Corvayne did his best to be patient, holding a mountain of bags, boxes, and a few folded coats that blocked his view of the mall. His shadow hands had helped him hold the bundle, but Bell had insisted he not store it as punishment. It wasn't that he cared about being used as a mule, nor did he mind the sore muscles with [[Vitality]] ready to swoop in.

No, what bothered him was that he could start the process of scouring the market for magic items while the girls helped Preshe get actual clothes and gear. That and how Babs kept trying to extract more money from him. She was sitting on a bench that lined the indoor road through the mall. He could tell she was fidgeting from seeing gold light shifting on the shiny tiled floor. Last he looked, she was on the same bench that Leigue was smoking on.

Corvayne responded to the huff with his best adult voice. "You have 300 green crystals on you. That's far more then we are spending to fully equip a girl with rags. You can buy whatever you want."

"It's barely enough for good food, let alone replacements for all the important ceremonial robes I lost, not to mention dresses for social situations, and I need to eat a certain amount of gold to maintain this armor. You proposed then cast me into poverty?"

"Again. When I said turn you into a Queen, I was speaking of personality not geneology. Also, I am not a prince nor some secret young master."

A laugh from Leigue, whom had become his other shadow. "If you say so, prince."

"I've told you, when you switch languages I hear the same word said a little differently. I know exactly what 'prince' means in... elf."

"It is not elvish. Elvish is a language for people with no life. Self huffed up termites who bore into trees. Elvish(1), on the other hand, is a language for people of zest, character. People who want to experience food, experience wine, experience women!"

Babs sighed again. "We (royal) would prefer you talk about your gross habits to suitably gross people elsewhere."

Corvayne felt that was weird because aside from not being able to [Investigate] how to get a clean shave, the elf's faux 'world weary traveler' outfit was actually impeccably clean and maintained. He would not mention that he could see that his new annoying princess was wearing the same clothes for the last three days and that some of the threads on her ornate robes were frayed. He suspected that someone who lived in her society would identify her clothes as pajamas. He did not ask Leigue to do so, as he worried the elf would take it as interest and push them together.

Finally, Spears hefted the bags out of his arms, revealing the glass tube the quaint downtown street had been built in. They were still on floor 7, deciding a floor with lots of towns was a chance to take Preshe to an expert who might re-grow her arm. No luck there, but Leigue had stated there was a staff ability that he could learn that had a healing effect. He and Bell were going to try to learn it, at the urging of the elf that Bell was radiating life energy and that the stave was a better combat weapon for someone who could use the wide variety of life channeling weapons and skills in the category.

"Can't I get a life gun?"

"Silly. What would that be? A rifle that shoots healing potions? You'd do more damage then aid."

Corvayne didn't say anything, but an intrusive thought of an older woman with one came into his head. Since upping [[Unity]] and [[Essence]] a couple of days ago, he sometimes had odd thoughts bubble up.

They followed pedestrian walkways to get a better view of a glass and sleek steel city, something that in real life would likely be left on the drafting table, but could exist in the Tower because as far as everyone understood the floors came into being and regrew as a sort of infinate organic space. He wasn't sure he wanted to know everything about the nuts and bolts like Wick had, but he did enjoy leaving a tube and looking over railing at a vast shining city with clean lines for roads and oranges and reds and yellows on buildings mixed blues and chrome for the structures supporting them, with green patches here and there. A place to explore.

Or shop, as he saw Mister I and Grunt carrying extra fishing poles, a bunch of basic weapons, and some spare art and crafting supplies, as well as a few weapons and magic items.

Spears turned him around to see Bell letting Preshe show off a haircut, and new well made cloth clothes with a leather vest and padding on her pants, as well as new boots. They had bought her a pair of gloves and tied the current spare to her belt, a sort of promise. She looked embarassed, but Corvayne tried to be supportive. "I think you look like a very dilligent apprentice. Don't be embarrassed, we'll find you appealing banana pants soon enough."

She groaned and buried her face with her arm and stump, while spears laughed and elbowed him. Dad jokes delivered, they were ready to head to the meet up point.

Dot found them on the cross street through the mall. She had also been shopping, and was slightly more embarassed to be wearing pants. "Do I have to?"

"The robes you had were not meant for running or climbing." He said simply. "And I need clothes that will help protect you a little bit before we get proper armor."

The Cyborg Ayame, no relation to the noodle vendor on Cascadia, saluted, and Corvayne saluted back as they walked into the train station. He did a quick check:

Grunt, looming over a soda machine that ate his change? Check

Mister I, currently chewing on a kebob and sporting a camo pattern robe? Check.

Oseem, looking mysterious as he stood rubbing his beard where he could get good dramatic lighting contrasting the shadowed bushes behind him? Check.

Spears, wearing for some reason a pink bikini under her leather coat and currently accessorizing with an extra large straw stuck into her head surrounded by fruit she put into her hair? Check.

Bell, who seemed to be looking fondly at Corvayne and glaring at the next person on the list? Check.

Buh'Bo, still clad in gold and trying to get his attention to ask for more money? Check.

Leigue, sporting a new baret and cigarette case he was trying to show off? Check.

Lady Blood Claw, still peachy in some of her extremities, trying to ignore him while studying a station map? Check.

Preshe, using her one hand to feel her new haircut and horn polish? Check.

Dot, reading a book with LBC using one hand to make sure she didn't walk in front of the train coming? Check.

Corvayne himself? Yep. More present then ever. He stepped onto the tram, aimed at a distant mountain.

A few of them napped on the monorail. The nice part of an inhabited planet was they knew were stairs were, and were happy to help adventurers passing through find them. Especially since they had taken and completed a quest to help thin the Cow-Cats by ten. Mister I had at some point picked up an enchanted cooler and was therefor carrying a ton of monster meat with him.

They reached the mountain well after nightfall, but there were bright lights and concrete pavement to get them from the station to the nearby town on the slope or up to a cave that was marked with glowing orange signs that were a clear homage to the systems own warnings.

Grunt and Lady Blood Claw were up at the front, letting Corvayne take the middle and most of the mercs the rear.

The next floor was in it's day cycle, looking to be a more natural floor, appearing to be broad mountains flanking a plain split in two by a vast crevice that had strange plants growing out of it, ones that looked tropical or had odd slime shapes. It looked like some of the trees in that crack were-

Corvayne felt his danger sense go off like a hot knife on his back, [[Unity]] giving him a direction some sort of attack was coming from, and he turned and grabbed Preshe and Dot, flattening them under his cloak and activating [[Vitality]]. A moment later three bolts the size of his arm slammed into his back, one slamming into the stone going all the way through his arm. The one in his lung made his next breath jarringly painful, but he used his good arm and crouched, then grabbed the two weakest party members with extra limbs and charged past Bu'Boh, who had a patch of missing gold, and Ayame, who taken a body hit but had some sort of reactive skin that stopped it besides a little blood out of her mouth.

Dot had frozen and Preshe was screaming, but he set them down around a corner in the stairs, then turned and started running up. Leigue was alive, as info scrolled by.

Bounty Hunter (4) Lv 50 (Archer build)

Bounty Hunter (4) Lv 50 (Archer build)

Manslayer (5) Lv 50 (Stalker build)

Blood 'Priest' (3) Lv 23 (Blood, Xokai %%%%%)

Battle Beast (4) Lv 42 (Engager)

Anti Mage (5) Lv 30 (Disruption)

??? (6) Lv 6? (???)

Health warnings: Bell 45%, Mister I: 56%, Corvayne 78%.

He could see that Bell was pinned to the ground, bolt going through her armor and certainly spearing her guts. Corvayne pulled the bolt out and gave her a healing potion while pushing some of his [[Vitality]] with [[Unity]], then had to pull her into a roll as another bolt came flying in.

Bell got up, guts not entirely in her but looking for the enemy. Another bolt aimed at her head, from one of the mountains. There was something like a dust cloud then, and he saw

Bounty Hunter (4) Lv 50 (Archer Build) Defeated.

A wall of water rose and then turned to fog. Spears laughed as a bolt flew right through her.

Corvayne called out. "Spears find the stalker. I'll handle the Anti Mage." [[Unity]] kicked in. Bell moved back and pulled out a shield, then rushed to Mister I who had taken another bolt in his leg.

Babs was buffing herself still. Corvayne watched another arrow hit her, creating a fleshy spot. "Buff us and get to cover!"

He didn't get pushback, instead she swiftly changed the cast to be a group shield. Corvayne moved then, Compass pointing him to where the anti-mage was hidden.

Battle Beast (4) Lv 42 (Engager) Defeated.

Another mushroom cloud of dust, a meteor strike perhaps. Through the fog, Corvayne saw the invisible shape of the man and his stalker pal, moving to pincer him. Corvayne acted like he was going to cut between them, running down a rocky path that was pointed in the direction the sniper had been firing, then as they readied to collide with him he stepped to the one his compass wasn't pointing at, and used [Juxtapose] to switch places. He felt mana blast off in layers as the mist and whatever buffs the Stalker had were erased by a mace hitting him in the arm.

Corvayne smiled grimly at the friendly fire, then nearly got his jaw knocked off as the higher level fighter counter attacked. Corvayne landed on his feet as the Stalker faded, the man sneering at him as his black gear faded. The Anti-mage was still invisible, running to get behind and above Corvayne. He spit blood and tracked the Stalker with his eyes while moving his head back and forth, body language trying to sell he was looking for them. The stalker shrank, a crouch, and Corvayne used [Flow-Like-Water] through where the man was jumping at him. He took a knife to the gut but with [[Vitality]] still running he pushed a black crystal out there. The area went numb for a moment then shadows pushed a wad of crystal-blood mush out.

He had to spin, as the Stalker had landed and drew a wand. He used [Flow-Like-Water] backwards and switched to [[Agility]], flying downhill in an arc of water while a storm of meteors turned the hill into slag.

Blood Priest (3) Lv 23 Defeated. TRIPLE KILL GRUNT

The Anti Mage used a power to turn half the hill into mud, so Corvayne lowered his gravity and floated out of his watery retreat upwards for a few extra feet before landing at the edge. He twirled his spear, and made a 'Come to me' motion.

They must not have been aware that Grunt had already killed half their team, because the Stalker vanished and Corvayne felt the man moving through his shadow. He flexed his power, and learned something very important about his enemy and himself.

If he ever got shadow teleport, he must never ever try it on a being who controlled shadows in any way.

Corvayne turned his shadow into an arm, and somehow warped the space the man was stepping through. The end effect was twisting the would-be killer like a tissue into a croussant. There was a gargled scream then something broke, and the man reformed and dropped to the ground, perfectly fine and striking with knives. Corvayne knew the anti-mage was behind him, and knew the careful attacks were to distract him so his partner could finish him off. He sneered, and used [Cross Skill: Draw], stepping back from the seeking knife and bearing his fangs. [[Unity]] let him know that Bell howled for him, and Mister I was biting raw meat and snarling. He felt extra power pushing into him.

The Antimage was a step behind him, but he did not dodge. Spears, who had been airborne for the last five seconds landed right on him, [Leap Strike] acting like a water missile. He heard the man she landed on cry in dismay.

Corvayne was focused only on the prey in front of him as he copied what Growl-Whine had done so many times, activating [Cross Skill: Sway With A Hunters Touch], turning him into a swirling feral serpent as he leapt. Knives barely touched him as he passed his enemy, fang scoring a hit that drew red. He used [Cross Skill: Light Cut] to wheel and nip at his enemy like a wolf sensing his prey was slowing and catching the man's heel, then turning into a raging bear, using [Cross Skill: One-Two] to batter a knife hand with the crack of bones breaking, then a follow slash up at the man, throwing him into the air like a little rabbit. With stamina he shouldn't have, he forced himself to rear up to his full height, spear above his head. [Cross Skill: Grand Slam] brought it down like the jaws of a dragon, driving his enemy into the ground. The man started to get up, and Corvayne met his eyes as he used [Cross Skill: Sheath the Life] and put his spear into the ground.

Before he could touch another knife every hit connected at once into the man, jerking him around. Dark red blood splashed on the grass, rocks, and Corvayne. To the assassin's credit, he somehow lived past it, getting to his feet before the click of [Sheath the Life] activated, and the man looked down to see his top half sliding off his bottom.

He met Corvaynes eyes and manged to grunt out. “Level 31 my ass-” before the top half toppled over.

Manslayer (5) Lv 50 Defeated.

Illuresi Hunt Master (7) Lv 70 Defeated. QUAD KILL GRUNT. ONE MORE!!!!

Corvayne turned, and saw that Spears had wounded the man but not gone for the kill. [[Unity]] told him to hold off as well. He was confused for a moment, then got what she was thinking. He shook off his bloodlust, and parried a half-hearted warding attack from the man's mace as he stood. Of course Corvayne would wait. He saw with the invisibility gone that the man was wearing likely several artifacts, and with one he tried to blast Spears with a giant spinal cord out of his back. She dodged it.

Something appeared over the man. It looked like a little timer counting down. The fellow unrolled a scroll and like that teleport ed 100 feet away, pulling out a trinket he broke. He vanished just before the timer ended, Corvayne's Compass dropping the target due to range.

“He got away.” Corvayne said, sighing.

Spears amusement made him look at her. “No. He did not.”

A moment later the fellow appeared where he vanished, then swung back to where he had teleported. The antimage's last words were “Huh?” before Grunt appeared like a bolt of darkness, swinging a huge femur to pound the man into the ground.

The man exploded in blood, and something tiny made of flesh started trying to crawl into the ground, then a moment later Grunt burst from the earth, punching it into the air with a perfect spiral uppercut that popped whatever the little creature was like a balloon.

Anti Mage (5) Lv 30 Defeated. GRUNT is on a R R R R RAMPAGE!

Corvayne felt the tang of danger drop off. [[Unity]] told him everyone was alive, no injuries they couldn't deal with, and there were only a few tepid spots of killing intent from whatever level 10 monsters they had awakened in blowing up parts of a whole mountain range.

Spears clapped as Grunt landed and had to skid to a halt from some sort of dreadful momentum. He looked like a hateful blue mirror of the gentle giant wrapped in something like ghosts and stars trailing him as he sort of slid back and forth to bleed off speed before he stopped fully, shrinking and returned to normal colors... if not removing a bunch of assuredly human gore from himself and his weapon.

Grunt looked at him in a way that asked if he had broken some sort of unspoken rule, perhaps worried that Corvayne would be mad that for a lot of these outings he had been fighting at less then full power. Corvayne thought about it for maybe as long as it took him to jab a spear, the pulled out a gore-only towel and a case of cold beers from his storage ring. He offered the towel then a bottle to Grunt.

The big man gave him a knowing grin after cleaning his hands and face, and they tapped bottles.

Corvayne said what Grunt almost assuredly wanted to say. “Good shit brother!”