Chapter 20 – Final Goodbyes

The Masked Numbers gathered discreetly. Less than one week from now, the dungeon party would enter Hell.

"We've managed to all enter the final roster as foretold." Number Seven opened his prophetic book, Authority's Inheritance.

"Stick to the plan and follow the book. We will be assigned to the second sub-group according to the Book. Don't engage the Oceanus Faction and remember to keep a close eye on the targets." The numbers nodded to each other.

"Once we assassinate the problematic targets, the plan on Floor 29 will commence."

***

Meanwhile, the families of the party members came to say their goodbyes at the expense of the High Council. It was a nice gesture for the poorer members of the party who couldn't afford to travel to Pyrite.

From Agate, the parents of Aventi, Stern, and Clico arrived to send them off. Three days from now, the trio would enter Hell, and the chances of their safe return was objectively low. Stern embraced his parents while crying.

"Don't worry, we'll be okay. You know we have to do this for Emelia and Nillvia." Stern consoled.

"You'll do great! We're just upset. Even if you do return, who knows how long you'll be in there. The last expedition into Hell lasted over a hundred years!" Stern's mom wiped the tears from her eyes.

"This will definitely be the last time you see them." Omira callously stated while reading a comic book.

"Omira, you don't have to put it that way…" Stern's father looked at the Shade and shook his head.

"Sorry, sorry," Omira said flatly. She wasn't really sorry.

"You sure have interesting friends…" Clico's mom teased. Omira pretended not to hear.

"I'm going to bring her back, mom." Clico whispered.

"We hope you do, son." His father hugged Clico.

Aventi's parents were the most emotional. Juxtaposed against Aventi's serious demeanor were her passionate parents, who were more like Omira than Aventi.

"Please don't go! We won't ever see you again." Aventi's mom sobbed.

"Your friend reading over there is right, the dungeon is too dangerous for our little daughter!" Aventi's dad pleaded.

"Ha, see I'm smart," Omira stuck her tongue out at Aventi.

"I'm sorry, but this is something I have to do, for Em-... for Emelia." Aventi stuttered. It was hard for her to talk about Emelia.

"We understand. All six of us are appalled at what happened with Nillvia. We really are. To think her own twin brother was a monster…" Clico's dad sighed out and put his hand on Aventi's dad's shoulder. Aventi's parents were normal people with no background whereas Clico's and Stern's parents were retired adventurers. Clico was accepted to Agate Academy because of his dad's training. Stern was trained by both of his parents as well. Aventi on the other hand, was the real genius, coming from nothing.

"Come on, let's say goodbye." Clico's father signaled for everyone to wrap it up. Hugging each other goodbye, the Agate trio said goodbye to Ryko.

***

The other party members said farewell to their families as well. The Pyrite faction held a large ceremony to send the finalists away with honor. Some of the older party members without families came to the ceremony. Despite the Pyrite faction being completely obnoxious during the tournament, their hearts were in the right place. It was extremely thoughtful of them to invite the lonelier party members. The Adventurer Anaxmai stood with Wandering Sage Mite at the reception.

Mite spoke first,

"As you may know, I'm a prophet. I wish you good luck on your quest to defeat Lavilin."

Anaxmai nodded. "I appreciate your good will but know this: I will do whatever it takes to kill him. Don't get in my way." Returning kind words with a thinly veiled threat was maddening, but Mite remained unmoved.

"You should be nicer to your party mates, adventurer. Here's some friendly prophetic advice, make friends and not enemies in Hell if you wish to survive." Mite glared at Anaxmai and walked away.

***

The nighttime dusk arrived on a remote Pyrite beach. Water spirits danced across the waters, creating bubbles that glistened in the twilight. It was the final hour of the day where the dusk met the dawn. Clico watched the bubbles with Aventi next to him; they had snuck out from under Omira's nose. It was nice to get away, especially since the expedition was days away.

"It's beautiful." Clico remarked, holding a heart shaped necklace in his hands.

"You're still thinking of her, even now?" Aventi looked down at the necklace.

Nillvia, Lavilin's twin sister, was used as Shade material during Lavilin's Shade Ritual along with Emelia. Nillvia was lucky; soul was still alive, but she was trapped inside Lavilin as a source of aura. Even though over ten years had passed since Clico last saw her, he loved her deeply. She was the only woman he had ever loved.

"Yes." Clico replied firmly. "Even if I have to tear down the whole dungeon, I will save her!" He turned and stared deeply into Aventi's brown eyes. Unbeknownst to him, she was already crying.

"I'm sorry did I upset you?" Clico frantically tried to comfort her.

"No, no, it's just that it's beautiful." Aventi composed herself.

"I know, the beach and the bubbles are magical." Clico looked out on the glistening shoreline.

"No, you idiot, your love for her." Aventi thought that sometimes Clico was just as dumb as Omira.

"Don't act like you don't feel the same way about Emelia." Clico grabbed her shoulders. Upon hearing Emelia's name, Aventi flinched.

"One day, I wanted to live a life were we were all together, happy." Aventi was getting choked up again. "But he took it from us." She snarled while the tears streamed down her face.

"That's not the Lavilin we kn-." Clico tried to defend Lavilin, but Aventi cut him off.

"Stop. Just stop. He took Emelia from us. He took Nillvia from us. He took the Destiny Seal and caused the deaths of millions! How could I forgive him?" She raised her voice. Clico couldn't respond.

"It doesn't matter to me what the council does with him when they find that son of a bitch." Aventi glared downwards, and her aura reflexively heightened due to her anger.

"You should know that something changed as he studied Shade magic with Nillvia. I don't want to believe it was him. It has to have been a Shade Possession!" Clico argued.

"You have to accept the facts. Even if it wasn't the Lavilin we knew, that man is gone. You should consider yourself lucky Nillvia was not in the original Shade Ritual. Emelia is… gone." She whispered.

"And now, we are going on a suicide mission into the most dangerous place in Ryko to track down a madman. Think about it Clico, we can't conquer Hell. This is a fool's errand." Aventi put her face into her hands. The crushing weight of Hell was getting to her.

"So what?" Clico stood up. "Against hope, I will hope, and against fate, I'll endure. By endurance, we will conquer Hell. We will save Nillvia and find the truth behind Lavilin's true goals." He raised his fist in determination.

"You sound like such an idiot…" Aventi laughed and cried at the same time. Maybe Clico and Omira were more alike than she would like to admit.

***

At the same time, 21 entered Ziphe's office solemnly.

"It is once again time to enter the dungeon. This is just one iteration of our attempt, but this time, we will conquer Hell and save Ryko. Are you prepared?" 21 asked with a straight face.

"Stop talking in code 21!" Ziphe couldn't contain himself anymore. "I've read the plan you gave me, I've tried to understand the situation, but I can't bring myself to accept it." Tears welled in Ziphe's eyes. He tried to hold himself back. He was the Grand Councilman for Authority's sake!

"Is this really the only way?" Ziphe choked out. A Deity like him was a pillar, a stone wall of power, yet, the prophet brought him to his knees just by entering the room.

"Sure, there are other ways, but this is the best way." 21 was unresponsive towards Ziphe's apparent breakdown.

"What… What are the other ways?" Ziphe wiped water from his eyes. He couldn't let himself cause a scene.

"I could save everyone if that's what you truly want, but after we leave the dungeon, the Ruler of Hell will conquer Ryko because of it. Every action and subsequent consequence will not just impact the 100 lives of our party but also the future. Every Authority is ready to act." 21 coldly stated.

"How can you be so sure?" Ziphe desperately wanted to find another way. The plan as it stood now would massacre the party, slowly whittling down everyone he cared about.

"Make peace with your loved ones while you can. Hell will not be forgiving." 21 callously shot down Ziphe's hope.

"How can I, when we will all die!" Ziphe yelled angrily. He didn't want to die, and as the party leader, he felt a heavy responsibility. Normally, Ziphe would never show his emotions like this.

"This is for the greater good, Grand Councilman." 21 continued to stay unnaturally logical.

"The greater good… even if it means throwing away our souls?" Ziphe looked up at 21. His face was dark, and his face was covered with anger and sadness. Even if he wasn't letting it on, 21 was effected by Ziphe's pleading.

"You and I are not the main characters in this story Ziphe. We will never be the ones to conquer the dungeon and save the world. Lavilin and his party will."

"It's impossible. How can he be the hero?" Ziphe punched his fist into his desk, shattering it. 21 watched but was not fazed.

"Lavilin and his party will conquer the dungeon while we, are just pawns. Clico, Aventi, Stern, Gileon, Samcyra, David, Omira, and Cheptah are the real heroes." 21 conjured a table and chessboard from his storage ring.

"They are the rooks, the bishops, and the knights. The rest of the 100 are just pawns to push them closer to Floor 100."

"Thinking of people as chess pieces, you sound like an evil Authority." Ziphe shook his head disdainfully. Ziphe knew 21 was right. If he wasn't, Xie wouldn't have sent 21 to him. Plus 21 was the real deal. The personal things he knew about every member of the party was uncanny.

"I'm just a man." 21 smiled weakly.

"But even a man can become an Authority." Ziphe stared at 21. He was starting to calm himself down. "I'm sorry for my unprofessionalism, 21." Ziphe apologized.

"It is normal to be upset. Conquering Hell is a seemingly impossible feat. Now, reflect on our first meeting all those months ago before the party enters Hell. Maybe I'll find a way for us all to survive." 21 winked and started to leave the room.

"By the way, finalize the sub-party plan." 21 waved his hand playfully goodbye and left the room, but Ziphe knew deep down in his heart that it wasn't Lavilin who was the true king on the chessboard but 21 himself. Looking at his destroyed desk, Ziphe knew he had to get a hold of himself. Putting his faith in 21 was the only option he had.