The presence of a cave near immediately disappeared as they walked into the fifth level of the deep dungeon. There and all trees, chirping birds, life surrounded them.

"...Whoa..." Convivial gazed off into what seemed to be an underground paradise.

"Watch yourself..." Succubus pulled back on his cape. "We're not exactly out of a cave just yet." She pointed to the ground just before him, a dark hole in the ground leading to a long fall to his doom if he stepped any further.

"...This entire place is floating?" Convivial asked as he looked over the edge. Succubus nodded as an answer "Over there..." she pointed down a path that led to what seemed to be a forest suspended on the huge platform they all were standing on.

"Eh?" Marie stared on at the pit "I need not worry... but then again, I'm guessing that not everyone in our party can fly..." her wings flapped rapidly, causing a slight buzz sound, hovering above her friends "This place sure is pretty..."

"Well, I guess so...But we're not here to see the sights." Convivial nodded "Let's just keep going. We came down here for a reason right...? Wait... what is that reason...? Marie, you never did tell me why exactly you were coming down here..."

"Ummmm" Marie returned to earth for a brief moment to ponder "That's a good question…"

"...So... You really don't know...?" he sighed "Ah well... Let's just keep going." Convivial entered the forest, followed closely by Succubus. They walked a few feet before coming across a bit of shattered armor.

"...Erm... Succubus, I didn't think it was possible for anyone to make it down here?" She shook her head and tugged on his arm "It's not, now let's keep going! I don't want to be here when it wakes up..."

All the while Marie pondered deeply in thought, trying to invent an explanation "Manyu... I wonder who could be around here that could help me?" she thought "I'm pretty sure monsters can't help me clear my name, are there any people in particular?" She smacked her forehead in confusion, seeing stars "Bah... head hurts... pretty colors"

In her confusion, Marie kept walking forward, stepping on the scattered pieces of armor, and not noticing the loud crunching sound they made. However, Convivial and Succubus did.

"...Oh no..." Succi cried, surprising Convivial.

"What... what's so special about the armor...?"

"That's the armor of the Raydric!"

"...Oh..." Convivial turned back to see the armor's legs piecing itself together and standing up on its own. The body and arms formed soon after, and began mercilessly swinging its sword at Marie. She gazed at the oncoming sword confused, clumsily falling backwards, causing the sword to miss. Getting up, she brushed off the dirt, and said "We fight it... right?"

The Raydrics head popped right off just as he raised his sword high into the air. As it fell to the floor before her, Marie saw Convivial with his bow out and arrowless "Well, if it pulls out a sword and tries to hit you with it. I guess so..." the armor began to decay "...You know that wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

Suddenly loud clanging sound echoed from the trees around them. More Raydrics approached.

"...Eh, crap..." Convivial put away his bow and equipped his Lute once again "Let's hurry up and get outta here!" He began dashing down the path with his Instrument in his hand.

"Errrrrrrrr okay" Marie said, taking flight behind. She flew high up in the air for a view, seeing that the path stretched on for quite a ways "We'll hafta do quite a lot of runnin', can ya handle that? Even with your numb leg…." she thought "I'll hold 'em off, and catch up later" Two beam swords flickered on her wrists, looking back she said "Run ya two!"

"What're you talking about, Marie?" Convivial yelled back. "I'm not letting you-- wha..." He stopped in his tracks in front of a mob of Raydrics "...Ah... crap." after warding off a few of the drifting armored soldiers he took a step back "Looks like we won't be going anywhere."

"Manyu... only my strongest attack will ward them all off" she whined "But it drains me so much... still, it might be able to save us all..."

"No Marie, the last thing we need is you taking a nap..." using his lute, he whacked off a Raydrics head, which flew and hit off another's, both of which fell to the ground and disintegrated "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way, one by one."

"Uh... kay then" Marie said, from above she let some strong bursts of energy rain onto groups of armor, causing them to disintegrate "Wow, these things are easy..." she said, taking out her sword, each slash caused them to disintegrate "Yesh, a bashing spree!" she cheered, taking down monsters all around.

"That's much better." Convivial nodded, just in the nick of time to dodge a sword swipe. He ducked down and swiped at its legs, dropping it to the floor "...Wow, I should really stop hesitating to talk..." He swung his Lute over his shoulder, knocking the head off the shoulders of a Raydric who'd snuck behind him "Succubus, how're you doing over there...?" Not surprisingly, they weren't attacking her. She stood watching paralyzed from shock. "...Eh, I guess that's good too..."

"Meh, she doesn't hafta fight if she doesn't want to" she said, the crowd dwindling in size. It appeared as if she could go through monsters in seconds, mainly because of all her pent up energy "This is fun!" she had a goofy grin on her face, getting the last few. Off in the distance, a Raydric in the trees stood watch of Marie with a bow in its arms. Waiting and aiming straight for her head. Through the bashing he just barely noticed it.

"...Sniping, are we?" Aeon whispered as he finished off the last few of the Soldiers. "You're not the only one!" He tossed two arrows into his Lute's strings and swung it in the Raydric Archer's direction.

"Double Strafe!" He yelled as they flew right through the thing's armor, causing him to crumble and disintegrate as well. It fell over in a heap, dying in agony. A slow moment passed, as Marie realized "Ummmmmmmm there's no more armor thingies...Maybe if we push on, we'll find STRONGER monsters!" she leapt up, taking flight again "I feel so energetic today!" then headed down the path, saying "What are ya'll waiting for?"

"Stronger...? are you insane?" Convivial panted. Just behind Marie came a large playing card that stared down at her. It flipped around, revealing its darker half and thrusted a chain around her body, pinning her to the ground with a loud screech.

"Errrr..." Marie struggled, unable to move "Not fair! Tying meh to the ground!" She tried her best to get up, the chains groaning slightly under the strain, but still remaining strong "Myu..."
The monster screeched as she struggled. Winced at the sound, her ears twitching violently, she uttered "It's so loud! Get this thing away!" she writhed even more, a faint glow in her eyes as her body became enveloped in the energy similar to that of her beam sword. Still, she couldn't break free. Succubus snapped out of her trance and leapt into action. Slicing the chains in two and freeing Marie.

"I'm sorry that I..." She looked back at the glowing Klonian. "...Marie...?"

"Never mind that" she said "looks like some blue energy is venting out, as long as ya don't touch" she walked up to the attacker, poking(poke poke poke) it with her finger, causing a strong zap "See? It's like a giant beam sword!"

The creature let out a loud roar in pain from Marie's blast "AAauuuughhhhh, My knee cap! How Dare you aim for my knee--!"

"Oh, shut up..." Aeon fired an arrow right into its mouth, causing it to fall to the floor letting out muffled screams and roars. Marie stared at the energy surrounding her "It'll only last a few minutes; I must be in peak shape for some reason! This puts me at a great advantage! Anyway, we should press on, I don't want to get chained down again, the energy can't tear through metal..."

"Not too far, look." Succubus pointed to a small house that was just in view on the horizon. "That's his house."
Convivial nodded "Wow, we don't have very far to go at all then."
"But you won't be going any farther at all!" a voice boomed from behind them with a thump. "As a matter of fact, you won't be leaving this place alive." A humanoid, goat-like figure stood behind them with a large Scythe in his hands. He waved it swiftly, catching Succubus off-guard and slicing through her back. The pain surged through her body and she fell to the floor unconscious.
"Succi--!"
"You're next human." He interrupted convivial and began casting a spell. Marie leapt in the way, throwing her body at his. Along with the energy, the impact made her like a strong projectile.

"Keep an eye on Succi" she said, tossing him a vial of sapphire liquid "Sprinkle that on her wounds!"

Convivial grabbed the vial and examined it "Condensed red potion..?" he nodded and ran over to assist his fallen newfound friend. The Baphomet regained his balance and pushed Marie off of himself. Brushing himself off, he said "...You must be Marie, the girl with the great power hidden in her blood. Your death will get me on Dopple's good side for sure." He held his Scythe defensively.

"Meh, good luck" she said challengingly "I'm guessing the Doppel blabbed about my secrets everywhere, regardless, I can still take ya down! Right now, I'm practically untouchable, if ya haven't noticed the energy!"

She leapt at him, maneuvering herself through the air and releasing a kick with her heel. He quickly blocked with the blade of his scythe and grasped her leg, slamming her on the floor fiercely and whacking her with his scythe as if she were a golf ball "...Oh how I enjoy cocky adventurers like you. Killing them never gets old!"

Marie winced, seeing double as she sat up. Shaking her head, forcing herself to focus, she smirked at him "Heh, nice, finally a challenge" man bursts of energy flew at him as a distraction. As he guarded, she dashed behind him, punching in the back, not only with the beam energy, but with a burst of magic energy.

"Ugh..." He groaned as he was pushed forward a good distance. He regained his balance yet again, placing his weight on his scythe and firmly planting his foot into the ground "You're not the only one who can use Magic, Lord of Vermilion!" The room itself became dark and Lightening struck the ground all around Marie. Trees and earth began to disintegrate around her as she stood in the middle of the blast.

"Meep" she thought worriedly, trying to get out of the way. "This guy means business; I might have to use the sacred infusion while I still have a lot of energy... but if it doesn't take him down..."

"Aeon, if this attack doesn't work, it'll be up to you" Marie said "but it hasn't let me down!" Her ultimate last ditch attempt to get rid of the beast, she materialized a typhoon of water around herself. Massive in size, it glowed in the center where Marie lied inside. A bright glow, an aura of energy surrounded it as it aimed itself, throwing all the energy onto Baphomet.

"What the hell is tha-- Augh!" Baphomet's groan became a gurgle as his body was engulfed in the water ball. The blast carried him a great distance away before beginning to weaken, then disappeared leaving him on the ground and his scythe near his head. Convivial took this as his chance to finish him.

"Arrow Shower!" He yelled, firing a barrage of arrows into the air, nine of which nailed Baphomet, sticking out of his chest as he lied on the ground "...And that ends it..."
"S-see..." Marie stumbled, blinking; she looked up with a grin "It rarely fails meh..." She walked over to Convivial, sitting down "Not so hyper anymore, I need a different attack…"

"Seems fine to me." he chuckled. "I'm sure the Wizard guild can help you with that."

As they rested those short moments, Baphomet regained consciousness and began to pull himself up by his scythe "...Don't... you think you can defeat me... so easily..." He moved quickly, positioning himself right over Marie and Convivial with his scythe high in the air "I Am BAPHOMET! Holder of the Crescent Scythe and Destroyer of the likes of You-- ugh..."

He fell back and dropped his scythe to the ground, this time disintegrating and becoming a ball of light which floated over to Marie and absorbed itself into her body. She could feel her energy returning to her.

"..I guess you're the Mvp, Marie." Convivial smiled "..But who made the last hit?"

"The what? I feel better somehow, this is awesome!" she leapt around "Never have I recovered so fast! And how's Succi doing?"

Aeon rested his hand on her back "She seems to be okay, I think she's sleeping..."

"...Oh, and no thanks to me?" They heard a voice say to them with enthusiastic happiness in its tone. They looked up to see a swordsman standing before them, his arms crossed and a smile on his face. They looked at him in awe, still not saying a word. He raised a brow and sighed "Eh...See if I save your lives again."

"Eh?" Marie thought, staring at the swordie "Who are you? Bah, you're saying you helped us? You're not here to hunt me down, are ya?"

"I am who you've come to see... Am I not..?" he asked in an expecting voice "To learn more about yourself, to seek a way to set your friend free?"
"Maybe, I just wanna clear my name... and train a bit... but yes, it would be nice to have Succi free, she could possibly be accepted among the humans... but it looks like I have dug mehself into a really deep hole" Marie sighed deeply.

"Heh, Just come with me..." He said, tossing Succubus over his shoulder and beginning toward the house she pointed out. "We'll discuss everything in a more... 'civilized' setting."

She nodded, following behind, something felt familiar about the swordsman, but she couldn't quite place her hand on it.