June found her focus slipping as they fought through the dungeon. True to her word, she went up to the first floor with her friends.
Mobster hunting was extremely thrilling, of course, but her mind kept wandering to her brother… and Horus.
Horus wasn't really a stranger, they went to Formation academy together, from ages 11-18, and he had been to her house with Wally a few times.
But he was far from even being an acquaintance.
Horus was more legend, then a fellow kid. So skilled with the sword that at just thirteen years old, he was beating an adult.
Her mind wandered to the tour he did with other children of Bloodhaven. They went to allied territories to face off against the best the land had to offer.
She remembered reading those forum posts about how he would be humbled. She watched the matches when they hit the web.
Victory was something they must have given birth to Horus with.
He overwhelmed everything so easily. The tournament was extended by the Mage of the Grey tower to Nevada, Chariot, and even as far as Everlasting.
A great prize was to be given to the winner, the best and brightest below the age of eighteen came to fight.
And they all lost.
Horus was definitely not a stranger to anyone. But he wasn't someone she could ever imagine calling a friend.
"June?" Elle called out to her.
She blinked, remembering that they were in a fight. Her fingers had been nonchalantly wandering over her Gittern, playing a tune that boosted her allies' focus and Tolerance.
Ironic.
She focused on her two friends fighting up front.
George's shield hummed as it intercepted attacks. His counter skill was almost ready, and he was glancing back at June before he used it.
Jenneth jabbed and jumped away from her Firespitter barely, and the countdown for its fire attack was almost done.
So June's song changed rapidly. The cadence grew fast and wicked, then it ended on a discordant note that tormented her ears.
But the magic was channelled beautifully. Both Firespitters were immediately stunned, the air above them vibrating to indicate success.
George stabbed down at the beast, shearing through its steel back and penetrating its core. While Jenneth's spear condensed red light before she stabbed through her opponent, too.
"Horus makes it look a lot easier than it is," Jenneth said, clicking her tongue. "I'm too slow, and I can't get a proper footing."
"How did he even stab through this thing?" George wondered to himself. "Even with my Counter skill I'm barely getting through."
Elle nodded. "Yeah, and his sword isn't even straight."
"It's probably special," June remarked.
They carved out the Firespitter cores after thirty minutes of hard work. As for skill shards, they only found two.
"All that for two Skill shards," Kevein muttered, glaring at the rainbow crystals. Not that he didn't know the value of Skill Shards, but rather that they had been hoping each Firespitter would drop two.
"We're gonna need more to make the journey," Jenneth said impatiently.
"I'll find more." Elle raised her staff. It was smooth, high-quality mahogany; a gift from her parents that not only focused mana but also shortened cast time.
"Warn of coming danger, spirit of a stranger," she intoned.
Wind magic spread from her staff into the dungeon, making her silvery hair rise. A spell her father taught her for locating enemies.
"Why did you want to follow Wally so much?" Elle asked as her spell flowed. "You usually avoid him like the plague."
"I've been trying to get him to leave Bloodhaven with us," June answered. It felt embarrassing to admit, like she was being stupid.
She hadn't spoken to Elle much after what happened a month ago. Even now, standing side by side, the distance between them felt far larger than it actually was.
Elle hummed. "You know how he is, but I also know you. You wanted to talk to Horus, right?
Her uncanny intuition never failed to scare June. If there was something to be feared it was someone that understood you better than you did.
"We should be careful around Horus, though" Elle continued. "He's one of them, no matter how friendly he is with Wally."
June shifted awkwardly. "Would you call me crazy if I said I think he's different. I know Fort Thunder is full of sadistic bastards, but—"
"But what?" Elle asked, her voice rumbled like a warning. "Trusting them is what made us lose Kon. We know their true faces, we saw it in the academy, and we know what they hide in those fancy homes. Just because we got lucky and awakened doesn't mean we'll ever be one of them."
She was right, and June knew better than to push her on the matter. The mention of Kon's name made her stomach turn.
"I'm sorry then."
Elle sighed. "You're never really sorry. That's your problem, June, you never know when to give up. It's Wally's problem too. You meet one nice Fort kid, and you start dreaming."
June opened her mouth to say something when she saw Elle's eyes widen.
"People," the wind mage whispered.
June glanced at Jenneth and George, confused as to why she sounded so tense. June's hands crushed her strings slowly and they all prepared for a fight.
Then the people passed them and they lost hope of even resisting.
Five warriors, each heavily armoured in what looked like Black-mercury infused steel. Carrying enough weapons, Talismen, and magic tools to fight an army.
The strange thing was that June recognised three of them.
Shiv, the undisputed queen of the Formation academy, wore loose blue robes, leather straps to hold daggers and wielded a magic staff with a glowing sapphire crystal growing from its black wooden body.
Its blue light waved over her smooth chestnut skin and dazzling features like a dream. She passed them like they didn't even exist.
Beside her, Randall strode confidently with a wicked smile more excited than usual, but just as vicious. He wore full black armour. He held his helmet in one hand and a crimson spear in another.
Something about the serpentine patterns of the spear struck fear into June's heart more than usual.
And most worrying of all was Ulrich, scion of the Marikos family. His long white hair was tied into a bun, and his sunken black eyes crawled over her body. He wore light leather armour over a white tunic.
Narrowing his eyes, Ulrich walked towards June and offered a cold smile. "Charming to meet you here. How is hunting?"
"Ok," June managed to squeak.
She lowered her head as his shadow loomed over her. His hand brushed her shoulder, and she felt ice block her veins.
"I want to speak to you later. Alone."
June almost threw up all over his expensive boots, but luckily, his group grew impatient.
"We don't have time for Mundanes, Ulrich," Shiv said. Despite the edge to her voice, she made sure not to be disrespectful.
Ulrich's hand left her shoulder, and he glided away as suddenly as he came, swallowed by the dark after some distance.
Elle reached out to comfort June, but stopped. "Are you okay?"
"Sorry that we didn't do anything." George scratched the back of his head.
But June wasn't concerned with that anymore, she preferred not to think about Ulrich and John.
Something else danced behind her silver eyes as she murmured.
"Why are they here?"
"What do you mean?" Elle asked, stepping closer. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Why shouldn't they be here?"
"They told Horus that they wouldn't be helping them hunt. They said their parents ordered them to return instead of entering the dungeon. Wally told me…"
Elle exchanged glances with the others, then they quickly started packing up, anxiously checking where Ulrich and the other disappeared.
"Wait, we don't know why they are here," June said, massaging her temples.
Jenneth stuffed a core in her bag. "But they are heavily armoured, have been lying about their whereabouts, and are Inheritors. Your name is already under suspicion for terrorism."
"If they decide we should disappear here…" George said, shuddering. "Let's get out of here. Something is happening, we have to escape the territory and start going to Nevada."
They all nodded and started walking off. Only to stop some meters away.
Elle turned with fire in her eyes. "Why are you just standing there?"
June hadn't moved an inch, her head was cradled between her hands, and her eyes flicked from side to side.
"Wally."
"Don't do this," Elle sneered, marching back.
"They lied specifically to Horus and Wally. Horus isn't meant to be down here, just Wally. And he's navigating the way with a map made by the queen."
June remembered vividly asking why Wally was using specially made maps. Shiv's map was meant to guide them to profitable zones and provide info.
But what if there was a second function?
"They know exactly where he'll be."
Elle forced June to look her in the eye. Her blue eyes were bright with fear.
"June, don't do this. Whatever they have planned, we can't stop. I'm sorry about Wally, but—"
"There's still a way," June pulled free of Elle's grip and ran off.
"June!" Elle screamed as she sprinted after Ulrich and the others. Soon she disappeared into the dark.
Jenneth placed a hand on Elle's shoulder. They had to go.
"You never know when to give up," Elle whispered as she turned.