Demon King Millen's Crypt

Lillith gazed at the devistation, looking at all the dead lizards. So much food and not enough time to eat it all. "I wish there was time for me to stay here... Oh well time to get the good bits and go!" She raised her hands towards the nearest one the appendage sharpening at the end. she then used what bit of magical energy she had regained to control it as she flung it out as a barbed tendril. Spearing it through the many bodies in a chain before retracting the tentril back through tearing out bits of innards and flesh. Ending up with a lump of soft tissues the size of your average microwave which she scooped up in a sack of biomass that she shifted onto her back to consume on the go. Breaking the contents down and "burning" them to generate more energy in preparation for the next floor or whatever may lie in wait ahead.

"Pardon, I realize that this might not be the best time to ask but I'm rather concerned about the matter in question. IF we manage to get to the bottom of this place, how are we supposed to get back to the surface? I might be able to create semi stable portals but I'm not sure that it's safe for anyone used to having a solid body to go through them! How do you all plan to get out once we go deeper?" She with a sense of urgency while a pink glow started to seep through the cracks between the armored plates of her created carapace.

With the next floor in sight, Minsu breathed a deep sigh. "Sometimes I wish things were easy..." She spoke as she reloaded her weapon. Preparing to move out once again. This was certainly a problem, some of her effectiveness was reduced thanks to this peculiar dungeon, of course the teamwork here was good enough to be considered a team. For now she was going with the flow now.

Suddenly, a large electrical sparrow appeared, in a burst of lightning and hail. Oh look Bezalel, it's like you but not a total psychopath. Blackheart had hoped the comment would take the demon aback, but it just gurgled out a sickening laugh, like something chuckling very deeply in its throat. Yes, I wonder how intimately that thing is tied to the boy, would it stick around if we made him a servitor? Musings for another time I surmise, the core is near. Pulsating, deliciously...

The Black Hound was always saying something creepy, but it's last statement was extra unnerving. The Captain decided to distract himself with Lilith's performance, letting out a low piercing whistle to show his appreciation of her unique abilities. "Very nice Lilith!" Now that is some top tier flesh. Imagine the wonders we could make with that. I'm more focused on could Rivian breathe fire if he absorbed a lizard, and if so why doesn't he? "So can you breathe fire now, Lilith, or are you just restoring lost biomass?"

What with Stormsparrow's appearance, Bezalel suddenly being willing to work, Rivian in the lead, Servitors working in a tight formation, and Minsu's hail of gunfire Blackheart found he didn't even need to shoot anything. Which means its time to gather a bit of data on my team "And what exactly are you absorbing? Organic energy, perhaps something a bit more magical? I dabble a bit in magic myself, if we work together we might be able to get a stable rift to the surface, one safe for people who aren't shapeshifters. Rivian might be fine going through without that hassle, though, he's more or less a biomass."

Captain's shadow darted forward, impaling a lizard just below the gullet, before swelling and separating the creature's head from its body. The next one I have to block gets to eat you The action barely registered to Blackheart, and he kept talking without pause. "Though, I'd rather clear out or disable each dungeon floor as we go down, and simply walk back up. Gives me more time to fully loot this place. Minsu agrees, right? More loot means more prestige which means, getting the leg up on the Russian, eh?

Lillith glanced at Blackheart. Sparing a passing look at the dead body he just made and tearing a bit of flesh from it's neck with a tendril. "I suppose I COULD study the bilogy of these lizard things to duplicate their fire breath but why should I? there's a possibility it relies on a chemical reaction or something of the sort and I already know a few fire spells. they may just be spraying a flammible fluid for all I know. As for what I'm doing, Right now I'm essentially have the nanites in my makeup burning the material I've consumed to refill my magic reserves and recover lost energy. I could also add it to my own mass to become larger but for now getting my magic back is more important."

As she said this she got an Idea in her head. She produced a tendril from her back and dipped it in one of the black goop puddles. Scooping a bit up and returning it to herself. then waited for something to try to spawn so she could get an easy meal to go. "I'm actually here because I'm interested in taking material samples from here, tissue. wall and floor fragments and anything else I can manage, there are materials here that I've never seen in my 3 or so centuries of remembered existance."

It was something small, but possibly noticable to that voice inside of Blackheart and Blackheart himself, but ever time that demon spoke, Stormsparrow seemed to look back as if he was noticing his pressence. It was unknown if there was any shielding for that which would keep Stormsparrow from directly noticing and sensing Blackheart's demon, but at the very least he could sense something whenever it spoke...

"Unfortunately, each floor resets after awhile, so that wont work. If this Dungeon follows the mysterious theme others follow, there should be safe rooms to take breaks inside of and rest, but after we clear one floor we have to keep going. Taking out the core just lets us find the way down quicker...well, supposedly the whole dungeon goes to sleep for awhile when it gets cleared, but its only for awhile" Rivian told them as they kept moving throughout the hall, heading closer and closer towards the sound until...

"Okay...that is...unexpected..."

They came into a large chamber with a giant black heart in the center, beating and beating as it seems connected to all the walls and floors, and producing the black goo that was spawning the monsters. It was clearly the core of this floor, and even though it just looked like a giant organ on the wall...something about it felt powerful and ominous.

Of course, the fact that the passage behind them suddenly sealed up was its own issue...and in fact, when Rivian realized what this meant...he turned around to warn Lilith, whose sample of Black Goo was already producing monsters that would start small but quickly grow to full size in mere seconds.

And from a center pit of black goo in front of the heart, the surface was moving rapidly. Although nothing was in view, Rivian could definently imagine what was going to be coming out of that pit.

"...well, they did say it would be challanging...perhaps that was an understatement though...

The Captain listened intently as the biomass girl explained why she was collecting bio-matter. Her words made sense, but were very intriguing, especially given his morbid hobby. "Speaking of which, Lilith, I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping with my research after this. Rivian informed the group of the fact that the dungeon fell asleep shortly. Is leaving here going to be an issue? No matter, whatever I find in here will be worth the struggle...

As the group neared the end of the first floor, the door sealed behind them and a large black heart sat in the center, beating. Blackheart fought not to laugh, and failed, letting out a peal of wild giggling. "Look, it's me!" Suddenly a voice inside his head took precedence, the ugly voice of the Umbral within.Oh, ugly host of mine. Why's Bird-Brain giving you these dirty looks?

The man's eyes snapped over to the bird, Stormsparrow. It did appear to give him a curious look whenever Bezalel spoke, something that was slightly unnerving to him. Okay... That's new, are the two beasts similar in nature? A Storm sparrow, and a Shadow Hound...? Captain Integra didn't have long to ponder the thought, before the Umbral Demon was redirecting his attention again. Blackheart, the black heart is about to produce something, ready yourself.

"Servitors, defensive positions! Prepare to fire on the big bad about to pop out of the center of the room!" His scream echoed throughout the sealed chamber, and with a flourish, the Captain sent the femtite swarm that sat on his coat into the air; a cloud of silvery flakes that floated above and around the group, and was perfectly commanded to dismantle and consume anything that would attack their small party.

The Necromantic monstrosities brandished their armaments with their free hands, using their HardLight shields to protect the flanks of the party, while aiming their weaponry towards whatever was about to emerge from the room's center. Finally, their Captain dropped the spent magazines in his gun, slamming new ones into them in less than a second via his quick feed belt, and following his aiming software to discern where the creature may erupt from it's Core.

Remember, if I die in here, you're down a host and back at square one. The Captain's shadow spread out slightly in all directions, ignorant of light conditions and forming a small circle at his feet. "Yes, yes, yes... We're not quite done yet." Bezalel's voice came out aloud from the shadow beneath Blackheart's feet, in a deep resounding voice.

testy test bluuuh
ignore and/or delete please
take out the trash, kids

“Unexpected, Yeah...I’m certain no one ever thinks that they would run into a pulsating heart that dripped black ooze that creates monsters from it. Yeah...Guess Father was not kidding when he said he seen enough of this universe to no longer be surprised...” Minsu commented of the big giant blight on the eyes.

“I recommend some heavy explosives...Maybe the incendiary option is better suited for this...”

Lillith turned towards blackheart. "Assuming both of us get out of here alive I will talk with you about helping your 'ressearch' depending on what you're willing to offer for it" Lillith glanced backwards when the door shut. Looks like going back wasn't an option anymore, bugger. She let the monsters growing on her finish before quickly killing them by stabbing them through the neck or with one of them just twisting the head off. She destroyed the goo once she had 3 of the monsters dead on the floor in front of her before quickly consuming them for mass. She doubled in size from this and once she was done she turned to look back to the rest of the goo piles. She then turned her attention to the other 3 though technically 5 members of the group. "I recommend that someone tries attacking that heart before it can produce any more of this goop" after saying this she conjured a small ball of fire in her hand and lobbed it up towards the ceiling to make sure there wasn't anything hiding up there. She also took her own advise and tossed another ball of fire at the heart.

At that moment, everyone might have felt something strange...a shift in the air, and maybe just a bit too much...static. At first, they might not be able to tell, but eventually they would be able to determine where it came from. It was from Rivian, who was now holding a katana. But there was something about him, the air around him seemed less timid and more serious, as if he had narrowed down his focus completely.

No, if anything, this was a total change in Rivian's character. It was as if something was triggered inside of him, he seemed more confident then ever.

"I see, intense combat again is it? I remember this feeling now...I remember my training. A constant. Consistant. I know what will happen here".

Rivian then looked all around the battlefield in an instant, his senses and mind heightened.

"Seven monsters in the caverns on the left, twelve on the right, all preapring to charge at us at once. Twenty more coming from behind. Odds of party survival are low if I do nothing and go straight for the center, where a much larger and tougher creature is spawning. Given level of development, high genetic variance. Wont be able to use it against itself, probably cant be absorbed either. Conclusion? If I go immediately, we all end up dead. But if I go for the sides, big thing spawns and its an unknown variable.

And then there is the heart. Probably has some defenses of its own. Hiding, in secret...there are strange colored crystals on the walls? Possible connection? Likely antibodies....antibodies? I see, so thats how I can deal it some damage. Hurt all of it. Likely will adapt, will only work for a few seconds. These creatures seem like they have high adaptability. Must work quickly. Everyone will need to work together...plan concluded!

"Blackheart, cover the back! Minsu, cover left and right! Lilith, do not go after the big thing, its probably anticipating you by now! Instead, smash those gems!"

Meanwhile, Rivian begna to enlarge his blood katana...and stuck it into the ground.

Suddenly, Rivian went a little pale as blood looked like it was flowing into the ground from the katana. Now, at first they might wonder why Rivian gave them all tall orders. Even if they were exceptional, didn't he just ask or order them to attack large amounts of unknown enemies with still unknown abilities while there was something big forming in the center and didn't say anything about attacking the heart?

BUt then, his plan probably became clear to them when the heart shook out in rage...and parts of the blackness turned red.

"If you have been down here all this time...I bet you never got infected with any of the diseases that were used on me for experimentation!"

Experimental and highly dangerous versions of polio, smallpox, anthrax, and other diseases all resided in his blood, though mostly as trace remnants or with the antibodies against them. But because of that, by putting his blood into the circulation of this dungeon now...into the heart, he was inflicting all those diseases on it at once.

It also meant that Rivian was a potential walking bio-weapon, but given that no one was infected he could probably only infect people intentionally, and hopefully would never have the desire to spread those diseases into the world.

Lilith agreed to consider Blackheart's offer, in exchange for a presumed transfer of goods. Which was fine with him, if there was one thing he had TOO much of it was things he'd found on his journeys. Rivian grew calm, a calculating look on his face and then he started giving a plan of action.

"Blackheart, cover the back!"

Twenty of the lizard things were quickly approaching, some of them much larger than the others, and other still with multiple heads. With an ambivalent sigh, he nodded confirmation. "Wouldn't have it any other way." With a thought, the servitors assembled in two staggered lines, unleashing a salvo of gunfire that tore through the lizards.

Unfortunately the monsters seemed nonplussed about being fired upon and within moments the quickest lizards leaped into action, gnashing teeth ready to tear whatever they could. One of the servitors in the back-line brought a power sword down on the lead one's neck, just in time to prevent it from destroying one of its undead 'comrades.' For whatever reason, these lizards were much sturdier than the ones previously encountered, and nineteen of them still remained.

"Alright, new plan then." Three of the zombies dropped their weapons and charged forward, slashing at the lizards with their metallic claws and driving pitons into the larger ones. A phalanx of hard-light shields went up around the Captain, and he saluted the three servitors that were about to become non-existent. "Gentlemen, I thank you for your service. You are relieved of duty." With that, the three that were currently being torn apart exploded, creating a shockwave that would've knocked Blackheart back had it not been mostly absorbed by Hard-light.

Black goo splattered the walls and the floor, all but one of the lizards had been destroyed by the detonation. The last one, that had been too far behind to be incinerated by the blast, was the size of a moose. "At least have the decency to die with a bit of flare." It skittered across the walls, onto the roof, and dropped itself on Blackheart. At least, it would have, had he not drawn his power sword and bisected it from skull to tail.

It was a bit messy, the lizard covering him in viscera, but he had to conserve his energy for the lower levels. Femtites began to clean him, and he took a moment to observe how the party was doing.