Worthy Core

The offered round of drinks had to wait for the following afternoon, as neither Sable nor Lilly were actually in attendance at the tavern that night, and were enjoying a quiet night in at home. For once that was entirely not a euphemism, and Sable was none too pleased to find a drunk dwarf woman shouting at the Church's residence at an hour when she was generally already in her nightclothes. Polite requests to leave didn't seem to do the trick, nor did a a snowball to the face, but when the Paladin announced that she was digging around in her things for a crossbow Tolla's two elven companions finally succeeded in dragging her back to the Lucky Bastard.

It was there that they met the next day, partially to sate Sable's curiosity over what all the trouble had been about, but mostly just to make sure the feisty dwarf didn't try to put on any repeat performances. On one side of the table sits Sable and a very confused Lilly. On the other sits Tolla, who doesn't appear to be apologetic in the least for her behavior the night before, and who's flanked by her male companions. Once the drink order is served and everyone's settled in, Tolla starts things off with introductions.

"Alright, finally got you here in the flesh! In case you didn't hear, I'm Tolla Spearheft, Shield Smasher by trade. The Judgment Mage to my right here is Renriel Longwood, and the other elfy fellow's Nallond Bushdiver, Ambush Hunter. If I wasn't misled by the drunks in here last night, you two would be Paladin Bluehair and Priestess Fullblossom, aye?"

Sable nods, before the names finally begin to sink in. "Yeah, that's...wait, hold on now. You three are the Dungeon Fuckers! I've heard about you!"

The trio smirk, and Nallond answers the charge. "Glad to see our reputation remains. Even if protecting that reputation is the main reason why we've come."

While the Paladin is a little confused at that statement, shocked realization suddenly hits Lilly's face. "Wait. No. No! Sable! I - I told you I didn't want to be a record-breaker! You didn't tell anyone about that, did you?"

Sable shakes her head in a quick denial. "Course not! I mean, obviously I told Elly. And Kelsey and Renter, but they're Association, so that's just, you know...official dungeon business stuff." She pauses, then adds on a few more. "Oh, I think the topic did come up with that incubus once, here at the tavern. Oh, and Tafyaf! You've met Tafyaf, right? The gnoll? Dude's a hilarious drinking companion if you've never run into him."

Lilly's eyes narrow. "Sable. How. Many?"

"...Less than ten?"

The elf hides her face in her hand as she turns back towards Tolla. "I am so sorry. You can have the record back if you like, it really was not my intention to be known for...engaging with dungeon guardians, you know."

Tolla only laughs out loud at the apology. "If you wandered into that by accident, lass, I'm even more impressed! But holdin' a record don't work like that, you know! Now, to be clear, we heard this shit through the grapevine and I know that shit gets twisted going a hundred miles or two. One version I heard said you two spitroasted the avatar of death itself, which sounded like a bit much. How much are you two actually laying claim to?"

Given that Lilly's not about to lay claim to anything, Sable answers that question. "Well, it wasn't all at once, obviously, but if you've gotta know...the dungeon spirit and four guardians for the each of us. It's four, right, Lilly? Or did you and Trush just enjoy tea that one time you wandered off with him?"

Lilly's surprised enough by the information that she momentarily forgets to be in denial. "Yes, we - wait, when did you engage with Trush!?"

"Was one of the times Taly had you good and tied up. Glad you got a round with the man too, cause I'll tell you, wow does that rabbit know his way around a..." Sable trails off, suddenly remembering her smirking audience. "...Anyways, yeah. So that's five including the spirit, if that's how you're ranking things. It wasn't like we were trying for the record, honestly. We've just, you know...been here a while."

Tolla smiles at the admissions. "I'm actually kind of glad we've got real competition for once! Though I'm curious, when you say the dungeon spirit, you mean like, you know they were watching you, or something? Handed you toys to use?"

Sable raises an eyebrow. "No? I'm saying there was actual...uh, she's got an avatar spell now, is what I'm saying. Only works for an hour a week, roughly, so you gotta be real nice to her if you're expecting to get to see it."

At that revelation the other party's expressions turn to genuine shock. Renriel speaks for the group. "Wait, you've seen her!? And it is actually a her? That was my impression...but please, what's she like?"

"Well, if you mean physically, she's got this weird issue with color - her avatar comes out in just black and white, nothing in-between. Heard she doesn't look like that to her dungeon monsters, I don't know how that works. Hair's not too long, got stripes dyed in it. Likes unusual piercings but not too crazy with it. She's actually great with a sword but you wouldn't guess it to look at her, she's healthy but you'd think she'd have trouble beating a sixteen-year-old boy with those arms."

The elf nods, prodding her along. "Intriguing. And non-physically? She must be...friendly, I assume?"

As Sable takes a moment to think about her answer, Lilly steps in. "She's far less wild than the creature of instinct that I hear many dungeon spirits are. And I include her...carnal proclivities in that description. She's very open and non-judgmental, but she can also be harsh and merciless if she feels the circumstances call for it. If you're expecting to just walk in and sweet-talk your way into her chambers, despite all the changes the dungeon's gone through these days, I think you'll find yourself disappointed."

Tolla waves off that concern. "Wouldn't be a record worth havin' if just anyone could do it. But what's these other changes you're talking about? Something about special rooms on one of the floors, or something?"

The two church members share a look, and Sable tilts her head at Tolla. "You, uh...you haven't heard about the new Floor Five?"

"New? Like, brand-new new?"

This time, it's Sable whose expression turns into a mischievous grin. "Oh...you are gonna love hearing about this..."

 

---

 

Miles away on Floor Six, the Highbranch twins were not having an easy time of things. While both of them had supplemented their magic-focused classes with melee training, they found their upper-body strength rather tested by the climbing they had been forced to do to get from one section of the floor to another. It didn't help that they'd just cleared Floor Four a little earlier, and were still a little tired out from dealing with the swarms of tiny monsters the floor had to offer.

As the pair rest on one cleared outcrop of stone, their bodyguard Sweet scans the empty darkness around them, sniffing a few times for good measure. "I do not believe there are any more flocks of dragonets waiting to strike us. Also, I suspect the boss arena is just ahead. Are you sure you wish to continue, my ladies? We have made decent progress already for today."

Gilda Highbranch shakes her head as the other members of the party climb their way up onto the level ground. "House Perlin cleared both Four and Six yesterday, you know. If we wish to beat them to clearing the dungeon, we must at least be able to keep up with their pace for today. Assuming everyone else is still in a fighting mood?"

Breathing a little heavily from the climb himself, her cousin Kalin gives her a nod. "We may be a bit tired, but all of our wounds thus far have been easily mended. I see no reason for us to bring things to a halt here."

"Very well. Silva? If the boss arena awaits us, then I believe it is time for you to do your thing."

"Always glad to feel useful, Gilda. Very well, one moment, if you would." As she has several times before in this dungeon, Silva kneels down on the stony floor and draws herself a ritual circle in chalk. Once that's in place, she pulls out a number of items from the bag at her waist - stones, string, an arrowhead, and several small, black feathers. She begins to scatter them around the circle, but is suddenly interrupted as Sweet shouts out a warning and grabs her by the shirt, pulling her backwards.

"Ambush! On guard!"

Just barely missing Silva, a heavy mass of some sort hits the ground, splattering into a liquid mess. The team turns their attention up towards the cliffside above them, raising their shields, but no further projectiles follow. As Silva glances back down at the ground however she realizes that the ambush didn't miss. "My divination circle!"

Sure enough, her carefully constructed ritual is now an absolute mess. Red slime covers the ground, knocking aside her component items - and even worse, as Silva takes stock of them she realizes some have been knocked off the ledge and into the abyss entirely. "They destroyed my ritual! Sweet, what was that!?"

The large gnoll sniffs at the air, frowning. "I smell...a rabbit. Male. Fleeting, however. It must have been the Wandering Boss, harrying us with some shortcut. It doesn't appear he intends to launch a proper ambush, however."

"He doesn't need to - the ritual is ruined. It seems we'll be going into the next fight blind."

Gilda scowls at her sister's announcement. "Eh? Just draw another circle and try again, there's more room over here."

"It doesn't work like that. I brought some of those items specifically to divine the behavior of the Floor Six guardian, and even if I wanted to revert to a simpler ritual, I'd already begun the first one. The fates don't like it when you try to divine the same event multiple times, at least in such short succession."

The white-haired half-elf snorts. "I will never understand all of the ridiculous rules your class comes with. Surely we can do some preparation, however?"

Stepping forward, the party's rogue Randall gives a nod. "We at least know as much as any other Challenger, I can say that. For starters, I wouldn't recommend using that bell of yours on her - sonic magic against a banshee? Even odds she'd figure out how to mimic it and turn it back on us, or something. Light to counteract her shadows, and anything to avoid the arena's pitfalls. Overall, Taly of Highfall's combat tactics seem to be based around staying hidden and at range. Negating her cover and pinning her down seem like the paths to victory."

Silva nods. "I could also attempt to use my Threefold Path spell, to gain an insight. It has drawbacks so I don't use it often, but it could be better than relying entirely on my swordplay."

Gilda's brow furrows. "I recall you mentioning the spell, but I don't recall you using it - what's the drawbacks of it? What does it do?"

Her sister smirks. "The fates grant me a direct glimpse of possible futures, and ways to change them - the cost being that I not attempt to unravel their thread once it's been spun. I'll be able to see the immediate future, and three times in my vision I'll be allowed to 'step back' and see how it would go if I make a different choice. Stepping left instead of right, for instance. Once I've made my choices however, I must let them play out in reality."

Sweet growls. "What if you don't like any of what you see and just turn around and go home, mistress?"

"Then my fate would be uncertain, but very definitely bad. I might trip off the cliff here just trying to get back to the shortcut portal."

Gilda looks like she wants to give a growl of her own. "I don't like the idea of being tied to a future...but I suppose getting to see and avoid three possible bad futures is more than we get without the spell. Are you sure?"

Silva nods. "As you say, without the warning we'll be likely to meet one of the failed futures in any case. It will only take a moment - it requires less preparation time than the usual divination." With that said she casts her spell, tracing a circle in the air using her fingertip and a touch of mana. Her eyes quickly cloud over, growing white, and the half-elf spends half a minute apparently staring at and reacting to nothing, her face twitching in odd ways. Eventually her eyesight returns, and she catches her sister's gaze. Apparently strained by the effort, the mage breathes deeply as she does so.

"So...what do we do then, Silva?"

Her sister is about to say something before instead biting her tongue. "We...ah. I cannot warn you, because I did not know to warn you this early in my vision. All I can do is take advantage of the moments as they come."

"Godsdamned predestination bullshit, is what it is. Fine then, well, I can still prepare on my own. Light and area-control, light and area-control..." The Enchantress takes some time of her own to paint runes on her sword and shield, and eventually stands ready. Behind her, Randall gives a light scoff.

"I have to admit, a normal party would have cleared the floor by now."

Gilda answers with a snort of her own. "If they survived at all. Do not forget that multiple Expert-level Challengers have died in this very fight, hrmm? But now - it's time to go. Sweet, if you would?"

With a nod, the gnoll leaps ahead and onto the arena platform, ready to intercept any early attacks. When nothing happens she gives the rest of the party another nod, and one by one the Challengers follow after her. Once they've passed some distance towards the center of the arena, a woman's voice calls out.

"Finally! Thought you'd be keeping me waiting all day! Least now I can take out my frustrations on you. Always wanted to have some nobles on my scorecard..." As the taunting continues, Silva steps forward and reaches up towards Sweet's ears, stuffing them with small wads of fabric as the others watch in confusion. Surprised herself, Sweet nods in understanding as Silva gives her a whisper.

"She's attempting to nullify your senses with sounds only you can hear. Be ready for her first strike."

The gnoll immediately snaps back to attention, and not a moment too soon, as the instant Taly finishes her monologue an arrow flies out of the darkness in Kalin's direction. Sweet's dagger is faster, though, knocking the projectile from the air before it can strike the Noble Duelist. Seeing this, Taly offers one more taunt. "Guess you've still got some tricks left, huh? No worries - so do I."

Without waiting to see what Taly might be planning, Gilda points her sword forwards, activating the runes she'd painted on it only moments before. A beam of light shoots from the tip, burning through Taly's magical shadows like a laser, and the half-elf quickly traces it across the opposite wall in an attempt to see where Taly might be hiding.

Taly's next attack comes in the form of a sonic shriek, yet not one aimed towards the Challenger party. Instead it strikes the ceiling, at the mid-point of the arena where it crosses from being a ledge out into the abyss and where it's dug into the mountain stone. Previously-loosened rocks tumble down upon where the party is standing, but it proves to be little more than a minor inconvenience. Sweet quickly grabs the noble twins and leaps out of the way, while Kalin rolls out of the path of a hundred-pound stone that crashes where he had just been standing. Randall, strangely enough, simply bats away at an even larger rock about to crash into him, instantly shattering the entire thing into so much dust. The display is enough to confuse the floor boss more than a little.

"Eh? You're no bruiser class, or Geomancer. The hells you'd just do to the thing?"

The half-elf man simply grins in return. "What, that? It was Not A Problem. Me, on the other hand..." With that said he reaches into his bag and throws out a number of small explosives, each of which quickly begin spewing out thick, dark smoke. Gilda is none too pleased by the sight of it as she watches on.

"Why are you making her job easier, you idiot!?"

"The banshee can see through shadow, my lady - but she can't see through smoke. I'm just leveling the playing field." Pulling out a pair of daggers - both much more reasonably-sized than Sweet's obscene versions of the weapon - the man charges into the cloud. "Back me up, Bloodletter!"

Seeing what he's up to, Sweet quickly chases after him. What follows next is a mysterious soundtrack of a battle, the sound of metal hitting metal, sonic cries being begun and then interrupted, and curses given as the improved senses of the gnoll and rogue aid them in fighting a battle without sight. At one point however, Silva does call out to them.

"There's a pitfall three steps behind you, Randall, don't be pushed back!"

"Thanks, my lady!" The invisible battle continues for a few moments more, until suddenly Taly rolls out of the cloud, smoke drifting off of her cloak as if the black fabric was dissolving into the air. Apparently deciding to go for easier targets, she rounds on Kalin, who eagerly matches the banshee's blade with his own. That battle only lasts for a few exchanges, though - when their blades lock, Taly leans right up into the man's face and screams at him point-blank. Now bleeding from the eyes and ears, Kalin stumbles off of his feet and onto his ass.

Taly has no time to finish the man, and realizes it, spinning instead to face Gilda as the woman comes up behind her. Rather than closing into melee range the Enchantress simply slams her shield into the stone however, sending tremors flowing out in a wave in front of her. The effect they have on the banshee's balance is more than physics alone would imply, the magical effects ruining the woman's sense of balance, and Gilda calls out to Sweet and Randall. "She's back out near the ledge! Get out here already!"

It doesn't take long for the others to find their way out of the smoke, and with her enemies closing in, the already-wounded boss can tell her fight is just about over. About over...but not entirely. With one last gasp of desperation Taly flings a trio of throwing knives in Gilda's direction, moments before Sweet's blades sink into her chest, but thanks to her magically-impaired senses none of them hit their target.

Well...thanks to her addled senses, and the fact that Gilda was tackled out of the way of one of the blades by Silva. Needing a moment to recover from the impact of being thrown to the stone floor, Gilda first looks over to see if the battle has concluded. Sure enough, she's just in time to see Taly's more-lifeless-than-usual body slump to the ground as the Bloodletter pulls her blades free from the boss's corpse. She then turns to thank her sister for the last-second save, but doesn't get far. "Really, you couldn't have just told me to - Silva!"

Silva looks back up at her sister - as well as she can with one good eye, and a dagger sunk deep into her right socket. "Sorry, sister. Was just how I saw things play out..."