The next day, Senu was surprised to find Greyson waiting for him at the inn's entrance. The human man seemed out of place in the early morning light, his large frame leaning against the wall, a small burlap sack in hand.

"Greyson?" Senu asked, approaching cautiously. "What are you doing here?"

Greyson pushed himself off the wall and handed the sack to Senu, his expression one of genuine regret. "I found the thief, but I'm afraid it was too late."

Cursing under his breath, Senu opened the bag and confirmed what he already knew. The lyre was smashed to pieces, nothing more than a collection of shattered wood and broken strings.

"I'm sorry," Greyson said quietly. "I did what I could, but by the time I caught up to him, the lyre was already destroyed."

Senu's heart sank as he stared at the remains of his cherished instrument. "Did he say anything? Why did he do this?"

Greyson shook his head. "He was desperate for money to pay a debt, but you weren't the only one he robbed last night. Unfortunately, the guards got to him before I did. The lyre was smashed in the scuffle when he was arrested."

Senu clenched his fists, struggling to keep his emotions under control. He'd had that instrument for most of his life. "I needed that lyre for an audition tomorrow. Without it..."

Greyson placed a reassuring hand on Senu's shoulder. "I'm not going to pretend I understand all the details, but I get that it was important to you. If I had the money to spare, I'd help you myself. But I do have one option."

"Really?" Senu repeated, looking up at Greyson with mixed hope and despair.

"There's a place not far from here," Greyson began. "An old cliffside fortress. A lot of bad history. There's been some rumors of it getting even worse lately. Missing kids. Monsters. Dungeon activity. It'd be dangerous, but there'd almost certainly be enough gold and loot there to buy yourself a new instrument with some leftover."

Senu considered the idea, his mind racing. "I'd be on my own. Sounds risky."

Greyson nodded. "It is. I don't know you well, but you're resourceful, and I've heard stories about jackal magic. If you want to make that audition, it's the best option I know."

Taking a deep breath, Senu made up his mind. "All right. I'll think about it. Thank you, Greyson."

"Be careful," Greyson said, his voice filled with genuine concern. "And good luck. If you find anything worth selling, come back and see me."

With a final nod, Senu headed back to his room across the district, collecting the money he'd managed to save up. After setting aside what he needed to pay his rent, he was left with just a handful of coins. Next, he dug through his belongings. His old longhorn had been damaged a few weeks ago. He could play it, but it sometimes made terrible squeaks. He had a traditional drum, but that wouldn't be appropriate for this kind of audition. He could pawn them, perhaps. Or risk being kicked out onto the streets by using his rent money, but, increasingly, the Dungeon was starting to sound like a reasonable option.

It wasn't much, but he had some basic cloth armor, the longsword his mother had given him before he left, and his magic. If he could find a way into the Dungeon and keep a low profile, he might be able to find what he needed. But there was no guarantee. There would almost certainly be monsters, and he doubted he'd be able to confront more than one or two on his own.

So, for the next two hours, Senu weighed his options while fishing for rumors about the old fortress. He wanted to know more about what he might be getting into.

The trouble had started in the nearby farming village of Saltspray Grove. First, it had been some missing livestock, but now several children had also gone missing. The call had already gone out to find a delving crew who could tackle the mess. Most crews were comprised of four creatures with distinct skills, each covering different roles. Senu, if he did this, would be on his own.

Still, the jackal had his magic, and he wasn't a bad fighter. If he was careful, he could do this. And, he had to admit that the idea of becoming a delver had its appeal. The career was dangerous but lucrative. Many delvers had become celebrities in their own right, and it was common knowledge that absurd wealth could be found if you could survive the monsters and traps long enough.

It was that last thought that drove him to head through the north gate, following the coastal road until he came to an overgrown side road leading to the old ruins.

***

Approaching the ancient ruins, the air grew colder, and the scent of saltwater mingled with decay. The crumbling fortress loomed ahead, its dark silhouette ominous against the bright light of day.

According to the rumors he'd heard, the entrances to the fort had been buried by rubble long ago, but whatever the Dungeon had done to this place had now left a large gate open and unblocked. There were mechanisms in place for a portcullis, but no sign of an actual barrier.

In the main courtyard, he found two potential paths: an archway leading left, deeper into the fortress, and a narrow set of stairs winding up to a dark second floor. At the center of the courtyard stood a large dry fountain. Cautiously, he approached it and immediately sensed the presence of some kind of alarm ward. It was weak, which might be why he detected it so easily, but its existence made him worry that there would be far more dangerous magics inside. Silently, he moved towards the stairway and ascended, each step echoing in the still air.

The stairs led to a large chamber rather than a full second floor. The sound of waves and wind echoed so loudly that he could scarcely hear anything else. Old decayed furniture and crumbling stone walls surrounded him. As he searched the room, hoping to find a secret entrance or something else he might use, he stumbled across a bundle of clothing and trinkets—children's toys and jewelry—clearly out of place. The clothes were in good condition, and a few discreet sniffs told him that they'd been recently worn. He tried not to think too much about what it meant as he stuffed the bundle into his pack. If nothing else, he might be able to take it to the parents of the missing and explain what he'd found.

Back in the courtyard, he hummed a few notes, accessing the Arcana to overwhelm the weak alarm spell. He knew there would likely be more dangerous spells and traps that such a simple trick wouldn't disrupt, but he accepted the small victory for what it was and proceeded into the main body of the fortress.

He followed a long corridor, empty except for several inches of water on the floor and the constant sound of dripping elsewhere. The cold water soaked through his boots, making each step squelch unpleasantly. At the first open door he came to, he discovered the remains of a workshop, likely once used to coordinate maintenance for the massive building. The floor here was also covered in water that dripped noisily from the ceiling, the constant plinking sound adding to the eerie atmosphere.

The workshop was filled with rusted tools and decayed workbenches, remnants of a once-thriving place of labor. Senu's eyes scanned the room, searching for something useful or worth selling. His breath formed small clouds in the cold, damp air. As he rummaged through a warped and waterlogged closet, his ears picked up a faint, wheezing sound.

Turning quickly, Senu was startled to find a young wolf pup curled up in the damp corner. The child was unconscious, his fur matted and dirty, but there were no visible injuries. Senu's heart raced as he approached cautiously, pulling out some of the clothes he'd found to provide coverings and warmth, but the child did not stir.

Kneeling beside him, Senu carefully checked the boy for other signs of injuries. Instead, he found that the child was burning with fever, his breathing shallow and labored. The air around him was thick with the scent of sickness.

Fearing for the pup's safety, Senu carefully lifted him into his arms. The child's body was alarmingly light, and his head lolled weakly against Senu's shoulder. Everything else forgotten the jackal moved as quietly as he could back to the entrance, each wet sound as he trudged down the corridor amplified in the oppressive silence of the fortress. The dripping water seemed to echo his racing heartbeat, and the weight of the child in his arms pressed heavily on his mind.

***

He wasn't even in the village proper yet when a couple—a male wolf and a female tradewind fox—rushed down the road to greet him, their voices a mix of terror and relief.

"Marco! Is he all right?" the fox asked, her voice trembling with anxiety as she gently took the cub from Senu's arms.

"He's alive. I didn't see any injuries," Senu explained, his eyes softening. "But he's sick." He hesitated. "You're his parents?"

The father, a rugged-looking wolf with a few battle scars visible under his fur, glanced back towards the fortress, his expression a mix of grim determination and relief. "Yes. We've been looking for him for days, but we couldn't get far into the ruins without being attacked."

"I must have been lucky then," Senu said, trying to reassure them. "I found him alone and unconscious in a closet on the first floor. Is there a healer nearby?"

The father shook his head. "Not in the village. We usually go to the bethel in Shimmer Bay for that kind of thing."

"Let me help you get him home, at least," Senu offered, his concern genuine.

The mother nodded gratefully, and with Marco in their arms, they quickly led Senu to their farmstead. As they entered the home, the air was thick with the scent of home-cooked meals and the worried murmurs of a surprising number of other children, most of them older. Senu felt a little uncomfortable in the crush of worried family members, their eyes full of questions and fear, but they didn't seem bothered by his presence.

Once inside, the father handed Marco over to the rest of the family and turned back to Senu, his expression softening with gratitude. "Thank you for bringing him back. What are you doing out here, jackal?"

"I heard rumors of Dungeon activity. I'm investigating," Senu replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

The father's eyes widened. "Investigating? Alone? Shouldn't you have a crew for that kind of work?"

"It's a… solo operation," Senu admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I needed to earn some gold quickly and thought I could help."

The father let out a disapproving grunt. "Sounds a bit stupid if you ask me. Dangerous. But I'm not going to complain since you might have just saved my son's life." He folded his thick arms as he looked thoughtful. "At least six other kids are missing. I don't suppose you found any sign of them?"

Senu shook his head. Then stopped. "Well, I did find this." He opened up his pack and pulled out the bundle. "Marco was nude when I found him. I was worried about the cold so I dressed him. I didn't see any others."

Terrance took the clothes, sniffing a bit. "We had other belongings. Scent tracking didn't help us once we started getting attacked."

"What kind of monsters did you encounter? Did you see them around any of the children that went missing?"

The wolf hesitated, exchanging worried glances. "Yes," the father said finally. "Though I didn't realize it at the time. I thought I was overthinking things. Shadows that moved strangely. Whispers in the dark. Strange smells."

Senu nodded, considering the information. "Well, I should continue my investigation. If I find any others, I'll bring them here."

The older wolf paused, then took a deep breath. "Would you like a hand? I fought during the Invader War. I have a spear and armor upstairs. Maybe something I could use as a makeshift shield."

The fox looked crossly at her husband. "Terrance..."

Terrance turned to her, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "I know, Alessia. But those kids are up there somewhere I need to help if I can. Take Marco to the bethel. Find him a healer and tell them what happened. Maybe they'll be able to help the others when we find them."

She sighed but nodded, her eyes filled with reluctant acceptance. "All right."

Terrance turned back to Senu, offering his hand. "Name's Terrance. I'm a farmer now, but I served as a soldier during the Invader War. I'm the closest thing Saltspray Grove has to a sheriff these days."

Senu shook his hand, noting the firm grip and the resolve in Terrance's eyes. "I appreciate the offer, Terrance. I'm thankful for the help."

"Then let's get moving," Terrance said, determination in his voice. "We don't have time to waste."

***

Sometime later, Terrance and Senu were back at the fortress. The middle-aged wolf looked a bit uncomfortable in his old breastplate, but his soldier's bearing remained unmistakable.

"I've noticed some alarms in the area. Watch your step," Senu cautioned, his voice low and steady.

Terrance nodded, gripping his spear tighter. "Understood. Let's proceed."

As they entered, the sound of crashing waves and whistling winds grew louder, the fortress amplifying the eerie symphony. Senu could barely make out his companion's voice over the din. The air was thick with the scent of salt and decay.

They continued down the hallway Senu had discovered earlier, each step echoing ominously. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, shadows dancing on the walls. As they reached a training room filled with decayed equipment, Senu raised his hand and murmured an incantation. Small, glowing orbs of light materialized, casting a soft, warm glow that illuminated their surroundings. The lights floated around them, flickering like ethereal fireflies.

Without warning, three shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, their forms twisted and malevolent. They moved with an unnatural grace, their bodies composed of animated nothingness that seemed to absorb the light around them. The air grew colder as they approached, and a sense of dread washed over Senu and Terrance.

The shadows attacked with a chilling touch, their insubstantial claws passing through armor and flesh alike. Senu felt a wave of weakness wash over him as one of the shadows struck, its touch sapping his strength and leaving him feeling as though his very essence was being drained. His limbs grew heavy, and it became a struggle to lift his sword.

Terrance fared no better. The wolf grunted in pain as a shadow's claw passed through his chest, and he staggered backward, gasping for breath. The life seemed to drain from his eyes, replaced by a look of sheer determination. He swung his spear in a wide arc, but the shadows merely reformed around the weapon, unharmed.

"We're outmatched!" Senu shouted, panic edging his voice. "We need to retreat!"

Terrance nodded, his face drawn. They retreated to the main courtyard, the shadows hissing in frustration as they withdrew. The shadows' malevolent whispers echoed in their ears, promising doom should they return.

Wounded and exhausted, they decided to return to the village to recover. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, their bodies aching from the ordeal.

When they arrived at Terrance's home, the sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the village. Senu's stomach rumbled, a reminder of how drained he was.

"I'm so sorry, Terrance," he said as they finally reached the safety of the wolf's home. "I really thought I'd be able to do this," he was more than exhausted. He felt as if his limbs could barely support his own weight, and a feverish chill had settled into his bones.

Terrance seemed equally weakened, his movements sluggish. Senu suspected the illness that Marco had shown was now infecting them, which meant they would need to find a healer. But first, they took some time to eat and recover from the worst of their ordeal.

"It's not your fault," Terrance told him, his voice gentle but firm. "We were unprepared and outmatched. I should have waited for reinforcements, but the other parents are frantic."

"What can we do now?" Senu asked, frustration and desperation mingling in his tone. "There must be a way to defeat those things. They seemed afraid of light, but that didn't make a difference when they attacked us."

Terrance sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I think the best option is to ask at the bethel."

Senu nodded. "That could work. I'm worried about the other children."

"Me too. Of course."

"The Dungeon is supposed to be full of riches. We could try to find others to help. Offer them a share of whatever we find."

Terrance nodded, determination hardening his features. "I never wanted to be a delver. Feels like I'm too old for that kind of thing. But someone needs to step up, and you're the only one who's tried."

"You don't have to come," Senu said, though a part of him hoped the wolf would.

"Yes, I do," Terrance replied, his voice resolute. "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. My son was lucky you were there. The others might not be so fortunate. Besides, my family will be in the city. I need to see how Marco is. If she found a healer, they may be able to help us."

Senu managed a weak smile. "I appreciate that. Let's get moving."