บท 5: Ninth Floor
Being where academy dumped their experiments, the ninth floor was made differently. It was a giant maze, where the Magi intended for their creations to kill each other. Leaving the strongest to thrive. While the weak were left to regenerate.
In one of the tomes Crid found. It said that the Magi closely monitered this cycle of killing, to support their experiments' growth, while making sure it didn't surpass their own. Being naturally chaotic, the experiments would kill anything they saw.
To ensure they didn't accidently destroy the jewels of their kin. The Magi made sure that when they break it, their own will also break. It was enough to keep them from completely killing each other.
With each time they grow back their bodies, they became stronger than before. And more eager to test their strength.
Simply suvival of the fittest.
But after the Empire was destroyed, and the Academy became abandoned, these experiments were left unchecked. Some escaping through the upper floors, destroying anything in their path. While some kept growing stronger as the years pass.
Crid didn't know weather the Magi would be proud of their monstrosities, or be fearful when they saw them now. But one thing was certain, they were certainly succeeding.
Every inch of the floor was colored with a bright bloody-red, with the artificial light casting an eerie glow on it. While the pungent smell of blood forever lingering inside the maze. It looked like hell itself.
But Crid already got used to it. With his attention solely focused on running faster. His thumps were loud and heavy as sprinted at full speed, he needed to get to the tenth floor as fast as he could. With the loud rumbles from the unceasing brawl completely hiding the sound of his steps.
Along the way, Crid would occasionally encounter an experiment. Which he would hide on a nearby crevice, and use his Shadow Cloak on. Sometimes he would see them having a brawl, leaving him no choice but to take a detour everytime.
Even when he denies it, his earlier victory got to his head. While it did help him regain his confidence, it also considerably bloated his head with air. Being both a good thing, and a bad thing.
Crid gasped heavily as he hid. It had been a couple of hours since he descended to this floor, and he was nearing the tenth and final floor. That was all thanks to his mastery of the ruins. The ruins of the Academy was filled with thousands of twists and turns, with him knowing every single one of them. A feat that seemed a bit too impossible.
Before he could leave his hiding spot, a familiar ticking sound almost made him give up all hope. He didn't even dared to peek at it.
Long before the Empire was destroyed, a promising experiment dwelled inside the academy. Seeing it's strength, the Magi simply named it, Alpha.
An experiment, that Crid used to avoid. Due to the fact that he couldn't defeat it at that time.
"I just have to avoid it until I get that scroll." Crid reassured himself. Although saying that while he heard that wretched ticking, it did little to calm him.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick....
Every sound made Crid sweat endlessly, until all he felt was the cold chill that made his hair stood. He even suppressed his heart beat, afraid that the slightest sound will draw it's attention.
Crid must have stayed still like a statue, until Alpha left. Even staying an extra hour just to make sure that it increased the distance between them. But he knew meeting it again would be inevitable.
He only had one life, one that he needs to keep dearly. Even if he wanted, he can't die now.
A loud rumble shook the ground, though it was far away, the force from the smashed still reached Crid. Aside from the distant battles that terrorized the maze, the coast was clear for him.
Without a second thought, Crid made a dash at full speed without hesitation. The stairs that led to the tenth floor was within his reach, with Alpha roaming these parts, he wanted to finish this damned quest now.
The bloody-red maze was clear. But when victory was within grasp, will misfortune arise.
Knowing the next turn led to the stairs, Crid threw caution aside at the sight of victory. Forgetting to check for monsters, he saw eye to eye with an experiment.
Like 084, it had a pale-white color on it's scales. Even when it stood on all fours, it completely towered over Crid. It's head was like that of a hammer, it was so large that it gave it poor vision.
Crid sweared under his breath, once again he became too reckless. But instead of running away, he positioned himself.
This was the same experiment that helped him discover the secret passages. With their attack pattern being hilariously basic.
It scraped it's claws on the floor, signalling it was preparing to attack. With a defeaning force, it ran towards Crid. Fully planning to ram it's head on his prey. But once it started running, it can't stop or make a turn.
Crid immediately jumped to his side, making a roll at the side as the experiment ran pass him. Without looking back, he ran towards the stairs.
A loud crash exploded, followed by the rumbling wall. But what scared him was the scarping sound it's claws make. It was preparing for another charge!
Adrenaline rushed into Crid's veins, he fully intended to survive this mission. He wasn't gonna die when victory was within his hands. He felt his feet become lighter, almost weighless. As he exhausted every bit of his energy.
With the stairs being an arm's length away, so was the monster on his back. Knowing he couldn't outrun the beast, Crid prepared for the pain his idea will give him.
Crid jumped, protecting his head as he tumbled down on the stairs. While an invisible force sent the experiment back, preventing it from passing the stairs.
Not only did the spell formation lighted up the lower floors, it also restricted the experiments to certain parts of the academy. Though the passage of time weakened it, causing some to get to the upper floors.
Crid groaned in pain as his bruises pulsed with pain. The stairs left on him several purple blotched all over his body. While he could feel that his left arm had fractured bones, piercing his skin from the inside. Looking at it, he could have mistaken it for a dead man's arm, for the black and purple welt completely covering it.
"Well atleast my face is still intact." Crid said, though the pain he felt was unbearable, his joking attitude about his misfortune eased it a little bit.
But he couldn't help but rejoice. He succeeded! He was at the tenth floor in one piece, now his victory is set in stone.
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