Chapter 266: Chapter 266

There’s nowhere to go but up!

 

Well, I mean, I could also just go back down. Or left. Or right. Or uh… sideways at an angle. But you know what I mean. I’m trying to foster an encouraging environment for everyone to grow up in, okay? I am brother, it is…

 

Wait.

 

I stop and scratch my head as I stand there. I don’t have any siblings. Do I?

 

Standing on the staircase, I look around at the emptiness that surrounds me. Dungeon-master? Do I have siblings? Or am I an only child? If I do, I hope that I’m the favorite. You’re the best, dungeon-master! Even if I’m not the favorite, then I’m going to work hard so that I can be. So watch me, dungeon-master, I’m going to try my very hardest and I’m going to do it for you!

 

I don’t think I care if I have a brother or a sister honestly, but I’d like to have a younger sibling, you know? I mean, an older sibling is probably neat and all. But I want to be the oldest one. I want to be the one that the others look at and aspire to be like. I want to be a good role-model for everyone who is watching me. I wonder if the dungeon-master is still young enough to give me some brothers and sisters? Ah, that would be great! It would be really nice to have some company. Though maybe it’s an awkward request to make?

 

Oh well, I can silently hope, can’t I? I sigh and continue on with my lonely journey. Maybe tomorrow.

 

I’m really excited though. I mean about this job that I have, guy. You know why? Because I get to patrol the dungeon. That means, eventually, after I go up that I’ll get to go back down again! Maybe on the way, I’ll get to see the dungeon-master for real. Oh boy, I’m so excited! Do you…?

 

Well, It’s dumb. But do you think they’ll let me sit with them on their skull throne? Maybe just for a few seconds, you know? Maybe on their lap?

 

I clench my fists in excitement, the lance rattles as I hold it in my shaking hand. Or maybe… no… it’s too embarrassing.

 

What?

 

Well… okay, but don’t tell anyone, guy, okay? I’m a very sensitive person and I would just die if anyone found out. But maybe… and I know this is a stupid thing to hope for, okay? But maybe if I work really, really hard then maybe the dungeon-master will tell me I did a good job. Maybe he’ll pat me on the head and ruffle my hair and proudly tell me that I’m his favorite!

 

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But don’t tell anyone. I think I’d cry if someone made fun of me about that. I just want to be good, okay? I’m good. I am. I really am. Please don’t get the belt, guy. I’m good!

 

A dark, heavy light shines out from above and I run towards it a little faster now than before. I’m good. I’m going to show you. I’m going to show you all, just you wait and see.

 

I breach, reaching into floor thirty-seven. I’m going to go as fast as I can, for you, dungeon-master!

 

A heavy rattling becomes audible as I step onto the next floor. My eyes, wide and haunted, stare out over the giant chains that span the void as they criss-cross in all directions like bridges. Their giant links, each the size of at least two minotaurs in length, interconnect as they build a connection from this side of the floor to the other, before vanishing into the walls where they are hooked into and at their center, where the chains meet to bind something in place, hangs a dead beast, suspended aloft in mid-air over the pit, having never escaped its prison.

 

I stare at the dead sub-boss for a moment. It’s a…

 

I tilt my head. Actually, I have no idea what it is. It’s a black, goopy mass covered in odd pustules and growths. Like a tumor ripped out of a body and chained far away from anything that it could befoul. Like a malignancy held in check. But it’s dead now, whatever it is. Was. It simply hangs there, its many tentacles hanging down limply into the void, dripping black-water from its body.

 

Ah, this must be part of that story-line. Hmm… too bad it’s dead now. Oh well. Sleep tight, friend. I’m sure you did your best today too!

 

I step onto the first link of the giant chain, my metal boot clanking loudly as it strikes against the rough dark iron that the bridge is made out of. Carefully, being sure not to wobble the bridge too much, I run across it as I hurry. I need to hurry. The dark-lord is watching me, there’s no time for any nonsense!

 

Speaking of things that are weird, I wonder where the hero-party is? It’s not like them to take a day off like this. I hope they’re okay. Maybe somebody got sick? Oooh, I hope it isn’t the priestess. I like her, you know? She’s my favorite. What? No. Get your mind out of the gutter, guy, it’s nothing like that. I just appreciate kindness in a person, it’s a good trait for someone to have. Plus she has a strong work-ethic, I like that too. You gotta know what you want in life, you know? And if you can go after it by following a righteous path, then that’s a testament to your character.

 

I can’t be mad at somebody like that, even if they are on the other team. But that’s okay. We’re all just doing what we have to do. I wonder why humans do it though? Do you think the hero-party has a dungeon-master? Like a… surface-master? You know? I wonder if they’re trying to make the surface-master proud. I can respect that. I hope I get to fight the hero, maybe I’ll get close enough to look into his eyes again. Ah… I smelled a human once too, you know? Well. Smell is a weird word. It wasn’t really smelling. I was a slime-girl, you see.

 

But ah… actually, let’s not talk about that. It’s kind of awkward and honestly you don’t need to know everything, guy. Come on, here, take my hand. We still have a lot of floors to cover and I don’t want you to fall here. It's a long way down.

 

 

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