In the room after Victor finished the four began searching for a set of stairs as no one wished to descend the through the center of the dungeon. The room seemed empty in its entirety and they searched again and again. Victor turned. “It’s in another room?”
“I’m not sure but we have to look. I’m getting nothing.” Serena walked out.
The group returned to the room with the vines and began peeling layer by layer off the floor. They found the stairs within a minute in the corner. A spiral staircase brought them to the lowest floor. A glass tube dotted this verdant room filled with flowers, fresh air, and bushes. The tube in the center dotted with small holes oozing the same fog from before. “Hello?” A serene voice danced out of the glass. “Could you free me? I’ve been here for so many years.”
Victor glared at Emilie who answered “Relax I can’t see who it is but there is no way this is an undead. Her voice is heavenly.”
The smooth gentle voice reached their ears again like the outstretched hand of a loving parent. Her green hand appeared on the glass as a face traced with bark pressed against the glass. “Humans?! Could you free me? I don’t deserve to be here.”
“Does anyone have any objections to saving this creature?” Victor glared at the women for a moment annoyed that he had to ask.
“Go! It’s a dryad they’re profoundly good creatures. They safeguard forests.” Serena answered.
“No objections here. The Green Goddess is a friend of the Golden Goddess. We must help if we can.” Emilie smiled.
“Please step back.” Victor pulled out his blade and cut through the glass. A woman with green bark lined flesh emerged from the glass stretching for freedom. Leaves grew out of her. Her body covered in sap she stepped forward sticking to the ground.
“Apologies for the sap, I’ve been forced to remain there for more than a very long time.” As the amber oozing liquid dripped off her body she continued to excrete more of it.
“Shocking the undead was a bad guy all along!” Emilie rolled her eyes. Victor’s shoulders slumped defeated.
“Good and evil are relative terms. Relative to a Void Lord the skeleton was good.” Swordie commented causing Victor’s eyes to widen with intense frustration. Swordie added. “Or relative to a Vampire lord.
“Can you fight?” Jenora asked.
“Unfortunately I cannot. I produce too much sap and move far too slowly. I’d like to leave this place if possible. He injected me with something long ago and ever since I’ve produced far more sap than I ever should. I know not his reason why, but the man claiming to be an alchemist told me that my suffering was necessary for the greater good.” She leaned forward seemingly hoping for help.
Serena shook her head. “We’re trapped here. There is a barrier at the entrance.”
“That is depressing. I had hoped to see the sun. My name is Yriada. I wish to reward you for your deeds but do not know how.” She tilted her head toward them to show her deference.
“You don’t owe us anything. We’ll take you to the entrance if you’d like.” Victor nodded with a smile. ‘This feels right.’
“Strange, rescuers who ask for nothing. Who are you?” Yriada asked.
“I’m Victor, that’s Serena, Emilie, and Jenora.” He pointed to them.
“Have you dispatched the skeletons?” She asked.
“Most of them, there’s still some on this floor somewhere.” Victor shrugged. “They’ll be dead soon though.”
“You seem like a confident man, although with three female companions it doesn’t shock me.” She smiled amused at this observation.
Jenora and Emilie laughed to each other with Emilie leaning on Jenora to not fall over. Serena stepped forward. “Just me, I’m his companion. Those two are their own couple.”
“How curious, is it normal in your culture for women to do such a thing?” Yriada put one finger on her chin.
“It’s uncommon.” Jenora defended herself.
“May the Green Goddess grow in your lives and relationships.” She added. “You may have this sap if you desire it.”
“Is dryad sap valuable?” Victor asked.
“It is but we can’t really take it with us. We have no way to hold it aside from a water skin worth.” Emilie sighed. “Can we gather some vials or glasswork from above after we finish off that skeleton?”
Jenora agreed. “That would be worth more than the 200 gold we’re making for clearing out this place. I really like that. It could buy me a new shield for sure.”
“Would you be willing to remain in this room? I don’t want to waste time escorting you to entrance allowing the remaining skeleton mage to conjure more enemies for us to fight.” Serena tapped her finger on her folded arms.
“If it aides you then I shall wait. Is there any information of value I could provide you?” She asked.
“Anything else on this floor you know of and anything you know about the skeletal mage would help.” Victor approached the door to hold it shut while they spoke.
“A creature made metal filled with my sap once walked past this room, though I know little of it. An earth elemental with a slave crest pasted by once. He seemed extremely distraught by his circumstances pleading for his freedom.” She pointed out.
Emilie with a giant smile leaned up against Victor. “Gee, the undead had slaves. How does that make you feel?”
Victor gripped his fist and took a deep breath. “Do you know which room the elemental is in?”
“I don’t. I only noticed them pass through my room.” She added.
“You know I’ve always wanted to know, how does a skeleton catch someone like you?” Victor asked trying to calm down.
“When he came for me I was in my grove. He slaughtered many of my friends. Many animals I’d known since their great grandparents, generations after generations ended in an instant as he forced his way into my grove. He had more than 30 skeletons at the time and while I was definitely stronger than any one of them I couldn’t overcome such odds and so I made a deal. I’d go with him willingly if he didn’t enslave me, kill me, or kill any more animals in my grove. He upheld his end of the bargain. I just didn’t expect this to be my fate.” She explained.
“Oh no you’re telling me the skeleton running this evil place was kidnapping sentient creatures to use in his experiments!?” Emilie’s sarcasm dripped thicker than the sap.
Cawthorn crowed. “THAT SKELETON WAS THE MOST EVIL SKELETON IN THIS DUNGEON! THAT IS WHY THE GREATEST PRIEST IN VERDAN KILLED IT!”
“You little one?” She asked.
“Watch it. I’m not short, but yes I crushed its head.” Emilie gave her thumbs up and a smile. “Undead can burn in the light of the Golden Goddess. If I had a pyre I would have burned his bones until only ash remained.”
“I should have noticed from the garb of you two. I can only but welcome followers of the Golden Goddess. May she shine on the forest forever.” She smiled tilting her head toward them.
“May your forest grow forever in her light.” Emilie nodded back. “Where were you kidnapped from? I don’t expect many dryads are from this area.”
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“I previously lived at the base of a mountain bordering the great desert to the east. My grove had a natural mountain river and it was so fresh. I hope to return to it after leaving here. If you ever pass by ask some animals about me if you can. I’d be happy to help you.” Her warm inviting smile bid them farewell. “I will remain here until you have completed cleansing this place.”
Victor turned around and pulled open the door. “Trap in the center of the room by the way. It is a fire trap so don’t walk out there.”
“I will remain here.” She nodded.
“Serena is it safe to step out there?” Victor asked.
“It has to be. This was a lab intended to be used. That was likely some kind of purging trap to destroy ooze when it gets out of hand.” Serena opened the door. “Wow it’s not even well hidden. The center is almost half an inch higher than the walkways on the edge. Just don’t step on the platform. We’ll be fine.”
The group strolled through the well lit final floor. The group reached the metal doors. Victor brimming with confidence opened the double doors with Serena. A lab filled with metal parts and broken trinkets dotting metal tables stood before them. The metallic smell in the air suddenly as one of the metal forms slowly clanked to life. “Jolt.” Victor shot it’s chest as it began standing up. “Jolt, jolt, jolt.”
The creature began turning brighter and brighter red as the orange metal heated. Victor continued bolting it heating it as it charged with a large metal fist. Crashing into the floor it stumbled getting brighter still. Serena threw a dagger but it harmlessly bounced off. Jenora clanged against the creature ineffectively as Emilie boosted her. Several more jolts flew across the room as it turned to Victor. The metal around the golems head began to get hit by every jolt.
Victor flipped over the creature placing his hand on the back of its neck “Jolt!” He leapt into the air rolling as he landed. Bracing himself on the floor he turned. Fire in his eyes and lightning in his veins he bolted forward pushing the creature over. “Jolt” after jolt after jolt to the golem brought it to its knees before it finally struck back. In his zeal he lost track and got hit by its enormous fist.
-114 health
Crashing to the wall knocked Victor back to his senses as he continued firing Jolts from afar. Emilie slid over to him. “Regenerate. Use your Rigor boost and wait.”
“Rigor boost.” Victor panted.
Regenerated 10 health .
Regenerated 10 health.
Regenerated 10 health.
“Regenerate.” She cast again in a panic.
Regenerated 10 health .
Regenerated 10 health.
Regenerated 10 health.
“Barrier Shield! Shield Charge!” She flattened the creature into the wall. It kicked her back. Crash, she shattered a metal table into pieces. “Barrier Shield.” Just in time to stop the charge. A jolt to the back of its head briefly stunned it allowing Jenora to dodge away from the wall. A crushing blow as Jenora tried to block. Shattered, her barrier broke, her shield broke, and her arm broke.
“Jenora!” Dashed toward her immediately “Regenerate!” Panic in her eyes as the two of them looked up at the bright metal hands arched backward ready to strike alleviated only by a final blast from behind the creature causing its head to explode. Thud, the creature fell over backward clattering to the ground. Sizzling green ooze flowed out blackened by the lightning that superheated the suit.
Fungal Ooze Golem 13: Experience Increase 38.4%
Current Exp to level 12 52.8%
They rushed toward her. Jenora gritted her teeth as the arm sealed. “I heard the crack. It’s broken. So is my shield.” She winced in pain as she gripped her arm.
“Is there anything I can do?” Victor asked.
“KILL THE CREATURES FASTER!” Emilie screamed at him. “Stop showboating and focus. Your skill clearly doesn’t make you invincible. Even if it does it doesn’t make us invincible. Jenora go back to Yriada we need to kill that skeleton soon. If we don’t we’ll definitely die. He’s probably conjuring more creatures as we speak.”
Serena looked at her hands and then looked to Victor. “I couldn’t even damage that thing.” She turned away to look at it. “Humans have some weakness in their armor but sealed armor… I can’t even dent it.”
Victor turned to her. “We’re all useless sometimes. I’ve felt like that almost the entire time we have spent together save for today. Let’s get Jenora back to the other room.”
Victor helped her to her feet. “I know she’s angry but this isn’t on you. I told her we’re screwed here. That we could even hurt that thing is nothing short of a miracle from the Goddess.”
“DON’T COMPLIMENT HIM! He was so reckless and arrogant that you got hurt!” She pouted crossing her arms.
“Emilie, I love you but you need to listen. We are dead. We might as well be walking corpses. There is no way we beat the last couple encounters without whatever skill he is using. We just die. We don’t have to adventure with him anymore after this if you don’t want to but he’s an incredible, exceptional, and kind, if misguided mage. For the last two rooms give him everything you’ve got. My life depends on it.” Jenora looked at her with a bloody face barely able to breath “It may have also broken a rib.” Emilie’s eyes near tears she turned away from them to wipe them off.
“TWO RIBS! THE GOLEM BROKE TWO RIBS!” Cawthorn proclaimed.
“Thank you Cawthorn, do you have any other insightful information?” Victor asked sarcastically.
Quietly Cawthorn answered. “In the room across from us the mage is chanting but I suspect it will be at least several hours before he finishes. The other room contains a slight rumbling and must be the golem. We should handle the golem before traversing into the final room for our final fight. I hear a river in there rushing fast. It can only mean that mage is up to no good. He is however a terrible shot, unlike you my mage.” Everyone turned to the bird. “What? My senses are extraordinary.”
“I will deal with Cawthorn later. For now we go to the golem, hopefully I can remove it’s slave tattoo. If the mark is removed it might help us.” Victor started walking.
“I will take care of your companion little one.” Yriada nodded as the three of them walked away.
Victor slammed the door shut. “Serena no matter what happens we can’t let Emilie get killed.”
“What? You are talking like I’m the one in the most danger.” Emilie protested.
“You are. Serena is fast enough to dodge anything. Today I might as well be invincible but you aren’t. We have to watch out for her.” Victor approached the door.
“Got it honey.” Serena smiled. “I already know what you are going to do here but I feel compelled to let you know, we have to be careful. Elementals aren’t always hospitable.”
“Understood.” Victor opened the door to a massive set of shoulders. Shoulders larger than the tiny rock of a head on a solid grey rocky body, the elemental at once stood up. A slave crest clearly painted on the chest much larger than the others he had seen prominently displayed itself.
“Do not enter mortals. My instruction is to kill those that cross the threshold and come when called.” The elemental held out its stony hand.
“Can you approach the entrance of this room?” Victor asked.
“I can.” It’s voice echoed through the entire dungeon resonating. Dust fell from every crack in every rock as it stomped and crushed its way toward him. “Who are you?”
“I am Victor Vogal. I would like to remove your slave tattoo.” He smiled.
The elemental paused, confused, befuddled, and dumbfounded. “Why? What use have you for me?”
“While I’d appreciate help with the skeleton enslaving you what you do once you are free is up to you.” Victor answered.
“I smashed in the skull of a skeleton that probably brought you here. I bet the one in there seized control of you. Help us kill it after he frees you.” Emilie smiled. “Your freedom for your help.” Victor immediately without further issue placed his hand on the creature and started peeling off the paint with his Magic Writing Rank 1 . “What are you doing! If he leaves without helping us we will die to the skeletal mage!”
Victor finished in quick order. “I am not to be blackmailed.” The elemental immediately wrapped one hand around Emilie raising her to its head. “I am the mighty Ozrak AND I WILL NOT BE COMMANDED EVER AGAIN!” He squeezed slightly before looking down at Serena and Victor. “However, I will fulfill my debt to this man. What is your name?” He dropped her. She fell to the floor collapsing on the ground and she cast regenerate.
“I am Victor Vogal.” He extended his hand.
The massive elemental engulfed his arm shaking him. “You have my favor human. Please stand aside.” The three of them stepped aside as the massive elemental walked along the edge to the final door. “Do you need any further preparations?”
“After you Ozrak.” Victor smiled at the elemental.
With that the door flew across the room from them plopping into a distant underground river at the end of the room. In front of them a skeletal mage with a green sphere in his eye glared at them. A deep gravelly voice on a stone platform over a winding river answered their door flying into the river behind him. “I’ve been waiting.”