Side-Story: Seattle 3

Liberty fumed as she marched through the trees. To think Ishtar had such an option in reserve. How did she get them past Halloway? She’d have to ask him once the job was done. Ultimately it didn’t matter how many villains Ishtar sent to interfere, so long as she dealt with Black Lotus and Evergreen, the rest would fall into place. Without them clearing the dungeon from the inside her goals would be achieved. The only variable was the villain who had confronted her outside the dungeon. His powers were strange. I didn’t feel bones break when I hit him. What is he made of? How does his power work?

She clicked her tongue, I don’t have time for this. Setting this dungeon to blow was time-sensitive from the start. Even if the Pandora Committee doesn’t find a way to push through Halloway’s power, heroes will start arriving eventually. I’ll get this done and be rid of this place one way or another. She thought as a dark shape landed next to her. Her fingers twitched against the pommel of her sword before she caught a flash of silky black hair out of the corner of her eye.

“Ito.”

Doctor Ito hopped off what appeared to be some manner of serpent or thin armless dragon. It looked more like a worm with teeth than a reptile despite its scales. It slipped away from her as she approached Liberty and inclined her head, “My Lady,” the wicked doctor said.

Liberty nodded sharply, “Well done in Tokyo,” she rumbled as she resumed walking.

Ito cracked a ravenous smile and Liberty restrained a grimace. This girl. She has been obsessed with earning my favor since we met. I appreciate her philosophy meshing with my own but her ambition is dangerous. I can never make her my second.

“Something happen outside?” Ito asked.

“Yes, Ishtar has sent a small army of villains against us,” Liberty said, “As long as they are present it will be difficult to retreat once everything is ready,” she shot the doctor an expectant look.

The doctor dipped into a dramatic bow, “I will make sure our path is clear, my lady,” she said and leaped back to grab onto her strange serpent mount. It pulled away from the tree before zipping back into the canopy. She watched the doctor go and her lip twitched a hairs breadth closer to a smile, At least her ambition has uses. She thought and resumed her solitary march, pushing through a particularly dense patch of bushes and trees. There, on the other side, she could see sunlight. She could hear something as well. It sounded like a large number of people marching. She narrowed her eyes and stepped out through the treeline and into the sunlight.

“Black Lotus, I’ve been looking for you,” Liberty said callously, she raised her sword and pointed it at the woman as another shriek of sound drew her attention from above. She spun on instinct, throwing her sword up in time to catch a human hand adorned with gleaming black skin and razor sharp claws. She grunted as an incomprehensible mass pushed against her, shoving her back several feet and digging her heels into the soil. With a grunt she pushed the man off of her, sending the stranger back before she glanced over to see where Black Lotus was. The woman hadn’t moved a muscle. She whipped her head back towards the interloper, “You. You’re interfering.”

The man shrugged, “That’s what Ishtar asked me to do,” he said before turning to look at Black Lotus, “Famous people all around huh,” he grunted and crossed his arms, “Not my kind of party.”

“Then go,” Liberty growled. This man was becoming a problem, “If you’re so disinterested-”

A clap of thunder drew the attention of all three of them. Liberty spun and looked up to find the source, a cloud of rainbow colored light billowing in the sky. She frowned, Some new monster for the dungeon? I was unaware of such a function in dungeons.

“Did you two kill any more of those riders?” Black Lotus shouted.

Liberty rounded on her, “Yes, one, it didn’t put up much of a fight. Why?”

The man spoke up next, “Ran into one in the forest.”

She glanced at him and frowned before Black Lotus barked out a laugh. Liberty rounded on her as the woman brushed her hair back over her ear. “Shame I can’t take the credit for clearing the dungeon solo now,” she said, “But at least you made my job easy for me. You really should get better intel, Liberty.”

Liberty bristled, “Explain. Now.”

Black Lotus pointed up at the cloud and smiled, “That’s the boss. I know why you’re here, and it looks like you aren’t going to get it.”