Into The Sands

The elevator continues to descend as the group look out at the world beneath them and the sprawling desert that grows nearer with each passing second.

"The guns will need mana to be charged as will Sally, but the mana needs to be properly transformed into a useable form. I can do it, but not very easily. Anytime we take a rest I'll be able to charge the guns and Sally, though it will take a lot of mana to charge the guns fully, so..." Maple looks thoughtful, "I'll be able to replenish one charge on each gun per rest or so..." she decides.

"What do we want to do after?" Yulia repeats and shrugs, "I'll return home to my world, spread the cure and continue my life as a healer... It might be... harder now with the things I've gone through, but there's still no life I'd prefer to the one I used to have going around helping people," Yulia admits and then glances over to Cherchiel, "With a new friend at my side I hope," she says.

Cherchiel puts an arm around her shoulder, "I'll of course be coming with you. I can't wait to see your world," she says and Yulia rests her head against Cherchiel's shoulder.

"I'll return to Iralia... I have a lot to make right and... I hope I'll be able to do it with Del's help... but if not... I'll be fine on my own. Sally will be there too, I think she'll be good from now on," Maple says.

"I will..." Sally responds quickly.

"Back to Calumia for me... I guess It'll be part of my job to ensure that the peace we created is maintained," Lri suggests.

"I... I'll be going to live with the goblins..." Isalia says hugging Goma to her and Goma giggles.

"Goma and Ee Sah Lee Ah go back to the goblins. Raise Izzy and maybe other children!" Goma says excitedly.

"I'll return to service under the One True God of course... Hopefully I'll still be around to help the next Chosen, assuming they're not some one evil or undeserving," Lemiel announces.

Martin's voice seems to come through an intercom in the elevator, "I've been thinking quite a bit... I do owe the elves and might return to them, but part of me is also thinking of settling in the Deep instead. Honing my craft there among all the strange new ores and metals..." he explains.

The voices seem concerned about how the desert might affect some of the group.

"I'm not sure how well I'll deal with a desert," Lri admits, "dry... hot... I'm not really made for such a location, but I can't say I like the idea of being sidelined either... I guess we'll see what happens,"

"The sunlight is a bit of a problem... Obviously I'm not used to it, but I didn't struggle in Calumia and it was quite sunny there, so hopefully I'll be alright," Isalia answers.

"Goma enjoy the sun!" Goma answers.

"Yeah... Maybe the other goblins might have some issues with a desert like this, but I get the feeling Goma didn't spend that much time cooped up in the cave anyway... Little Tower explorer that she was," Isalia agrees, petting Goma's head.

"The desert we're heading to is called the Sparkling Sea. It's a vast area, the Tower is near infinite in size, so it's hard to give an exact scope, but of the visible landmass we can see... Well..." she gestures out the elevator. The Desert seems to spread over quite a sizeable portion of the visible landscape below. "There's a number of different creatures that make their home in this desert, some friendly some not and depending on what part of the Desert we're in, we might be unfortunately quite close to an area controlled by the Tower Below, the Hungry Sands is the home of Bal'zaibul, demon of gluttony. Hopefully we won't be near there. The desert is big enough that I doubt all of it will be included as part of this floor," Lemiel explains.

"You ever been to any part of the desert before, Goma?" Isalia asks curiously and Goma hesitates and then shakes her head.

Sally looks a bit surprised by the sudden questions and looks to Maple, "a year... 348 days actually to be exact," she answered.

"The Directive was originally just another part of me, but... It became... Different, separate. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but when it... became separated from me, I tried to take it back, I was worried it was some kind of virus or attack, but..." Sally starts and then hugs herself, "when I interacted with it again it was... So much bigger than me. It was a mind that spread on forever, I got lost in it... Almost lost myself, but it stopped me, separated me from it again and just left me with the words 'do not interfere' and I just... Let it be. It did good work even if it was more violent than I'd like," Sally admits.

"If I had to guess... The Tower took part of me and made it into the Floor Monster... Made it something much bigger and far reaching than I was, but also more limited. It's programming much more simple, it did as I asked, but it's only real programming was to hunt the Chosen when they arrived," Sally elaborates.

"I do want to make a quick correction. The Kraken was not Queen Levateinn's pet. The Leviathan was her pet, the Kraken came from elsewhere, simply appeared one day," Lri corrects.

"It does seem like most come from outside of their specific floors, but I guess in the case of the Directive, making use of something that already existed on that floor. Cupid and Harvester though seemed to be proper denizens of their floors possibly. That might have something to do with the special nature of those floors though, the Abyss and One True God do seem to have some specific sway over the Tower after all," Yulia suggests.

The view becomes obscured by steel walls as they near the bottom of the elevator and after a bit longer it stops. The elevator door opens and they exit into a large camp. Large white tents are set up around the area, the sound of clanging metal coming from one and the smell of alchemical smoke coming from another. The last and grandest tent is open and they can see Dreg lounging inside.

"welcome to the Sparkling Sea, friends," he greets them, "sun, sand and suffering as far as the eye can see," he exclaims. "There are no walls here, only paths, choose a direction and start walking, but don't worry, the Tower will guide you and you'll always find your way to the next destination, that being said, watch your thirst and try to avoid staying in the sun too long, you wouldn't want to come this far, fight against all these odds and then die of something like dehydration or heat stroke, right?" he suggests and then chuckles.

"Anyway North, east, south or West, spin the wheel and choose a direction, what awaits you, Lamias? Nagas? Scorpions? mummies? Those and more await you in the Sparkling Sea," he exclaims and then chuckles some more, "this floor will be fun," he finishes with a grin, "and of course as usual if you want protection from the wandering monster, my tent is a safe resting place," he explains.

(Health: 100%

Mana: 100%

Inventory:18 EMP grenades, 17 Aphrodisiac Grenades, 17 incendiary Grenades, 18 fragmentation grenades, 18 flash grenades, 17 smoke grenades, 3 healing kits, 1 sewing kit, 8 days worth of rations, 3 two liter water jug, 3 two liter jugs of Lemiel's Milk, 3 health potion, 5 mana potions, 7 vials of Semen, Quiver, 1 sack of cooking ingredients (Apples), Ash's Quiver, Smithing Ingredients (3 steel ingots), 1 sack of cooking ingredients (Vegetables), Grenade Launcher, Grenade Bandolier with 1 grenade, Smithing Ingredients (1 silver ingot), twenty feet of Spidersilk rope, 1 sack of Cooking Ingredients (Fish), an Onahole, a shard of Illustone, Gloves of Harvest (-3, heal for all damage dealt), modest two piece swimsuit, Binding Bandages, golden bangles, silk gloves, Siren Queen's black heavy armor, black bikini bottoms, Smithing Ingredients (98 metal plates), 2 cure potions, Shutdown Gun.

Yulia's Equipment: Simple black one piece swimsuit(currently removed). Ceramic Beaked Mask (currently Removed), Reinforced Monastic Scapular (currently removed), standard bra (currently removed), Standard Panties (currently removed), Ornate Rapier (-3), Silver Staff (-2 added to the effect of all spells), A tarnished Silver Ring of clear mind (warded against demons and angels, can bind a Demon or Angel), Cloak of Turbulent Waves (immunity to ranged attacks and offensive magic), Demon Horn Hairband (-2 to all ice magic, currently removed), tech armor, tech bodysuit (Core upgrade: speed, Special Upgrade: Light Module, Arcane Flux), plasma rifle (-10, 5 remaining charges.).

Spells known: Great Heal (Lvl 2, Mastered, Cost: 25%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 12%)

Great Cure (Lvl 2, Mastered, Cost: 15%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 7%)

Energize (Lvl 1, Mastered, Cost: 25%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 12%)

Icicle (Lvl 1, Mastered, cost: 15%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 7%)

Masterful Unlock (Lvl 2, Mastered, Cost: 10%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 5%)

Repair (Lvl 1, Mastered, Cost: 5%-20% depending on factors, Cost currently halved rounded down: 2%-10%)

Undermine (Lvl 1, Mastered, cost: 25%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 12%)

Life Drain (lvl 1, Mastered, cost: 2% per 1% Health healed, Cost currently halved rounded down: 1% per 1% Health healed)

Blizzard (Mastered, cost: 5%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 2%)

Lightning Strike (Lvl 1, mastered, Cost: 15%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 7%)

Identify (Lvl 1, mastered, Cost: 10%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 5%)

Fireball (Lvl 1, mastered, Cost: 15%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 7%)

**** Lance (Lvl 1, mastered, Cost: 15%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 7%)

Cloak (Lvl 1, mastered, cost: 10%, Cost currently halved rounded down: 5%)

God's Light: (Mastered, cost: none. Passive ability. Fully heals mana and health outside of combat)

Fetish: Bondage Rank: 3, Masochism Rank: 3, Lesbian rank: 4, Submission Rank: 3, Incubating Rank: 1, Large Insertions Rank: 2, Degradation Rank: 2, Exhibition Rank: 1, Anal Rank: 2.

Status Effect: Permanent increase to physical attribute. Combat level raised to medium

Atrophied: Permanent Decrease to Physical Attribute. Combat Level lowered to weak. (Countered previous Permanent Increase)

Faithless: Yulia gains no effect from support spells cast on her, but offensive spells cast by her double in effectiveness. Lasts until faith is restored or replaced.

Psychosexual Break: In order to deal with her trauma, Yulia has begun to subconsciously fetishize her experiences.

Deflowered: Virginity Lost, sexual experience changed to: Inexperienced, non-virgin.

Not Thirsty

Slightly Hot

Companion: Cherchiel, Goma, Martin, Isalia, Lri, Lemiel, Maple, Sally.

Cherchiel Health: 100%

Cherchiel Mana: 100%

Cherchiel Equipment: Ultra Durable Spear( -5, -10 with Boar Mask), Ultra Durable Shield (-5, -10 with Boar Mask), Staff (-1), God's Favour (Halo. Prevent **** one time), Bikini(currently removed), plasma Sword (-10, five charges), Tech Armor.

Cherchiel Status Effect: Divine Grace. Combat Level raised to High

Goma Health: 100%

Goma Mana: 100%

Goma Equipment: Ritual Knife of Escaping Threads (-1, -3 with boar mask, automatic -5 when being used against tentacles, webs or other binding methods), Hunting Horn (-2 for each ally affected), Reinforced and Nethicite Augmented Thick Hide Outfit (Negate most physical damage,) Tech Armor worn over her hide outfit, Swim Trunks (currently removed), tentacle dagger (-3), Scepter of Still Waters, Plasma Rifle (-10, five charges).

Goma spells known: Heal (Mastered, 15%), Puppet (Mastered, 10% per active command)

Goma Status Effect: Atrophied: Permanent Decrease to Physical Attribute. Combat Level lowered to weak.

Not Thirsty

Slightly Hot

Isalia Health: 100%

Isalia Mana: 100%

Isalia Equipment: Isalia's Sword (-3), Masterwork Trident (-3)(Unequipped), Isalia's Shield (-3), One Piece Swimsuit (Currently removed), plasma rifle (-10, five charges), Tech Armor, Tech Suit (Core Upgrade: Speed).

Isalia spells known: Life Drain (lvl 1, Unmastered, cost: 5% per 1% Health healed)

Isalia Fetish: Submission Rank: 1, Domination Rank: 1.

Isalia Status Effect:

Not Thirsty

Slightly Hot

Lri Health: 100%

Lri Mana: 100%

Lri Equipment: Twin Daggers (-3), black swimsuit (currently removed), Blood drinker, tech armor (Sans helmet), tech suit (Core upgrade: speed), plasma rifle (-10, five charges), 3 EMP grenades, Veil of Hidden Depths, fishbowl of Illusions.

Lri Status Effect:

Not Thirsty

Slightly Hot

Lemiel Health: 200%

Lemiel Mana: 200%

Lemiel Equipment: Angelic Visor, twin magic blades (Summoned, -10, take 5% mana to summon), Tech Armor, Tech Suit (Core Upgrade: Strength, Special Upgrade: Arcane Flux), plasma rifle (-10, five charges).

Lemiel Spells Known: Angelic Rays (Lvl 1, Mastered, cost: 20%), Heavenly Soothing (Lvl 1, Mastered, cost: 25%), Retribution (Lvl 1, Unmastered, cost: 100%, unusable, triggers automatically at 0% hp if Lemiel has enough Mana to trigger it), The One True God's Judgment (Lvl 1, Mastered, Cost: 100%), God's Light (Mastered, cost: none. Passive ability. Fully heals mana and health outside of combat)

Lemiel Status Effect: Divine Grace. Combat level raised to high.

Not Thirsty

Slightly Hot

Maple Health: 100%

Maple Mana: 100%

Maple Equipment: Tech armor (Helmet removed), tech suit (Core upgrade: Speed, special upgrade: Conversion), plasma rifle (-10, five charges), targeting helmet, rail gun bow (-10 when used ignores evasion abilities or resistances), 9 cross bow bolts.

Maple Status Effect:

Not Thirsty

Hot

Sally Health: 100%

Sally Mana: 100%

Sally Charge: 100%

Sally Equipment: Ultra Durable tech metal shield (-4), Ultra Durable Tech Metal Club (-4)

Sally Status Effect:

Not affected by heat or cold.

Does not require hydration or Nutrition.

https://forum.chyoa.com/threads/the-tower-of-voices-voting-thread.3460/ )