As they approached, Sophia pointed to the cell's back wall, where a barely visible rough opening was: barely suggested a hastily made tunnel. "There's a way through here," she whispered.

Valor looked into the darkness of the tunnel and frowned. "Is it a good idea to go there?"

"We don't have much choice," Maya said. "The main corridors are crawling with Harbingers. This might be our only shot at getting out without being seen."

Valor looked from Maya to Sophia, weighing their options. After a brief moment of contemplation, he shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, let's do it. But let's be quick."

The three of them took turns entering the narrow tunnel. The passage was so tight that they had to crawl on hands and knees. The air was stale, and the cramped space made it difficult to move at all. But despite the discomfort, they pressed on.

After what felt like an eternity in the dark, the tunnel began to widen and the faint glow of light hinted at an opening ahead. They emerged one by one into another cavern, but the sight that greeted them was not quite what they had expected.

The cavern was vast with its ceiling barely visible from below. But the Party's gaze soon fell onto the floor: which was filled with countless magma slugs. The creatures were each the size of a small dog and glowed brightly as they moved. The air was thick with heat, and the sound of the slugs' movement was like the crackling of fire.

"Great," Valor muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Out of the prison cell and into a pit of fire slugs."

Sophia scanned the cavern for a path through. "We need to find a way across without disturbing them. Any ideas?"

Maya, observing the slugs' behavior and noted that they seemed indifferent to their presence so far. "Let's try to move slowly. They might not bother us if we don't provoke them."

With a collective nod, the three began to navigate the area. The slugs, for their part, continued their slow, undulating movements, seemingly content to ignore the intruders in their midst.

Eventually, Maya, Sophia, and Valor finally reached the cavern's far edge. However, their path forward was blocked by a thick layer of impassable rocks.

"There's got to be another way out," Sophia said, her gaze sweeping the cavern walls for any hint of a passage.

Valor scratched his head and glanced back at the field of slugs. "You know, those slugs have been living here way longer than we've been stuck. Maybe they know something we don't."

Maya frowned at the suggestion. "What do you suggest? That I use [Copycat] on one of those slugs? No way. There has to be another-" Before she could finish her sentence, Maple stirred awake in her hood and scampered down her arm and onto the ground.

"Hey wait!" Maya yelled out as she chased down the fox.

Sophia and Valor followed suit. They stopped when they saw that Maple had trotted over to one particularly large slug and stopped just in front of it. The slug, in turn, seemed to pause and regard Maple with a sort of dignified attention. Then, to everyone's surprise, it made a low, rumbling noise.

Maple barked sharply in response and wagged her tail. After a brief exchange, the fox turned to face the group and barked again, the slug's rumbling noise somehow translating into words through the fox's intervention. "Greetings, travelers. I am King Garamond the 3rd, son of the late King Garamond the 2nd."

The group stared in disbelief, their surprise rendering them momentarily speechless. Valor was the first to speak out. "Did that... slug just talk?"

Maya and Sophia shared a look, equally shocked. The idea that they were communicating with a magma slug, let alone slug royalty, was beyond anything they had encountered in the tower thus far.

The Shapestealer addressed the slug with a respectful nod. "Your Majesty, we're trying to find our way out of this cavern. Can you help us?"

King Garamond the 3rd made another rumbling noise, which Maple promptly translated. "The path you seek lies hidden, known only to those who serve the flame. I shall grant you passage, but a tribute is customary in these dealings."

"Your Majesty, what would you consider a fitting tribute?" Valor asked.

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King Garamond the 3rd seemed to ponder for a moment before making another series of deep, rumbling noises. Maple translated, "I wish to feast upon something filling. The nourishment of the cavern has grown scarce."

The group huddled together and whispered amongst themselves. "Any of you fed a Magma slug before?" Sophia asked.

"I got nothing." Maya replied.

Valor paused for a moment before speaking. "I… might have an idea?"

"Then spill it." Sophia urged.

"Well, just look around."

Maya pulled back from the huddle and glanced at the area. After squinting her eyes, she eventually saw that some of the magma slugs were ingesting rocks by swallowing them into their fiery bodies.

The Shapestealer then returned to the huddle and whispered. "Okay, they eat rocks?"

"Not just that, but metals too; and actually, they prefer that over rocks." Valor said.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know this?"

"One of the Black Talons kept one as a pet; if we ever head to their main camp, we might see one."

Sophia stepped back from the huddle and turned to Maya with a solution. "We should offer my armor," she suggested. The armor, being metal, fit the criteria of what they suspected the slug might consider a delicacy.

Maya pulled back and looked at Sophia. "Your armor? Are you sure? It's your protection we're talking about here."

Sophia met Maya's gaze with a resolute look. "I'm sure. It's the only valuable metal we have on us, and I can manage without it for now."

"Alright then." Maya nodded. She then held out her storage rune and said [Activate Storage]."

[Storage runestone activated]

[Slots used: 7/8]

Maya eyed the notifications. "So, how do we take stuff out?"

Valor gestured to the stone and said. "Touch the stone and say [Retrieve item]."

"Got it." Maya did as the beastman suggested and touched the stone while saying [Retrieve item]."

[Displaying stored items]

3x Golden Branches

1x Pair of gauntlets

1x Chestplate

1x Pair of boots

1x Cuisse

Valor then spoke again. "Just touch whichever items you want."

Maya obliged and retrieved all parts of Sophia's armor from the storage space: pouring it out in front of King Garamond the 3rd. The pieces clattered to the ground, gleaming under the cavern's dim light.

King Garamond the 3rd rumbled appreciatively. "A generous offering," he expressed through Maple's translations. He then immediately moved forward and began to consume the pieces of armor, the metal dissolving as it touched his fiery body.

After the feast, the slug king seemed satisfied and in high spirits. "I thank you for this tribute," he rumbled. "Follow me, and I shall grant you passage back to the open world."

True to his word, King Garamond the 3rd led Maya, Sophia, and Valor through the cavern. They trailed behind the king, who moved with surprising speed for his size, his body illuminating their path with a soft light. Eventually, they reached a section of the cavern wall that seemed solid at first. However, with a gesture from the slug king, part of the wall receded: revealing a hidden passage.

The passage was narrow and steep, winding upward. The air grew fresher as they ascended, a sign that they were nearing the surface. After what felt like an eternity of climbing, they emerged into the open air and saw the bright blue sky again.

Emerging into the daylight, Maya, Sophia, and Valor found themselves on the edge of a dense forest. The sudden transition from the oppressive heat of the cavern to the cool, fresh air of the forest was a welcome change.

"Free at last." Valor said excitedly. The beastman immediately began to run forward and stretch his limbs as he basked in the light.

Sophia took a few steps forward and chuckled. "Maybe we should head back to the village again, to get some rest."

"Yeah, I could use a break." Maya replied.

As the three walked, the conversation turned towards their recent experiences and future plans. It was during this discussion that Maya brought up a concern that had been weighing on her mind. "I realized, after that whole ordeal with the Harbingers... I don't have a third-tier form anymore."

Valor clapped Maya on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. This area is teeming with strong monsters. Finding one for you to copy shouldn't be too hard."

They continued to tread through the forest, the canopy above filtering the sunlight into warm, dappled patterns on the forest floor. However, their journey was interrupted when Sophia suddenly paused and raised her hand for silence. "Do you hear that?"

After a brief moment of listening, the sounds of a struggle reached their ears which seemed to come from their far left. They exchanged glances, but with a nod from Maya, they decided to investigate the source of the noise.

Carefully, they made their way towards the sounds. They moved silently through the trees until they came upon a clearing. There, they saw a group of people wearing green hooded cloaks engaged in battle with a white manticore.

In the midst of the clearing, the manticore's presence commanded attention. Its body and head was reminiscent of a lion in both majesty and might. It also bore a scorpion's tail that whipped through the air with lethal intent: its tip glistening with a dangerous venom. Adding to its formidable appearance were its massive wings, bird-like in structure but far grander in size.

The manticore moved with a desperate ferocity as it fought to fend off the hunters encroaching upon it. It thrashed and roared as it sought to dispatch its attackers.

The hunters executed a strategic series of hit-and-run tactics, loosing crossbow bolts that sliced through the air towards the manticore. Some found their mark, embedding in the creature's flesh, while others missed and hit the ground or trees instead. A few brave souls, armed with spears, advanced in moments of opportunity and thrusted with measured courage to wound the magnificent beast further.

Though Sophia and Valor weren't quite sure if they should intervene. Maya figured it was as good of a chance as any to try and get a new form.

She moved silently through the underbrush before having her focus narrowing on the manticore. The creature's every detail became sharper in her vision as she prepared to use [Copycat].