Finally…after a really friggin' long time, I finally GOT MY LAPTOP WORKING! HOORAH! So sorry for no updates for awhile…my Microsoft fails…

So this chapter, we FINALLY GET TO ANOTHER DUNGEON! This time we're live at Veo Lu Sluice. I happen to enjoy this level. It's a very unique level with a couple of strange puzzles. But I always get lost…damnit.

On another note, we are no longer sheltering Jack Moschet. We have traded with Maggie for something almighty and extremely brilliant.

Jack: A STRIPED APPLE!? YOU TRADED ME FOR A STRIPED APPLE!?

Me: Well…the Striped Brigands did it for Gurdy…_

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to 62 because she guessed Sam's dream all that long time ago. (See the "Fever" chapter for more) :P

ANOTHER WARNING! In this chapter, we introduce the lizardmen. Now, the lizardmen always hiss on their s's (like 'sss') so be cautious of the…sssing?

Well…now that we're updated, shall we get back to this lovely story…of death?

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"Why does it have to be cold?" whined Nieta.

"Because we're up north, and it's cold up there," explained Lianora.

Garrett snorted. "It's only a little chill, stop whining."

The Tipa caravanners were moving through Veo Lu. They could see Lake Shella in the distance. The sky was cloudy gray, but the air was very refreshing. And as Nieta had said, it was a bit colder than any other area they had been in.

Star, who was currently hugging Mog to keep warm, looked over at the arguing group. "Come on guys, let's not argue," she said.

"Hey, Nieta's got a point," said Mika, rubbing her arms. "It isn't exactly tropical here."

"You know, I could warm you up real good if you let me," said Ray, winking.

Mika sighed. "I almost miss the depressing alcoholic."

"Ha-ha," said Ray sarcastically. He was clearly ashamed of how depressed he had become over the whole sister's death thing.

"Well, to break up the flirting, Veo Lu Sluice is just ahead," remarked Creston, pointing. Everyone turned their heads. Connecting to the large lake was a bunch of little pools with water inside.

"Shall we go then? Everyone got your stuff? Do we still have the moogle?" asked Sam. Everyone nodded. "Then let's go."

The caravan moved on. Ray wrapped an arm around Mika. Mika shot him a look.

"You never said no," he said with a smirk on his face.

Mika was about to make a scornful comeback, but instead she wrapped an arm around Ray's waste. Ray's eyes widened as he looked at her in confusion.

"I think I could warm you up," she said in a seductive tone. Ray's eyebrows rose in amazement. Mika laughed at his expression before walking ahead of him.

"And she called me an alcoholic. What the hell is she drinking?" asked Ray to himself.

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Veo Lu Sluice was a bit more peaceful than they expected, but that opinion was soon to be changed.

"Sam! Watch out! It's a bomb!" shouted Garrett. Sam whirled around and knocked the creature away. It landed in one of the many pools of water. There was a sound of an explosion under water, but only a few bubbles rose to the surface.

"Thanks for the warning," said Sam, stunned.

The sluice was very large and sandy. There were many ruins of buildings and fences, showing that at one point, before miasma struck there may have been civilization there. Trees and bushes had grown over the remains. But all in all, it was very beautiful.

"Pity that the world is covered by a deadly substance, or I would remember this place for a vacation. It's very lovely here," said Ray glancing around. Everyone stared at him.

Garrett raised an eyebrow. "You'd take a vacation in a big lake-side area, where there aren't any pretty girls for a mile around? That's not like you."

Ray looked offended. "Dude, just because I enjoy the female species DOESN'T mean they're the only thing on my mind."

"So why would you want a vacation here?" asked Garrett.

"I like water."

"What was that 'no pretty girls for miles around' comment supposed to mean, Garrett?" asked Lianora, folding her arms. Garrett felt a sweat drop.

"Yes Garrett, please explain," said Mika, a dark expression on her face.

Garrett was rubbing his head, trying to think of a response.

"Well? We're waiting," said Star. All four girls were giving the poor Lilty a death glare. If looks could kill, Garrett would have been dead in three seconds.

"Well, uh-," began the Lilty.

"Let's change the subject," urged Sam. All the girls snapped their eyes on him. Sam would've wet his pants if he was a year or two younger.

"Why Sam?" demanded Nieta hotly. "Why do you want to change the subject so badly? Hunh!?"

Ray and Creston exchanged a glance. Being the two smooth talkers of the group, they decided to take action. Ray covered Garrett's mouth, and Creston did the same with Sam.

"What Garrett MEANT to say," Creston explained. "Is that he doesn't think of you as girls but-"

"WHAT!?!" shouted Nieta.

"He considers you refined, smart, and powerful women who could kick his ass any time," said Ray. "And the same is true with all of us guys."

Garrett was protesting, but his words were muffled. Sam was waving his hands trying to get everyone's attention.

"Oh…why didn't you just say so?" asked Star. The girls calmed down. Sam was still waving his arms and Garrett was still talking against his hand.

"Well it's good to know we're WOMEN," said Mika shrugging. Sam was waving his arms even more rapidly, and Garrett bit Ray's hand.

"What is with you two?" asked Creston. They both uncovered the twos' mouths.

"DUCK!" they both screamed at the same time.

"Where?" asked Ray. Everyone else had ducked down. A cutlass went flying over the heads of the caravanners (or in Ray's case, right past) and landed in the ground blade-first.

The caravanners whirled around and saw a bizarre creature standing there. Its body structure was similar to a man's, but the appearance was completely different. It was covered in green scales and each finger and toe was tipped with a claw. A long spiny tail was waving absently behind it. It was wearing simple armor. But the most appalling thing was the face. It was lean and evil looking, and was that of a lizard. A tongue flicked out every couple of seconds, swiping itself around the jaws. Cold yellow eyes glittered with menace.

Ray looked at Sam. "That's not a duck. You lied."

"A lizardman…," muttered Creston uneasily. The creatures were known for strength, speed, and unrivaled cunning.

"Ssso," hissed the beast, his teeth making a sinister grin. "What do we have here, hmm? A group of caravannersss exploring the sssluice?"

"No, we're here for the tree, dumb ass," snarled Garrett, spear in hand. The lizardman's leering grin widened.

"Ah, yesss," crooned the monster. "But don't think it'sss going to be that easssy." With those words, he snapped his fingers. Two creatures joined him. The first one was small and gelatinous, and was light blue in color; a water flan. The second monster was also blue, but it was large. Its body was fat and bulky. This was a gigan toad, an amphibious creature that was often found in the wetlands.

"Ssso…let'sss sssee how ssstrong you really are," said the reptilian monster. "Attack!"

The water flan slid forward, spraying a frigid gas at the caravanners. Only Nieta and Ray were hit, and the two groaned as they felt the familiar effects of a slow spell.

Mika swung for the creature, but the flan moved out of the way. As Sam ran forward, he was forced to stop to avoid a blizzard spell cast by the gigan toad. Creston was about to cast a spell, when he heard a swishing sound behind him. Creston barely had time to dodge the sword of the lizardman, who had retrieved his blade.

Lia, who wasn't being attacked, had charged up a fire spell and sent it at the flan. The creature shuddered violently. Sam swiftly moved forward and struck a finishing blow. The flan was reduced to a bubbling pile.

Star had aimed a lightning spell at the toad, who had countered with a blizzard spell of its own. Garrett ran forward straight at the beast, spear in hand, when the unexpected happened. The gigan toad's tongue shot out of its mouth and licked Garrett's head.

Silence.

"…aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAARGH!" yelled Garrett, wiping his face as quick as he could. "That's gross! It smells like ass!"

Ray and Nieta, although still under the slow spell, doubled over laughing hysterically. Sam hastily turned his own laugh into a cough, while Star covered her mouth with her hands. Even the lizardman chuckled, which gave Creston the opening he needed. He struck the reptile with his hammer, sending it sprawling across the landscape, before sending a fire spell to finish it off. The lizardman shuddered and jerked but in the end remained still. As the toad shot out his tongue at Garrett again, the fuming Lilty grabbed the toad's tongue and cut it off, before jabbing his spear in the poor creature's throat. With a gurgling croak, the beast rolled over and died.

"You know, those toads could be good pets," remarked Mika thoughtfully. Garrett gave her a death glare.

The gang moved on before they came up to another obstacle: two lizardmen and a gigan toad. The reptiles noticed them right away.

"Intrudersss," said one of them. "How on earth did they manage to get passst Ssservall?"

"I have no idea, Raussst," growled the other one. "They mussst've caught him by sssurprissse."

"Ssshall we dissspossse of them, Zesssall?" asked the lizardman named Raust.

"Yesss," hissed Zesall. "Let'sss."

Both lizardmen rushed forward, but right before they could attack, Creston and Lia casted a Thundaga spell together. Both creatures fell to the ground in a heap. Garrett, meanwhile, hurled his spear at the toad, with his weapon stabbing it in the side. Before the toad could defend itself, Star ran forward and ran the creature through with her sword. Sky blue blood poured from the dead monster.

Creston turned around to check if the two lizardmen were dead, but the bodies had disappeared!

"They've either dissolved into miasma, or escaped," commented the Yuke. "Either way, let's move on."

He failed to notice Raust's tail disappearing around a bush.

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Eventually, the caravanners came to a door. Creston walked up to it and examined it closely.

"It has a keyhole," he reported. "But no monster is nearby…so where is the key?"

Everyone began to look. But no one could find the elusive key.

"Where could it be?" asked Garrett, taking a step back. Click.

Garrett looked down to find that he had stepped on a switch! As he stood on it, a few feet away, water burst out of a spring hole. A key shot out of the water. Garrett ran to grab it but the key and the water flowed back into the hole.

"Wait!" shouted Star. "Garrett, stay on that switch!" Garrett obeyed and key emerged again. Star grabbed it.

"That was rather complex for such a wild environment," observed Lia.

"Whatever, we've got the key, so let's keep going," said Mika, as Star placed the key in the lock.

As the gang walked into another clearing they were met by two lizardmen, and a blue bomb.

"Watch out for the blizzard bomb," warned Lia. "They'll freeze you instead of burning you.

"I would never guess that from their name," said Ray in a sarcastic drawl that was worthy of Creston.

At the sound of voices, the lizardmen turned and attacked. The bomb started to cast a meteor spell.

"Someone! Get the bomb!" shouted Sam. Garrett ran forward and swung his spear. He missed the first time, but managed to make contact on the second strike. The bomb didn't die, but it was sent soaring away. It hurtled toward Sam and one of lizardmen. As Sam was about to strike a blow to the reptile, the bomb got in the way and was pierced by his sword. As the bomb began to glow, Sam dropped his sword and dove for cover, and managed to avoid being caught in the icy blast that followed. The unfortunate lizardman was caught in the blast, and Ray and Mika made short work of him.

"Larisss!" shouted the other lizardman in dismay. But before he could make a response, he found himself with a spear in his stomach. Dark blood welled up from the wound as the monster fell still. Nieta shook the body off of her spear and the caravan moved on.

They came to a clearing with three lizardmen and a water flan. They had faced worse odds.

As Sam shouted a battle cry, and the friends moved forward, they were interrupted by a loud noise. It sounded like…wings?

Flap flap flap…

And then they saw it. A griffin was soaring down from the clouds in the blue sky, screeching loudly.

"Well then…this could be trouble," murmured Creston.

"Let's go already!" roared Garrett.

As they rushed forward, two of the lizardmen headed for Garrett and Star. The third stayed back and began to hiss magical words.

"Crap…a mage," said Lianora, who began to cast a spell of her own.

Mika wax dealing with the water flan. It kept trying to whack her (well…whatever it was doing with that jelly body). Mika managed to dodge and cast a fire spell on the creature. It let out a gurgle, and managed to throw one last strike at her before it died. Mika groaned and wiped the gelatinous goo off of herself.

"Ew," she said.

Garrett was dueling with his monster, but just as he was about to sever the thing's head, a blast from the sky came down and froze him. Taking the opportunity, the lizardman stabbed him.

"Gah!" yelped Garrett as he unfroze. "Where the hell did that come from?!"

Ray, who was currently hanging on a flying griffin, gave the Lilty an apologetic look.

"Sorry, he's a little hard to control…" called the Selkie. Garrett just snarled a reply, and finished his job of severing the lizardman's head. Meanwhile, Lianora was having trouble with her lizardman, who kept dodging her magic attacks. Nieta ran over to help her. The Lilty girl made the mage dodge into Lia's magical attack. The lizardman was struck by lightning and paralyzed, making it an easy kill for Nieta. Meanwhile, Star parried a lizardman's blow and cut him open. The lizardman let out a cry and dropped his sword as he fell to the ground, dead.

Ray was thrown off the griffin (who he had been clutching the stomach of). He landed on the ground, sand rising around him.

"Okay, we can take a griffin," said Sam. The griffin let out a screech and another griffin flew in.

"Or two," said Nieta, shrugging. Everyone rushed forward to attack the creatures. Mika sent projectiles at the first griffin, but the monstrous bird-creature rose into the air and sent another frozen blast down at the caravanners. Mika dodged, but the blast wound up hitting Creston, and the male Yuke was frozen solid. Garrett, Sam, and Ray all attacked the griffin, with Ray leaping on the back of the creature. The griffin shrieked, and stomped the ground, sending a shockwave rippling towards Garrett and Sam. The two were sent flying backwards. Ray continued to pummel the griffin on the head with his racket, and he kicked his legs on the sides of the griffins.

Oops.

You know how if you kick a horse, it will "giddy up". Imagine that with a griffin. The griffin rose into the air, taking Ray with it.

Meanwhile, Lianora sent a fire spell at the second griffin, while Nieta stabbed it furiously. The griffin knocked Nieta back with its tail and sent a magic shot at Lia. Both fighters were hit, but the distracted griffin became an easy target for Star, who made an uppercut that slashed open the avian monster's body. The griffin let out a final squawk before falling to the ground.

Ray was still riding his griffin, until the creature landed on the ground and shook Ray off. As Ray was about to make a strike, the griffin swung its tail at him.

Wham!

"Mommy…," whispered Ray in a high voice, clutching his crotch as he fell to the ground. Garrett, Sam, and Creston all flinched.

"Oh god…that's just…poor guy…," said Creston, bowing his head in respect.

"No man deserves that," said Sam, wincing at the memory in his head.

Mika, rolling her eyes, finished off the griffin. It fell down and dropped something.

"Hmm? What's this?" asked Mika, picking it up. It appeared to be a blue ring.

"That's a Blizzard ring," confirmed Creston after examining it. "It allows you to perform better ice magic."

"Can I have it?" asked Garrett.

"Finders keepers," retorted Mika, with a smirk that was not unlike Ray.

"So there's the door, and I sense the myrrh tree beyond it…," said Creston. "But where's the key?"

"So let's look for it," said Ray. He had gotten over his crotch shot, but fell over, clutch his stomach.

"Ray? What's wrong?" asked Star.

"My…stomach hurts…," said Ray, moaning slightly.

"That's what happens when you ride a griffin out of the crystal's barrier," said Creston. "Didn't you learn ANYTHING in the Mushroom Forest in Chapter 5?"

"Chapter 5?" asked Sam.

"Never mind," muttered Creston.

"So, where's the key?" asked Garrett.

"How about we press this switch?" asked Lianora, standing by a switch. She stepped on it. Far away, a spurt of water rose out of a hole, carrying a key with it.

"One problem," said Nieta. "It's out of the crystal's barrier, and if we all go to get it, Lia will have to step off the switch to come with us."

"Then let me run out and get it, because we Selkies are fastest, and Ray is well…in pain," offered Mika. Everyone nodded. The Selkie girl quickly ran out, swiped the key, and ran back to the barrier.

"Good job!" said Star. "Do you feel okay?"

"Slight headache, but I'm fine," assured Mika. "Let's move on."

"Agreed," said Creston. Mika put the key in the lock, and the large wooden door open. The eight warriors (and Mog) all walked on to retrieve the myrrh.

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Finally, I got another chapter done. I'm sorry it took so long, but I hope I can get more chapters finished early.

Favorite parts: Mika's "seduction", Garrett getting licked by the toad, and poor Ray's crotch shot (and especially how the men reacted).

Ssso, about thisss chapter.

When Mika ssseduced Ray, it wasss reverssse psssychology. (Okay enough hissing)

And apparently it worked. Ray has been put in his place.

Veo Lu is large, but you see, getting to the boss isn't that long. Now if you get every treasure chest and enemy, THEN it becomes long. That being said, I shortened it a bit.

NOTE: Soon, the levels are going to start becoming REALLY long. In the cases of a really long level, I will divide up the chapters of the level, not only the level and the boss. I'm planning on about three for Conall Curach, maybe four for Rebena Te Ra, Three for Selepation Cave, and at least three for Lynari Desert. Daemon's Court and Mount Kilanda are both pretty short, so I'll probably only have two for them (although I'm having a plot twist in Daemon's Court).

Next Chapter: The gang is about to get the tree. The golem would let them pass, but since they've got Mog, who technically is a monster, the golem attacks. The gang must now fight the monster on behalf of a poor moogle.

Ray: And finally, the last caravanner gets a review. I would've been before Creston, but I was drunk at the time. So yeah, people, review and uh…well…I dunno, just…review…or something.

Mika: You call THAT a review request?

Ray: Hey, I have a review request for you. *wink*

Mika: Bring it on. *smirk* I'll kick your ass.

Garrett: Which one is the drunk here?