Cavilhaugh asked, curious regarding my delay. His question was on the minds of everyone here, myself included. Even though we established an agreement to meet within 60 days, it shouldn't have taken the full timeframe to get here for any of us as long as no serious danger was met. Seeing question marks in everyone's gaze, I sighed recalling what I faced and spoke,
"To be honest with you all, I have encountered the hordes. I ran into the hordes alongside the floor guardian and something far worse. When I first set out, I encountered the typical batches of monsters. However, after 4 days in this dungeon, the 3 hordes of monsters began fighting against each other."
"They roused the floor guardian from its slumber. As a result, the hordes all started attacking it. Their fight blocked me from my original path, forcing me to take the underground river Styx path. After the supposed 20 days that path was estimated on taking, I encountered the ancient evil that lingers on this floor, Midgardsormr."
Stopping here, I took some time to get something to drink and a little to eat, allowing everyone some time to absorb the information so far. Then, I continued saying,
"Although the Midgardsormr in this dungeon is old, from its own mouth it confirmed to only be an adolescent serpent. Nonetheless, the monster lived up to all the legends. It detected me not too long before I entered its lair."
"I was able to fool it for a moment, hoping to be allowed to leave; instead, it decided to hold me prisoner as it ascended from its dark aquatic lair and flew towards the floor guardian. All of the hordes were under some kind of control ability since they didn't even bother attacking the serpent but focused solely on the floor guardian."
"I was trapped for another 5 days as the epic monster fight ensued until the floor guardian forced the serpent to use its ability to devour and as a side-effect, the cage binding me was destroyed. I ran like hell, but not before collecting materials from my capture. I remember making a cave and sleeping, but don't know for how long. Are telling me I arrived after 53 days!? But that can't be right, unless…"
Seeing my face, Katya explained what they all noticed from here,
"I was sent directly to the fortress when I entered the dungeon. Anansi arrived first after 29 or so days from the west, Cavilhaugh came from the north about 10 days after Anansi, and Ivy from the east 7 days after him. Both Anansi and Cavilhaugh saw giant hordes of monster heading towards your general location in the south, whereas Ivy saw the bandit leader meet a terrible fate, but didn't go into detail, since who cares about trash!"
Hearing her report, I was able to get a good understanding of what happened in the other regions, and it would appear despite being so close I was indeed to last to arrive as everyone else only took around 46 or so days. Then I must have been in a coma ever since I entered the cave. Shaking my head, I cast aside the thought as a more pressing matter needed to be attended to.
"Well, barring my delay, it is good everyone got here relatively safely. I apologize for my delay, but what's important now is whether or not more ancient beast as the Midgardsormr are located on the lower 3 floors. Or if that serpent will follow us to the lower floors from its chasm like channel. From what I was able to gather it would appear the serpent was trying to break out of the dungeon by killing the floor guardians first."
"Based on what information is known regarding dungeons, the floor guardians are all connected to the dungeon core. If the beast wanted to truly destroy the dungeon, then it only has one option. That is killing the floor guardians followed by destroying the dungeon."
"I may not know the end of the fight between the serpent and the floor guardian. However, I am almost certain Midgardsormr survived. The beast went into the blood rage state mentioned in historical records regarding that type of monster. Regardless of the creature's plans, we will need to be careful and move swiftly towards the 4th floor".
After my recounting of the potential dangers, Anansi spoke in response,
"Then it would be in our best interest to head directly to the 4th floor. According to the information Mayor Lucas provided, the stairway to the 2nd floor will lead us to the southeastern area of the floor. In addition, the 2nd floor's stairway to the 3rd floor is located in the largest volcano to the North."
"It will be an approximate 20-day journey barring no life-threatening encounters. Afterwards, the stairway to the 3rd floor will take us to the Easternmost region of the floor with the next stairway estimated to be in the center of the floor. However, no one other than Lucas' ancestor has travelled that distance given the floor guardian is an Abyssal Treant sitting right where the stairs are believed to be".
As we reviewed our gathered information, my head ached greatly. I wasn't worried about how to get to the 3rd floor, but more so how to pass the floor guardians. The 2nd floor guardian is an Abyssal Molten Python which for the most part doesn't bother with protecting the floor from intruders. As a matter of fact, it would actually aid all who enter as long as they paid a suitable price for its assistance.
Luckily, I have that price in hand; Midgardsormr scales! The real worry is the 3rd floor guardian, an Abyssal Treant. This monster is a spirit made flesh and much like its kin outside the dungeon cannot be killed with conventional means. Only a spirit can at most bind another spirit but that's about it. Additionally, this thing is known for consuming the blood, flesh, and bones of all who enter a 500-meter radius of it, with very few exceptions.
Not knowing a way to bypass the last floor guardian, my headache grew even more, causing me to lose focus on a potential plan to avoid our possible deaths. Seeing me frustrated, Ivy gently grabbed my hand and spoke,
"I may have a way to persuade the last floor guardian to let us pass. What isn't commonly known about treants is they are not meant to be placed inside dungeons given the baleful energy needed to keep the dungeon functional are a great poison to fairyfolk. Even as an Abyssal Treant, it would want only one thing and may be willing to provide us safe passage in its territory if we can get it to agree."
"What would possibly be its one desire?" I asked. Anansi, Cavilhaugh and Katya all shared in my inquiry.
"To be placed in a sacred paradise for spirits and grow to be a World tree candidate. All treants desire this since the first treant reached atavism, becoming the Ancestral world tree inside the Dragon continent. Being a progenitor plant spirit, I may be able to persuade it once it knows a sacred place exists not that far from here as I am proof of the possibility of evolution." As Ivy spoke, Anansi and Cavilhaugh looked confused by what she meant. Glancing at her, I responded to their curios gaze,
"Within the Emeraldshade Forest where the dark elf settlement is, there is a sacred place for spirits to evolve protected by 2 greater spirits. It was here Ivy who originally was a clover peach mandrake evolved into the progenitor of a new fairyfolk race, a clover peace Anthousai which is a variation of flower nymphs." It was after mentioning this, Cavilhaugh began to put the pieces together,
"You…you are a dark elf in a prominent position, aren't you, Yuriy? That would explain why a fairyfolk, especially a nymph would be willing to travel with you since it is known by everyone how reclusive fairyfolk are. With the exception of those who have adapted to being around the elves; nymphs being the most intimately involved with elves." As Cavilhaugh spoke, a sideways grin appeared on Anansi's face as he spoke in English,
"I know you smashing that wap! Don't even try to hide it. I can see it in her eyes. Even now, she wants this conversation to end so she can ride you like a surfboard!" Anansi said, to which all I could do is grin like a certain Cheshire panther. Hearing Anansi speak, and me grinning, Cavilhaugh was annoyed and said,
"What's so funny with what I said? Don't think I don't know your making fun of me in you little secret language!!" Thank God, this fool doesn't know English, I thought to myself.
"No, we are not speaking about you, stop being overly self-conscious. Anyway, given the current situation, we should leave this floor within the next day or so at the utmost latest and 8 hours from now at the earliest. If there's anything you need to finish, do it now since time is against us." I said, shaking my head.
Nodding in agreement, everyone finished their meal, and proceeded to gather all their things and finished what busy work they had. Still holding Ivy's hand, we went back into our room and embraced each other, but no sex this time just taking in each other's presence. I can't put my finger on it, but whenever I'm with Ivy, I am always reminded of my time with my wife from Earth, Jocelyn. To be honest, I miss her dearly even now since the way we separated was unfortunate and had scarred our children for life.
-End of Chapter