Grab your sword.

While he doesn't seem ready to strike, the way he stands is threatening regardless, and poor Mina is hardly past the height of his knees. You place your hand upon the pommel of your sword, knowing that in a moment's notice, you could easily draw it and cut your opponent down. As you do, and you glance to your slides, both Lynx and Vivi have released you from their grapple, and they already look prepared to fight--the former squatting down with a small blade suddenly in her hand though you haven't a clue where it was hidden, and the latter with both hands up ready to cast a spell.

"Z-Zibus, of the Black Snakes. Please, we don't want trouble," Mina stutters out.

"Do you remember what happened the last time we ran into your little troupe?" he replies with a furled brow. "It was you, Rose herself, and a couple other punks. Do you think you're funny, trying out your inventions on me like that?"

"It was a f-fight. I wasn't trying them out, I was using them to defend--"

"You embarrassed me in front of everyone!"

Now her face is turning red. She glances away--eyes catching yours.

You're seconds away from cutting him down when suddenly something else happens instead. With Mina twisting herself to the side, her backpack is facing the man directly, and the last thing he expected was a horrific, ghostly visage of a screaming elven woman to lunge up like a jack-in-the-box right in front of his face. Mela the banshee not only succeeds terrifyingly well at being a spooky specter in this moment, but her scream leaves a lingering ring in even your ears for moments after. Zibus would turn pale if it wasn't for his vibrant flesh, though his eyes roll back, he stumbles, and then he falls with a thud against the ground. With that, Mela retreats back into the pack.

After a moment of silence and mental recovery, you speak up. "Thanks, Mela."

The elven ghost giggles. "No problem. He was threatening our friend."

Vivi gazes down at the **** man. "Well, he's breathing." She gives him a nudge with her shoe.

Mina bows her head. "Thank you, everyone... Come on. Right this way. There's an entrance to the sewer system up head, and it'll take us pretty quickly to where we're heading." With that, she picks up the pace, probably not wanting to linger around where the man was knocked out.

Just as she said, down the next alley, your party stops at a manhole cover. "All right. Now I just need my crowbar," she says.

Right after that, a small crowbar creeps out of her backpack and falls to the ground.

She turns. "Oh. Thanks again!" After lifting it up, she sticks it under the lid of the entrance, and pulls it off. A ladder leads straight down. She doesn't hesitate in hopping her tiny feet onto the rungs, and she begins her descent. "Don't forget to close up after."

Next goes Vivi. Then Lynx. Finally, it's your turn to follow. You look around one last time before sliding the lid back on over your head, shrouding your descent in darkness.