Floor 49 was of no difficulty for Kindle and Chila, especially not with their new Evolutions. As soon as they both leveled up, they moved onto Floor 50, knowing there was a Mini Boss.

  What they didn't expect was that Floor 50 was far larger than Floor 25 was, still an arena, but one that feels like it was meant to contain something certainly worse than an Undead Drake. What does arive isn't larger than one, but the sheer presence of it fills the air anyways.

  It descends from the ceiling, drapped in elegant robes of royal purple and gold turned into torn rags along it's skeletal figure, it's skull decorated by two large mana cores filling it's eye sockets and a third implanted into it's forehead. The Pseudolich cackles, using "Vocal Mimicry" to declare it's own appearance.

  "Tremble, little lambs, for I am your..." it stops it's descent for a moment, looking at Kindle and Chila. "Wait, neither of you are living intruders—though one of you is certainly not of this dungeon." It looks almost defeated by the fact it has no foe to face. "Fie, I was quite estatic for a moment, the prior collection of foes had bested me quite horrifically."

  Chila tilts their head in curiosity. "Wait, prior? You survived?" Kindle is more focused on the fact that the previous group was likely the Heroes, but they nod in agreement with Chila's curiosity.

  The Pseudolich extends their bony arms out wide and increases their volume. "Ah yes, for I have been chosen by the Dungeon Core to be the guardian vessel of Floor 50, instead of creating an entirely new one for every failure." They dance around the arena, hovering as the twirl and shout. "My soul remains here, even after my body is devestated, and while the effects of the last party's Light Magic certainly was... unpleasant, the Dungeon Core would not let one such as I be erased so easily!"

  The Pseudolich pauses their extravagance for a moment, now scrutinizing the duo. "As for your pair, what is it that brings you away from your posts, and why does the masked not have a connection to the dungeon?" Chila glances to Kindle, waiting to see if they'll respond.

  Kindle, who was planning on just killing the Mini Boss immediately, but not against conversation first, taps their fingers together. "I am not of this dungeon. I came to clear it." The ragged skeleton cackles again, then studies Kindle.

  "I should be surprised, as I have yet to ever meet another Undead aside from a few Vampires want to clear dungeons, especially not a Death Knight, usually so subservient to their masters." The Pseudolich leans forward into Kindle's face, inches away from the mask. "But we Undead wise and strong enough to seek immortality are known to be ambitious, are we not? I only wonder how long it will be until your ambition is snuffed out."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Kindle puts their hand on the hilt of their sheathed sword, and Chila tenses in expectation. "No matter the case, unless you want to let us pass through Floor 50 unscathed, I assume you'll be fighting us." It simply waves dismissively, backing away.

  "Gods, no. I can sense your mana, you're beyond myself by leaps and bounds in capacity and raw power, and if I am going to lose no matter what, I would prefer to not have to suffer greatly for a result that will undoubtedly occur." Chila perks up a bit, suprised by the ease at which the "fight" was handled while the Pseudolich continues observing Kindle. "But I must admit my curiosity as to how you hold such an intense amount of mana at your level. I can tell you're a Death Knight by the position and density of your mana cores, and no Death Knight has this much mana bottled up within them."

  Kindle, unwilling to sate their curiosity, and wary of the results one would get from stating they've been given Patron Boons from the God of Undeath himself, starts heading towards the entrance to Floor 51 with Chila rushing to follow. "I would prefer not to disclose that. Farewell." The Psuedolich slumps at the dismissal, but bows as an actor would at the end of a play to bid the same. "Very well. Farewell, odd fellows."

  When Kindle reaches Floor 51, Chila follows behind with a tilt of their helmet. "I-I also wonder... how you've got so much MP." They jitter once Kindle looks over their shoulder, fidgeting. "Not that you're obligated to tell me, o-or anything."

  Kindle keeps looking over their shoulder, slowing their pace by a significant margin. They don't want to go around telling everyone they've been given patronage by Obsidian, especially not with the Goddess of Light already deeming them a Calamity—of which they're still unsure how much trouble that'll be—and with how their current information on Obsidian makes it seem like anyone who's favored by him will attract envy from those who fixate on Necromancy and hatred from those who are against it.

  But being as they've been around Chila for weeks now, and Chila was simply Living Armor that has only known the Serda Dungeon since their undeath, the idea of telling them doesn't feel as odd. In fact, it feels... comforting, the idea of being able to tell someone.

  And so they do. Kindle spends the next half hour of walking throught the dungeon telling Chila all about them waking in the Farentz Dungeon, being picked by the God of Undeath, the Patron Boons they were given, even about meeting the Hero and his party, then learning that they're supposedly the Calamity despite not doing anything. It's almost therapeutic, and Chila listens intently as they keeps pace beside them.

  When Kindle finishes, Chila doesn't make any immediate comment, as if fully collecting the information in their head. "... wow. You've been... busy. W-wait, does that mean we'll be hunted down?" Kindle nods, glancing down the hall where their ///World Eye/// Trait allows them to see the Undead all the way down the hall perfectly.

  "And that's why I have to clear this dungeon, so I can grow stronger." Kindle doesn't waste any time, rushing forward, and Chila startles for a moment before catching up. They don't seem to be disturbed by the idea of continuing to follow Kindle despite knowing they're likely to be hunted down, but perhaps that's simply because their only other option is to continue being a part of this dungeon. In their pursuit of power akin to Kindle's, doing so is not an option.

  And so they continue, both seeking strength, both emboldened by the presence of the other.

  NAME: CHILA

  SPECIES: SPIRIT ARMOR

  SEX: N/A (FEMALE)

  XP: 6500/26000

  AP: 0

  HP: 600/600

  MP: 440/440

  SP: 600/600

  CON: 60

  AGI: 55

  DEX: 55

  PER: 40

  INT: 42

  BRAWLER KNIGHT (B)

  BASIC ARCANIST (D)

  ///BIOLOGICAL IMMORTALITY///

  ///DISCONNECTED BODY///

  ///SOUL ABSORPTION (E)///

  ///SPIRIT COMMUNION (E)///

  ///PHYSICAL RESISTANCE (D)///

  ///MAGICAL RESISTANCE (E)///

  ///FIRE RESISTANCE (F)///

  ///ICE RESISTANCE (F)///

  ///WATER RESISTANCE (F)///

  ///NECROTIC RESISTANCE (E)///