The day of the Cycle’s Turn begins—the last day of the year. The children around the world start to wake with anticipation as Stella rises on the day dedicated to her.

  Within the Black Box, several of them had already gathered at the entrance to the Banquet Hall. The spiderlings, the Cells, and the Coloraturas eagerly awaited the opening into the room where the Cycletree lay.

  “Is it time yet?” Nina asked immediately, knowing that a very special gift was waiting for her.

  “Nina,” Lily said. “Emily said she would open the door at six!”

  In anticipation of the horde of children wanting to reach the gifts below the tree, and knowing that it would be impossible to bring most of them to slumber once they woke up, Lydia and her assistants ensured they were well-fed first. Yet even the broodmother didn’t expect them to finish their meal at twice the speed of the average breakfast.

  “Those children are really eager,” Lydia said as she looked over them, joined by Carla and Minerva.

  “Few days can get them up so early en masse then the Cycle’s Turn,” Carla said wistfully.

  While waiting for the doors to open, Charlotte examined her fully healed arm. Nor coated in a silvery veneer. Euryale and Sthenno approached her.

  Euryale yawned. “Morning, Lotte,” she said. Her own body bore the same silver finish as Charlotte’s arm.

  “Good morning,” Charlotte said as she looked back at her arm.

  “It seems like it’s fully healed now,” Sthenno said.

  “Yeah,” Charlotte said. She turned her eyes away from the now mismatched arm. “Do you have any plans for today?”

  “Dad’s sneaking out of Hamlin,” Euryale said. “Said he and Orpheus wanted to visit us.”

  Charlotte was surprised. “Wouldn’t the village notice?”

  “He said he got it covered,” Euryale said.

  “Hey!”

  Nancy skipped toward the alraune and the Arion twins. Her exuberant expression shone like the Sunlight’s sunlight reflected off her face.

  “Hello Nancy,” Charlotte said. “What’s up?”

  “Charlie wanted me to ask if you want to play later after we open the presents that is?” Nancy said.

  “Oh,” Charlotte hesitated to answer. “Maybe?”

  “Hey,” Euryale asked Nancy. “Is this the first time we’re celebrating the Cycle’s Turn here?”

  “I don’t think so?” Nancy said. “I remember celebrating it last year.”

  Euryale’s expression indicated she had expected such a response. For the question was another attempt to route memories scrambled and altered by the Piper Pruflas.

  “You always were one for weird questions, Eury,” Nancy said with a giggle. She then turned to Charlotte. “Hey, can I see your arm? I want to check if it’s back to normal.”

  “Um, sure?” Charlotte extended her new silver arm.

  “No your other arm, silly.”

  “Huh?” Charlotte said to the mouse-eared Cell. She extended her other arm out and saw that it bore the normal chartreuse green hue as the rest of her body.

  Nancy examined it. “Huh? Shouldn’t it have healed by now?” she said innocently.

  Charlotte knew that that wasn’t the arm fused with the Sword of Lies. Her expression was incredulous as she retracted the arm.

  Euryale and Sthenno were also taken aback by the innocent question. They feared it was another effect of the demon’s tampering with her and the other children’s minds.

  Nancy rolled back the sleeve of her blouse and revealed more of her silvery-coated arm. “Shouldn't it look more like this?”

  “Nancy…” Charlotte said with a sigh.

  “To be clear…where did you get the impression that Charlotte’s arms should be silver?” Stehnno asked politely.

  “I learned it from Emily!” Nancy said with a big smile.

  “That…can’t be right,” Euryale said. “Guess that’s another fake memory,” she thought to herself.

  “It’s not fake!” Nancy said. “She told me last week!”

  “What?” Euryale said with surprise.

  Charlotte and Sthenno were confused. “What do you mean it’s not fake?” Sthenno asked.

  “Euryale claimed I was lying!” Nancy said with a hump.

  “I did not,” Euryale said.

  “You said my memory was fake!”

  “I did not say it!” Euryale said. “But I thought it,” she said. “How would she know?”

  “Know what?” Nancy said with puffed cheeks. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Not for lack of trying,” Sthenno thought.

  “Trying what?” Nancy said. “I wanna know!”

  “Nancy,” Charlotte said. “Can you please give us a minute?”

  The request stirred an all-consuming curiosity within her. “Please, Lotte, I want to know! Tell me!” her eyes pleaded with the alraune.

  Charlotte was uncertain of what was going on. It felt like Nancy somehow read their minds.

  “I bet they are hiding something really cool from me,” Nancy thought. A thought that was transformed into sounds heard by the other three girls.

  “It’s not cool!” Euryale blurted out.

  “Oh really?” Nancy said. “Who won’t you tell me?”

  “Believe me, we’ve tried,” Euryale said with frustration. “You keep forgetting— ugh forget it!” The Cell stormed off.

  “Sister,” Sthenno said with a concerned face as she followed Euryale. Charlotte turned back at Nancy.

  “I’m sorry,” the apologetic alraune said. “A lot is going on right now?”

  “Oh really?” Nancy said with a still-curious smile. “And you can’t tell me?”

  “As much as I want to,” Charlotte said. “You’ll forget it right afterward.”

  “What do you mean?” Nancy said. “My memory is pretty sharp you know?” She said in complete ignorance of the cognitive gaps in her mind.

  “Hey Nancy?” another of the Hamelin children, Ethel, called to Nancy. “The doors are opening!”

  Charlotte and Nancy turned to where Ethel pointed and saw that Emily was opening the doors to the banquet hall. The mob of children moved rapidly through the expanding gap in the walls, running towards the tree in the center and the various presents laid out beneath it.

  Nancy, in festive anticipation quickly forgotten about what had just transpired as she joined the mob. Charlotte meanwhile was unable to process how Nancy was able to read her mind, or how she was able to hear her thoughts. For her, the day took on a strange beginning.

  ???

  Nina was among the various kids rushing towards the tree, trying to find her presence. As the other kids ravaged the packaged presents and removed the wrappings, The young spiderling scurried around trying to find it.

  A glint had gotten her attention. It was among the larger presents wrapped in silver with violet ribbons. Its oblong shape kept it from rolling from the tree. Nina curiously approached it and examined the tag attached to the ribbon.

  “Whew, that thing is finally done. Now Nina, when you find this present, find me and Richard. We have a lot of rules to explain about the Pallant. Merry Cycle’s Turn -Sarah.”

  Nina’s face was elated at confirmation that this was her gift. She used her legs to cut the wrapping and revealed a craft resembling the Athené, scaled down and with a rounder shape.

  “Cool!” Nina said as she searched for the entrance to the cockpit and climbed in. “Now how do I use this thing?” she said. She noticed eight thin slits on the floor of the cockpit, arranged in four paralleled pairs and just large enough for her arachne legs to enter through. With a mischievous giggle, she turned to face the opening of the cockpit and placed her legs through the slits.

  The cockpit closed around Nina. “Now how do I…” her mind suddenly grew hazy. “How do I…” She began hearing a bardsong tune that lured her into a trance as the Pallant began to move on their own. Taking Nina to another part of the banquet hall.

  Meanwhile, Sarah had already begun eating food at a section of the dining table behind the Cycletree. Richard, Atsuko, Cassiopeia, and Sid were nearby keeping an eye on several of the younglings.

  “Now then,” Cassie said as she looked at her beetle drones. “You sure the bardsong spell would work?”

  “It should,” Sarah said. “Music’s not my forte, but Elizabeth was able to get it going. It will only work once.”

  “Surely there had to be a better way to do this?” Richard said with slight trepidation “Are we even sure she won’t be harmed by this machine?”

  “Brother, I made sure the Pallant is extremely safe. Even showed it to Minerva to assure her that her daughter will be fine.”

  “That said,” Cassie said. “It is still a miniaturized version of the Athené, right? A large Sentinel designed for combat.”

  “It’s as unarmed as it could possibly be,” Sarah said. “Though there are still some risks, granted.”

  “Such as?” Sid asked.

  “The machine is designed to interface with her mind,” Atsuko said “Is it in effect an extension of her body while she is piloting it. As such it was designed with Arachne biology and form in mind. That means it has eight multi-ton “legs” for starters.”

  “I see,” the bhargest said. “Anything else?”

  “Besides the ability to channel mana through said legs, no,” Sarah said. “Come to think of it, we never did learn what sphere she was born with.”

  Richard turned to Atsuko, who donned a winter kimono as per her homeland’s traditions. “How were my…additions?”

  Atsuko looked at the sleeves, tailored with a mix of floral patterns and starry imagery, and colored with a mix of white, crimson, and verdant shades.

  “It is…on theme,” Atusko said. “Thanks.”

  “What’s the occasion?” Sarah asked.

  “My shinobi and I are heading to the shrine later,” Atsuko said. “A tradition involves going to a shrine to make a wish during the new year. I had these outfits made for the occasion.”

  “You couldn't do it at the chapel?” Sid said.

  Atsuko made a subtle glare. “As much as I appreciate Chiron’s services, there are issues with randomly heading to a church just to express wishes. Besides, I’m almost certain the folk at Rosenkreuz would find this tradition …strange.”

  “That’s right,” Cassie said. “There aren’t many Yanese around these parts.”

  Atsuko nodded. “The shrine we’re going to is at Noir’s outskirts. Near the ferry to Joyfuller Island.”

  The conversation was interrupted by the approaching of the Pallant. The sight of which attracted the gaze of everyone who saw it and the awe of the younger amongst them. Especially the young Arachne.

  The Pallant stopped right in front of Sarah and the cockpit opened to reveal a dazed Nina.

  “Why do I feel like I slept through ten minutes?” the child said. She then noticed Sarah in front of her.

  “Sorry about that,” the platinum-blond dwarfette said. “Didn’t want you joyriding before we could establish the ground rules. As much as we did to danger-proof it, there are still risks attached to your gift. The Pallant is not a toy.” She said these words with a stern tone but also with an undercurrent of excitement beneath.

  “Got it!” Nina said with excitement. “So how do I use it?”

  The dark-skinned dwarf smiled. “The Pallant works like the Athené it is derived from. It is attuned to your mind and you alone. It is best to think of it like a bigger body.”

  “A bigger body?” Nina said.

  “More specifically,” Atsuko said. “It is more like a bigger prosthetic body. It will take some time getting used to, given your lack of a grasp on the cerebellum’s limbic effect on movement.”

  “Limb movements?” Nina said. “I can move my limbs!” she said as she lifted one of the Pallant’ legs with ease.

  “I rest my case,” the teal ringletted nekomata said.

  Nina tried to keep the leg aloft, but despite being supported by the other seven, she found it too heavy to keep in the air for long and was forced to drop it. The descent was met by a loud thud, but not much else. A testament to the lengths Sarah went through to ensure the use of the machine did not harm anyone by accident. She felt her respective leg feel tired afterward, despite it not moving since she place it through the slit.

  “We can take it to somewhere less crowded to practice,” Sarah said finishing her large meal. Sarah instructed Nina to pretend the machine’s legs were her own and move with that in mind. Nina began to follow Sarah, moving the Pallant’ legs clumsily all the while.

  “I’ll go make sure they don’t hurt the others,” Richard said. “Sister is rather prone to overlooking design flaws. Hope your shrine visit goes well, Miss Atsuko.”

  “Please,” Atsuko said. “Atsuko or Akko will do.”

  “Wait,” Cassie said.

  “Yes?” Atsuko said.

  “Can me and Sydney come along?” Cassie asked.

  “Cass,” Sid said.

  “You’re more than welcome to,” the nekomata said. “Hoshikage would love the company.”

  “Great!” Cassie said. “I’ll bring Fuuka and the other dormarches too!”

  Sid expressed concerns about how Andy, Molly, and especially her brother, Glenn would act, but Cassie was too caught up in her excitement to notice. The artificer’s tail wagged in glee as she ran off to fetch the other dormarches.

  ???

  Amidst the festive mirth of the Cycle’s Turn, Emily and Elizabeth tried to ensure everyone was well accommodated for. Her walls changed to ensure foot traffic was not impeded by the stampede of rushing children. Her floors were kept at just the right friction to avoid people slipping on them. Her banquet hall was kept as neat and today as possible as shredded foil and paper littered around the large tree at the center.

  “Are you okay, Emily?” Elizabeth said, having barely got any contact from the Dungeon as she tried to perform her tasks.

  Emily responded after a few minutes. “I’m okay, Elizabeth,” her voice echoed, two hours since she opened the banquet halls the fairy could already hear a wearied tone. It is to her elation that the guild had forbidden any visits to the Black Box from adventurers for the rest of the week. “It’s just…” The dungeon core heard a glass plate shattering and immediately stopped speaking with the fairy, to Elizabeth’s sorrow.

  She saw Esteban walking by one of the halls, with a small stack of books in hand. “Esteban,” she fluttered to the Rouge. “Can you do me a favor?”

  “Of course,” the blue-clad man said. “What do you need?”

  “Do you know of anything happening today? Noir and Rosenkreuz?” the pink-haired fairy was certain that Emily needed a break from it all.

  Esteban reminded Elizabeth about Atusko’s plans to visit a shrine in Noir and also mentioned that his wife Julia had told him that Father Chiron was holding a ceremony in Rosenkreuz’s chapel as well.

  “Perfect!” Elizabeth beamed. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure,” Esteban said. “I’d come with you, but I have business in Noir.”

  “You have to check in with the Rouges Guild?”

  Esteban nodded. “The underground always had those that want food even as those on the surface eat their full and then some. And also those that, on the Syndicate’s orders, will try to steal, spoil, or destroy the food before it reaches the mouths of those they deemed Exsecratii. We’ll be back by dusk.” The rouge left to embark on his job.

  Elizabeth fluttered to the core room, the plight of the homeless in the city Noir was something she would worry about later. Right now, her goal is to make sure Emily doesn’t overwork herself. It’s a time for relaxation!

  She fluttered the core room and approached a spot where an avatara usually forms. There she found Heathcliff was already in the room.

  “Already noticed huh?” the knight said as Elizabeth headed towards a terminal. The fairy pressed the lone button then.

  A mass of nanomachines spurted out from the nearby chamber, taking the form of Emily’s avatara body.

  “…come on,” the purple-haired girl said as she stumbled onto the ground. “I just cleaned…that?” she noticed that her consciousness was now in an avatara again and confusedly blinked at Heathcliff and Elizabeth.

  “We’re heading out, cher,” the knight said. “Y’all need to relax.”

  ???

  Sarah and Nina arrived at the Bleumaw—the azure forested expanse of the Black Box. Along the way, Sarah instructed Nina on how to pilot the Pallant. The young spiderling took the small mech as she followed the dwarf.

  Nina grew accustomed to her new present as she positioned it near a pair of trees. The dark-skinned inventor turned her eyes to Nina, and Nina met her gaze from the cockpit.

  “Alight, kid,” Sarah said. “First we need to lay down some ground rules. As I said before this is not a toy.”

  Nina nodded.

  “First things first. Have you felt tired on the way?”

  The young Arachne took a while to recall how piloting the Palleth felt. “I’m not sure. I did feel dizzy at times.”

  “That’s to be expected,” Sarah said. “The mech was calibrated to your mind, but it will take a while to acclimate.”

  “Acc-cli-mate?” Nina asked.

  “You’ll eventually get used to it, basically,” Sarah said. “Until then, you can’t pilot the Pallant for longer than two hours a day.”

  “Two hours?” Nina protested. Sarah made a stern glare.

  “Yes, two hours. This psychic link will take a toll on your mind, and if you linger in it too long, your body.”

  “What do you mean?” Nina said as she began to climb down from the cockpit.

  “While you’re plugged into the Pallent, your mind becomes synchronized with its systems. You become a living brain for it in a way. However, this means that a prolonged period of time in this state risks ‘disconnecting’ your mind from your actual body, trapping it within the machine. This was not and could not be designed as a proxy body in the way Emily’s avatara is. Understand?”

  Nina was having trouble processing it.

  “Looks like an analogy is needed,” Sarah thought. “Okay, let’s put it another way,” she said. “Let’s say the Pallant is a car.”

  “A car?” Nina said with an innocent tone.

  Sarah nodded. “A car, yes, and your mind is the key that activates the engine.”

  “Oh Anesidora,” the dwarfette thought as she made her tortured analogy. “Please help me with this!”

  “And I shouldn’t be in the car for too long because?” Nina asked.

  “The car was constructed with some rusty parts,” Sarah said. “One of those is the mechanism used to turn on the engine. If the key remains in that mechanism for too long it will get stuck, and you won’t be able to leave the car. Does that make sense?”

  “I think so?” Nina said. “But what happens if I get stuck?”

  “You ever heard the radio mention stories of children being stuck in a vehicle on a hot summer day?” Sarah said.

  It didn’t take long for the possibility to dawn on Nina.

  “There is more to it, than just heatstroke risk,” Sarah said. “The Pallant also draws on your mana to use. If it is a car, then your mana is the fuel for the engine, and as long as the ‘key’ is inside then it will consume the ‘fuel’.”

  Nina flinched upon hearing that. “So that means it would drain me dry?”

  “Correct,” Sarah said. “While it was deceived from the Athené, several of the systems were changed for a smaller frame and for safety. But that doesn't mean it is dangerous. Nina, I hope you understand that.”

  “Don’t worry!” Nina said with a confident and chesty tone. “I’ll be super duper careful!”

  With the risks to Nina herself established. Sarah then moved on tot he risk of others.

  “I’ve taken great pains to ensure this mech is as safe as possible, it is more of a club than it is a a sword as a result. Do be careful when using it around others. And please don’t try to start fights with this. Emily and I have ways to disable it further if you try to use it unjustly.”

  “Okay!” Nina said, with an eagerness to climb back into the mech again. After Sarah explained the other rules she agreed to let Nina back in so that she can practice with the rudimentary functions.

  “We have fifty minutes,” Sarah said.

  With that Nina spent the next near hour learning about the limited functions and practicing her movement.

  ???

  In a certain church in Rosenkreuz, Emily, Elizabeth, Heathcliff, and Tim attended a small ceremony.

  “We are gathered here today,” a cleric spoke from the altar at the end of the hall. “To honor the Administrator Stella, she who illuminates our days…”

  Emily remained nervous about her Dungeon body, and the children residing within it.

  “Are you sure things will be okay?” Emily whispered, still fretting over possible catastrophes.

  “Positive, cher,” the fatherly knight said to the purple-haired avatara. “Things will be fine.”

  Chiron cantered towards their row of seats. “Hello, we are humbled to have your presence here today Emily,” the centaur said.

  “Um, thanks?” Emily said. “I didn’t really plan to visit today,” she thought.

  “Emily,” Elizabeth said. “You were acting unusually tense today.”

  At the altar, the priest finished orating and uttered a prayer for the new year. The assembled attendants dispersed, and Emily and her group toured the chapel. They met with several attending families and clergymen. They soon met up with Pauline.

  “Merry Cycle’s Turn!” Pauline said. “How was the day been?”

  “Alright,” Tim said.

  “It went pretty well,” Elizabeth said. “Though Emily is acting wound up about something.”

  “I am not!” Emily lied.

  The blue-haired elf shot Emily a curious look.

  “Okay, I am,” Emily said. “I’m concerned about those kids?”

  “The girls from Noir?” Pauline asked.

  “No, the other ones,” Emily said. She expressed her fears that they would be a part of her forever and more immediately those that remained at the Black Box could take care of them today.

  “You’re selling Lydia and Clara very short, Emily,” Heathcliff said with a hearty laugh. “Lydia especially.”

  “Plus, Minerva is also there,” Elizabeth said. “If any of the [Cells] would cause trouble, she would certainly put a stop to that.”

  “By the way,” Pauline said, “Have you thought about your goals for the new year?”

  “Goals?” Emily said.

  “The new year brings with it new opportunities,” Elizabeth said. “People use the turning of the cycle as an opportunity to reevaluate themselves and set new resolutions for themselves.”

  “Though most of them tend to fail at those resolutions,” Tim said.

  “Tim!” Heathcliff said. “That isn’t helpful.” “Even if it is true,” he whispered under his breath.

  The elf ignored the two men and returned to Emily. The avatara admitted she hadn’t thought about new goals. “To be honest,” Emily said. “It felt like the end of the year snuck up on me. It’s hard to believe that tomorrow would be the year twelve twenty-three tomorrow.”

  “And with that, Spring,” Pauline said. “Come to think of it, do you know why this holiday exists?”

  “Because of Stella right?” Emily said. “It was to honor her in the same way that Allowstide honors Anesidora, the Monsoonfall Halcyon and Tranqualitas and Flameshearth Obsidian, right?”

  Pauline nodded. “But there is more to it than that, the placement was especially on the day before the equinox, right as the sun and moon reach equilibrium.”

  “The equinox?” Emily asked. “But why is that?”

  “Well,” Pauline said. “Actually I think the play can explain that. Follow me.”

  Pauline led the quartet through the church until they reached an auditorium, where several actors finished their rehearsal.

  ???

  Within the city Noir. Esteban and Julia had encountered several mobsters from the Tombkeepers. The bandaged mobsters attempted to intercept a delivery of food originating from the Rouges’ Guild when the Azure rouge and his wife intervened.

  Esteban clashed with two of the mobsters at once, dodging their blows and retaliating with punches. Meanwhile, Julia had her shadow guardian block the other three from hijacking the vehicle carrying the food.

  “Of all the rotten luc—” one of the gangsters said before Esteban decked his halls. The gangsters were eventually defeated and forced to flee.

  Esteban dusted off his coat and turned to the cowering driver. “They’re gone,” he said.

  The driver peeked out the window, a male lamia who was tasked by the guild to deliver the food to an orphanage on the Underground’s outskirts. “Th-thank you, sit,” he said.

  Mr. Soprano convened with the pair. “The path’s clear,” the well-dressed man said. “There’ll be no ambush on the rest of the way.”

  The lamia driver was grateful for the Guild’s help as he drove along his route. As the truck passed Mr. Sorpano, he looked at the couple in a rare look of distress. “Blasted Syndicate. It happens every year!”

  “We all know why they ramped up their activities every winter,” Esteban said sorrowfully. “They want to turn what should be a joyous time into one of terror.”

  “All so they could sell their ‘protection’ to they who can barely afford it,” Julia said. “Even Scrooge had more scruples than that,” she said.

  “It’s a shame that we can’t give their leadership a visit from the spirits of Cycle’s Turn past, present or future,” Mr. Soprano lamented.

  “We at least ensured that hundreds of Exsecratii kids were able to eat for the month,” Esteban said. “Every small step counts.”

  “Death of a thousand cuts,” Mr. Soprano said. “That reminds me, heard that the mayor had approved an interstate road project?”

  “They have?” Esteban said.

  “I heard whispers,” Julia said. “Said it was done in response to ‘surplus population’,”

  Mr. Soprano nodded. “Said whispers claimed that it is to connect it to Ascalopolis.”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Now that is a risky venture,” Esteban said. “That place is supposed to be sealed.”

  “Guess Wall Street needed more dragons,” Julia said.

  “Or a way to dump the alleged ‘surplus population’,” Mr. Soprano said. “You’d never know with how many of the Emperyan are in the Syndicate’s pockets.”

  “Have you talked with the other about this?” Esteban said.

  Mr. Sorpano nodded. “Several of them are already looking into it. If anything comes up, you will be the first to know.”

  “Gratzie,” Esteban said.

  “Now, we have more food deliveries to secure,” Julia said. She and Esteban left Mr. Soprano and ventured to Joyfuller Island.

  ???

  As Esteban and Julia tried to protect the food deliveries in Noir’s underground. Emily and her group followed Pauline backstage an the amphitheater in Rosenkreuz’ chapel. The actors prepared for their next show, and Emily noticed a certain elf among the many actors.

  “Felicity?” Emily asked.

  The timid elf was startled at hearing her own name. “Yes?” she said. She noticed the purple-haired strange that called her was familiar, but couldn't figure out how. She did recognize the martial artist beside her.

  Emily remembered that they only met her while she was disguised as Amelia.

  “Have your two met?” Pauline said.

  “Um…” Emily said.

  “You remembered the Farrow party right?” Heathcliff whispered to the blue-haired elf.

  “Oh, that’s right,” Pauline said. She addressed the younger elf. “Felicity, this is Emily,” she said, introducing the dungeon core to her. “I told her a bit about you, dear.”

  “Oh,” Felicity was surprised. “Is that so? Nice to meet you, Emily.”

  Elizabeth also introduced herself to Felicity.

  “Can you tell me the story behind the Cycle’s Turn?” Emily said.

  “With pleasure,” Felicity said. “It’s actually the basis of this play we’re putting on.” She took out a script containing a summary of the legend. “Long ago, there was only the Cosmos, the creator of the universe, Astra. Her first creation was the Sunlight, Stella, the cheerful star. Though all are said to be her creations, Stella was condensed to be Astra’s one and only child. Even after the formation of the planet Titania. Obsidian’s unstable eruption and Anesidora and Halcyon wrapping him in themselves. And after the creation of other stars, Stella was still the one doted on by Astra and the other Administrators. The Planetes were her caretakers, always caring for the child goddess, watching over her, orbiting her to watch for attacks from beyond.”

  Emily felt like she heard that part before.

  Felicity turned the page. “One day, one of these Administrators, the Fallen, in an act of resentment had betrayed the Administrators. This act of rebellion ended with him falling from grace, but not before cursing Stella. The young child was now doomed to eternal sleep, never to awake again. This curse had devastated the Administrators, and Astra most of all. The Cosmos had reclused herself following this moment. Yet those who slumber dream. And the Administrators were not exempt from that.”

  “The Fallen?” Emily asked. “You mean the one called Lucifer?”

  Felicity nodded.

  “[Lucifer, the Fallen]’s story is its own tale. One that coincided with the first [Messenger]; [Michael, the Ascendant],” Elizabeth said. “I told you that story once, yes?”

  “I think so,” Emily said. “He was not only the first Messenger, but also the first Administrator to be made such.”

  “That is why he bore the title of the Ascendant,” Felicity said. “But although Michel was the first, he was not the last. But I’m getting ahead of myself.” Felicity said as she walked over to a table, and stumbled into a wayward prop. Emily caught her before she fell. The young elf thanked the avatara as she got a cup of water and resumed the legend.

  “As the Discordance started, Anesidora noticed something strange, a child had been born on Titania. A child that bore a similar mana to Stella. This girl had manifested in front of a childless couple and was adopted by them. She lived a mundane but tranquil life until demons began to attack, drawn to the child.”

  Tim mused a bit on the legend. “Was it ever explained if they knew of the nature of that girl?”

  “I’m not sure,” Felicity said. “The archaeologists and clergymen have yet to find an answer.” She continued her legend. “The girl, named for the sun, had been banished, being seen as the cause of the demonic attacks. Her parents tried to protect her, but they were murdered for this. The village had feared her, hated her, believed the innocent child to be the cause of their woes, and so she was banished from the land she once called home.”

  “That’s horrible!” Emily said.

  “But not unheard of,” Heathcliff said. “Fear of the unknown makes people do crazy things.”

  “She was not left alone,” Felicity said. “Another girl, a shamaness the same age as Stella had abandoned the village. Both out of concern for the banished girl and fear that they would try to rid themselves of her next. That girl’s name was Tranquiltas.” The elf turned the page.

  “Tranquilitas, as in the Moonshadow?”

  Felicity nodded. “The two had grown close over their years together, with Stella somehow maintaining her innocent exuberance despite all that was thrown at her and nightmares, memories of her life among the stars. Tranquiltas in turn acted like the sister she had never had and the mother she had been severed from taking great pains to ensure she survived at her own expense. The pair had many adventures together, chronicled in different versions of the play we’re performing. One showed how the pair encountered three sages beneath three stars. Another told how they fended off a Krampus in the dead of winter. Another one instead showed how they allied with a Messenger to bring succor to the downtrodden.”

  “That’s was the first Sunsaint, yes?” Emily said.

  “Correct,” Felicity said with a smile. “The Sunsaint knew of Stella’s divine origins and sought to confirm it and to find a way to bring her back to where she belonged. Though their paths seldom crossed. He helped to ensure that those in their hour of need would live to see the coming year.”

  Felicity continued the legend for several minutes, before reaching the end, which showed what became of Stella and Tranquilitas.

  “They soon found a way to return Stella to Astra, a special ritual that coincided with the end of winter. Using vernal forces provided by Anesidora, Tranquiaitas sang a song that would reawaken Stella’s divine power, and return her consciousness to the sun, to her original body. Yet the demons were aware of this ritual and manipulated the nearby Krampu?e to attack them. The two were unable to fend off the hoard by themselves despite years of experience. Tranquilitas had to give her life to finish the ritual. An act that caused Stella profound anguish. In that state, and with her divine power restored, the sun goddess had turned that power to the Krampu?e that took her friend away from her. Calling upon the Planetes to seal them in winter itself. Never to emerge again until winter had returned. To this, they vowed to avenge themselves by trying to steal children and seal them in winter and had taken part of her power to do so. This is why they were able to harness the Pyrosphere. They leeched that power from Pyrois.”

  “But Tranquilitas became the moon right?” Emily asked. “How did that happen.”

  “That was Stella’s next act upon regaining her divinity. She begged her mother and begged the Pathfinder to let her reunite with Tranquilitas. An act that they reluctantly obliged. I say so because they knew that part of Stella’s divinity would be the price and that means she would return to a state of perpetual torpor.”

  “In exchange for ascending Tranqualitas and raising her from the Sea of Souls, Stella would be locked in torpor, her solar body would only be roused for a few scant moments and her consciousness would cycle through incarnation after incarnation. A waking dream of an unconscious sun. Despite this, Stella agreed and Tranquilitas was raised. A new form had to be constricted for her, so Astra had sent a shooting star to Anesidora, who merged it with part of her own essence. This body was then sent into orbit around Titania, becoming the Moon. The body of Tranquiltas, the Moonshadow, the second Administrator to had originally been mortal and the first to be both because of Stella’s wishes and to had not been a Messenger prior.” Felicity finished.

  ???

  “So that is why the Cycle’s Turn is at the end of winter,” Emily said.

  Felicity grimaced. In hindsight, she should have warned Emily that it wouldn't have ended happily. “That string of events all took place within the Dissonance, when Bardsong was the only known form of magic. A dark age filled with tragedy and yet hope as well.”

  “If Tranquilitas became an Administrator…” Tim asked. “Wouldn't that mean she could somehow join Stella’s incarnations?”

  “That is something the theologians have hotly debated for years,” Felicity said. “But if you want my opinion, I think Tranquilitas would indeed be watching over Stella. They would wound incarnate together. B-but that is just my interpretation of things.”

  Emily then recalled her meetings with Claudia, the Trickster, and began to wonder if she would know more.

  “I don’t think [Claudia] would be willing to answer such questions,” Elizabeth thought a thought that Emily heard.

  “Regardless,” Heathcliff said. “This origin story is a far cry from the Cycle’s turn as it is now, isn’t it?”

  “I understand what you mean,” Felicity said. “But I’d think Stella would want it that way. The legends told of her gregarious and childlike nature and also of a wish for people to be happy. Wouldn’t that be the best way to honor her on her special day?”

  “I wouldn't know,” Tim said. “Maybe if we met her current incarnation we could ask her.”

  “Perhaps,” Pauline said. “But finding a needle in a haystack would be easier than that. So many people had claimed their daughters were Stella so much that people nowadays considered the legend to be just that, and others had mused that maybe Stella and Tranquilitas instead returned to the Cosmos together instead of lingering on Titania.”

  “Stella isn’t the only goddess said to walk the earth.”

  Father Chiron cantered in.

  “Something the matter?” Heathcliff said.

  “I just wanted to check on an old friend and his new ones,” the centaur said. “I hope the Cycle’s Turn is going well for you. May you be blessed in the starlight.”

  “Thank you, Chiron,” Emily said. “May you be blessed in the starlight.”

  The group talked with the priest about the Cycle’s Turn and also about resolutions for the coming year. Eventually, Emily, Heathcliff, Tim, and Elizabeth said farewell to Pauline, Chiron, and Felicity, but not before Emily told Pauline to send a certain message to the younger elf cleric.

  ???

  Meanwhile, at the Black Box, Rose arrived at the Truces’ home within the Dungeon.

  “I’m here!” Rose said.

  Charlotte opened the door and saw the lamia slither in. “Elizabeth told me your mom wanted me to come here?”

  “Mom!” Charlotte called for Clara.

  Clara walked towards the entrance and saw Rose had arrived. Her expression was stern but with some warmth. “How was the day so far?” she said.

  “It’s great!” Rose blurted out. “Everyone was so nice and happy today.”

  “That is self-evident,” Clara thought. She wondered if this was the right way to go about it. It is a punishment, but it is the first time she tried to discipline someone who is not her child. She had more experience working with beasts and monsters after all. “Still, she needs to learn somehow.”

  Clara flashed a gentle smile at the pink-haired serpent. “I want you to help me take care of a specific monster,” Clara said.

  Rose is taken aback at the tamer’s request. “You need me to help with something?”

  Carla nodded. “One of the Tatzelwurms had been acting all uppity since yesterday,” she said. “I think it would be good for both of us if you can assist.”

  “I dunno,” Rose said. A sense of dread warmed up over her as she began to realize which of the three serpents would be acting this way. “I’m not good with taking care of monsters.”

  “Perhaps we could fix that,” Clara said. “By all accounts, I might be a tamer but I am still a single woman. Some things can’t be done alone. And besides,” Clara’s tone had shifted somewhat. “It can also help with your tendency to risk your life so recklessly.”

  Rose gulped. Her muscles tensed a little. She didn’t like having Vesper around her.

  Carla chuckled. “We don’t have to do it today. It is a special deal for us all, and I’m sure you want to relax.”

  “…Noted,” Rose said. She wondered if there was a way she could get out of this.

  “Mom already spoke with Heathcliff about it,” Charlotte said. Inadvertently reading Rose’s mind. “Mr. Daniels too. He approved it as an extracurricular activity.”

  “Drat!” Rose thought. “Wait,” she said. “Did you…”

  “Lucky guess?” Charlotte lied.

  “Anyway,” Clara said. “Have you two made your resolutions yet?”

  “Mine is…rather obvious,” her daughter responded.

  “I…haven’t thought about it yet,” Rose said. It was the first time the thought had ever crossed her mind. Before Emily adopted her and the other Coluraturas she was more focused on the present, and her resolutions were when asked more for short-term objectives, usually sugar-related.

  Carla bent down to meet the lamia child. “I understand. Few are those that have an idea of what to do with the year. There is no need to rush. We will begin tomorrow, Rose. Charlotte will teach you handle to handle Vesper.”

  With that Carla let Rose return to her Cycle’s turn activities, with the knowledge that she will have to see the Tatzelwurm Vesper more often than she wanted.

  ???

  Elsewhere, near Joyfuller Island. Atsuko, her shinobi, the Dormarches, Salliandra, and Rosemary were traversing towards a certain shrine.

  “I never visited a Yanese shrine before, “Cassie said with her tail wagging excitedly. “Wonder what it would be like?”

  “Lot of rice cakes I assume?” Syd said.

  “This one has a lot more seagrain-made food than others,” Atsuko said. “You’d be surprised how long Monsoonfall leftovers would last,” she said with a smirk.

  Saizo meanwhile kept an eye out for possible threats. The ninja noticed someone had tugged on his sleeves and looked down. He saw it was Andy and Molly, fidgeting with their legs.

  “Something wrong?” the man said.

  “Restroom,” Molly said.

  “…Need to go,” Andy said.

  Saizo sighed. “Hoshikage?”

  “Coffee shop,” the tanned kunoichi said. “Near the port, I’ll go take them.”

  “Can I take pictures?” Salliandra said.

  “No,” Suzume answered.

  “You take Richard’s camera once and you’re suddenly a photographer huh?” Kasumi said to her sprightly sprite companion.

  “The proper term is ‘tourist’!” The capped girl said petulantly.

  Hoshikage took the twin Dormarches with her.

  Glenn meanwhile acted awkwardly. The armored bhargest whimpered in anxiety.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Aika asked.

  “He is not a fan of cities,” Syd said.

  Fuuka meanwhile kept an eye on Makoto, or rather on Rosemary as she talked with Makoto about herself and her fellow Arachne. Noboru noticed the kitsune woman’s suspicion of the child.

  “You’re seeing ill intent where none exists,” the tanuki said.

  Fuuka rolled her eyes. “She is way too trusting of them.”

  Noboru sipped from his cup of macha tea. “And you’re too untrusting,” he said.

  “Bug off,” she said. She had hardly expected the sage to side with the Arachne.

  Hoshikage soon returned with the twin Dormarches and the group eventually arrived a the shrine. Housed on a street with a torii gate at the entrance.

  One of the beetle drones jumped from Cassie’s bag. “Neptune, no! Bad girl!” the two-tone-haired dormarch scolded the drone for its egress.

  The group walked passed various buildings and trees decorated with baubles and talismans alike. With several stalls selling various food. Which Hoshikage was already eager to get for himself. Atsuko led the group down the streets where they got several food contained in special wooden boxes and then got slips of parchment containing fortunes.

  “What!” Cassie said. “I’m gonna suffer heartbreak in Tertimber?”

  Sid sighed, “These things are like horoscopes.” Not that the dormarch who consults her stardeck daily would be convinced.

  “There is a way to ensure that this does not come to pass,” Kei said. The writer directed their attention towards the largest tree in the street Their destination was adorned with a hefty amount of ornaments, lights, and more relevant of all, wooden tablets, and slips of paper.

  “Traditionally,” Aika said. “Omikuji with misfortunate results are hung at trees like this.”

  Cassie’s eyes beamed as her ears perked up. She nearly pounced on the tree before Sid calmed her down. Glenn snickered a little to his sister’s ire.

  Atsuko handed a priest a bag of tablets, resolutions and wishes from the last year were written on them. In exchange, she received enough blank tablets for herself and her group. “Alrighty,” the teal-ringleted nekomata said as she presented the tablets. “The purpose of these is to house your wishes and resolutions for the year. They would then be hung on the tree tonight before being reclaimed tomorrow.” After her explanation, Atsuko passed them down to the group. Hoshikage and Kei offered to help the others write down their wishes.

  After everyone was finished with the tablets, The group approached the tree, where they placed them on their wishes. Cassie also hung her misfortune slip onto the tree as well. Salliandra then took the picture she wanted and everyone then toured the street until near sunset.

  ???

  At dusk, Atsuko’s group and the Hermandezes left Noir to return to the Black Box. Likewise, Emily and her group were on their way back too. As they walked around, they saw various fireworks displayed in the purple sky—the first wave of fireworks to herald the new year.

  “It seems like those firecrackers would keep the children up,” Emily said.

  “Are you sure?” Elizabeth said. “Loud as they are, Rosenkreuz is still far away from you.”

  “Some of the residents might be planning on firing some of their own,” Heathcliff said. “There are traditions of letting them loose as the clock approaches midnight tonight.”

  “…Good point,” Elizabeth said. “If you want, I’ll try to ask them to keep it quiet while the children rest, Emily.”

  Emily felt a sense of familiarity when she heard Heathcliff mention that. A faded memory of watching fireworks explode in the starlit sky on a winter night. She can’t figure out where this memory came from.

  Tim noticed Emily’s distant gaze directed at the fireworks. “Emily?”

  The girl was broken from her daze. “Yes?”

  “You seem transfixed on those fireworks,” Tim said.

  “Oh. Well, I…something just came to mind.” Emily said, a little flustered.

  Heathcliff and Elizabeth decided to walk ahead and give the other two some room. Emily and Tim stopped at a bench on the path and sat down.

  Emily looked back at the fireworks, as well as the story she learned about today. “Do you even think about your past?” Tim said.

  “Sometimes,” the martial artist answered. “My concerns are more immediate,” Tim thought.

  “I know that there were some things I forgot about myself,” Emily said. “Sometimes I tried to recall them. Remember who I was before I became a dungeon,” Emily sighed. “Do you understand what it is like, knowing that—”

  “That there was a life before your current one that you know nothing about?” Tim interrupted. “I can’t speak for myself but I understand that it is common, if not natural, for Messengers and Divine Dungeons to be curious about who they were before.”

  “Do you think I would learn who I was one day?” Emily said.

  “That I’m not sure of,” Tim said. He looked to the sky and saw several images woven by the firecrackers in the glistening twilight. Emily’s hand grasped Tim’s.

  Emily looked at the same display. She felt a strong comfort looking at the night sky with Tim as starmines, pinwheels, and comets dot the air. Tim likewise felt a similar feeling. There was something about the moment that felt just right for them. It was nearly enough to get Emily to forget about her memories.

  The pair then remembered that they still hadn’t arrived at the Black Box yet. Emily let go of Tim’s hand and awkwardly stumbled in a rush. “We have to get home!” she said, sprinting on the path out of concern for what had happened in her unexpected absence.

  Tim stood still for a moment before running after Emily. The moment was fleeting, but unbeknownst to them it will be among many cherished moments. And unbeknownst to them, it would be the calm prelude to an unexpected incursion.

  ???

  When Stella receded over the horizon on her special day, a different Administrator kept an eye on a certain development encroaching on the Black Box. Claudia watched the Krampu?e as they moved closer to the dungeon, lured by the Trickster herself.

  “[The Cycle’s Turn] is always too quiet,” Claudia thought to herself as she sprinkled the scene of the Coloraturas and Tim, those who slain their fallen brother. “Tis time te night got some…excitement in for tem.”

  She led the four Krampu?e closer to the Bleumaw. The scent grew stronger and the goat-like monsters accelerated their stride. By midnight, as soon as countdowns were finished and nocturnal celebrations were underway in many other homes, the Krampus quartet was at the border between the Dungeon and the surrounding woodland.

  “I know you can rise to te challenge, Emily,” Claudia said. “Merry Cycle’s Turn, and a blessed New Year to you.” The Administrator vanished.

  As the Krmapusse made ingress into the Dungeon. The sprites made noticed. Among them was Phlilliam who woke up with a chill down his spine.

  “Unseelie,” the purple sprite muttered. He knew the Krampu?e had invaded and fluttered to Salliandra.

  “Five more minutes,” the sleepy sprite groggily said.

  “Salli,” Philliam said as he shook his sister and friend. “Do you sense the Unseelie in our midst? Wake up,”

  The younger sprite opened and rubbed her eyes. “What is it—” She then sensed the mana of the dangerous Krampu?e.

  “We have to let Emily know,” Philliam said. “Can you help me wake the other sprites?”

  Salliandra nodded and began channeling mana into a bright light. Flowena and Ulric were among those roused by the brilliance.

  “Is it morning already?” Ulric yawned.

  Flowena and the other sprites soon sensed the tainted mana of the Unseelie fae that set foot inside the dungeon. Several of them panicked, including Gnobby. Ulric had to calm them down. The ruckus had attracted Emily’s attention.

  “It’s not even morning yet,” Emily’s voice echoed to the sprites.

  “Emily,” Flowena said. “Unseelie fae are here!”

  “What?” Emily said in confusion.

  At the same time, Elizabeth also noticed the incursion and looked into the horizon. There, she saw four towering horned figures—each marched towards the building that is the Black Box herself.

  “Lizzie,” Emily’s voice echoed to her fairy. “The sprites are panicking about ‘unseelie’ here.”

  “Then they had noticed their presence,” Elizabeth said solemnly.

  “Their presence?” Emily’s gaze looked in Elizabeth’s direction and the dungeon saw her current visitors. The sight of the four Krmapusse caused her to gasp.

  “Emily,” Elizabeth said. “Those are [Krampu?e].”

  ???

  Within minutes, Emily and Elizabeth had woken up her Sentinels, as well as Heathcliff, and the Hermnadezes. The result had also ensured that others had woken as up as well. Emily had warned everyone about the approaching Krampu?e.

  “Krampu?e? Here?” Clover said. “But Veilgard’s so far away!”

  Everyone already knew about what reason the Krampu?e would have for coming here, A fact that Lydia had acted on by gathering her assistants and several Arachne warriors to guard the nursery. Panic had set in for several minutes before Elizabeth and Heathcliff made a loud noise that got everyone’s attention on them.

  “Ahem,” Heathcliff said. “We’re not up the creek yet.” The knight began to assure the gathered crowd. Well aware from the report from Tim and the Coloraturas’ previous skirmish with them as well as the legend Emily heard from earlier today, of the weaknesses of the Krampus.

  “We have six hours before sunrise, “Elizabeth said. “If we can hold them off for that long, then the [Krampu?e] will be vanquished,” she said with more confidence than her inner thoughts had.

  “Can it be done?” one of the Ewerans said. “Few were barely able to kill one, and there are four of them now!”

  “It will!” Rose said. “The vile unseelie will be banished, by the light of hope and justice!” the young lamia girl said. “For the Colorturas had—”

  “Rose,” Raine said. “We don’t have time for this!”

  “We know how to beat one,” Hydrangea said. “It shouldn’t be hard to defeat four more, right?”

  Before the others could respond, The Athené mech emerged from behind them, Minerva already piloting it.

  “They are vulnerable to their own elements, yes?” the white-haired Arachne said.

  “And immune to electric spells,” Lily said.

  That was all the confirmation Minerva needed. “Emily, can you lead me to them?”

  Emily manifested an Avatara on one of the Athené’s legs. “They’re coming from there.”

  The Dungeon and the Athené will be the vanguard of the counterstrike. The first line of defense against the invading Unseelie. Tim looked at Emily with a tint of fear in his otherwise stoic eyes.

  “It’ll be fine,” Emily said as she set off with Minerva. “I promise!”

  The two set off, while the others prepare for the event Emily’s avatara and Minerva are defeated.

  ???

  The Krampu?e walked closer to the Black Box's main building. Each lumbering step ignited the ground beneath their feet and chilled the air around them.

  The Athené was the first to attack them. The tarantula-shaped mech launched a petri-beam from afar, but the goat-like monsters saw the glint and avoided it before it landed.

  Emily used the distraction from Mienrva’s attack to close the gap and slash at one of the four Krampu?e with blades enchanted with frost and flame. The wound had inflicted Thermoshock onto the Krmapus’s leg, causing it to stumble as its flesh rebelled with itself. The other three noticed the fourth’s cries of pain and saw the Dugneon’s avatara had attacked them.

  “Okay, Emily,” she thought to herself as she weaved around the Krampu?e’s legs and attempted to sting the invaders. “Focus.” The monsters saw her and attempted to strike her with their lumbering arms, and horns, but Emily deftly dodged these attacks. Minerva meanwhile used the Athene to grapple with them and to try to burn, freeze, or petrify them with the legs of her mech.

  The Athené fired a beam of cold air onto the afflicted Krampus. It tried to counter with a fireball from its maw, but the mana of both attacks collided too close toward it and caused the head to be afflicted with Thermoshock. The first of the Krampu?e collapsed its mind unable to properly act with its neutral pathways convulsing from the rapid temperature shifts.

  The other three grew more enraged, their attacks became more frequent and more powerful, and one coated its fists in fire. The other froze their fists in ice. Both aimed to take down Minerva and the Athené. The third one meanwhile tried to find Emily.

  The avatara had tried to strike the third beast with her swords as its back was turned, but the Krampus suddenly turned to face her and fired a blazing orb of flame at her. Emily barely escaped the fireball, her leg singed by the infernal blast. Sharp paint shot from her burned leg as she tried to move around, her vision hampered by the darkness of the night sky, with only her weapons and the moonlight illuminating the battle.

  The Athené meanwhile struggled with the two equally sized opponents. The flame-fisted Krampus grabbed the pillar of fire and pinned it down. The frost-legged one froze the pillar of ice in a veil of ice. Minerva used the other elements to try to hinder her opponents, but the water spells evaporated from the heat of the flame-fisted one. The wind failed to topple them both, and the lighting had the expected nil effect on their rubbery hides. Only the darkness was able to blind them, and the earth was able to break the frozen seal on the ice pillar.

  Before Minerva could use the opportunity, the two Krampu?e charged at the Athené and toppled it over. Minerva struggled to get the mech upright as the two adversaries loomed over her.

  Before they could fall the Sentientl, one of them was knocked on the head. The Flame-fisted Krampus collapsed under the weight of an interloping, smaller, rounder mech.

  Minerva used the opportunity to bring the Athené upright and saw that the Pallant had joined her, to her shock.

  “Leave Mommy alone!” the tiny pilot of the Pallant said. Grappling with the Flame-fisted Krampus, who caught the scent of the young girl and focused entirely on her.

  “Nina!” Minerva tried to aid her daughter, but the frost-legged Krampus intercepted her and froze her pillar of fire. The two energies caused the pillar to undergo a Thermoshock and break off. While Nina fought the Flame-fisted Krampus with the Pallant. The mech’s functions remain restricted leaving Nina with only the ability to shoot nets and eight smaller pillars.

  Emily barely held her own against the third Krampus. The pain of her leg distracted her enough for it to land several hits in. She stumbled around the battle, barely dodging the foe’s attacks until she saw a certain mech enter the battle. Emily realized that little Nina had entered the fray and that the Flame-fisted Krampus was gaining the upper hand on her. She then looked back and saw that her adversary was gathering the suffused fire and ice mana around, preparing to launch a dangerous attack.

  Acting quickly the avatara positioned herself at a certain angle and prepared a defensive stance. Goading the Krampus to fire its attack. She bided her time, shifting her enchantments to earth to soothe the pin of her singed leg and waiting for the goat-like beast to trike. The Krampus finished gathering its mana and fried a large sphere of fire and ice. Emily leaped as soon as the spell was fired, and it missed her and instead hit the flame-fisted Kramapus. The beast had been inflicted with thermoshock and was spasming out of control, unable to defend itself, Nina used the Pallant to slam into the addled Krampus and it fell to the ground, unable to move again.

  “Mommy, look!” Nina yelled as she used the Pallant’s legs to beckon the Athené to the fallen Krampus.

  Before any thoughts of a response, be it praise or scolding, could cross her mind, Minerva noticed the frost-legged one was now charging toward her. “Nina!” she cried out for her daughter. She tried to chase the beast, but the Athené was too damaged to move.

  “Nina!” she cried out. As a last-ditch effort, she aimed the pillars of ice and water both at the Krampus and charged all the mana the mech had at it. The water and dice beams landed near the Krampus and combined to make a gelatinous barrier that caught one of its legs. The beast realized that it was stuck and quickly chilled the sticky fetter solid before punching the fragile hold and breaking it. This distraction gave Minerva enough time to try something. Using the pillar of earth she had fired a petri-beam at the large goat-like monster. The beast was caught in the spell and its body became turned to stone.

  Minerva exited The Athené and skittered the Pallant, a look of both fear and anger on her face. “Nina!” she said to her daughter. “That was too dangerous!”

  The young spiderling exited the Pallant in turn. She made a pleading and apologetic face. “Sorry, mommy. I just wanted to help.”

  Minerva should have expected this, but then again she was as blindsided by the sudden emergence of the Krampu?e as the others. She knew that Nina would use her new gift in battle at the first opportunity. She could barely fault her for that, given her known desire. Minerva kept her daughter close as they looked around. They saw one Krampus had been pinned down by the Pallant, another lay prone on the floor, knocked out by revolting neurons, and the third had been turned into a statue. Three Krampu?e were incapacitated at least until dawn when the Sunlight would banish them.

  Emily also kept track of which of the Krampu?e were felled. “Three?” she said. A realization dawned on her. The one she was fighting, the one that attempted to inflict her with thermoshock, had escaped the battle. She looked back at the cubic building that was her true body and saw that the escaped Krampus was now closer to it than ever.

  ???

  Emily, well aware of the remaining Krampus’ approached her, and the children contained in her hastily tried to bar its path as her avatara tried to catch up. The Dungeon created walls as high as the beast, but the Krampus had leaped over them. She had compelled the trees to bar it with their mechanical brambles, but the Krampus ignited its arm and burned past the hedges.

  Atsuko and her shinobi had a plan to try to kill the beast, while Emily and the Athené had kept the Krampu?e busy, they had created a miasmic bog between them and the Black Box. Atsuko herself kept watch on the approaching beast, aiming her greatbow at it.

  The nekomata saw the beast encroach onto the poisoned mist, seemingly unaware of its enervating effects.

  “Alright big guy,” she said to herself. “Let’s see you handle this.” She fired her first shot. The long shift of the heavy arrow arced towards the large beast. The Krampus caught the glint of its arrowhead and opened its maw. Energy concentrated in its mouth and fired at the arrow. The large projectile began to become stone and collapse far from its mark.

  “It could do that?” Atsuko was surprised to see the Krampus petrify the arrow. In her shock, she nearly missed that the horned monster had sighted her and began to charge another earthen beam. She fired another arrow as she escaped the beam’s path and hid in the shadows of night.

  “Something’s wrong,” the teal-ringleted girl said. “The poison didn’t seem to affect it!”

  ???

  Meanwhile, Carla was helping Lydia and her assistants keep the children safe, working to reinforce the walls around the room. Several of the children remained fearful of the monster that drew closer to the Black Box with each passing step.

  Nearby, Tim also observed the Krampus’ advent. “That monster is stronger than the others,” he said. A rare sense of worry gripped him as he gripped his Qiang.

  Heathcliff approached his squire. “So you’re going to wait?”

  “This creature is different from its brethren,” Tim said. “More observant of its surroundings, more cunning. If we fail to stall it until sunrise, if to gets that close to here, then it falls to us to stop it.”

  “A real fine start to the new year,” Heathcliff said as he looked at the imminent threat.

  “You scared?” Tim said cockily, hiding his own fear in a mask.

  “Oui,” Heathcliff said as he drew his sword. “But too many are depending on us for us to just hightail it out.”

  “You knew the risks,” Tim said. “And you still wanted to be a Dungeon Master,” Tim said.

  “Yep,” Heathcliff said. “What about you? You could’ve left any time after he hit the shores of Liberté.”

  “Such unfamiliar land would have erased me,” Tim said. “It was better by the side of an already experienced adventurer.” He smirked.

  “Tim…” Heathcliff said. Aware of the young cultivator’s tendencies to keep his emotions to himself. He long wanted to know what was it that kept him to Heathcliff’s side, a matter he dodged with logical-sounding reasons.

  “Heathcliff,” Tim said. “Failure does not tarnish one’s skill, nor does it tarnish their character. You did all that you could have done.” He said as he walked towards a hill to better observe the faraway monster.

  “Perhaps,” Heathcliff thought to himself. “But was it enough?”

  The pair saw that the Coloraturas had intercepted the Krampus right as it moved past the poisonous mist unhindered.

  ???

  The Coloraturas, to Carla and Charlotte’s worry, had used themselves to lure the surviving Krampus away from the other children and towards a part of Emily that the Sprites had bewitched with illusions. There they tried to stall the lone Krampus until dawn.

  “Why is this guy so difficult?” Rose shouted as she avoided a punch from one of the monster’s blazing arms.

  Strelitzia leaped into the air and attacked the gigantic goat-like beast with her labrys. The Krampus blocked the small axe with its other arm and swatted Streltizia away. Anemone fired an arrow into the beast’s frost-coated thigh. The Krampus tried to attack Anemone with a fireball, but she used the sprites’ dwimmers to hide in a nearby wall and emerged next to Rose.

  “It must’ve observed power from the other three!” Anemone said to the lamia.

  “They can do that?” Rose said.

  A wall of ice emerged right in front of the lycanthrope and lamia. Hydrangea stood atop it and slit towards them. “It’s the only possible explanation,” the cyan-bobbed girl said.

  Raine and Azalea tried to hinder the beast with steam. The clionid swam to where Streltiiza landed. “Hey Stre,” she said. “Are you done decking this guy’s halls yet?” she said as she helped her up.

  “What do you think?” the minor rider asked as she took her axe. “You have a plan?” she asked, dreading that she would answer with a pun.

  “I was thinking something along the lines of jingle bell rock,” she said.

  “And there it is,” the tired girl thought. “Still,” that did give her an idea. She took her axe and used it to conjure a boulder. “Hey ugly!” she cried out to the Krampus. The boulder hit the beast’s head.

  The Krampus turned its head to Streltizia, who caused the earth below to spike and propel her into the air. She landed on the shoulder of the beast.

  Clover meanwhile used her gales to buffet the Krmapus, aiming to try to topple it with her wind magic. Lily used her light magic to create glints to direct the eyes of the beast away before charging with her spear.

  Through their efforts, the Krampus was locked in battle trying to catch the magical girls for an hour. Raine and Hydrangea even managed to inflict Thermoshock on one of the arms and legs of the beast. Causing them to act against their will. Rose used her lightning in tandem with Raine’s flames to energize themselves and the others.

  Strelitzia was the first to try to fell the beast, but as she moved towards it, she noticed that the goat-like mar began inhaling earth magic like herself. The energy coalesced into a large beam that shot from the beast. The minotauride tried to get out of the beam’s path, but she was too late, and what remained after the orange light subsided was a statue of Streltizia slowly dissolving into golden particles.

  Clover’s eyes widened in shock at seeing her friend petrified before it shifted into a glare directed at the beast. She billowed with her fan to create razor-sharp winds that sliced the thermoshocked limbs of the Krampus. Lily and Rose then combined their magic to create a ray of light and lightning, directed at the sliced arm. The wounds and the light magics created an opening for the lightning to course through the Krampus’s body, causing it to wail in furious pain as it turned its eyes to the source. Lily and Rose stopped their attack as soon as they saw the Krampus charge another beam, but like Streltizia, they were unable to escape and were turned to stone. Their statues began to fade away.

  Five of the Coloraturas remained, Azalea tried to slow the beast down both with her own water magic and by turning the ice of the thermoshocked leg into a gelatinous prison. Raine and Hydrangea tried to coordinate to hinder the beast. Anemone used the illusion to hide as she attempted to bind the Krampus with both shadow-pinning and increased gravity spells. Clover continued to furiously conjure sharp gales against the Krampus.

  The peryton fawn however drew too close and the Krampus petrified her and sent her crashing into the ground. Her statue broke upon collusion and dissolved into golden dust.

  Azalea was the next to fall. The Krampus tricked her into believing she had trapped it before it froze the chains of water with ice magic and evaporated it with steam. The clionid was frozen in a block of ice. Anemone tried to save her, emerging from illusions on the walls, but the Krampus had petrified them both mid-fall.

  Raine and Hydrangea were the only ones left, they realized that their opportunity was closing and so pooled all their efforts into a combined spell.

  “Raine!” Hydrangea said. “The head!”

  The phoenixian girl nodded. Both moved into the air maneuvering to avoid the petri-beams of the Krampus. Trying to launch their spell against it as they moved closer to the maw. The goat-like being’s face was approached by the two while fired their spell as soon as they saw it open.

  “Subzero Aria!” Hydrangea called.

  “Inferno Duetto!” Raine followed suit.

  The two attacks collided with the beast. But it was able to fire its counterattack and petrify the two girls. Their statues plummeted as the monster’s head was themroshocked. The beast was injured and its body is weakened and belligerent, but it would not falter in its ill-intended quest. Whereas the Coloraturas were defeated and now poised to be reconstructed by Emily’s systems. The beast turned around and marched toward where its prey was concentrated.

  Emily’s avatara meanwhile almost caught up to the Krampus. Two hours remained until Stella rises once more.

  ???

  Emily’s avatara saw what became of the Coloraturas and gasped in the horror of their petrified forms turning into dust. The Krampus meanwhile bellowed a furious rage knowing that it couldn't claim them and turned its attention towards the purple-haired avatara for the rematch.

  The Krampus tried to fire an ice spell, but Emily leaped above and dodged it. The spell froze the ground beneath them and Emily slipped upon landing on the frosted ground.

  “Ow!” Emily yelped as her avatara fell on her rear. Shivers were sent down her spine from feeling the frigid ground as she tried to erect herself upright. The beast opposing her stepped forward and tried to slam down on her with two burning arms. Only missing due to the thermoshocked one stopping and Emily managing to slide in that arm’s direction.

  “Vernal winds heed me, lift me high,” she intoned. Her spell summoned a small gust that lifted her into the air. As she descended again, she clicked on her heels and created her circular skate blades. The blades granted her the mobility and stability needed to traverse the frost and avoid the Krampus’ spells more deftly. She created two curved swords from her palms. One with a blade enchanted with flame magic, and the other a blade made of ice magic. She skated towards the goat-like monster with those two blades and tried to slice it.

  Meanwhile, The Coloraturas were in the process of reformation in the core room. Elizabeth fluttered there to confirm their status.

  “We have less than two hours left until sunrise,” she said. “I hope Emily can hold out that long.” She checked their pods to ensure no issues arose as she took her staff and left to assist Emily.

  Emily’s avatara clashed with the Krampus. She used her blade to further hinder with thermoshocks and stop their movements with ice. She maneuvered pieces of her other body around, trying to use illusion magic to dismember the Krmapus. She attempted to exploit the wounds on its body by paralyzing it, first by mixing her ice-enchanted sword with lightning to create a cloudy veil as she moved around the Krampus, and then by changing her blade’s aspect to wind and lightning to channel storms through these clouds, targeting the wounded limbs. Lightning from the clouds had zapped the beast, but it was still able to fight. Seemingly unhindered by the thermoshock ripping its cells apart from within or by actual lightning striking its nerves at their most vulnerable.

  “If only I can use the Last Bastian Protocols,” Emily said.

  The Krampus and Emily fought for a ferocious and long ten minutes, kept at a stalemate until the beast’s leg was struck by a certain hammer and stumbled to the right, nearly falling over.

  The goat-like beast turned to see that Sarah had intervened in the fight. “Sentinel or not, I’m ain’t letting you go closer!” she yelled.

  Emily was as relieved to have some assistance, as she was concerned for the dwarfette’s safety. She hadn't made her a Sentinel, and so if she fell now then it would be a permanent fall.

  Richard was also nearby, aiming to provide covering fire with his stunner, which Sarah hastily modified with specialized fire-aspected bolts to compensate for the Krampus’ known immunity to electric magic. He provided covering fire from the cover of night as Emily and Sarah engaged the large invader in melee combat.

  Tim and Heathcliff looked at the battle from near the room where the children were kept. Tim grew concerned with whether Emily and the Smiths would be enough to keep the Krampus at bay. He was about to step forward when Heathcliff grabbed his shoulder.

  “Relax, Tim,” the knight said. “Emily has got this.”

  With only an hour and thirty minutes left before daybreak, the knight and martial artist were left to observe and to protect the children in the event the Krampus was allowed to draw closer.

  ???

  Emily, Sarah, and Richard fought the Krampus with a ferocious desire to fend off the Unseeilie creature. Soon, Esteban and Julia got involved in the fight as well. Julia’s shadow guardian grappled with the goat-like beast while Esteban unleashed blows that broke the frost off the legs. At that point, having had enough of the Krampu?e's threat to the children, Carla sent several Cryst-slimes to assist. The blobs of clear gel had attached themselves to one of its arms. The fires wreathing it becoming nothing more than vermillion color mana suffused in the slimes.

  Carla’s actions sparked a realization. “The aqua regina!” she said. “Lizzie, where is that being stored?” she telepathically contacted the fairy.

  “A lake in the Blewmaw,” Elizabeth responded. “Emily what are—”

  “Just trust me!” Emily said as she turned her blade’s aspects to light and darkness and weave illusions to lure the Krampus away.

  The Krampus saw the illusions and shrugged off the other combatants. It lumbered towards the direction of the dwimmers Emily conjured until it suddenly found itself in the middle of a clear moonlit lake. The monster bleated in rage as it saw its mana become suffused in the like, cyans, oranges, and reds fading into the clear pristine liquid.

  It was then that Emily had struck the beast. Using wind spells to augment her speed as she zipped through the Krampus and carved a wound in its exposed hide. The horned beast clashed with Emily as she used her swords, her magic, and her control over the nearby environment to bind the beast. The others gathered at the edge of the lake and saw Emily’s plan had worked. The beast was unable to move from the lake. The wounds in impairments of prior fights had hampered its ability to cast spells, the aqua regina lake reached its mana from its body and Emily had tried it at various parts as it attempted to move.

  Eventually, the Krampus was able to place one leg on the shore of the lake, but by then it was too late. A ribbon of pink had emerged on the horizon, and soon after that the sun had risen. Stella has once more ushered in daylight, light that began to banish the Krampu?e.

  The Krampus had howled its last as its body began to fade into an aetheric form of mana, what hadn’t been absorbed by the lake dispersed itself into the air. Leaving only the lamentous and wrathful howls of a monster whose plans were foiled. As if they were cursing the Sunlight herself for her inevitable intervention.

  Later that day, Emily and her friends had assessed the damage wrought by the four Krampu?e’s incursion, as well as the safety of the reformed Coloraturas. The first day of spring, and the year twelve twenty-three, had officially begun.

  The day went on as normal, save for many of the crew being too tired from last night’s events. Most had decided to sleep in, while Emily and Carla made sure the children all had their rest. By the afternoon, Rose began her tenure helping Carla and Charlotte take care of the Tatzelwurm Vesper. By evening, a normal dinner was held in the banquet hall after the decorated Cycletree was uprooted and moved back to the Blewmaw, stripped of all its adornments.

  ???

  The following night, Tim was meditating, or rather, sleeping. Emily’s triumph and use of the aqua regina lingered in his mind. As he drifted into unconsciousness, his mind wandered in a surreal landscape.

  “A forest?” he thought. Birch trees bent in various contorted patterns. The leaves an iridescent array of uncommon hues. The bark instead matched the colors the leaves should’ve been—Jade green.

  He looked around and noticed cubby-like orifices in the bark, with books placed within them. As he took one of them out, the scenery shifted. The bent trees gave way to straight and narrow walls, and desks and staircases emerged from the dirt-covered ground.

  “What in the…” Tim walked forward, but he soon grew disoriented as the library warped around him. He stumbled into a vortex of twisted shelves and floating books until he gazed at a beautiful jade tree at the center of it all. Pages flew off the shelves and rapidly orbited the tree. He then sensed several nightmarish creatures leaping at the shelves. Before he could grab his Qiang, he was jolted out of the vision and rendered awake.

  “Morning, sleepyhead!” Emily called out to him. He returned to reality and the Black Box.

  “What in Astra’s name was that?” he groggily said as he stood up and stretched his arms. He noticed something glowing in his pocket. It was the jade slip, with the other half of its contents revealed. His eyes widened as he saw the engraved words.

  “Find the…Birchbend Librarium?” Tim said.

  Skill points left: 100/4000