In the end, we decided that it was most likely that the hidden enemy didn’t intend to strike at us again on the 7th Floor. We continued on similarly to before, though we took more care for each pair to stay closer together overall than before.

In the last week of the third month on the 7th Floor, Bruzigan and Anna made a lucky find, locating a large field packed with a wide variety of valuable herbs and other plants. It was also guarded by golem enemies that were some of the strongest monsters you could possibly find on the Floor. But with Bruzigan’s formidable stats and techniques, and Anna, our primary healer being with him, they handled it without ruining any of the goods.

Thanks to that, any more doubts that we had about clearing the mission in the first three months evaporated. Of course, we weren’t going to simply turn in the mission right away this time. When Bruzigan declined to, the rest of us received a different message this time:

[The party leader has refrained from turning in your mission at this time.]

Originally we were going to split up and start helping out our respective organizations’ Leeches at this point, but that would have required us to distance ourselves from each other a great deal more than we had been even before I’d been attacked. Since I had been, this was not an acceptable risk anymore. Instead, we went back into the most dangerous parts of the Floor, as a team this time. Now, we focused on materials and ingredients most desired by our respective factions. The Federation itself counted as one as well—Bruzigan took the lion’s share of strong metals or those with certain special effects.

Most of the other factions—Shumba, Cardislat, and Toruni—also went after certain types of materials the most. Toruni, it seemed, was most interested in monster parts, while Anna took mostly natural nonmetal materials that could be used to make equipment. Arvallei took the most herbs and other potion and similar crafting ingredients—taking some time to teach Mewi about them a little in the process, though he wasn’t advanced enough an Alchemist to use any of them yet, we both appreciated it.

Grosstin, by contrast, didn’t discriminate. Mewi and I took just about every type of resource the Floor had to offer in substantial quantity. This tracked with the reputation they had for having more item resources of all types than even Shumba.

Less than a week into this new routine, I had another dream.

“I almost can’t believe we’re finally doing this,” I said. The team and I stood in a Floor Landing which I gathered was the 8th. “I was starting to think we’d be 7th Floor Shumba Leeches forever.”

“Nah, even with all the Kinetice we’ve killed, we couldn’t make it forever,” said the tall male humanoid. Evidently he’d come out of his shell since the last time I’d seen him. “But it did take quite a while to set ourselves up enough to afford to lose that income for how long we plan to take to clear the 8th, 9th, and 10th Floors.”

“Time we were able to use to get stronger, more battle-hardened, and make our teamwork better than ever,” said the leader, “It’s time to make the Federation take real notice of us. Once we beat the Tower of Freedom’s mid-boss, all our lives will improve for the better. This Floor doesn’t stand a chance!”

“I hope you’re right,” said Mewi, and the words echoed over and over as the scene faded to black...

As more and more time went by, we eventually had to empty our spatial storage rings into one of several rapidly erected storehouses of the Grosstin Leeches. This had happened several times by the time the year was up at last, no further attacks or incidents having occurred.

Just a week before we were due to leave the Floor, I had the penultimate vision, 12th out of 13, as well.

Hellflame had his mask back on, playing on the bar’s game cabinet yet again. There were only two other customers there. A male humanoid with elfin ears and blue skin. Judging by his dress, he was much too high-class to simply be there to patronize the bar. He went straight for the cabinet.

“Mr. Hellflame? I apologize for interrupting your game, but I am here on behalf of the Federation to offer you a,” and here he looked around, checking if the few other people there were listening, and lowered his voice, “particularly sensitive and dangerous mission.”

Hellflame took his hands off the controls, and turned to the man. He looked at the man quizzically until he showed them a badge. “Special Resolutions, no less. I see my reputation has reached the Federation’s higher-ups,” he said, “let’s have a seat.”

They took an empty table. They didn’t bother ordering drinks. “I won’t mince words,” said the officer, “what we have in mind is to put together nothing less than a suicide squad. I am one of a number of representatives reaching out to the strongest people we can find who we believe would happily walk into a situation that meant certain death, yet for one reason or another, refrain from killing themselves.

Although, what wasn’t in your dossier was the wonderful work you’ve done in this community, all the more impressive for being on a planet in a contested Zone. If you feel you’re no longer suitable for a suicide squad...”

There was a long silence before Hellflame spoke. “Twenty years ago,” he said, “the only light in my life was extinguished. Five years ago was the last off-world mission the Federation contracted me for. Two years before that was when I first came here to this town.

I’ve tried to do good here, to honor his memory. But this place, these people, could never replace him. Nothing can. What’s the mission?”

“The target,” said the man, “is no less than the Kinetice Overmind herself.”

Hellflame sharply drew in a breath. “Go on...”