"So... Euele, how long have you been able to blast people with ice?"

Euele laughed, grinning over at her fellow adventurer's, thinking back to all their shocked expressions when she had shot the skeleton off of Hawkes' shoulder with a spear made of frost. They had all known she was one of the most competent adventurers between them. They just hadn't known that she was the sort to have such offensive magic. She wasn't usually one for violence, but through some quick thinking, she had figured it was the best thing to do. The bones were old, and deeply cursed so getting it to let go of her companion had been the most important thing at the time. She hadn't really wanted to go so extreme initially, but something told her that the skull needed to be put to rest. It was a mercy as much as it was an act to save her friend.

"Magic is usually my go to. It always has been. You've just been lucky enough to never have seen me have to use it before." She stated warmly.

Solace listened quietly as the two talked back and forth. Xir own mind was back on the mound of earth they'd had all had to raise before moving on. It had been quiet work. All of them had felt solemn upon seeing the rest of the strange cursed skull's body. At some point in time, they had just been another courser. Euele had put Leiken on duty watching over Hawkes upon that realization. If there had been a cursed placed upon that courser's body she didn't want it passing on to Hawkes. No one did. Especially no xem. Hawkes was one of xir oldest friends, and xey weren't about to let them end up like that.

"How far do you think we'll get today?" Leiken asked, breaking the others out of the thoughts they had fallen into.

Hawkes frowned and looked up at the hawk balancing between their ears. "Hmmm. Hopefully a few miles in. Maybe even to the end of the building!" They bobbed their head making their pet have to open one eye and hold out her wings so she could stay balanced. 

"I don't think we'll get that far. There's no telling how deep this tower goes. At least. I'm assuming its some sort of tower. We've only gone down since entering that building." Solace retorted thoughtfully.

Euele let out a sigh. "That's on par for the Moor. There are so many towers about, it wouldn't surprise me if they all run deeper and taller than any of us could assume." She tilted her head to one side, listening for something in the distance. "It sounds like the hallway ahead opens up into a big open area, maybe a natural cavern or something. I'd like to continue on for at least another three or four hours, if we may. Though if we need to stop and apply more magic or poultice to Hawkes' shoulder, I'm willing to stop whenever." She looked over at them and stared hard, as if trying to detect any changes that might taken place since the last time she had looked at them.

"I've never been on the Moor before, so I am not too familiar with the area." Leiken's eyes wandered over the brickwork above their head. "The towers seem so odd compared to the vast battlefield outside." Their gaze flicked down for a moment to stare at Que as she trotted along beside them.

The group slowed as they drew closer to the large room that Euele had said was ahead. Solace and Hawkes were both fighting a sense of doomed familiarity as they approached, something about the arch and gigantic door giving them the chills. As they got closer and closer, both felt compelled to speak. And when they did, they spoke in unison. "WAIT!" 

"What is it?" Euele asked, stopping in her tracks. If there was some danger beyond, she wanted to know about it. 

Hawkes nodded to Solace, who continued their shared train of thought. "We've seen something like this before."

"And we don't have Fetch here to get us out of it this time..." Hawkes added. 

"What's beyond those doors?" Leiken asked, his voice soft but deeply serious. Both Solace and Hawkes were looking nervous, which meant it was something fairly big. Solace wasn't shaken by much, so it was actually alarming.

Solace took a deep breath as xey continued. "If it is the same as what we faced before, a coliseum. And ghosts." Xey paused then shook xir head. "A whole crowd of ghosts. But they're not really all that important. There's a champion in the middle, and he's a ghost much like the crowd. Last time we were here we had Fetch who can apparently fight ghosts with great ease. But we don't have her here so we should come up with some type of plan or..." Xey hesitated and looked over at Euele. "Do you think your magic can fight ghosts?"

She thought for a long minute. "Maybe. Though I know I am not the only one with magic among us." Her gaze turned to Leiken. "I actually think Leiken is the best equipped to face that sort of situation. I've seen that wand of yours, it's specialty is lightning magic, correct?" She asked.

Leiken's tail tip flicked slowly side to side as he removed the wand from his bag. "Yes. It is mostly capable of strong lightning magic or weak light related spells. I've never fought any ghosts before though so-" 

"Lightning will be perfect. I don't know why but it's one of the only things I've seen that truly effects ghosts. I've read so many theories about it but... well, I have never seen it in practice." She took a breath and looked over the rest of the group with a cool, but fortifying gaze. "Are we ready to move on then? I can cast a few buffs if we're worried. But I think we'll do alright. If it's not what Solace and Hawkes think it is, we will still be able to handle it." She squared her stance and puffed out her chest. "We've been able to face whatever the dungeon had thrown our way so far, so I strongly believe we've got it."

The others looked at each other before nodding grimly and following her into the arena.

Green shadows wavered about in the stands above, leaning in with silent shouts of glee as they watched with tiny pin pricks of light for eyes as the group of four entered. Across the ring the giant shadow of broken courser reared up. It was just as Solace and Hawkes had thought. But now they were without Fetch to beat it up. Hopefully Euele was correct and that the lightning wand would be enough. Hawkes held their breath as the ghost circled them, closing in like a shark.

"I guess it's my turn to step up." Leiken said, lightning reflecting in his eyes as he leveled the wand at the ghost charging towards them.