They went through a number of fights in which Maple was flung back into Haku’s gentle embrace.
Parties built around mages with formation-destroying currents were not expecting Maple to soak all the knockback, or for parties to have a powerful way of keeping themselves put.
Once they’d found a winning pattern, Maple Tree started making steady progress.
“……? It’s not as deep here.”
“You’re right.”
“Whew, it’s much easier to move around.”
The canal-like dungeon must have been on a steady incline; gradually, the waters vanished, and they found themselves on dry land.
“The paths are narrowing. Haku can’t fit through.”
Supergiant was great, but it ran up against spatial limitations. Kasumi couldn’t use it indoors.
“If they’re done with the knockbacks, we’ll be fine. I can handle normal attacks.”
“Let’s hope.”
Maple had spent the bulk of their time in the dungeon either pinned against Haku or walking to the next fight.
Her abilities were still helpful, but it was hard to really call her a good match for these foes.
“Thanks for tanking, Maple. There’s more to come!”
“Yep! I’m good to go!”
“The vibe’s shifting…”
“New monster types?”
“Likely. No need to change the terrain otherwise…”
They moved on until the water was out of sight. There they saw a faint light down the dimly lit corridor.
They braced themselves for a fight, but the light wasn’t moving. Soon they were close enough to identify it.
“Wow…that’s incredible…”
Before them was a pit leading to a deep valley, stone pillars serving as platforms.
Peering in, they could see the red glow of molten lava—even Maple wouldn’t survive a fall in there.
The gaps between the pillars were sizable, but not too far to jump. Still, not the firmest footing.
“DOT damage…but likely not instadeath.”
“Wanna jump down? I’ll attach a lifeline.”
“No, thanks.”
“Jokes aside, we’re very high up. If you do fall, it’ll be hard to get back.”
“Platforming fails are too scary, so lemme make a path.”
Sally used Waterway, connecting all the platforms.
“Subzero Domain.”
With a crack, the water froze. Now they had a wide ice bridge connecting everything. They had to be careful not to slip, but they made smooth progress over the lava.
“Much safer!”
“Yeah…but they’re not making it easy.”
Seeing Sally raise her daggers, Maple looked up at the path ahead.
The lava below was not the only threat.
There was a wyvern coming toward them, flanked by two crackling balls of lightning. Maple Tree’s footing might be unsteady, but there was no avoiding combat.
“Kasumi, Maple!”
Sally called two names, and both people stepped forward. No one wanted to cede the air to the enemy. It was best to attack before the monsters even got a chance, in hopes of improving the situation.
Kasumi and Sally had options in the air, and Maple followed to keep them in range of Martyr’s Devotion.
“Flash Spout!”
Since Subzero Domain was still active, the water froze quickly.
Kasumi ran up this new ice, vaulting off it.
The monsters responded. The wyvern breathed fire, and the lumps of lightning sprayed sparks.
Kasumi let them hit, getting closer to the enemy as she fell.
“I’m fine!” Maple cried from behind. If these attacks couldn’t hurt her, no need to pay them any attention.
“Armored Arms! Blood Blade!”
The extra blades slashed at the wyvern while the whiplike liquid snared them all.
“Necro, Dead Weight.”
Chrome’s speed debuff backed Kasumi’s assault.
“First Blade: Heat Haze.”
As she started to fall, she used a skill to ascend again, and another skill that was guaranteed to place her right in front of her foe.
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
She’d gotten very good at chaining skills to stay airborne. She went right into Third Blade: Blue Moon, bounding around. The lightning balls had no health and were soon gone, and she landed on the wyvern’s back.
“Fourth Blade: Whirlwind.”
The Armored Arms swung with her, and she landed a clean hit, bringing down the wyvern. Kasumi bounded away from it before it burst, landing on a pillar.
“Whew, that’s all she wrote.”
“Nice. You made it look easy.”
“But if I do fall, I’m done for. Keep an eye out.”
“True.”
They rejoined the party. The biggest threat there was fighting at all. If they kept their nerves about them, and watched their step, the monsters themselves were not that scary.
“Be careful, everyone! Onward!”
The row of platforms went on for a while, and they moved out across the ice bridge.
✦ ✦ ✦
Eventually, Iz took over for Sally, placing boards between the columns and providing steadier footing. That meant Mai and Yui could relax and hurl iron balls around—and that got them through the platforming area.
Their tricks had made it easier and brought them to a huge, elaborate door.
Clearly the boss room. The final hurdle keeping them from the tenth stratum.
“Should we buff up?”
“Yeah. If it cancels them, oh well.”
““Yes, please!””
She could always use items again. If victory was their goal, best to go in prepared.
They left Martyr’s Devotion in place, buffing up the twins. They were Maple Tree’s safest path to winning.
Once they were ready, Maple opened the door and they stepped in.
✦ ✦ ✦
The boss room was divided down the center. Not physically—conceptually.
To the left were babbling brooks and verdant greenery. Walls and obstacles made of ice dotted the landscape.
To the right, lava burbled through cracks in the rough ground. Lightning regularly arced between floating yellow crystals.
And in the rear, two figures stood back-to-back.
One held a long staff studded in blue gems. A tall, gaunt wizard in a lavishly embroidered white robe.
The other had a dragon’s head, scales on its arms and legs, and massive wings. It was over seven feet tall, clad in full armor, and wielding a lightning-laced greatsword as tall as it was.