“What took out Hogannon?” Aurin asked, relieved to be away from the large, open room, but dismayed to have lost another ally in the desperate chase after Taurus.

“I didn’t see,” said Kyle, slamming his fist into a wall. “I suppose it doesn’t matter now…”

“Sunny,” said Aurin, summoning his cloud-like Minakai to his side. “You’re going to stick around and make sure everyone is in good shape. I don’t think it’s wise to go without you now that we’re so high up.”

“Snowlem, you’re up,” said Kyle, bringing forth his snowman golem.

The trio and their Minakai made their way through the thirty-second floor, Aurin and Luna barely taking the time to consider they were higher than ever before while Kyle didn’t even give a passing thought to being so close to his own personal best.

The Minakai spawning at this height were tougher than the ones before and it was very noticeable. There was a Flambot appearing, a monster that Aurin had never witnessed in the tower until today, while a trio of Vambra tried to unleash their demonic hypnosis upon the tamers, only to be thwarted by Shamtile, Frocean and Snowlem.

Each time the Minakai sustained an injury, Sunny was there to back them up. With healing items scarce on these floors—whether by luck or the nature of the tower, Aurin couldn’t say—her magic was very much appreciated by the tamers and the Minakai.

As Shamtile, Frocean and Snowlem fought against a wild Totempo, Gittup, and Techwing, the tamers were forced into a room to avoid getting injured by the brutal battle. No sooner had they stepped into the room when…

Click.

“Oh no,” said Luna as the trio were stricken by darkness.

The Blinding Trap left them unable to see a thing as they grabbed each other’s hands and pressed themselves against the walls. From within the room, there was a loud bark and the crackling of fire.

“What is that?” asked Aurin.

“It sounds like a Flaround,” said Kyle, holding up his tamer glove and blindly summoning Wingbloom in desperation.

The bird-like plant cawed and screeched as it fought to defend the tamers. Aurin heard the familiar warbling yell of Shamtile who had burst into the room and erected a wall in front of the tamers to protect them from the attacking Minakai.

Click.

“Not again!” cried Luna, still unable to see.

A cacophony of Minakai calls assaulted the ears of the humans; a Monster Den trap had been triggered. Things were going from bad to worse and Aurin summoned Steambot, while Luna summoned Angree. They weren’t feeling good about their chances, but they had to stall for time until they could see again.

The roar of battle spread throughout the room as the Minakai fought valiantly as the tamers stared into nothingness. At one pointed, a large rock smashed against the wall and the shattered remnants fell onto Aurin’s shoulder, making him jump a mile, but he was unhurt.

Suddenly, his eyes filled with light once again and he could see the blurry outline of the room as his vision adjusted. He looked to Luna who was rubbing her eyes and Kyle who was closing and opening his eyes, trying to clear them. After a couple of seconds, they could see that the Minakai were still battling wildly so the trio ran from the room.

“Come on,” said Aurin, focusing on his tamer glove and summoning Shamtile, Steambot and Sunny to him.

Kyle held up his own hand and summoned Wingbloom and Snowlem from the room while Luna summoned only Angree. She gasped in shock, realising that Frocean must have fallen in the battle. The trio ran with their Minakai protecting them until they found the elevator that brought them to the thirty-third floor.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“I can’t believe this,” lamented Luna, sliding to the floor.

“Things aren’t looking so great now,” sighed Aurin, feeling very fortunate to have all of his Minakai left.

“I suppose there’s nothing else for it,” said Kyle, reaching into his bag, pulling out an orb and handing it over to Luna. “Take this and use it.”

“What does this one do?” asked Luna, taking the orb.

“It’s an Orb of Recollection,” said Kyle. “It’ll allow you to bring back either Innogon or Frocean.”

“Is that the secret weapon you said you brought with you?” asked Aurin.

“No,” grinned Kyle, “I’m saving that for later too.”

“I…don’t know who to use this on…” muttered Luna. “Kyle, you should take it back and use it on Hogannon. It’s wasted on me.”

“Not a chance,” said Kyle, holding up his hands and refusing to take the orb as Luna tried to pass it back to him. “We want all three of us sticking around for as long as we can. Aurin had three Minakai, I have two and you have one. If Angree goes down, then you’re out of here. Bring back one of your own and keep us together.”

“If you’re sure,” said Luna.

“I’m sure,” said Kyle, “now make it quick before we fall behind.”

Luna breathed deep and focused on the Orb of Recollection. It glowed brightly, the light turning blue and bringing Innogon back into the tower, looking right as rain. He looked around in confusion and then roared happily before jumping into Luna’s arms as the Orb of Recollection shattered.

“A very touching reunion, you two,” said Aurin, “but let’s keep going.”

“Yes,” agreed Luna, putting Innogon back on the floor where he and Shamtile hopped up and down excitedly, glad to be fighting together again.

The thirty-third floor gave them considerably less trouble than the thirty-second, but the thirty-fourth was a challenge. Not so much because of the Minakai they had to face, but because they could not find the elevator. After a while, they realised that they had missed a corridor hidden at the back corner of the first room they had landed in.

Much to their surprise, they encountered a lone Zodiac Squad grunt on the thirty-fifth floor. The rest of her party had been defeated and she was left with only her Skrow remaining. It took little effort form Shamtile to defeat her, allowing the party to proceed further.

“So…tired,” said Luna, as the group reached the end of the thirty-sixth floor after being forced to run from a pair of Hogannon juggernauts who shot at the group relentlessly.

“Me too,” said Aurin as he placed his hands on the elevator.

Upon landing, Kyle spoke up. “We’re so close. Floor thirty-seven…”

“A big moment for you,” said Aurin, “matching your old record.”

“Well, it’s more than just my old record,” said Kyle. “There’s a lot of significance in this number for me. It brings back a lot of memories.”

“Like what?” asked Aurin, walking ahead.

“I’ll tell you another time,” said Kyle, “but not every memory from the tower is a fun adventure, just remember that. Sometimes mistakes can be made and you can’t go back from them.”

“That’s rather ominous,” Luna whispered quietly to herself, not quite sure what Kyle had meant.

The trio walked into a room after Aurin examined the first couple of tiles for traps and assured them it was safe to proceed. He was wondering if it was time to start using the remaining charges of his various orbs, it may be the only way to speed things along and the top floor of the tower was within their grasp now.

“I have to admit,” came a man’s voice from the shadows, “I’m impressed that you made it this far. I thought I would be waiting here, bored out of my mind while swatting away the spawning Minakai.”

“Who are you?” asked Aurin, bracing himself.

A young man in Zodiac gear stepped forward. His mask bore the starry image of a scorpion and he had a smile upon his face. Beside him was a large scorpion Minakai that Aurin did not recognise. It was the colour of sand and its tail looked to be made of sharpened stone.

“My name is Scorpio,” he said, “and this is my good friend, Sandsting. I’m afraid that we’re the end of the line for you three.”

“You’re outnumbered,” said Luna. “Do you really think that you can take out all three of us?”

“He’s a buffer,” said Kyle. “He’s only here to slow us down. You two get moving and leave him to me.”

“No!” said Aurin. “We’ll fight him together.”

“I believe you’re close, Aurin,” said Kyle as Scorpio smirked in the background, scratching his arm. “I’ll deal with him and do whatever it takes to catch up to you after.”

“And if you lose?” asked Luna.

“Then I hope I slow him down enough that he’s no longer going to be a threat to you.”

“But—” began Aurin.

Kyle cut in. “Notice how he’s not attacking. He’s wasting our time and you shouldn’t be doing his job for him. Go!”

“Alright,” said Aurin. “Good luck, Kyle.”

“Thanks,” said Kyle, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a berry. He tossed it to Aurin.

“What’s this?” asked Aurin.

“Orna Berry, it’ll fully heal one of your Minakai. You’ll need it more than me. Get moving.”

Aurin and Luna did as Kyle asked, but Sandsting whipped its tail, pointing it at the doorway, where a stone wall erected itself. Shamtile pierced through it with a rocky spear as Kyle and Snowlem stepped towards Scorpio and his Sandsting.

“Don’t worry about them,” said Kyle. “It’s me you’re facing, and I’m not going to show you an ounce of mercy.”