Hero Scout 103 Chapter 31 - The Fifth Floor

"Remember, the Fifth floor is special. I cannot go with you because the wandering demon bosses tend to inhabit this floor the most often, and will attempt to challenge me if I go into their turf," Bazza continued, "It's one big prison, and staying on the lit path will keep you safe from the demons who have overrun it. Since you've developed enough favour with the Great Spirit the guards will allow you to wander the path without issue, and all you have to do is follow them to the 'Deepest Cell' which is what they call the boss room. If you defeat that boss, a randomly sp.a.w.ned demon of a high level, you'll get access to the silver treant. From then on you can enter and exit this dungeon from the fifth floor. Good luck, and I hope you lot will come to hang out with me in here soon."

Truth be told Kenji had had enough of the Australian but snagged him by the arm all the same.

"You still owe me answers. Did the creature with black everything and white teeth send you here? Were you taken to a place called Everything? How long have you been here?"

Bazza pulled his arm away and sighed.

"If I try to tell you about &^%&^#@ I get censored, see? So all I can say is this; I cannot leave this dungeon, there are others like me in other dungeons, and not everything is as it seems. Remove the filter somehow, and I'll tell you more. Until then I can only help guide your people through this dungeon up to the Fifth floor unless you remove the Wandering bosses i can't do more than that either."

Turning away, Bazza moved to leave the Shattered Throneroom before Ellie too caught his arm.

"Thank you, for everything. I'll see you soon, ok? Me and Ellie's Crew at least want to come back, and guide junior adventurers through the first floor to grow stronger. Could use a strong pair of hands, to help us keep them safe that is," She smiled, and Bazza slowly pulled out a grin of his own.

"Cheers, I'd be up for that. Could always use the company, especially with fine sheila such as yourself," winking Bazza turned and walked away, Ellie trailing his every step.

"His too olf for you," Rams said flatly.

"Shut it, Rams!" Ellie said with bright scarlet cheeks, "we're just friends!"

"Good. Because if you were thinking about anything else, he is too old for you."

Ignoring their discussion, Kenji displayed five ribbons of favour to which the Throneroom boss revealed a stairwell beneath the Shattered Throne itself. Without wasting any more time, they descended into dark s.p.a.ce with a bright path.

The path was lit from some unseen source, a pair of light crystal-studded Spirit Warriors guarding the way.

"Do not stray from the light it you value your life, travellers. The demons have broken free from their cages, and especially beware of the Five Overlords and their warring factions."

"Cheers," Kenji muttered as he hurried on past. Pausing, he remembered he had promised to let Ellie take command, then turned to wait for what she would come up with. As always both Ellie and everyone else was looking at him with wide eyes, and awfully intense look of concentration.

"Should we investigate these warring factions first?" Ellie said.

Kenji waited, just wanting her to choose something. Waiting around was stretching his nerves, and wanted to feel like they were getting closer to rescuing Tenko, not waiting around.

"No, the boss should be our objective. Yet the Five Overlord's could have information, we should test one of them before we fight the floor boss itself."

Smiling Ellie seemed pleased with herself, that smile fading as Kenji continued to wait.

"It's a good plan," he said restlessly, that smile returning in full force.

"Then we'll split up, if the lit paths are as safe as they are supposed to be we can cover more ground. Hear that everyone? No leaving the paths, just go as far as you can then meet back here with what we have found out. No fighting, and return here immediately if you think anything strange is happening."

Turning into the Young Witch stored in his [Forbidden Slot] Kenji sat down and concentrated.

"I'll watch the flows of magic while I wait. Send a magic user in each group, if they need help to send the biggest spell you have in my direction. If I detect anything that's not demonic magic, I'll send all the help available," Kenji peered up to find everyone looking at him with open mouths. "Do you have any questions?"

They turned away and started planning quickly as if a mean manager were hounding them over the shoulder. They certainly were a pa.s.sionate lot, no qualms about working with other species now as they raced to get into firm groups, set up a plan of approach and get out there.

Focusing on his powers, Kenji released some of the young witch's magic. It interacts with the flows of magic already moving about the hallways, and just like small sandbox simulation, Kenji could manipulate that power that flowed through his own.

He read the magical signature in this way for some time, focusing intensely on his task, and the little blips of power. Over time he built up a picture, pin-pointing in the general direction that energy was coming from, and noticing it grow either stronger of weaker as they moved. Two points remained rock solid the whole time however, a constant hum of power.

It wasn't until a flare came from the right, elvish magic pure and undiluted, was he thrown from his task. Opening his eyes, Kenji found himself with only those few adventurers that had remained, while a small group of Bloodhorns and a single Sundrake arrived from the leftmost path.

"Some of you stay behind, the rest come with me. One of the groups is in danger," Kenji s.h.i.+fted to the Sun Elf Queen and took off at a sprint. The adventurers behind him could barely keep up, however, and Kenji was forced to slow down so that they could arrive in fighting shape.

As they grew closer the sound of shaking and screaming ripped through the air, until the lit path came across a bizarre scene. Ellie was breathing raggedly as was her party, with a green imp bound in rope between them. The Imp had baleful green eyes, yet was held tightly between Dwargon and Ram.

To the paths right the remnants of hulking green demons fought wildly with hulking red demons. Bulging muscles bound in chains and pieces of sc.r.a.p plate, the creatures slogged endlessly, while some few with wide blades and numbers tattooed on their cheeks ripped their lessors apart with ease.

"What happened?" Kenji said, "No one seems hurt - why is that demon on the path?"

"It deactivates their power," Ellie said quickly. "We tested it on actually imps, using that [h.e.l.lfire Web] Spell. One of the Sundrakes that use pyromancy stuck one and dragged it in, and sure enough to went weak as a leaf. Then we came across a battle close to the path, with this Green Imp just eviscerating its enemy, so while it was distracted we caught it and dragged it through."

"I detected non-demonic spells-"

"We had to throw it's allied off, those demons guarding the boss especially. With enough spells built up we dealt with them quickly, and were able to successfully extract the target without a problem," Ellie bit her lip, but the way she answered his questions promptly seemed to indicate she had put serious thought into their little maneuver here.

"Let's bring it back for them. Our allies will wonder where we are, so better to interrogate the Imp at the meeting point."

"Let me go, humans," muttered the Imp with a surprisingly regal tone. "I a.s.sure you I am worth quite a bit more alive than dead, so how about we trade my freedom for you desires?"

"There's a rather long walk ahead, Imp. You have that long to convince me that letting you free is worth more than the chest that would sp.a.w.n with your death," yet the scorch marks across the ground looked serious, and the green demons had finally overcome the attack of the red as their reinforcements piled in from opposing always to crush them flat.

Kenji suspected it was only sheer luck they had caught one of the Overlords so quickly and was loathe to search the darkness for the others.

"How about I give you information, yes? As the Green Overlord of Whisperes, I have heard many things in these tunnels. The other Ovelord's locations and weaknesses for example."

"That and the Floor boss. Tell me these things, along with anything else you can of this floor."

"Agreed." The Green Overlord said quickly and chatted enthusiastically about the prison and it's foul contents. The Overlords were in eternal conflict for dominance and battled frequently throughout the flood.

Whenever too many fought in one place the higher level prisoners would be released, and a scramble to get out of their way ensues. Wach Overlord had different powers, desires and all were apparently far harder to work with than the Green. According to the Green that is.

"As for the floor boss, you can go straight to him if you wish. But the High Demons all have abilities that affect the soul. Without protection, your spirits will wither."

"How do we protect ourselves then, is there a skill or item we need?"

"Your need a Soul Anchor. Easy to make, and I know just where to find them," the Imp grinned. "But I would have to be freed to do that for you...so what's say we help each other out?"

When Kenji Finally returned he found the other parties had scouted a fair way in every direction while holding to the lit paths as ordered. Clearly helping the Green Overlord was the only way to proceed, yet deferred the decision to Ellie all the same.

"Oh, I'll go with your plan," Ellie said confidently.

Kenji rose an eyebrow, unaware that he had communicated any such plan.

"Mind explaining it? Just to make sure you understand?" Kenji said, genuinely curious.

"Well..." Ellie said suddenly questioning herself, " I don't understand how your powers work Grand Master, but seeing as the Green Overlord is taken prisoner, could you not replicate his body and direct his own warriors to help us?"

Kenji stared at Ellie for several seconds, torn between cursing himself a pool and shouting her praise.

"Well," Kenji coughed awkwardly, "you caught on rather well. Congratulations, my faith in your ability has been proven again."

Ellie beamed, while Kenji felt sick. Why had he not thought of that first, why couldn't he think straight of late?

Shoving his concern aside, Kenji dragged the Green Overlord away.

"Where we going?" The Green Overlord said rather concerned.

"We're going to have a little chat. You two hold him down," Kenji ordered, Ram and Dwargon stomping after them. "This isn't necessary, I told you everthing you asked, what more do you want to know?"

Kenji cracked his knucles.

"Everything."