Meet the dungeon master.

Standing before you is something that catches you off guard. Her figure is that of a woman's, though the first thing you notice is her skin. She has the same pale brown, almost wooden textured flesh that Alice has, though her hair is dark blue, rather messy, and reaches her shoulders. Her pants are baggy and surrounded by satchels lining her belt, and she wears a simple tank-top cut quite low over her surprisingly buxom body. She peers at you with a mystical cyan stare--this Alice-like beauty, armed with nothing but a wrench in her hand.

"It's about time!" Niki blurts out as she storms forwards like a raging bull. With her shield, she slams right into the body of this woman, sending her toppling down onto her back.

Though after that, the mysterious woman doesn't move.

"All right. Now get back up," Niki commands. "... Hello?"

Eva screams. "You killed her!"

"No I didn't!"

You peer at the unmoving body, but you struggle to sense any life. It's possible that she did perish from a single blow, but that doesn't feel right. Alice is a golem--a magical construct--so it would make sense that this being would be the same. Still, Alice moves like a human being. You're not sure what to make of this.

Then something tiny rises up from over the laying woman's shoulder.

Like a butterfly, a pair of golden wings trimmed with black flutters into the air. You look closer to see what almost appears to be a tiny version of the person Niki just knocked down, however, her flesh is smooth and pale. While her hair is the same, apart from it being messy, she has hazel eyes and is garbed in a simple yellow dress. Over her forehead is a tiny set of goggles. Though the main difference between her previous body and this one, besides her height, is the size of her chest. Perhaps she was compensating before. She looks absolutely terrified as she backs away from the warrior the attacked her. Though in this small chamber, there aren't many ways to go.

It's a room filled with what looks like trash. Tables are covered in spare parts and other junk. The floor seems to just be another place to storage everything, because you struggle to walk without stepping on something.

Slowly, the pixie lands on the corner of a nearby table and bows politely. "S-Sorry," she mumbles.

"Sorry?!" Niki yells back. "Who even are you?"

"My name's Fava, an artificer. Please don't kill me."

Eva leans in close. "Oh. That's an elite class of mage, so she might be pretty tough."

The pixie scowls at the enormous chest hanging in her face. In a huff, she drops her goggles over her eyes and crosses her arms. "Of course I am. You won't find a more brilliant mind around these parts."

You glance to the body on the ground before looking back to the pixie. "First, I want you to explain that. We have a friend who looks kinda similar, and I've only known one person able to make something like that. Who do you work for?"

"I don't work for anyone."

Niki scowls. She holds up her shield, aims it forwards, but she isn't trying to squish the fly. Instead, a sudden intense beam of red energy falls upon Fava like a spotlight.

As soon as it does, she drops to her knees, holding herself between the legs in absolute shock. Her face flushes red as she heavily pants--bare knees pressing together. "Oh... Oh, no no~! Aaah, what is this?!"

"Tell us who you work for, or I'll keep this light on you until it runs out. And I've never seen it run out."

Fava falls onto her back. As her dress rides up, you get a glimpse of her blue panties. "I'm gonna--No, no! I give! I give! Please, I don't... Not in front of everyone, I--Aah~!"

"So will you tell us everyone?" Niki asks with a grin.

"Yes, yes! Oh gods, yes!"

She pulls the shield away, leaving the pixie panting and exhausted. "Then explain."

Laying flat on her back, Fava's petite body raises up and down with deep breaths. "... I use that body to do my work, since I'm too small. Though by what you say, I have a feeling you've run into Elok Daven. He's an artificer I've compared notes with before. The only other one I've met who's challenged my own intellect."

"Well, his operate on their own," you say.

"Like a cute golem girl? I see. I could make something like that if I wanted... probably." She slowly sits up. Her wings flap. "I don't work for him though."

You cross your arms. "Somebody trapped us down here. That wasn't you?"

"Of course not. Why would I break my own lair?"

"It had to be someone from the village."

"Gobiidae? I don't know about that. I mean, I basically never leave this place, but there's one thing I do know. There's an Elder Tree not far away, and it keeps the land safe from evil. I'm not saying you can't do bad things around these woods. I'm just saying I doubt there'd be any grand schemes going on."

"An Elder Tree?"

She rolls her eyes. "I'll explain it really slow for you."

Niki turns her shield back down on the pixie and activates its ability.

"Aah, I'm sorry! Sorry!" the pixie pleads as she's bathed in the magical light yet again.

You reach down into the light and pluck the girl up, keeping her in your grasp. "What's an Elder Tree?" you ask.

She struggles, but she's far too small to escape your strength. "When a powerful, ancient dryad finally passes, it basically evolves into a new type of lifeform. This Elder Tree is a grand tree that carries on the will of said dryad for thousands of years after. They're sacred, especially to the ancient elves, back when they exclusively lived in forests."

"Well, you're going to help us get out of here. After mocking us the whole way here, you owe us."

"I was just bored! Can you blame me? And us pixies are naturally mischievous, you know!"

"So are you going to help us escape, or do I need to get Niki to shine her light on you again?"

Fava shakes her head quickly. "I'll be good. Of course I have more than one way out, just in case."

"Then lead the way. But if you try to escape, we'll glue you to the front of the shield next time."

"So cruel!"