Chapter 47 – Floor 3 – Desire

Clico saw Nillvia in the darkness of the white fog. He wanted to reach out to her. He needed her. As he was about to dive into the darkness, a hand stopped him. It was Nure.

"Whatever you're seeing isn't real." He had a sad longing look in his eyes. Clico came to his senses and agreed. Nillvia couldn't be there on Floor Three with them. Nillvia seemed so vivid yet was shrouded in the fog, as if all he had to do was jump into the murky black waters, and she would be his.

The second the ship entered the thick fog, the attacking spirits stopped coming. The tired ship movers collapsed from exhaustion, but Ziphe's job was not done. Ziphe restrained some other party members from jumping into the fog with some other high-ranking members, including Nure and Tyermsy. When order was restored, he addressed the party again.

"Congratulations everyone! We've made it to the third floor. According to the history from the previous expedition, the former Wizard King Locke saw visions of his dead daughter on the Third Floor, just as 21 said. Locke's party mates also saw strange figures documented in the history book." Ziphe held up a copy of Wizard King Lock's biography, The Heaven and Hell of a Wizard King, from his storage ring. As an important work, it documented important common knowledge of two of the three Great Dungeons: Heaven, and Hell.

However, Locke was vague about certain details of Hell and mainly talked about Heaven. Born in the powerhouse country of Agate, Locke went through the historical Agate Academy of Magic and went on to serve as its headmaster before becoming a High Council Member, and then eventually, the Fifth Wizard King. His expedition into Hell was glossed over because it was his greatest failure, so it is generally assumed that he wanted his time there to stay cryptic. He rushed through many of the floors' contents and only deeply talked about a couple of the floors. All Locke had to say about the Third Floor was that he and his party saw false visions of deceased loved ones.

"21 and I have consulted each other with the other prophets in our group, Mo and Do, and we have concluded that this floor shows the longing or desire of your heart to you to lure you to your untimely death. Over the next few days, this fog of souls will attempt to allure you into it, never to return. If you enter these illusions, we can try to help, but it's ultimately up to you to escape." He was solemn and looked into the white mist. Screams and voices whispered all around them. When it was just the ocean, they could ignore the small whispers, but now, it was like they were sailing through the ocean itself. The souls all around them cried out for help, for relief, but none came.

"Now would be a good time to address the situation of the Floor Administrators. Some of you may know this, but each floor is run by a God or Goddess who creates the different trials we have seen thus far. On the first two floors, they were physical obstacles we had to cross." Ziphe was out of breath and was pale. Whether it be from what he had seen in the fog, his exhaustion from the Second Floor, or both, he coughed out and backed away from the railing. 21 mysteriously came from behind him.

"Ziphe you better rest, I can take it from here." 21 comforted him. Ziphe nodded and took a step back, looking into the fog with wide eyes.

"Yes, each floor has a different trial for the soul that enters it. The first two floors were physical trials. Each soul in the Ocean of Souls must transverse the ocean and the waterfall. The weaker spirits may give up or go mad as they wander aimlessly, as seen from the battle that just occurred. This Third Floor, however, is a trial of the mind." 21 paused dramatically.

"Hell was created to detain the Authority known as The First Deathless and also to grant a dead soul eternal damnation. Deceased souls power the dungeon, and the First Deathless and his Administrators are forced to keep the dungeon functioning. Some floors entice the soul to stay forever while others attempt to destroy the soul physically.

Either way, the Floor Administrators will slowly become more active and will directly interact with us as we clear each floor. The Third Floor entices souls to chase after their desire, forever and just out of reach. If you're not careful, you will be pulled into an illusion. If you meet this unfortunate encounter, stay calm. Only if you dwell on its contents will you be trapped in it forever. I will even attempt to enter your illusion if things go astray. Stay strong and congratulations on clearing the Second Floor." 21 finished his speech, and the combatants of the first battle of Ziphe's sub-party retired to their respective quarters.

Tyermsy was in a sad state. The proud Goddess of the Gatekeepers could barely stand. Omira, Elos, and Ciphe on the other hand had already fainted from exhaustion and were quickly hurried to the medical bay run by Realeh. Clico and the other Gatekeepers brought them in and patiently waited for them to wake up.

Ziphe tapped Tyermsy on the shoulder and asked,

"Are you ready for a nap?"

Tyermsy chuckled lightly. Gods and Goddesses didn't need to sleep, but she sure felt like she needed one! They both weakly walked to the Control Room and debriefed. Even though they both had strong foundations, using extensive aura for over a week was too exaggerated. They could still fight if need be, but taking a rest was better for them. Ziphe sat in the Captain's chair of the Control Room and opened a small book. Tyermsy saw and asked what it was.

"What kind of book is that? I've never seen that kind of binding?"

"You'll get upset, but there's no way around it." Ziphe sighed.

"21 wrote prophetic books for specific people. Only a few of us have them, but supposedly, if we do what it says, we will survive the expedition."

Ziphe showed Tyermsy the cover: Ziphe's Survival Guide to Hell. Tyermsy wondered why she wasn't given one but instantly giggled.

"What a waste of time. He's been right so far but imagine what would've happened if the Third Floor was a physical battle. Every God, Goddess, King, and Queen would have been unable to fight." Tyermsy was right. If 21 had been wrong, there would have been heavy casualties.

"Good thing I believe him then." Ziphe closed the book reflectively.

"What did you see in the mist?" Tyermsy wondered out loud to Ziphe.

"I'll tell you if you tell me." Ziphe smiled and teased. At least they could joke around after the extreme trials they were going through.

"Hmm, I saw my Authority Cipher. One day, I'm sure I'll meet him." Tyermsy smiled. Ziphe nodded

"Okay tell me what you saw!" Tyermsy giggled like a grade schooler.

Blue, along with the other Gatekeepers in the Control Room looked over at the Goddess in awe. She was strict and disciplined. This was one of the only times they saw her laugh and enjoy herself with someone else.

"Maybe she is so exhausted, she reverted into a normal person?" Thought Groth mysteriously.

"I cannot lie to you, old friend. I too saw Cipher standing in the fog!" Ziphe pointed to the live footage of the ship's surroundings, which was all fog.

"Oh, come on! Tell me for real." Tyermsy giggled and pled with Ziphe to tell the truth, but he kept denying her saying, "It was Cipher in the fog!"

"I'll never tell anyone, come on!" Tyermsy's feelings were hurt. Ziphe leaned in and whispered what he saw in the fog in her ear. Silence filled the entire room.

"No way!" Tyermsy laughed at Ziphe's deepest desire.

"That's not actually the desire you saw, is it?" Tyermsy laughed more.

"It is." Ziphe said quietly. He then forced himself to wink at her. An awkward silence filled the air.

"I'll believe you this one time, but know that if you're joking, I'll let Cipher know of your lies!" Tyermsy joked.

"Did the party leader just hit on the Queen?" Blue dangerously thought.

"This can't be it. What am I witnessing?" Thought Tyermsy's bodyguard, Groth, looking at Blue for help.

"No, no, Ziphe really did see Cipher in the fog. He must love the Authorities. Maybe he saw the Queen of Heaven, The Authority of Life. Yeah, that's it." Blue talked himself out of what he just witnessed. He soon left the Control Room like he had just witnessed a crime scene.

Blue walked past Duchess while muttering to himself. Zacchaeus had asked Duchess to meet her at his room to talk about the priest. She knocked impatiently on her door. He opened it begrudgingly, and she stepped inside, closing the door hard behind him.

He held up a book from his Council issued cloak.

Zacchaeus's Survival Guide to Hell, was written on the cover. Zacchaeus offered her the book. Duchess took the book from his hands and opened up to the bookmark Zacchaeus had placed in it.

"Is this for real?" She asked, shocked by its contents. On the chapter entitled, "Floor 3", it read,

"You will see yourself as the Wizard King in the mist, your greatest goal.

Clico will see his lost love, Nillvia, in the mist.

Omira will see Clico and Lavilin together in the mist.

Anaxmai will see Cipher in the mist.

The Gatekeepers will see Cipher in the mist.

Even Ryke will see Cipher in the mist!

Zirene will see Ziphe in the mist.

Ziphe will see his father in the mist.

Nure will see the Architect in the mist, his greatest idol.

Blue will see his master Ryke in the mist.

Trike will see his eternity in the mist.

Moti will see White in the mist.

White will see Moti in the mist.

Goln will see his home and family in Galeon in the mist.

Kiln and Utone will see the wandering sage Mite in the mist.

Mo and Do will see me, the great 21, in the mist.

I, 21, will see Floor 5 in the mist.

The High Priest will see White's lavender tea in the mist.

Duchess will see her dead mother in the fog, and when she reads this, she will help you." Silence permeated the room as she read the undisclosed desires of her party mates.

"I believe his words. Do you?" Zacchaeus looked intently at Duchess.

"I will help you." Duchess replied, closing the book.