Even after she was knocked down to the ground, Falene was still trying to squirm out of Shay's grasp and crawl away, and Shay had to keep grabbing hold of the her arms and legs to keep her from getting away. She finally got a look at the maid's face, which was inhumanly blank and emotionless, with her eyes rolled up in their sockets until only the whites were visible. After a little while more of struggling, Falene suddenly went limp in Shay's arms, still breathing but unconscious.<br/><br/>"Did you manage to catch her? Good." It was Jasmine, coming from a side passage and carrying a body over her shoulder, her greatsword still pierced straight through its chest and out its back. "She must have been dominated by this vampire spawn." She threw the body into the channel, withdrawing her sword as the corpse fell into the flowing water with a splash. Immediately it started dissolving as though it was dust, and soon it was completely swept away by the water leaving no trace behind. "Help me carry her, it's not far now."<br/><br/><hr/><br/>"Hello? Who's there?" a timid-sounding man's voice squeaked from the darkness ahead.<br/><br/>"A friend," Jasmine called back into the darkness.<br/><br/>The path they were walking on ended in a large underground room, mostly flooded, with rusted machinery lining the walls, half submerged. When they came close enough for the light to illuminate the source of the voice, Shay saw a ratfolk ferryman, a muzzle with long whiskers and a hairless tail protruding from his hooded robes. He was waiting for them in a small boat, and lowered the crossbow he was holding in his hands when he saw the three women approaching, the light reflecting off the silver tip of the loaded quarrel for a moment.<br/><br/>"Who's the girl?" the rat-man squeaked.<br/><br/>"A new friend," Jasmine explained. "This is Jacob," she introduced to Shay. It was a slightly cramped fit boarding the boat all at once, especially with Falene's unconscious form, but they managed.<br/><br/>Jacob pushed off with a long pole, guiding the boat to the other end of the little underground lake. "A natural defense against the Knobs," he explained. It wasn't long before the vessel gently nudged against the opposite 'shore'.<br/><br/>"I'll take the girl from here. These people will get her out of the city where she can start a new life," Jasmine said as she picked up Falene's sleeping form gently. "You can follow Jacob, meet the boss if you like."<br/><br/>"Please, this way," Jacob gave a small bow and gestured for her to follow him.<br/><br/>Shay found herself in an underground base of some sort, and it didn't seem to be part of the sewers, but something even older. Here and there were pieces of scrap metal in the walls or the ceiling that looked like they had been complicated machinery in their time. The corridors were illuminated, not with torches, but with strange crystals set at occasional intervals in the walls that glowed with a cold, pale light that gave off no heat. She passed by people, some going about their business, others huddled around the warmth of a stove; a mix of humans and ratfolk, many of them bearing the tools of a less than legal profession. Accompanied by her guide, none of them challenged her directly, though she received a few curious looks.<br/><br/>Finally she arrived at what must be the room where the person in charge held court. The walls were lined with items and trinkets, some expensive trophies, others gimmicky curiosities, and all of them looked like they originally belonged to somebody else. A pair of guards flanked the doorway leading in. A paper panel dividing the room in two and hid the boss - it was a her, from the high-pitched and feminine voice - from view, a light source from behind casting her shadow upon the panel. "Welcome, Shay. I am the Queen of Mice and Men." The shadow on the panel gave a regal wave of her hand. "You seem to have caused quite a commotion ever since your arrival, even if few know to trace it back to you. What do you seek by coming here?"<br/><br/><hr/><br/><em>Shay advances to level 4!</em>