Maid with Necromancy

Chapter Seven

Despite having crossed the dungeon’s domain on the surface, the stairs to the Warden’s rest were deep and zigzagged into the depths of what could only be a metal building lit by glow stones. Was this part of the dungeon proper? Couldn’t this have waited until after she took the seminar Maekus signed her up for?  Resources she had, time because of all the stairs, and… “Alex, what can you tell me about this little meeting you’re having us show up to? “

“The Warden’s Rest hosts the Chosen Nine. It is their official and unofficial clubhouse. It allows you to mingle with top students from other classes.  Every quarter, the membership does shift. Usually, non-chosen teammates don’t receive an invitation, except on certain days. Gramps told me about this, but I never dreamed I’d get to be here. He never went himself.” Alex offered no further information.

This club wouldn’t allow teleportation for easy access. The benefits better be more than annoying guards and potentially annoying elitist company. The deeper she went, the heavier the domain got. Invisible eyes passed her by enough to cause her heart to stutter still a few times. With a lingering cold, it started up slowly each time, but didn’t bother her otherwise.

With Warden’s Rest etched deep into the metal above a door, it was easy to see where the place got its name, as it probably came with the building. The implication was that this was more a prison than a tomb, and if that was the case, wouldn’t the Warden be a floor guardian or even a final boss?

Laughter spilled out as the door opened when she touched a divot where the handle should be. An older gentleman with a black goatee streaked in white stood on a table, bottle in hand, as Two, Four, Six, Seven, and Nine all laughed at his antics. Metallic golems stood around the room, trays in hand, with various food and drink piled on top of them. Those six were the only humans in the place. It was so utterly spotless that [Dust] twinged in her, as only the skin and hair shed by the humans and whatever they tracked in here triggered its senses.

“Look, another of the new Chosen has come to grace my humble place.” The man cried as he hopped over the crowd and onto the floor.

Harmony extended a hand. “Harmony White, Tertiary.”

“Gabriel, the current Warden of this fine establishment."

Powerful, at least three evolutions under his belt. There was no way she would be taking him in a fight, and the soft, unthreatened, unworried gaze slid off of her to take in those she escorted here without the slightest hesitation or keeping her in part of his vision.

“A pleasure. I’m a bit new here. So if you can introduce the place to me, that would be much appreciated.” Letting authority seep into her voice, she watched as it had no effect.

“I’m the newest of a long line of Wardens who manage this place. For as long as The Academy has been around, The Rest has hosted the top students, their friends, and their pocketbooks. Don’t worry, during welcome week, the refreshments are free. One taste and you’ll see why we have you younglings coming back year after year. It’s only one big room, with a restroom attached, but I keep it stocked with the best the city has to offer. Now go socialize, the others will be joining us soon.”

Gabriel slipped away, flickering in the air, either through speed or teleportation, as he did, over to one of the metal serving staff to adjust the tiny sandwiches.

The first-year student who was ranked fourth stood up. “It’s you. I see you’ve found lessers to associate with.”

The Secondus stood up and pushed the boy down into his seat. “Apologies, Kevin’s family deemed social skills not only unnecessary for getting a good ranking, but also forgot to teach him basic human interactions. His pitch for forming a team did make sense. Strength in low numbers. And it wasn’t like I brought any friends with me here. I’m Bennic. The twins are Rom and Rem.”

The near-identical boys moved their hands up and down, looking like they were juggling invisible balls,a visible show of frustration. “Six, Seven.”

“Sorry, they prefer Sextus and Septus. Lastly, is our girl Maddie.”

“It must be nice to have a team that is mostly women,” Maddie commented.

And so commenced the small talk. Kevin Stewed briefly, but settled to looking at those outside of the Nine  with his nose turned up as people turned to their home life, the intense training they had to get here, or achievements that earned them an invitation to The Academy.

“What did it take to become ranked so highly as a healer?”  Bennic asked after telling his personal story of being dropped into a pit of snakes to level his poison resistance as a lighthearted story. These Chosen’s parents were almost as bad as hers. Many of them had ways to detect lies baked into their class or profession.  

“Revivalist. I know nothing of the ranking spell, so I can’t really tell you.”

“Ha, I bet your parents know. Royals right? My sixth sense is telling me a queen is your mom.” Bennic continued.  

Kelly was the last person Harmony wanted on her mind. Of all the people who could die in a fire, she was one of them.

“The Primus has arrived!” Gabriel announced.

The most significant thing about the young man, other than his flaming wild red hair, was that he arrived in armor and not his school uniform, overlapping plates he wore with ease. The ‘team’ with him was more nervous and wide-eyed than any of Harmony’s new crew. Students in uniform but lacking any strong personalities that made them stand out.

“You rejected me for the Loser’s Club!” Kevin yelled, a new focus for his ire.

“You prove you are strong by conquering the dungeon with the weakest possible support, not by surrounding yourself with the best.” The man retorted.

As the new round of socializing began, the ten beat-up books in the wall library started looking appealing, even if two of them were Criminals and Punishments Vol. 3 and 7.

Winning this round of politics was now less appealing than when she’d decided to first descend the steps. No one wins when it is child’s play because they were literal children.  “Are you really okay with how the Primus treats you?” Harmony asked one of the Losers, a slightly chubby girl who looked unhappy to be there.

“I’m a statistician, ninety-five percent of the bottom-ranked students don’t live through the first year. As long as he keeps me alive, I’ll polish his armor with my tongue. In the meantime.” The girl dashed for one of the drinks on the tray.

Pits with snakes, a school where the weakest dropped like flies to poisonous winds. What kind of school had she signed up to go to? The only reason Harmony didn’t go to grab one of the drinks as well was that she was concerned it would put her to sleep. That, and with the dungeon’s eyes scanning the room, how could anyone get comfortable getting inebriated?

Harmony leaned over to Alex. “I’m thinking of calling it a night.”

The young man was on his fourth drink and looking like the kid who got into their parents' stash. “But we only just got here.” He slurred a little.

Gabriel was everywhere and nowhere. Always happy to contribute to some interaction, but never quite take charge the way she’d seen him on the table when she first arrived. The warden’s attention was mostly elsewhere. [Keen Investigative Awareness] pointed out how much he cared about the presentation of the golems. Harmony moved over to one and made to take a sandwich, tapping the plate out of the statue-still server’s hands instead.

Their host was there to catch it before it crashed on the floor and used it to scoop up the food mid-air.  “I didn’t take you as being so clumsy, Miss White.”

“We all have our moments. Is it okay if my friends stay when I leave?” Harmony asked.

“Of course, but you’ll miss the other Chosen,” Gabriel answered.

Harmony dismissed the powerful man playing the role of a servant with one hand, while turning to walk out.  This wasn’t her kind of party. Xera locked onto her side, not that the young defender ever went very far away.

“I need you to defend my honor and make sure our other teammates make it out of here unharmed,” Harmony ordered her, as much to get away from the oddly star-struck young woman as to make sure Alex is able to walk up the steps by the time he was done drinking.

The girl nodded with no hesitation.

Harmony climbed the stairs alone. It was only after she’d exited the dungeons area of control that she felt the eyes completely leave her.  Stepping into the nearest shadow. Harmony wished she could ask Hyacinth to return home. “Take me back to the dorms.”  If today was a sign of things to come, this was going to be a long couple of years until graduation.  

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