After seeing most of our group dodge the monster it then charged at us trying to bite anyone it could while also swiping at with its tail. The shield bearers attempted to gain the attention of the beast while the mages prepared their spells. After taking a few spells to the head the monster reared back and started to spew a green flaming sticky substance like napalm.
Thania was under the large monster hacking at its legs while the ranged combatants fired of spells or arrows. Getting enraged the fire breathing dinosaur started to whip its tail around and was biting in all directions viciously. One of the shield bearers was unlucky and got splashed with its fire. A blood-curdling scream could be heard on the battlefield. A water mage tried to put out the fire, but it only spread it further and did nothing to help. In the end, we lost a mercenary.
Seeing this I had decided I had to do something about its tail. Using the nearby trees and some acrobatics, I jumped and flipped myself on to the creatures back. Using my new-found balance, I ran along its back and reached the base of its tail. Channeling some of my manna through my meridians, I increased my strength and started to hack at its tail.
This just seemed to enrage the monster even more. It started to spin around doing anything it could to dislodge me from its back. I started to nimbly hop from its to its neck just trying to stay on the damn thing. Looking down at the ground I spot Thania having her own troubles trying not to get stepped on.
"Thania! Have the mages restrict its movements while it is thrashing around! If we can get to fall over it will be easier!"
Taking what I said, Thania retreated to the mages and discussed a plan to trip the beast. After what seemed like ten minutes of me jumping back and forth, I was finally able to hack off the tail of the large lizard. This action sent the beast into a large frenzy as it started to move erratically and slam its head down on the ground trying to crush anyone it could.
Seeing their chance, the mages that specialized in earth magic, softened the ground enough that the monster finally lost its footing and fell. Seeing it fall, all the melee combatants rush forward and attacked the head. A few minutes later was a headless corpse of a dinosaur.
After the long battle, everyone took a breather while Thania went to collect the mangled tags of the fallen mercenary. I do feel a little bad because if I had gone all out, I could have killed the monster in like three seconds. But I am not about to expose myself needlessly either.
As I was sitting down drinking from a waterskin, Thania walked over next to me and sat down. She kept looking over at me and I could see she was debating on whether or not to talk to me. After a few moments of awkward silence, she finally spoke up.
"Hey, Lynn…I'm sorry I treated you badly. I thought you were another one of those stupid nobles that play at being a mercenary and throw their family name everywhere to get what they want. After seeing you fight earlier, I realized at least that some of that isn't true, at least the playing at mercenary part."
"I am guessing you had a rough encounter with a noble and it made you a bit sour?"
Thania just sits in silence for a bit before answering.
"Sorry I just don't feel like talking about it. It's a sore subject."
Hearing what she said I can kind of relate to her a bit. I had a bad experience with nobility too.
"Don't worry about it, I don't like nobles much myself. Also, you don't have to be my maid anymore, we can just drop the whole bet thing."
After saying that her mood perks back up. Thania then stands up and responds before walking away.
"Alright, we can do that on one condition. I want another duel, but next time I will have honed my skills. I know you were holding back, so go all out next time."
After the extended break, we pack up all our stuff and continue with our search. The rest of the party is giving Thania and me weird looks. Probably because we are casually chatting now rather than bickering and going after each other's throats.
After a few more hours of travel, Thania notifies the group that another set of tags is up ahead. Coming up to a familiar clearing, we spot a decomposing half-eaten corpse. Seeing Thania's shocked expression, I can tell it's someone she knew. Of course, once I saw the corpse, I knew it was the assassin edgelord that tried to kill me. Looks like I will either need to explain this or feign ignorance. I decided I would tell them a form of the truth. It won't be difficult to link his death to me, especially since the guild leader knows I spent a month on this floor. Plus, I don't know how good their forensics are in this world.
"Thania. You knew him?" I had said throwing a questioning glance.
Getting over her shock she finally spoke up.
"Yeah, his name was Zaber. He was our best tracker and his stealth skills were top notch. I just wonder what could have killed him."
After thinking about my plan once more I speak up.
"Well, this is awkward now…"
Thania threw me a questioning glance before I spoke back up.
"It's awkward because I was the one who killed him."
After dropping that bombshell, I start to receive some uncomfortable stares from Thania and the other members as well.
"Before I joined the guild I was actually living on this floor for about a month. One day while I was bathing, I noticed a presence staring at me. Once I called out to it that man stepped out from the trees. He then got mad about me catching him peeping on me as well as the fact that I saw through his perfect stealth skills. So, he attacked me, and I defended. You can see the result of how that went in front of you."
Shock settled in everyone around me. You could almost visibly see the gears turning as they processed this information. It lasted a few moments before Thania spoke back up.
"Ug, this is a headache we don't need. I suppose it makes sense though. Zaber was a prideful playboy, probably due to him being the next head of some bigshot clan. The real headache though is how his clan will react to this. Either way, we will have to report this to HQ when we get back."
Everyone just nodded their head in agreement, as if it was normal he did stuff like this. Well, that over better than expected but I just need to make sure.
"So…you aren't mad at me or anything for killing him?"
Giving a sigh Thania responds.
"No, it was his own fault for being a pervert. He just chose the wrong person to offend. I am just more surprised you actually beat him. He was quite fast."
"Well, he did almost get me, but I got lucky I suppose."
Thania shrugs her shoulders and proceeds to collect Zaber's tags.
"Alright everyone this area is a good spot to set up camp. We will bury the body somewhere as well, so it doesn't attract any beasts."
We spent the evening setting up camp and assigning night shift. Once everything was set up, I sat down around a fire while eating some meat. While staring off into space lost in thought, Thania came and sat down next to me.
"Whatcha thinking bout?"
Shaken out of my thoughts, I look over at her and spoke my mind.
"Just was thinking about this dungeon and how it works and stuff."
Nodding her head, she responds to my statement.
"Yeah, it sure is a mystery alright. Once we interacted with the red orb, some basic information was imparted to us. Like how we knew all of a sudden, this place was called a dungeon and how we could use that orb to teleport between floors. Everything else we are still learning."
"I was also wondering about Demon Lords. I heard that there was one nearby, but because I lived away from society, I don't know much about them."
I receive a look from Thania before she responds.
"I guess nobles have something to do with your sheltered life. Oh well, not my business. Yeah, there was a large manaquake a while back. Though something like that hasn't been felt in a very long time, the history books describe such events as an ability coming from Demon Lords. As for what Demon Lords are, that is something else."
Thania pauses and takes a drink from her waterskin before continuing.
"Demon lords are said to be the various leaders of the demon race. The demon race is said to have angered the heavens and were cast out for their violent ways. After being cast out to the mortal plane they then waged wars against the mortal races but eventually lost. During those wars the Demons Lords were wiped out, causing the demons to retreat to the forsaken continent where they are rarely heard from."
This answers a lot of questions and brings up some others. I will need to ask Teona for some clarification on these. After some time has passed Lynn went to sleep so she could get up for her shift.
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Somewhere in heaven, there was an angel in pink sneaking around a luxurious office. She was digging around some drawers and going through a computer. She was taking pictures of documents and loading information on her phone.
"This! This can't be!"
With a look of panic, she quickly puts things back to how everything was, erasing any trace she was there. While she doesn't act like it, she was once part of the Elder God's army called the Einherjar which had a special forces unit called the Valkyries. She had always wondered why her unit she was with was disbanded and her sisters became glorified secretaries to those stupid demi-gods.
Today she had found some answers and more questions.
"I need to contact Teona fast!"
Leaving the scene, she quickly proceeds to her safe house using every anti-tracking method she knew to shake anybody trailing or tracking her. Arriving at what appears to be a small shop, she enters through the back and heads upstairs.
Sitting at a small desk she activates various artifacts and spells arrays. These are to ensure encrypted communication with her laptop sitting at the desk. Plugging in her phone she transfers all the data from the phone to the computer while erasing any traces from her phone. After that is all done, she contacts Teona from the computer.
After a few rings, Teona answers
"Hello? Teona speaking."
"Teona! Are you someplace safe! Can anyone else hear you?"
"Selariel! What's wrong? I am in my divine space right now, Why?"
"No time to explain! Just know that I found some evidence of that cover-up, but it goes deeper than we thought. There is a chance I will be tracked. We can't meet anymore as I don't want anything to be linked back to you. I will transfer you everything I found and then I am going to go dark along with some of my fellow sisters. If you don't hear from me after several celestial months, assume I am dead."
There was a long pause on the phone before a response was given.
"Alright, I understand. Please be careful. I won't forgive you if you die, you hear me?"
"I hear you loud and clear. I'm not that easy to kill. Just know that after reading everything I send you; you need to protect Allynna. Everything revolves around her and I suspect that includes the missing Goddess of Fate. Anyway, I got to go can't risk this call being traced and please take care of yourself."
Hanging up the call, Selariel proceeded to destroy everything in the room including her phone. She then pulled up some of the floorings pulling out a large bag with various items such as armor and weapons. Picking up a ring, she placed it on her finger. Once it was on her appearance had changed to that of a tanned skinned woman with black hair and blue eyes. Her aura also had seemed to change as well.
Digging again through the bag she pulled out another phone and turned it on. She then sent a message to everyone in her contacts with the numbers 237. After she sent the message, she quickly changes into the armor, grabs her weapons, and leaves the building.
------
Teona is on her computer going over all the information that she was sent. The more she read the noticeable her troubled look became. Reading through everything she gave a sigh.
"How do I break something like to Allynna? To think she has this much misfortune. I suppose I should also call him as well."
Teona picks up her phone and dials a number. After a few rings, someone answers.
"Hey. Asmodeus. Been a while huh?"