16 Gate

Anya leveled up to four as they killed more Bayring’s and collected the green crystals - each of them having about 120 green crystals.

After killing so many Bayrings they were becoming quite proficient at killing them - Anya would keep one stunned while Jay and Muffins would destroy another as they each switched between tanking the damage from it every four seconds so that it’s [Graze] skill didn’t burn them.

This gave them enough time to kill both of them before they could release a charge attack.

Walking through the dungeon, they came to an obelisk which didn’t eject any Bayring’s.

It had three holes on each of its four sides. It only took a moment before Jay and Anya got a message.

[Gate Challenge To Floor 2 Requirements Met]

[Requirement - 172 Green Crystals]

“Anya, looks like we have to socket our crystals into it,”

Anya frowned, realizing she had to give up six crystals for two sides.

“I wonder why it requires us to have over 12 crystals though…” Jay said as he embedded his crystals into the obelisk.

As Jay and Anya embedded the crystals in, they turned from green to blue and glowed.

When the final crystal was in place, a whole dungeon shook as if there was a massive earthquake.

All the other obelisks sank into the ground, leaving only square black bottomless holes in their place.

Below Jay and Anya, a red ring appeared - above them, a white ring, yet it didn’t glow.

Swarms of Bayring’s came spewing out of the black holes - all charging up, spinning as they prepared to fire.

“Shit!” Jay looked around wondering why he wasn’t being drawn into the ring and teleported out, looking up and yelled “Well come on then!”

Anya noticed that more holes opened up on the obelisk “We have to put in more crystals!”

Jay sprang into action as he dashed madly around the obelisk and slam his green crystals into them, each side of the obelisk taking fifty crystals each.

A bayring drew closer and threatened the adventurers - Jay made muffin take the graze attack until getting a burn status while Jay frantically fumbled his crystals.

-3, -3, -3, -3, -3, -6

Another Bayring flew near Anya as she shot her crossbow at it, sending it sprawling off into the flowing crowd of bayrings - the Bayrings were still endlessly spewing out of the many black holes, all heading for the duo.

Anya didn’t even bother to reload, she was looking worried as she ignored everything else slamming the crystals into the sockets.

Something suddenly grazed Jay from behind. He activated his ring for defense; the bones left the ring and formed a floating defensive barrier between himself and the bayring’s as he summoned the Don’s - outside the dungeon, the Don’s old bodies turned to small piles of mangled soap-rat bones.

-3

The Don’s reformed, and Jay sent one to guard Anya while the other guarded himself.

They destroyed Muffin, charr marks smoldering all over its remaining bones.

They destroyed the Don protecting Jay shortly after, while the one protecting Anya lasted longer - Jay realized it had leveled up.

I’ll check its stats later, he thought as he was about to get grazed.

“Just 10 more! How many do you have left, Anya?” Jay called, inserting another crystal into the obelisk.

“Seven.. Six!” She popped another green crystal in.

-3, -3, -3

Anya was much faster than Jay at using her inventory, though Jay was getting quicker at using it during the intense situation.

The Don protecting Anya killed a Bayring as it died, with two other Bayrings having a grinding contest on its skull.

-6, -6, -6, -6, -6,

[30 Exp]

Jay and Anya could only fight through the pain.

Anya slotted her last crystal, under the pressure of the Bayrings grazing her.

“Done!” she yelled weakly as she collapsed to the ground.

“One more…” The bayring had already applied a burn to Jay, charring some skin; two others were on him and chunking his health away.

Jay was down to 20 health now, and he was already feeling lightheaded as he slotted in the last crystal. “Done!”

Suddenly, a pulse emitted from the tower - the Bayrings all froze.

“Anya?” he called, to no reply.

Jay rushed to the other side of the obelisk, Anya wasn’t moving, covered in blood and burn marks.

Not saying a word, Jay took off his shirt and ripped it, lightly tying it on her wounds. Suddenly they floated.

Jay analyzed her health.

< [Anya] >

[HP - 4/54]

“Shit, one more attack and she would’ve been dead, then Sullivan would’ve killed me too...” Jay gritted his teeth.

The ring above them had activated, it turned yellow, and they were being sucked into it; Anya, her blood, and the bones from the Don’s and Muffin were all floating into it.

“Oh fuck, not now!” It separated him from Anya’s floating body. She was only just out of his grasp.

Suddenly, a notification appeared.

[Challenge Complete]

[Dungeon Floor 2 Accessible]

[Entering Carter’s Demise - Floor 2]

“Just hang on Anya, I’ll help you” Jay pushed off the top of the obelisk, propelling himself more quickly into the yellow ring.

“I’ll see you on the other side,” he worryingly whispered.