Working With Phantoms

Down to the Bottom

June 6th

Madran's group met once more in the Velvet Room, with Rosana beginning the conversation.

"Hey, so, when am I going to be able to get an upgrade to Boudica?"

"Patience, Rosana. Nurturing and growing a persona takes care and time, and we currently need to devote that time to clearing the palace."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Philemon. Um, don't we have just a little more to go until the supposed treasure?"

"Yep. Let's get moving, everyone!"

Madran led everyone back into the palace, with Philemon taking them to the latest Safe Room. Then, they began to move around, with them passing through the hall that they had an encounter with Mitsuru just a few days ago. Then, once they made it through the hall, Madran scanned the area and looked around, seeing that it was a large hall-like intersection.

"Gosh, these halls never end. Uh, the treasure is straight ahead, though!"

Madran then led everyone through the center hall, which revealed that the other two were illusions, with them turning into walls.

"Gosh, that's evil. Oh, right up ahead!"

Madran then arrived in a room with a staircase up. Once everyone took the stairs up, Madran saw that the hazy ball of a to-be treasure lay on a pedestal in the center of it.

"Ooh, right there!"

Madran walked up to it before two figures emerged from the shadows.

"Not so fast, little one!"

Madran was suddenly pushed back by Hariti whilst Mother Harlot took the treasure.

"You have made astounding progress through here, but I've finally found the perfect dent in your plans! Hariti, with me!"

Mother Harlot and Hariti ran off past the room, with Madran's group giving pursuit. However, all that they found was an empty lift.

"Ugh, we lost them! Fwoosh, do you have a scan on them?"

"Yep! They just took the lift to the right. This one that's vacant also works, so let's go!"

Madran's group took the lift, and saw that it went down. Then, after awhile, the lift stopped and they got out.

"Goodness, where is this?"

Madran looked around to see a central room filled with odd, purple vials and several technologically-advanced terminals. Then, Hariti and Mother Harlot appeared once more, with Hariti carrying the misty treasure.

"Welcome to the basement of our Fourete's humble abode. It is faithfully modeled after Hell, with the lovely nine levels of this section built to resemble the source material. If you want this item so terribly, then find us in the ninth level."

Hariti giggled and stroked the treasure. Then, Mother Harlot spoke up.

"In each level, you will need to find the key to the next section, with the lift next to you being the way down. Each level gets larger, and the challenges get harder."

Mother Harlot walked to the lift with Hariti in tow.

"Now, do your worst!"

Mother Harlot and Hariti took the lift, which left Madran's group in silence.

"Wow. That's... a lot to digest."

"Uh, hey, who knows what the first level of Hell is?"

"Oh, we went over this in Japanese class, uh, the first circle of Hell is where people who didn't accept Christ went."