Hey guys so here's chapter 23. I got a lot of progress on chapter 24 today but I'm still aiming to finish by tomorrow just might be a little more raw than normal obviously....However if it's not posted by tomorrow night expect within the next day or 2.

***WARNING!!!!

You've been warned...As I said I'm aiming to post this chapter tomorrow but as you know that doesn't always work out as planned. I'm really tired right now as is but I have the next couple of days off so I'll be finishing this. However this was all meant to be posted together for reasons and you'll soon see why if you have to wait a few days for a climax.

I'm taking big swings in this story...I want this to be a rich experience that is just an entirely different world than our own one. One that isn't afraid to explore all sorts of themes that will be coming soon simply because I enjoy all this freedom and getting to the good stuff....

Well out of the 3,000 readers 3 people sent donations so not exactly what I was assuming but like I said wasn't expecting many to do. However to those three who did I was actually shocked at the amounts they gave. Seriously shocked that some of you enjoy my fiction so much and honestly I wanted to let you know I was touched.

But lets cut out all the gabbing I'm tired and going to bed....

Hope you each stay along for the ride. Enjoy.......

Chapter 23: Enter Balor

“Congratulations everyone! Another successful mission! “ – Cosmia

The pixies surrounding Cosmia continued to clap in excitement after they came back from the midnight hunt with me.  

Whenever I left the base I found them all waiting for me outside all geared up and ready to come hunting with me. The images of them sleeping were all apparently an illusion as well so they joined me as I was training in my skill masteries.

“Tehe those monsters were so weak before us. Cari! You were so strong!” – Cyanin

Cyanin then flew over to Cari and wrapped her arms around the small pixie with white wings.

They each embraced while the surrounding pixies were each celebrating together.

‘Use to, coming back from a hunt without any casualties would have been a rare occurrence but now… The monsters were running in fear of them. ‘

“Thank you Cyanin! It was so much fun getting to fight with all of you finally! But you were way stronger than me they couldn’t even hurt you!– Cari

“Psh even the Field Bosses were running from you Cari. You’re even level 70 now!” – Uri

Each of the pixies now can use some fire and light magic but the extent they can use it plus the skills they’ve gained are not small. Cari has the highest Fire and Light affinities both over 50%. She also got an incredible combination skill from it called Flash Flame. The skill works as fast as its name implies but the damage it does cannot be counted by numbers alone.

Any part of a monster that gets touched by Cari’s light will then be engulfed by her fire, which almost touches everything in one move. It will then continue to burn and harm its victims unless Cari dies… Her fire doesn’t cause a whole lot of damage yet considering her level or low Intellect but the fire touches almost everything on the floor in one shot and even does extra damage to anything with a darkness attribute. The effects of her fire and what they do considering her high Wisdom were also  staggering. To the point that the victims become helpless only after a few minutes and then could able to be taken down by the group…. Actually that fire makes it to where the victims could be killed by a thing stick that’s how ruthless the flames are and almost drops the monsters Defense to nothing. Sometimes many of the monsters would die before I could even use my death magic on them. I called them a cheat before but now…. This is just starting to get unfair.’

“Hey Vali…Why don’t you try to eat one of the Dawn Bringer crystals and see if your ability works like ours?” – Uri

Walking up to me were both Uri and Jana wearing their new Shock and Hydra covered in monster blood.

‘Like I can’t see that ending badly. I can’t even imagine trying to shit that thing out of me should things not work out the right way.’

“No I don’t think that would work out too well for me. Besides I think my absorption ability works a little differently. You guys absorb magic and make it your own while I…. It feels like I absorb the lingering bits of life force that remains within a person as the Soul passes on, and grants me one skill they learned during their lifetime. “

“Hmm…. Are there more outside this dungeon with these Divine skills?” – Jana

“I have to be honest with you that’s a question I don’t know. I’d ask Hjökk but she’s not really the best person to ask for information either…Honestly I doubt there’s many at all who can so you will each be quite unique…”

“And Hjökk is suppose to be related to the person who gave us all this strength…What’s she like?” – Uri

“Brynhildr? I’ve never met her, Hjökk just talks about her very highly. “

“…Guess it’s just strange is all….How quickly things can change…. Hard to wrap my head around everything, heh… I guess I’m just thankful my siblings and you met …Hey did you know Kai thinks with our bodies how they are now we may even live to be over 1000.” – Uri

‘Seriously? Well with your regenerative abilities it’s a lot different than normal healing. I’m not surprised even Hjokk can’t heal herself as quickly as we do, that’s just how legendary a beast the King Hydra was for its ability to regenerate lost heads faster than it took to cut them off.’

“That’s if we ever get out of here Uri.” – Jana

“Just crazy to think about is all… Little bro Kai was blowing my mind earlier with some of the things he was saying.” – Uri

“Thing’s surely have changed….” – Jana

I continued to chat with each of the pixies as we finished up our hunt. These two were at one point the top two pixies in this dungeon before all that transpired with Jhenson and the Dark Elves.

Even with everyone learning magic and gaining new abilities the experience these two showed during our hunt today proved that in time they will soon be back up in the top spots once again most likely. I noticed quite a lot while coordinating everything from the back during our trek through the lower floors.

It’s not that they are essentially stronger than their siblings by any means but as a tag team these two work quite well together and killed quite a few monsters each today. They have much less wasted movements than teir siblings  and you can even tell in how they each approach and take on a monster together. Each monster they would attack they would time their attacks towards the monsters flanks at precisely the right moment, time and time again

As we continued to walk back to the base the pixies continued to laugh and giggle to one another as we walked through the dense forest. They would stroke Fenrir who has now grown about 2 inches taller. He is still silver but after getting to level 121 his size and muscle definition appears to have become much larger and denser. roughly the same height as the pixies now and watching him hunt alongside the Pixies as I used my magic in the back was a completely different experience. They simply massacred the lower floors. Any and all monsters there that were found were eliminated without any mercy. Fenrir himself gained quite a bit of abilities as well. ‘ Thinking of it we were an entire armed group of individuals and monsters who absorb abilities from our prey. In time we would be truly frightening together. Monsters who were once thought threats and terrifying to these pixies may have had a lot of stress blown out on them today. From the loud screeches the monsters had made it sounded as if they truly did fear the pixies who were mercilessly destroying the monsters with hundreds of thrusts from their spears until they had died.

There are currently no monsters in the area as I’m sure they’ve all been exterminated by now. As we got back to the base I saw a large group of pixies standing and flying around a large pile.

“Oh..He’s here!”

All the pixies surrounding Fenrir and I then flew over to the same spot where the others were huddled up.

“ ” “Surprise!” “ “

Cosmia and the rest of the pixies then raised their arms and smiled real big.

“What?....”

[That’s just morbid… Did you tell them to do this Vali!]

“What? Why would you think that?”

The pixies then started to blink and look oddly back at us as the mountain of bloody hearts were stacked into a pile roughly taller than myself.

‘Oh come to think of it that makes since now. Cosmia and Kai were asking me a lot of weird questions earlier about Fenrir and mine’s absorption ability. They think that’s also why we were meant to be family as they think our abilities are essentially the same....’

So now, to thank me for all of the crystals…. Anytime they came near a dead monster they’d go collect the hearts. Somehow the knowledge that I can only eat 2 hearts per species didn’t really sink in so…

“You don’t…. You don’t like it?” – Cosmia

‘ I guess if I gave them a mountain of crystals they would probably cheer so my reaction may be odd for them but this is a little weird. ‘

I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling a bit and explaining to them that I can only receive two abilities max per monster. So after I eat the hearts from two of the same species the others are just…useless. ‘I also don’t want to be known as the guy who snacks on hearts just for the heck of it.’

“Ohhh….. Wait Queen Cosmia why didn’t you tell us that?” - Jade

“Kai said he was going to. “ – Cosmia

“Oh yah that’s right. I was in the middle of explaining it to everyone when Cyanin threw a bloody heart in my face… Then I threw one back at her … Then we all started throwing them and… I forgot.” – Kai

‘…. Ok….’

“It’s fine we’ll let Fenrir have anything extra.”

I already received the hearts from hunting earlier. I gained a few very odd assortments of skills but even on the lower Floors the abilities I received each had its own uniqueness to it. One of which elongated my tongue and I couldn’t really see a use for it. ‘Well…maybe one use.’

I also got a couple perception type skills one being Night Vision and the other being a strange ability that allows me to visually perceive scents….’ It’s got an odd name so I’m gonna call it smell-a-vision.’

I can’t really see a use for it as of yet but I can admit it’s quite interesting a skill no less.

I used Death’s Grip to kill every monster and when they were weakened I then attempted to use Soul Ripper but it wouldn’t cast. I realized there are a few limitations to Soul Ripper and the first being I can only use it on weak opponents the second being I can only use it on the same species I am from.

It’s the first stage of the skill but this limits the ability for me to even grow the skill properly. I don’t want to rip the souls out of a person anyways…. But I have to be honest gaining the ability to siphon stats off of monsters wouldn’t be a bad ability at all, and I wouldn’t have to devour souls like a freak monster. I guess whenever me and Mr. Tyrule meet again I can have some fun testing this skill out if I can gain stats without actually….Well yah.  

The only other ability that I considered as interesting came from the Floor Boss on Floor 3. It had re spawned and the pixies asked if we could go fight it together, Cari particularly wanted to since she had always wanted fight against a Floor Boss.

The fight just ended insanely quickly and I never got to see the skills the monster had at all. It was by himself which is what did it in. Even if it had good Defense and Strength and was a classified Boss Monster…..He was simply food and experience for each of us. It stood at 12 feet tall on two legs and had the head of a red goat. The moment the door opened to the Boss Room and it appeared Fenrir froze it, Cari burned it and all of the pixies surrounded it turned its body into a deformed mess that was swollen and covered in wounds. It was missing one of it’s ram horns and the side of its face.

His leather armor was almost all destroyed and the large saber he used is too large for humans but I did however keep his meat as being a Boss Monster could help in some way.

‘The odd Goat Faced Boss did give me a cool Sword Skill though. It sends an attack to everything in a complete circle of 5 meters around me.  I can only use it when I use a sword but Blade Tyrant seems like a really cool skill I would like to try out later.’

The pixies went out of their way to collect hearts from all the monsters on the lower floors that they’ve been hunting on. With the number of monsters they destroyed the mountain of hearts got pretty high.

The now slightly taller silver wolf didn’t react much to my words and just lunged into the mountain of hearts that he seemed to enjoy eating. He feasted on them like candy.

------------------------------------------------------------

Crunch!

Congratulations! You have just learned a new skill!

Phase Shift

‘Hmph…finally….Gotta love those little bastards. They can get real creepy at times but I gotta thank them for this…’

After digesting the 10th heart I finally got a skill from what we assume was a floor one devourer.  This ability allows me to move my body past solid matter.  The cost of it is insane. Just to keep my entire body submerged underground for 20 seconds would cost my entire mana pool, which was shocking. I think it’s simply because my body is innately different than the monster’s who I received this ability from. If I can raise the skill though this could be an incredible asset.

I continued to think about this as I ate into the heart Adimar had given to me before. I had gained several new skills today from the pixies but I had almost forgotten about the heart Adimar had collected from the elf.

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill!

Crescent Clever

‘Hmm…Even though that heart came from the Elf in an Annunake body the skill I got was still a skill from an Annunake… Well that’s annoying.’

Some of the pixies continued to pet Fenrir as he ate and the others chatted with each other about the Boss Fight. I found out quite a bit about each of these pixies new skills and their formations. Kai and the other Elites have done a good job at training and growing their lower leveled siblings. Each of them doesn’t do a whole lot of damage but their combined efforts alongside Fenrir and myself the monsters in this dungeon didn’t stand a chance.

I’ve already gained a good number of skills now from the lower floor monsters while also advancing my magical skills as well now. While the pixies were busy fighting I was busy working multiple things along with my Death Magic. Dullahan Creation now went up to Grade C. The number of Ghost Dullahans increased to 10 and now look to have acquired slightly bulkier armor.

Congratulations! Dullahan Creation has just advanced to Grade C

Dullahan’s have now advanced in rank to Dullahan Knight

- Number of Dullahan Knights will now increase to 10

- Dullahan ‘s will now cause Physical Damage at 10% of the Master’s Attack Power

- Dullahan’s will now each have 10% of the Master’s Resistances

Cost Reduction: 20%

Each Dullahan still glows in the same pale purple tint but now looks to have much more detail in their armor and equips.

Their shields are now more defined as well as their waist pieces have also extended in the back and looks more fashionable.

I also figured out something quite interesting after toying with my skills some more….

Zap!

Zap!!!! ZAP!

Lightning now engulfed the 10 Dullahan Knights standing out in front of me. After a little toying around I finally realized that I was trying to apply the lightning armor on after using the Creation skill. If I tried to apply it beforehand it almost felt as if I had an opening to be able to do so. After exhausting my mana twice I finally got a reaction as I applied the Lightning Armor beforehand.

Congratulations! Dullahan Knights have now been changed to Dullahan Storm Knights                       Grade:  C                  

Skill Cost: 15,000 Mana Skill Duration Cost: 50,000 Mana per minute

Attack Speed + 10 %

- Dullahan Knights will now cause 100 Lightning Damage per physical attack given to them.

- Dullahan Knights will now cause an additional 50 Lightning Damage per attack.

‘Hmm…So repeated actions can in fact create skills in this world… I just wonder if that means that there are others with this same ability. Though the effects of turning this effort into a skill really worked out to my advantage. If I can gain higher Resistances it can even strengthen my Dullahans as well but having them clad in lightning would go through my whole mana supply in 10 minutes without using anything else or wearing my equips.’

My mana however dropped to 0% and the skill was deactivated. ‘I guess I was already pretty drained but I can’t use the Storm Knight function for very long just yet. The costs are just too much but by merging these skills it means way more than just adding lightning to my dullahans.

My Death Magic has also gone up by quite a bit but it is still at the same stage. I finished off a lot of monsters that the pixies had initially attacked with Death’s Grip but it doesn’t move up as quickly as the other abilities.

[You’re Magic Manipulation may play a big role in this Vali… Loki spoke about how valuable an ability like that can soon become.]

‘Oh? I mean I can feel that it helps me in instances of using my skills and magic quickly. But even with it I can’t use this to supercharge my skills and kill Balor or anything.’

[Mages can manipulate elements or even their own magic to a certain extent but they can’t manipulate others magic…. Everything in this world has magic in it Vali. From the ground, to the trees even the air. More magic than one small body would ever be able to hold. Every living thing including the inhabitants have magic that dwell within them. It is just if they are able to use it. If you have the ability to manipulate all of that …. If what Loki believes is correct I can see why he would be able to praise you.]

‘I still don’t understand.’

[If you can manipulate magic like that you could essentially even manipulate the magic inside of others… It wouldn’t be odd to think with time and training someone like Balor wouldn’t even be a threat to you. You could just destroy the magic inside out with a thought. But right now…… Balor is going to be very strong Vali. The plan you’ve given me…. I’m not sure if it is a good one. Even that skill you like to shoot off from your weapon so much wouldn’t even hurt him. He doesn’t have the same magic as Malthiel but at most you may last a few seconds facing off with him. I think I should…]

“No… This is the plan we’re going to go with. I need you to hold back the army behind him… Besides I don’t plan on fighting him for long, a few seconds is all I need. “

[Vali… My priority is you. If the time calls for it I will choose to save your life over protecting others. ]

As I was about to respond to the small purple bird on my shoulder I noticed four figures walking out of the base.

Walking up I see the figures of Sting, and the three Asher guards. Standing there seeing Fenrir, Sting paused looking towards the bloody wolf before turning back towards me. He then made an odd face and pointed in my direction.

“Vali behind yo…”

“I got him!” – Kai

As we all turned around an odd grotesque figure of a gnoll was running on all fours towards us.  I would have done something but considering what I’ve seen…

Kai then flew up and jumped in front of the incoming beast and smiled. It’s speed far exceeded Kai’s by leaps and bounds, even the damage he could cause this monster would be penalized and lowered. His level was currently 177 and the encroaching monster was 264.

“Light Hammer!”- Kai

A brilliant bright light appeared in Kai’s palm in the shape of a large mallet. It was made of an intense bright white light and looked almost bigger than Kai himself.

In one swift motion the hammer of light collided with the incoming monster’s soft defense and sent him flying to the side. Its health had then just dropped by 15% in that one swing and knocked the gnoll over.

‘This is another attack skill all the pixies got when their Light affinities rose. It has a 10 minute cool down but the knockback power on this skill is tremendous to the monsters here. It not only stuns the target it causes 40% additional damage to anything with a dark attribute. I got to see plenty of this earlier and despite the hammer’s size its quite heavy.’

“Wha..What?” – Cassandra

“The power of Cardinal Hope? “– Shen

“….” – Sting

Everyone from behind me then showed looks of shock as the small purple pixie had landed a solid hit with such a heavy skill on the incoming beast.  The pixies then surrounded the stumbling monster and killed it.

“How did… how did they learn the skill from the famed Cardinal of the Church of Freya?” – Sting

“I’ll give ya one guess.”

Sting however didn’t say a thing and continued to look at the armored pixies in awe. ‘I guess this Cardinal has somewhere of a Light affinity between 11-47%.  I guess it makes since if someone had such an ability to knockback darkness it could be thought of as a special skill from the church. But from what my mother has stated is that Holy and Light magic are two different things entirely.’

Now I saw two figures walking towards the edge of the base from the distance. The silhouettes looked to be both female and continued to walk casually in our direction.

Turning on my eclipse view to see who the incoming people are I immediately turned it off and starting walking quickly towards them.

“Ahaha! Oh hey look there they are wha..”

I used my spatial magic and appeared right next to female on the right and pulled out Abgrund.

“Vali wha…” – Izzie

I pointed my scythe directly at the thin, average looking neko to the right of Izzie.

“She ‘s an elf.”

To my statement Izzie then looked back at the neko next to her in shock.

“Jasmine? Is this tr…ue? “ - Izzie

The small neko then started backing away shaking her hands in fear while looking back towards us.

Cassandra’s POV:

‘These things are truly insane!’

Master Shen, Shakko and I were staring through the entrance to this odd base inside of the cave wall. The scene before us may have been even more distrurbing than everything else I’ve seen so far in the last couple of days.

The small pixies we had met yesterday were now dancing around a pile of monster organs they had just got done throwing at one another. Now they are stacking the bloody hearts into a large pile.

The smell alone was enough to make me want to vomit.

The pixies then started jumping up and down as several figures just walked up. It was Vali his wolf and several pixies walking behind him.

‘Wow….What is that feeling? It’s so warm. ‘

Walking up alongside Vali my eyes are drawn to another one of the same pixies as before but this one is completely different. Her hair was the color of a rainbow. Her wings refracted so many colors I had never seen before. Even her pupils are multiple colors. ‘She looks so beautiful, is she a god?…And she’s flying over to pile of bloody hearts and….’

“ “ “Surprise!!!!” “ “

‘……’

“So what you said about them being cannibals was…”

“Well I don’t believe any of those are human if that’s what you mean. But yes this really is creepy. Do you think Vali is in some sort of cult or something? “ – Shakko

‘I don’t have an answer. I mean I don’t……Is he eating a heart too now!’

Each of our eyes widened and we began to hide behind the doorway as if we had done something wrong.

“Hmm…. Maybe he’s… Trying to be nice and accept their …. Regardless shouldn’t eating that kill you?….” – Shen

‘How did we get ourselves in this situation? Why would he eat that? It’s just so hard to wrap my head around everything that is happening right now. The three of us didn’t even get any sleep last night. Just sat there in the large room in silence.’

Our mission was to retrieve Vali to hopefully reunite with the royal family until we secured their safe but…. It all seems to pale in comparison to what has been happening here. From what Vali and that green haired adventurer said…. It’s all true.

We’re trapped in here…. I can feel my heart begin to beat harder against the iron breastplate against my chest. ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid… I’m terrified.’

I want so much to warn my family and his Highness…. I want to run…’How is he so fearless? Is he that strong? He seemed unaffected by what was going on but thinking about it his wolf did kill one of those things. Maybe he could…. Maybe he could kill this…. dark god.

Just saying is it is difficult. Most people would go their whole lives without ever seeing a god, whether they be a priest, normal citizen, or even a blessed being. These are said to be beings capable of creating and destroying worlds with their power. Entities that can speak and the stars themselves would move. They themselves are supposed to be beings of legend. Even the number of dragon slayers in the world can be counted on one hand. I don’t even believe the Legendary Nine have killed a god. I don’t even believe with their overwhelming strength any of the 9 could act so casually…Just sitting inside of this place, I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life. It is an odd feeling.

“Hmm? What’s happening over here?” - ?

Just then a voice came in from behind us and it was the same man we had met last night. His said his name was Sting. For whatever reason he seemed very excited to see other humans for some reason.

Sting however got plenty of rest earlier for some odd reason. He walked up while stretching as if waking up feeling relaxed.

“You could sleep?” – Shen

“Oh well I know quite a bit about poisons. Couple doses and I slept like a baby. I feel as if that’s the only way I…What’s … ugh…. What is that…Is that a pile of?” – Sting

Sting’s face then grew pale as he looked at the small grey wolf jump into the pile and began to eat the hearts one after the other. His level has grown again…and so has he.

“It’s funny I use to think the little wolf was frightening… Just a bit of advice those things won’t kill you if you play games with them… So once you leave this cave go and dance with them and then they’ll like you... ” – Sting

The green haired adventurer who said he was from the central continent began to walk out of the base towards Vali and the morbid demi humans.

We found out a lot from this Sting who was trapped in here along with us. According to him he said he was part of a party who was actually sent to technically coerce Vali into joining their side. This party was however exterminated upon Vali seeing what they had done to his family and he was the soul survivor. According to Sting for whatever reason he was allowed to live but was also trapped along down here as well.

Sting also hasn’t seen one of those giants up close yet but from what he’s gathered is there are several demi human cities that live in this dungeon. Those colossal giants have almost driven them all to extinction here. ‘ I wonder how Vali got mixed up in all of this… ‘

Now Sting has been attempting to make a poison that is suppose to be able to harm this Balor character.

He even told us the pixies in front of us were in fact a special type that is apparently immortal. According to him even if they are chopped to pieces they will regenerate themselves as if it were all an illusion. If that weren’t enough according to him every race down here is of a species he’s never seen before outside these walls. There is even a race down here capable of creating items in his opinion compare with the artifacts obtained by the Four Great Empires.  

‘So other than those large white wolves he has immortals who are also surrounding him as well…’

If that wasn’t enough to keep our mouths wide open we also found out that Vali himself was someone touched by the Gods. According to what Sting had told us last night apparently Vali is a blessed being like Myro’s Adel. It would explain the astonishing power he wields but with the abilities and actions he’s shown I can’t imagine what sort of god granted him their blessing. If Blessed Beings are said to be weapons and tools of the gods…. I only wonder what god grants such overwhelming power.

This entire dungeon is a world in itself. Lost in time, and we’re trapped in here along with him now.

I was angry with him. I don’t know why I blamed him but I did. I wanted to yell at him for having had to come here to find him.  But as I learned the truths of what this place was I couldn’t yell at him. He was all willing to fight so how could I be the one to complain while everyone else was stuck in the same situation…It wouldn’t solve anything even if I was mad at him… I was paralyzed in fear of those things. If they get outside of this place I….

‘I don’t even have the ability to warn the King or even my family. I just wish I knew how everyone here was so fearless. ‘

As the three of us exited the cave towards Vali and everyone else several of the pixies then began to look up into our direction immediately.

‘What did Sting say…Ask them to play games right?’

“Va…Vali be..” - Sting

“I got it!”

Just then one of the small purple pixies leaped out from the group and readied himself.

GuahhH!!

‘What is that thing?’

The monster kept leaping on all fours towards the pixie and looked to have been going to bite his head off in one go.

“Light Hammer!”

“……”

‘The Hammer of Light?’

The image of a large war hammer appeared above the small pixies head and it is something I have seen before. It looks similar.

“Wha…what.”

Master Shen even knew what this was. It was a famous skill from the Cardinal of the Freya Church. It was a skill gifted by the Goddess to vanquish evil. Though it looked slightly different in stature and shape, the War Hammer made entirely of light was something I had seen before.

I saw it once when I was a child at a show with my father. The Cardinal of Freya appeared and showed the skill from the Goddess that had helped eradicate an army of monsters. He helped greatly in pushing them back and became famous for his ability from the church.

But how are all of these pixies using the same skill?

As we walked up closer to Vali I could see now that these demi humans seem to all stay quite close to him. There is a light green one on his shoulder, a small yellow one by his side and now a red one as well. All of them just seem to just flock around him.

Just then Vali lifted his head up and observed two figures closing in on our location. Before anyone else could react Vali abruptly started walking towards where they were coming from.

The moment he took out his weapon I could feel the same intense rush wash over my skin and body. It was completely different than with those black beasts. It felt like my skin was about to crawl off… It felt cold and like I could sense my own death coming.

‘I just couldn’t take my eyes off that large metal scythe which bleed a dark aura off it.‘

The three of us froze when we saw him draw out his weapon towards one of the two demi human woman who approached us. We’ve each seen what he can do with it.

He then claimed the blue haired woman was in fact an elf. ‘Do elves have a bad reputation inside this place as well? And how is that cat woman an elf?’

This statement caused everyone to react oddly when the other blue haired demi human in glasses stepped forward out in front of the so called elf. ‘The language their using doesn’t so human at all but I’ve noticed that a majority of the races here are saying some of the same words in places. Vali seems to comprehend them just fine though… And they understand him just as easily too but the pixies from before didn’t understand us at all. Neither did those wolves if I recall.

“Well even if she is Vali she isn’t evil. She’s on our side. Now…Lower your weapon so we can hear what she has to say..”

“How can you be so sure?” - Vali

Looking back towards the other demi human she started to get flush red and waving her hands back and forth frantically.

“No wait. I’m really not like the others. I’m just ugh…I’m …”

“She’s my roommate Vai…. And she’s also an expert creator in elixirs and healing potions. I wanted to bring her here so she can help provide us with a large amount of potions for the battle….”

Vali then lowered his eyes but didn’t lower his weapon. He seemed to be thinking deeply about something.

“Ugh really though I don’t know how you knew who I am but… I’m not with the other dark elves honest! I’m not with Balor either…There’s actually quite a lot of us who aren’t “

“How can we trust you? I mean you yourself are currently in a body that isn’t even yours.” – Vali

The neko woman then lowered her ears and she seemed nervous.

“I know.. We all had to, not long after we’re born in fact. If my parents hadn’t, I probably would have been killed by my brethren for outing our whole race for what we did…. I’m sorry Izzie…I…I wanted to tell you for so long but I just…”

“….”

Vali then contemplated a bit before lowering his weapon.

“I’m sorry but we can’t trust you as of right now. Izzie we’re going to have to lock her up for now it’s the only way. “ –Vali

“Is that really nece…”

“Very soon we are going to be going over our plans to take down Balor with all of the leaders. We can’t jeopardize in anyway Balor or the dark elves finding out.” – Vali

“I understand… Jasmine…For right now we need to lock you in one of the holding cells until we can judge the situation more clearly.”

As Vali and the neko woman in glasses spoke to the other neko she agreed to go away with them quite easily.

‘Dark elves?.... I’ve never even seen an elf but a Dark Elf? I didn’t even know there was that particular kind of elf. ’

Looking over Shakko and Shen both seem slightly perplexed by this too. She doesn’t look like an elf.

As we followed behind Vali and the other demi humans our entire surroundings changed. We now appeared to be standing on somewhere high up in the clouds.

“What just happened?”

“Oh sorry about that. We just need to….. “

Vali then stopped which caused everyone else to stop as well. Out in front of us was a large crystalline structure that looked to be made of some bright silver rock.

In front of the structure was a small group of people. He only said one thing.

“….Alysteir.” - Vali

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Warren the Red’s (The Third Horseman) POV:

‘I swear useless… Every damn one of them from Asher is garbage. Adel thought he could leave it in the hands of the damn son to take care of things. His royal guards he got over to his side were all killed and his trap with our assassins had failed. Clearly he’s useless. The Asher kingdom should be given to me instead of this idiot son.’

Hmph… I just might do that now that I think about it. After the war is over and the King is splitting up land I wouldn’t mind taking over as Lord there. I might even get to taste that delicious first princess if I’m lucky.

‘High Commander Adel should have sent me instead. I would have flattened them. My Inferno Knights are unstoppable on the battlefield. I don’t know how Valentine could have fallen to such worthlessness.’

“General Warren word from Lord Adel.” – Wyndia

“Hmm….Oh what is it?”

The petite Wyndia showed up through the war tent and gave me Adel’s new orders.

“Hmph he wants me to pull my back? And if the Elves take up position again what then? Ugh…He’s wanting to lose all the progress we’ve made if we leave it in the hands of Bodin that big buffoon….”

‘Ugh…What is he thinking? Lord Adel is a military genius. I’ll give him that. In war strategy I am second only to him. I guess I’ll never understand how those who talk directly to the gods must be. Sounds too trifling for my blood.’

“Um General Warren there is just one more thing. Adel wanted you to meet up with the mounted battalion from Trost. They have over 2,000 men, demi humans and monster corps and they want you to travel to a particular location on the outside of Aldain. He wants you to…” – Wyndia

“Let me guess to go clean up Valentine’s mess?”

“…Yes sir. Lord Adel has asked you to journey somewhere south of Aldain to look for the possibilities of the King of Asher hiding there. There will also be a large number of mercenaries as well hired from some off key guilds that the Elliot’s are paying for. “ - Wyndia

‘Heh… Sending one of your Generals to deal with such a petty situation. Because Valentine was vanquished they feel they need to make sure the situation fixes itself. If the King or the ones protecting him die

“Tsk…And we know what they’re looking for. They don’t care about this mess with Asher. They only care to go after that scythe guy.  Honestly I don’t understand what the big deal is… You know what…I think I’m going to take some R&R. Wyndia have the 6 Knight Captains go in my stead. Tell them to take the Wyverian units as well…I’m going to take a nice trip to Trost for now and enjoy some off time. Have them take care of this business if it is possible. But if they are to find this Scythe wielding fellow the Elliots are so crazy for, tell them to not engage but to contact me.

“Ugh…As you command General Warren. Shall I accompany them to secure that your orders are followed.”  -Wyndia

I nodded my head towards Wydnia and she quickly bowed and left my tent. Finally some time away from the front lines. I’ve been holding this location for months now and the Elves have yet to take this place from me.

‘Be a damn shame if Bodin fucks this up.  Man’s all power no brains. Doesn’t even enjoy the feel of a nice woman and only craves for battle. Such an idiot really …. Well since I’m enjoying my off time.’

Rolling over to the two lovely maidens sleeping beside me I woke them up to have some fun with them.

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Vali’s POV:

‘What the hell is she doing here?‘

Standing dozens of meters away in front of the adamantine prison was Alysteir. But she was not alone. Standing around her were several Annunakes, Reiki, and Eis Nekos.

As I was about to take out Abgrund while looking towards her I noticed that standing around her was Commander Locke, Adimar. Ollie and Akino.

They turned to look at me and that is when Alysteir turned her head and smiled in my direction.

I warped over to their location and before I could do anything each of them stood out in front of me and told me that Alysteir had actually surrendered.

“What?”

‘What sort of sick shit is this neko planning? ‘

Looking towards her she has chains around her wrists and ankles and she is being guided into the prison behind me. They acted as if I cared if she surrendered or not. I was still planning on killing her and they had each tried to stop me.

“What’s going on here? “ – Izzie

As Izzie walked up Commander Locke then began to tell us what had occurred only a few hours ago. They had tracked down all of the named puppets on the list with ease. They did a joint effort and took on multiple targets all at once again in different locations. They were all a success.

According to Ollie Commander Locke is a strategic genius and became a Commander at the youngest age ever in the Dawn Corps at 16. Brilliant strategy and battle prowess he now is ironically the new race leader of the Eis Nekos now.

There was one location on floor 55 that Queen Nhaili has sworn are a small number of puppets that have remained still in a certain location for a long time now. Commander Locke and the entire Away team went to the location but what they found was something they weren’t looking for.

They found hundreds of destroyed corpses of Annunakes, Eis Nekos, Reikis and even Elves.

“What happened?”

As I asked Commander Locke he made an odd face and twitched his ears before continuing.

“There was obviously a big battle. What we assumed to have thought at first… When we got to the back of the large stone structure carved into the dungeon wall, we found thousands of large oval like structures. Some had bodies in them…. We assume it is where the Elves stashed their bodies from what we’ve come to understand about their ability.” – Commander Locke

“Wait… So were all of the bodies destroyed or …. As for my brethren, had any survived?” – Jasmine

Commander Locke then turned and looked oddly in the direction of the elf and narrowed his gaze.  

“Nya…Ugh yah, about that. My roommate is ugh… An elf…Crazy I know, I never picked up on it.” – Izzie

Izzie then began to make a face, which only made Locke shake his head. But not at the elf, just Izzie.

“… We have come to the understanding there are still a large number of elves remaining in this dungeon. We do not know the whereabouts but from what Alysteir has gathered…. Malakai was the leader. We found her in the back room of this large dome like structure they had built. Malaki was on the floor with his head cut off and Alysteir was sitting in his chair waiting for us. Before we even engaged she threw her swords into the floor and surrendered. I wanted to not believe her but… It was real.” – Commander Locke

“And how do we know the Elves haven’t already messed with her and this isn’t some trap. If this is a place where the Elves left their bodies maybe that was just the corpse Malakai was using and this is a trap.”

“… I’ve thought of that yes. Which is why we are locking her up for now. Vali…This fight…It’s gonna get bad. We’re going to need all of our geniuses on this one if we stand a chance.” – Commander Locke

Seeing the reaction I must have been making Adimar then stepped in and spoke. I could even feel the grip on my shoulder then become tighten as Hjokk even began to tighten her grip.

“Vali…Surely she will pay for her crimes but she could be very helpful. She has even claimed to only wish to help us fight Balor, well that and…” – Adimar

Nodding my head as if asking what Akino then spoke up.

“She wishes to speak to you Vali… She gave up all of her items and weapons and has given her fate up to you. Vali I don’t trust her but if she is behind that prison maybe we can at least get some information out of her.” - Akino

‘What? What is this woman’s game. She really wants to let her fate be decided by me? She really must have a death wish, is this her way of apologizing for what she did to me!.... It can’t be. This is certainly a trap. I don’t care if she’s strong… She’s too dangerous. We can’t have someone like that turn on us in the middle of the fight behind our backs…. Ugh! Why couldn’t I have killed her when I had the chance!’

She’s just strong. If Alysteir is someone who has rose to the very top in this dungeon, it’s fairly possible this could be someone who is one of the strongest in this world. I admit I respect her strength. I don’t and cannot ever trust someone like her. She looks like she simply thirsts on chaos. She relishes in pain and torture.

I can’t be allied with a monster like that.

As I nodded quietly I walked into the prison. It was poorly lit naturally but there were oiled candles lit for us to see. All of the species here don’t seem to have many issues with poor lighting so the four other humans in here are huddling closer to one another.

“I will… Your father promises on his own life. I will be the one brings you back….” – Malfius

Walking in the dimly lit fortress of solitude there are several cells on the sides of the walls that have been appropriately structured. That or just that there are large adamantine doors that have small adamantine locks that slide into a notch that is made from the same material.

Standing in the hallway was a lone figure and I recognized the voice as Malfius. He looked in through the bars on the door before turning towards me. He narrowed his eyes and nodded his head.

“Commander Locke, Vali, Adimar….. I’ll see you all at the battle preparations when you’re done. “ – Malfius

Looking like he didn’t want to talk I just nodded my head and walked forward. According to what Commander Locke has said he now reins as the highest commander officer in the Dawn Corps who is still alive next to Alysteir, but she has relinquished her position so he now ranks the highest as the race leader.

So now with the help of the 7 race leaders we are able to move forward. There are suspicions now of if there is still a large force of the elves but currently all puppets have believed to be captured. If any are close by Queen Nhaili will apparently be able to figure it out.

After we get done with this the race heads are all meeting to plan out are method of attack against Balor and his army.

They put the elf in a holding cell for now and we are going to convene on that later. Her cell is actually right next to Ecclaire’s.

“Um Vali?... What are we doing?” – Cassandra

The female knight then walked up to me as we walked through the dark corridor and approached a large, silver framed door.

The door was surrounded by a large cage of adamantine pillars along with bright silver stones growing off of them.  Even with Pek’s design most of this is natural as they couldn’t possibly carve this much of the adamantine from what I know of it’s durability.

The pixies who followed us all in were now flying around the cage sticking out their tongue at the one inside and dancing around.

“Just to get some answers real quick.”

I walked around the side of the large cell and saw a lone figure of a the blue haired woman staring back at me. She still had on the same black leather uniform and commanders hat as before. Standing in chains and staring back at me she smiled in my direction.

“Mmm so you did come after all.” – Alysteir

“… Got to say I saw this outcome coming at some point but didn’t ever see you coming willingly for it.”

“Neither did I, neither did I…” –Alysteir

She smiled back at me but didn’t move at all.

“What do you want?”

“Mmmm…I want a rematch.” – Alysteir

Is this woman serious? My eyes widened and I spoke back to her warning her of her position.

“What?...”

“Is that so strange? I mean.. obviously that’s not all but I assumed you wished to know what I was wanting at that precise moment….” – Alysteir

‘…..’

“…..And what’s to stopping me from killing you here right now? You came back in chains just to ask for a rematch?”

“Mmm call it a little… Wager. “ – Alysteir

“…a wager huh?”

“Never in my life could I think a simple puppet could hit me. It had to be something more. I decided to do a little investigating of my own way and found out there were in fact some elves in this little world of ours. Go figure… 3 of my 6 squad members no less. Well we followed the trail after we asked some various questions to the three traitors and found ourselves on their home floor and decided to pay them a visit. I myself am the surviving member of my squad now…. If Balor is coming like all those screaming elves had said I’m dead regardless but I suppose I can enjoy a little fun before I go…. I want to kill that bastard as well so why not team up and then have our own fun afterwards huh? So how about…I help you kill Balor, if we win, we have ourselves a nice little rematch afterwards… Just you and me huh?” – Alysteir

She started to now walk forward and approach the edge of the cage she’s in. The loud noises of chains following behind her as she walked up until she was eye to eye with me.

Akino, Adimar and Locke each gave their own odd looks back towards me while the others I doubt what she said at all.

“I don’t trust her Vali...” – Jade

“Yes, I also agree Vali… She can’t be trusted!.” – Cosmia

“Hmph…. Never would I have ever guessed the little bugs would speak to me in such a way… Truly interesting times we’ve found ourselves in these days … ” – Alysteir

Staring back at the woman in chains in front of me I really didn’t get her deal. What is her fascination with me? The only reason the pixies liked me is for saving their lives and treating them well. The annunakes simply follow me because I killed their race leader in a 1 on1 and have the other on a leash.

But her?... What does she gain from this? I get that she is turning herself in to at least hold a shot against Balor but….There is still a strong possibility she is in league with the elves she claimed to have killed. I mean she is the soul survivor… I guess I could understand that but….

“How’d you get that scar on top of your head?”

Looking back at my question her eyes twitched but she didn’t change her facial expression.

I remembered seeing it in the fight. There were stiches on a bald spot. It almost looked like a surgery had been done. What if she is in somehow being controlled by the Elves. I can’t believe she just wants to help in the hopes to fight me afterwards.

“Oh just an old injury is all….” – Alysteir

“Did the Elves do this to you?”

“…Nope I’m afraid the ones who gave me this injury are long gone.” – Alysteir

Smiling back towards me she hasn’t backed away at all and it’s almost uncomfortable. The sheer pressure behind this woman is intense ever since I absorbed Malthiel I can in a way feel it if someone is powerful or not. ‘And this neko clearly puts off a dangerous atmosphere. It’s not just because she tortured me. It’s not even because she enjoyed it….I’ll admit it’s a bit because of that, but this neko has a screw loose.’

“I know what your thinking…” – Alysteir

“Oh I don’t think you do.”

“Mmm probably think I’m crazy right? Maybe even my injury caused me to be so but that’s not it… I just figured you wanted a rematch as well. Me and you are so alike after all.” – Alysteir

‘Is this bitch crazy! The second time I’ve heard today that I’m the same as a monster…. I’m not going to listen to that from this woman.’

Everyone then backed away from the both of us and I realized that I had somehow engaged Dark Pressure at that moment along with Demonic awakening.  

She however didn’t back at away at all.

“I’M. Nothing. Like. You.”

“Oh I think ya are….Constant itch ya just can’t seem to scratch. Can’t get a good nights rest unless ya kill. Wanting to cause a little pain back to make your own pain stop hurting … See from the look ya just gave me I’m right…. We’re similar…I’m just a little further down that road then you are is all.  mphmph…. “ – Alysteir

At this point she was sticking her face closer towards the cage and smiled back towards me. The first statement however is what froze me.

“If you’re trying to make it to where I don’t want to torture you back for what you did then tough chance. I half want to toss you in front of one of those Soul Devourers when we’re done with our little rematch.”

“Ew….Death by one of those slimy things would be a little droll. But I guess we can say the winner can decide what to do with the loser. Even if that means you want to have a little fun with me in the same way I did with you… So I take it by your statement you agree?” – Alysteir

Sticking her chained wrists through the narrow space between the large Adamantine cage she is in, she smiled back towards me once again. Her white teeth shined in the dimly lit prison. She was an incredibly beautiful woman but she was also overwhelmingly vicious. I could feel the grip getting tighter on my shoulder once again and I too was debating this. I don’t want to look back and regret my decisions later with agreeing to what this neko wants.

I then reached out for her hand. A small chain coiled from around my wristed and followed up her slender hands and all the way up her body. It twined and spun around her body until it had covered her whole body before coming to rest on her neck.

I had taken off the leash around Akino at this point and used hers as there is not much left.

“Hmph…What is this little thing? Giving me jewelry already are we?” - Alysteir

“Something like that… Don’t lie, so are you planning on helping the Elves or Balor?”

To the realization of what I had just done everyone was then staring intently on the small golden necklace on Alysteir that had a small blue hue to it.

“Oh does this detect if I lie or something… You can ask anyone I never lie….Oh fine. No I’m not in league with the Elves I just truly wish to kill Balor.…..And I do want a little 1 on 1 match with you if we somehow manage to survive all this I mean… I’m sure you do too right?” – Alysteir

Realizing that she was in fact not lying I gazed intently back at the neko in front of me. If she wasn’t so powerful I would have already killed her in this cell. But with her overwhelming strength, she could also potentially help us greatly and save more lives.

I guess I can postpone my revenge for her another time. This entire situation leaves a bad taste in my mouth….’I have all this pent up aggression from what happened with this woman. With everyone and I just have let each of them go for what they’ve done to me it seems… I want to make them pay but….No…I’m going to be different than what they claim me to be. I’ll grant her mercy for now and repay her back later. I’ve been thinking of revenge just about everyday for the past year….. I’ve even made a few more I’ve sworn to kill since coming to this world before even meeting this neko. And honestly…I’ve come up with some pretty good ideas. But strangely this woman I just don’t understand. She’s not lying and simply wishes for another fight. What’s the sudden interest in me?’

She tortured me and said it was all by following orders. I can’t forgive that even if she is a woman. Even if those down in this dungeon even say she’s saved countless lives. Well with this collar on her I don’t need to worry about trusting her. Just odd she was telling the truth and simply wanted to fight me.

“What’s the interest in me?”

To my question she just smirked and peered back towards me while playing with her necklace.

“…You were holding back. Trying to protect the spectators most likely. I just wanted to see what the human’s got is all. ” – Alysteir

‘Again no reaction from the necklace at all.’

“That can’t be all.”

“I realized I was wrong…. Following orders from the enemy, not much else I could do in the situation but slaughter them all… and not a lot of time left anyway. “ - Alysteir

I looked back towards Commander Locke and nodded towards him it was ok to let her go but she shouldn’t be present at the meeting.  She can’t lie and in this state under Gleipnir there is no way she can attempt on mine or my allies lives. I however still can’t trust this neko and honestly just don’t want to see her face.

I won’t let her know what will happen if she tries to attack us and see what happens then. Then we can see just what sort of person she truly is.

“Hmph I never even thought of using that strange leash you have on Adimar…. Fine let’s adjourn to the war room. The leaders are meeting soon and we need to go over our preparations for the final battle. “ – Commander Locke

I nodded and we each left blue haired woman standing in her cell and left the floating prison.

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Cyanin’s POV:

‘So much has happened in such a short amount of time. It’s kind of hard to believe it could all be over so soon. Just a week ago I was sitting in our hut trying to take care of Daisy and Aurora. I hadn’t eaten in almost a week and I thought I was truly going to die soon myself. Before Vali came things were always so bad.  Since I was born our treatment was never really good but at least we were safe before the Fomorians forced everyone to flee to the lower floors. The only thing that made it possible at all to go on was trying to stay with my family for a little while longer. I love them all so much…’

Looking over my shoulder sitting next to Queen Cosmia was Vali. Our newest sibling, and the one who has given my family back to me. He’s even allowed our sister the ability to walk for the first time in her life and she’s here too with us today…I don’t even have the words to thank him for all he’s done. How could we not want to share what little we have with him?

Pixies are never really strong by ourselves. But we work together and we absolutely pay back kindness done to us.

When Vali healed Aurora and gave my sister her wings back, I promised myself to return my gratitude to this human. I even had prepared to die trying to protect him whenever we had gone hunting the first time incase he was in danger but we all survived. He had not only fought for us or in front of us, but alongside us. Now my disease is gone and for the first time in my life I have hope we can escape, we can win. Vali’s given us so much. All the other races would have asked what we could offer them for such amazing gifts…He simply treated us how we treat each other. That’s why we get along so well.

‘I was always so afraid before knowing him. When my siblings and I were forced to live on Floor One we had to learn to take care of ourselves. We each had just lost our parents and contracted such a horrible disease they tortured my siblings to create…. I told myself if I was ever brave enough to fight a Floor One Devourer I wouldn’t be scared of anything…. But now….’

I remember the third nest we came across on Floor One, Tanin had one of them, which then torched everything else before any of us could even join the fight. When I had gotten closer to see if any had remained, three of them had came up from underneath me and each tried to take me with them. Those slimy things can’t even scratch me now. My skin is even tougher than an Annunake’s fur at my level. My wings can now even defend against the attacks of Floor Bosses…..

Something just one week ago would have surely killed me. Looking down at my delicate thin hands my skin almost has a sleek shine to it now I could only smile.

‘I look so cool now! Luckily I was able to borrow one of my siblings Mithril Armor since she liked the Grootslang Armor more. I however like the Mithril so much better. With it my defense even raises by an extra 1000 than compared to wearing my Grootslang one due to my increased magic and defense. And with my Barrier Skill it sends my defense on the outside of my siblings to guard them against attacks. The stronger my defenses the stronger the barrier for my siblings will be and can even deflect some incoming attacks…. Vali was even surprised when I told him about this since if I ever receive 100 of those strange spider crystals my barriers could be unstoppable.

‘Muahahah! So far my Barrier can deflect most attacks besides the ones from Alysteir. She could destroy mine and even two of my siblings in less than a second. But soon I’m going to have a defense not even she can break. Then Tanin would have to admit my skills are by far the coolest.’

‘Cari said it must have all been destiny Vali and us had met. We just get along so well after all, our abilities are even the same…Well not quite the same. Vali’s is way cooler! It makes his enemies look at him with such fear! Some of my siblings are still scared of him, but those who were with us and met him in Anfang know he can be trusted unconditionally. We’re family after all. We wouldn’t even have these abilities without him….’

All the other races even look at of us now much differently than they had before. It’s almost as if it’s with respect… Even if it’s not Vali is someone who has made all of the race leaders respect him by his power alone….

Giving us such amazing things just for us. All because of our new big brother Vali, someone who caused even the Rank 1 to flee. The wingless pixie all the other race leaders look up to and can even laugh to the threats of gods. He’s why I believe we are going to get out of here.

The war room was brightly lit from each of those from my race standing inside of the base. It is really convenient and would have come in hand when we were stuck on Floor One all those months.  Each of the leaders would then continue to say a different plan of attack against Balor to finally take him and his army down. My mother told me that Balor brought a lot of rare monsters here thousands of years ago. He had collected them and turned them into Floor Bosses and monsters to inhabit this dungeon for the end of time. Some of them he created himself. If that’s the case then what Kai said was true and he himself is giving us the power necessary to destroy him.

“That’s no good. Those furry bastards would just come in take ya down before ya ever set that scheme up. Next!” – Kyrah

“….How bout we set up charges of the explosive ore that Pek found and cave in the ceiling on them?” - Ollie

“Not that either…” _ Commander Locke

Everyone in the room started shaking their heads in disagreement towards Olli’s suggestion.

“Doesn’t work. Don’t you remember our race did something similar back on floor 20? It’s got some protective barrier around the edge and the people who attempted that were all executed afterwards. Even if we could a bunch of rock and dirt isn’t gonna thin out their numbers at all. ” – Kyrah

Standing beside me where my siblings Kai, Cari and Bifrost. We are standing right behind Queen Cosmia who is seated next to Vali and the other leaders of each of the races of the Alliance.

Currently all the race leaders are seated at the large table in front of us along with their closest advisors and guards. The strongest people in this dungeon have all united together in this room. All but the Rank 1 who is currently locked up.

‘I still don’t get what her deal was. Why does she want to fight Vali? Regardless what she wants it’s not gonna happen. I wont let it, we can’t lose Vali. Pixies fight together and if she ever raises her sword to him again, Cosmia has ordered that we surround her in Kai’s new formation and melt her with our trump card. The only thing is each of us can use the skill but it has a 24-hour cool down. So we have to use the skill sparingly or else we could waste our opportunity to use it on Balor. Vali said we have to use it on him when he’s at his most vulnerable as he thinks it will surely hurt him. He said that’s how you’re supposed to use your trump cards. Never let your enemy know you have them and use it when the enemy has exhausted themselves fully. That way they can’t dodge or defend against it and it will surely finish them off. We’ve never really had a trump card before so it feels good now to have something to bring out incase things get too dangerous.’

Each of those in the room continued to say their plans and method of attack but would get shot down by another leader each time. No one could come up with anything effective or willing to pin our lives on…

“Listen we need to single out Balor and the rest will topple after. We need to compile a list of plans of attack. And if that doesn’t work, we’re going to the next one, and then if that doesn’t work we go to the next one, and so on down the line to this son of a bitch is dead. It’s no different than a normal boss run it’s just going to have a lot of useable factors we need to know in advance…Now… Izzie has thought of something rather interesting….” – Commander Locke

The Neko wearing glasses then walked up and placed a bunch of drawings on the large table and explained her idea of having Balor walk into a large trap in the Adamantine Mines on this floor. The entrance is big enough for something like Balor and they could have him enter through the city. She had a plan to seal the entrance and box him in. They would then surround and fire off an endless stream of attacks on him with everything we have until he goes down.

The Kyrah then smirked and interjected before Izzie could continue. She had over 10 Adlers standing behind her all of different races. Each of their levels were even around 300 and almost as high as Kyrah’s. According to what people say is that she’s very strong and even though she can’t use magic like us she can defeat people several levels over herself due to her overwhelming strength. ‘Hmph…but she’s not stronger than Alysteir…And we survived her with no injuries at all.’

“Listen I see all your fancy drawings there and can see how you put a lot of thought into this. But who’s holding back his army at this point? You’re talking about getting Balor to somehow let us surround em. He himself is going to be surrounded by his beasts? What’s to stop Balor from breaking the floor we’re fighting on? Hell what’s to stop Balor from resurrecting all the dead Floor Bosses? He’s just one threat… Listen I’m not against taking out the head honcho first and foremost…I’m just saying we need to know how to hold back his dogs as all of us together might not be able to do that...” - Kyrah

“I have a couple ideas on that...” - Vali

Every head in the room then turned and looked towards Vali. With a calm and resolute look he spoke about how we were going to single out Balor and subdue him.

Naturally we would need to take away his mana to make him helpless but according to Vali, Balor also has a barrier ability much like Vali’s. this is where he says things will get difficult.

Not only does he want to destroy the walls of the dungeon he wants to drop Balor into a hole. He said this while looking towards all of us.

“That’s where everything gets complicated. And where we need to combine everyone’s efforts together.  Now I liked that idea Izzie had but after watching something recently….Why don’t we drop him in a hole… but like a big one. Something like a cage similar to those plans you wrote up? “ –Vali

“Nya?... There would have to be something large enough. He’s roughly 20 meters tall…It would have to be something strong enough to hold him in that he couldn’t just break through…Nya! What about the floating prison? Just blow up the bottom of it nya and bury it.” – Izzie

“That would be way too damn heavy!  Even then how are we gonna dig a hole that big in a day!“ - Adler

“….”

Everyone then remained quiet as they too agreed this was another idea that was going to get shot down. It was a good plan but it would be difficult to get Balor to walk into a cage.  But like Val said it’s better to drop him in one.

“Oh I know…Daisy can do it.”

Everyone then looked up and towards me when I spoke up in the silent room.

“Oh yah. Daisy could easily do that. “ – Kai

No all of my siblings started giggling and decided to go out and get Daisy to come into the war room.

“Good idea Cyanin! This’ll work and we can drop big bad Balor in his own cell and crush him..” – Cosmia

“I agree we can even hide the hole possibly too… It could definitely work, it’s worth trying.” – Kai

Vale then flew over to the door to the war room and opened up the locks to go and find Daisy.

My siblings started getting excited and clap, which seemed to have angered one of the Adlers behind Kyrah.

Vali smiled towards us and then started to talk about our plans of attack against Balor once we trick him into falling into a hole. We would be responsible for hiding the hole and opening it up for Balor to fall into. Once he falls in we are going to drain him of all the mana he has and once his defenses and barrier are down he wants our race to come in and melt him.

Vali said this with absolute confidence in us to be able to hurt Balor. His words were calm but stern and he explained each method of how we were going to make Balor helpless by joint efforts of each of our races. Each race held a specific role but the number of attackers on Balor was actually quite low. Vali said this was to keep causalities to a minimum. The finale of this plan however had our race coming in and unleashing our divine skill to burry him in fire and after that we move to a different floor if we were unable to slay him.

Commander Locke squinted his eyes looking at the extent of this plan as it weighed heavily on his mind. He was already aware of our efforts were capable of holding off Alysteir for a short time but also only one of my siblings destroyed half a floor with her magic. That’s when she was at level 8. Vali believes that with our rise in level we are going to burn Balor alive with this fire. Now that I too have the skill I know just how mighty our flames truly are.

Even if all of the other races in this dungeon thought we were weak, he who was already strong saw us each of our lives as valuable and chose to take us away from this place after all of this. After all he’s done I can’t think I’ve ever wanted something so passionately before in my life…. Living here, hope is a difficult thing to possess but I feel now each of us have so much to live for now. A whole world is out there and no longer is the idea of leaving this place seem so….impossible.

Looking at my siblings faces they each look resolute in wanting to not only kill Balor but to also live up to Vali’s expectations. He thinks so highly of us and we truly want him to value us like we do him. ‘He’s just…Ugh…I just don’t have the words to explain it but I know that each of our hearts have nothing but love for him.’

Daisy then walked in shyly alongside Vale and showed everyone in the room her newest skill. With only waving her arms around in a series of motions the floor in front of her then dug a hole nearly 10 feet deep in an instant. She can actually push the earth below her down and her cast time has even improved since I last saw her do this.

Clap Clap

Clap!

“Good job Daisy.”

“You’re getting so much better.“ – Kai

Daisy had been practicing for a long time whenever she absorbed every colored crystal from the ones we received from the Jiji and says it’s the most fun she’s ever had. When her cheeks reddened she said she could even make it bigger if we wanted.

‘Daisy’s so cute. I don’t know what I would have done if Vali would have came here only a few days later….. I probably wouldn’t even be in this world any longer. ‘

“Listen do we have time to entertain this? I mean Balor is coming tomorrow! We could all be dead if this doesn’t work…and no offense but were pinning our hopes on the pixie race? You want to pin your hopes on their new fire magic vs Balor? This is a joke right? I mean we have stated you’re not a puppet right?” – Adler

One of the Adler species then stood up as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Well it depends on what you mean. If you guys are looking for the strongest and safest method to take him down with the least number of causalities than this is it. Obviously you haven’t heard of what these little guys are capable of yet.  I’ll spare ya the details but it’s an ability from something even older than a god and in 5 seconds their lowest leveled sister turned Floor 45 into waste. Something I bet a defenseless Balor would absolutely dread… he’s not a God anymore. I know this is hard to fathom but he’s weak because like us he too is tied to this world….He’s going to be strong which is why we need to combine everyone’s efforts together to take this thing down. And just so we’re clear…. If all the races in this room got in a fight right now…The ones who would come out of it in the end unscathed would most undoubtedly be these pixies… The difference between us all surviving or being completely annihilated rests on the shoulders of these little pixies…. “ - Vali

With that statement Vali then gestured down towards each of us. This action however caused each of us to smile at the confidence Vali shared in each of us. Something no one had done for us in our whole lives….’ Even I began to see myself as a worthless existence at one point but now…. I feel like…. I finally found my place in this world when Vali came into our lives. It was right where it always was, with my family, but now I was given the strength to defend it. And it’s not only me, some of my siblings each felt the same way.

‘…..’

My sisters beside me each smiled while looking up towards our new brother. Even Bifrost is starting to smile again and coming to trust him. She said she wanted to thank Vali for giving each of us our wings back but she is still waiting on how to say it. I don’t remember Bifrost ever being this way but she doesn’t talk nearly as much as she use to. She however wants to fight with us, so do all the rest of our siblings…and when we’re free we can go anywhere we want.

Vali wants us with him, just as we want to be with him. ‘Wherever we go after this I don’t care as long as we’re together. ‘

“Hmmm…. Wow weird he’s probably right.” – Kai

Even Kai seem perplexed by this but technically all of our healers beside Cari and Daisy are outside this room. We’ve each come to the understandings of our siblings words and know just how dangerous we’ve become. It’s to the point that we’re now even being told to hold back some of our abilities as we could potentially harm our higher leveled allies quite easily.

To these statements however the Adlers in front of us became enraged and each started to glare down at each of us. All besides Kyrah who was sitting in her chair smiling back.

“Hah! Are you even kidding! I will come over there ri….”

Kyrah then waved her arms to stop and started to speak up.

“That so… I did hear these little guys managed to survive and even hold back Alysteir. So…Say this plan of yours works…Not saying it will, it’s got a lot of what ifs and theories. Hell we don’t even know if your plan on our home floor is gonna work at all their just assumptions! But first off let me ask ya…Who’s gonna hold back all them furry fuckers while this first plan is underway white hawk?….” – Kyrah

As Kyrah waved her hands sarcastically all leaders in the room then turned to look towards Vali.

“Well…”

He then looked towards the small bird on his shoulder.

WHOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!M!MM!MM!M!M!M!M!M!!M!

A similar blinding light that outmatched even Cari’s flashed through the already bright war room.

There emerging in the blinding purple and white light was a tall and beautiful woman. She was holding a long golden and silver spear that all looked to shine along with her. Pixies just have a glow that surrounds them constantly but she sparkles and beams light. She’s just so…

‘So cool….Her armor is even floating beside her. I wonder what kind of defense it has….And feathers in her crown I thought of that!’

“Wha…” – Shen

“That bird was a woman?” – Cassandra

Some of Vali’s friends started to clamor on behind Vali about this but it was kind of hard to understand them.

“This here is Hjokk..She’s my pet bir…Ow!...Ok fine…She’s my companion. She’s almost as old as Balor and OW!....”

Hjokk then hit Vali again in the side of the head with her spear.

This action caused me and my siblings to each giggle to one another.

Hjokk’s funny. But Vali says that Hjokk is going to be responsible for holding off Balor’s army while we set up our first plan of attack. While this is happening we need to clean off as much magic and health from him as possible until we have enough blood to attack him with Vali’s skill. Hopefully by then it’ll be enough to kill something like him but Vali seems skeptical of that, which is why we have more back up plans already in place.

“Ok…well the number of my forces aren’t as high as I would have liked. Some decided to join my brother and even some don’t believe there is a battle incoming at all….If what your saying is true…It would be nice to not have to even send that many troops past the wall. But I can’t just accept this plan so readily… I have family and a kingdom that will be behind that wall as well. I must test you….”

Kyrah then got up from her chair and shot forth. Her large golden wings raised and she launched herself towards….Hjokk?

Then a bright golden light extended out from the tip of her spear and flashed remarkably fast.

BAM!

Kyrah then slammed on the ground not even 2 feet away from her chair. She then sank into the ground as if she had an unforeseen amount of weight delivered onto her.

“Mmm….Nnnnnnn…..Wha…what is this?” – Kyrah

All of the Adler leaders then jumped up and panicked as their leader was now looking almost immobilized and possibly injured. They each looked up in anger towards Hjokk who was still on the opposite end of the table standing in the same place as before.

Vali was even slightly amused by this as he didn’t even have time to step in and is even unsure of what happened.

“Your particular races use your wings to vibrate the air molecules around you into rapid motion. This method and your high wind resistance allows your species to accelerate yourself in a straight line rather quickly… But if your wings lose that ability and I use my wind pressure to force you down……You see how this isn’t even a fight.” –Hjokk

Hjokk then stood in the same spot as before confidently speaking to the King of the Adlers lying in front of her.

The Adler guards then became angry as if they were about to retaliate but then a loud laughter began to sound out throughout the war room.

“Ahahahaha! So you’re this strong! I’m not even in your league which is good for us…” – Kyrah

She then slowly got up acknowledging in Hjokk’s strength. Hjokk had then released whatever skill she had used on her to force her endless strength down. ‘She’s even this strong…’

My mouth was still wide open at this strength of this beautiful, armored woman.

“If she’s so strong why doesn’t she join our little suicide squad hit on Boss bitch?” – Kyrah

“That’s simple…If she was there then we would have to expend all of our forces we have to just to hold back the army itself. If that were possible our numbers would dwindle in minutes.  I doubt that wall could hold for very long either… This way we single him out and together weaken him. This plan is going to work….Trust me.” – Vali

“...Eh…What other shot do we got right? Alright…. I’m in…Let’s do this. “ – Kyrah

All the leaders around the room then nodded their heads in agreement and we continued to talk about each individual plan against Balor. Each attack we would rotate on who was attacking Balor and weakening him bit by bit. With what Vali has revealed to us it really feels like we can do this….We can win.

“Ok…Now whenever Balor gets close to the pit….Wait to engage. Let the illusion draw him in….We’re going to have to take out his ‘All Seeing Eye’ he keeps bragging about before this as we can’t risk him seeing through the illusions… He’s going to be chasing us in rage and won’t take notice to anything else. We’re going to take this attack from the pixies playbook and take him down a few pegs….Pixies like to herd their targets into a sort of kill box. Hit them from all directions as well as the sky. They surround and pierce the target till its done.” – Vali

“So not much different than how we Annunakes take down Bosses. Another simple Boss run only this time in our choice of location. “ – Boro

“Actually no I’m glad you brought that up. You annunakes tend to latch on and stay in place. You have a good defense and speed so it’s fine. But even if this thing is going to be helpless he could potentially still roll over and crush you. Hit him then immediately move on to the next location. There won’t be a whole lot of us fighting him but I believe in time we can wear him down, and by the time the illusion is down it should be game over….”

“……”

Everyone then stared down at the table of plans that had been laid out over the past few hours of planning and preparation. We were ready. Commander Locke, Vali and all of the other race leaders continued to add in detail of what each of them could do as our method of attack against Balor while even protecting those of us who couldn’t fight.

This was something the Jiji and the Arachnee each seemed quite thankful for due to them losing quite a large sum after Balor’s last attack….

They were each going to be responsible as the backline races that were alongside the young and several other rear units of Pixies, Annunakes, Reiki and Adlers would also be. This is also where Cari and several other of our family members will be.

I’m going to fight on the frontlines alongside Vali and my siblings against Balor.  

‘Hmph simply saying such things almost brings a smile to my face at how ridiculous those words are to still hear.’

So much has changed in a week, but I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. Even if it is my time, I’m going to make sure I hurt Balor severely for all of this. For all of the pain he’s brought my family over the thousands of years….I’m going to hurt him for every one of my family he’s taken. With all the power that Vali has given us and all the courage he has given me, I will not ever run away and I will be the shield that protects each of my family.

I continued to stare up towards my newest brother I’m so thankful to have met just one week ago…. Even if I die…as long as my family and Vali live past this... I’ll be truly happy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vali’s POV:

“Mmmm. Oh wow.. more please!” – Boro

“Yes thirds for me thanks!” – Ollie

Everyone continued to get in line and help themselves to a plate of Hydra meet. Boro along with several other Annunakes continued to stand in line even while eating their current plate.

After the meeting everyone went their own ways to prepare for tomorrow but we all met back on Floor One to have one final feast with all of the races joined together. There were 8,000 Adlers, 5,500 Nekos, 1100 Annunakes, 1400 Reiki, 2,000 Arachnee, 3,000 Jiji, 376 Pixies, 5 humans, 1 Valkyrie and 1 freak monster wolf.

The entirety of Anfang is lit up with the presence of all of the pixies and even in such a grim place everyone had looks of joy and ecstasy.  Their bodies themselves are natural light bulbs that extend outward in way that is easy on the eyes.

There’s even 1 Elf here. After deliberation we decided to let the elf out of her cage, as well as one other guest from that prison I’m not letting my eye off of. The Elf however has gathered a large some of not only Health Elixirs she has had Izzie and the other Away Team gather for us but even a good amount of Medium Grade Mana Potions that can replenish mana for the pixies and myself.

Each of us got two of those while everyone in the Alliance received 2 Medium Grade Health Potions and 3 Stamina Elixirs. She actually stated she wished to talk to me later about the Dawn Bringer crystal and potentially making it into an Elixir in itself. ‘ She said if it really could heal someone who couldn’t walk then Elixir manufacturing could save tremendously in materials. One Dawn Bringer crystal could potentially make hundreds of elixirs potentially, but it all depends on this strange Elf woman. She says she has been attempting to make the Titan Tear into a Mana Elixir but was for the most part unsuccessful.

We have given the warning for her to send to her allies that all that are not allied with the Dark Elves or Balor to come forward but none have so far. ‘Just gives me a bad premonition is all….’

As I continued to turn the meat and season it I got to meet a lot of those who lived in this dungeon. Not only the warriors and military leaders of each race but the commoners as well. I was even able to meet Cameron’s wife and their baby boy Reiner.

There was actually a large number of those who chose to simply live out there days in this dungeon accepting their fates.

However even if they didn’t have the same honed skills and reflexes as the elites of this dungeon everyone here was from a race that excelled in something quite spectacular.

Most of them were still weary about me being a puppet and didn’t even eat the food until after they saw the reactions everyone was making. They were wearing such looks of sorrow and fear of the ever-looming doom lurking above our heads somewhere.

Everyone now though are making faces of joy as the rich flavors of home made wine and food were warming each of their hearts.

Giving them hope…

Many after this tried to greet me and introduce themselves while asking questions about the Floor Boss I defeated or what the outside of the dungeon is like.

Many of them tried to treat me with the same reverence as they did with the race leaders. I however ignored it for the most part and enjoyed the tranquility and peace I gain while cooking. ‘ I wonder what my family is doing right now….’

“I must say Vali I didn’t take you for the cooking type. But whatever this Hydra dish is, by far best thing I’ve ever tasted….” – Alysteir

The slim figure of Alysteir then lurked her way next and line for a second helping.

I then made another helping quietly for Alysteir and then turned back to seasoning the meat. The hydra meet we obtained was brought back from the Ice floor by the Jiji. A few pixies and Annunakes went along with them for protection and even brought back a couple hearts for me as well.

My Ice affinity rose up by 3% and I even gained an interesting passive ability known as Ice Coffin. If I was ever critically injured and close to death, my body would immediately go into a subzero state and keep me alive until I am fully recovered.

The ice formation it surrounds me in is incredibly tough as well. They said the monsters who made these use to be a real time consuming to finally take down but the pixies fire was just so overwhelming. That’s just what magic is. I can’t imagine the possibilities of these pixies. I know the central continent has a lot of powerful mages so its good to have those adept in magic so close by.  

The second ability I gained was also something interesting.

Ice Veins (Passive)   Skill Cost: 7,000 MP       Cooldown Time: 12 hours

Turn the blood that flows throughout your body into pillars of ice drastically increasing your personal defense.

20% Rise in Defense

45% Reduction to Agility

Again I gained another ability that raises my stats based on my level instead of a set number. Skills a beginner would normally get in the game would increase Strength for 50 for a short time or something of the like…. This ability does heavily reduce my Agility but with all the defensive abilities I’ve gained since finding this dungeon are priceless in a world as dangerous as this one. With Toughened Exterior, Adamantine King Fortification, Fomorian Hair, Ice Veins and in my awakened state my defense would rise by 270% for a brief period of time with 35% reduction to all damage and increased resistances.

‘I’m really not going to find skills this good outside of this place but I feel confident that that it should take a lot to physically be able to take me down……Even if it’s this neko…..

“Glad you enjoy it.”

“Oh I think everyone truly does. It even raised everyone’s stats by quite a bit too. My healing ability has now risen to 20 a second. I must say if I ever knew such interesting things could’ve came from cooking….You do realize this only makes our little scramble after all this only more difficult don’t you?” – Alysteir.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“True…But cause of that nice little leash ya got on I’m expecting you to be a good little kitty and not do anything dumb. If you recall I took that ring the Dark Elves gave you so any time you’re ready….”

“Mph…Quite…. I hear those bones of yours came from a particular skill of yours….. I admit I was wrong to have misjudged you Vali. … – Alysteir

“You’re not about to apologize are you?”  

That would be a laugh. I can’t see this woman apologizing. I however do see her as being quite the calm and calculating individual… She even gave herself up at the slightest possibility she’d survive by joining forces.

“…I doubt someone like you would care for an apology or not. Which is why I decided on giving you the next best thing…A chance at a little revenge. But you’ll have to earn it hero boy.” – Alysteir

‘Is this neko for real?’

She then walked away with her tail swaying and enjoying her plate full of Hydra meat while humming…. As if she didn’t have a worry in the world.

‘I feel after this if I don’t kill her, leaving her trapped in here for eternity sounds kind of nice...’

Everyone continued to feast and eat on the Hydra meat and gasp loudly as their stats were rising. Some  even thought they were drunk as their stats continued to change with every bite.

After Boro finished his 4th helping, his health had risen by 1,000, his healing regeneration had risen to 25 every second and an increase in 50 in Intellect and 25 in Wisdom. All in all if everyone here gained these abilities it could really help out keeping everyone alive. While 25 is nowhere close to mine and the pixies level of regeneration, it is enough that stacked alongside the Hydra armors can potentially make them heal almost 5,000 a minute.

Looking around to everyone behind Alysteir everyone on Floor One was enjoying their final feast in this place with a similar attitude of Alysteir.

The Arachnee who had just finished making all the Hydra Armors were now each enjoying their meals with bright red faces as they enjoyed every bite. They had presented 25 Hydra Armors to each race leader while mostly all of the Jiji, Pixies, Arachnee and members of the Away Team received one for themselves.

It was the cost for their efforts on this and no one seemed to question it. Each race agreed to this and were simply thankful for this added ability that could potentially save their lives. Every race leader also received an astonishing 58 Shock armors each.

The race leaders and I each received a particular hydra shirt that had a white v necked collar.  It was different than the other armors and was called Hydra Armor X by each of them.

Somehow the Arachnee queen made these Hydra Armors herself and due to her being a Master Tailor and supporting skills the Hydra Armor’s were made with the White Hydra leather and each healed the wearer 5,000 health per minute which is a full 2,000 health difference than its predecessor.

There was even enough scrap Hydra parts to make underwear for the pixies as they had hoped. Now however they can’t stop scratching themselves as they aren’t use to the feeling I guess.

Each of them were eating alongside their siblings and enjoying the huge meal in front of them. Some of those we saved continued to eat until their bellies had swelled. They simply devoured their plates in tears as they got to eat as much as they wanted. It was an image that warmed their siblings and my own hearts

Sitting next to them were groups of each of the races sitting alongside each other and laughing to one another and enjoying themselves. To them it was their last night in this place forever or even living. But right now they were truly celebrating coming together and leaving this place for good.

I could see Malfius eating alongside his son. He had just came back after bringing dinner to the prisoners and mainly his daughter Meifeng. We still plan to save the puppets somehow but that’s all if what Balor said was not a lie.

With the help of Reinma, some of the pixies and other races we prepared the feast together and my Cooking Mastery finally rose to Advanced Level 3. It was enough that the Hydra meat, which almost tastes similar to spicy salmon, came out to simply disintegrate in your mouth upon every bite. The texture of the meat gave each bite such a juicy and savory flavor of enjoyment. We didn’t care how Balor was preparing for the world to be destroyed. This is how we were enjoying our last night together here.

Everyone was eating and drinking everything they owned to enjoy their final pleasures before the big battle. They simply ate and drank without care… A lot of them thought it was meaningless to continue to worry and even started dancing.

“Hello Vali….Look who wanted to come say hello.” – Kyrah

Looking towards the tall figure of Kyrah while walking behind her were her select guards. One was a tall Adler that had the head of an eagle while the second was slightly shorter with dark black hair. He had 4 wings coming out of his back and odd markings on his face. Each of them had talons and were each taller than me. Kyrah  walked up while gingerly holding her young sister.

“Friend…” – Ikaros

Ikaros’s eyes grew and she reached out her small arm towards me. I could clearly hear her speak which is completely different than she was just yesterday. Reaching out my hand I clasped her tiny hands in Kyrah’s arms and observed her new complexion. Her hair was still almost all gone and she still only had one feather on top of her head but her overall health seems much better… She’s still missing a few teeth but it’s odd how charming this little girl is her eyes are simply so breathtaking for a little girl.

“Hey Ikaros…. You’re speech seems to be sounding a lot better now. “

“That’s true… She’s learning so quickly in fact. Her big sister is quite proud of her isn’t she….” – Kyrah

“Eehee! Chirp! Chirp chirp!”

Kyrah seriously dotes on her little sister as she squeezed her tighter against her large round chest which only caused Ikors to giggle and make those same chirping sounds.

“Oh speaking of…. Do any of your guards or anyone have a Dawn Bringer dagger on them.”

I then told Kyrah what happened with Cari and how with the effects of such a small smoothed crystal gave me the ability to fix her entirely. Cari was born without any feeling in her legs and this crystal repaired all of that. Even if Ikaros had some mental disorder or sickness since she was born I’d be willing to bet this could potentially heal something like that. Though the pixies absorb the magic inside the crystals differently than if I were to just use it on someone with my recovery ability. I assume this would be our best option at this point.

Kyrah then turned to her left to the tall Adler with an eagle for a head.

“Ugh…But this cost me a lot….I saved up for months…” – Adler

Kyrah didn’t say a word but only continued to stare on towards the Adler next to her.

“Ugh…Fine…”- Adler

He then took it out and handed it to me.

As I turned away from the hot fire in front of me we made to cook, I placed my hands on Ikaros’s small almost bare head.

‘Oh wait…’

“Boro! Hey come over here a minute.”

I then yelled for Boro to finish his food and come over. As he approached I pointed my other arm towards him.

As I activated my skill the whole room again shined similarly to the time it had when I healed Cari. The light gushed towards each of them and blinded everything in the floor for a brief moment.

Only whenever the light had disappeared and the blindness had ended the child in front of me was not the same as before.

Ikaros now had a full head of short purple hair with green bangs. What emerged from the priceless crystal from an ancient being and my recovery magic from a Goddess of Beauty was a beautiful Adler girl staring back towards me. She now has very small purple and lime green feathers coming out of the side of her ears and seems to look completely healed.

Watching this each of the Adlers just stared off in amazement and back towards me. Each of these Adlers I have yet to meet and some of them may have still held some hostility towards me over the suspicion I was a puppet. Practically everyone did until they tried my cooking…. They waited until people like Commander Locke or even Alysteir to eat it.

Now each of the Adler’s faces were simply awe struck by the sudden change in one of their own. She was even said to be from a race of their kind that is almost extinct in this place.

“….Ikaros…You look so pretty!” – Kyrah

“Incredible…” – Four winged Adler

Kyrah then continued to grip her sister tighter and tighter and I believe now that whatever was wrong with Ikaros has to be fixed now. If not I can only fix it with time, but by the looks of things everything inside and out seems to be perfectly healthy….

‘It’s as if the endless mana supply coming from the tear rewrote over all of the damaged or weak cells throughout her body until it was new, stronger than before…’

Staring back up at Ikaros and eye with a bright smile and rosy red cheeks began to raise her voice in an odd frequency.

It almost sounded similar to the chirps she made before but now it sounded like a gentle melody and whistled out her tiny nose.

Boro however had not grown his arm back. His entire body however did appear to lose all of the scars and wounds that riddled his body and made him look much more sleek.

“I’m sorry Boro… I assumed that might’ve worked.”

“Do not worry Alpha… I never thought I could grow back like those pixies seem to anyways. It will not slow me down in battle I assure you… I have however been talking to that human over there. Though I’m not fully sure what he’s been saying I do believe it’s possible to have artificial arms made like his possibly…. ” – Boro

Boro then pointed towards Shen who had just walked over.  Thinking on it they both lost the opposite arm so it’s no wonder they’d have something to talk about.

As I heard them continue to talk Shakko had walked by while filling his plate with more meat.

“Seriously though this thing has so many benefits… It’s like having a shield that you can punch people with…” – Shen

“He’s right. He’s mostly just excited to have another hand touch his penis this his actual hand.” – Shakko

As he said this he walked back to his table. Shen however just ignored it and continued to try and communicate with Boro who didn’t seem to understand him much at all. Shen thinks once your drunk enough language barriers don’t matter much anymore.

“Kyrah…So happy.” – Ikaros

“Me too sweetie…Me too..” – Kyrah

Looking back up towards me the golden haired beauty had tears in her eyes. She reached out in front of me and then a bright green glow came into view.

“NO! You can’t kiss him!” – Cyanin

“I wasn’t going to kiss him. I was going to hug the man who healed my darling little sister. Is there a problem with that?” – Kyrah

“Yes…Didn’t you remember what we said last time. You must ask permission!” –Aurora

“Oh is that right…” – Kyrah

“We won’t let you steal him!” – Cosmia

‘Now Cosmia’s walking up too?…. Why does it always turn into something?’

Just then Sting and the other 3 had now walked up.

“Vali, how is this possible. To achieve such flavor and even such incredible effects from the meat….You could open up a restaurant and retire at an early age if we ever get out of here. They could even call me the unstoppable swordsman with healing like this!” -  Master Shen

“I think someone else might have that title right now actually.”

Smiling to myself I turned back around to the food in front of me I was preparing. According to Sting and these three something like being able to obtain permanent stats from eating monster meat is also unheard of to them.  The Cooking Profession isn’t looked on too highly by anyone other than the nobility.

So this is something that so far, we may be the only ones who know of how to do it. Each of these three ate until they stopped receiving stats from the food and even finished their plates afterwards. Each of them was quiet for now but they seemed truly perplexed by this cooking skill, which grants them small power from a legendary monster.

Cassandra then started dancing around for some odd reason that even made the pixies in front of her laugh a bit at her. ‘What is she doing?’

“Hmph…I told em the pixies would kill them if they didn’t play with them…What? It’s kept them off me all day long so I don’t see what’s the Wha! Ughh!!!” –Sting

Sting then sat back on the small rock behind him and then fell back over onto the ground. He spilled his plate onto his lap and looked back up in anger.

“You!” – Sting

Looking up he then glared at Jade who was only a few feet away.

“Heehee…I got Sting!”- Jade

Sting then got up and started to chase the small dark green pixie that then flew away.

These four were going to be in the Rear guard alongside the largest number of people at 18,000. If they can’t even stand up to one of these things I don’t even want to risk them in this fight. Not only would they not be able to help it would look bad if I returned to the King with his dead guards. So they will be in the Rear Guard behind the wall.

I however will be fighting with each of the race leaders to take on Balor. These are the people I will be fighting against a god with tomorrow…..

‘I must say I never saw my life coming to this. Nor did I ever see this as being my end. I should feel more fear but I feel confident in this plan. I feel confident in bringing this sicko down. I will see my family again because I won’t allow myself to fall here. If allow myself even an attosecond of giving up then I know I will truly never leave this place.’

It took almost all day but we have successfully buried that large prison of Adamantine that was floating above their walled city. It has even been covered up with a large layer of dirt. It is however hidden and slightly away from the walled city as we don’t want Balor to use any skills to see past the illusions we’ll have in place before hand.

I was almost too wrapped up in thought to notice now Queen Nhaili and her guards have each joined in on the conversation between Kyrah and the pixies.

“Oh seems intriguing gupp….Ooo….So if I decided to make this final night a little more enjoyable what would you little munchkins have to say about that?” – Queen Nhaili

“Noooooo!” – Daisy

Turning around I can now see Daisy ran over to hug me while several other pixies are trying to stand out in front of Kyrah and Queen Nhaili.  ‘ Seriously? ‘

[You seem to be getting popular down here.]

‘Hmph seems like it. ‘

[You’ve gained some terrifying allies Vali. Even in this world…I believe these individuals to be quite strong. Brynhildr selected this particular race due to their loyalty to one another I was told. In the old war….They fought at her side and killed many gods together with her. Bryhildr killed 16 deities and a Dragon Emperor within the span of one day with the help of these things. The Dragon Emperor and 10 of the deities were heavily wounded by these pixies before she had finished them off. ]

I continued to have a chat in my head with Hjokk while everyone continued to chat to one another.

‘So there were even dragons in this old war too then. Just the thought of it makes me think this fight here must seem so small to you.’

[Yes…there were dragons. They were existences frighteningly strong as the gods themselves….Though Loki chose to downgrade them in the game heavily as your world seems to love the idea of them for some reason…. I think they even had something of gods themselves if I recall… Though they definitely didn’t fight for our side. The Dragons who currently live on Middle Earth are some who fought in the Old War and the descendants of those same primal beings that sit at the top of their race. They’re not much different than you and many of the others in this place by that regard….]

‘So no luck in asking their help either huh …Guess the party is just gonna have to filled with demi god wolves, super charged pixies with powers from Asgard, and a half demon like me….

[Are you being sarcastic…Well and if I recall I believe the term Loki used to describe you was Nephlim.]

‘Nephlim huh? And just a bit….. I mean not even Loki or your sister Brynhildr won’t come down to help. Something tells me even if they were aware they wouldn’t move. Fear of descending I feel…. Are they going to sit by and watch as the world is potentially destroyed by one of their own? ’

That name sounded somewhat familiar but I started to barrage Hjökk a little as the wine may have started to kick in.

[….I am not sure of Loki’s intentions, but he cannot descend as of now according to his plans. However, Brynhildr upon finding this out would surely move. She was never the same after these pixies had all left her, she believed so readily that some had even survived, she kept a lot of their things to give back to them whenever they reunited…. That was quite some time ago though.]

‘His plans huh… Sometimes I wonder just what these plans of his really are….Well it’s not like we can hope for their assistance. What do you think our odds are for tomorrow.’

[Honestly?]

‘Humor me.’

The pixies continued to argue with Kyrah and dance with Cassandra. Fenrir was eating platefuls of more and more meat. The other race leaders were gathered around each other and enjoying their food and drink.

[If all of what we believe to be true and work out…20%.]

‘That confident are we.’

[I’m just being honest. Even with what you say is true, he won’t be an enemy we can take down in one shot like we have Vali. That is if he even allows this trick to work on him….He’s very intelligent and this is his domain, your move is more of a trick and this place works to keep him alive. He won’t go down with a few swings of your weapon but …. Since he is tied to this world’s law…. If we get his health to 0 that’s it. Regardless of how vast his powers of darkness may be he will die.]

‘That’s all we can hope for then. Worst case scenario we all warp out of this dungeon and take the fight to him in a different location. If we can just take out his eye, even in my mythologies I remember reading something about it being very bad, too bad you can’t remember anything about that. If we can take it out though then all the illusions we’ll have set in place could potentially end this quickly.’

“Ok, everyone listen up! Commander Locke would like to say a few words.” – Neko

Just then a neko stepped out and yelled. Behind him the image of Erwin Locke then stood up on one of the rocks to address the crowd gathered here on Floor One.

“We decided to have our final feast on Floor One tonight to remind us all of where we all started…. This is where it began…Almost 3,000 years ago our ancestors were all warped to what is now the City of Anfang and dropped to level 1. Told if they ever wished to leave this place it would be by using their own power. These words echoed in the ears of those who were lost to this place so long ago…. But they did not yield, they did not choose to crawl into a dark corner to stay in this place forever .…. They chose to fight. To conquer…. To win! For this moment! For this opportunity. They did knew soon that in this place wouldn’t be something they would be able to conquer in their own lifetime but they continued on….For our Sake!....” – Commander Locke

Each word Commander Locke spoke with was filled with passion and emotion. I could feel the crowd around me continue to be drawn in by his uplifting words and inciting our will to live, to fight.

“This is where it began…. And this is where it’ll end. We’re going to leave this place finally….” – Commander Locke

All eyes on this floor including my own were drawn to him as he walked throughout the crowd and peered into the eyes of each of his men as well as the commoners and children.

“We came here together… At some point our kinds drifted apart. We lost many, from feuds, quarrels… Several of our races have left us and we are what remains of our ancestors legacies…. But lady luck has decided to pay us all visit!…. We get to skip all the hassle of clearing the next 36 levels and jump all the way to the Final Boss early….” – Commander Locke  

“That’s right!” – Ollie

“Here! Here!” – Malfius

“We are no longer strangers trapped in the same place… We are a family… Treading into the darkness together… To never return?…Or to come out on the other side, and survive.” – Commander Locke

Commander Locke then turned and looked to me.

“We’ve been in fear this monster has been lurking in the dark all these years, well very soon we are going to get to pay everything back. He will fear us…. We are going to get vengeance that all of our parents, our families, friends..... Know that by tomorrow when you will be dining with your loved ones, whether it is in the afterlife or not, it will NOT BE HERE!” – Commander Locke

“ “  “WOOOOHHHHHH!!!” “ “

Locke then raised his fist in the air, which caused a number of people to cheer. Everyone agreed that regardless if they lived or died it would no longer be in this hellhole they have been trapped in for thousands of years.

“And let us raise our glass to the one who will be helping us put foot to ass tomorrow…. The so called puppet I’m sure many of you have already heard all about. ” – Commander Locke

As he raised his other hand, which held a drink, everyone around me then did the same. Now all eyes of everyone on Floor One were on me.

“To the ones who have dove into the darkness to help our poor trapped souls. To the ‘puppet’ who has given us hope. To some of us our family. To the rest of us our friend. From this day let everyone who has gathered here today drink, fight, and die together.” – Commander Locke

With his eyes locked directly with mine he then took a drink of his glass.

Everyone then took a drink of the wine that some of them had made and brought for everyone to enjoy. Several nekos had been saving it for a special occasion but felt today was their last day alive possibly so why not enjoy it. Everyone no longer cared for their homes, their belongings, or treasures they’ve held onto for so long. Everything no longer mattered as tomorrow was the moment of truth their races have been waiting for a long time.

As odd as all of these races actually are…’I’m proud to fight alongside them against a common enemy.’

As everyone continued to chatter after Commander Locke’s speech everyone then began to dance around the large bonfire that had been set by the pixies. Each of the races were all together and for the first time in ages for them they no longer saw any stigma in each other. They no longer cared who had the upper hand over the other.

For once they were all united against the same common goal, not only to escape but to conquer. To avenge the monster who has held them down for an eternity for each of them. That hatred they have alone is what makes them no longer fear death. It’s either going to be them all dying or them walking out of this dungeon over the back of Balor’s dead corpse.

“Vali….It is time.” – Adimar

As I was still standing next to the small cooking area from before Adimar, Akino and several other men and women Annunakes all came forward. All of them were adorned with war paint on their faces and eyes as well as ceremonial designs all over their large chests and arms. In front of them were every other Annunake with matching war paint all over their white fur.  In his arms was a large, silver saber with the same glyphs all over the blade.

Each of them wore silver garbs hanging off their waists while showing off their large muscular beast like forms.

Standing next to Adimar was Akino who was holding a small pillow with a silver crown of horns sitting on it. It looked like a large golden ring with small silver and golden tipped horns coming out of the sides. In the center of the golden ring was a small silver stone. It looked like a diamond but it was platinum silver.

“What’s going on?”

To my question the pixies too now were no longer quarreling with Kyrah but now listening to what Adimar and all the Annunakes had joined together to say. The Annunakes had joined in a long line leading up to where Adimar and Akino both stood.

Walking up next to me Boro stood looking downward toward me and stated.

“Sons of Amarok. Daughters of Fei… To our Alpha only do we kneel.” – Boro

The one armed Annunake then kneeled down along with every other Annunake behind him. This all leading up to where Adimar and Akino stood.

All men and women of this race were currently kneeling in front of me and looking back at me with their bright silver eyes.

Other than the race leaders the majorities of those present wore a shocked look as all this was going on. Most of those present were not aware of my presence until today. Some knew me as the puppet but right now many are just now seeing me as being anointed in some way. Boro then told me to scratch each of their stomachs to signify not my dominance but their unity with me.

“Stick out your chests in pride warriors of the great Divine Wolf. Now the Alpha; Hunter of all, only do we follow.” – Boro

To Boro’s statements all of the Annunakes then stuck out their chests and waited for me to scratch their bellies. ‘Well whatever, if this is going to help them follow orders better in battle and follow me then why not. Loki was right but he made it sound like they were simple dogs. This race appears to be very ritualistic and come from a long line of history that dates back for millennia.

Looking towards the shocked faces of Sting, Cassandra and the other two comic book characters, I continued to walk forward and scratch each of their stomachs as I walked towards Adimar and Akino.

The pixies were all gathered around the side and flying around while they watched while every other race sat in silence towards what was happening. Kyrah and the other race leaders even seemed to stand in silence over what was happening. The Annunakes regardless of their recent actions have demanded a lot of respect in this dungeon. One that has given them the ability to name themselves as ‘Legendary’ and no one would question it. The front line of this dungeon for thousands of years. I already had the support of the pixies now I can gain the full support of this race as well.

Regardless of each of them kneeling down they come up to only a few inches shorter then me. Their bodies and legs are simply so large my vision hardly has to lower at all. Each of them was in their beast form and had white silver fur. The woman even looked to have become slightly more beastly with wildly bushy white hair and thin white fur all over their limbs and body especially around their hands.

As I got closer to the front of I came across roughly 20 Annunakes who were each disfigured and held bandages all over their faces and bodies. Their bodies had a dark deformity around their fur and wounds, which were wrapped in bandages. Each of their faces looked hardly Annunake at all and some of them barely even looked fit for battle.

‘I recognize these faces…. These are the Annunakes who attacked me along with Adimar and Akino… Akino had mentioned they had all survived but most who had been latched onto me had been heavily injured by my Abysmal Mist. This unit was considered the Elite Annunakes who fought right under Adimar and were considered the absolute strongest team in this dungeon at one point. Before Alysteir took the reign before they had lost their Elkia brethren, they were considered the strongest of the once ‘Legendary’ race and chose to live on Floor One with Adimar in his banishment.’

This was considered the genius generation that held the hopes and dreams of this dungeon at one point, and each of these Annunakes would have been potential Alpha candidates would it have been any other period of time.

As I walked past them and scratched their destroyed bellies I activated my healing on each of them. The light left my hands and healed the wounds and cured the black destroyed fur around their mouths, eyes and arms.

‘I need them all at 100%. I know they’ve done wrong to me. Alysteir, these dogs, even Meifeng who we are holding in another cell on the Arachnee’s home floor, have done wrong to me…. I can admit each of them had good reason to suspect me because of my bones and I also admit I need them to kill Balor, but I can never forget what they have all done to me. Whether they were trying to save their loved ones, follow orders, or what… I cannot forget what they have done but I need them to help fight. If I were to kill them I might as well do the same to Alysteir. But she is potentially as dangerous as an army by herself. Even if it keeps this bad taste in my mouth I need get as many out as I can and if forcing or coercing them to help me then why not. If my first act of becoming their Alpha would be to kill each of them would also look bad but I feel none of them did what they did out of hatred but only out of fear of what I could be….I  also understand that each of the races down here meant no hatred towards me, but simply have backed into a corner for a very long time and didn’t have the luxury to trust strangers.’

“Thank you Alpha.” – Annunake

“Thank you Alpha” – Female Annuanke

“Thank you Alpha” ….It continued to ring out as I passed each of them and they realized my act had meant I chose to forgive them. Their tails would sway and their hair would grow out long and glossier than it had been before. It was the effects of a recovery ability from the Goddess of Beauty.

I then got up to the front and then scratched the stomachs of Akino and Adimar.  

They each then stood up as did all of the Annunakes I passed and turned around towards us.

Adimar then took the saber and cut his hand. As he looked towards me he smirked back with his eye patch and looked down at me. He whispered towards my ear.

“Since I know you wouldn’t  go for flashy ceremonies just repeat after me ok hmph…. Anywhere you go…I go.” – Adimar

“Anywhere you go… I’ll go.”

As I continued to repeat these words everyone looked at Adimar began to wipe the blood on his long white claws and reached towards me. He wiped in three long motions down my face and spoke again.

“Anywhere you die…. I’ll Die. “ – Adimar

As I twitched Adimar had claimed to just say them.

“Anywhere you die…I’ll die.”

‘I can just feel Hjokk’s angry gaze burning into the back of my skull right now. But I’m sure she’s got at least 3 plates in front of her so I should be ok for say another minute…’

“To the new Ru Ru Kai... Alpha to the on high. Let us howl to moon beyond this sky to our new Alpha the one who will eat the heart of the fool who has trapped us here for so long.” – Adimar

Adimar then reached down and picked up the crown with thorns on the sides of it and then put it on me.

HOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

Immediately afterwards he and all of the Annunakes began to howl. The loudness echoed throughout Floor One and almost shook the ground floor.

Fenrir too heard this and jumped up and began to howl as well, all while putting a small crown on my head.

Moonlight Crown of Fei Durability 1200/1200         Ancient Class

Defense + 25

Stamina  + 250

Intellect + 100

Wisdom + 100

Courage + 150

Light and Healing Magic will now be two ranks higher in mastery while wearing the Crown of Fei: The Grace of the Moon.

* Stamina of the pack will reduce 25% slower while wearing the Moonlight Crown of Fei

* Stamina of the pack will rise by 40% while wearing in accordance with Annunake Alpha Ring

I could almost feel myself feeling stronger while wearing this. It even raises my courage.

Congratulations! You have gained a new title!

Alpha of the Legendary Annunake

Health + 1,000       Strength + 35    Wisdom + 25      Intellect + 25

* If Annunake Alpha Ring and Alpha Crown of Fei are both worn alongside this Title all Attack Damage from the pack will rise by 50%.

* Under the Moonlight All Attack Damage of the pack will rise to 100%.

* 15% rise in Mana Absorption from the pack while wearing Annunake Alpha Ring

‘Wow…I wasn’t expecting all of that. If I recall their stats increase by 150% when they’re in beast mode. Underneath the full moon outside their stats even rise by another 150%. With these equips and title the stats of the pack’s attack damage will even increase. So right now their stats are up 160%. Each floor even during the daytime gives them a natural 10% increase due to the darkness element of the dungeon. Once there is a crescent moon they gain another 15%. A full moon their stats rise by 25%, but the moon on their floor gives them a 60% rise in all stats.  Outside though during the nighttime it would rise by another 150%. It pretty much makes my Awakening skill look weak as they have a stacking Berserker skill that seems quite convenient.  Even though I can use my skill at all times of the day and night theirs benefits them quite well and quadruples all their stats…. Not just Defense and Strength. But I blame this on their bloodline. ‘

Even my healing magic will go up by two skill masteries while wearing this odd crown piece.

Outside this dungeon, underneath the moonlight and with my equips that means their Agility and all other stats would almost quadruple? They’re naturally a bit faster than me right now so doing the math on that and rounding up…. Over 50,000 in Agility? During the Full Moon and alongside me who would attack my land at night? Is this real?

My eyes widened at this thought I had never realized until now. I wonder what Alysteir’s Agility is for that matter….No way it can be over that. I mean I get she’s a monster and considered a genius of geniuses but no way it’s that high. I should have checked some of her items before we let her out of her cell and gave them back to her.

Thinking of the possibilities I continued to hear the howls of the large beast race who had each come up to greet and thank me for healing them. I told them not to think anything of it and just to pay it in fighting with everything they had tomorrow, which they each simply agreed.  Every one of them were taller and more muscular than me, but each stared down at me with absolute respect.

I walked back to where the food was and Reinma and several others had taken over. I had already used a couple green crystals the elf had in her inventory, which helped, and I was able to use it on the meat during the prepping process.

“Oh Vali I um…I made you something too.” – Karma

Walking up towards me was the young Karma who was practically eye to eye with me now. Handing me a small bracelet was a small black claw with a red vein.

She told me that she had worked very hard on it and finally gained the ability this morning. Handing me the small bracelet she smiled.

Karma’s Bracelet

Defense + 2

Strength + 5

Courage + 6

Upon scratching yourself with the Dark Claw from a slain monster your feeling of Pain will decrease by 30%.

“I know it’s not as good as you’re other equips but I just really wanted to make you something to say thank you. For everything…” – Karma

I thanked Karma for her gift and put it on my opposite hand, which caused her to smile. I was honestly amazed how she was able to add stats to an item she created. She said she’s now in the Beginner stage of Item Creation, which intrigues me by quite a lot.

“Thank you Karma…This means a lot.”

To my statement Karma gave me a bright smile and nodded her head before walking back over to her mother.

I ‘d ask Pek about this Item Creation skill but he’s currently busy right now. To the point that he left after he got his first plate. He said he wasn’t done with his inventions. He said I would know what that is very soon.  

Now along with my two crosses on my neck, my body is covered in accessories. ‘I was never really an accessories guy back home. Well when in a magical world.’

“Vali! Look at what Adimar brought all of us.” – Cosmia

Walking up now was Cosmia holding a small sack of magical crystals. Inside were about a dozen small yellow crystals.

“He came to apologize and went hunting on Floor Seven for a monster there. It’s the same floor that gives the crystal Tanin got his fire from. Isn’t that nice now we have enough for all of our siblings we saved to have a yellow one.” – Cosmia

‘That was rather nice. If I recall the pixies said they hunted up to Floor 6 but had trouble and it was taking too much time on Floor 7 and stopped hunting due to the difficulty increasing. They just felt since they had the ability to hunt on higher floors due to their unique formations and skills then why not do that since time was of the essence.’

Adimar and many of his kind have also been getting ready and in a days time they actually gathered 12 of these yellow crystals.

What these Annunake’s probably didn’t know was that just earlier today while looking through my inventory I had searched through everything I had. I wanted to see if there was anything that we could use against Balor, preferably something of Malthiels.

Everything in that small chest Loki gave me look to have been hundreds of odd ingredients of things I’ve never seen and several heavily cursed items I couldn’t even touch. There were things like Unicorn Horns and Psyclop’s Cursed Eye. I attempted to take out this large staff with a golden crown and skull on top of it but the moment I went to touch it I received all sorts of internal warnings and even Hjokk instructed me not to touch it as she had never seen a curse magic like it before and it would be wise not to test it. That’s how it was with most of Malthiel’s objects in there sadly. I don’t know what a King Reaper is other than some death agent for Hades but he dabbled a lot in black magic too apparently.

Besides his books on Death Magic and lots of Hex Bags that I was instructed not to take out there really wasn’t much useful information. But I did find that I had completely missed something the first time I browsed the drops. In the Grootslang’s drops I had not noticed but exactly 8 of the stones in there were also yellow crystals. After using one of them we figured out they were from the same thing that gave Tanin his fire element that we now know where large Fire Elementals called Flame Giants. This was already amazing and they wanted to know who to give them to but they couldn’t decide. What they were more concerned with was who was going to get the 1 large Black Magical Crystal I found in Malthiel’s small chest. Considering there was more items in there to count I had never really looked through it all until now. I know what’s in my drops now and I gave them each to the pixies to decide on.

Now they’ve come back and have 19 yellow crystals and 1 Black one, which is technically the highest graded crystal known in the world, and Malthiel had one. I’m guessing the Grootslang just ate those Fire Elementals and 8 crystals not knowing what they were.

I got two hearts out of it and a cool flamethrower like skill. The other skill was just a passive ability to change the temperature of the fire that brims off of me when I use it. Even though I myself can manipulate Fire rather well already but it’s nice to have an ability itself to make it easier. My Fire Ball skill is now at grade 2 and now several flames even float beside me and will barrage an enemy upon my will. Something tells me once we leave this place the availability of strong skills won’t be as great as they are in this dungeon. I’ll have to travel more whenever I’m searching for Kaylan.

“So have you decided who is getting what? Remember after we leave this place we aren’t going to find magical crystals as easily. In fact I’ve only found 1 outside of this place myself.”

“It’s ok…We know we’ve been lucky enough already with everything you’ve already given us. We have however decided Vali…The 19 other yellow ones will go to Cari and everyone who were saved two days ago. “ – Kai

“Yah, and don’t worry guys you can just turn off the fire.” – Uri

“Why would you ever want do something like that?” – Tanin

Tanin then walked up to Uri who we have already given a yellow crystal too to test out the ones from the Grootslang earlier today. He however is not engulfed in fire and says you can shut it off at anytime. His fire however looked completely different than Tanin’s, his like his aura surrounding him was gold.

“And the black one? Let me guess it’s Bifrost right?”

“…Well..Just because we were going to.” – Cosmia

“I knew it you guys are seriously going by colors aren’t you!”

“Bifrost doesn’t have a healing ability as good as mine or Cari’s…We want her to have the strongest crystal possible to keep her safe.” – Cosmia

“Yes, Vali I agree, we can heal her and even though we can siphon our formations I would like if Cari, Cosmia and Bifrost are our most protected. They are our leaders after all. “ – Kai

I just shrugged it off and ended up using all the fire crystals on the new pixies we saved. They will now have their very own fire that surrounds them like Tanin, especially if they don’t want someone to touch them.

“Thank you Vali….” – Sona

“Yes…tha..thank you. “ – Bri

Walking back towards their family members, Sona and Bri who were among the pixies we saved walked back while on fire. Their fire was light blue and orange but they each had a white flutter that would show from time to time. The Titan Tear has somehow affected their fire affinity so their flames now share in similar properties from it I’m told.

The two shyly walked away and hugged their siblings who were excitedly watching from close by. They each looked at their sisters new looks and clapped at how the flames surrounding them looked quite cool. Now was the time I was going to do it for Bifrost. She gets both.

“Ready?...We don’t know what this is after all.”

“…It’s ok. I’m sure whatever happens will be a good thing. As long as it can help everyone, I’m ok with it….” – Bifrost

She hardly ever talked but her voice was naturally so soft and entered the ears quite gently. As she looked up towards me with her large black eyes I could also see a few colors mixed in as well. She shyly smiled back up towards me.

“Um, thank you….” – Bifrost

She then looked down and held her small arms at her side and waited.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMOM!M!M!M!M!MM!!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!MMM!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!

WOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!H!H!H!H!HH!HH!H!H!H!H!H!HH!H!!

As I activated the crystal on her a loud ringing came out and a large black light shot forth made the entire floor pitch black.

I couldn’t see anything as Cari’s light had felt to been completely covered. So had Hjokk’s for a brief second and a large black light had blanketed everything on Floor One.

Then the black aura had begun to shrink and crawl back towards the one who it had shot out of.

There standing in front of us was a small black haired pixie. She had streaks in her hair but the eyes looking back up at me where completely different. They were pitch black just like mine.

Her wings grow roughly 3 times the normal size but maintained the look of black diamonds. Now however her hands up to her elbows had a charcoal colored substance that covered her skin. They came down and lengthen past to the point her fingers looked like long black claws made from bone.

Her atmosphere now even made my skin crawl. Something was different. This was different than all of the other crystals from before. Even the Titan Tear didn’t give a reaction like this.

Right now I’m actually getting an incredibly dangerous vibe coming from this pixie now and can tell the profound level of power I felt bursting from that crystal is now all lying dormant within this small pixie. Even a purple crystal for them was a game changer, I can’t even imagine what the highest graded magical crystal can even do to.  That Grootslang only had a purple one…What could have black?

“So…What’d you get.”

“Yah tell us Bifrost what’d you get.” – Kai

All the pixies now kept looking towards Bifrost who not only was lit aflame by a large black fire, but had a completely different look. She still had the same fair complexion as before and her wings still created the same beautiful colors of light, but now they looked almost like the wings of a small dragon.

As she looked towards her now long fingers and looked back up at me.

“Um…Does it look…weird?” – Bifrost

“No way! You look so cool. Your eyes even look like Vali’s when he gets mad. “ – Cyanin

“I agree Bifrost you look so pretty!” – Cosmia

All of the pixies then began to surround Bifrost and hug her to let her know they thought she was still beautiful. I admit she looked different than she did but in all honestly, she still looked just as pretty as before. Even if she was naturally short like the other pixies she held a maturity that was clearly more so than all of her siblings. It’s just that atmosphere she has is on a completely different level now. For a brief moment it was almost suffocating until she had shut it off.

“Well I’ve gained 4 new skills. One is passive from my claws. It appears to have a lot of Curse Magic attached to it….A lot actually it’s even more than the one’s Kai and Cyanin use. Um… And the other three appear to be Dragon’s Terror, Bone Explosion, and an ability that makes me impervious to all bladed weapons. My health has risen by 10,000 my stamina has risen by 8,500 and my Magic Resistance has also risen to 55%.” – Bifrost

“……”

Even the pixies were speechless at this. It could even be said this magical crystal wasn’t the tear of a titan but an actual crystal from a highly powerful monster that Malthiel must have killed, gave more abilities and potentially more benefits than  that tear had.

“Oh and since my Resistance rose I can recover enough magic to keep us at full for a long time it even doubled my Magic Attack Power and can now siphon magic from my surroundings to an extent…. With this it should be difficult for us to run out of Magical Power completely with this.  “ – Bifrost

It just kept continuing. These Pixies are phenomenal are going to be phenomenal. I guess we should thank that dead Undead for his help. I’m assuming that overwhelming presence I feel right now is coming from the power this pixie gained from what I assume was a Bone Dragon. The ones from those memories never had magical crystals on their heads but I can’t imagine meeting one in real life….Even in the games they were strong but Dragons in this world according to my mother and even Hjokk are an existence only to themselves…

I guess this is what you can expect from the highest ranked magical crystal in this world. It didn’t give a Divine Skill or the same amount of stat points but it gave so much else it almost makes the Titan Tear pale in comparison.

Some of the pixies even walked over and tried to scratch her but just as we expected anything that was bladed couldn’t even cut through her skin at all. Even the Dawn Bringers with all the heat they produce can barely put a scratch on her before it gets repaired.…. She cannot be cut by blades at all now, which is even better than any of my abilities. ‘It almost makes having a high defense meaningless but I guess there’s no demerit in increasing it to other weapons. But with this I don’t believe Kai and the rest of the pixies should have to worry about their elder sister as much anymore.

“SO COOL! “- Cyanin

Cyanin then flew up and hugged her big sister. Bifrost looking surprised only smiled and looked back up at me cautiously. Everyone else then walked over and hugged her too.

“Thank you so much Vali!” – Cari

Cari who had a white heatless flame surrounding her and all of the pixies again walked over to me and hugged me like before. Only this time it felt different. It felt as if they were each trying to show me how much they wanted to thank me from the bottom of their hearts with everything. They each closed their eyes and would walk up to me individually and thank me continuously thank me.

They truly loved it whenever you treated one of their own with kindness, they looked to it as if you had done it to themselves. Truly selfless beings.

“You seem to be quite popular in here.” – Cassandra

Cassandra then walked up and sounded familiar to Hjokk just there.

“True… The species down here seem to care for you a great amount. Especially these small strange demi humans as well.” – Shen

As I chuckeled to Shen’s I looked down towards the pixies below who would continue to walk up and hug me, even the ones who didn’t like to be close to others were in the group hug as well.

“Not really…Pixies are the simplest creatures in the world…If you’re nice to them, they’ll be nice to you…”

Smiling back towards my comment Shen then walked over and with his metal arm he chopped off the tip of a large wine bottle.

“Hmph…If only the whole world could develop such a motto. So…I received this vintage bottle from a really rich nobleman in the central continent. Said this bottle alone was worth a small mansion and I’ve had it in my inventory ever since. Guess now’s a good time as any huh?” – Shen

As he took a big swig he smiled at the scene in front of him as everyone else walked over.

He then handed it to Shakko next to him which also took a drink.

‘Wait…How is he drinking that?’

Shakko then handed it to Sting and then Ollie and then me.

The night winded down and everyone ate and danced which made the feast last till the late hours. Some fell asleep while others went on to have some alone time with their loved ones.

Now a small few of us were gathered in the same ceremonial room of statues where I was jumped. We enjoyed the vintage wine and talked to get over the ever looming battle that was pressing over our shoulders.

“So Alpha…When you said you still had things to do…What exactly did you mean?” – Akino

“I too am a little curious. What the little Alpha has planned after we take down the big furry bastard.” – Kyrah

“I say you should open up a restaurant… I’ll be your customer every day!” – Ollie

“Here, Here! “ – Adimar

Everyone then looked back towards me. Sting had seemed to leave somewhere but Cassandra and the other two decided to stick close to me who was petting Fenrir. He was already long passed out after the big meal.

They can’t understand anyone but me for now but they can understand whatever I say.

“….Just have a few things I gotta do before I go is all. Not really a good story or anything, we all have our own reasons to keep going I guess.”

“Ah come on…that’s not an answer.” – Ollie

It got quiet again and I don’t know if it was the wine or what but somehow felt with what was coming tomorrow what’s the harm in talking about it all for once… I never really tried it in my last life but considering the circumstances….

“….You know before I came here I was actually quite weak…Weak to the point that I was unable to protect those close to me when they really needed me to. Protect those I swore to take care of. I simply watched and could do nothing as my siblings were burned alive right in front of me….”

As I continued take a drink of the bottle and pass it around I decided to finally say a small amount about myself and recalled a memory that was unpleasant.

The same that has haunted me for so long…

The few pixies who were with me as well as everyone else listened along quietly with surprised looks on their face.

“I prayed everyday for strength, justice…those demons took everything from me that day…. So I want to take, everything…from them. So I’m not going to let some character from some history books stop that.  “

“Hmph…Well said.” – Kyrah

“Yes it is…Mmm this is good wine actually.” – Boro

“We will conquer our foe. We must, for all those who have fallen here. For all those of us that are left. We won’t lose ourselves to this place, we can’t. The pack will leave this place for good and enter a new world. The only way of that is over the back of that giants dead corpse.” – Adimar

I nodded back towards him and took a drink. Cassandra and the other two simply looked back at me quietly.

“So what’s the deal with this bird who’s also an incredibly attractive woman while also being insanely strong?” – Shen

“Hmph…Since we’ll be fighting tomorrow I might as well tell ya. She’s a Valkyrie, which is basically a guardian to the gods. Careful…She likes to hit people with her spe..Ow!”  

I then felt a powerful force hit the side of my head. Hjokk’s wing flung at such a swift motion the air itself felt to have punched me.

“A Valkyrie? Yes of course I know what they are… A warrior maiden that is said to bless those in battle. But why is she here? Is that why I can’t see a level around her at all?” – Shen

“I’m actually here to guard Vali during his growth on Middle Earth. We got ourselves trapped here and I myself feel it necessary to fight as well for the safety of the realm and my Lord’s Champion. ” – Hjokk

To these words everyone in the room seemed to understand and nod their heads.

“So you are one who has been touched by the gods…I was unsure whether to believe the words of Sting or not. But now I see they are true…Do gods usually have this much interaction with their ‘Champion’ though?” – Cassandra

To her notion I then became aware that most blessed beings such as my self even hardly ever talk to their god. Some even never get to meet or speak with their god before dying. They are simply thought of as tools by the gods anyway so I guess it depends on the god.

“I don’t know but I feel I see him more than I need to if that’s what you mean.”

“HmphHmpHmph…_”- Hjokk

“Amazing…” – Cassandra

“Truly it is… I guess I’ve never known what the gods would be like. I mean what do we know about them other than stories, legends or even sculptures much like these…Gup…Good wine Metal Man…But I guess we’ll see one soon enough then won’t we.” – Shakko

“I don’t know if I’d say it’s amazing really…Trust me when I say this particular one enjoys talking a lot and it’s hardly ever about anything you asked to know in the first place.”

“I..I see. “ – Cassandra

“Hmph…Must say I never saw my end coming so soon but I’ve cheated death a few times already. I’m sure he’s been waiting for me for quite a while.” – Shen

Thinking to myself of the memory of Abgrund’s flashbacks and the images of the one known as Death. Even someone Malthiel spoke of in high regard, he was potentially even someone stronger than Hades.

Thinking about what he told me and from what I learned from glancing at one of Malthiel’s books, I can now use a new skill on Abgrund. I can use it only once but it’s going to definitely be a game changer. If things go sour.... This will completely change who’s winning and who’s losing. According to Abgrund this skill is called Age of Death. After one more day of training and using Death’s Grip on 1,000s of monsters on the lower floors, my Death Magic went up to it’s second tier.

'So the first skill came from slaying monsters and the second skill came after I gained knowledge on how to use Death Magic in new ways.'

With that I gained what felt like even more knowledge on what Death Magic truly is. I could then even understand some of the text and pictures in some of Malthiel’s books whenever the Death’s Grip increased.

It is severing life in its entirety. Not only to living beings but death even to things that aren’t tangible, its severing connections and ties to this world entirely.

I not only could grasp what was in eyesight but everything that was within a certain range around me. The cost reduction was 30% but what was amazing is what I could feel as I continued to use the skill.

Training while holding down enemies before activating it made my Darth Vader skill I feel much stronger. My reaction speed on using it has even increased and the effects are almost instantaneous. Now with only 10% of my mana and the flick of my wrist everything within a small field around me will die if it hasn’t built a resistance to it. Though to monsters around my level it’s as easy as blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.

It’s amazing to think but I can also discern between my allies and my enemies without even needing to see them. I can now see what the pixies where always talking about Magical Signatures from before whenever I learned more on Death Magic. I learned Hjokk was right, everything has one and contains magic inside of it. As I feel for everything’s life force I simply don’t touch theirs.

Though even with the cheat like ability of this skill it is not almighty. Whenever I used it on that Fomorian that one time it went through quite a bit of mana. Even now the higher the level of monster the more difficult it becomes to kill them in one move.  Even if I use my Death’s Grip on everything in the radius around me if the monsters were much higher level it probably wouldn’t work on all of them. ‘It goes back to what Malfius said about penalties on higher leveled beings only reminding me once again I'm in a game world that the species down here simply accept such things as law.

However with what I gained I feel this knowledge makes me rethink my skill entirely.

It’s as if what I was doing before holding my skill back letting the pixies each get experience was flexing my death magic and now that my knowledge and power have grown the skill is almost instantaneous now. I can simply sit down a swarm of incoming gnolls with the swipe of my fingers.

Though it would take a lot of mana to perform, I’m not sure about using it on a King Hydra just yet but as for a Fomorian, it would stand no chance. Though the higher the level monster the more difficult it becomes… If it’s one Fomorian it’s no problem but using death magic on them would simply cost too much.

I also found out if I’m holding on to Abgrund he amplifies my Death Magic outward. It amplifies the distance and range of which makes it even more lethal. ‘I can’t get confident but currently I feel we have gained quite a bit of ammunition against Balor.’

‘Hmm speaking of…’

Status Window Name ValiLevel 231Race HumanAge ???Class N/ATitles Lord of the Forest, Slayer of Death, Death Canceler, Family of the Hildr Pixies, Hunter of the Grootslang, Slayer of the King Hydra, Creator of Miracles, Alpha of the Legendary AnnunakeHealth 225,550Mana 504,330Strength 17,020Intellect 18,720Stamina 14,700Wisdom 12,750Agility 12,915Defense 25,220Courage 24Luck 18,110Fighting Spirit 94Endurance55Magic Resistance 25%Paralysis Resistance 3 %Poison Resistance 8%Immunity to Fear 33%Elemental Resistances: Fire: 30 % Earth: 3% Dark: 35 % Lightning: 7% Water: 1% Wind 4% Light: 10% Void: 8 % Ice: 6%

‘Surely I’ve grown these past few days. I guess we’ll see just how durable I am real soon. All I know is this time when I’m fighting for my sister and my family back home, I’ll be able to do more than just sit and watch.

“So Vali I was wondering…” – Cassandra

Looking towards Cassandra she was then looking back towards me with serious eyes.

“About tomorrow…It’s just I….”

‘What just happened!’

We’re now standing outside… Floor 52?

There standing beside me were thousands of others all standing out on an open field. The walled city behind us…’Is it happening right now?’

Looking around I then seen the faces of everyone that along with me were warped to this location. I even see….

“Sting what the…”

Standing in front of me were the figures of Sting bound, gagged and wrapped in lines of web and attached to a half naked Arachnee woman. If I recall this is the same one who’s been abusing him.

“I uh…AH whatever! It’s my last day alive what’s the big deal.” – Sting

The arachnee woman just made a surprised look and then started to cover herself rather quickly. She pulled out her Hydra shirt from her inventory as did everyone else with all of their equipment.

I adorned my Hydra Armor X, Grootslang Shock Armor, Moonlight Crown of Fei, Malthiel’s Cloak, Midnight Gauntlet, Infinity Ring, and other items given to me by those I’m essentially fighting for.

I have two crosses around my neck now even two bracelets tucked away in my armor as well….

“Heh…So I guess it’s Sting that was into bondage.” –Ollie

Everyone surrounding them then started to laugh to themselves as they continued to arm themselves.

“Get serious! It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for men! Everyone in positions!” – Commander Locke

Everyone then began to run off into position when the ground started to shake.

“Woh!” – Akino

“HAHAHAHAHA!!!...... It is time! My reign of Darkness draws ni. Where is the norse champion for my grand entrance to the stage!” – Balor

The image of a large dark figure began to emerge from sky. Pushing through the floor above was the same image of Balor I had seen before only now it was much, much bigger. Roughly 20 meters like Izzie had said but the overwhelming pressure feels as if I have the weight of a mountain weighing down on top of me. The air itself feels to have thinned and become hard to breath.

The sun in this sky started to slowly become covered from the bottom up as the beings gathering on the opposite side of the floor were slowly blocking it entirely.

As he descended and landed in the distance while looking down towards us all he continued to laugh.

“Are you ready for the end to our 3,000 year game we’ve been playing?” –  Balor

Everyone then gritted their teeth back towards him.  Only Sting and the other three looked to be truly terrified. The groups who were sent to guard the children were already sprinting towards the back and to the walled city. I waited till everyone got into position to warp them away.

After practicing with my magic I can also increase the number of people I move if I don’t look at it as moving each person but as a space. It’s taken some time and even with that it's only 5% of my mana…I know that soon I will get plenty of it back to me.

“Oh scurrying away already…Ahahahaha!” – Balor

'Alright now woah..'

Snap!

BOoM! Boom! BOOOM! Booom!

The ground continued to shake and crumble as large beasts continued to walk forward until they appeared slowly behind Balor. They were giants among giants. Standing even taller than Balor himself his beasts looked close to 40 meters tall. But these Fomorians were different. These beasts looked much different than the other kind of Fomorians we’ve seen. These Fomorians have long fur that comes down longer on the back of their fur that almost resembles small snakes. It looked almost like a medusa but the monsters attached to their long black fur look just like dreadlocks with mouths. They guard the very vulnerable spot these creatures have on their backs quite well which could complicate things drastically.

Now with the giant wall at our backs there was a huge shadow cast out over everyone. The beasts out in front of us were simply blotting out the false sun that is slowly coming up.

ROOOOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

A loud roar shook the ground but a lot of the noise was however canceled out. This was due to something Izzie and Pek had thought up. If we plugged up our ears with something we would never hear the loud Roar of the Fomorians and thusly not have our stats reduced. We even put small crystal petals provided by Daisy so the leaders will be able to communicate with one another throughout the battle.

“ALRIGHT ALL UNITS! ALL BUFFS LET”S MOVE TO THE SKY!” – Kyrah

Kyrah then leapt into the sky alongside thousands of other Adlers that almost looked like a wave of colors lifting off like an air show.

I could see now the monsters behind Balor weren’t only Fomorians. There were Soul Devourers, Smog Dragons and monsters of all kinds from this dungeon standing behind him. Some that looked like panthers with long spiky tentacles, he even had another Grootslang. This one however was black and level 521. His army around him was nearly all level 600 and flying in the sky he even had…. ‘ Are those Manticores? ‘

‘….Fuck those things look dangerous. ‘

Flying overhead they looked like the butchers of Persian myth known as Manticores.  These man-eaters were known as the Poison of the Sky and even killed me in the game a couple of times. If a Griffon or a King Hydra in this world are considered legendary beasts then a Manticore would definitely be up there alongside them.

Above the heads of the giant Fomorians were hundreds of dark furred, horned lions with the wings of gargoyles and long spiky tails. Each was over level 600 and were in dark red letters. They each looked like a boss monster to themselves but there must have been thousands covering the skies overhead.

Was he planning on taking all the monsters inside this dungeon out? There would be nothing left on this continent by the time help came….

“Trying so hard and yet…It is all worthless before me. You must see that.” – Balor

“Grrrr, I’m ready to shut him up already.” – Adimar

“I agree…I can’t wait to tear this guy’s nethers off.” – Akino

I then looked at the image of Balor again. His Level was now visible as his feet finally touched the ground beneath him…..811. It was a lot more than I thought it would be. Monsters didn’t even get that high of level in the game. The difference in level is just a lot more than what I had originally expected, it was enough to make the color drain from my face.

Looking forward towards Balor the Final Boss stared back at us with his bright yellow eyes. His horns came down at an angle in front of his head and he was wearing the same armor of darkness as before. He looked quite use to battle and was even Level 811. Hjokk told me once you start getting to level 700 every level gained is the same amount of experience from level 1-100 combined. So the amount of experience he has gathered in such a long amount of time after descending is ridiculous.

The pressure I felt was still the same as before and was to the point it was pushing me down. I pulled out Abgrund and readied for the beginning of our first plan and moved myself into position.

“8…811? Is that even…Can we even kill him?” – Ollie

“What are our odds here?” – Malfius

“I’d put it around 20%.”

To my notion everyone quieted down around me. All of the race leaders including a  a large select unit that was to follow us remained still. Then a soft chuckle and the sounds of someone unsheathing their swords.

“Heh…Best odds I’ve had my whole life….We’re going to fuck his whole world up. TO THE DAWN!!!!” – Commander Locke

Commander Locke then raised his arm with his sword and everyone then did the same and rushed forth.  We began to start our initial attack when a loud laughter went straight through what was covering our ears.

As I felt a strong sense that something was wrong I went to warn everybody to stay back until it happened. Standing with the army at his back on the other side of the large field in front of us was Balor.

Just then a large spot on Balor’s forehead opened up and the whole sky started to turn a dark crimson. Staring back at us between the two yellow eyes was a bright crimson and yellow eye stared right back towards us. The whole ground began to quake and I felt as if all the blood in my face had left me.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!M!!M!

“AHHHHHH!!!!!!!”

“BRACE! EVERYONE BRACE!”

“ALPHA!!!”

A loud explosion went off and it appeared to be coming straight from Balor’s eye as the sky itself felt as if it were falling down on us. Everything around me began to shake in a violent storm of darkness shot out and forced everyone of us back dozens of meters simply from the pressure alone.

Darkness began to seep from the walls and floors and turned into horrendous creatures that each looked to have been made by the mind of a mad man.

All the Adlers in the sky began to fall to the ground as well as all those in the large formation alongside me and the other leaders were blown back.

Just a simple action felt to have broken several bones and almost destroyed my Grootslang armor in that one move and a good amount of my health has just been cleaved off entirely.

My eyes only widened…

It felt like even with the distance I was from him my skin was beginning to singe and tear off in the wake of that attack if you can even call it that. Even Hjokk fell victim to this as every one of us was thrown back in the dirt and all troops were blown back to the giant wall.

I looked up to find who had survived but could find no one.  Just a pitch black darkness flooding over the ground and covering the entire floor.

Just a loud ringing followed by the soft swinging of chains.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ari’s POV:

“Are they still behind us Ari?” – Elyria

“I don’t know Elyria… Are you all right though? You’ve been running for so long while carrying me?”

“No, no you’re fine dear. It’s not your fault some strange knights were trying to attack us. Luckily the first one is probably blind for life and the rest were too far behind us.” – Elyria

I felt bad… She’s having to carry me right now simply because I can’t run alongside her. I know she must be getting tired.

But we had to find Vali. It’s been two days since those knights from the Kingdom left and he’s still not come back….’I know something’s wrong. I just know it.’

Ever since I got the new stat Loyalty I have somehow always been able to grow even closer to him…. The higher my stat the higher the bond is to my master. And even though Elyria and Vali don’t see me as their slave, I see him as the one I am most loyal to…My loyalty is already over 100 and higher than almost all of my other stats. I know that must mean that I care about him a whole lot. I know that Vali’s in trouble I can just feel it…

Elyria decided to take my word on it and also wanted to help. According to her, her magic would probably help Vali a lot if he were in danger and it’s what she specializes in. We left early this morning and told every one we would be right back. Though everyone was scared Elyria assured us we were always safe inside this cabin, and that we would both home soon…. ‘Everyone looked really scared but I couldn’t stay there. I would have crawled to him if I had to.’

So she took me with her and with my tracking ability we are going to find out just where Vali is. Then we are going to go back and have the King from Asher help us. He seems a lot friendlier than I first thought, he even offered to look into finding the people who had hurt me.

He already offered a large bag of gold to Vali. It even had 2,000 gold coins in there….More than I had ever seen in my life.

When I went to look at it I even saw something interesting about it. The moment my hand touched the big gold coin something happened.

The whole bag disappeared and was gone.

Though the King and Queen both gave condescending looks towards me Elyria said we would just explain it to Vali when we meet. I almost cried I was so upset.

I was thinking of ways to apologize with Elyria but along the way someone had shot an arrow at us. Somehow Elyria knew the arrow was being shot before it even happened. Each time she would then back away dodging the arrow and say thank you to the earth spirits she says talk to her.

She continued to carry me through the forest in the direction I smelled Vali’s scent.

‘Vali… I don’t know why but I just know something’s wrong. I don’t know how I can help but I have to find you. I have to tell you just how thank full I am…. For everything.’

The world just isn’t the world if he’s not in it….

No one ever cared what I had to say before. No one ever even took the time to listen. But…Vali was the first one who ever sounded like he enjoyed getting to talk with me. Even if I couldn’t walk he was willing to carry me to save my life whether I was filthy, diseased….Even if I didn’t have the money to pay him. Even when he was in danger himself he went out of his way to protect me. I want so badly to pay him back for it. I may never be able to in my whole lifetime.

Because of him I now have a family and people who care about me….I’ve never had that before… Without Vali I would have died without anyone ever caring at all. I would have died before ever even being given a name. Now it feels like my life actually does matter to someone….. I just want it to matter to him. He’s my best friend.

“Thank you Earth Spirits….. It’s ok Ari, everything’s going to be ok I promise…. Loki himself told me to come and assist Vali. So everything is going to be just fine. “ – Elyria

“I just feel useless Elyria. You’re having to carry me which is only making you more tired.”

“No…Without you I couldn’t even find Vali. Besides like you said the scent made a turn just a little while ago and it’s been getting stronger? Well wherever it is he said it was not too far away from our home. We’ve been moving for a few hours now so maybe we’re getting close.” – Elyria

Elyria had such a way that calmed my spirits. She takes care of me so well it’s almost like having a mother. She treats me just as nicely as Vali does.

I don’t believe I’ve ever done anything in my life to deserve these two who have come in and done what they have for me. Simply holding onto Elyria right now I can feel her heartbeat is racing as well as mine. My only wish is that in my life I would be able to repay them both back for all of their kindness.

Snif…Snif….

“Elyria it’s just over there. He’s definitely been by here.”

My tail began to wag frantically as I just knew we were getting closer.

To my actions Elyria who continued to sprint through the forest made a sharp turn and we both flew through the large brush. Her tails each swayed behind her as Elyria ran faster than I had ever seen. ‘It feels like we’re flying…’

The place here started to look more and more scary the deeper we kept going. Elyria even started to slow down some. The trees were old dead and the ground had sort of smoke to it.

Everything just looked….dead.

‘Vali…I hope you’re ok.’

“Hehe! She’s over here boys!”

“Oop! I told ya if we just circled around she’d be right here…. Come on let’s move!”

Turning around to the strange sounds two men on horseback started to gallop towards us. Behind them stood a large group of armed men that numbered even more than were at the cabin that one time.

Elyria continued to run forward with me in her arms until we turned towards a large mountain. I told her the smell continued forward through the dark mist in front of us and we both quickly ran through without asking me anything else.

“Do you think they’ll catch up?”  

“Well …You smelled him in this direction right?” – Elyria

“Mphmm…His scent went right up ahead. It’s getting a lot strong actually.”

I could only see Elyria as the smoke in front of us didn’t lessen at all.

“I think I see something up ahead…What about you?” – Elyria

Focusing my eyes I then saw that Elyria was right there was a small white light out in front of us. It must be a clearing of some kind. ‘We have to hurry and find Vali.’

Just then Elyria stopped and stared straight for a second. She tilted her head and began to focus her eyes oddly in front of us but I couldn’t see anything.

“Hmmm…There’s some kind of barrier here. If we step in we’ll get trapped inside it.” – Elyria

“What? Really?”

‘Oh no.’

“Wait so does that mean Vali hasn’t come out is because he’s inside?”

“It’s probably a safe bet. Sadly we don’t have the choice to choose now do we. I say we go in and try and reunite with Vali, it’s better than turning around.” – Elyria

I nodded and she continued forward.

Just then we both got a strange pink window in front of us that decreased are stats. My Agility was already at 14 now it’s even lower. The words on the window all looked bad. Even Elyria seemed to be nervous. I could hear her heart start to thump harder.

As we continued forward we saw such a beautiful site in front us. There was beautiful orange sky with a forest down below. Floating in the sky was a strange piece of land but it looked partially destroyed.

In the distance I can even see a city… And that’s a…

Snif…Snif…

“Elyria! I can smell him..He’s here. He’s right over there!”

I pointed forward and Elyria and I went down the mountainside together and went towards the scent. The ground continued to shake and we could hear loud noises in the distance that shook the entire floor followed by loud screams.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!M!M!M!!M!M!M!M!M!M!MM!!MM!!M!MM!!M!

Such a loud roar erupted and everything began to shake. It felt like the ground itself was going to crumble and break away underneath Elyria’s feet.

“ELYRIA!”

“I’ve Got YOU!” – Elyria

Elyria held on tight and her tails wrapped around herself and I. Looking up the sky itself looked to have been stained with blood. Everything was red.

“Elyria?”

I kept poking Elyria but she didn’t move. Her tails then opened up and she fell to her knees and fell to the ground.

“No Elyria please…Please be ok!”

After I fell with her I crawled back to where she was lying and began to shake her but she wouldn’t respond. Her eyes were pitch black like Vali’s and she wasn’t moving.

Looking around I saw in the distance were monsters that looked to be so big they touched the sky. They were….Eating people?....

‘What are those things?......’

So…So big….’Va…ll…ii…’

My knees started to shake and I was terrified. In the distance I could see the large monsters that continued to laugh and eat those who were lying on the ground.

“Please…Elyria….Ple..please wake…up!”

Elyria and I were towards the edge a large tree when we were both blown back towards the forest.  Looking around I saw a large number of demi humans all in the distance each lifeless as well…That’s when I saw him…

Snif..Snif…Sob…Snif..

‘It’s him!’

“Vali…”

I could feel my heart start to race and my tail couldn’t control itself.  Simply seeing his face brought tears to my eyes.

I smiled as the man I had been longing to see was so far away yet so close as well. There were such big monsters roaming around but if I can get to Vali first he can wake up and save Elyria.

I started to drag Elyria and place her on the side of a tree and hide two big leaves over her. It was really hard because I wasn’t strong enough but I pulled her until I could hide her safely.

‘I have to get up!’

I then stood up slowly and started to brush off my legs and walk steadily in the direction towards the first man to ever care about me. To the man who saved me and gave me a new life. Never in my whole life will I know what I did to deserve such kindness….

For some reason I felt I had to be near him at this very moment, no reason at all could explain why but I had to be with him…We have to help Elyria and I have to tell him.

I stared to lift my feet forward and quicken my pace. It was hard and my legs felt heavy for some reason. They weren’t use to it but I continued to steadily move towards him.

I walked past several other large demi humans who were lying on the ground and some standing lifeless staring away. The ground itself had this gross looking blackness coming out of it and it was wrapping itself around everyone’s bodies….Looking far out in front of me I saw him…He was so far away but he was standing away from everyone else. He looked so sad…. ’Sob..I have to keep going…. for Vali.’

“I’ll save you Elyria.”

I started to feel the soft breeze of wind colliding against my cheek as I increased my speed towards him and for the very first time in my whole life…… I ran.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vali’s POV:

‘What the hell just happened?’

I felt like a full grown Fenrir just landed on my head. Standing up everything feels dizzy and the earth below me seems to even be partially destroyed.

‘Balor had opened his eye and…..Oh my g……’

I choked up as I saw everything that surrounded me. Under the bright red sky I saw nothing but bodies. Everything….around me was dead. Everyone…It almost looked like that dream I had but this…The smell. The blood.

I started to walk forward and I could hear the laughter of Balor in the distance along with his horrific beasts and creations. There sounds were however being drowned out with the overpowering rattling noises filling my brain…

The Fomorians out in front now were devouring the fallen foes all over the battlegrounds and behind them was the one who did all of this. There was the ever vast darkness lurking throughout the battleground and coming up from the ground itself. I tried to look around to see if any had survived his first attack but all I saw was.....

‘No….’

All that surrounded me were piles of bodies.

‘In one attack! So many …..’

Lying next to each other were the bodies of (..rattle) Akino and Adimar’s (Rattle), lying next to them were Jade, (rattle) Cosmia, (rattle) and Malfius…(Rattle) All lifeless. None of their bodies (rattle) have even the slightest hint of life (rattle) forces remaining in them as I (Rattle) had felt earlier……. ‘They’re gone….’

I continued (rattle) to look through the (Rattle)  dead corpses (rattle!)to try to find a trace of life until….

“N(rATTLE)o…no(RATTLE)…Plea(RATTLE!)se no(RATTLE!!!!).”

‘Ari….ho…how?’

Rattle…rattle.

My (rattle)heart choked(rattle) up as I drew closer(rattle) to the small (rattle) lifeless (RATTLE)body. My vision blurred (rattle)and all (rattle) I saw (rattle)was this (rattle) small (rattle)child.

‘She’s (rattle) so (rattle) light.’

It felt (rattle) like ther(RATTLE)e was noth(rattle)ing in(rattle)side her (rattle) at all anymore….Her soul (rattle) had left he(rattle)r like ev(RATTLE)eryone else….Dark(Rattle)ness ble(rattle)eding off her (rattle) skin.…. H(rattle)e….He..DI(RATTLE!!!!)D THIS(RATTLE!!!!!!)...

Rattle….

Snap!

”HE DID THIS!”

The sounds of chains continued to warp around my mind as if they were trying to pin me down. All I could think of though was tearing his throat out.

With the almost weightless girl in my arms, I stared back towards the monster I swore to slay this day…

End of Chapter!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommnend reading that last POV from 1-30 seconds of video ending with him looking at Balor….Next chapter should have some cool soundtracks as well….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQiy4NwJngY

Balor looks like a mix between this monster and Mu from Monster Rancher in his first form only think of his entire body completely made of darkness. His armor itself is even made of it.

His horns are much longer and come out sort of like these as well.

http://img10.deviantart.net/d656/i/2011/198/5/e/balor_render_preview_by_jorgius-d3y4sh5.png

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120706112223/villains/images/a/aa/Moo.jpg

Grootslang

Thing this but also has large shells covering and shielding parts of its body.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Grootslang.jpg

Manticore

Mix between these two depictions

http://pre03.deviantart.net/398d/th/pre/i/2015/161/4/4/_manticore__by_arvalis-d8ws0py.jpg

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/mightandmagic/images/8/8e/Heroes_VI_Manticore_Artwork.png/revision/latest?cb=20130505121825&path-prefix=en