Civilization

"What do you mean? Did something happen other than everyone being a demon? By the way, they look so cool!" - Ian

"I know right!? They look amazing, especially David. Those horns… Anyway, we lost all our weapons the moment we came into the Abyss. I have no idea where they are, but my best guess is that they are at a higher level in this place. There is a set of stairs over there on the opposite side of the stairs that lead to the Portals, so we were thinking of heading in that direction and going up." - Kingston

"I'm thinking of letting Howard, Rebecca, and Kaede go back. Rebecca is obviously not fit for fighting, although her healing skill has been useful, while Howard and Kaede are outshone by everyone else." - Ian

"Isn't better for them to keep fighting and get stronger that way? They aren't like us who have to find paths to get stronger. They grow passively as they keep fighting and training, well other than Rebecca of course." - Kingston

"What kind of dangers are we going to face in this place though? I had to use my Code of Hammurabi on this monster to kill it. What are we going to do against something that is stronger?" - Ian

"Run!" - Kingston

"Run? Run where? We are going up a staircase." - Ian

"You are right. I still think we go up, this is a new area and there isn't much left to do at HavenFall and the Krepost." - Kingston

"There is so much to do there. Although, I have already told Noah and Evan about what I want to do so… Alright, I'll ask the three of them their opinions first before deciding. Kingston, take everyone else and wait at the staircase." - Ian

Kingston takes everyone but Howard, Rebecca, and Kaede to the stairs. The three were pulled to the side by me as I gave them a brief rundown of Kingston's plan while asking them their opinion.

"I would like to keep going, Ian. After seeing everyone, fight against that monster, I truly felt how weak I am, and I cannot stand it. You have entrusted me with defending HavenFall while you are away and while there has been no event where that is needed yet, I do not feel like I can defend HavenFall like this. I need to push myself further if I want to improve myself." - Howard

"I feel the same… Looking at my brother, I feel both a sense of joy and envy. I'm glad he is strong, but I want to be strong right next to him. Please, Ian, allow us to keep going as well." - Kaede

"No way, you are leaving me." - Rebecca

"Alright, everyone is coming along. Let's meet up with everyone by the stairs." - Ian

Walking over to Kingston and the rest, I noticed that these stairs were slightly different from the ones we used to climb up. Kneeling next to the steps, I touch it slightly, feeling a cool metallic surface against the tip of my fingers. Iron? Steel? Metal stairs? But why…?

"How do you want to approach this, Ian? Since you are here now, we don't need to listen to Kingston's tactics." - Gibing

"Gibing! Did I do something wrong?" - Kingston

"Nothing. You just don't listen to Yor's strategy and go in all the time. There is no point in listening to you." - Gibing

"I have to say that out of 5 different times I have said something, you only listened to me for 1 of them…" - Yor

"No, wait that was because-" - Kingston

"At least I was in the front to help out, who knows what would have happened if it was just him." - David

"Enough talking, listen." - Ian

Perking up my ears, I could hear a slow rhythmic beating sound, like a heartbeat resonating throughout the Abyss. I didn't notice this during the fight, or maybe it wasn't even there before, regardless there is something above us. Turning to both Frank and Gewari, I tell everyone the plan.

"Frank and Gewari, I need the both of you to go first. Gewari use your invisibility to scout along the stairs, however, be careful. It is all unknown territory. Frank use your Bat Transformation and fly in the middle, if it gets dangerous use Walk of Shadows and return to us, don't go too far.

David, you will be at the front with Howard, but try to support Howard, let him engage in any fight first before you do anything. Gibing and Gopopo will be right behind both of you, with Ken and Yor supporting from behind. Kingston, Kaede, and Rebecca will be at the very back. Kingston, make sure to protect both of them. Kaede, I know you want to be more involved in the fights but at this location, I'm afraid you can't." - Ian

"It will be like old times, David." - Howard

"It hasn't been that long since the both of us were at the front of a fight." - David

"What about you? Where are you going to be?" - Gibing

"I'll be above everyone. Using my spider legs, I'll climb up and stay attached along the wall. Once a fight happens I will climb along the wall and attack them from behind." - Ian

"The only downside is that we don't have any ranged weapons and most of us are just using our bodies to fight." - Gopopo

"It does make it slightly worse, but all in all it isn't too bad. Both Ken and I and scale the walls like Ian, attacking from above if we need to as well." - Yor

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" - Kingston

"I'll be off first. Stealth." - Gewari

"Me as well. Bat Transformation!" - Frank

Gewari turns invisible as she dashes up the stairs while Frank bursts into a cloud of gray smoke, flying out as a small black bat from the top of the smoke. Howard and David start moving up the stairs with everyone else following the formation.

Our steps echo in the dark Abyss as we climb higher and higher along this spiraling staircase, while with me each time my spider legs penetrate the walls it echos louder and louder. As we climb higher, we naturally notice the slight changes along the Abyss. Not only were the walls coming closer, but the material of the walls changed.

Purple cracks scale along the wall, glowing softly resonating along with the beating sound that I have been hearing. There was no need for a torch or a flame to light our path as the walls itself was our light. The staircase also changed as we traverse upward, becoming smaller and smaller to the point only we were wandering upward in a single file. It wasn't long until both Frank and Gewari came back to us with news both good and bad.

"What's the situation? Gewari? Frank?" - Ian

"Not too far up, is another floor much like the one we were just one. Surprisingly, there hasn't been even one enemy. Not sure if that is a good thing or not." - Gewari

"No, you were mistaken Gewari. It was not that there were no enemies, I had just eliminated them quickly before you arrived. There were only 10 small bat-like monsters, and they posed no threat to us." - Frank

"Really? I didn't even see you fight anything." - Gewari

"Mind Blast and Soul Leech to kill them all. Extremely simple matter. However, only you got close to the exit. Did you see anything?" - Frank

"I was about to look, but I had a bad feeling making me retreat from the place. I would prefer it if we all went there to look rather than myself. I'm not exactly confident in my abilities to handle the situation." - Gewari

"No, what you did was good enough, Gewari. Now that we know there is nothing standing against our way until the next floor, let's move onward. David and Howard, lead the way." - Ian

"On it. Gewari, slip behind us." - Howard

"Be careful, I'm sure something strong is there." - Gewari

"Don't worry, Howard has this." - David

"Should I stay in my bat form?" - Frank

"Yes, there isn't enough room on the staircase, just fly in case and use Mind Blast. Other than that, let's see what's above us." - Ian

Nodding in acknowledgment, we carefully move upward, leaning against the wall as we approach the top. With so little space left along the wall, I climb down and start walking alongside everyone. We were already able to see the underside of the floor in the distance, above us and as we approached it, the beating sound intensifies.

At first, when we were on the previous floor, it was like a low heartbeat, but now it is like war drums ready for battle. The purple cracks flicker brightly, blinding us slightly as we get closer, but the moment Howard reached the entrance of the next floor, everything quietens. The purple cracks fade away, and everyone freezes. Howard looks back the moment the light dissipates and I nod at him before the darkness envelops everyone.

All that was left were our nervous footsteps as we exited the staircase. Compared to last time, it looks like the layout of this floor is vastly different. Exiting in the middle of the floor, in complete darkness, we carefully set up a formation with Howard and David in front of us with Kingston and Kaede near the stairs.

Seconds passed and then minutes, yet it all feels like hours. I don't know what was running through everyone else's heads, but the anxiety and the curiosity about this new floor were gripping my chest. Suddenly, the whole floor flares purple, whilst a purple beating heart looms above us. It fills what looks to be the ceiling of the Abyss, and with its grotesque shape and size, it sends shivers down my spine.

The purple cracks branch out of the heart like veins, creeping along the walls and the floor. I can hear Kingston letting out a deep breath as the purple cracks pulse all at once, alongside the beating of the heart. Looking in front, I see a slim figure sitting on a tall black throne, with spikes peeking out the sides. The light casts a shadow upon the figure, making us unable to see who or what it is but, with the Eye of the Roc, a smile could be seen.