The Forest's Heart

"Huh I was warned the voices would be painfully loud, but that wasn't too bad," Maie mumbles.

The three head back towards the town where Magritte and the Elf Chieftain are. On the way Maie stops them, "Wait!" she says and the two halt. She points to a nebulous spot in the forest and starts speaking, "Do you see that lantern? That's a-" she pauses, there is no lantern there. "There's supposed to be a lantern there..." she mutters.

"We already saw it. We went in and got some herbs in there," Take answers.

"Oh..." Maie says deflating slightly. "How much of this floor did you do before you found me?" she asks suspiciously.

"Well... We fought Breaker, visited one lantern, visited Magritte and the elves and found out about the cult of the beast," Take answers and Maie is silent for a bit.

"What am I even here for exactly?" she asks after a bit.

"Sorry... We haven't checked out the cave path at all yet if that helps?" Take says apologetically and Maie sighs.

"Well I guess that's something... Anyway you already know, but the Lanterns show gathering spots, they are generally one use though occasionally actions can cause them to reopen. They aren't part of the floor and as a result the floor monster ie: Breaker in this case, won't enter them. They are for the most part safe spaces where you can find useful objects for alchemy or cooking or other forms of crafting which if you end up finding an ally who can do those things will be very helpful," she clarifies though she doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it. Take thanks her for the information anyway making her roll her eyes and the group continues onwards.

They reach the elf village and pass through without stopping heading down another forest path, soon they encounter a green glow suffusing the path and emerge in the Forest's Heart.

The three women enter the green lit area and find it leads to a massive currently closed plant, trees of strange design surround the plant which resembles the same flower Muma was sleeping in, but much larger, from the strange trees fruits hang that glow bathing the entire area in a green light. There's a gate beyond this area, that seems to be the gate to the next floor. Take takes a step forward and the plant suddenly opens revealing a woman. Her lower half is part of the flower, but her upper half is that of a nude green skinned woman with dark purple nipples, red flower petals on her head mimic the appearance of a short, styled hairdo and a pair of large, round, purple eyes examine the three women carefully. The plant woman claps her hands together in front of her large, pendulous breasts and grins, revealing sharp fangs, "Oh chosen you've come!" she states cheerfully.

Take immediately draws her kusarigama out, not trusting the plant woman. "Ooh... Spiky," the plant woman responds seeing the weapon and then responds by flashing her own fangs, needle like claws sliding out of her fingers. "I am Flora! The guardian of the forest's heart. I protect the entrance to the deep woods. You'll have to fight me if you want to enter the Deep Woods and you seem ready for it," she says all the friendliness drained from her voice as she stares hungrily at Take.

"I'm going to enjoy fighting you. You look a lot more experienced at combat than the last one, you don't look quite as soft and tasty either though..." Flora states and then flexes her claws, "well you ready? I'm eager to devour you, it's been so long since my last meal, that last chosen chickened out!" she growls, her voice manic and high pitched as she licks her fangs.

"I am ready when you-" Take starts, but gets interrupted.

"Wait wait wait! If you do fight her and lose, you die, your story ends, if you fight her and win, you'll go to the next floor without getting a chance to explore this floor more," Maie interrupts and Take hesitates.

Flora immediately reverts back to her friendly self, her claws and fangs gone. "Oh if you're not ready, I'm happy to wait. Finish up everything you have to do here and then come back," she says cheerful again.

Take looks a little surprised, but nods. "Alright we'll be back," she says.

They return to the Elf Village and Maie speaks up. "You obviously haven't noticed this, since you'd have no frame of reference, but I should confirm something for the voices," she clarifies and Take tilts her head and looks at her as she floats out in front of the group, her wings fluttering to keep her airborn.

"Some if not all of you were here for the successful run of the previous chosen. Rumour is you even opened the final door. This is probably why the Tower has decided to... Well take the training wheels off. In the last Chosen's run, death, finality was always a choice. Not so much anymore. While often times you will need to make the choice that leads to death still, there are times like now where you will be forced to face the deadly choice. There is no avoiding Flora this time. You will have to fight her to progress and if you fail she will kill Take," Maie explains and Take looks shocked at the bluntness with which this is said.

"It might seem unfair from your point of view, Take, but you've entered a harder, more challenging Tower than any chosen before you, but the reason for that is that the voices guiding you are more knowledgeable and the forces on your side are stronger than any chosen before either," Maie says reaching out her hand to reassuringly pat Take's cheek. Take does not seem reassured.

(Health: 80%

Mana: 75%

Equipment: Kitsune Mask (shattered), black leather dress (Torn), fishnet bodysuit (torn), Silk chest wrap (Shredded), silk panties (punctured), Thick leather armor (-2, shredded reduced to -0 until repaired), Biker's armor (-1), Kusarigama (-3), Ninjato(-3), 3xKunai, 1xSmokebomb, 3xCaltrops, black catsuit, Thick leather armor (-2), Elysium Bow (-5 or -10 against demonic foes)

Inventory: A smooth pretty stone, A blood red whip, Slutty dress, Animate Golem Spellbook, creepy potion, angelic key, winged key, 2 vials of semen, 2xChallenge gears, Barrier Breaker, God's Favour (Halo), spear of Consumption (-3, 0 consumed), Emergency Beacon, 8XAlchemical Ingredients.

Status Effect:

Spells known: Cloak (Lvl 1, mastered, Mana Cost: 10%)

Force Lance (Lvl 1, mastered, Cost: 15%)

Fetish: Submission Lvl 1

Oral Lvl 1.

Party: Malphiel

Malphiel Health: 100%

Malphiel Mana: 45%

Malphiel Equipment: Cracked Visor, Chainmail Body Suit (-4), The Horned Helmet, The Crushers (-5).

Malphiel 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 Malphiel has enough Mana to trigger it).

Malphiel Status Effect: Broken Wings. Combat level lowered to Medium, cannot fly.

Touch of Corruption. Maximum Mana and Health set to half of normal. Loses access to God's Light, God's Judgment and Divine Grace.

Addicted to sex. More easily aroused and more willing to engage in all manner of sexual activity regardless of context.

Fourth Floor Gear Challenge: Visit Two Resource points. 1/2