NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51: Something Stupid
8 Hours, 40 Minutes Until Reset
Welp, that was a long-ass status update. Holy crap do I have a lot of spells and techniques now. Ah well. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
The stone spiral staircase down leads to... Another library floor. There's no door so I just try to sneak in. This time I immediately hear the sounds of scratching coming from various places around the massive room.
Jose comes up behind me and whispers, “the same floor but with monsters?”
I nod without turning back. I crouch-walk over to the closest bookcase. The scratching continues. I can't see enemies yet. There's nothing on my radar either. The sounds are coming from far away, a little over that way, up in the ceiling and low to the ground. Probably dozens of different enemies around the room.
I head back to the stairs and motion for everyone to back up a bit. Inside the staircase and out of sight, I say, “so I want to try something stupid.”
“Here we go,” says Alicia, with audible disdain. I'm starting to suspect that she doesn't respect me.
“There's monsters in various locations, so I want to just set the whole thing on fire and let the shelves collapse. Crush and burn everything without a fight.” There's a moment of silence. “But I shouldn't do that because...” I leave room for the rebuttal. It doesn't come.
“Yeah, okay,” says Jose.
Mercy nods. “We should avoid a fight if we can.”
From around the corner I hear Quins say, “Ooh, I just got incendiary grenade arrows, can I help?”
Only Alicia seems troubled. “Fine. Do something stupid.”
People squeeze past each other on the stairs until Quins is up front with me. We do a countdown. He's got two arrows with glowing red tips and I've got nine wakizashis with various fire spells charged up. On “zero” we both let loose and a dozen bookshelves start on fire. Smoke quickly rises, though with the tall ceiling, I'm not sure if the room will actually fill with smoke.
“Time for a smoke break, eh?” Quins jokes, and we all head back to the safe room while in the distance we hear high pitched screeches.
Or at least we try to head back. Halfway up the stairs I notice that the screeching is getting louder and louder. “Alright, double time!” I shout to the people on the stairs ahead of me.
Quins is last one up and he shouts “go you bloody slugs! They're coming!”
He says it and I hear it. The scratching is close. I turn and see a massive wrinkled hand pulling its way up the stairs, long yellow nails scraping the stone and digging in like it's butter. The hand must be three feet across from thumb to pinky and is attached to an equally long arm. I don't see the main body but I hear something thudding along the ground.
“Gooooo!” I shout and the others ahead finally take things seriously and begin to run. I'm checking my radar but there's still nothing there. These things must have an ability to thwart certain detection types.
A low, gravely voice comes from down the stairs. “Giiiive baaaack theeeee booooOOOKSSSS!” A grotesque hand whips around the stairs and fingernails sink into Quins's leg. He winces in pain but doesn't shout. He just immediately pulls at his leg, trying to free himself.
I cast Molotov and start to chuck the flaming bottle when lefty the sub-mind realizes that it's a viable target for Telekinesis. The orb flies out of my hand, I feel it round the corner and a flash of orange light shines along with the whoosh of flame. The creature screeches louder but doesn't let Quins go. No, instead it reaches out with two more long, thin arms, the paper-thin skin sagging off it. More nails bite into Quins, grasping his other leg and right thigh.
“Just go, captain,” he says, drawing a mundane arrow. He uses a technique and turns the arrowhead into a pineapple sized grenade. “I'll take this thing-”
I snatch the arrow from his hand, use telekinesis on it, and hold it above us. I quickly pull out two wakizashis, and on each one I cast Holo Shield. This puts a wide, flat aura of yellow around each one. Now that my blades are technically shields, I can cast Fire Shield and Stone Shield on them. This turns the yellow light into half-molten lava. Then I add Aero Shell to each one to further increase the protection. Then the two shields come down in front of where Quins has been pulled to the ground and I crouch down with him.
I fling Quins's bomb around the corner once I'm ready. The grenade arrow goes off sending a shockwave through the staircase. The entire tunnel shakes and stones come loose from the walls. Also, the arms stop digging into Quins. They slacken. We wait for three seconds, our ears ringing. I move my shields out of the way and we see that beyond them a spherical chunk of stairs is just gone. A few rocks crumble from above us as if to punctuate the damage.
I slap Quins on the arm. “No blowing yourself half up! Not in the Pathbreakers! If there's no good way out, just smash stuff until you find a way out!”
“Eh? I was gonna trick shot it around the corner. Should ‘ave been alright.”
“Quins, you clearly don't know the limits of your bombs yet. Not your fault, but cool it with the close up explosions, okay?”
“Sure, captain. I may be just a wee bit excited about the explodey arrow routine. It's every archer's dream, ya know?”
I'm still crouched down next to him, and just plop down on the stairs. “Look, I'm starting to think you're pretty alright. Clearly not as much of a damage dealer as Jose-”
“Hey now-”
“But much more versatile. You need some more levels and practice, but I already think you're a real asset to dungeon dives.”
He looks very slightly touched. “Aw, thanks mate. But er, do you mind making with the heal-y hands?”
“Right, right!” I start doing just that.
Jose comes down and looms over us. “Y'all good?”
Quins quips back, “yeah, mate, y'all's well that ends well.” The fires rage downstairs and we go back up to the safe room.
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Conversation Log 0097
Fortuna: Can I request a special dungeon?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: You can ask, I can't guarantee anything.
Fortuna: I need a dungeon in a certain location that serves two different purposes.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Details.
Fortuna: A certain group would like a location to become a place that might, let's say, have Cthulhian monsters in it.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Salem is already going to have an Arkham themed dungeon, I checked.
Fortuna: This is going to be more out of the way. A location where a fierce battle took place three years ago, and there's a nuclear weapons angle too.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Listening.
Fortuna: I have a dungeon plan already outlined. Let me send it to you.
Conversation Log 0098
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Something to note. Sentient dungeon masters can alter floors of their dungeon, one floor per week, instead of doing a dungeon break.
Fortuna: Oh? Wait, what are the benefits of doing a dungeon break then?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: The dungeon gains experience points per kill, in or out of the dungeon.
Fortuna: And you said they can exchange points for certain upgrades, correct?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Correct. Your proposed dungeon has a rather interesting possibility, actually. The nuclear weapons it creates. If they're taken out of the dungeon and used, the dungeon itself may get credit for the kills.
Fortuna: Would that be good or bad for us?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Not good or bad. Just interesting. The dungeon could suddenly grow much bigger, its dungeon master could grow much stronger. The sort of thing that should usually take a decade, done in a single button press.
Fortuna: So are we doing this?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Only because I think it'll be fun.
Conversation Log 0099
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Do you know who I am? Is this a joke?
Fortuna: I know who you are, yes. I rarely joke. Why?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: The location.
Fortuna: Is it a problem? We're planning on killing millions, possibly billions over the next decade. I didn't think you'd be sentimental.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Why is everything coming together like this? Did you plan the whole thing?
Fortuna: You were chosen for your skills and specific personality type. Not who your brother is. That part is merely a coincidence, I assure you.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: I don't believe you.
Fortuna: We have all learned to not believe each other beyond what can be proved. We are all intent on keeping secrets.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: I don't know if I can continue working with you.
Conversation Log 0100
Fortuna: You understand now? The kind of power you're dealing with?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Yes.
Fortuna: And you're going to keep playing ball, aren't you?
Saturn's 2nd Ring: Yes.
Fortuna: Good. I want us to profit, to grow strong. We don't need to turn against each other.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: I see.
Fortuna: Listen, I may have more power now, but soon you'll be strong in your own right. Think about your *path to power.* This is the only way forward for you, for humanity.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: I know.
Fortuna: Good.
Saturn's 2nd Ring: I'm keeping these fucking logs, you bitch.