The Tightwad Conjurer: Sierra and Grace Get New Spells (The Labyrinth)

(I cut out some stuff because this place is LONG. There are no side-quests here but trust me, it doesn't need them. Also, I had Christina stick about the Dean's office until the next part because if you leave, you will reset the dungeon after doing the Pyromancer's Tomb and thus you'll have to re-defeat the Silver Sentinel and three criminals past the lava AGAIN to get back into Darkflame's chamber! Trust me, it saves you a lot of pain if you have another character stick around for a few hours, at least until you get the first quest from Ashley and you can port to the chest, open it, and be done with it!)

(Also, you actually talk to Cyrus in the Myth School during the parts I show off but I decided to just use a copied screenshot of him with Sierra in the Basilica because I thought it was more appropriate since I don't see why they couldn't have had him give the quests there since you have to get to Dragonspyre anyways.)

"Hey, can I join you ladies?" asked a guy in black. "Wolf's the name, death is my game."

"Ugh," said Penny. "This guy is annoying."

"Well, the more the merrier," said Christina. "I've mapped this place, it's nasty. We need to make sure we can get through it."

So we let Wolf the necromancer join us in the Labyrinth.

We found a ghost called Dmitri Ironchains. "Look," I said. "We need to see the Dean... if we help defeat these lackeys of his, can we get in?"

The ghost shook his head and sighed. "Very well, but you will need a key to get past the lava. The Silver Sentinel guards it. Be wary."

We found it and defeated it, getting the key. We then used the key on the dragon statue to part the lava. I was sweltering as I quickly flew through the parted lava, but I was fine.

Then we did the thankless task of finding and killing the three ghosts of the Dean's minions. They were tough to beat and summoned random enemies to join them but we eventually prevailed thanks to Wolf, who was pretty good in a fight.

"Can we see the dean now?" I begged.

"Very well, but I must warn you," said Dmitri. "He showed no regret when we captured him. I don't know if he was a fool, or just plain crazy. No good can come of talking to him! But you have earned the right to speak with him. Take this key and it will open the lava fall guarding his cell."

We entered and found the man, who looked scarily similar to Rurik, and he was alive.

"We have passed the tests of admittance and need the portal stones, Rra Darkflame," said Grace.

Without warning, Wolf ran past and laughed. "Thanks ladies!" He opened a chest and vanished as the chest locked itself. I was shocked. He ran off and abandoned us! (Yep, seems Wolf was just using me to get the Obsidian Chest. Trust me, this is not a fun chest to get!)

"Oh, that chest," said Vladimir. "It's magically locked so only Ashley the Fire Tree can open it. It's nothing important to you. Now, aboutt that portal stone. If you want it, I need some things from you. First, my old cloak. It was taken from me and given to the Property Master. Defeat him and get my cloak back and we will talk."

"Can we trust him?" I said.

"Oh no, we can't," said Christina. "But forget him, we need to defeat the Property Master, then you two can get your jobs done for Cy and Hal!"

The Property Master folded like a deck of cards and we got the key to the inner part of the Labyrinth from the Dean who asked us to defeat the Galladium Paladin to get his staff. I frowned.

"I understand your concerns, young wizards," he said. "But I assure you, whatever crimes I am in here for are far more important that whatever you need the Portal Stones for. So unless you help me, you will not get the Stones."

"I'll get that staff once I do my business," I said snidely, running out of the room.

I found Runelaf... whatshisname? I forgot, but he gave me a terrifying fight - he and his Barbarian were myth and I had just remembered the Prisms, which I had to use on them. I was bleeding in so many places by the time I defeated them with my Pigs that I had to use a potion. I staunched my wounds, ripped the giant spiked collars from a Hydra statue, and ported back to the Basilica. (This is one tough fight for your Conjurers - while neither of these goons have more than 1200 HP, they will gladly spam all Myth attacks up to Rank 4, including Frog and Cyclops! The second screen shows how close to defeat I was! Ouch! It didn't help that the Pigs hit the bottom of the deck or the fact that you have to go through a tower challenge to get to him including two Greyback trolls! Also, Sierra got pulled by random mobs just as she arrived and I had to flee and potion up.)

"Okay, Cy," I sneered, tossing the collars at his feet. "What's next?"

"Well, I am intrigued that you survived your trial," said Cyrus, who studied the collars. "They're small but they will do." He handed them back to me. "Now that you have the knowledge of Orthrus and the collars to bind him, you know what the next step is?"

"Sorry, I can't remember," I groaned. "I was being beaten black and blue by ghosts."

Cyrus rolled his eyes at my sarcasm. "Very well, I'll have to remind you, we need to bait him. What do you think dogs like?"

"My folks have two dogs and they like chewing the bones from scrap," I said.

"That's right, bones," said Cyrus. "Luckily, you won't have to do anything fancy for this. Go speak to Dworgyn at the Death School back in Wizard City."

I remembered the skulking hunchback and made my way back home for some healing.

"No, it's not your fault, Dwo," I said, smiling. "Malistaire is responsible for his own actions. We're about to find him and stop him from any crazy plan he has."

"Well, that's good to know," said the hunchback. "I only wish he could have confided in me. I was his most loyal..."

"I'm here for a bone to bait a two-headed dog," I said, not wanting to hear it.

"Wait... a two-headed dog?" asked Dworgyn. "Are you speaking of... Orthrus?"

"How..." I said.

He chuckled. "You forgot, being a master of Death, I know much about Cerberus, his brother. After all, he guards the Underworld of Tartarus, the realm of Hades the Unseeing. Who knows? Maybe one day you might meet him. I heard of your victory over Zeus Skyfather a long time ago... who knows?"

"Yeah, whatever," I said. "Can we hurry this up, please, not to be rude, but I need that bone."

"I have just the thing," said the teacher, not offended in the slightest by my impatience. He dug around in an old bag and pulled out a smelly moldy bone wrapped in linen. "This is the femur of a two-headed cat! Two-headed cats are natural enemies to two-headed dogs. If you hold it out, Orthrus will no doubt come running!"

I shook my head and took the stinky bone, put it away in a bag, and thanked the guy before I returned to the Basilica.

"From the smell, you have a bone," said Cyrus.

"Two-headed cat femur," I said.

"A two-headed cat bone?" he said, grunting in disgust. "I was hoping for... never mind. Well, you now have the knowledge of Orthrus, the collars and the bone to bait him with, you only need the place to summon him, and I know the best place." He polished his wand. "While Cerberus is the guardian of the Dead, his brother Orthrus was used by the Cyclops as a herd-dog for their cattle, and for that reason, the best place to summon him is Mooshu."

I slapped my head.

"The best place is a place connected to the dead, as Orthrus is connected to his brother, Cerberus," said Cyrus. "Try finding a tomb guarded by a samoorai spirit."

I then lit up and left, I knew EXACTLY where to go...

The Ancient Burial Grounds.

I had helped a samoorai recover his haiku book near the west tombs. If anywhere, THAT would be the best place to summon the big dog.

I was here, time to summon the mutt. I raised the bone in the air.. "Here puppy puppy puppy!"

(I apologize for the HUD being active but I didn't want to lose the text box.)

The giant dog's two heads with glowing red eyes emerged and growled. I threw the bone to it and his left head snapped it up and gnawed vigorously on it, then he bounded to me and... licked me with his other head. I screamed and laughed. "Stop it, ew! That stinks! Good boy." I slipped the collars on him and he licked me one last time and vanished.

I smelled like dog spit. I had to shower before I presented myself to my Professor.

"You have a... smell about you," said Cyrus as I returned, freshly bathed. "I assume you were successful." He saw my glare and nodded then handed me a card with the dog's heads on it. "You have constantly challenged my expectations over and over again. I admit that I was not fooled by those fake Truffula leaves long ago, but when you gave those words that you got I realized that this was a girl who would rise over the usual studies and prove herself... I hate to admit it but you... are my best student." He glared back. "Do not push my good will, Sierra Fairyfriend."

"I won't, Professor," I said with a curtsey. "I will make you proud."

"Take this as well," said Cyrus, handing me a pet egg. "You might need it later. Now go and continue your mission," said Cyrus. I teleported away with a nod.

Christina and Grace were already fighting the Galladium Paladin and I was shocked when Grace chanted something unreal and a giant GOD rose up from the ground and vaporized the Paladin!

"Is that..." I said as Grace picked up the staff.

"It is, Mma," said Penny. "Storm Lord!"

"It was easy to get, too," said Grace. She told me how she had found Pitter's house, totally in ruins. Clearly he was dead but there was nothing to attack Grace as she rummaged about and found the Pattern she needed in the rubble.

She took it to Halston, who directed her to Sohomer Sunblade, who put together the device, which Grace fired at the Triton statue in Triton Avenue. It opened up a rift between worlds and Jove was summoned and granted fealty to Grace, praising her.

"And then he gave me the spell of Storm Lord," said Grace. "I think it will trump Tempest as my best all enemy attack spell, as it can stun enemies."

"Nice," I said. "Did Halston give you an egg? Cyrus did for me."

"Yes," said Grace, showing off her egg. "I have an idea... whatever we get we should hatch with - remember when Penny gave her genes to your beast to create your little mermaid?"

"Where is my daughter?" asked Penny.

"Caring for the garden," I said, then I spoke to Grace. "We'll have to get more mega-snacks, but I'm game when the time comes."

"Hello, you forgot something," said Christina. "Namely the portal stones?"

Dean Darkflame was pleased to get his staff back but wanted his crystal, saying he could escape at any time but would give the Portal Stones to us if we got his Battle Crystal back. Christina said something stunk, I said something about being licked by giant two-headed dogs, the others got grossed out and Chris left to get the crystal from Detention Hall.

What a day. :(

"And with that," he said. "I will have to deny your admissions into Dragonspyre Academy."

"What?!" I screamed. "How dare you!"

"It also looks like you won't be getting those Portal Stones either," said Vladimir. "All you will get... is death!"

He cast wave after wave of magic at us and we scattered to avoid getting hit. "I've had enough, you..." I summoned the power of Myth...

But Christina beat me to the punch and took him down with Judge. *sigh* Maybe another day...

He died and his ghost rose up. "Forgive me for the deceit, young wizards," he said. "I was losing my mind and wanted to be free of this place, so I had to force you to duel me... you have slain me and thus freed my spirit. You are indeed powerful and will make fine students of Dragonspyre Academy. Take the Portal Stones." He waved his hands and the stones appeared in my and Grace's hands. "Now, I will go to my ultimate destination..." He faded away.

I shook my head sadly. "Let's get out of this hole."

"I'll stick around a bit to ensure this is no trick," said Christina. "Go on, I'll meet you later."