Up to this point, the word ‘floor’ has been used fairly liberally. This was because of the designation of ‘floor lord’ and the original design of the dark lord, which was to keep building under the surface of the ground while using the natural defenses of the Fierce Forest to slow invaders down. But as the floors continued to grow, and the folk that came in had more specific needs and circumstances, the idea of what a ‘floor’ was began to change.

  For instance, the labyrinth is a floor, even though it comes with subdivisions and it’s entrant area is on the same altitude as the Fierce Forest. To be precise, it is the third floor. The second floor was only ever intended to be an area of defense. But as mentioned, the more folk that came in, the more abstract the concept of a floor became.

  Lethal Lake teems with life, and organizationally, it is divided into anything that is on top of or under or over the water. So, Azami’s cabin on stilts is technically not on the first floor, the Fierce Forest. Even though her garden is on land, her address reads: Witch’s Cabin, Sinful Swamp, Lethal Lake, Shangra (The country name the humans assigned to the Dark Lord’s Domain). But the enchanted worm that takes up residence in the apple tree in her garden would read: Apple 5, Apple Tree, Witch’s Garden, Fierce Forest, Shangra. After the labyrinth leads to the Underdark, the name ‘floor’ reverts to a more traditional understanding.

  This is all to say that when Kip had business on the second floor, it meant that he was boating over to a small island village on Lethal Lake known as Padlily. This floating city hosted small huts for the amphibious creatures of the Shangra known as Anuri. Large bipedal frogs that were as dangerous on land as they were in the water. This village made up Lethal Lake’s fiercest protectors from potential pirates or invaders attempting to cross to the Merciless Maze. If they were not senitinals they were often fishermen and bug farmers. These bugs would be sold off for potions or made into chow for the carnivorous beasts of burden.

  Kip could see the island of interconnected lilypads from his binoculars. He handed them to Blademan to look but he merely waggled his arm blade in the negatory. Jasssper wrapped his tail around the binoculars and looked through one of them, nodding as if to say, ‘yep, right where I left it.’ The captain manned the helm and Blingo sat on the edge of the boat with her dictogryph, stroking the featherless, hairless bird as Blingo’s stomach made weird gurgling noises.

  “We’re almost there!” Called Kip.

  “Thank the lord,” Blingo said, holding her stomach to try to keep her tuna salad in as best she could. Trying to write in her notebook only turned her a nastier shade of green. She soon dropped her head over the side of the boat, and watched the tuna salad shoot back out of her mouth and fall into the river, where the fish pleasantly made it their lunch. Unaware they were eating their fallen brethren.

  “I hate the sea, dick.”

  “SQUAK I hate the sea, dick.”

  Jasssper couldn’t help but glance at her while he was by Kip, “I don’t trussst her, Sire. I have a feeling she’s going to make you look terrible.”

  “Yeah, that interview was a bit rough. Hopefully the ride-along goes well. What’s in Padlily anyhow?”

  “A young mother says she has a boy with magical abilities worth seeing. It feels a bit beneath us but the Captain Hookenclaw is on the other side of the lake dealing with a very powerful invader. He sent word that he’d like us to go examine this.”

  “No, I love this! This is the kind of thing we should be doing.”

  “Ssstuff that’s beneath us?”

  “Stuff that might feel beneath us. But these are our subjects, Jass. If we can make their lives better, let’s do it.”

  The catamaran arrived at Padlily’s dock where a group of Anuri waited with flowers stitched together in a crown.

  “You know, I’ve never been to Padlily!” Said Kip.

  “They’re all imbeciles. They don’t like Coat much. It’sss a shame because they all look ssso tasty.”

  Kip shot Jass a nasty glare and Jass returned with, “Kidding.”

  “Are we making fun of these people?” Blademan asked, “They all look too wet, right?”

  “It’s not water, it’s mucus,” Blingo said as she hobbled toward the end of the catamaran. She held her mouth as the boat docked and an Anuri set up the plank, “Does anyone have any food that’s not seafood?”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  An Anuri called out, “We have bugs!”

  The tiny goblinette gripped her mouth harder, swallowing the pooling saliva in her mouth that meant it was time to puke again, “No, thank you.”

  Kip and Jass stepped off the boat onto the lilypad. Kip helped Blingo down, her size making it hard to reach each step. Although when she stepped foot, her nasua did not go away. She thanked Kip.

  Blademan leapt off the plank, onto the spongy green ground and his feet sank in all the way to his waist, “Whoops.”

  “Uh, Blademan, best you stay in the boat. We shouldn’t need much bodyguarding while we’re here anyway.”

  “Fine by me! I’ll just sit on the boat and play that knives game with your fingers,” Blademan took his right arm and stabbed one side of his left arm, then stabbed the other side, “This is easy!”

  As some sailors helped pull Blademan off the dock, one red Anuri with spots of black on her face approached with a younger Anuri of similar coloration.

  “Hello! I am Mirabelle, and I wanted to introduce you to my son, Julio. Say hello, Julio.”

  “Hello,” Said Julio, beaming and offering his hand for a shake. He was a brighter red, his black spots surrounded his eye stalks and made them look like he was wearing a mask.

  “Very nice to meet you!” Kip said, shaking both their hands, “Without further ado, I’d love to see why we’re out here!”

  Julio’s mother and him exchanged smiles.

  Mirabelle said, “It’s something we’ll have to show you.”

  Kip, Jasssper, and Blingo all waited on some floating chairs in the lake. Mirabelle had set up some buoys fifty feet away, each with a flower in a vase. Julio floated on top of the water with his powerful kicks. Julio was dressed in a small cowl, no shirt, and some shorts. He waded on the other side of the makeshift shooting range.

  “Okay, Julio,” Said Mirabelle, “Show them!”

  Julio pulled his hands up, and along with it came water. They floated as three separate balls and hovered in the air as if hey were awaiting orders.

  Kip’s head shook in amazement, “That was amazing!”

  Julio pushed his hand and projected the three drops at the flowers. They shot out almost as fast as an arrow, and sharpened into points. Each hitting their mark. Two cut the flowers off from the stems and one broke the glass vase it was in.

  “What a scoop!” Said Blingo, she scribbled fiercely. “The feel-goods section has to come out here and write more of this! A young talented mage from one of the smallest towns in the Dark Lord’s domain!”

  “I… I’m shocked at his prowessss,” Said Jasssper

  “Wait,” Kip said, “Julio, you’re young. Do you even have a system yet?”

  “Yes, sir.” Julio said, “I’m level 2.”

  “Level 2 and you’re already tossing around water spells like that?” Kip asked.

  “Yes sir. It comes naturally to me. They tell me my intelligence is exceptional. My brothers laughed when they heard.”

  Kip and Jasssper both exchanged glances, “Give us one second,”

  “This kid is amazing!” Said Kip, “We have to do everything in our power to foster this.”

  “Yesss, sire. Seems he will make an excellent addition to the army.”

  “Who’s the most powerful magic user in the whole of the dark lord’s domain?”

  I can put together a lissst.” Said Jasssper.

  “No,” Kip said, “None of your lists. I still remember the trouble with the last one.” Kip rolled his eyes.

  “What are we huddling about?”

  Kip and Jasssper both saw Blingo had snuck into their huddle.

  Kip turned around, “We’d love to find someone to train you! We want to place the entire force of our cabinet behind helping you grow as a magic user!”

  Julio’s mom walked over and hugged Kip and Jassssper.

  “Oh, thank you! Do you have any magic users that specialize in water?”

  Kip sighed, “Well, Azami’s uses Dark Magic. She could help you out with some basics. There’s… her but she’s not the mentor type.

  “We beings with innate magic,” Said Jasssper, “But what you are… is a mage. A natural, at that. You’d need the best. You’d really need someone that can teach you water magic.”

  “We must have someone in all the armies.”

  “Oh,” Mirabelle stood between her young boy and Kip, “I worry about Julio seeing combat. He is a sensitive boy.”

  “I have a cousin who’s sssensative,” said Jasssper.

  “Right, Sensitive. I was too at that age. If only we had a school. We’ll think on it! I want to thank you for showing us, Julio, Mirabelle. He’s a wonderful boy! And Julio, this is why I decided to keep the Dark Lord title. I want to help young denizens like you reach their full potential. Please, trust me to find how to help you.”

  Julio smiled, then leaned in and whispered, “i am not as worried about seeing combat as my mother is.”

  Kip said, “Jasssper, surely we can cook up an errand to run that would require he be on standby?”

  “Yesss… I believe there is a small dispatch heading out to check on a broken down carriage. We’re told that it is merely in need of repair, but it’s upon the king’s road and the mechanics might need an envoy. We’ll overstaff it.”

  “Do you have a magic caster that could help Julio along the way?” Kip asked Jasssper.

  “Yesss, my friend, Naga. She is a Coatl with a rather… intense dedication to nightmare magic. She can look after you. If you’re up for the first mission. They leave tomorrow at dawn.”

  His mother once again covered his son, but Julio stepped in front, “Yes. Yes, mama, I want to go with them. I want to learn to be a better mage.”

  “Where is Naga?” Kip asked

  “Underdark. She’s a miniboss and her lair is the snakepits. We can pull her out for now, it’s still offseason for another few weeks.”

  “Sounds wonderful!” said Kip, “Let’s take you in the morning!”

  “Stay for dinner. You can rest your heads for the night and you can all be gone in the morning.” said Mirabelle.

  “We would love to!” Kip beamed.

  “Please don’t tell me it’s bugs,” Said Blingo.

  Kip smiled and talked through the side of his mouth, “You’ll eat the bugs and you’ll bloody thank them.”

  “The things I do for a scoop.”

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