James stared at the pile of crystals and metals stacked before him with a wide smile plastered on his face. There might’ve been plenty of crystals and rare metals on Oterra, but he didn’t have access to them. In this dungeon, however, he practically had a monopoly on all the crystals and metals located in the lower plane. It was no wonder why in humanity’s early history humans were forced to gather gold for the Venusians; those supermodels were rulebreakers just like him, and they must’ve profited immensely from their misdeeds.
The lava beasts formed a line as they marched towards the piles of materials, dropping what they had harvested before wandering off to gather more loot. As for why they were being so obedient, the enlightened lava beast was standing next to James, and every so often, it would hit the lava beasts that voiced or displayed their discontent.
“Very good,” James said, his eyes gleaming as a diamond the size of his head was deposited onto the pile in front of him. He smiled at the orange lava beast standing beside him. “With these offerings, you’ve secured your place as a prophet. When God has demands of the slagpions, he’ll speak to you and count on you to shepherd them onto the right path. When you pass on from this life, you’ll enjoy the best heaven has to offer.”
The enlightened slagpion—the name James had given the native creatures of this dungeon—let out a low rumble. Then, without warning, the creature’s massive tail rose and slammed down on James. He barely had time to raise his arms over his head, but considering the size and weight of the slagpion’s tail, James’ resistance was futile. He was struck into the ground like a nail, his talent the only reason he was still alive.
“Hey!” James shouted as he struggled to free himself from the ground. Instead of receiving a verbal response, the slagpion’s tail slammed down again, striking the man even further into the black surface. “What are you doing!?”
The slagpion rumbled, and Sam, who was standing not too far away whilst still invisible, couldn’t really find a flaw in the lava beast’s reasoning. If James were an angel, a so-called messenger of God, it’d be impossible for him to die no matter what happened, right? After all, if God were really that powerful, he wouldn’t allow that to happen to his messengers.
“Yeah,” James said, putting on a tough expression. It was a bit comical thanks to his body being stuck in the ground. “I won’t die, but hitting me is disrespectful, so stop.”
The slagpion growled, asking why James looked so funny. Instead of having six legs and a tail, he was…, well, he was a hideous monster. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for a messenger of God to be more aesthetically pleasing?
“God created me this way like he created you that way,” James said and rolled his eyes as he crawled out of the ground. He didn’t get very far before the slagpion slammed down on him once more with its tail, causing him to cough as the wind was knocked out of him. Despite being as tough as diamonds, he could still feel the impact from the creature’s blows. “Cease your actions at once.”
The slagpion clacked its front feet together, expressing its pleasure at James’ disheveled state. It questioned whether God was as weak as its angel.
“I’m not weak,” James said and climbed to his feet, “and God is almighty. You might be stronger than the rest of the slagpions, but God can defeat all of you at the same time; after all, he created you.” James took a grenade out of his bag. Luckily, it was sturdy enough to withstand the impacts from the slagpion’s tail. “Let me show you a fraction of God’s power.”
The slagpion watched as James pulled the pin on the grenade and rolled the object underneath its massive body. Not long after, an explosion resounded, causing the slagpion to roar and slap James with its tail once more. He could’ve demonstrated on any slagpion out there, so why did he have to target it?
James grimaced as he tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck. He’d have to do something about the enlightened slagpion’s violent behavior before it gave him a serious injury. “Do you believe me now when I say God can defeat all of you?” he asked. “I was only bestowed a tiny bit of strength, but God can exert far more force than me; he can destroy your pyramid with a snap of his fingers. How can you possibly resist?”
The enlightened slagpion rumbled and turned away from James, ignoring his question.
James snorted. “God,” he said, looking in Sam’s direction. “If you’re watching, please, send us a sign. Receive my offering.”
It was clear what James wanted Sam to do, so he went over to the pile of crystals and metals before taking several of them off the top. Thanks to his invisibility technique granted by his Sahasrara, the pile of treasures shrank in the lava beast’s view as Sam tucked the items underneath his arms.
The enlightened slagpion whirled around, focusing its attention on the steadily diminishing pile of treasures. Then, it slapped James with its tail once more; as for why, Sam wasn’t sure because the slagpion hadn’t given an explanation, but he suspected it was displeased. The slagpion rushed towards the pile of treasures and swiped its legs around while slamming its tail down, causing the pile to clank with every thump. Sam, however, had run away from the pile the moment he noticed the slagpion charging at him, and he successfully avoided its attacks.
“You,” James said, rolling his eyes at the enlightened slagpion’s actions. “What are you trying to do? Hit God? He’s all the way on the sun, and he can take your items here; shouldn’t that give you an idea of what you’re dealing with?”
The slagpion stared at James before slipping its tail underneath a piece of metal. It jerked its body and flung its tail, launching the metal chunk into the sky. Like a shining arrow, the chunk headed straight for the sun before vanishing into a dot that disappeared. At some point, it’d fall down, perhaps it’d hit an unsuspecting slagpion in the head and cause a misunderstand resulting in several slagpions dying.
“Hey!” James said. “If you want to give these tributes to God, let me deliver them for you. There’s no need to trouble yourself into throwing them all up there; besides, you’re not strong enough to launch something all the way to the sun.”
The slagpion rumbled before spinning around. On the horizon, four small figures appeared with one of them noticeably smaller than the rest. James frowned as he turned his head to look in the same direction as the enlightened slagpion, and his face paled upon seeing the four scaly figures: reptilians. The enlightened slagpion let out a roar, and the nearby slagpions quit harvesting, dropping what they had and gathering around.
“No,” James said. “Those aren’t angels; those are devils.” James took in a deep breath. “They were created by God, but they rejected him, and God, being merciful, let them go. They won’t hurt you, but they’ll try to cause trouble for me.”
The enlightened slagpion sidled over, the ground shaking as the beast shifted away from James, drawing a clear line between itself and the so-called angel.
“Human,” the lead reptilian said once it was within speaking distance. The black-scaled reptilian towered over James, staring down at him with a pair of red eyes. “Do you not know the rules of Oterra? Do not make contact with the enlightened native.”
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“You’re here too, aren’t you?” James asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He put on his best arrogant posture while mentally cursing inside. Even if reptilians could also enter this dungeon, why did they choose now of all times to show up? “You wanted to establish a connection with this slagpion as well, the same as me; don’t try to act like you have the moral high ground here.”
“Fine,” the dark-scaled reptilian said and smiled, showing its razor-sharp teeth. “In terms of strength, I’m stronger than you. In terms of numbers, we have more than you. I’m feeling generous today, so if you leave behind your right arm, I’m willing to let you go.”
James’ expression darkened, and he turned towards the orange slagpion. It was watching the situation with what James could only assume was an amused expression. If he asked it for help, even using God’s name, the creature probably wouldn’t aid him; the action would only serve to make him look weak, but in this situation, what could he do? He might’ve stood a chance fighting against a single reptilian, but four of them at once? Even if one of them was still a child, one that looked oddly familiar for some reason, he’d lose. “Wait,” James said, turning towards the small reptilian with yellow scales and green eyes. “Aren’t you Sam’s owner?”
The small reptilian stared at James for a bit. Then, it was as if a lightbulb appeared over her head, lighting up her green eyes. “Didn’t Sam kick your ass?” she asked. “You’re not a pet anymore?” The reptilian’s eyes narrowed at James. “Did you come here with Sam?”
James grimaced as he turned towards the enlightened slagpion. It must’ve understood when the reptilian had called him a pet. “I was never a pet,” James said. “I’ve always been an angel, and Sam is also an angel, but he’s not here.” A smile appeared on James’ face. “Hasn’t Sam ever told you about me? I’m like his best friend.”
“Do you know this human, Ellie?” the black reptilian asked. “Is he who you were looking for?”
“I told you I was looking for Sam,” Ellie said and placed her hands on her hips, glaring up at the leader. “Weren’t you listening at all? He’s not Sam, but if he’s Sam’s best friend….”
“We capture him, torture him, and have him spit out Sam’s location?” the black reptilian asked, finishing Ellie’s train of thought for her.
“If he resists, let’s eat him,” one of the remaining two reptilians said. “He looks well-kept; I’m sure his bones will be delicious.”
“Stop scaring him!” Ellie said, glaring at the other reptilians before looking at James. “Do you know where Sam is? Don’t lie to me.”
James furrowed his brow. Perhaps this small reptilian in front of him was his way out? His mind raced as he evaluated the situation. Escaping with his life was nice, but escaping with the crystals and metals would be even nicer; after all, his life wasn’t really his since it belonged to Monarch. If he died, he wouldn’t even be upset because he’d be dead, but if the riches he worked so hard to swindle out of the slagpion was taken away, it’d be heart wrenching. “I can bring you to Sam,” James said, “but I have a condition.”
“You don’t get to make conditions,” the black reptilian said, glaring at James.
“Let’s hear them,” Ellie said, ignoring the reptilian leader who was nearly three times her size.
“You don’t interfere with God’s plan,” James said. “You shall yield the tributes to me, and I will use them to accomplish my mission.”
“That’s it?” Ellie asked, looking at the pile of treasures. Her eyes lit up upon seeing an orange clump the size of her head. She ignored James’ contorting expression as she picked up the gem and smiled at it before pressing her hands against it. She rubbed the raw ore as if she were shaping mud, and an orange sphere was produced. “This’ll be perfect for Sam.”
The enlightened slagpion turned its attention onto James, its thoughts hard to discern.
“Hey!” James said. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“What?” Ellie asked as she stored the gem in a stone container resting against her back. “You can’t part with one little stone? Don’t be so greedy; learn to share.” She turned towards the black reptilian standing behind her and pointed at James. “Hit him.”
“I was waiting for you to say that,” the tall reptilian said and grinned. He rushed forward while pulling his right arm back, telegraphing a right haymaker. Despite how easy the strike was to read, James barely had time to tilt his head and raise his arm up to deflect the reptilian’s strike because of how quickly it moved. Vibrations surged from the reptilian’s solar plexus region, and the ground behind James exploded. If he hadn’t deflected the reptilian’s strike away from his head, his brain would’ve exploded and coated the inside of his skull even with his talent active.
“Help!” James shouted as he leaned to the side and barely deflected another telegraphed punch. Even though the black reptilian’s strikes were glancing off James’ body, the vibrations the reptilian emitted still traveled through James’ flesh and blood, causing his organs to shake. “I need some help!”
“Over there,” the reptilian behind Ellie said, pointing in Sam’s direction. “Someone is twisting our perception.”
“Sam?” Ellie asked, turning her head to look in Sam’s direction. “Is that you?” She squinted before blinking after a second. “Your disguise is really, really good.”
Since he had been spotted, Sam deactivated his invisibility technique. Wendy had said people who had unlocked their Ajna would be able to see him. However, it didn’t seem like Ellie could see through Werchbite’s illusion, or she’d definitely ask about the snake on his face.
“Hello, Ellie,” Vercedei said for Sam, speaking in Sam’s voice.
“Wait,” James said, turning his head towards Sam. “You’re Sam?”
“He didn’t know you were Sam?” Ellie asked.
“I’m in disguise,” Vercedei said. “I’d rather not leave traces of myself since I was attacked by a blue avian. If it finds out I’m still alive….”
“You were attacked by a blue avian?” one of the reptilians behind Ellie asked. “That’s amazing; they’re pacifists. What’d you do to piss one off?”
“Hey!” Ellie said and whirled around to glare at the nosy reptilian. “Did I hire you to speak?”
“No,” the reptilian said and hung its head. It must’ve been paid a lot to act like a dog for someone three times smaller than itself.
The small, yellow reptilian nodded before looking at Sam. “A blue avian attacked you, and you’re still alive?” she asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to worry,” Vercedei said. “Even if I informed you, reptilians can’t really do much to blue avians, right?”
Ellie nodded. “That’s true,” she said, “but if one killed you, and you didn’t even tell me you were being hunted by them, how would I know who to take revenge on? Nobody gets away with killing my former pet!”
“You can’t take revenge on a blue avian even if one killed your parents,” the black reptilian said, looking down at Ellie.
“How can you say that?” Ellie asked, looking up at the black reptilian. “You’re limiting reptilians by saying those kinds of things out loud. Who says reptilians can’t beat avians?” She shook her head before skipping over to Sam. She held out the orange sphere, and the illusion of Sam grabbed it, but in reality, the twin-headed uncoiled, and the snake’s blue head swallowed the crystal whole. Ellie stared as the illusion of Sam ate the crystal, crunching down with loud sounds. “That’s new.”
“I’ll tell you more about it later,” Vercedei said for Sam. “What are you doing here?”
Ellie beamed. “You said you were going to raid a dungeon, so I wanted to hang out!”
The three reptilians accompanying Ellie looked down and stared at her. For the purpose of hanging out with a human, she had hired them with a year’s worth of payment. Well, whatever the reason, as long as they were paid and didn’t get hurt, it was fine. The reptilians turned to look at the slagpions, who were in the process of surrounding the reptilians and humans alike.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning on attacking us,” the black reptilian said, looking at the enlightened slagpion. “We’re not here to take your treasures or mess with your people; unlike humans, we respect the rules.”
The enlightened slagpion rumbled before scuttling towards James. It slammed its tail on the poor fellow, driving him into the ground once more. Then, it looked at the reptilians and stomped its feet, asking if God really existed.
“Who knows?” Ellie asked in return. “There’s lots of higher-dimensional creatures who can do things we can’t even imagine, so it’s not unreasonable to think there’s someone who created everything, but the God this person is talking about is probably a trick to get you to work for him.”
The enlightened slagpion roared, and James’ expression darkened. The instant the reptilian found what she was looking for, she sold him out without a care for the conditions he had proposed. James cursed as the slagpions rushed at him, the reptilians backing away with Ellie tugging on Sam’s hand to lead him out of the charging beasts’ paths. James cursed and activated his escape method, the soles of his boots exploding, launching him into the sky at an angle.
The slagpions stared at James as he flew away, and their attentions turned onto Sam and the reptilians. The black reptilian rushed towards one of the slagpions, grabbed it, and hurled it through the air after James. After seeing the reptilian’s display of strength, the slagpions went around the group of reptilians as if they were a boulder placed in a river, heading in the direction James had gone.