Expedition VII
The battle was over and Nox's transformation canceled itself as he returned to human form and crumpled to the ground.
His skin was torn, his bones shattered, his organs ruptured and his healing powers were not working.
Despite winning his fight, he had sacrificed so much that even the Philosopher's Stone was unable to heal him.
Was this to be Nox's end?
Of course not! How could he die here?
The circumstances of his survival though, were the truly shocking thing.
Consciousness that always schemed against him. The power that was always used against him. The might of the very Dungeon gathered around nox's broken body, slowly mending it.
As he faded in and out of consciousness, Nox could not believe what was happening.
The only reason he had to suffer so against the evolved Demi Spirit was precisely due to the Dungeon's support of it.
But now, that very same unknown entity that governed the Dungeon was mending his broken self, just like how it had memended the green figure from the damage he himself wrought upon it.
Nox focused all of his senses, trying to understand the miracle that was occuring. He tried to connect to the elusive will that was responsible for both harming and saving him but got nothing.
What he did feel was his Dragon Aspect increase in power, starting to edge out over the other two before stopping as more would begin to disturb the delicate balance the maintained the integrity of Nox's whole self.
He could feel the intention behind it, as mysterious as it was.
A reward for his victory against a mighty foe. The kind of reward only the Dungeon could give as well as perhaps the only reward it could give to Nox.
It left him pondering over the nature of the Dungeon's will.
It clearly was not just a fully malevolent entity as it would not save his life like it was currently happening if it was.
Then again, it was not benevolent either as it had attempted to screw him over multiple times and gave birth to countless monsters who only had the baser instinct to hunt and kill.
It was all very confusing to him.
In the end, Nox was left fully healed, lying down in the center of the utterly devastated 59th floor.
'I'll need to think some more on this but first . . . Need to inform everyone that I'm alive, need a status update and then . . . I need some fucking rest.' Nox thought to himself.
Despite being healed, Nox felt utterly empty, he had drained every last drop of his Philosopher's Stone's energy in the titanic fight he had with the green figure.
Hence his need for rest. The Stone would eventually recover and let him rise up again but it needed time.
After recovering, as he walked back to the 58th floor, Nox tried sipping on some Panacea only to realize his body absorbed it all but he didn't feel any more revitalized.
It seemed that despite being healed outwardly, he was still pretty messed up inside, hence his lethargy and lack of ability to draw out any power, he could barely use magic like his Item Box.
Knowing he was far from fully healed, Nox didn't' rush and only calmly walked back up but even that was trenous so he chugged on Panacea as he went to see if it would help.
And to a certain extent, it actually, did. At least walking wasn't tiring him out any further but Nox honestly doubted he could fight even a weak ass monster without getting his ass handed to him.
After slowly walking up to the 58th floor, he found the rest of the Loki Familia members in a hot debate over whether they should check out the 59th floor again.
"I can't hear the sounds of fighting anymore." Bete pointed out, his hearing being the best.
"Should we go check it out?" Tiona asked.
"Noxy might be injured!" She added.
"Or he might be dead and that thing is there waiting for us." Finn callously said.
It was not that he didn't care about nox but as the captain of the Loki Familia, he could not risk his party members any further.
"Shouldn't we at least check?" Tsubaki argued.
She of course didn't want to believe her lover was truly gone.
"And you would risk the boy's sacrifice being in vain?" Gareth supported Finn.
Riveria was torn on what to do, the amazoness twins were majorly dissatisfied, they wanted to go back down immediately but there was someone who felt that even more strongly.
Ais was already beginning to move in the 59th floor's direction.
"Where are you going? Ais:" Finn slowly asked.
Ais stayed silent but resolute as she took another step further.
"Ais!" Finn called to her more firmly.
"I'm not leaving Nox!" She strongly declared.
"Good! I'm with you Ais!" Tiona supported.
"So am I!" Tsubaki followed up.
Tione was torn. She adored Finn but this time, she felt she had to stand by her sister and the boy that put it all at risk to protect them.
"I with you too." Tione finally declared.
"Tch! Like I'd owe that brat for this!" Bete gowled before joining Ais' group.
Riveria and Lefiya were majorly torn.
The latter cared for Nox but she could see the reason in Finn and Gareth's words while Riveria was much the same. Finn and Gareth, while also caring for Nox, did not want, above all, make his sacrifice meaningless.
Thus, an impasse was reached where everyone stood still, not knowing how to proceed.
All that tension prevented them from hearing the soft footsteps of the approaching Nox who felt a bit complicated as he heard the discussion.
*cough*
He tried to get everyone's attention.
All of the party members turned back at the same time to see the extremely weakened Nox.
"Nox!" They all shouted with happiness and relief.
"Anyone lend me a shoulder?" He sheepishly requested.
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