The cavern ceiling stretched high into darkness, echoing softly with the rustle of countless wings. Narrowing his eyes upward, Lynder whispered cautiously, "Sunder Sparrows. Nasty little bastards. However, these are mere fledglings."
A heavy sigh escaped Roy as he surveyed the swarm above. "Lovely. Just what this dungeon needed, more flying vermin."
Cheerful as ever, Serenity's voice sparked suddenly in Roy's ear. "Captain, perfect moment for those new rounds I fabricated! You're gonna love 'em."
Lifting his sidearm skeptically, Roy muttered under his breath, "Better not blow my arm off. If it does, I'm pruning you."
His finger tightened around the trigger, releasing a brilliant, silent starburst into the cavern air. Dozens of sparrows vanished instantly, replaced by a gentle rain of glittering silver nuggets that scattered across the stone.
A manic grin slowly spread across Roy's face. He squeezed off several more rounds in rapid succession, leaving just two behind. As the bright flashes bloomed overhead, Lynder leaned quietly toward Rava. "I knew he had more power than he was letting on... I thin—"
"Actually," Takara quickly interrupted, glancing fondly toward Roy, "he really doesn't. He's still squishy old Roy...weak, vulnerable..." Her voice grew softer, eyes turning distant and dreamy.
With a knowing sigh, Lynder shook his head. "Ah, I recognize that look too well. I have dozens of alimony payments to prove it."
When the display ended, Roy stared sadly at his sidearm. "Only two left? Damn, Serenity, you should've made more of these…party rounds." He paused, eyebrows furrowing sharply. "What exactly are these things?"
Serenity responded cheerfully, completely unfazed. "Micro-yield fission-fusion rounds, Captain."
The sidearm trembled slightly in Roy's grip. His eyes widened in disbelief, voice tightening in panic. "You've had me carrying nuclear rounds on my hip all day and didn't think that might be worth mentioning sooner, Serenity?"
Hours passed after the encounter with the Sunder Sparrows, the team steadily battling their way downward through the late seventies and eighties. By the time they reached Floor 90, fatigue was starting to set in, but methodically clearing each sector brought renewed focus, pushing them forward. Now, having swept through the final corridors, they stood gathered at last before the massive stone archway marking the entrance to the floor's boss chamber. Beyond, broken columns and shadowy ruins sprawled out in a silent, ominous invitation.
The chamber opened into an expanse of crumbled, sandy ruins, remnants of a once-grand labyrinth sprawled chaotically in every direction. Towering walls loomed high above, casting deep shadows over broken archways and toppled columns.
"Huh. Looks like someone got sick of wandering the maze," Roy remarked, cautiously stepping around fragments of stone.
"Too bad," Orin teased from his side, flashing a playful grin upward. "You could've used the cardio."
With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Roy pointed toward a massive stone block ahead, wedged firmly in front of their only route forward. "Hey, tough guy. Wanna put those tall muscles to work?"
Swaggering dramatically toward the obstacle, Orin flexed his arms theatrically. "Stand back, friends. Clearly a job meant only for a tall person."
From behind came a soft, amused sigh. "I really want to smack him, just once," Eryndra whispered quietly.
"Maybe later," Roy assured her, stifling a chuckle.
A deafening crash echoed through the chamber as the enormous stone toppled forward under Orin's shove, sending dust billowing outward in thick, choking clouds. As it slowly cleared, an enormous silhouette emerged inches from Orin's face, claws already slashing down at him. Only a desperate, last-second raise of his sword saved him from being sliced open, the blade ringing sharply under the impact.
Eyes wide with startled recognition, Lynder stepped forward, voice hushed but fascinated. "By Loe... it's been centuries since I've seen one of these alive..."
"Whoa!" Roy shouted, barely containing a childish glee as he stared wide-eyed at the monstrous creature. "That's a freaking Manticore!"
Lynder turned slowly toward him, brows knitted deeply in confusion. "How exactly do you know its name? They've been extinct for over two hundred years."
Roy shrugged lightly, unable to hide his excitement as he watched the mythical beast stalk toward them. "Long story."
Claws flashed instantly toward Orin, a streak of razor-sharp menace barely intercepted by his massive blade. Sparks erupted from the collision, the force flinging him backward before he could even find solid ground. Another brutal strike chased him relentlessly, forcing a desperate, mid-air spin to parry again. Each ferocious blow hammered him further off-balance, leaving no moment to land or leap clear.
Concern flickered in Lynder's eyes as he stepped instinctively forward, but a calm metallic hand extended, gently stopping him.
"Trust him," came FDR's steady voice, eyes fixed intently on the fight. "Orin has grown tremendously these last twenty floors. He's ready for this."
The instant Orin's toes touched stone, he launched himself forward, bounding off a nearby pillar and twisting toward the Manticore with renewed momentum. Mid-air, his greatsword began its downward arc, but a flicker of hesitation crossed his face, briefly slowing the blade, then determination surged, and the strike connected solidly with the creature's shoulder.
"See?" came FDR's proud comment, a hint of satisfaction beneath the usual calm. "Even his fear of counterattacks is fading rapidly."
A quiet nod of admiration followed from Lynder. "I owe that young man an apology for doubting him."
Roy chuckled, shaking his head softly. "Don't bother. You could go out there and try to kill him yourself, and he'd shake your hand right afterward. The kid's heart is pure gold, but his brain is absolute mush."
Another strike from the Manticore finally broke through Orin's defense, claws slicing thin, shallow lines across his shoulder. Before the creature could press its advantage, Andri's spear intercepted the incoming paw with practiced precision. Shimmering runic barriers flashed immediately afterward, conjured rapidly from Takara's gauntlets, giving the two young fighters space to fall safely back.
The Manticore's scorpion-like tail crackled with dark magical energy, whipping bolts of jagged lightning that forced the team apart. Orin danced skillfully around its strikes, drawing attention, but the beast adapted quickly. After a series of feints, the Manticore slammed full-force against Orin's parry, staggering him and knocking his enormous sword heavily into the sand.
Takara instantly recognized the shift, weaving multiple shimmering barriers to protect the faltering kids. "Fall back!" she shouted. "Get yourselves reset!"
Now it was Takara and Rava's turn. She darted forward confidently, weaving and dodging the Manticore's rapid blows, her gauntlets glowing with layers of runic energy. Rava cast spell after spell, frustration growing as they glanced harmlessly off its enchanted hide.
Finally, desperation drove Rava's hand upward, gold chains briefly flickering, but he stopped himself, determination hardening his features. Instead, he raised his sword again. The Manticore surged forward, faster than he'd expected, claws descending in a lethal arc.
"Rava!" Takara intercepted at the last instant, cross-blocking high above her head. The stone cracked violently beneath her feet as the impact reverberated through her body. With a fierce yell, she layered dozens of runic seals onto her gauntlets, amplifying her strength until, with a massive push, she hurled the beast backward.
Breathing hard, she smiled warmly at Rava. "Hey, use your ability, just you and me. Trust me."
Rava nodded gratefully, finally smiling with confidence. Chains of golden light connected them as Takara shut her eyes in focused concentration. Panic flared in Rava's chest as the Manticore leaped forward again. "Takara, it's coming!"
Her eyes snapped open, blazing brightly. Countless glowing runes burst from her gauntlets, encircling her body and sinking beneath her skin, amplifying her strength dramatically. Rava gasped softly as the shared power surged through their link, his own limbs flooding with renewed confidence.
Takara clenched her fists eagerly. "Now we're both as strong as I was before linking. Let's take this cat bastard down!"
They moved as one, Rava matching Takara's strikes precisely. The cavern echoed with the sound of cracking bones and shattered claws as Takara delivered powerful punches, while Rava parried and countered every retaliatory swipe. Lynder chuckled softly, genuinely moved. "Likely the first time that young man has ever felt his power wasn't a hindrance."
Yet despite their ferocious assault, the Manticore's magic surged, wounds slowly knitting shut with every blow they delivered. Andri and Orin rejoined the battle, reinforcing their allies. Noticing the beast's fixation on Orin's heavy blows, Takara yelled sharply, "Orin, fall back! You're the only one strong enough to finish this thing. Wait for a clear shot!"
"Excuse me!?" Eryndra shouted incredulously from behind.
"I wasn't talking about you guys, fool!" Takara snapped, dodging claws.
"Ah. That makes sense," Eryndra replied, immediately placated.
Takara turned back urgently. "Orin! Wait for the right moment, then give it everything you've got!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Orin shouted eagerly, leaping clear to observe carefully.
The battle wore on, exhausting the team's reserves. Sweat dripped down Takara's forehead as frustration finally boiled over. "Dammit, Orin! What's taking you so long!?"
Roy shook his head ruefully. "Takara, think about it. You told him to wait for the perfect shot, now he's stuck second-guessing again, waiting for a guaranteed hit."
Her distracted glance gave the Manticore an opening; it knocked Takara flat with a brutal swipe, looming hungrily over her stunned form, fangs bared.
At that instant, clarity exploded in Orin's eyes. His hesitation vanished, replaced by absolute determination. "Now," he whispered fiercely.
Orin launched himself forward, blade held high in both hands. A brilliant surge of ethereal light suddenly wrapped around his sword-arm, taking form in an enormous, shimmering gauntlet. Its immense weight and strength flooded into the greatsword, turning his already powerful swing into a strike of unstoppable momentum. Time seemed to slow around him, he saw the Manticore begin to turn, saw the panic forming in its human-like eyes, and knew it was too late for the beast to escape.
Roy staggered back slightly, mouth dropping open in astonishment. "Wait, since when could Orin use magic!?"
Lynder, equally stunned but smiling faintly, shook his head. "Surprising indeed, good to know the boy has some tricks in him."
The massive blade, guided by the sheer force of the conjured gauntlet, ripped through the Manticore's thick hide, slicing cleanly in one fluid arc. But victory immediately became a disaster. Orin, carried by the unstoppable momentum of his summoned armor, hurtled straight across the chamber and crashed spectacularly through the far wall, sending stone and dust exploding outward in every direction.
A stunned silence blanketed the room until Eryndra finally broke it, sighing affectionately, "You absolute dummy!"
From somewhere behind the cloud of dust and rubble, Orin's muffled but cheerful voice shouted triumphantly, "I got it!"