"Save the torches! We'll be taking a break, so those with abilities will need to spend time practicing them!"
Bella had the lights glow stronger, to help her subordinates recover from the few fights they encountered. Though strengthening the rejuvenating qualities of her abilities used up her reserves at a faster rate, she knew it was essential for their survival.
Sitting down and resting against the wall, "Hopefully, the lights will help those with abilities develop them faster." Bella clenched her fist, "I still know so little about this ability!"
"Squad Leader, everyone is resting, and Tracy is currently preparing meals for everyone," Olivia reported after fulfilling her duties. "How long do you think we should rest?"
Though none of the women looked jovial, there was a look of comfort. It was apparent the break was desperately needed. "We should take a break for several hours. I want them to take shifts to get some sleep too. But it's more important to have those with abilities to strengthen them."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly.
"Getting out of her is important, but I keep thinking something is going to happen soon. If we were to push forward without preparing for it, I believe we'll be wiped out." Bella addressed the surprised look Olivia had made.
A shadow crossed Olivia's face upon hearing Bella's words. "Are we going to be able to make it out of this place?"
"From what we saw that night, I think even if we were to get out of this place... Our problems would only get worse. It's why we have to get stronger even if it's just a little bit." Bella shuddered at the thought of encountering those creatures in the dark. Closing her eyes, she took some time to gather courage. Opening them, she looked at Olivia, "Have you developed any kind of an ability?"
Shaking her head, "Not that I know."
"Too bad, we don't know what triggers the development of these abilities. There doesn't seem to be any clues as to whether it's purely random, caused by the fights, or something in the air." Taking a few moments to gather her thoughts, she looked at the women who were making various elements appear in their hands, "I want you to ask those who have gained this ability and try to find if there's some kind of common denominator." Looking back at Olivia to drive in her points, "I don't care how outrageous it sounds. Even if they all thought about their favorite food or idol, I want to know any connections our people have. I don't want any stone left unturned. It may be the difference between us surviving this hell or being devoured by it."
Swallowing from hearing Bella's words, Olivia took in a shuddering breath. "Understood. I'll do everything to figure out what could be allowing them to develop these powers." She nodded jerkily, knowing the responsibility being thrust on top of her.
"Make sure to grab yourself some food, too," Bella tried to lighten the mood. "Getting food and rest is just as important."
Making a crooked smile, "I understand. Would you like me to bring you any of the food?"
Bella shook her head. "I'm good. I'll be trying to understand my ability. I should be able to keep the lights going to help our people recover. Just let me know if anything changes while I meditate."
Nodding, Olivia made her way towards where Tracy was using her flame ability to cook the drops they'd gathered from the monsters. Several of the women greeted Olivia before returning to what they were doing.
Taking one more glance at everyone enjoying the small break, Bella could feel the pressure on her shoulders as their leader. Closing her eyes, she delved into the inner world where the lights existed.
------------------------
"I'm wondering whether it was the right thing to do such a thing," Han opened his other eye, after observing what Bella's team was going through. "But the question is whether they could've continued at the pace they were going where they were." He sighed.
They were still continuing down the hallway. Though they had spent so much time, the only thing they encountered were more hallways splitting off from where they were. Sometimes there was only a single hallway diverging from the main, and sometimes there were two hallways. Each time, they'd stop and debate about where to go.
Cracking his neck to try and relieve the burden on his mind, Han thought, "With how slow we're progressing, it might have been too late for us to reach them before they were overwhelmed." He tried to comfort himself. "Even though her new abilities are minor, she's able to leverage it fully to help her team overcome the difficulties on this level." Thinking back to what Bella had said to the woman named Olivia, "She's probably correct about this place needing some kind of event completed in order to escape the floor." Tapping on his leg, "The question is what the event is? And is she right about them being led to the objective?"
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"What's happening?!" Liam's voice was heard off in the front.
Dismissing his thoughts, Han directed his attention to what Liam was becoming animated about. It only took seconds before he saw the hallway beginning to widen to several times its original size.
Having to deal with the same hallway for the entire time they'd been inside of the current floor they were on, everyone was anxious about the drastic change in the layout.
"This isn't even something Bella's team have encountered," Han thought to himself. "What changed for us compared to them?" Now that he'd listened to Bella's theory about the floor, it made him wonder whether this area was aware of who was delving inside of it and adjusted itself accordingly.
"I get the feeling we might have taken a wrong turn," Jackie spoke out loud to the group. "It doesn't seem to be a good sign to find something different."
"Jennifer. Han. Stay close." His mother cautioned as she clenched her gloves and prepared herself for a fight.
The hallway was so large that the torches were able to light the entire area. There was only darkness when looking up at the ceiling, which only added to more anxiety for not knowing what could be hiding.
Jae-Hwa stared at the darkness above them, "Is there even a ceiling?"
Hearing Jae-Hwa's thoughts, they all stared at the ceiling, sharing the same idea.
"We don't have time to worry about such things," Ji-Min rebuked the group.
Nodding her head in agreement, "It's more important that we find Bella and get out of this place. The fact that things have changed likely means that they're in a worse situation than we are." Katya added.
The two of them continued standing at the very front, their words sounding as though it was dangerous to keep thinking about unnecessary thoughts while on the mysterious floor.
"It's worse how there are no monsters after that initial wave of lizards," Robert ignored the two women, continuing to stare at the ceiling.
"Right?! This place is freaking me out." Liam looked around. Spotting Michelle, "Michelle, is there any way you could shoot an arrow towards the ceiling?"
Michelle gave Liam a quizzical look. "What would that accomplish?"
Shrugging his shoulders, "I don't know! At least we'll be able to figure out if there's a ceiling." Snapping his fingers, Liam, "The torches! We could take one of the oiled ragged and attach it to one of the arrows. Then we just light it, and you fire the thing up towards the ceiling!" His voice became animated at the thought.
Liam rushed towards Robert, who had an extra torch in a makeshift bag they created. Without asking for permission, Liam reached for one of the torches and pulled off a rag.
"Hey! What the hell, Liam?!" Robert shouted at Liam. Pushing away his friend.
"It's just a single rag from a torch. We can always get more from those monsters." Liam rushed away towards Michelle.
"What monsters?!" Robert yelled.
Liam ignored Robert's words and reaching Michelle, he handed the rag to the girl. "Just wrap it on one of the arrows."
"I don't think it's a good idea," Helen began walking towards where Liam and Michelle stood.
Michelle nodded, "Liam, we should listen to Katya and Ji-Min. Instead of worrying about the ceiling, we should just keep walking."
"It'll be just a second. Then we can find out." Liam brushed aside Michelle's words. As though realizing Michelle wouldn't try out his idea, Liam forcefully grabbed the bow in Michelle's hand.
"Hey!" Michelle yelled.
Waving a hand, Liam said, "It'll be fine. I'll give it back, geesh." He quickly wrapped the tip of the arrow with the rag and proceeded to light it. Fumbling with the bow and arrow, he aimed it towards the ceiling.
"Fuck! Liam, watch where you aim that thing!" Timothy yelled as he moved away from where the arrow would likely land after gravity took over, and it came flying back down.
Drawing the bow, Liam fired the flaming tipped arrow.
Everyone watched as it flew towards the ceiling. They saw the hallway light up and reveal what was above them.
"Liam, I'm going to beat the shit out of you after we survive this," Timothy trembled in terror.
"What the fuck..." Jackie's voice was soft, her eyes plastered towards what the light revealed.