“Do I really have to do this now,” Selenia whined.
I looked down from my extension ladder. I put the brush I had been using to paint the [Poison] on the caster's cage back in the jar.
“The Floor Boss is about to respawn. If you don't do it now, you'll have to wait a whole other day. This [Poison] isn't cheap,” I replied.
“What if I mess up,” she asked.
“It will hurt. A lot. You might even die, but you practiced this. You'll be fine. You saw Aern'Lenninisal and Emearia do it. I'll be watching from the edge of the Boss Chamber. If you get in over your head we'll pull you out.”
“I don't have any combat Abilities. I am not built to kill a Floor Boss,” she anxiously said.
“You don't have to be. The [Poison] is long lasting, and tailored to the Sabertooth Tiger. It's just this one time. After this you'll be on a team. You have to solo a Floor Boss before you can get the
She glanced over to Aern'Lenninisal and Emearia who were standing outside of hearing range, watching for marauding monsters.
“I am scared,” she whispered.
On a hunch I whispered back, “That will pass after you drink the Potion. Plus, If you don't do it now, you'll have to do it front of more people.”
Her eyes got big for moment and then with more confidence than she had shown so far, said, “Let us get this over with.”
I finished painting the [Poison] on the blade-bars on the top side of the cage and then moved to the ones on the front. I applied the last bit on the daggers sticking out from the joints were the curved blades that acted as bars on the cage came together. When I finished I said, “Spin the shield and put it away.” She turned the drum around so her body was covered. The opening was in the back now. Anything attacking from the front wouldn't be able to get her, even if it got past the razor sharp blades of the mythril caster's cage. The cage rose slightly before winking out of existence as Selenia placed it in [Inventory].
I put away my extension ladder and led her over to the portal looking into the Boss Chamber. I check my HUD. There was less than two minutes before the Floor Boss would respawn.
“Go over it one more time,” I said.
She looked into the chamber and said, “I run down the path to the right and stop in front of the bluff, where the path widens out before going it disappears behind that boulder. I shout until I see the Sabertooth Tiger above me. When he leaps I bring out the caster's cage and the [Poison] does the rest.”
“Good. As soon as the portal turns black go. If you wait, the tiger may move to a different spot,” I reminded her. “Drink the potion.”
She downed the [Fear Resistance] Potion and then reality warped. The world around her faded in comparison to her own intensity. She was burning Chi for Virtues. We waited in silence. When the portal changed she didn't hesitate. The only noise she made was the whisking sound of her azure knickers rubbing together. I realized her shoes must have some type of magic silencing effect.
When she got to the right spot she started yelling. “Here kitty kitty. Do you want some cream. I like kitties.”
She kept making noise until the Floor Boss came to investigate. The monster ambled over to see what pest had invaded its lair. It was two stride at the shoulder and six stride from head to bum. Its tail was another three strides long. The head was a stride wide. Tigers were big, but this magical creature was bigger than a regular tiger. Two foot long fangs protruded down in front of it's mouth. The stripes were black and red, another clue this wasn't a animal, but something else entirely.
Abyssal Sabertooth Tiger
This creature likes to pounce. It uses it's great size to bowl over prey and then sink its fangs into the neck or other soft tissue. If death is not immediate it will stand on it's victims and then pull them apart. This Floor Boss is know to have the [Fearsome] Carnal, augmenting it's [Fear] inducing roar.
This creature is resistant to [Earth], [Darkness], and [Nature] Schools, and [Fear] Status effects. Vulnerable to [Water].
Black motes swirled around in a cloud as it released it's [Fearsome] Carnal spores. It opened its jaws wide and let out a throaty roar. It sounded like a lion's roar that had the bass turned way up. It was loud. I took an involuntary step back, but my Spirit Attribute was high enough to resist it even with the Boost from Carnals. With the [Fear Resistance] Potion, Selenia didn't flinch.
The monster crouched and started to pounce. Before he fully left his perch, Selenia manifested the caster's cage. It was too late for him to stop, but he was able to alter his trajectory a little bit. Instead of landing completely on the cage he veered off enough to only catch one of his paws on the bladed bars. Two of the daggers protruding from the joints cut his side.
He let out another roar, but this one didn't carry the same projection of fear. I could almost hear the anger and agony in it. The tiger rolled away from the cage. He got back to his feet immediately, but I could see him stagger. He wobbled as he moved around the cage to get at Selenia.
She came into view as she spun the drum to get away from the tiger's view. It circled the cage three times before it collapsed.
She called out, “The System says it is only going to take a little more damage, and it will wake up soon! What do I do?”
“I can't help you. You have to figure out for yourself to get solo credit for the kill,” I yelled back.
She spun the drum around so I couldn't see her and as she looked at the tigers body. I heard Aern'Lenninisal and Emearia come up behind me.
He asked, “What is wrong?”
“The tiger managed to avoid the cage at the last second. We may have to do this again,” I answered.
“As long as Selenia is not hurt. I do not want to hear her in pain,” he replied.
“I'll step in if I have to. Maybe she'll come up with something,” I offered.
We sat in silence for minute. Then the casters cage disappeared. Selenia ran off and around the corner. I few second later I saw her back at the top of the cliff. She stopped short of the swirling cloud of Carnal spores. She skirted around the spores and examined the sleeping tiger below. He was starting to stir.
She backed up to get a running start, lept over the Carnal spore cloud, and did a belly flop on top of the tiger. On her way down she materialized the caster's cage and skewered the sabertooth. It didn't even make a noise. She, however, made a large bang against the drum. I didn't hear her call out either.
“Are you hurt,” Aern'Lenninisal yelled.
“No. I [Healed] myself. It was just small bruise,” she announced.
After a three minutes, she shouted, “I did it! I did it!”
As the lootball stalagmite started to rise we all went over.
“Congratulations, Selenia. That was a clever ploy,” Aern'Lenninisal said with genuine happiness.
“That was so brave, Selenia. I do not think I would have done that,” Emearai said.
“Good job! Now get the lootball so we can see what you got,” I said encouragingly.
“Uh...Can somebody get me out of this thing,” she asked with some uncertainty.
I forgot! She couldn't pick it up so she couldn't put it back in [Inventory].
Aern'Lenninisal was on the spot.
“Do you mind if I pull your legs,” he asked.
“Ummm, sure,” She said.
As respectfully as he could, he pull her into something of a wheelbarrow position. She stiffened like a plank so he could set her feet back on the ground. She might be dainty, but with her Strength Statistic she was several times stronger than the strongest man on Earth.
She walked her legs back up before standing. She had a great big smile on her face, and said, “Thanks Aern'Lenninisal,” before running over to claim her prize.
The lootball lost its glow a dagger appeared in her hand.
After a moment she exclaimed, “It called a Sabertooth Fang Dagger! It creates [Poison] cartridges that I can store in [Inventory] and I can call them out when I need them.”
“That's pretty good,” I said. “Does it make the [Poison] too?”
“No I have to get that myself. But it does say that once the [Poison] is loaded in the cartridges it is safe for me to handle.”
“That's a perfect back up weapon. With a collection of different poisons you'll always have trump card,” I commented.
She was glowing, but Aern'Lenninisal was beaming. I couldn't tell if he was proud of how he had handled his woman or how he had handled his woman.
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The small room was just large enough for the tent. It was just under three strides wide and six strides long. There were no center poles. A frame of wooden poles held up the hunter green canvas. No one liked the color I picked. Aern'Lenninisal was encouraging me to go with a white and gold or blue and gold color scheme. One of those would match the temple colors for Celestium, which would have been a social statement easily supported by the elves in Aeseiriral.
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I had other plans for the tent. If I was going to use it in a Dungeon or the in the wilderness I wanted to it to be as close to camouflage as I could get. White or blue would stand out too much. If I was going for decorative I would have spent the extra coin for a velvet tent.
The tent was now part of my [Personal Wardrobe]. It was a fairly weird way to think about tent as in something you would wear. At two hundred and fifty pounds it took 8 Points to include it in my [Personal Wardrobe]. Now it was considered part of my personal space, any food I brought out from my [Personal Pantry] wouldn't disappear if it got too far from me inside the tent.
This was a fairly common trick to allow people to share food out of their [Pantry]. The size of the tent meant it could be set up in normal sized Dungeon hallways. It was also used at gatherings like Allalessa's party, or any other place people wanted to show off.
The restaurant had moved a long narrow table into my tent. There were seven matching chairs around the edges of the table. I was at the head of the table. Neyoomi, Selenia, and Emearia were seated on my right. Dormankal, Prienshiv, and Aern'Lenninisal were on my left.
A cart was wheeled in by the waitress. It carried my oversized lapis lazuli serving platter. A whole hog had been butchered and barbecued. There were ribs, tenderloin, and pork chops. There was sliced, diced, and pulled pork shoulder. I even had smoked bacon. She set the platter filled with meats on the table.
I stood and manifested a golden fork from my [Pantry]. One by one, I touched each meat dish with the fork and absorbed it into the [Pantry]. When I was done I was left with my lapis lazuli platter. I was frustrated to learn from Aern'Lenninisal that my choice of silverware wasn't appropriate. As a person with a Grand Class, in my case Archwizard, I would need gold for my silverware. My previous choice of white porcelain lined with silver was out. The lapis lazuli platter was the replacement.
The rich blue color was marbled with the natural imperfections found in the base material. The edge of the platter was lined with gold leaf, but Elfandrael crafters had managed to work the metal into the lapis lazuli blue as if was marbled with gold. They also mimicked the Japanese art of Kintsugi, leaving artistic, golden joints spiderwebbing through out the platter. I picked out an entire set of matching dishware. This platter was just the largest and most expensive piece. Once I had removed all the meats, I absorbed the platter too.
“Here goes,” I said expectantly.
I manifested the platter with every dish on it as it had entered the room. Next I pulled out several bowls filled with a few different types of sauce. It had been hard to find good barbecue sauce but I had an assortment of from sweet to spicy.
“It smells wonderful,” Dormankal said leering at the food.
The Elite Knight was an eager go getter.
“There are no vegetables or fruits,” Selenia complained.
“If you want to pull something out of your [Pantry] I won't complain,” I said. “The darkest sauce is sweeter than most fruits. The brighter sauces are hot. It took me quite a while to find someone who could make a good red sauce base. On my world ketchup and barbecue sauce are pretty popular, but I haven't been able to find something similar here.”
Everyone materialized their own plates and silverware or goldenware. Gold was also used for the children of nobles. There wasn't much talking as everyone enjoyed the meal.
“I do not indulge in meat very often, but it combines well with your sweet sauce,” Neyoomi said. The Sacred Saint was quieter than Selenia, and Emearai but she could be just as opinionated as the other two elfesses.
“We will be able to eat this whenever we need to take break in the Dungeons. So it's something to look forward to,” I said.
“I am not sure how comfortable I am with this idea of hunting and killing Floor Bosses,” Neyoomi commented.
“It is more frightening than it sounds, but it can be done. In the end I found it exhilarating,” Selenia said with an impish grin.
Neyoomi responded with, “Master Swindall's plan must be excellent if a lone elfess can slay a Floor Boss. It is not the killing that worries me most. It is doing it over and over in lieu of Cultivation. I have heard we might reach Level 20 from combat alone. I am concerned about losing my friends. If there is no need to join the convent, we will be expected to marry within a few decades. My friends will abide the standard millennia. We will not raise our children together. I might even be dead before they return from Cultivating their Levels. Lifelong companions gone, because we broke with tradition.”
Selenia responded, “I had not considered that. I am little worried how suitors will see me. I do not wish to appear masculine.”
Our plan was falling apart but Aern'Lenninisal responded first, “I have heard even the oldest matriarchs must fight in Dungeons to Level at some point. You will not be seen as masculine, but mature for facing the reality of the dearth of Quests. Earning Experience at the lower Levels is easier. Postponing Quests will allow advancement past difficult Levels later on. There is no need to believe that you must stop fighting Floor Bosses past Level 20. Most elfesses that Cultivate use their Quests to move from Level 20 to Level 30. Would it not be better to use them to pass from Level 30 to Level 40.”
I [Noticed] the body language of the elves shifted. Everyone who wasn't facing Aern'Lenninisal turned toward him slightly.
“I have not heard anything to address my concern of losing my best friends,” Neyoomi said.
The elves pivoted a little toward Neyoomi.
I was ready for this one, “There is no reason to make a decision now. You still have a decade or two before you and your friends would go to the convent. It won't hurt if you hunt now and wait to see if it's the right fit for you. Soloing a Floor Boss after Level 10 probably won't be possible. They're much stronger relative to Adventurers in Tier 2. If you don't do it now, you probably never will.”
The body language pointed at me now.
Dormankal asked excitedly, “I have heard that we will be fighting eleven Floor Bosses per level, improving my damage output by as much as twenty percent. Is this true?”
I smiled with some swagger as I said, “It is. If you're willing to give up some Karma, we'll let you fight a few more. That'll make your bonus against Floor Bosses even bigger. To be honest, after Tier 2 we going to have to get creative to find enough Floor Bosses to kill.”
Everyone leaned back a little. On second thought, telling how the plan might not work wasn't very persuasive.
“How much Karma,” Prienshiv asked. He was quiet and reserved, an unusual quality compared to most of the Paladins I had met.
“It depends on the type of Boon and the Alignment of the Floor Boss. It would only be a few hundred Karma out of the tens of thousands you'd be earning. Remember, you'll be earning three times the Karma you normally would. That's two extra Boons per Level. Later on when the Karma gets scarce you'll have it in the bank.”
Prienshiv leaned back with a smile and nodded.
Neyoomi wasn't done ruining the mood. She asked, “What about our Virtues. It is normal for the millenia of Cultivation to leave an elfess with her Virtues complete. Do you expect us to spend Ability Points on them? How are we to keep up with our husbands without them?”
Selenia responded with a little uncertainty, “We could cultivate for a century or so. Perhaps we could make it up while we are with child. I am not looking forward to nine years of pregnancy when I can separate my mind from my body.”
Everything for an elves was slow, and gestation wasn't excluded from that. It contributed to why there were so few elves born. I suppose without the meditative trance of Cultivation, Earth women would be in the same boat.
Neyoomi responded with, “Dear Selenia, that assumes you can merit a mate without your Virtues. The competition for husbands is strong.”
“That's a problem to worry about for later. Even if you decide to go to the convent, hunting Floor Bosses still gives the best results in the shortest time,” I said.
Every nodded in agreement at that, and enthusiasm for the project returned. We finished our meal and started planning our next steps. One thing was for sure. I needed find better access to the Floor Bosses for everyone. The first step was get our group registered for the [Chaotic Evil] Dungeon in Aeseiriral. Each person got to reserve a slot for their team, and we were all on the same team now.
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I was livid. “What do you mean, I'm not going to get credit for delving Dungeons!”
Laerenshel tried not to be condescending but failed miserably. It just wasn't it in her.
“You only get credit with the Faction for delving on a schedule. When you altered that schedule you failed to perform your service to the Faction. You have been assigned a new mission to make up for that.”
“You could have told me that before I rescheduled,” I said.
“You would not have received Karma from fighting a Floor Boss below your Level. Why would you do that,” she inquired, genuinely confused.
“I have plenty of Karma, but not plenty of time. So what is this new mission I have to do,” I asked.
She smiled at having me admit defeat and then launched into the work. “A slaughter house needs to be cleaned. Here is the address.” She handed me a note with some writing in elvish that I couldn't read.
“Can't they afford to pay someone to do that,” I asked.
“Yes, and so may you. This is cheaper for them,” she answered.
“I'm not a bottomless pit of money,” I snapped, and then shook my head as I started figuring out how to solve this problem too.
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I needed to work on getting more Dungeons for everyone except me and Aern'Lenninisal. The elven Dungeons that Bloomemia had lined up for us let me get about three on average. That provided me me with a total of Thirty three Floor Bosses I could fight at Level 8. Getting into [Chaotic Neutral] Dungeon entrances was a problem in three of those Dungeons we lined up, so they were out. My elven buddy could go after [Chaotic Evil] and [Chaotic Neutral] which gave him nineteen.
Human cities had rejected us bringing in the whole troop of elves to pay for Dungeon access. They hadn't said anything about me and Aern'Lenninisal sneaking in for some opportunistic attacks on their extra Floor Bosses. There were only five cities I could justify risking that in. They were all [Lawful Evil] Dungeons run by [Chaotic Good] human governments, and happened to be in a place safe enough to use [Local Portal] to get there. That's how Aern'Lenninisal and I found ourselves wandering through the [Chaotic Evil] Dungeon entrance of the Dungeon in Kak, a human city on Marndaur river, a few hundred leagues from Aeseiriral.
“You're going to have to do something. If she decides to cultivate, you'll loose her,” I said.
“She is not some human floozy. I must make a proper request for her hand in marriage. She must be convinced that she wants to marry me before we can apply for permission from the marriage commission. A decade long courtship would be respectable.”
The location of the Floor Boss Chamber was just ahead. A Level 9 Floor Boss would be an unnecessary stretch for us right now, but I wanted to scout out the location. It would make coming back later much easier if I had a location to target on my [Map] when using [Local Portal] from a Shrine.
“You still need a plan. Hanging out for decade isn't going to win her over. You have to let her know you're interested,” I said.
Aern'Lenninisal stepped up the rocky climb to the first flat floor area we had seen in a while. [Chaotic Evil] Dungeon areas where notorious for irregular terrain.
“I know, but I have few resources to work with. How am I to draw her interest if there is nothing for her to be interested in,” he lamented.
“I've been thinking about what to do about the situation with Selenia loosing her friends if she doesn't go into the convent. I could take on her friends on as clients. They could come along on our hunts, and Selenia would be obligated to stay too. Two birds with one stone,” I offered.
“You would do that for me,” he asked, taken aback.
“Not for free. I have this slaughterhouse I need cleaned up. Maybe you could invite Selenia along and make it a date,” I quipped.
“I will not make her muck out an abattoir. I am trying to woo her not frighten her off,” he complained.
“I don't know. Intense emotional experiences can be a good bonding experience,” I replied.
Aern'Lenninisal didn't have time to respond as monster emerged from a tunnel. The pitch black canine was large. It's eyes were on the same level with me.
Night Jackal
This creature prefers to hunt in packs. It's [Fear Aura] is compounded with each additional Night Jackal. Night Jackals are highly territorial due to being a [Lawful Evil] creature, but do not attack unless provoked by attacks or incursions into their territory.
Resistant to [Darkness], and [Mind]. Vulnerable to [Fire] and [Light].
The monster started bounding toward us. I opened a [Local Portal] under where it's front paws would land. When it came down it kept falling through the hole and smashed it's head on the ground.
A Night Jackal takes 14 Points of Crushing damage.
I could feel the [Fear Aura] hit me. It wasn't very strong. I had felt much more powerful [Fear] effects in the past. What caused my blood to run cold was when the Night Jackal was ejected whole from the [Local Portal] instead of being cut in two. I threw up a quick [Local Portal] using the nearby floor as a barricade. A [Lawful Evil] creature in a [Chaotic Evil] Dungeon, combined with the fact that [Local Portal] wouldn't cut it probably meant one thing.
I screamed, “It's a Dungeon break! This thing is Tier 2!”