Chapter 21 – 21

With the conclusion of the Dungeon Party Selection, the whole world awaited the party's long-awaited departure into Hell. Every country and organization all over the world vied for the recognition of saving the world from the evil dungeon that slaughtered the innocent citizens of Radon. As the final preparations concluded, Ziphe pondered his first meeting with 21.

Months ago…

When the Shade War had just ended, Radon's most powerful country, Pyrite, vowed revenge, and the High Mage Council was in dire straits. Galeon wanted to arrest Lavalin. This man had assassinated their king and stolen their Apocalypse Seal! Such an embarrassment was unheard of between the Four Powers. The Beast Nations on Radon were also enraged by the Shade and Beast Wars that ravaged the surviving countries and led their tribes into the tournament. Everyone wanted reparations, but no one had solutions.

While every nation and organization plotted and schemed, two men entered a room.

Grand Councilman Ziphe sat opposite to two men: the Wizard King, the strongest current Deity of the Human Race and a mysterious hooded man. He wore a concealing black mask, and his request to meet Ziphe was facilitated by the respected Wizard King Xie.

The mysterious man bowed and spoke seriously to Grand Councilman Ziphe,

"I, am 21. I can predict the future. There is one specific future I am looking for. Every other future I have seen will end in the Dungeon Subjugation Party's destruction. Everyone will die." Silence fell in the room. Ziphe put his hand to his temples in exhaustion. While his Dungeon Subjugation Party plan was still in the works, he hadn't told anyone outside the Council. 21 was truly a prophet.

"Do go on." Ziphe would hear out the mysterious masked man.

"I am here to help guide you. Instead of the small-scale Dungeon Subjugation Party idea, I propose a grand event. By forcing everyone to work together, the Council will be out of the crosshairs and the world's anger will fall on Lavilin." 21 explained his plan.

"Interesting idea, but I need to know, how can I trust you?" Ziphe asked. Wizard King Xie stood silently behind the desk while 21 had sat down across from Ziphe.

With the backing of Wizard King Xie, this '21' had more of a background than expected. No one had ever heard of a '21' before, and Grand Councilman Ziphe was quite skeptical. Despite his skepticism, he continued to listen for the sake of the quiet Wizard King.

"I have seen all possible futures regarding the potential dungeon parties that would conquer the dungeon and arrest Lavilin. From your subjugation party idea to my larger party idea, most, if not all, will fail."

"Tell me '21', what are these futures you have seen?" Asked Ziphe. The corners of 21's lips slightly perked upwards.

"What Authority do you serve Grand Councilman?"

"Who said I was religious? What does that have to do with the future?" Ziphe wasn't in the mood to play games. This did not stop 21's monologue.

"There have around twenty to thirty Authorities since the dawn of creation:

The Eternal Trinity, the Void, Chaos, and Order,

The Queen of Heaven and the Ruler of Hell,

Let's not forget the Demon Lord Xana and Cipher the Great." 21 paused and grinned sinisterly.

"Don't tell me you don't believe in the Authorities?" 21 asked meekly.

"I do believe in them yes." Ziphe responded, on edge. Wherever this was going felt off.

"Which one is your most and least favorite?" 21 looked into Ziphe's brown eyes from behind his mask.

"I dislike Xana, and my favorite would be Cipher." Ziphe indulged.

"So, you're a believer in Lord Cipher?" 21 teased.

"Someone once told me a great saying." Ziphe tried to keep the conversation on track.

"The Authorities are just like everyone else, just stronger. They have their own ambitions, desires, and sins. Cipher was once a human, which proves that point. Even the Authorities were once weak, just like us. Therefore, why should I trust you, much less whichever Authority is backing you?" Ziphe deduced that 21 was implying he had a serious backing above the Deities.

"Who said an Authority is backing me?" 21 looked around the room, as if searching for the Authority.

"I am just a man, just like you, and I wish to challenge the will of the Authorities!" 21 declared, rising his fist in the air.

"The Authority of Destiny has spoken, and this party is fated to fail.

Xana has spoken, your party will be consumed.

The Queen of Heaven has spoken, the Great Dungeons cannot be conquered!

Death had spoken, your party is finished.

The Void looks on, and he is not impressed.

Chaos seeks to obliterate the unworthy and exploit the strong.

The Armies of Insanity wish to join you in your futile quest.

Grand Councilman Ziphe, there is not one Authority who wishes to help your endeavor. They all wish to exploit or obliterate your subjugation party. As a normal man, you will fail. But, do not despair, I am here." 21's voice grew excited.

"What can you possibly do against the Authorities?" Ziphe asked with skepticism.

"I have seen all possible realities, and I know the beginning and end of your party. There is no reality where your party survives if the Authorities get their way. I'm sure your personal prophet has told you the same thing." 21 smiled mischievously from underneath his mask. Ziphe remained silent.

"The only way to beat an Authority is to use their own plan against them."

"What do you have in mind?" Ziphe asked, curious yet unsure of 21.

"Lavilin, The Demon, is no ordinary maniac. He opened the Gates of Hell at the beckoning of his Authority. Lavilin's goal is straightforward: Conquer Hell. And I'll tell you this, Lavilin is destined to succeed, while our arrest attempt, is destined to fail."

"How do you stop destiny?" Ziphe didn't understand.

"You don't!" 21 laughed dryly. Ziphe grew more confused.

"The only way we conquer Hell is if we trick fate into thinking our party is Lavilin's party!"

"What?" Ziphe was perplexed.

"We can't beat Lavilin, we can only join him. We will conquer Hell if we play tag with him, instead of challenging him directly. If we dance around Lavilin, the remnants of our party will catch up to him on Floor 100."

"How is that possible?" Ziphe couldn't wrap his head around it.

The conversation that followed would change Ziphe's entire outlook on the nature of the expedition and its members completely.

***

In the present…

Ziphe sighed as he finalized the sub-party rosters. The tournament had just ended, but the work to be done was still insurmountable. Equipment preparations had been overseen by Xie and 21 for months, and the time when they would enter the dungeon was two days away.

The top fifty winners of the tournament were guaranteed spots in the subjugation party, but some of the fifty only joined the tournament to show off their respective backers. Ziphe had to make tough decisions on the final selection based not just on power, but on the individual roles each member would play in the expedition. 21 assisted in his selections and created a rather, unique, roster.

After his conversation with 21 and Xie, his approach and plan had changed entirely. From his Dungeon Subjugation Party plan, 21 reformed it into the Great Dungeon Party. Directly after the tournament ended, 21 once again changed the plan dramatically. In the end, 21 decided on having two sub-groups of twenty-five overlooked primarily by the High Council and two groups of twenty-five by the Four Powers. One sub-group was overseen by Phanec of the Void Continent and the other by Pyrite of Radon. Ziphe and 21 had tried to keep power groups and factions together within the sub-parties but also strategically split some of them up within the sub-groups.

"21… hmm I wonder…" Ziphe mumbled to himself. Originally, the party would stay as 100 and slowly push through the dungeon using scouts to find out the situation of the next floor if it were up to him. Only a few accounts of Hell's Dungeon were documented, and this was the best solution Ziphe, and the council could come up with.

But 21's prophecies were too compelling. 21 knew things about Ziphe's life he had never told anyone before apart from Superior Councilman Naxa. 21 had also been specific on what happened on each individual floor in different scenarios. 21 had the backing of Xie. 21 continued to be right, over and over again. 21's knowledge was unnatural, unfathomable, all-knowing.

From Ziphe's perspective, 21 must have a Deity level skill that can predict the future and was hiding his true aura level. At the bear minimum, 21 should have a Deity Realm physique like Mite. 21's aura appeared around the Sage Realm, so if he didn't have Deity abilities, he would have to be backed by a mysterious Authority, just like Lavilin.

"Just who are you 21?" Thought Ziphe. Days of discussions had thoroughly convinced Ziphe that 21 was the only hope of the expedition months ago. 21 even wrote for Ziphe an instruction manual entitled, Ziphe's Guide to Leading the Party. Its contents compelled Ziphe to memorize it and follow it to the letter. The most frustrating part about the book, written specifically for him, was that some of the information had parts left out or was written poorly on purpose.

Relieved yet lost in thought, Ziphe submitted the official roster for the sub-parties. This roster would determine the course of history. With one press of the button, the party members would learn of their specific roles and rank as determined by him and 21. In just a few hours' time, the party would react strangely to the idea of a 'sub-party'. He submitted to his new fate.

Almost every person on the official roster list was a world-renowned expert in their respective country or field, but Ziphe was still worried of the upcoming backlash of having four sub-groups of twenty-five. Shaking his head, he pressed send and starred at his sub-group blankly.

***

Grand Councilman Ziphe's Sub-Party:

1. Grand Councilman Ziphe – Party Leader, Sub-Party Leader

2. Vice Grand Councilman Nure – 1st Officer

3. Councilman Ryke – 2nd Officer

4. Councilwoman Zirene – 3rd Officer

5. Gatekeeper High Queen Tyermsy – Equipment Manager

6. Wandering Sage '21' – Head Prophet

7. Vice-Councilman Zacchaeus – Guest Services Manager

8. Gatekeeper Ecnelis – Control Room Coordinator

9. Vice-Councilman 'Blue' – Secretary

10. Wandering Sage Do – Assistant Prophet

11. Wandering Sage Mo – Assistant Prophet

12. Gatekeeper Elos – Engineer

13. Gatekeeper Ciphe – Engineer

14. Gatekeeper Realeh – Doctor

15. Gatekeeper Groth – Bodyguard

16. Council Trainee Duchess – Guest Services Coordinator

17. Council Trainee White – Guest Services Coordinator

18. Council Trainee Trike – Crew Member

19. Council Trainee Goln – Crew Member

20. Wandering Sage Clico – Crew Member

21. Wandering Wizard Kiln – Crew Member

22. Wandering Wizard Utone – Crew Member

23. Adventurer Anaxmai – Crew Member

24. Dungeon Shade Omira – Crew Member

25. High Priest of the Void, Vladimir – Guest

***

Staring at the names for longer than he would have like to admit, he shook his head once again and murmured, "An interesting party indeed…"