103 Chapter 31 - The Fifth Floor (1/2)
Kenji was still sour about not being able to take any of the demonic bodes they came across throughout this entire floor. Every single one had burst into energy and been pulled away, their gear be damned, Kenji had just wanted to get some forms out of all this.
\”Remember, the Fifth floor is special. I cannot go with you because the wandering demon bosses tend to inhabit this floor the most often, and will attempt to challenge me if I go into their turf,\” Bazza continued, \”It's one big prison, and staying on the lit path will keep you safe from the demons who have overrun it. Since you've developed enough favour with the Great Spirit the guards will allow you to wander the path without issue, and all you have to do is follow them to the 'Deepest Cell' which is what they call the boss room. If you defeat that boss, a randomly spawned demon of a high level, you'll get access to the silver treant. From then on you can enter and exit this dungeon from the fifth floor. Good luck, and I hope you lot will come to hang out with me in here soon.\”
Truth be told Kenji had had enough of the Australian but snagged him by the arm all the same.
\”You still owe me answers. Did the creature with black everything and white teeth send you here? Were you taken to a place called Everything? How long have you been here?\”
Bazza pulled his arm away and sighed.
\”If I try to tell you about &^%&^#@ I get censored, see? So all I can say is this; I cannot leave this dungeon, there are others like me in other dungeons, and not everything is as it seems. Remove the filter somehow, and I'll tell you more. Until then I can only help guide your people through this dungeon up to the Fifth floor unless you remove the Wandering bosses i can't do more than that either.\”
Turning away, Bazza moved to leave the Shattered Throneroom before Ellie too caught his arm.
\”Thank you, for everything. I'll see you soon, ok? Me and Ellie's Crew at least want to come back, and guide junior adventurers through the first floor to grow stronger. Could use a strong pair of hands, to help us keep them safe that is,\” She smiled, and Bazza slowly pulled out a grin of his own.
\”Cheers, I'd be up for that. Could always use the company, especially with fine sheila such as yourself,\” winking Bazza turned and walked away, Ellie trailing his every step.
\”His too olf for you,\” Rams said flatly.
\”Shut it, Rams!\” Ellie said with bright scarlet cheeks, \”we're just friends!\”
\”Good. Because if you were thinking about anything else, he is too old for you.\”
Ignoring their discussion, Kenji displayed five ribbons of favour to which the Throneroom boss revealed a stairwell beneath the Shattered Throne itself. Without wasting any more time, they descended into dark space with a bright path.
The path was lit from some unseen source, a pair of light crystal-studded Spirit Warriors guarding the way.
\”Do not stray from the light it you value your life, travellers. The demons have broken free from their cages, and especially beware of the Five Overlords and their warring factions.\”
\”Cheers,\” Kenji muttered as he hurried on past. Pausing, he remembered he had promised to let Ellie take command, then turned to wait for what she would come up with. As always both Ellie and everyone else was looking at him with wide eyes, and awfully intense look of concentration.
\”Should we investigate these warring factions first?\” Ellie said.
Kenji waited, just wanting her to choose something. Waiting around was stretching his nerves, and wanted to feel like they were getting closer to rescuing Tenko, not waiting around.
\”No, the boss should be our objective. Yet the Five Overlord's could have information, we should test one of them before we fight the floor boss itself.\”
Smiling Ellie seemed pleased with herself, that smile fading as Kenji continued to wait.
\”It's a good plan,\” he said restlessly, that smile returning in full force.
\”Then we'll split up, if the lit paths are as safe as they are supposed to be we can cover more ground. Hear that everyone? No leaving the paths, just go as far as you can then meet back here with what we have found out. No fighting, and return here immediately if you think anything strange is happening.\”
Turning into the Young Witch stored in his [Forbidden Slot] Kenji sat down and concentrated.
\”I'll watch the flows of magic while I wait. Send a magic user in each group, if they need help to send the biggest spell you have in my direction. If I detect anything that's not demonic magic, I'll send all the help available,\” Kenji peered up to find everyone looking at him with open mouths. \”Do you have any questions?\”
They turned away and started planning quickly as if a mean manager were hounding them over the shoulder. They certainly were a passionate lot, no qualms about working with other species now as they raced to get into firm groups, set up a plan of approach and get out there.
Focusing on his powers, Kenji released some of the young witch's magic. It interacts with the flows of magic already moving about the hallways, and just like small sandbox simulation, Kenji could manipulate that power that flowed through his own.
He read the magical signature in this way for some time, focusing intensely on his task, and the little blips of power. Over time he built up a picture, pin-pointing in the general direction that energy was coming from, and noticing it grow either stronger of weaker as they moved. Two points remained rock solid the whole time however, a constant hum of power.
It wasn't until a flare came from the right, elvish magic pure and undiluted, was he thrown from his task. Opening his eyes, Kenji found himself with only those few adventurers that had remained, while a small group of Bloodhorns and a single Sundrake arrived from the leftmost path.
\”Some of you stay behind, the rest come with me. One of the groups is in danger,\” Kenji shifted to the Sun Elf Queen and took off at a sprint. The adventurers behind him could barely keep up, however, and Kenji was forced to slow down so that they could arrive in fighting shape.
As they grew closer the sound of shaking and screaming ripped through the air, until the lit path came across a bizarre scene. Ellie was breathing raggedly as was her party, with a green imp bound in rope between them. The Imp had baleful green eyes, yet was held tightly between Dwargon and Ram.