Part 21

The 11th floor brought back some horrible memories of Mount Gulg as the party ended up in a room filled with magma. All they could think is run the heck away from this heat and find any surface without magma. After few such places, they found the stairs and raced to get there as fast they could. After ending up in the ice cave again, they plastered their feet into nearby snow to cool off. Two Elm Gigases, guarding the stairs of 12th floor, wondered what the noises was so they came to inspect. Not wishing to move from place, Mari just smitten them with Thundara. After finally being able to feel cold, everyone got up and took the stairs that those Gigases guarded before. 13th floor was just another ice cave floor and, other than just Strength Tonic they found by accident in a chest, it contained nothing important of note. The environment did change up on the 14th floor, now reminding them of the Earth Cave. Unlike there, however, this floor had a lot of huge stones, laid in such a way as to create a labyrinth with lizards and pythons waiting at the dead ends. After several such encounters, the party stumbled upon a chest. In it there was an item known as Silver Apple. It was an item similar to Soma Drop they picked up earlier, in this case it was said to improve the health of whoever consumed it. This was another item that went into the bag and was to be tested outside. After several more dead ends, they found their way out.

The 15th floor was where things got weird once. They once again found themselves in a city, but this one was unlike anything they have ever seen. Surrounded by tall white walls, the city was brimming with magic and was populated by other mages. Unsure of what to do, the party walked cautiously while gripping their weapons. Most people just ended up ignoring them. They saw their fair share of newcomers behaving like that on their visit. The party ended up entering an inn called Blue Star Inn where the innkeeper greeted them.

Innkeeper: "Hello and welcome to Blue Star Inn. How may I help you?"

Everyone: "Um... Ah..."

Innkeeper: "Let me guess, first time in this city? You didn't even went through control first?"

Kelin: "Yes. Where exactly are we?"

Innkeeper: "Oh, this wasn't even the destination you had in plan and yet you still reached this city? Now that's quite rare. But let's not dawdle anymore. I hereby welcome you to Ristior, the city of mages."

Rosch: "Mages?"

Innkeeper: "Yes. This whole city is dedicated to the art of magic, the art of bending the laws of nature to your own will. Here, you will find every possible craft related to it. From construction to transportation."

Kelin: "I... see."

Innkeeper: "Is there something wrong?"

Mari: "We were in the middle of doing something when we ended up here. So-"

Innkeeper: "I understand. You are thinking this might be an illusion or something to that extent. That's why you have been keeping the guard up. I wish I could convince you that this is real, but that would be very difficult."

Lewyn: "Yes."

Innkeeper: "Then at least I can give to you all a spare room to rest while I find a city official to help you get back on your way. I can even offer you some food if you are hungry."

The party ended up taking up on his offer and slept in a corner room with one of them keeping guard and switching that every two hours. They also had breakfast and, while it was nothing to write home about, it was still better than the rations they were relying on. The next day the innkeeper brought along a city official that promised to return them back to their world. Before the Warriors left, innkeeper gave them a card that said Blue Star Inn on it. "In case you ever do want to come back, just hold that card and imagine yourself back here. I am curious to hear stories about your adventures.", the innkeeper said with smile. The party thanked him for his hospitality and stepped into the teleportation circle, ending up in the Flying Fortress environment again. Everyone checked the cards to see if they were still there which they were. They were wondering if what happened was real or not. A Death Manticore disturbed while they were deep in their thoughts with Blaze spells. It nearly destroyed those cards so the Manticore paid dearly for that. After they killed it, party vowed to check this at a later date and they pressed on. At the very least, they didn't end up on a previous floor as the Manticore and the layout proved it. And several minutes of searching they found the teleportation circle and went through it.

The next two floors were in a marsh cave. One ruled by undead as skuldiers and revenants roamed around the other ruled by black goblins that guarded some treasure. Said treasure was barely worth a mention as the items that did survive were some Turbo Ethers, items that restored more magic compared to the regular ones, another Speed Drink and a Golden Apple, an item that was supposed to be even better than Silver Apple. After putting it away, they found the stairs and climbed down to the Earth Cave environment. Starting to be sick of constantly going through these caves, everyone started casting Thundara to scare off enemies and make it easier to pass through. Other than another Golden Apple and Soma Drop, there was nothing else of note.

The next floor everyone ended up in was another special one. Again it was in the Flying Fortress environment, but this time there was no enemies, only a long, winding corridor. Judging from their previous experience, they were now on the 20th floor which meant that whole incident with Ristior had moved them a floor ahead. Expecting another boss ahead, they made a short break to rest up and recover magic. Once it was done, they pressed on into those hallways.

At the end another dark blue flame awaited for them. As soon as the Warriors approached it, it started laughing creepily. "Uwee hee hee! What have we here? I'm warning you, I'm armed... Eight-armed, that is! Uwee hee hee!" As soon as it said that, the flame transformed into a giant purple octopus with sharp yellow teeth sticking out of his mouth. With another big on their hands, the Warriors immediately jumped into action. Rosch and Mari started with their defence spells, Kelin with Saber and Lewyn distracting the octopus with his punches. The octopus tried to counter with ink, trying to blind his opponents. But it missed everyone due to Invisra. The only one it knew where he was Lewyn who knocked one of his teeth out. It responded by heavily injuring Lewyn's arm, forcing him to retreat while casting Saber on himself. Mari came into help with her Healaga spell, quickly restoring the arm back to normal. Once Rosch managed to get Haste on Kelin and Lewyn, the octopus stood no chance. Peppered by Rosch's and Mari's spells while they were constantly moving around while at the same time taking heavy blows from Kelin and Lewyn. No matter how it tried to attack, be it again with its ink or by swiping its tentacles around, the attacks failed to hit their marks. In the end Kelin was the one who put it out of its misery by thrusting his Ice Blade into his head. As it disappeared, the only thing it left behind was a Rune Staff. By being so efficient at their attacks, it only took a short break before the Warriors continued on, taking a teleportation circle in the corner and ending up on the 21st floor.

Expecting that the next nine floors were going to be the same, slog through the enemies they already fought before while going through the same environments again, they were in for quite a nasty shock when a yellow dragon swopped in and casted Thunderbolt on the party. Luckily, everyone quickly recovered and slain the dragon with only a few attacks. While the environment hadn't changed much, being in the Earth Cave one with only a far more space, the monster variety did change as 2 more yellow dragons and a group of blood tigers soon proved. This same thing happened on the 22nd floor. While it was again in the Flying Fortress one, the goblins there were much tougher compared to their cousins and knights riding unicorn were also more tougher than the party got used to. This all was nothing, however, compared to what they found on the 23rd.

Everyone got used to caves and limited space to go through so much that ending up on a massive floating island with a hill, a sand area and even a forest actually felt unnatural. The clouds in that yellow sky looked so beautiful and distant compared to those that they had encountered on Fortress floors. This would even be a nice place to live if it weren't for the monsters roaming around. Elm Gigases patrolled together with their pets, dark wolves. Red flans were also spotted flying in the area. So, as much as they wanted to take in the sights, the Warriors had no choice but to press on. After crossing the sand area and passing next to the hill and a forest, a yellow ogre was guarding the way forward, unaware of the threat approaching it. He didn't even get a chance of raising his club before Kelin decapitated him. The way behind the ogre was not as useful as expected. It leaded down to a poisonous lake. The party turned around and tried to search for another path, but after 30 minutes of search, they had to give up. In the end they returned to the forest, chopped down 2 trees and used it and ice magic to make a temporary raft. While it was not like their canoe, it at least held up long enough to cross the lake unharmed. After following the path on the other side of the lake, they ended up next to a hole. Lewyn ended up jumping in first. After hearing no response from him, others believed that this was way forward so they followed him, ending up on the 24th floor.

That one was also an unique one. After they fell down, they ended up in an environment similar to Mount Duergar. While looking around to see what was out there, they ended up meeting a dwarf who asked them for help. Apparently a lot of dwarves in that settlement had problems specific to them, but if the party could help them, then the dwarves might return the favour. Realizing it was another puzzle floor, everyone had accepted the request while also hoping that it wasn't as tedious as the hide-and-seek one. The first dwarf that asked for help needed to find the key to his house so the party promised to help him find it. Another dwarf wanted to reconstruct Cid's legendary airship. The same one that party was using, the Sky Empress. While stunned and confused, the party had no choice but to accept the request, wondering how exactly are they supposed to do that. The third dwarf was a bit different. Instead of looking for something, he wanted to gift the food called Carobo away to someone hungry. After wrapping the metal lid into a cloth, the dwarf gave it to the party who promised to achieve the task. Next dwarf wanted tools so that  he could restart the forge. The one after that wanted tools to dig through the canal like the one Nerrick built over a year ago. The sixth dwarf is where things started to unravel. As it turned out, the sixth dwarf was to whom the Carobo needed to be delivered to. After receiving the item from the party, he in his gratitude gave an ocarina and asked that it be returned to the right owner. Mari was starting to figure out what exactly was going on. Her theory was proven correct when they found the dwarf to whom the ocarina needed to go to. That dwarf was apparently a rare instrument collector and in gratitude for getting ocarina, he gave the party a cogwheel. Mari explained to everyone that in order to be allowed to pass, they needed to trade the right items to right dwarves. While looking around for the right dwarf, they also found out why they needed to do that. A golem, looking like Maxlo, was guarding a hallway and wouldn't allow anyone to pass through.

The cogwheel ended up going to the dwarf that wanted to reconstruct the airship. He was gratefully for being one step further on his path. In exchange for the cogwheel, he gave away a pickaxe. That pickaxe ended up going to the dwarf that wanted to make a canal. He gave away autograph that was supposedly Nerrick's. The party wanted to wonder how that was possible, but they didn't want stand around for that. Off they went to search for the next dwarf needed in this trade. That one ended up being an apparently Nerrick's fan and was really glad to have an autograph of his idol. In exchange he gave away a brew made by the witch Matoya. Another item everyone wanted to know more about, but had no time. The items after that were: smith's tools, house key and cat's whisker, apparently a sign of friendship with dwarves, until they had reached the last item, the star ruby. Remembering how they dealt with Maxlo, they immediately went straight for the golem who, at the sight of that ruby, allowed them to pass. After a short hallway, they reached stairs and climbed down.

At the 25th floor a small, empty town was waiting. No matter where they went and checked in the houses and buildings, they found nobody. At the local inn they found the stairs to the next floor, but rather than going straight in, everyone decided to take a sleeping break there. After eating some of their rations, they went to sleep with changing watch every 2 hours. In the end, it turned to be a very nice break, even if it felt creepy due the silence of the town. Feeling refreshed, the party pressed on. They breezed through 26th floor as the wall of skeletons between them and the stairs was easily removed with Mari's Diaja spell.

They ended up needing the excess energy from the rest on the 27th floor. That floor ended up being an abandoned desert town where a golem was watching over its friend that was no longer working. When the party approached it, the golem asked for the help. All across the town, there were wrecks of others golems that were beyond repair. The golem asked the party that the party find the parts so that it could fix its friend. Feeling sad for that lonely golem, the party gladly decided to help. They lugged all the wrecks and parts back to the golem in hopes of finding the right ones. The parts needed for the repair ended up being a torso part to start working as well as an audio circuit to make it speak again. The golem was grateful for the help and showed the party where the stairs were. The party left with good feelings as the last sight of that town were the two golems walking around together.

After a brief stint with yellow dragon on the 28th floor, the party ended up in a massive forest on 29th. After encountering a small river, they decided to follow it. Along the way they heard a scream and rushed in that direction to help. In a small clearing in the forest a group of skeletons was attacking a fairy. They never saw Mari's Diara spell coming. After the fairy realized that some helpful humans appeared out of nowhere, she approached to thank them. "Thank you so much. I didn't expect see neither you nor those skuldiers today." The party acknowledged that and turned around to continue on their path, but the fairy stopped them. "If you don't mind, it's rare to see humans in Feyhome Forest, especially nice ones. May I take you to our Queen? She should show you gratitude for your actions today." Wondering what that might lead them to, the party accepted fairy's invite and followed it through the forest. While it looked like any other forest on the surface, as they passed further and further into its depths, everyone realized that this was a very special place. The bright and airy forest gave away to large patches of flowers of all kind growing across the forest floor. Above them the song of the birds sounded beautifully across the forest while fairies started to gather in large groups to see the outsiders that just arrived. The Warriors were escorted to a small clearing where a beautiful woman sat on a simple stone throne. Despite her simple clothing, everyone knew they were in presence of someone very special. Once they approached the throne, the woman stood up and started speaking. "Warriors of Light, I am grateful to meet you all on this day. My name is Titania, the Queen of Fairies and ruler of this forest." After everyone bowed down to her, Kelin started speaking.

Kelin: "It is our honour, Your Majesty."

Titania: "Please, rise up. You have more than earned your right to stand in my presence." Everyone stood up. "I presume that you, Sir Kelin, are the leader?"

Kelin: "Only in name, Your Majesty. We make all our decisions together. But how did you know my name if you don't mind me asking?"

Titania: "We might no longer live on the surface of the world, but that doesn't mean we aren't aware of what happens out there. My children often decide to see the world for themselves, even if it leads them into trouble."

Kelin: "Wait, does that mean-"

Titania: "Yes. You have saved not one, but two of my children during your adventures. For that I am deeply indebted to you."

Kelin: "Even if we had reasons to do it?"

Titania: "About your search for oxyale? That doesn't matter. Because of you, she found a new home in Gaia and the people there had taken kindly to her. For that I thank you. Now if you have any requests, I will gladly fulfil them."

Kelin: "Then if you don't mind me asking this, are we truly on Whisperwind Cove's 29th floor?"

Titania: "No, we are not currently in the Tiamat's old lair. Is that where you were before coming here?"

Kelin: "Yes. We somehow ended up here after climbing down. We aren't sure how though."

Titania: "Recently there had been a lot of intrusions in our forest. It seems that we have found out where they have been coming from."

Kelin: "So then where exactly are we right now? I don't we have ever heard of Feyhome Forest."

Titania: "Once we inhabited the surface world and shared it with other races. Our small communities were spread around across the world. But when the dragons went into their civil war, we were forced to escape our homes or face annihilation. Everyone had gathered together and created this forest in its own dimension and that's where we have been living ever since."

Kelin: "I see. Just one more question. Do you know about Ristior?"

Titania: "Yes, I am aware of the existence of that city.  Why do you ask?"

Kelin: "Because this isn't our first strange incident like this. We were wondering if it was real or not."

Titania: "I assure you that it should exist. Thank you for raising this concern to me. Now, please rest. You have earned your break."

Kelin: "We thank you, Your Majesty."

Warriors ended up resting in the forest while enjoying the company of the fairies. Few tried some pranks, but the Warriors didn't mind. They even had some fun after being in that dungeon for days now. The food that fairies gave them was really delicious and it helped in adding more rations for the road ahead. Practically the entire forest escorted them back to the teleportation circle prepared by the Queen and said their farewells.

After the bliss that was the Feyhome Forest, the Warriors received a complete mood whiplash on the 30th floor. They ended up on a small island in a destroyed town where there was something clearly wrong with its populace. The first man encountered was nearly mistaken for a revenant. Shambling around and speaking nonsense, the man had a very pale skin. Any other person the Warriors encountered was the same. Only one man reacted to the party. The man was guarding the entrance to the town hall. Noticing the party approaching, he asked them for the help. There was something in the town hall that was causing that horrible tragedy and he wanted it gone. The Warriors accepted his plea and entered the city hall which turned out to be a teleportation circle to a Fortress floor. Everyone knew what that meant.

After following down the hallway, they found what they were looking for. A dark blue flame waiting for them. After steeling themselves up, they stepped in to fight. The flame, noticing the party approaching, spoke: "I will usher you into the next world...", after which it transformed into a mechanical monster unlike anything party had seen before. Its unusual shape, the steel body, the smoke bellowing out of its chimney, the wheels that allowed it drive across the floor... Nobody had any idea what that thing was. All they knew was that needed to stay away from it. Rosch and Mari barely managed to cast Protera and Invisra before it started charging. Kelin's strike bounced off this metal monster's skin and Lewyn's punch barely made a dent. It was up to magic to finish it. While Kelin and Lewyn kept casting Thundara with their bracelets, Rosch kept casting Blizzaga and Mari Holy. Magic seemed to had some effect on it and it kept missing the party due to Invisra. Unfortunately, Mari ran out of luck as by accident the monster managed to find her mark and charged straight in her direction. At the last moment she was pushed away by Kelin who took the full brunt of the charge and was sent flying into the wall. While Mari scrambled to help him, the other two tried to distract the monster away from them. Kelin climbed onto the monster's compartment in the back and started punching. Rosch, meanwhile, kept casting Blizzaga to try and freeze that chimney as that kept spewing the black smoke that turned into acid rain and burned skin on contact. While Protera did kept most of the damage away, it wasn't going to last forever. After the monster threw away Lewyn from its back, it tried to charge him only to be suddenly hit by Mari's Holy spell, forcing to fall on its side. Everyone went in full force Thundara, finally forcing metal monster to die. Everyone rushed to see Kelin who was badly hurt by that charge.

Rosch: "You okay there? That was a nasty blow."

Kelin: "Yeah, it felt as if I tried to stop Sky Empress from landing."

Lewyn: "Just what was that thing? I never saw anything like it."

Mari: "I have no idea. Some kind of steam carriage?"

Kelin: "Maybe, but why would it need to be so armoured though? That thing was more armoured than a fricking dragon."

Mari: "Alright, that should be enough. How do you feel?"

Kelin: "Much better, thanks."

Rosch: "So what now?"

Kelin: "We press on. What else can we do at this point?"

Rosch: "Even if this is starting to look as it will never end?"

Kelin: "What else? At least that trip to Feyhome had restocked our rations."

Lewyn: "I hate to admit it, but I doubt we have choices other than pressing on. Shall we return to see what happens now to that island?"

Kelin: "Sure. Just let me pick up this thing from my bag."

Rosch: "That helm you picked up earlier?"

Kelin: "Yes. You saw what happened earlier. That thing threw me so far it knocked my sword, shield and the helm. Unfortunately, that dust over there is all that's left of it after it was ran over. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I was the one there."

Mari: "Let's just move on before we all get nightmares from imagining that."

Everyone nodded. They got up and returned to see what happened to that island. The dread and destruction was replaced with greenery and peace. The town was restored back to normal and all of its citizens were enjoying large patches of flowers spread around across the town. Every citizen that came across the party thanked them for saving their lives. Some even wondered where did that monster, the Phantom Train they called it, come from. It was something unrecognizable to everyone. While the party wanted to enjoy the mood more, they knew that they had to press so a town guard escorted them to the teleportation circle. That circle led them down to the 31st floor. That and the next floor were practically hell for the party as large packs of dark wolves and large groups of Reapers and the previously unknown variant of Piscodemons were prowling across those two floors. At least some good did came of it as, while dodging a wolf pack, they ended up in a small room with several chests in it. In those chests were a Golden Apple, a Soma Drop and a sword called Deathbringer. Rosch ended up taking the sword as his reserve one while other two items ended up in bags.