Almost a month after the second family gathering ended and word of the Floor jumping stones had spread far and wide, many minute changes within the Dungeon and the Camp had taken place. The fifteenth floor was now fully developed with multiple expansions, secondary rooms and was awash with dynamic, high priced 2 star environments of the ice element.
Following that the sixteenth floor had even been prepared but was instead decorated with a range of environments and monsters of the spatial element.
Following their joint development on the Floor Jumping Stones the two siblings engaged in a large transaction involving elemental environments, monsters, magic books and even unique mines – The last one being due to Daki's incessant pleading.
On the sixteenth floor instead of being greeted by a world of ice one would be met with a range of ancient mazes wherein every step could teleport victims halfway across the room. It was a floor filled with illusions, transpositional traps, eery elongated hallways that took ages to travel through and deadly teleporting monsters, a very different experience to the previous floors but no less deadly.
With Frost's acumen in war and his experience in dealing with the monster stampede he greatly improved upon Void's initial layouts, establishing a truly puzzling and deadly floor.
There was even a small section in the final area that was a just a dimension of space, no paths, walls or objects. Those who entered would be encapsulated in a deep darkness with only the glimmer of stars allowing them to see around them. To escape a victim would need to tread blindly through a complicated path lest they wished to remain trapped forever.
This mini environment like trap was something Void had developed personally after pooling together his knowledge of spatial environments. Initially he had no intention in selling this piece of work but Frost's vast sums of DP as well as his access to unique ice fire magic- which Void found particularly fascinating- finally won him over.
Now all that was needed was for a group of high powered adventurers to make it down to the bottommost floor and experience its grandeur. Alas given the Dungeon's current clientele it would be an event in the far future. Because of that he held off on trading with Indra, Aqua and the rest of his siblings.
As the Dungeon, the camp and even the internal outpost continued to develop, welcoming more and more people the situation in the Northrend empire grew dire. Every day crime was rampant throughout the realm, the hands of both the first and second prince playing a crucial part. Whether on their orders or those of their subordinates the empire was inches away from being embroiled in flames. Stay tuned to m-v l|e'-novelhall.net
Black market groups, underworld gangs, illegal slavers and even drug cartels stopped showing restraint. With the entire empire consumed by the war of the princes there was no one left to contain their antics, hell a few opportunistic nobles even hired them to further the chaos and or seek revenge against their enemies. It was a dark period far worse than Emperor Franz could have ever anticipated.
Every day he'd see the reports of his country in chaos and the lack of care in the expressions of both his sons and the people who supported them. His power had already dwindled to a fraction of what it once was.
His abdication was already in motion thus making the remaining officials and nobles seek shelter under the umbrella that they believed would prevail regardless of its intentions and capabilities.
A doctor of great renown and who could be completely trusted was sneaked into the imperial palace but unfortunately there was nothing he could do.
The poison used was called 'Fairy's passing' a concoction that had no known cure. Though the process was slow and minorly painless the victim would die, nonetheless.
The Empress perhaps had a couple months before her body would completely give out. The doctor's diagnosis was an arrow threw the Emperor's heart. That night he coughed up a great deal of blood resulting in the same doctor examining him. What he found in the Emperor was even more devasting than what afflicted the Empress.
While Amelia's poison could be considered gentle in nature the one afflicting Franz was truly insidious. The poison was practically useless against the young and fit in body but was merciless to those with hidden injuries such as Franz. Slowly the poison would gnaw at these wounds, aggravate them more and more until the victim was internally torn apart.
Both the Emperor and Empress were poisoned and given a clear death sentence; the only silver lining being that Avira was healthy and that they still had the strength needed to protect her.
"Shadow guards I want round the clock protection for Avira, kill anyone who dares intrude upon her sanctuary as well as anyone you find remotely suspicious!" Franz coldly ordered before receiving a cold reply from a nearby shadow.
"As you command your majesty."
"Someone bring me general Anya." Franz then summoned the only general who was completely loyal to his daughter. There were some things he needed to arrange before he and his wife inevitably passed.
While chaos reigned in the Northrend empire a relatively normal looking group of adventurers arrived at the gates of the Niflheim Camp. From their attire, speech and even the level of strength that they displayed this group was a run of the mill D-rank party just like the rest who were drawn over to the Niflheim Dungeon.
But looks can be deceiving.
"Has everyone memorised the appearance of the targets." The apparent party leader questioned with a cold voice. The friendly mannerisms and brutish attitude this man displayed while in the presence of outsiders vanished the moment this group were alone in a locked room, away from any prying eyes.
""Yes sir."" Five people, three women and two men replied from their positions around the room.
"Well then let the operation begin, our client does not tolerate failure." The leader's harsh reminder caused the other five to grimace but a moment later the group split up to take care of their assigned duties.