Beast Evolution Forge

The red-hot glow of the portal flickered out, dumping Vell and his team back into the tower's base. The searing heat of Floor 16's lava wyrm still clung to their skin, but the cool, heavy air of the base swept it away. The black stone walls pulsed with a faint hum, louder now, like the tower was growling under its breath. Sixteen floors—sandstorms, ice titans, shadow reapers, forge titans, and blazing drakes—they'd crushed every challenge. Vell gripped the red key from Floor 16, its edges sharp and warm, buzzing with a life of its own.

"Sixteen floors done!" Ruby cheered, shaking soot off her fluffy hat. Her fox ears twitched, and her tail swished despite the ash. "We're the strongest, Master!"

Wren smirked, flicking lava dust off her claws. "Yeah, but Floor 17's waiting. Bet it's a nightmare."

Jia wiped her daggers on her singed cloak, cool as ever. "I'm over this heat. Let's make the next one fast."

Jolly grinned, cracking her knuckles. "More floors, more smashing. I'm hyped!"

Regina hugged her grimoire, her face tight. "The tower's growing wilder. Floor 17 might test us like never before."

Vell nodded, his sharp eyes on the stairs. "Rest first. We need to be sharp."

They flopped down near Regina's blue fire, its flames snapping softly. Ruby pulled out a dried fruit strip, nibbling with a grin. Wren leaned against the wall, scraping her claws clean with a rock. Jia sat cross-legged, polishing her daggers with steady hands. Jolly stretched out, her big arms flexing as she laughed. Regina opened her grimoire, tracing the faint scorch marks from Floor 16's fire.

"Master," Ruby said, her voice small, "how many floors are left?"

Vell stared into the fire, the blue light glinting in his eyes. "No one knows. But we'll hit the top."

Wren grinned, her teeth flashing. "Us versus the tower. Epic showdown."

"Our showdown," Jia added, smirking. "And we're winning big."

The team laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls. It felt good after Floor 16's roaring flames. But Vell stayed quiet, his mind spinning. The tower wasn't just about fighting—it was a trap, a game that got harder every step. Floor 17 would bring a new twist. He had to stay ready.

"Sleep," he said, standing. "We climb soon."

They nodded, curling up with their cloaks. Regina's fire glowed, keeping the chill away. Vell paced, his boots tapping the stone. The tower was too still—no roars, no heat. That silence meant something was brewing.

An hour later, they were up, packs slung on, standing at the stairs. The steps looked rougher now—cracked, slick with a strange sheen. The air buzzed, thick and heavy, prickling their skin.

"Ready?" Vell asked.

"Always," Jolly said, stepping up.

They climbed. The air shifted—hot, then cold, then hot again, like the tower was restless. The walls shimmered, black stone turning dark green, then back. The red veins faded, replaced by glowing purple lines that pulsed like a heartbeat.

"This is weird," Regina said, her breath puffing out. "The tower's alive—it's changing fast."

"Keep going," Vell replied, his dagger in hand. "We'll see."

The stairs ended at a door—tall, made of twisted vines and dark wood, dripping with purple sap. A faint glow leaked through the cracks, pulsing slow and eerie. The air smelled sweet, like flowers gone bad.

"Eww!" Ruby wrinkled her nose. "It stinks!"

"Open it," Vell said, his voice steady.

Jolly grabbed the vines and pulled. The door creaked open, snapping vines apart, and a wave of humid, sticky air hit them—thick with the scent of rot and blooms. Floor 17 stretched out—a jungle of madness.

The ground was soft, wet dirt, covered in glowing moss. Huge trees towered—twisted, their bark black and oozing purple sap. Vines hung everywhere, some snapping like whips. The sky was hidden by a canopy of leaves, glowing faintly with purple light. Bugs buzzed—big, shiny, with wings that hummed. In the distance, a massive tree loomed—taller than the rest, its trunk pulsing with purple veins.

"Whoa!" Ruby said, her tail drooping. "This place is slimy and creepy!"

"Creepy's our thing," Vell said, stepping in. "Stay tight."

They moved, mud sucking at their boots. The air was hot, heavy, making them sweat. The buzzing grew, and the ground shook—something was alive in there.

"Master, look!" Ruby pointed, her ears flattening.

Shapes slithered through the vines—long, scaly, with glowing purple eyes. They were snakes, but huge, their bodies shimmering with gooey scales, their fangs dripping purple venom. They hissed, tongues flicking.

"Jungle vipers!" Regina shouted, her grimoire glowing. "Poison and stealth!"

"Dodge!" Vell yelled as one struck.

It snapped at Wren, who rolled away and slashed its side with her claws. Purple blood sprayed, and the viper screeched. Ruby fired a water blast, knocking one back. Jolly punched a third, her fists glowing, cracking its spine. Jia's daggers sliced a fourth, clean and fast. Vell shadow-stepped to the last, stabbing its head. It flopped down, oozing.

[Jungle Vipers defeated. 1700 points earned.]

"Gross but easy," Wren said, wiping venom off her claws.

"Path's that way," Vell said, nodding toward the big tree. "Let's move."

They slogged through the mud, dodging snapping vines. More vipers attacked, but the team was quick—water, claws, fists, daggers. The jungle thickened, vines tangling their legs. The big tree loomed closer, its purple glow pulsing like a drumbeat. The air stung their lungs, but they pushed on.

At the tree's base, a hollow opened—dark, with sap dripping from the edges. Inside, the walls glowed purple, sticky and warm. A winding path led up to a wide platform. There, a giant waited—huge, with a body of twisted vines and a head of blooming flowers. Purple eyes glared, and a green key glowed in its chest, tangled in roots.

"Vine lord!" Regina said, her voice sharp. "Boss of Floor 17!"

"Big and ugly," Wren grinned, claws out. "Let's cut it down!"

"Careful," Vell warned. "That key's ours."

The vine lord roared, shaking the hollow. Vines shot out, whipping fast. "Scatter!" Vell shouted.

They dodged, the vines slashing the ground. Regina cast fire, hitting its arm. Flames crackled, and the vines burned, snapping apart. Jolly charged, punching the charred spot, breaking more. Wren and Jia hit its legs, claws and daggers slicing through roots.

Ruby fired mana blasts at its face, making it flinch. Vell shadow-stepped to its back, stabbing at the key. The dagger hit vines, cutting, but the key stayed tangled.

"Chest!" he yelled. "Focus the chest!"

Regina unleashed a fire storm, slamming its front. The vines charred, cracking open. Jolly leaped, smashing the chest with both fists. The key flickered, loosening. The vine lord roared, swinging wild. Vines lashed, forcing them back.

"Keep going!" Vell called, dodging a whip.

Wren and Jia clawed the chest, roots flying. Ruby's blasts kept it off balance. Regina's fire burned its arms, pinning it. Jolly punched again, and the key popped free, dropping to the ground.

"Grab it!" Vell shouted, diving through the heat.

The vine lord roared, sap exploding everywhere. Vell snatched the key as the team hit hard—fire, claws, fists, mana. The vine lord burned, cracked, and collapsed into ash and goo.

[Vine Lord defeated. 6000 points earned.]

[Floor 17 Key earned. 8500 points awarded.]

A portal glowed on the platform, green and shimmering. The team panted, sticky with sap and sweat, but grinning.

"Seventeen floors!" Jolly cheered, shaking goo off her hands. "We're legends!"

"Not yet," Vell said, holding the green key. "The tower's still growing."

Regina wiped sap from her grimoire. "It's relentless. Floor 18's next."

Ruby hugged Vell, her tail wagging despite the mess. "We'll win, Master! Together!"

He nodded, a small smile breaking through. "Yeah. Together."

They stepped through the portal, back to the base. The jungle stink faded, but the buzz stayed—wilder, louder. The stairs waited, leading to Floor 18—more fights, more tests. Vell's team was soaked but strong. The tower could throw anything. They'd climb higher—always higher.

---

Back at the base, the air felt heavier, like the tower was pressing down harder. They slumped by the fire, peeling off gooey cloaks. Ruby shook sap from her hat, giggling. "That vine lord was so slimy! My blasts barely stuck!"

"You did awesome," Vell said, ruffling her ears. "Kept it distracted."

Wren smirked, stretching out. "Yeah, gave me time to claw its guts. We're unstoppable."

Jia snorted, cleaning her daggers. "Sticky but unstoppable. Floor 18 better be dry."

Jolly grinned, flexing her hands. "Bet it's got something bigger. I'll smash it flat."

Regina flipped her grimoire open, frowning. "The tower's alive—I feel it twisting. Floor 17 was wild. Floor 18 might be… darker."

"Dark's our game," Vell said, leaning against the wall. "We'll handle it."

They ate—dried meat and fruit, sipping water to wash the sap taste away. The fire crackled, and the team rested, letting the jungle's heat fade. Vell watched the stairs, the green key heavy in his pocket. Seventeen floors, seventeen wins. The tower was ramping up, pushing their limits. He had to stay sharp.

"Sleep," he said after a while. "We climb soon."

They curled up, the fire's glow soft on their faces. Regina muttered spells in her sleep, her grimoire glowing faintly. Ruby snuggled close to Vell, her tail over his leg. Wren and Jia stayed half-awake, eyes sharp. Jolly snored, loud and steady.

Vell didn't sleep. He paced, the hum of the walls sinking into his bones. The tower was alive—Regina was right. It watched, waited. Floor 18 would twist the game again. He gripped the key, its pulse matching his own.

An hour later, they were up, packs ready, at the stairs. The steps gleamed—black and slick, like wet stone. The air shimmered, warm now, thick with a strange buzz.

"Ready?" Vell asked.

"Let's do it," Jolly said, stepping up.

They climbed. The air turned hot, then cold, then hot again—unstable, wild. The walls pulsed, purple lines glowing brighter, then dimming. A faint rumble started—deep, like the earth groaning.

"This is new," Regina said, her voice tight. "The tower's… shifting."

"Keep moving," Vell said, his dagger out. "We'll see."

The stairs ended at a door—tall, black, rough like charred wood. Red sparks danced across it, glowing hot. The rumble turned into a roar—low, angry, shaking the steps.

"Hot again!" Ruby whined, fanning herself.

"Open it," Vell said, steady as ever.

Jolly pushed, and the door crumbled, revealing Floor 18—a blazing storm.

The ground was cracked rock, red with heat. Lava pools bubbled, spitting fire. Sharp cliffs rose, glowing orange, their tops lost in a sky of swirling black smoke. Red lightning cracked, loud and wild. In the distance, a volcano loomed—huge, active, with fire bursting from its top.

"Whoa!" Ruby said, her tail drooping. "This place is crazy hot!"

"Crazy's our style," Vell said, stepping in. "Stay tight."

They moved, the heat burning their boots. The roar grew, and the ground shook—something big was close. Lava splashed, forcing them to dodge.

"Master, there!" Ruby pointed, her ears flattening.

Shapes rose from the lava—tall, winged, with bodies of fire and stone. They were dragons—small but fierce, their scales glowing red, their claws dripping molten rock. They screeched, diving fast.

"Lava drakes!" Regina shouted, her grimoire flaring. "Fire and flight!"

"Dodge!" Vell yelled as one spat flames.

It hit the ground, sizzling. Wren leaped, slashing its wing with her claws. The drake crashed, smoking. Ruby fired a water blast, steaming one up. Jolly punched a third, her fists glowing, cracking its skull. Jia's daggers sliced a fourth, precise and deadly. Vell shadow-stepped to the last, stabbing its chest. It burned out.

[Lava Drakes defeated. 1800 points earned.]

"Hot but fun," Wren said, grinning.

"Path's that way," Vell said, nodding toward the volcano. "Let's go."

They trekked through the heat, dodging lava sprays. More drakes attacked, but the team was sharp—water, claws, fists, daggers. The volcano loomed, its fire roaring louder. The air burned their lungs, but they pushed on.

At the volcano's base, a tunnel opened—dark, with lava dripping from the ceiling. Inside, the walls glowed red, steaming. A rocky path led to a wide ledge. There, a giant waited—massive, with wings of flame and a body of black rock. A red key glowed in its chest, pulsing with every roar.

"Lava wyrm!" Regina said, her voice sharp. "Boss of Floor 18!"

"Big and fiery," Wren grinned, claws ready. "Let's roast it!"

"Careful," Vell warned. "That key's ours."

The wyrm roared, shaking the tunnel. It spat fire, a wall of flames rushing out. "Scatter!" Vell shouted.

They dodged, the heat searing their skin. Regina cast ice, hitting its wing. Steam exploded, and the fire dimmed. Jolly charged, punching its leg, cracking rock. Wren and Jia hit its sides, claws and daggers sparking.

Ruby fired mana blasts at its head, making it snap. Vell shadow-stepped to its back, stabbing at the key. The dagger hit stone, chipping it, but the key held.

"Chest!" he yelled. "Hit the chest!"

Regina's ice storm slammed its front, freezing the key's spot. Jolly leaped, smashing it with both fists. The key wobbled. The wyrm screeched, swinging its tail. Vell dodged, and Ruby's blasts kept it dizzy.

Wren and Jia clawed the chest, rock flying. Regina froze its wings, pinning it. Jolly punched again, and the key popped free, clanging to the ground.

"Grab it!" Vell shouted, diving through the heat.

The wyrm roared, fire bursting everywhere. Vell snatched the key as the team hit hard—ice, claws, fists, mana. The wyrm froze, cracked, and exploded into ash.

[Lava Wyrm defeated. 6500 points earned.]

[Floor 18 Key earned. 9000 points awarded.]

A portal glowed, red and hot. The team panted, sweaty and singed, but grinning.

"Eighteen floors!" Jolly cheered. "We're legends!"

"Not yet," Vell said, holding the red key. "Tower's still climbing."

Regina wiped her face. "It's relentless. Floor 19's next."

Ruby hugged Vell, tail wagging. "We'll win, Master! Together!"

He smiled, small but real. "Yeah. Together."

They stepped through, back to the base. The heat faded, but the buzz grew—wild, alive. The stairs waited—Floor 19, more fights, more wins. Vell's team was scorched but strong. The tower could try anything. They'd climb higher—always higher.