Aries Floor 5, The Emperor’s Ascent - 10:29 AM

  The next door we went through sent us to a large plain. Mountains much smaller than the one we were climbing rose far in the distance and trees grew in clumped together groves. Unlike the sky in the previous floors, it was now daytime with the sun an hour or so away from its apex. That was likely a deliberate choice considering this floor was the only one that didn’t have a hard time limit on it. Having something like the sun to track time was great.

  <<<>>>

  [[Emperor’s Ascent: Aries Gathering Room]]

  The Plains of Aries is a beautiful place full of docile animals, beasts, and monsters. They live their lives here with no predators to be seen. That makes most of them peaceful and ready for harvest, though they will fight back if attacked. Feel free to gather as much as you need or want from the denizens of the plains.

  Not all woke up and chose peace today, though. The Plains of Aries has both a Field Boss and a Roaming Boss. Find one to summon the other, or don’t. The exit is always open to you.

  <<<>>>

  “That’s it?” Jeff asked as he swiped away the screen. “There’s not even an objective or reward or anything for completing this quest.”

  I nodded off to the side, and he turned to look at where I was gesturing. Not twenty feet away from us was a small shed with an exit sign above the door. If we really wanted to, we could have left this floor the moment we stepped foot in it. That meant we’d be missing out on loot, but it was still a possibility.

  Or it would be if we didn’t have the Monstersmith.

  “There’s better things than points here,” Ash said as she looked around, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes already in her hand. “Do you know how much stuff I can make with all this? Or how much I can enhance your clothes? Because I do, and it’s a damn lot.”

  It was the perfect place for her. Sheep of all different breeds were happily eating all around us. Not just some we’d see pre-system, but the Charcoal Sheep and the Steel Merinos as well. There were even a few we hadn’t come across yet that seemed to be painted with a rainbow of pastel colors. Those closest looked up with gentle eyes to regard us newcomers before returning to their meal.

  Ash practically dove on the Steel Merino closest to us. It bleated in surprise at the sudden contact, but didn’t do more than give her an inquisitive glance. She began using the Divine Shears, and laughed as it cut through the metal fleece as if it belonged to a normal sheep.

  “It fuckin’ works!” she exclaimed excitedly. There was more life in her voice than usual. “Alright, everyone spread out and start cutting. Herd the steel ones my way.”

  Everyone looked at me and I shrugged. “You heard the lady’s demands,” I said. “But we can’t stay here forever. I promised Bethany I’d show her my transformed state some time before we came across the end of the constellation, so I’m going to go find the bosses.”

  “You’re saying that like we’re not coming with you to fight the bosses,” Jamie said coolly.

  “Yeah, I’m taking these ones solo. Gotta start gathering attention, and it’s best to do so early,” I told her. “The only reason Bethany is coming is because Ash has enough help here—”

  “As if,” the Monstersmith scoffed.

  “—And because I promised her,” I continued with a smile. “Trust me, y’all will get plenty of boss kills on this mountain. Can I get the khopesh back? That’ll make getting around faster.”

  When Jamie sighed, Ash stood up from where she was kneeling with the Steel Merino. “How long do you think this is going to take?” she demanded.

  “About half an hour, maybe,” I replied with a shrug.

  She narrowed her eyes at me before getting back down. “What are the rest of you waiting for? We only have half an hour! You don’t have time to stand around; pick up a blade and start shearing!”

  Mercury was the first to jump to it after a quick goodbye to his sister. He didn’t mind at all that I was taking her since he trusted me to keep her safe. He retrieved the Princess from her sheathe, then winced like someone had just yelled at him before shrugging apologetically and getting to work. The sword spirit obviously didn’t enjoy being used like this at all.

  “You can have Corwin do herding work for you,” I said, motioning for the deaf girl to get off of the dog’s back. She did so, petting him with both hands before standing at my side.

  “You’re going to watch her and fight at the same time?” Kayla asked, crossing her arms. She was protective of the young girl.

  “Nah, I’ve got a summon I can call,” I said. “But I’d rather not do it around Corwin just yet. I’ll tell you why later; can’t give everything up just yet.”

  She nodded her acceptance before patting Jeff on the arm and walking off. “Come, Corwin,” she commanded, and the dog fell in with her.

  “Have fun,” the Queen’s Knight said before following his wife.

  I gave Jamie a look, and she rolled her eyes. However, she did produce the bronze curved sword from her inventory and handed it to me blade-first. Amused, I Pulled it towards me, Spinning it so I could grab the handle. The Heelies of the Twice Blessed didn’t work well in the grassy plains, so this was going to be our mode of transportation for the time being.

  <<<>>>

  [[Item]]

  Kedjen’s Khopesh

  (+8 Strength, +6 Constitution, Chariot Transformation skill acquired)

  [[Skill]]

  Chariot Transformation

  Throw the Kedjen’s Khopesh to the ground to activate this skill. It will transform into a chariot large enough to carry you and two others, and provide spectral horses that can travel up to 1.5 times your fastest speed. The vehicle will have half as many hit points as you do. If it is destroyed, this skill can’t be used for another 24 hours.

  <<<>>>

  “For the record, I’m not happy about being left behind to act as a farmhand while you’re off fighting bosses,” she said sternly.

  “Heard and understood,” I replied. “And don’t worry, we’ve still got plenty of mountain left. You’re going to have so many bosses that your armor’s going to max out.”

  “Promise?” she asked, arching an eyebrow suspiciously.

  “Probably. If not, then close to it,” I said.

  “Good enough, I suppose,” she sighed. Without another word, she stalked off while pulling her twin scimitars from her hip. They would be enough to cut through everything but the Steel Merinos at the very least.

  With everyone settled, I threw the khopesh at the ground. Gold light flashed before us, causing Bethany to cover her eyes. Once it was gone, it was replaced with the chariot the skill allowed it to transform into. I bowed, gesturing for the Tea Witch to get in. She went to the middle and put her hands on the edge, barely tall enough to see over the sides, and I took up the position behind her.

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  “We’re going to go fast, are you ready?” I signed.

  “I’m ready,” she replied with a determined nod.

  “Awesome,” I told her before looking up at the sky. “You’ve been quiet. Could you tell me which way to go?”

  There were a few seconds of silence before I received my response.

  <<<>>>

  [[Patron Message]]

  Yes, of course. Sorry. I’ve been really busy with all these Patrons.

  For the bosses, you’re going to want to head towards that small copse behind Ashley. Keep going for about five or so minutes, I’m not familiar with how fast the chariot will go, and you’ll find the Rampard flock. Same as the boss at the end of the monster floor, but the field boss is protected by three of them. Once it’s defeated, you’ll summon the roaming boss.

  I’m negotiating with Baltastasia to awaken it for you. She doesn’t seem to want to kill you off this early, but she does want more Patron satisfaction. I’m sure you can handle whatever she plans to throw at you here, so I’m not worried. Especially because you’re going to use Break Free. That will bring you a big crowd.

  Speaking of crowds, the Patrons. I’ve reached out to several of them to brag about my boyfriend’s first big feat on the Emperor’s Ascent. Not in those words, of course. You already had a larger than average following as the last minute entry, and everyone who is already interested wants to see what you can do. Some are mad you haven’t shown off already, because they have power and they’re not used to waiting for what they want, but they’re sticking around anyway.

  So that’s been taking up a lot of my time. I’m doing what I can to hype you up. I’ve had contact with other Patrons before but never at this level, so I’m trying not to get overwhelmed by it all. Skuld is being aloof, but Marishiten is helping some. She wants everyone to see how well her ninja does. It’s a little adorable, to be honest.

  <<<>>>

  “Damn. No need to apologize, it sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate,” I said as I grabbed the reins. The spectral horses, invisible to the eye, started moving the moment they did, and I guided them around the group so we could head in the direction Sara had indicated. “Keep up the great work. I’m really happy with what you’ve done so far, and I’m sure that’s not going to change.”

  I didn’t expect a response, and I didn’t get one. She was doing important work, after all, so I wasn’t about to add to her plate. Not when I had a job to do.

  We rode through the plains at top speed, dodging trees and animals along the way. There were gentle slopes and hills, nothing the chariot couldn’t handle but my Heelies would have acted up in. Sheep by the plenty passed by us. Some got out of our way, spooked by the speed at which we approached, while others that were stubborn or unaware continued to graze.

  The noises of exhilaration Bethany made were only coherent by the fact that I could understand any verbal speech as long as it came from an intelligent source. That didn’t mean she was speaking words as she raised her hand in the air, shouting as we traveled at the speed of a roller coaster, but I got the general gist of it.

  “More speed!” I yelled with her, even though she couldn’t hear it, and I snapped the reins. The horses took off, going even faster, and she stumbled back into me in surprise.

  Bethany signed a quick apology, but the big smile didn’t leave her face as she pulled herself back to the front of the chariot. We kept that pace until we came across the herd I was looking for.

  Luckily, we didn’t come straight at them. If we drove through them then we would have had a lot of trouble to contend with. Our path took us a couple of hundred feet to the side, so I slowed down and pointed them out to Bethany.

  Charcoal Sheep and Combustion Rams huddled around the herd. As the weakest members of the group, they stayed on the outskirts, only grazing in safety because they didn’t get too close to the larger monsters.

  The three Rampards were brown sheep roughly twice the size of water buffalo. Their wool was heavy but not nearly as hard as the Steel Merinos, though they could take a lot of punishment. Not only were they very sturdy, but they also took on traits from both Combustion Rams and Charcoal Sheep. This fight was going to get hot. Luckily, they didn’t explode.

  In the center of the herd, eating the grass under the protection of the large Rampards, was the field boss of this stage. It was the smallest of the lot, only the size of a lamb. Its coat was thinner than the rest and was a dark green. On its left and right, its wool had a white medical cross to indicate its role. This one was a healer and a right pain in the ass.

  Once I beat that one, then the roaming boss would show up to try to kick me in my teeth. I wasn’t sure what Baltastasia and Aries were going to throw at me as they only had a few more themed enemies in their stable, but that didn’t stop me from looking forward to it.

  I could tussle with an awakened killer sheep. I’d do it more than once, if I could.

  Instead of heading right into the fight, I needed to make sure that Bethany was going to be safe. I parked the chariot on top of one of the higher hills and stepped off of it, offering her my hand so she could disembark safely. Once she had her feet on solid ground, I explained what was going to happen.

  “Alright, I’m going to go in there and fight these ones normally, but the moment the roaming boss comes out I’m going to transform,” I explained, speaking out loud as well as signing for the benefit of any watchers. “I’m going to summon a protector for you since we don’t have Corwin here. He’s going to be an Angel. I’m not sure if he knows sign language, but he’ll still do a great job protecting you.”

  “Another Angel?” Bethany asked, her eyes lighting up.

  “Yes, his name is Glaraphel,” I answered, spelling it out for her. “He helped me out a lot before, but he might be a little bit scary when he first shows up.”

  The Tea Witch cocked her head to the side. “Scary how?”

  I gave her a smile. “Well, you know how Corwin is Demonic? I’m about 90% certain that he’s going to be able to sense him somehow. Just gotta tell him that he’s a good boy and a friend. He won’t like that, but he’ll listen to me. Just going to be mad about it.”

  Bethany thought about this information for a few moments before nodding. “Okay.”

  Stretching, I retrieved Glaraphel’s halo from my inventory. The golden hoop gleamed in the sunlight, and a sense of peace that came with holy objects settled over the area. I gave Bethany one more nod, which she returned, before activating the summon.

  The halo disappeared completely as a beam of light appeared from the sky. It impacted the ground directly in front of me, though it did not burn or damage the grass. Some of the nearby sheep were scared off, but a quick look towards the boss group confirmed that they weren’t bothered by the light show.

  Glaraphel fell through the light, coming heading towards the ground at breakneck speeds. He extended his wings to catch himself before he could crash, and landed in a kneeling position with his head down. He was a Power and inquisitor, and covered from head to toe in white and gold armor similar to what Sara often wore before I gave her the Memory Orb.

  “I, Glaraphel, 16th in the Order of—”

  “Hey, Glaraphel,” I greeted, cutting him off. “Hope you weren’t, like, sitting on a cloud waiting for me to summon you again.”

  The Angel paused at being cut off, but simply sighed and stood. He was about to answer me when his head swiftly turned towards where we had come from. “Demons,” he hissed. “I can feel their tainted aura. You were right to summon me. I—”

  “Hey, hold up a minute,” I said, knocking on his armor with my fist. He turned back towards me, but I could see that he was tense. “That’s one Demon in particular. I want you to memorize that feeling, okay? Is it different from others you’ve sensed?”

  “It does not matter if it is, so long as the spawn of Hell is eradicated,” he answered simply.

  I gave Bethany a reassuring smile and asked for a moment before turning back to him. “Does it feel different?” I asked a little more urgently.

  “It… does,” he admitted.

  “Good. Memorize that feeling because you’re not allowed to attack that one,” I said.

  Glaraphel took a step back as if I had sucker punched him. “Whatever for? Why would the Herald of the Highest Sister need to protect a Demon? Especially after you have struck down one of their nobility?”

  “First, I told you to call me Anthony,” I replied. “Second, because that’s not a full Demon. That’s an Evolution Hound that, on my advice, started down the path of a Cerberus. He’s only a Black Dog right now, but he’ll be a Hell Hound soon enough.”

  “What possible reason could you have to give out such advice?” the Angel asked, challenging me.

  “Because we wanted something that would have a ton of stamina, endurance, and wouldn’t die. His owner is very attached to him, and so am I. Corwin is a good boy, no matter his aura,” I stated firmly. I would never let anyone deny that; it was a fact. “He’s also the reason why I didn’t want to summon you a lot, like I told Tarleann would probably happen. Now, I can send you home if you want, but that comes with its own set of consequences. If you can complete this task without flying off to eradicate an innocent, however, then I may consider summoning you more.”

  Glaraphel went silent. I could tell he was at odds with himself. As an Angel, a Power especially, he was a soldier meant to eradicate all evil. Demons, almost exclusively, were evil. The overlap was so large that the Venn diagram was basically a circle. Corwin’s spot on it would need a microscope to see.

  “And when I summon you again in the future, I’ll let you meet him. He’s just a dog, man. He doesn’t even take food off of the table. He’s a good boy,” I reiterated. The tension didn’t leave the Angel’s body, but he did nod, accepting my words. For the first time, he looked down at Bethany. I grinned. “This is Bethany. She’s deaf. Just like with Della, I need you to protect her. So, let me catch you up to speed.”