Upper Fourth Floor

  Braen and Aidan sat in the middle of the room, both catching their breath.

  Aidan broke first, frustration creeping into his voice. “What’s taking them so long? They’ve been up there for hours now.”

  Braen didn’t look at him. She sat quietly, staring into one of the ongoing fire pits surrounding the room. “Corporal,” she said calmly, “how many more of these do you think you can handle?”

  Aidan laughed. “Staff, you don’t need to—”

  Braen glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

  “…Four more,” Aidan admitted.

  Braen stood, lifting her warhammer and shield. “This next round, sit out. I’ll handle it. Conserve your ammo and don’t engage.”

  Aidan rolled his eyes. “Hey, you don’t need to—”

  Braen slammed her foot down in front of him. “I wasn’t asking. That was an order, Corporal. Now do as I tell you.”

  Aidan stood, irritation bleeding through. “Staff, you know how backwards this place can be. They’re fine. It’s just been a few hours.”

  Braen tilted her head, unblinking. “So you are choosing to disobey my direct order?”

  Aidan groaned loudly. “Right, Braen. What are we dealing with here? Mid yellow? Light yellow?”

  Braen leaned in close. “You know I don’t like it when you refer to me in such tones, Corporal. Let me remind you—you are not the Captain. Do not presume my decisions are anything other than ensuring the safety of those I am charged with protecting.”

  Aidan stared back, unimpressed. “Wow. So full Code Yellow then.”

  The floor above them began to shake.

  Aidan pointed upward. “See? Told you they were fine.”

  The bell rang.

  Aidan immediately started stuffing more clips into the back of his trousers.

  “Corporal,” Braen said sharply, “we will discuss this matter later.”

  From every corner of the large circular room, shapes began to emerge.

  Black wolves. White Deaths. Emerald wolves.

  They walked calmly into the centre of the chamber, forming up as one.

  Braen and Aidan backed slowly toward the entrance.

  “Conserve your ammo,” Braen ordered. “Only engage if they move on you. Leave the rest to me.”

  “Understood, Staff.”

  Two of the three emeralds bowed toward the third, standing at the centre.

  Aidan frowned. “Does it only take one of them?”

  He turned to look at Braen.

  She was already gone.

  Braen moved past the surrounding monsters and appeared directly in front of the central emerald, slamming her warhammer straight into its head.

  The impact sent a massive shockwave through the room.

  Braen turned, smiling terrifyingly at the remaining emeralds as she lifted her hammer. “No more levelling up. We eliminate them before—”

  The floor cracked.

  Aidan rubbed his eyes. “I know I’m getting the blame for this somehow.”

  The ground shattered.

  Braen, Aidan, and the monsters fell.

  They crashed through into the third floor, stone slabs smashing into the ground as monsters groaned and scattered.

  The maze below split violently, separating Braen and Aidan from the remaining enemies.

  Braen landed in a chamber where Takeshi and Aurex were fighting an emerald.

  She crushed it on impact, stone and body exploding beneath her feet.

  Aurex shouted, “I ALMOST HAD IT! I KNEW YOU IDIOTS WOULD—” He choked as Braen’s hand tightened. “Help! She’s choking me!”

  Braen stood and grabbed Aurex by the neck, lifting him effortlessly. She planted her foot down harder.

  The emerald erupted in a shockwave.

  Takeshi removed his goggles. “Goddamn it. Code Yellow?”

  “Sergeant,” Braen said flatly, “go and find the Corporal. Take this pathetic excuse for a commander with you.”

  She dropped Aurex to the ground.

  Aurex rubbed his neck. “That’s just great. What’s happened with her then?”

  “Yes, Staff,” Takeshi said quickly. “Alright, come on. I’ll explain later.”

  They started down one corridor.

  “Other direction, you morons,” Braen called after them.

  They both turned—and started the wrong way again.

  Aurex came sprinting back out a second later, screaming, “WHERE DID THESE COME FROM! I HATE THEM SO MUCH!”

  A White Death chased him straight into the room.

  Braen grabbed Aurex by the back of his armour and smashed the White Death’s face with him.

  “No, please!” Aurex screamed.

  The White Death went hurdling into the wall.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Braen didn’t even blink. “I was always under the impression that the Captain would manage both his and your jobs better alone. Now stop being pathetic and do what you are told.”

  Takeshi came slowly back out of the corridor, grabbed the back of Aurex’s armour, and dragged him with a sigh. “Sorry, Staff. I’ll watch him.”

  “Remember, Sergeant,” Braen said calmly, “we still have those crutches.”

  Takeshi shouted, frustrated, “YOU PROMISED TO STOP TRYING TO HIT MY FEET!”

  Gunshots echoed from deeper in the corridors.

  Braen stared at them. “So why are you both still standing here? Also—Sergeant, report. How many emeralds are there to your knowledge on this floor?”

  Takeshi frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Aurex hissed, “Please stop trying to push her.”

  Braen’s warhammer flew between Takeshi and Aurex, embedding in the stone.

  Takeshi went quiet. “Before you came crashing through the wall, there were maybe another two left after that bell.”

  Aidan came running out of one of the corridors.

  He didn’t stop.

  He just kept running straight past them into the corridor behind Takeshi and Aurex, calm as anything. “Excuse me. Pardon me.”

  Everyone watched him disappear.

  Takeshi blinked, confused. “Wait… but he can—OH MY GOD!”

  A True Emerald came barreling out.

  Behind it, hordes of upgraded emerald wolves and deaths poured into the corridor, with two more emeralds holding the back of the pack.

  Braen moved instantly.

  She sprinted toward Takeshi and Aurex, threw them both down the corridor, then planted herself at the entrance with her tower shield, filling the width of the passage with both hands.

  Aurex and Takeshi stared, still trying to work out what just happened.

  The horde slammed into Braen’s shield.

  Takeshi shouted, “WHAT ARE THOSE AND WHY ARE THEY ALL EMERALD?!”

  Aidan peeked his head around a corner. “They level up, kind of.”

  Takeshi shouted, almost excited, “YES! I KNEW IT! I mean… It’s obvious. Why would the Goddess keep spawning those weaker monsters?”

  Aurex snapped, “That’s all good and well, but how does that help?!”

  Aidan shouted, “Staff, can you hold them off there? I’ve got an idea!”

  “Who do you think you’re talking to?” Braen said coldly, shield shaking under the impacts. “What’s the idea, Corporal?”

  “If you can hold them there,” Aidan called, “and Aurex can hold this path, we’ll have them all bottlenecked!”

  Aurex scoffed. “That’s hardly a plan. Did you learn that from your sister or something?”

  Takeshi started shoving Aurex toward the path. “Quit moaning. You’ve killed two emeralds—just keep doing it. This is the whole point of the corridors. Why face them in the open when we can bottleneck them?”

  Aidan glanced at Takeshi. “You good to handle the rest, Sergeant?”

  Takeshi swung his bag around, grinning. “Well… just don’t tell the Lieutenant, but—”

  “WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MANY?!” Aidan shouted. “Oh, please tell me you asked the Lieutenant first.”

  Takeshi waved him off. “Listen, I make them. I’ll bring as many as I want on a mission.”

  Braen’s shield kept taking heavy hits, banging like a drum as it knocked her inch by inch backward. Emerald wolves tried to squeeze through the shield above and below.

  “Sergeant,” Braen snapped, “stop showing off and do something, or I’ll have no choice but to report you.”

  Takeshi pulled out two strings of small grenades from his bag. “Well, if that’s the case, Staff… what if someone happened to report a certain miscount of acquired funding to the Lieutenant?”

  He walked calmly behind Braen.

  Aurex shouted from down the corridor, “THEY’RE COMING!”

  Aidan snapped back, “Well, do something about it!”

  Takeshi, now standing beside Braen as she was slowly forced back, muttered quietly, “See what I’ve been dealing with.”

  “Well, he’s your friend,” Braen said flatly.

  They turned.

  Aurex was being rammed into a wall by an emerald wolf, shouting for help as it tried to bite into his armour.

  Aidan walked up like he was bored, pressed his pistol to the back of the emerald wolf’s head, and fired a single shot.

  The monster dropped.

  Aurex immediately started checking his armour, staring at the deep scratch in it like it was a personal insult.

  Aidan glanced at Takeshi. “You know, Serge, he sort of reminds me of you back in the day.”

  Takeshi scoffed. “No. I run away from this rubbish because if I agree even once, you lot will drag me into God knows what. He’s just a coward.”

  Braen took another heavy barge on her tower shield and slid back half a step. “If you get a move on, Sergeant, I won’t tell the Lieutenant about that thing you’ve been spending all that extra secret income on.”

  Takeshi gritted his teeth. “How about we both agree not to tell the Lieutenant anything.”

  Another loud bang on the shield shoved Braen back again.

  “I want a new shield,” Braen said quietly.

  Takeshi stared at her. “Are you kidding me right now?”

  “Well, if you want, I could just—” Braen started.

  “No, no, it’s fine,” Takeshi cut in quickly. “Deal. Jeez. She's been like this the whole time?”

  Aidan hauled Aurex back up. “No. Just when she saw you.”

  Aurex groaned. “Can you all please just kill these monsters? I’m begging you.”

  Takeshi grabbed one of his belts of grenades. “Alright. Don’t look.”

  He tossed the belt over the shield.

  A second passed.

  Another charge hit the shield—then a massive ball of light erupted.

  “Keep the shield up until I say, Staff,” Takeshi ordered.

  Braen turned her head slightly. “Who do you think—”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Takeshi said quickly. “I’m not the Captain, I get it.”

  Another burst of light detonated on the other side, and the sound of monsters groaning and howling filled the corridor.

  Takeshi smiled, pulling the pin from the second belt. “Fire in the hole.”

  He threw it.

  A huge explosion erupted, pushing them back another inch.

  Braen looked down at the tower shield as shrapnel bit into it, wedging deep and starting to push through.

  She slowly looked up at Takeshi.

  “What?” Takeshi said defensively. “I already told you, I’ll make you another.”

  Another flash.

  Another explosion.

  “TWO EMERALD DEATHS ON ME!” Aidan shouted from down the corridor.

  He opened fire.

  He emptied a magazine as roars and heavy footsteps grew louder and louder.

  Braen and Takeshi didn’t hear the first shout over the detonations.

  Aidan slammed another clip in and unloaded again. One emerald death finally hit the ground.

  The other kept coming.

  Aidan started reloading—then the monster cleared the gap between them.

  His hands shook.

  The magazine hit the floor.

  The emerald death leapt.

  Aurex intercepted it.

  Heavy armour crashed into the monster, ramming it into the wall just before it reached Aidan.

  Aurex started punching it in the head, shouting like it was the monster’s fault personally.

  “EVERY TIME! ZERO CONSIDERATION! BECAUSE WE’RE ALL GODDAMN SUPERHUMAN AROUND HERE!”

  The monster began to break down.

  Aurex paused, slightly taken aback. Aurex blinked. “Huh. I thought it would’ve been harder than—Milo, are you alright?”

  Aidan stared at him, shaken. “No. It’s Aidan… but, uh… thanks for that.”

  Aurex stood up, smiling. “So I’m guessing it’s not just me they forget about, huh?”

  Another flash and explosion hit—but this time it left nothing but silence.

  Braen turned and barked, “ALRIGHT, YOU TWO! STOP MESSING AROUND BACK THERE!”

  Takeshi grinned. “True emerald. What a joke…”

  Braen lowered her shield.

  The corridor beyond was a trail of destruction.

  They stepped into the room, taking in pile after pile of emerald scrap.

  Aurex looked around the half-rubble chamber, wide-eyed. “Oh my god… You actually did it. Wait—why didn’t you do this before?”

  “It’s not like I have unlimited grenades,” Takeshi replied. “They’re for emergencies. And that was an emergency.”

  Aidan walked back in slowly, quietly, eyes still scanning.

  “So great,” Takeshi muttered. “I guess we’re dealing with that every hour now? What’s taking them so long?”

  “They went up hours ago,” Aidan said. “Something must’ve slowed them down.”

  “Or they’re doing this to fuck with us,” Aurex said. “Honestly, Solara—yeah, I’d be a little surprised. But Caelan? To that moron, this is a holiday…” He muttered under his breath. “I need a holiday.”

  “You’ll need to take that up with Mr Pael,” Takeshi said.

  “I swear that man doesn’t understand,” Aurex grumbled. “Just because I said no slaves doesn’t mean I want to be worked like one.”

  Aidan froze.

  A stone shifted.

  Before anyone could react, the True Emerald burst up through the rubble, its form twisting as it forged a warhammer mid-rise and swung straight for Aidan.

  Takeshi and Aurex both turned at the noise.

  Too late.

  Braen was already there.

  She stood over the True Emerald and brought her warhammer down, slamming it into the ground before it could reach Aidan.

  She didn’t shout.

  She didn’t speak.

  She just kept swinging.

  Again.

  And again.

  And again.

  Silent. Methodical. Eyes locked on the monster as she reduced it piece by piece.

  Aidan stood frozen.

  Over the repeated impacts, Aurex was shouting something—but Takeshi wasn’t listening.

  He was looking at the floor.

  “Every goddamn time,” Takeshi muttered.

  The room cracked.

  Then, it gave way.

  They fell.

  Again.

  “Well,” Takeshi grumbled as they dropped, “something had to give eventually.”

  Artimage came sprinting down the corridor as they landed in a tangled heap of rubble. “Are you guys alright? This reminds me of when—”

  “NO,” all four of them snapped at once.

  Hector appeared calmly around the corner. “Huh. Honestly, I thought if anyone was going to do that, it would’ve been—”

  “Uh… guys,” Aurex said, pointing straight up.

  They all looked.

  The floor above—the path to the upper levels—was cracking.