"And that's everything he told me. Lincoln that miserable little worm, I should have just smashed his face!" Oz stood back from the war table, a simple set of crates stacked up with one of the many leather hide curing frames.
Nahern looked ready to vomit, Selene held her mouth in horror. Oz scratched at her arms, hating the churning of her stomach. She wanted to bring them good news but it seemed yet again she caused problems.
"This midnight club is where many of our kin were taken?" Selene whispered. "I heard those humans speaking of such a place."
Nahern's hand tightened on his sister's shoulder. "There are such places here, but they are more to the south. But they are a virus, spreading filth amongst our people."
"The question is how someone got a hold of your brother, I thought you said he was somewhere safe."
Nahern shook his head, suddenly looking so young to Oz's eyes. He looked simply like a scared younger brother, worried for his brother, worried for his parents. His hand tightened on Selene's shoulder until she patted his hand.
"He should have been, but Uncle must have cut a deal with those filthy humans." Nahern growled. Oz flinched slightly at the insult but said nothing. "How long?"
"One week. It isn't an empty threat, rarely do such clubs keep their stock long. If we lose him now, I don't know how we'll be able to find your brother again." Oz whispered, feeling like hell. She wanted to help, but here she was making problems. She wanted to stop the Dungeon Virus but …what could she do now?
She clutched her aching heart, the steady double heart beat did little to offer relief.
"Saint, we will find him." Taegan patted her back with a gentle touch. "As you found me in my darkest moment, we will find His Majesty Lord Thearen, the rightful king of Ice'nfur. So what if we must kill a bit more?"
Oz offered a tight smile, allowing the golden beast to drag her into his touch. The rumbling purr at her back did help slightly.
Nahern frowned over the maps that lined the frame, layers of maps from dungeons, maps of the ice sheets of Ice'nfur, even maps from her home showing city structure and the complex guild halls that ruled the megacity.
"What does he want in trade?" He asked coldly. Oz looked over with a miserable frown.
"Give up the crusade."
One perfect eyebrow went up at that, "Your crusade?"
Oz huffed quietly, "To stop the dungeon virus from conquering all worlds. Even if it tears us apart, I will always stay here with you all. The rest of humanity can suck ass."
Tagean laughed at that, squeezing her tight. "Then you will be a fine Saint. Let them learn to behave with better races. Perhaps it is time your world realizes the diamond they cast away."
Nahern sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Oz, as much as we want to save my brother, we need more information."
Selene nodded in agreement. "Nahern is right. Our brother is too important a bargaining piece to be wasted. We can't risk a direct confrontation without knowing more. Oz, you need to get stronger. Much stronger."
Oz looked at them both, her mind racing. She hated feeling weak, hated knowing she wasn't enough to save someone important. But they were right. She needed to become stronger, and she needed more information. Even with the extra prism and the second card within her, she was still the weakest link of the party.
"Alright," she said finally. "I'll go with Professor Com and Taegan to scope out more information at one of the cities nearby. Maybe we can find something that will help us."
Selene stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on Oz's arm. "We'll be here, preparing for whatever comes next. Just be careful. We have the cellphones you gave us, so don't worry. Our brother is not spun glass, he will survive. He's survived worse than a simple sex-den. We have the keycard, and will send our own scouts to your world."
"But won't they get caught?"
"Don't doubt our people, dear saint." Selene rubbed her cheeks. "We have the element of surprise now, before we couldn't get home. But with your blessing, we can return home at any time."
Oz let Selene pull her into a hug and sighed, resting her head on the elf's shoulder. She would get stronger. She had to.
---
The journey to the Ice'nfur city was arduous, the cold biting and relentless. Another waypoint away only took her so far, this time to a smaller city called Creslinfell. She would have wanted to go farther, but after blessing nearly fifty of the scouts she was exhausted.
Another note in her growing list of dungeon facts. Hunter blood could allow non-ascended to enter dungeons, but her blessing specifically allowed those of other worlds to recall back home after entering. A useful skill that would probably be very much in handy.
Professor Com stayed close still with his skull face exposed and Taegan, the golden beast's presence, a comforting warmth against the harsh elements. They moved quickly, knowing that time was not on their side.
The city itself was a marvel of architecture, a blend of natural ice formations and intricate carvings that spoke of a rich history and culture. But beneath its beauty lay a darkness that Oz could feel in her bones. There were so many elfs and other races of the world wandering about. Her skin felt sticky despite the cold, her heart raced within her furs.
She needed information, anything would do. She would save Nahern and Selene's brother, even if she had to become the White Devil again and murder her way through a nightclub.
"This way young saint." The professor motioned towards the lower stairs of the city, "If I haven't lost all my wits, there should be someone down here to assist us."
Oz blinked at the sudden change of direction, Taegan gave a distrusting snort but followed close by. The pair of them flank her, making sure to keep Oz between them. Both as a shield against the cold but to brace her against the slippery ice-carved stairs. Lower, deeper into the depths of the city into the Lower Slums.