The dungeon is a place shrouded in mystery. No one knows how deep it truly goes, nor what's at the bottom.
For a thousand years, people have ventured down and for a thousand years, people have died. Being swallowed whole by the dungeon. Adventurers' bodies rarely being seen again.
Such a place Bell was descending down now. Going further than he ever had before along with Shakti and a group of level fives.
The Ganesha familia had many of them to spare since he had the most. Totaling in at eleven, if all of them were to level up he'd kick Loki out of second place and give even Freya a run for her money.
Bell looked to Shakti, the woman was walking next to him as he stayed in the middle of the formation. He had heard she was the strongest level five in the city. But whether that was true or not Bell didn't know.
He would assume so considering the way she carried herself. Her posture screamed about the years of experience she had.
"So I see you're already wearing one of the outfits Lord Ganesha gave you." The woman said, snapping Bell from his thoughts.
Bell looked down at his dark orange jacket. Its color shining brightly in the dark depressing halls of the dungeon's 13th floor.
The beginning of the middle floors.
But since the walls were black and the floor a dark gray. Bell stuck out like a sore thumb in the bleakness of the floor.
"I like the jacket, and the clothes," Bell replied.
Shakti smiled. "That's good, I didn't know if you would like them when we were picking them out. You didn't seem the type for bright colors."
"Not particularly, but these are a gift. So this is a little different. Also, I didn't come to Orario with many clothes."
Shakti nodded and looked forward again. "Well, it seems like we got you those just in time." Bell didn't respond and the woman looked back at him.
The boy was looking out at the floor in wonder. His eyes taking in everything around him, even if it was just bleak dark stone.
"Is this your first time down here?" Shakti asked.
Bell nodded. "Yes, I was planning on coming down here after Monsterphelia on my own to do some testing. But I had some errands I needed to take care of, and then you showed up and hired me for a job. So exploring with eight level fives isn't so bad."
Shakti grew curious. "And what were you planning to test?"
Bell was quick to answer. "Myself, there are things I needed to test out. Like how well the tools on my belt could best be utilized. And also how long I could survive on my own if the situation ever arises."
Before Bell had left he had stopped by a shop to grab a few things. Pouches full of monster lures, smoke bombs, and stink bombs hung by his side. While his sling bag was on his back packed with rations and some clothes.
He knew that there were some things he couldn't fight just yet. And if he needed to escape or extract someone from the battlefield. The tools on his belt would help him out.
'He almost looks like a proper adventurer.' Shakti thought to herself. Her mind went back to the arena. 'If he could do all of that with just his bare hands. What could he do if he had access to other items such as Perseus's burst oils? Or bombs in general?'
Shakti wondered this as they descended to the 14th floor. If Bell was the student of the Battle Ax, would he be as lethal as she was? Or would he be more reckless? Perhaps both, or different from her entirely?
Shakti had wanted to ask him. But there hadn't been a good time to ask. And even if she did there was the chance Bell wouldn't talk about it. Or avoid the matter entirely.
'I need to approach this with care. I could spook him if I get too carried away with my questions. I'll need to ease him into it.'
"Ms Shakti." Bell began snapping the woman from her thoughts. "What's it like being the captain of the Ganesha familia? And as captain what do you do besides keeping the streets safe?"
'Ms? Why is he calling me Ms? He hasn't done that before.' The woman questioned. "Well, Bell I have to do all the paperwork for the familia, manage well over a hundred people. I also have to help with any high-value active cases we have. While also doing my job as a profiler and patrolling the streets as well."
Bell nodded along with her words before his face scrunched up in confusion. "Profiler? What's a profiler?"
Shakti looked at the boy and his ruby red eyes were filled with curiosity. Shakti had to keep reminding herself that despite Bell's actions. He was still just some kid from the boonies.
"A profiler is someone who uses behavioral patterns and a whole other assortment of things to predict the movements of a criminal. Like say for example a murderer had a rough childhood. That could help lead us to their next victim based on who their victims are. It's all very probable however, no two criminals are the same and sometimes I can even be wrong."
Bell nodded at her explanation. "I see, so it's more of a chance based on behavior than anything?"
"Not exactly, but I work in tandem with our corners and the like. Those are the people who do the real work in allowing me to see a pattern."
Bell nodded again digesting her words as they descended down to the 15th floor. "I see, and when you do catch them how does it work then?"
"Well, it's much easier to read them then. Mannerisms and behaviors are easier to read when the person is in front of me. You can read so much by looking into a person's eyes."
As she said this Shakti looked into Bell's eyes. The first thing she saw was a childish wonder. A curiosity about the world and the dungeon.
The second was kindness. And there was a deep kindness in Bell's eyes. Like someone who would give another the shirt off his back if they needed it.
The third was something that caught her slightly off guard. There was a noticeable sadness deeper in his gaze. 'He's gone through tragedy.'
The fourth was wildness. Someone who enjoyed the thrill of battle, but not too much to become a battle maniac. 'Perhaps he got that from training with his master.'
The last thing was the one that surprised Shakti the most. Anger. A fiery inferno burning hot, but suppressed under everything else. Something Bell wanted to keep hidden.
"Oh, I see, profile me?" Bell said.
'I already have.' Shakti blinked in surprise. "Profile you? Why do you want me to do that?"
"I find it interesting. And I also kind of want to see how you'd profile me." He added, somewhat excited. But more intrigued by what should would say. 'That way I can learn to hide it better.'
Shakti was quiet, taking another look at Bell before she spoke. "You carry yourself as someone who's been in lots of fights, and has knowledge on how to make someone hurt. But that's a given considering your profession as a healer. Yet you still have an air of inexperience around you due to your age. You have a desire to help people, either out of kindness or because of something else. Perhaps you couldn't save someone before, or maybe someone put those ideas in your head. Yet even so you have kind eyes, so my guess is that you want to help people out of kindness. However there is a sadness in your eyes, but what it is that makes you feel sadness I can not tell."
Bell just looked at Shakti, his eyes wide and buggy. "Ok, that's a little creepy. Please don't do that again."
Shakti just smirked and turned her attention to the entrance of the 16th floor.
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Bell stared at the Wall of Lamnation in awe. A pale white shimmering wall of what appeared to be crystal stood in front of him.
Floor 17, also known as the floor where the Goliath spawns. Coming out from the wall of Lamnation to fight groups of adventurers.
Bell however would not fight the Monster Rex today. Because a giant hole, standing about seven meters high in the middle of the wall showed it had already spawned and been killed.
'Aw, I wanted to see how I could do against it. Oh well, there's always another time.' Bell thought to himself.
"Listen up everyone." Shakti began. Bell turned his attention to the woman as she began to speak. "We're about to enter floor 18, once doing so we will link up with the Loki familia and begin our investigation."
A series of Yes ma'am and other affirmatives rang out across the floor. Shakti then turned her attention to Bell who had gone back to staring at the wall.
"Bell." The boy looked at the woman who approached him. "Your job for right now will be to examine the body. From what was said in the message the sight is gruesome, so ready yourself."
Bell gave the woman a smile. "You don't need to worry, I've seen my fair share of gore...but thanks for the warning."
Shakti nodded and took her position in the middle of the formation along with Bell. The most protected place in the formation since Bell was something akin to precious cargo.
The group finished the rest of their journey to floor 18. And when Bell saw it his eyes widened with wonder.
Luscious green grass for miles around, sprawling forests, and crystals in the ceiling that imitated daylight. Off in the distance, Bell could hear the sounds of running water, and something appeared to be flying in the distance. But his eyes couldn't make the creature.
Off in the distance carved into a mountain of sorts was the town of Rivera. The only town inside the dungeon itself.
"I had the same reaction the first time I saw it," Shakti interjected. "I had just reached level two and the party I was with at the time took me down as a way to check out the Middle Floors and show me a way to the Under Resort if I needed it."
Bell took in the floor before blinking a few times. "Well, that seemed useful to know. My gods it's beautiful, I've only heard stories. But seeing it, the stories can't compare."
Shakti smiled at the boy's wonder before lightly nudging him. "Come on, we need to get going. Once the job's done I'll take you exploring to your heart's content."
Bell furrowed his brow as he began to follow her down. "Take me exploring? Do you think I would get lost?"
Shakti shook her head. "No, but the dungeon is a dangerous place. And there are those who would want someone with your ability."
Bell got the message and quickly nodded. "I see, thank you for your consideration then."
"You're welcome, I do have one question I need to ask you however."
"What is it?"
"Why did you call me Ms back there, when we first entered the Middle Floors?"
"Because I didn't want to seem disrespectful to you in front of your familia. They all call you captain or ma'am, why should I get special treatment?" Bell explained.
Shakti closed her eyes for a brief second before smiling. "I see, but you're not a part of my familia Bell. So you don't need to do the yes ma'am and no ma'am type of things. Besides, you're a healer, in certain situations, you'd outrank even me."
"Let's hope a situation like that never happens," Bell muttered, and Shakti could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't that hopeful.
Not much more was said as they made their way to Rivera.
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Bell and Shakti arrived at some inn Bell couldn't remember the name of. Residents had pointed them this way after finding out what their business was.
The rest of the group took guard at the front door and the entrance to the room. Inside were a few men. One was a rabbit with black hair. The other was a pale blonde man.
The last one was the one that captured Bell's interest the most. Tall and burly with a bald head. An eyepatch over his left eye while he wore a sleeveless jacket with no undershirt.
Bell knew this was someone important. It was just the way he held himself. Back straight, arms crossed, yet still ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
Out in the hall was the Loki familia. Bell had recognized the amazon, Tiona if he remembered correctly. Not that he really cared for her, or her familia.
But the thing that grabbed Bell's attention the most was the body. It was naked, with its head caved in and an eyeball in the ground. The top of its head was gone. Along with a satchel a few feet away.
"Ah Shakti, glad you're here. We found Hashana like this, from what I've been able to gather so far from the clerk is that he was with a woman. We believe she was the one that killed him, or she saw whoever did kill him." The burly man explained.
Shakti nodded and looked at Hashana's back. His Falna opened for the world to see. "Bors, I'm guessing you used a status thief on him to see which familia he belonged to?"
Status thief. An item used to see an adventurer's falna even if it's locked. Items frowned upon since peering at another falna is seen as a massive breach of privacy. But it was acceptable in a case like this.
Bors nodded. "That's correct, once we found out he belonged to Ganesha we sent word to you. Shortly after the Loki familia arrived and helped us lock down the scene."
'We had to waste some time to let Bell get his things. That let Loki familia get here hours before us.' Shakti thought.
"Besides the Loki familia has anyone else entered since the body was discovered?" Shakti inquired.
Bors shook his head. "No, Braver took a look at the corpse, but stopped when I told him you were coming."
Shakti looked to Bell who was silent as he brushed past her. Crouching down next to the body he looked it over before grabbing the jaw and turning its head.
"And when did you discover the body?" Bell questioned. Noting how the man's neck felt too loose. Like his head had been twisted around.
"Uh, it'd have to be about...14, maybe 15 hours ago," Bors answered.
"Hmmm, I need a clock," Bell stated.
Bors leaned his head out the door. "Hey! One of you bring a pocket watch stat!"
"He can use mine Bors." A small feminine-like voice called out.
Bell looked over his shoulder and saw a blonde prum holding a golden pocket watch in his hand. The prum of course was short, only standing at 3'11. With scruffy medium-length blonde hair, and blue eyes that Bell despised. He knew who this was, oh who knew.
'Finn Deimne, one of the main perpetrators who kicked my family out, and one of the people who got my mother killed.'
Bors took the watch and handed it to Bell. The boy curbed his anger and opened the watch. "Time of arrival 7:42 pm, time of discovery 4:42 am. But judging by the rate of decay Hashana died at around 1:30 am, leaving around three hours for the suspect to escape."
"Cause of death would be his head caved in correct?" Bors asked.
Bell shook his head. "No, someone broke his neck, most likely when his guard was down. Knowing he's a level four it was someone first tier or higher. Narrowing down the list of suspects to only a few. Hmm, this is odd."
"What is?" Finn asked standing next to Bell, his hand outstretched.
Bell deposited the pocket watch in his hand before walking around the body, then looking at the wall.
Blood, brain matter, and bits of the man's skull were embedded on the wall and floor. The top half of his head was gone so that was to be expected.
But that wasn't what stumped Bell.
"Where's his skin?" The boy asked.
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"His skin?" Shakti asked.
Bell nodded. "Yeah, his skin is gone. The one that would be on the top half of his head."
"Well, it was obviously crushed under whoever bashed his head in," Bors responded.
"But he was dead before his head was bashed in. So what made his killer decide to do that." Finn added.
"Hold on, hold on." Shakti started. "Bell, what is it you're trying to say?"
Bell began muttering. "There's no scorch marks, so fire magic wasn't used. And Bors didn't mention anything about the smell of burning flesh. No one did, so his skin wasn't burned away."
"Bell!" Shakti called out once more getting his attention. "Tell us what you're thinking."
Bell nodded as all attention gathered to him, even the people in the hallway were peering in. "His face, or the skin that makes up his face isn't here. It should be here flattened against the stone." Bell snapped his fingers a few times. "Think of a watermelon, or a pumpkin. If any of you have ever hit it really hard, and it pops. There's still part of it left, just flappy and flattened. It's the same with skin, and flesh. It doesn't just go away because someone stepped on it really hard, doesn't matter the level it would still flatten like a pancake."
The pieces clicked together in Finn's head. "So you're wondering where the flesh of his face would be since it's not here?"
Bell nodded before crouching down in front of the body again. "Yes, I think whoever killed him, ripped his face off first. And then caved his skull in." Bell pointed at the wall across from the body. "I mean look at this wall right here, despite being stomped on there's still skull fragments embedded in this wall. There's still pieces of the skull left."
"Wait wait wait wait, you're trying to say that whoever killed Hashana took his face off? But his jaw is still there." Bors pointed out.
Bell nodded and began pacing back and forth clutching his chin in his hand. "I know and that's what troubling me. The part that's missing would stop just above the upper lip. And there's no smear marks either, so the flesh wasn't dragged alongside the stone, otherwise there'd be a lot more blood."
"So you're saying it's possible that whoever killed Hashana could have his face in their back pocket?" Shakti asked.
Bell shook his head. "It's only a theory, I can't figure out a reason why they would take his face. But all the evidence points toward that outcome."
Bell then gestured toward Finn. "Get the werewolf in here. Hashana must've had something the woman wanted, his bag is all upturned."
"And if she touched it her scent must be on it." Finn figured.
Bell nodded and Finn called the werewolf in. The man was tall, standing at 6'0. His hair was gray like ash, with orange eyes filled with malice. He had a blue tattoo on the left side of his face in the form of a lightning bolt.
He wore a gray half jacket with white fur in the collar. A golden belt held up his long black pants that went into his gray boots. But Bell found them odd as he saw gray orbs located in the ankle part of it.
The werewolf sneered at Bell when he saw him. The boy just rolled his eyes and gestured to the satchel.
"Bete, can you pick up the woman's scent off the satchel?" Finn asked.
Bete clicked his tongue and walked over to it. Picking it up he gave it a sniff, and then another. Before shaking his head and setting it back down.
"All I smell on this thing is death," Bete answered.
Finn nodded and grasped his chin. "Whoever killed Hashana was obviously looking for something he carried. Perhaps he already passed it off and that's why he was killed." The prum turned his attention to Shakti. "You're his captain, any idea what he was sent down here to collect?"
Shakti shook her head. "No, but I do remember Lord Ganesha calling Hashana into his office a few days back."
"So Hashana was sent down here to collect something, and that something got him killed. We're going to need to search all the women here, perhaps the clerk will recognize her." Finn sighed.
"Or we gather everyone together and the werewolf can find the scent of Hashana's face," Bell added. "I mean they would both smell of death."
Everyone in the room looked at Bell with looks of surprise and shock.
"What?" The boy asked.
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An hour later Bell was sitting on a stair in the center of Rivera. He hadn't gotten much time to explore the city. Only the few glimpses he got when he was going to the inn.
'A murder where the man's face was ripped off after death. But why would someone steal his face? And not even the whole face too, just the upper part.'
As Bell kept pondering he kept getting no answers. 'This is like that plant monster. I have all these questions but no answers. I'm missing something here, but what?'
As Bell began thinking he felt something tap his shoulder. He looked up to see Shakti holding a canteen. "Here, drink something."
Bell took it and uncapped the top before taking a swig. Shakti took a spot next to Bell and looked out across the town. "So, what's your final say on the murder?"
Bell finished swallowing the water before handing the canteen back to Shakti. "I'm not sure, I know he died before his head was stomped in. That's a fact, but after that, the details get all muddy. Why was his face taken? And why only a certain part of his face? Why not all of it? Also, why was he killed in the first place?"
Bell sighed and shook his head. "The only thing I can say for certain is how he died. And a possible maybe on why he died. After that, everything's all muddied."
Shakti nodded and took a sip of water herself. "You handled yourself well back there with the body. Have you seen any before?"
Bell shut his eyes for a moment and nodded. "A few, mostly old people dying in their sleep. My master and I would handle their final rites and all that stuff. But when the plague came around one year...about a third of the village was lost before we were able to get things under control. Gods it wasn't a pretty sight."
Bell's mind flashed with images he wished to forget. Boils, high fever, blood, so much blood. Coming out of every hole in a person's body.
Shakti placed a comforting hand on Bell's shoulder. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
Bell opened his eyes and the memories faded away. He glanced at Shakti before looking at the gathering crowd. "It's ok, I wanted to be a healer, and sometimes I have to face things that make me uncomfortable."
Shakti rubbed her thumb on his shoulder. "How old were you when that plague came?"
Bell sighed as gestured for the canteen. Shakti handed it back to him and Bell took another sip. "Thirteen, I think? My master wanted me to get as much experience treating people as possible before I left for Orario."
"And have you seen injuries like Hashana's before?"
Bell shook his head and handed the canteen back to Shakti. "I've never seen a man with their head caved in. Nothing as brutal as that, but I have seen crushed limbs before. I actually treated a man with a crushed arm a few days after I arrived in the city."
Shakti took a sip from the canteen. "Is that how you knew the flesh was missing from the face? Or how all of that works."
"No, the skull of different than a limb. It's like I stated earlier with the watermelon and the pumpkin." Bell then grabbed his arm and pressed down. "But as you can see with the arm, when I do something to it the skin pushes down to accommodate it. Which is what should've happened with Hashana."
"But instead someone stole his face."
"Correct, and that's the one thing I can't figure out. Why would someone steal his face? What purpose would it have?"
"A trophy perhaps, I got more from the clerk and he said Hashana came here dressed in full plate armor. But the armor wasn't in his room when we arrived. It was most likely stolen for a profit, it's how this town runs after all. More of a thief's den than a town."
It was then something clicked inside Bell's brain. His eyes widened in shock and he felt a little sick just thinking about it. "Unless they didn't plan for us to know his face was gone."
Shakti started to understand Bell's thinking. "They probably assumed we wouldn't notice his face missing, and that we'd chalk the armor up to robbery. Which...which means-
"They're wearing his face and armor." Bell finished.
The two looked at each other before Shakti dropped the canteen. Not a word more was said as the two started running to Finn and the others.
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Finn watched over the town square as his familia in tandem with the Ganesha familia organized people into four separate lines to be searched. Although it seems he would need to make more lines with how many people there were.
He had two goals, one was to find the killer. The second was to find whatever it was Hashana was carrying.
Finn didn't believe Shakti for a single second when she said she didn't know. A captain who didn't know what was going on in her familia. No there was something more at play here, something he wasn't being told.
Like who that boy was, the one who had borrowed his pocket watch. The one who had discovered that Hashana's face was torn away.
He was an unknown variable, someone he hadn't met. Yet also someone who knew exactly what they were doing. He would have to look up this boy when he was done here.
But right now he had a missing package to find. Hashana didn't have it on him which meant he wasn't working alone. He had already delivered it to the drop site. And the courier had already come along and picked it up.
'Now if we're lucky the courier is around here somewhere. Find the courier, we find the package and the bait to draw the killer out of hiding.'
It was then Finn noticed a small Chienthrope with black hair and brown eyes. She had light brown Chienthrope ears on either side of her head along with the same colored tail.
She wore a brownish-red jacket that covered a black shirt that showed her belly button. Her red shorts matched her red boots and scarf. A small brown backpack hung on her shoulders, likely holding whatever it was Hashana had.
The girl jumped in fright before turning and making her way up the stairs and to the exit of the 18th floor.
"Ais, Lefiya. Go after her." Finn ordered.
Ais was the golden-haired swordswoman Bell saw during the Minotaur incident. And Lefiya was the orange-haired elf Bell met not even a day ago at the clinic.
The two started their approach and Finn stood there watching. 'Now we wait and see where this leads us.'
The prum turned his attention back to the crowd. And waited as the minutes passed by, waiting for Ais and Lefiya's return.
Night started to fall as the crystals darkened. 'This is about to get a lot harder.'
"Finn! Finn!" Shakti yelled.
The prum turned his attention to her voice. Noticing that she and Bell were running towards him.
They stopped and Finn tilted his head. What was it they wanted? "What is it?"
Bell was the one to answer. "The killer is wearing Hashana's face and armor. They're using his armor to cover their body and his face to cover what the helmet doesn't. We need to find Hashana."
Finn's face furrowed with confusion. "Hang on what are you saying?"
"I'm saying they didn't expect us to know about the face being missing! They only expected us to find the body and then for you to start searching for whatever it is Hashana was transporting."
Finn was surprised at how Bell was able to see right through his plan. But Bell continued gesturing out to the crowd. "They planned for all of this, for the body to be discovered, for the lockdown to happen and the subsequent searching! They planned all of this to lure out the courier! We fell right into their trap."
Finn went to respond but the sound of a shrieking roar tore through the air. Everyone turned to see a giant human-like plant monster standing at least 40 meters tall.
Bell's eyes widened in horror as shards of wood and debris began raining down upon the square. Shakti grabbed him and ushered him under cover as wooden crates slammed down everywhere.
One exploded right behind them and a shard dug itself into Bell's calf. The boy didn't scream out in pain. But looked at the creature in shock as long dark green vines spurted from their skin.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Bors yelled.
The crates and debris stopped raining down. Leaving the pained screams of those injured to ring out.
"A new species," Bell said ripping the shard out. Shakti went to protest but Bell was quick to heal the wound. "But that isn't our concern right now."
Bell stepped out from under the ceiling and started barking orders. "Everyone listen up, I want a triage center and a casualty collection point set up right now! Bors have your people start the collection on the wounded and bring them here! Shakti I need you to station two guards here while you join forces with the Loki familia to kill that thing! Gather anyone who has even the smallest amount of medical experience and bring them to me. And send whatever medical supplies you have my way and keep them coming! Tear up sheets for bandages and have archers and mages deploy on the ridge line above us to rain hell on anything that gets close!"
Everyone stood there in shock at Bell's commanding presence. Even Shakti and Finn were both stunned into silence at how quickly he composed himself and organized healing and the team for counterattack.
It was like something the Battle Ax used to do back in the day.
Bell clapped his hands together. "You have cotton in your ears! Come on move out on the double!" He ordered.
This spurned everyone into action.
"Rollo, Ragnar! You two stay behind and guard the field hospital. The rest of you are with me and the Loki familia!" Shakti ordered.
"Alright, you knuckleheads listen up! You heard what the boy said, get a CCP and a triage center set up now! The rest of you start gathering bodies!" Bors yelled.
"Riveria, you stay here with the mages and coordinate their efforts. The rest of you along with Shakti and her group are with me!" Finn said.
With orders given the adventurers started moving about. Bell rolled up his sleeves and got ready for the influx of bodies he would be treating.
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The battle of the 18th floor raged on as a woman stood atop a cliff. Dressed in a tan tank top with brown shorts she watched as the battle took place.
She saw the Sword Princess using her wind. And the thought of grabbing Aria excited her. But there was another she needed to focus on right now.
'One blessed by Caduceus, I will kill you first to deprive them of their healing.'
The woman jumped off the cliff as Bell had just finished healing an adventurer. He was making his way to one of the other dozen injured patients being treated by the healers he was able to round up.
Their numbers were few but it was a lot better than just him doing it by himself.
The smell of smoke filled his nose as the floor burned, that new creature throwing trees and whatever else it could across the floor.
But Bell ignored all of it. Right now his job was to be a healer, not a fighter. Healer, not a fighter.
"Bell!" Shakti called out.
Bell's eyes widened as he was quick to turn around. Shakti should be fighting, so what was she doing back here?
Bell got his answer as Shakti was helping to carry one of her men. Floki, Bell remembered his name was Floki.
Taking a look at the man he could see his injuries. A broken left leg, along with a right arm. His eye was swelled shut as blood poured down his lip. The man was barely able to walk, and barely seemed conscious.
But Bell still approached him all the same. His healing magic activated as Riveria and the mages rained hellfire down on the monster.
"What happened?!" Bell yelled.
Floki stumbled and Bell was quickly to his side holding him up. "One of those things vines hit him, he jumped in the way of it protecting the Thousand Elf and what I assumed to be the courier."
"Set him down here!" Bell ordered.
Shakti set Floki on a cot, which was nothing more than a blanket on the ground. That's when Bell went to work, a fluorescent green glow surrounding his body and hand.
"Alright two broken limbs, and it seems his ribs have pierced his right lung. I can heal this but I'll need time."
Shakti was quick to stab one of the plant monsters from the arena through the mouth.
"Damnit they broke past the line!" Bell yelled.
"Don't worry, I'll buy you all the time you need!" Shakti replied. "Just focus on healing him."
"Remember to aim for the mouth, that's where the stone is!" Bell yelled back.
Shakti raised her spear and took a defensive position in front of Bell. Her eyes narrowed as three more monsters approached before the gap in the line was able to close once more.
'Three, only three I need to take care of.'
Shakti shot and ducked under one. She maneuvered her body and dodged the second one. She then sprang up and her spear met the third. Going through its mouth and breaking its monster stone.
'That's one'
Like a ballerina Shakti backflipped over the other two attacks and landed in front of them once more. With a spin on her heel, she thrusted her spear and stabbed another one in its mouth.
The second one bursted into ash leaving only one monster remaining. Shakti jumped back, leading the monster. Only for it to ignore her and head straight for Bell.
'What! I was right in front of it, but it's going for Bell?!'
Shakti quickly shot forward and put herself between the monster's jaws and Bell. She didn't have enough time to thrust her spear. So she dropped it and pushed her arm inside its mouth.
The beast bit down and Shakti felt her bone creak. But she reached further and gripped its monster stone. She pulled down and the thing turned to ash. Leaving only acidic burns on Shakti's arm.
She let out a sigh of relief, before feeling a comforting feeling on her arm. Bell stood next to her, his hand hovering over her arm and healing it. She watched as the burns went away and her arm no longer hurt.
"B-but what about Floki?" Shakti asked, looking at Bell surprised.
"I've stabilized him, he's not fully healed but he's not going to die. Besides I need to conserve my mana as much as I can to treat everyone else." The boy explained.
Shakti nodded and took a look at Floki. His arm and leg were healed. And his breathing had gone from ragged and pained to steady. The man gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.
"I'll stay here, help defend the field hospital captain." He grunted.
Shakti nodded and turned to Bell. "I'm needed back out there."
"Then go, I have everything-
A woman landed in between Bell and Shakti. Her red hair flowed in the wind as she stood up. Both Bell and Shakti had their eyes widened in shock.
'Who is this?' Bell wondered.
'The killer?'
The woman didn't say a word as the world moved in slow motion. She reeled her foot back before kicking forward and impacting Bell in the stomach.
The boy lurched forward as he was lifted off the ground, coughing up blood as the kick sent him flying across the floor.
The woman didn't say a word as she jumped off after Bell.
"Bell!" Shakti yelled. She didn't waste another second as she too jumped after them.
A murder and a battle, Bell is sent flying off into the unknown with the killer and Shakti closely behind him. But perhaps there is one more as well?
If the police stuff seemed a little confusing that's my bad. I'm not a cop or a medical examiner for that matter. But with the way the scene should've looked Hashana's face should've been smeared all over the floor. But it wasn't and that's how Bell knew it was missing.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I'll catch you all later.