Aurelian and Vel were working out how to implement pack leader and her non-perfected chains throughout the 7th floor. In the normal rooms which had a spider mixed in with 3 boars and one lizard man. They had reached the boss room.
Aurelian turned to Eos the pack leader and put him back inside his soul space. Then bring out the new look 6th-floor lizard man boss.
His original dark green scales now had golden accents. Making it look like he went from a bouncer outside a bar to a royal general.
His hands were now more human too, enough to hold a weapon. It had to be custom though since he was 5 meters tall.
"Girls we should give him a name," Aurelian asked scanning the rest of the lizard man's body.
'His tail is an advantage I need to use if we were to ever fight a dungeon break.' Aurelian thought.
"It's your pet." Said Vel, while pouting about not getting Aurelian's attention.
"Um, I'm not good with names." Said Psyche.
"Well then your name will be Viss," Aurelian conquered a 4-meter-long spike. Which was just an enlarged version of the one he normally shoots at enemies and handed it to Viss.
Viss took the golden spike and nodded his head to Aurelian.
"Let's fight the big spider," Aurelian said pushing the boss room doors open.
...
As the 10-meter tall creature appeared in front of them it immediately spits out webs covering the floor and walls in front of it.
Aurelian shot his spear a one of the front legs since it could attack long distance. However, the other two people fighting with him couldn't attack long distance.
He needed to allow them to get closer.
When the spear lodged into the top joint the leg cracked and fell. With three legs left on the right side it barely even wobbled.
'Vels chains also can't go past 5 meters away yet, so I need to close the distance.' Aurelian thought.
Vel who was also advancing used corrosion on the webs connected to the floor. It cleared a 3-meter radius around her strike, but she still needed at least 12 more meters to reach the attacking distance.
As Aurelian came up with an idea then Vel at Vel, "Vel get me 3 more meters and I can get you enough time to attack up close."
"Viss follow her."
Aurelian then proceeded to make as much of his body intangible as possible. Only leaving his arms shoulders and head. He proceeded to run straight through the webs towards the spider boss.
Vel continued to slash at webs while Viss protected her. When Aurelian reached the 7th floor boss's neck. There was an ate directly under the spider with no webs.
Aurelian taking advantage released the ghost form of his body and shot a spear another leg on the already damaged side.
'2 down that's enough to give them an opening,'
As Vel swiped the last section of the web before the spider, Viss stepped to her side and drove the spear forward.
The spear cracked through the middle of the monster's face causing black blood to ooze out from the wound.
Then Vel ran forward and swiped the scythe across the bottom of the neck killing the spider. Quickly after losing control over its body and falling to the ground.
...
On floor 8 in front of the boss room doors preparing to fight against a rat this time. Aurelian and Vel planned what they believed to be one of the easiest boss fights.
The only way it could attack was by biting them and everyone had longer attack ranges so they planned for Viss to stab first.
After Aurelian and Vel flank they cut the neck for the kill.
They entered the room. As the boss spawned they began charging quickly. When they got close it just so happened that Viss, being stronger than he was before Aurelian's soul revitalization, stabbed the rat deep enough to instantly kill it.
...
On the 9th floor, the new monster was a bird that spat out acid. Making it the hardest fight yet. Because the matchup wasn't great.
When they entered the boss room they saw a 10-meter tall bird flying overhead. Its wings spread 30 meters across passing a deep shadow over the group below.
Aurelian had recently switched Viss' weapon to a shield about 6 meters tall. It took a lot of strength to keep it manifested for a long time while fighting elsewhere.
So as the fight started the group of humans stood behind Viss and the shield waiting for an opportunity to get the massive bird to the ground.
The bird started the fight with its typical attack shooting out a splotch of acid.
"Sssss," it sizzled on the surface for a moment before the shield once again turned quiet. There was a small amount of the shield gone, but Aurelian poured more of his soul signature into it. It looked brand new again.
Aurelian, after the shield was repaired crouched a half step to the side. This allowed him to
To catch a glimpse of the of the last couple meters of the wing. As quick as he could he made a small spear and shot it at the spot.
It pierced and then immediately disappeared. The shield lit up and faltered but then immediately strengthened itself again as the next spit of blood from the bird.
The acid half missed but didn't but only landed on the concrete next to them.
The wing without the edge fully together faltered and began to correct itself from spiraling downward.
It dropped about 5 meters to an altitude of twenty meters. As it fell that small amount Aurelian sent another quick spear closer to the base of the wing this time.
He had a small opening because it shot the acid again before it started to fall. When it pierced the wing, it hit 3 meters from the base tearing a gash into it due to the angle of the wing.
Making the bird go into a free fall. Right when this happened Vel had a crazy idea, as well as risky.
"Viss Launch me," she yelled.
The lizard man looked at her then crouched with the shied angled up and toward the falling bird which was stabilizing itself.
Vel stepped onto the shied and then bent her knees as she felt the rapid rise of the shire's height.
Feeling it closing in on its apex Vel pushed off the shield and focused on the bird which was now getting ready to spit.
Seeing the distance closing she readied her scythe and swung diagonally to miss the harder beak but hit everything else.
She felt the skin being sliced through cleanly. Not noticing the bird barely was able to open its mouth and a couple ounces of spit slowly shot out. It was just strong enough to land on the wrist of Vel.
The bird boss was dead but Vels hand was also starting to burn as she landed back from the jump.
Aurelian who witnessed the whole thing made sure the bird was dead then hid Viss in his soul and cancelled the shield.
He ran up to Vel who was standing looking back and forth between her wrist and the boss.
"VEL, that was wreckless, what were you thinking," Aurelian said emotionally as he grabbed her elbow and started inspecting the wound.
It was burning through her wrist and starting to on her hand. Luckily it wasn't too far up her arm.
"Aurelian it'll heal," Vel said taking in his worried expression.
"What if it burned completely through, then what? You could've lost your arm. I'm sending you into my soul to recover." He said. Then quickly not giving her a choice wrapped her body in revitalization and pulled her inside his soul.
Staying on the outside. Aurelian turned to the scared psyche and told her they were going to rest on the stairs to the 10th floor.
After calming his mind on the stairs in silence Aurelian spoke up, "Would you like to come inside where I moved Viss and Vel? It'll make your powers stronger and most likely do something to your lineage."
"Yes, I'd like that," Psyche responded.
Doing the same process with her as Vel he controlled both body and soul bringing her and his consciousness inside his soul space.
….
On the inside, As Aurelian opened his eyes, he saw Vel sitting on the dirt next to some of Eos' pack.
Meanwhile, Psyche was floating into a bright light emitted by the signature. Aurelian's signature only lit up when introducing things to it. That included the monsters, Vel, and now psyche.
Aurelian without waiting for that process to finish walked to Vel and sat down. "Are you okay," He asked
"Yes, it's healing quickly in here. Your souls help." She said quietly as she leaned onto his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for yelling, it's because I care about you. I couldn't help but feel if you lost the ability to fight you wouldn't be able to be yourself anymore." He said leaning into her body as well.
"I just wanted to take it out. I didn't think it'd have enough time." Vel said turning to Aurelian and pushing him down.
She climbed on top of him, straddling his waist and looking down at him.
"It was the most efficient choice but I just didn't want you to get hurt," Aurelian said as he softly placed his hands around her back pulling her down on top of himself.
Laying her head on top of his shoulder Vel kissed his neck.
Then from about ten meters away psyche called out to Aurelian. She couldn't see Vel just assuming she was somewhere near.
"Aurelian my lineage feels like it's been connected to yours. It's like I can enter this place at any time."
"It must be because of your affinity to ghosts, it'll be helpful if you stay in RIT and we meet your mom. It would allow you to see her." He said still basking in the comfort of Vel on top of him.
"Yes that's what I was wondering too," she responded happily.
"Do you know if you'll stay in RIT, or follow us yet?" He asked questioningly.
"I haven't decided yet," she responded.
"I see test out your strength while we're here you might be strong enough to fight now. Well, stay for 3 hours while Vel heals before we attack the 10th floor." He said closing his eyes.
"Mmm,"
Aurelian proceeded to chat and lay in silence with Vel over the next few hours. While Psyche was nearby using a Rapier. This was the first time she was using it since entering the dungeon.
Aurelian and Vel were like a free shuttle.
As his mental clock of 3 hours ran out he notified both the girls and brought his newly acquired Bird to his side to give it a name. Also to test in combat on the normal rooms of the 10 floor.
"You're going to be named, Eira," Aurelian said pattin mg its beak and admiring the sparkly blueish white feathers of his new pal.
…..
As they exited the soul space Aurelian repeated the information from one of the books he read in his head.
'6 monsters one from each of the floors 5-10. With the 6th being a new monster that appears only on floor 10.'
'What will it be.' He thought
As the first room monsters appeared a Large snake that stood out from the rest.
It's eyes had even more intelligence in them than the bird and lizard man floors.
'The normal room ones won't be that difficult. Although I have a feeling the boss is gonna be a strong one.' Aurelian thought aloud.
He ended up bringing Eira, out as it was a good counter for the normal snakes and ground monsters.
They ended up having almost no trouble with the different rooms, reaching the boss room in under an hour.
"Its late we have 2 hours until midnight. We've been in here for 14 hours already so let's try to keep this boss fight under an hour.." Aurelian said as he checked all their gear and Vels wrist.
They stepped into the new hall. Aurelian saw a massive Throne at the far end with snake carvings going along the sides and arm rests.
He scanned the rest of the hall seeing the new design. Pillars lined the edges of the middle area of the room. As well as a red carpet from the door leading to the throne.
As he followed the carpet with his eyes reaching the throne he Saw the boss.
'Trouble is Coming.'