far remained quiet. When Yvain looked at her she just smiled, waiting for him to choose what to do.

Freya looked at Nora and then at Yvain, "She's wounded?"

"She's alright for the most part, but her left leg is fractured," as he talked Yvain went and picked up Nora again, with her holding on to his neck once more. When he turned, he saw that Freya's eyes were about to pop out of her head and Nelimir was looking at him curiously. Selt was behind his childhood friend making gagging noises.

Ignoring their weird looks, Yvain walked to were Nelimir was. An elegant carriage that was big enough to sit all of them comfortably, even Freya, was behind him. The big difference from a normal carriage was the spider-like legs that were coming out of its bottom. A magical wonder created by their prodigy witch that would allow them all to go down Great Divider with ease. Which reminded him that he hadn't seen Roesia yet.

"She was at it again with her experiments and ended up like this," Nelimir said with a light laugh. "Might I know who your new friend is?"

"My name is Nora. It's a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet Yvain's friends." Before Yvain could speak, Nora cut in and introduced herself. Nelimir stared at her in silence, but she just smiled.

"I'm Nelimir, the sentiment is shared. Though I'll admit I'm curious as to what the relationship between you and my best friend is," Nelimir said and looked at Yvain.

Yvain didn't know how to answer that himself. It was all so new to him. But Nora, as always, helped him out. "We seem to have a certain chemistry between us, but at the moment we just want to leave this tiresome day behind."

Nelimir nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer and looked at her leg. "Let's go then. We should have your fracture looked at before we begin any discussions."

"And maybe I'll be able to learn why my apprentice isn't carrying his sword." Yvain flinched at the threatening voice of Freya. His master walked by and gave him a side glance before getting into the carriage. 'This won't be good' Yvain thought. Nora started giggling at his worried look and he gave her a mock glare. She answered back with a puppy eye look before kissing him on the cheek softly.

Smiling, Yvain looked at his friend to find the man finally stunned.

"You too? Why do you all keep looking at me like I'm some kind of clown?" Selt was one thing, but the rest? Was he doing something wrong?

Nelimir just shook his head and turned for the carriage. "Maybe I'll be able to get some answers too."

It was good to be home.