"You hear a childlike voice behind you call ‘HEY COURSER.’ Soon it is joined by others, becoming an obnoxious chorus of very specific and targeted insults. You turn to see whose rude baby this is and are met with one of the dungeon’s most annoying trials: imps, with cherubic faces and foul mouths. How do you deal with this negging?"

---

At some point the ether had become turned around; it was at this moment that panic began to set in. The pounding sound of the Earthen Furnace dizzied her mind while the rising heat tore away at her better senses.

Fable would soon learn a terrifying lesson about curiosity.

Small hooves, dainty and insignificant against the stone, carried the foal as far as they could. With each stride forward she strayed further from the path which had brought her here in the first place. All in an effort to escape the grey courser who had a kind voice and a gentle light about them. Maybe the danger had been her own curiosity- now what was she to do...?

She was alone.

Tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes only to dissipate in the heat; she wasn't sure which was worse. The sting to her eyes or the sting to her stubborn pride. "Which way is home again... it's too hot here," A sniffle escaped her, "This really was stupid. I just want to go home and chase the tadpoles." Her tone was small, defeated; something lurking nearby intended to take advantage of that.

"Awww poor little courser, lost in the furnace- what are you to do?" A strange voice rang out, sarcastic and snide.

Who...?

In response Fable perked her ears, head turning to meet who had spoken out against her situation.

Sitting on a wall was an imp; smaller than Fable but with a sinister air about them. On their face, they wore a pout and a mock sadness- making fun of the youngster. With a sniffle, the foal straightened its posture and tried to bluff a show of bravery. She had heard of imps in stories, nasty and rude they were. "If you're not going to help me then go," Fable spoke out against the rude creature.

It had the opposite effect; the cherub creature slid off the wall and on ridiculous wings flew over. "Then go! Then go!" They repeated with a laugh before turning their gaze to where they had been sitting prior. "Do you hear this animal?"

More imps popped up from behind the wall, cackling and entirely unafraid of the young ether. "And what if we hang out with you instead? Keep you company till the Furnace burns you up or the rockhounds chase you down?" Another spoke out, a cheeky smirk on their face.

Fable shifted on her feet; now she felt uneasy.

One was a nuisance, multiple could be a problem.

A dangerous problem.

The young ether pinned her ears back, uncertain how to respond- or if she should. Maybe she could run away again. She had outrun the grey courser, surely she could outrun these baby-faced nuisances with their absurd legs and tiny wings? They couldn't keep up with her swift strides, right? ...Maybe. The foal was hot and thirsty; the heat still gripped her throat and lungs.

But before she could think her thoughts too fully, she heard one of the imps yell out; a pained screech as suddenly the nuisances scattered.

The grey courser had somehow found her once again and with a swing of his blade, he chased the foul creatures away. Once the stallion was certain the arrogant cherubs were gone he put the blade away. Pink eyes shifted from protective anger to gentle concern. "I am glad I found you, little one..."

Oh no- did something worse find her once again?

Before she could run, however, the dungeoneer spoke up.

"Please don't run again, I want to help. Where did you come from little one? Are your parents nearby?" The grey kept his distance in an attempt to keep the foal from running once again, but truly he did want to help. Had he known the curious youngster was on his heels he'd have turned back sooner. He would have tried to be quicker in keeping them from their dangerous curiosity.

But what he didn't know was that Fable was of the dungeon- born from its mystery and whimsy.

She had no true parents to return to, just a pond and friends who lived in the cool abyss with her. And Fable had no intention of leading the courser there, to her friends that the kingdom-born called monsters. At least... not with a blade at his side.

Fable gave a distraught snort.

What could she do?