Soul Merger

The stairs down to the fourth level were a welcome respite. Alissa took a quick look to confirm there weren't any monsters hiding in the sky or weird bulges in the ground before waving to Trevor's group and flopping down in the center of the open area. "Give me a second to relax my eyes."

"The third layer is infamous for its complexity," Brian said, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. The man was probably as tired as her, having to act as trapfinder. "The fourth layer should be less mentally stretching."

"So what's the catch," Clara asked as she took off her pack and started pulling out some trail snacks. "Labyrinths don't get easier as you head down. And the fourth layer is usually a huge barrier."

Fili sighed and flopped down next to Alissa. "More combat. Big monsters with unique weaknesses. We're going to have to do delaying tactics more, since Ibaraki smashing the monster into the ground won't work as a stopgap."

"Says you," Ibaraki snorted. "Just means I gotta hit them harder!"

Rosalina patted the catgirl's head getting a swat. "Now now Ibaraki. Let's try to play along with Fili. Otherwise you might end up covered in slime or surrounded by little monsters. And that would be quite embarrassing."

"Tch." Ibaraki looked annoyed but she didn't contest the point.

Trevor looked at Maria, "No cutting monsters into little bits as the first move either." The berserker merge growled.

"Uh, any way I can help more?" Kotori asked. "I was hoping to be doing scouting or something but I'm kinda just here."

Alissa considered that. The harpy wasn't good enough at scouting to lead the way into unknown territory. However the fourth layer meant larger combat arenas, and that meant flying was more useful. "I suppose you can fly in along with me. A bird's eye view might get us information we wouldn't get normally."

"You should check the ceiling first." Sarah's voice came in over the transmitter. "Having a flier inspecting the ceiling and a proper trapfinder searching the floor will decrease your chances of getting ambushed."

Fili nodded happily. "Oh that's a good point! Normally we mix up who's looking where, but Kotori can get closer which means she has an advantage."

"Sure thing!" The harpy preened happily.

Alissa let her head rest on Fili's lap, causing the mage to give a slight "Eep!" She carefully kept herself from smiling and tried to relax. The next layer was going to be trouble. She could feel it. So she should prepare as best she could by clearing her mind.

The severed hydra head snapped at her fangs coming dangerously close. Alissa waited for it to bite again and kicked it with all her might. She felt the creature's jaw crack with the impact, and it slid off to the side, joining the other heads fighting amongst themselves as best they could.

She looked back to see the body was being much more polite. Specifically it wasn't trying to murder everyone else now that its heads had been cut off and the stumps cauterized. Ibaraki was still kicking it, but with the creature dead there weren't any more obstacles to the door. "Time to leave." she called back.

Ibaraki offered one more kick before leading the rest of the group over. "Should call that kid. We're probably close to the end of this floor."

"They already said they were done," Alissa replied. "They're waiting on us."

Rosalina nodded. "Let's go then." She held up the mystic transferal device. "Moving on."

Alissa opened the door to reveal a corridor. Not the end then, and no meetup point. "Looks like there's more." The others accepted it with grim determination and they continued on.

The fourth layer had been as tough as Fili had suggested. The third had focused more on testing brains. This one seemed to focus more on power, though with some very nasty exceptions.

Alissa was also a little off put by the labyrinth's design. The corridors and lecture halls had been weird, but she'd seen all of this before. Now they were walking in between large gymnasiums and open practice rooms. The floors were wood and some strange springy material. It was so close to something that might exist in the real world, but slightly off. And it made her feel like she and the monsters were the intruders to this reality.

The next door was a simple affair that didn't even have a lock. She checked it for traps anyway, but there wasn't anything. "Clear to enter."

Kotori and Ibaraki moved to her side, and she opened the door.

She made it three steps in before freezing, Kotori flying up to circle above her. Sitting between her and the doorway was a winged lion with the head of a woman. A monster infamous in dungeon circles. "Sphinx!"

The creature's eyes locked on her. "Those who wish to pass must answer my riddle," the creature said, its voice sickly sweet. "You have three chances."

"I'm getting out the riddle book," Sally said through the communicator. That let Alissa relax a bit. They had the full power of a research library at hand.

As the others moved to her side the sphinx continued. "What has two legs and can carry heavy loads along the ground, but only uses its legs when at rest?"

Alissa blinked repeatedly. Her mind seemed to go blank. There had to be an answer. Likely a simple and obvious answer. But she couldn't find it. Instead she kept cycling through answers that were wrong.

Most of the others seemed similarly confused. "A harpy with a backpack?" Kotori muttered. "No wait, not on the ground."

Fili patted her and Kotori on the shoulder. "This one sounds like a traditional riddle. We should be fine. Fortunately this one's an old school sphinx which is nice, if bad for her." Alissa relaxed more as the sphinx growled in reply.

"What do newer sphinxes use?" Clara asked.

"Multivariable math equations or puns are popular," Fili replied.

The sphinx shifted angrily. "Stupid parlor tricks. No appreciation for the classics. Better to die with some pride." Alissa felt mildly conflicted given the creature was planning on killing her, but she appreciated the dedication to the craft.

Ibaraki groaned suddenly, startling everyone. "Fine, fine. You talk." The woman's posture shifted and Akari smoothed out her clothes. "Sorry. I just happen to know the answer and I felt it would be more respectful if we handled this 'correctly.' It's a cat cart, or um-"

"Wheelbarrow," Rosalina finished. "Oh of course. You know that because of all that studying you did on kasha before realizing you'd merged with a cait sith." Akari nodded.

Alissa considered the answer. It seemed right. A fairly clever setup. And they did have three tries. "Sure. Wheelbarrow."

The Sphinx groaned. "Well at least it was fair." Then it slammed its head into the floor with a scream, sending bloody spray across the room. Alissa had her sword half out before she realized the creature was dead.

"Well that was fun," she said, resheathing the blade. "I suppose we should call the others and see if they need help."

And hopefully they'd be done with sphinxes for the day.

Alissa cursed her errant thoughts as she dodged the giant metal paw. The massive metal sphinx didn't have a deadly riddle, but getting smashed by one of those feet would end her life just as fast.

"Bad kitty!" Ibaraki said as she clubbed the metal monster in the face. The blow resounded like a gong, but at least it left the beast off balance.

She ran and slid under the belly, letting her eyes flash across the midriff to see if there was a hatch anywhere along the bottom. She couldn't see all of the creature but nothing stood out. "Not here!"

"I see it!" Kotori cried from above. "It's at the base of her tail!"

"Right!" Rosalina let off a lightning blast that stunned the creature again. "Why don't you fly down and give this kitty the bad scritches?"

"I don't have hands!" the harpy protested.

A fairly reasonable problem. "I've got it," Alissa said, focusing on her blade. "Dark wings."

Her jump brought her up to above the leonine creature's back and she fell between its wings. The monster gave a grinding gear growl and lowered itself to roll on her, but it hissed in confusion as it sank into the ground. Fili's work no doubt.

Alissa half ran half stumbled to the back where the hatch sat, opening bar jutting out from the smooth metal skin. She grabbed the handhold, braced her feet and started twisting with all her strength.

A shocking arrow smashed into the machine's face, stunning it again as it started to free itself. Alissa had to brace a moment to avoid getting shaken off, but then she went back to turning the hatch. It moved, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

Then it popped free and she found herself falling. A plume of crimson steam burst from the opening and the metal sphinx howled and then slowly stopped moving.

"Well that was fun," Clara said as they collected themselves. "How many more we have?"

"Should be close to done," Rosalina said, the woman looking very tired. "Anyone need healing? Steam burns?"

Alissa checked herself but didn't see any burns. "I fell off before it could hit me," she replied. The others all said they were good as well.

"Then let's tell the others." Rosalina took control of the communicator. "We're clear."

"Busy." There was a long pause. Then it came to life again. "Okay ready." Alissa took that as her cue to head to the door.

Opening it revealed another battle site. Bloodstains and gashes were all over the floor. But someone had gotten rid of all the bodies. Presumably the angel and demon who'd set up a campfire in the middle.

"Hello," Nostramus said with an idle wave. "We've been waiting for you."