《Third Floor Theodore》 The Third Floor Theo woke to the cold, black stone of the dungeon under his bare feet. It was comforting in a way he couldn¡¯t explain -- as though the dungeon itself cared for him in some way. Dampness permeated the air, and the musty smell made his nose wrinkle in delight. His body ached in a way that told him he must have fought hard. The large room was unfurnished except for a small bed that was still made from last night and an empty chest. He paused to check his status screen.
Name: Theodore ¡ª of the third floor
Class: Monster
Race: Dungeon Guardian
Height: ~ 22 rats
Weight: ~ 175 rats
Level 3
Everything looked normal. Water dripped somewhere off in the distance, echoing off the cavernous walls and breaking the near absolute silence that permeated his domain. He couldn¡¯t remember much of last night, but that wasn¡¯t unusual. From what he could remember, he¡¯d spent it killing a multitude of adventurers and he always celebrated after tough battles. The ale he¡¯d taken from their corpses must have been potent indeed. Torchlight flickered and crackled as he set off down the corridor to survey the damage. There was always a mess after a battle as fierce as last night. The thick wooden door to the treasure room had been kicked in and scorch marks blackened the stone walls. He kicked a broken sword out of the way and peered into the room. Dark green ichor covered the walls, splattered across the floor, and dripped from the ceiling. Yes, the adventurers had died well last night. He didn¡¯t know what kind of fury had come over him to inflict such magnificent damage on the adventurers, annihilating them so completely that there was nothing left of their bodies, but he had to admit the aftermath was impressive. His domain was grand, an entire floor of the dungeon filled with twisty, difficult to navigate tunnels, and he defended it with the utmost ferocity. He summoned his trusty dagger and sliced through the air with it as though replaying the scene from last night.
Name: Dagger Till The End Class: Dagger Tier: 1 (Soul bound) Description: A lightly rusted knife whose edge has seen many fights.
He would rain down death upon all who intruded, especially those bothersome adventurers. They were a constant irritation. He turned left at the next corridor and paused, listening for the sound of approaching footsteps. When he was sure it was all clear, he pushed deeper into the maze, walking silently. There were several locked rooms on the third floor, only one of which contained any treasure. He inspected each one in turn, winding through the labyrinth of corridors. Four of the doors lay in shreds, blasted to pieces with black scorch marks covering the walls and debris. Another two of them had a hole chopped out just large enough to peer into. Splinters littered the floor.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Death didn¡¯t seem like sufficient punishment compared to all the havoc they wreaked in his domain, but it was the best he could manage. There was only one of him and the steady stream of adventures seemed almost limitless. He wondered what it would be like if he didn¡¯t have to kill adventures and chuckled to himself. The echoes of his mirth carried through the empty corridors. Killing adventurers was his whole life. He was born to protect the third floor and he would defend it until his dying day. As if that could ever happen. He pulled out his dagger again and slashed at his non-existent foe for emphasis. The only thing more glorious than defending the dungeon was-- He paused. He didn¡¯t know what could be more glorious than that, except¡­ A thought percolated in his brain. What if he didn¡¯t have to wait for them to come to him? What if he could stop the adventurers at their source? Thoughts raced through his head. Excitement grew and he found himself sprinting through the tunnels till he got to the entrance to the floor. The large, imposing door was made of stout oak, banded with steel and set in a heavy metal frame. It was the only way in or out of Theo¡¯s domain and it was riddled with dents and scratches, as though it had been battered by countless waves of adventurers. It was also locked. There was no lock that Theo could see and if it had hinges, they were well hidden. There wasn¡¯t even a handle. Yet, Theo had seen adventurers come through it with his own eyes and killed them with his own dagger. If Theo wasn¡¯t around to see the adventurers come through the door, then he hunted them down and dispatched them anyway. He could be very efficient when he wanted to. However, now it was all quiet. He pressed his ear against the door, the wood was cold and rough and no sound passed through it. Theo tugged at the metal bands, trying to force the door open. He pulled a little harder, then a lot harder, pulling until his arms shook with the strain. No luck. The door refused to budge He walked five paces away from the door, turned and ran headlong at it. Just before hitting the door, he leaned forward and tilted his shoulder down and crashed into it. A resounding thud echoed through the tunnels. He found himself on his back, the cool bricks soothing his throbbing shoulder. His cloth tunic had torn and several wood splinters stuck out of his skin. Too bad he didn¡¯t have a leather pauldron to protect him. He would be sure to take one from the next adventurer he killed. He plucked the splinters from his shoulder and brushed himself off. This door was indeed a formidable adversary and not to be underestimated. Metal glimmered in the torchlight, scattering reflections across the walls of the third floor as he brandished his dagger in one hand and stabbed the door several times in rapid succession causing wood chips to fly in all directions. He switched hands and continued the process until he was breathing heavily, the pile of splinters growing on the stone floor. Gasping for breath and using both hands now to grip the dagger, he flailed at it again and again, until he finally collapsed; the dagger clattering to the rest beside him, his hands too weak to hold it any longer. He didn¡¯t know how long he lay there, sleep having overcome him in his state of exhaustion. The rumble of wood grating against stone stirred him to consciousness. The door. It was open! Theo scrambled to get to his feet, scooping up his dagger and holding it at the ready. He¡¯d done it. He turned to walk through the exit. Four adventurers stood on the other side of the door, their faces hard and tense. Blades gleamed in the dim light and reflected the firelight from the room beyond. ¡°That¡¯s him?¡± asked a scrawny male adventurer dressed in flowy brown robes. ¡°Yeah,¡± answered the brawny adventurer wearing plate mail. ¡°I thought you said he would be hard to find?¡± asked a well muscled female with dark skin and daggers in each hand. ¡°We just got lucky," said the brawny adventurer. ¡°He¡¯s usually hiding somewhere in that maze of tunnels and it takes forever to find him.¡± Theo snarled in fury and stepped forward, raising his trusty dagger and preparing to fight. He would kill them all and protect his dungeon. Little did they know they were about to face the greatest peril this floor had to offer. The well muscled female parried his attack with her daggers, crossing them in front of her and stopping his blade. She was fast, Theo had to give her that. Raven hair bounced as she leapt to the side, dodging Theo¡¯s next attack. Her daggers were larger than his trusty blade and looked well taken care of. He would have to remember to take them from her body after the fight. Right now, he needed to focus on winning. Her blades were a blur of motion as she lunged at him. She cut him down in a single, brutal flurry of blows, leaving him bleeding and broken on the floor of his dungeon. As he lay there dying, he knew that he had failed. He died in the hallway of his dungeon, blood pooling around his corpse, and a foolish grin on his face. Waking Up Theo woke to the cold black stone of the dungeon under his bare feet. The distinct presence of dungeon magic was thick in the air. His bed lay against the wall, still made up neatly. He couldn¡¯t remember much of last night, but his body ached so he must have fought the entire day. He vaguely recalled defeating a party of adventurers. The memories were fuzzy and distant. There had to have been at least four of them, and yet he survived. He was often astonished by his own fighting prowess. A small furry brown rat scurried out from under Theo¡¯s bed and scampered down the hallway. It seemed like there was something important he wasn¡¯t remembering. Theo stretched and yawned, his bones and joints cracking as he moved. He picked up a rock absently, hefting it in one hand. The door! Somehow he had managed to open the door the adventurers used. Now he would be able venture out into their world and eradicate them at their source. This would be glorious. He felt energized as he raced down the corridor to the third floor entrance. Broken bits of rock littered the ground, and the occasional torch provided dim light. He paused as he approached the entrance. Thick green ichor pooled in the rocks, covering much of the hallway. He carefully stepped closer to it. This was where those adventurers met their end. He recognized the familiar signs and growing stench. It was a grim job, but Theo enjoyed doing it. He stepped past the ichor and turned the corner to see the door. His excitement disappeared. The door was closed. He stared at the steel framed wood door, willing it to open again. He pulled at the metal bands, digging his fingers into the wood till they oozed dark green blood. He shook it for all he was worth, but the door didn¡¯t budge. Why wasn¡¯t this working? He stepped back several steps and ran at the door, hitting it with his shoulder. Nothing changed. Theo sat down on the cold floor. He needed to think. Theodore summoned his dagger, squeezing the familiar leather hilt in his hand. It was a comfort in the face of his disappointment. He waited. Last time, it was the waiting that had done the trick. He kept waiting. And waiting. But nothing happened. Theo got up and brushed himself off. Whatever had worked yesterday wasn¡¯t working today. He headed deeper into the dungeon. Dank, musty air hung in the still atmosphere of the tunnel. He came to the intersection of two hallways and stopped, seeing the thick door to the treasure room laying in pieces in the hall. The damage must have happened in the fight with the adventures, most likely when Theo smashed one of their skulls into it. Rough stone walls, lit only by dim torchlight, lined the treasure room. Cobwebs hung from the low ceiling, and a small chest sat in the back of the room, looking beaten and crushed as though someone had taken a maul to it. On the ground lay a rugged leather bracelet crafted of woven leather cords and polished stones, with a bold purple stone at the center. It exuded a sense of power and mystery, as though it carried with it untold secrets. Even in the dim torchlight, the bracelet seemed to shimmer with an ethereal energy. He liked it. It was shiny. Theo picked it up and clasped the bracelet to his wrist. Discomfort radiated up his forearm as blue light flashed across his skin. Theo gasped as the uncomfortable sensation spread throughout his entire body. The glowing bracelet pulsed on his wrist, and a strange power flowed through him. He felt disoriented and suddenly fearful, as though something bad was happening. He pulled at the bracelet, tugging frantically to try and remove it, but much like the entrance door, it didn¡¯t budge. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Unsure of what to do, Theo clasped the bracelet tighter, trying to squelch the surge of power coursing through him. The room began to warp and churn, as though caught in an otherworldly storm. After a moment, the feeling subsided. Theo stood there breathing hard, trying to get his bearings. With a pop, his stat screen snapped into view and strange symbols began scrolling across it. Theo stared in confusion at the screen, perplexed by the unknown messages and still disoriented by surge of power that had overtaken him. He had no idea what was happening. With a deep breath, he tried to analyze the symbols on his screen. It didn¡¯t help. None of the characters made any sense. ¡°Intelligence below required minimum,¡± said a voice in his head. ¡°Switching to audio mode.¡± Theo whirled around, but there was no one there. Who was it? And why were they speaking to him? The weird symbols disappeared from his display, but the voice continued. It spoke in a strange monotone cadence that was oddly soothing. ¡°Perception stat not found,¡± it continued. ¡°Attempting progression system reset.¡± Theo furrowed his brow. What was it talking about? He tried to focus on the symbols, but they wouldn¡¯t come back. Suddenly, he felt another surge of energy ripple through his body. ¡°Error! Invalid entity type.¡± The voice was now screaming in his head, causing Theo to wince and clap his hands over his ears, which didn¡¯t help any. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his chest as the bracelet glowed brighter. The room began to sway again, and with a loud pop, his stat screen went black. Theo stumbled backwards, his heart racing with fear and confusion. ¡°Error! Progression system not found.¡± The words echoed in his head, and all he could think of was the overwhelming sense of power flowing through him. He didn¡¯t know what was happening and it seemed like things had just gotten worse. ¡°Attempting forced install of progression system.¡± Theo fell to his knees, shaking and convulsing. Whatever was happening to him, he had no idea how to control it. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched every muscle he could think of trying desperately to regain control. He gasped. The burning sensation in his chest returned abruptly, followed by yet another odd popping sound. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his stat display had returned. The symbols were different. They were still confusing, but he could now make out some of the characters. The stat screen flashed several times and an increasing number of dots accumulated one after another.
Hello world
He read the text displayed in bold letters across the center of the display. He didn¡¯t know what it meant, but at least he could read it now. The text disappeared and his stat screen flashed white and more dots showed up and then disappeared. The stat screen faded to black and then reappeared with new text.
Progression system initialization successful...
Theo stared at the screen. As before, he could read the text and comprehend the individual words, but strung together like that they made little sense. He could now feel the cold dungeon floor under his back. He was starting to regain his senses, but couldn¡¯t seem to move yet. He had so many questions. What was a progression system and what did it mean by initialized? This was so confusing. He tried to sit up, but couldn¡¯t move at all. He was having a hard time even keeping his eyes open. A new message appeared.
Welcome Denizen: Theodore Please Wait.
Restarting...
That was the last thing Theo saw before the world went dark. New Stats Theo woke to the cold black stone of the dungeon under his bare feet, but something felt different. The floor had an unusual texture to it. There were uneven patches that he hadn¡¯t noticed before. He stamped his feet absently, feeling new sensations as he encountered different sections of the floor. It was like nothing he¡¯d ever encountered, yet he couldn¡¯t tell that anything had changed. The stone looked deeper in color, blacker, as though absorbing any light that touched it. Almost seeming to shimmer and pulse as if alive. The muted walls of the dungeon were no longer dull and lifeless, but glimmered with a faint blue hue, like a sapphire. Their icy surfaces rippled with a thin layer of a mysterious energy. He¡¯d seen all this before. This was where he lived, and yet it was as though he¡¯d never truly seen it in his entire life. He shook his head. Something must have happened to him. He didn¡¯t remember much of last night, but he didn¡¯t think he had fought any adventurers. His body didn¡¯t ache and he didn¡¯t feel the presence of the dungeon thick around him like usual. There was something else and Theo couldn¡¯t quite figure out what. This was his room. All his things were here. His bed lay against the wall, still made up neatly. But, if he¡¯d just woken up, why was he standing and why was his bed unused? It didn¡¯t feel like he¡¯d been drinking, but the memory loss sure made it seem like he had. It might be a good time to stop taking ale from the adventurers he killed. It must have been pretty potent if he didn¡¯t even remember drinking it. Maybe there was nothing wrong with his room, maybe something was wrong with him. He opened his stat screen.
Name: Theodore ¡ª of the third floor
Race: Dungeon Guardian
Class: Denizen
Height: ~22 rats
Weight: ~175 rats
Level: 3
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 4
Constitution: 5
Wisdom: 1
Intelligence: 1
Perception: 5
Charisma: 3
Everything was different. Even the color of the console seemed wrong. Maybe not wrong, but different. Where did all these new stats come from? What did strength six mean? Was he strong now? He¡¯d always felt strong, of course he¡¯d have to be strong to defeat so many adventurers. Six was the highest stat he had, so of course that is what it meant. He suddenly had so many questions and no answers. None of this made any sense. He summoned his trusty dagger. Holding the grip was comforting and familiar even as he noticed all the nicks in the blade. He would need to take better care of it. He examined the stats for the dagger.
Dagger Till The End: Tier [1] (Soul bound) A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. A lightly rusted knife whose edge has seen many fights.
At least that hadn¡¯t changed. He slashed the air, trying to get back something that felt normal. He stopped, staring at his wrist. There was a leather bracelet on it. Where had that come from? He touched it and a stat screen popped up.
Leather Bracelet Class: Wrist Armor Location: Right Wrist ( Soul Bound ) Description: A sturdy bracelet made of leather and stones. Sets the perception stat of the wearer to five. Armor: +1 Tier: 1 Attributes:
  • Unavoidable Curse - This curse cannot be avoided. Ignores target defenses and immunities. Cursed items cannot be removed until dispelled.
  • Void Forged
The stones in the bracelet were shiny. He liked the way it looked against his pale grey skin. He didn¡¯t know why such a pretty item would be cursed. But set at five, his perception stat was now tied for the second highest stat he had. Even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t want to take it off. He set off into the dungeon¡¯s halls. His skin caught on the rough surfaces as he ran his hands along them. He¡¯d never noticed their texture before or the vibrant colors on their mottled surfaces. Torches flickered in the darkness, lighting his way. Who lit them? They were always burning, but lighting torches was not something Theo had ever done. Come to think of it, a lot of things just happened in the dungeon that he couldn¡¯t explain. The door to the treasure room was repaired and back on its hinges. He rattled the handle, but it didn¡¯t budge. Theo tried to peek through the keyhole, but he couldn¡¯t see anything. He felt around the doorframe but found nothing. Everything looked the same as always, but still different, as though something had changed in the dungeon that he couldn¡¯t explain. He stopped in his tracks to stare at a piece of wood with black markings bolted to the wall. He had seen it a million times and walked past it nearly every day while patrolling the dungeon. There were many strange markings inscribed on it, but he had never given them much thought because he could not read them. Until now, that is. ¡°The monster is the door; kill him to unlock this floor,¡± he said, reading the sign out loud. He didn¡¯t know why he could suddenly read, but it seemed to be part of whatever these changes were. The door! Theo wasted no time and set off towards the door leading out of his third floor. He had an inkling of what he was looking for - a creature of some kind, as the sign said - but he wasn¡¯t quite sure yet. As he walked, his boots landed on the rough cobblestone floor with a resounding echo, every sound bouncing off the walls. He noticed every nook and cranny as if he were reading a map in his head, from the dank walls that seemed to ooze moisture and mold, to the well-worn grating in the floor that he walked over, to the ragged plume of breath that escaped his lips. Most notably, he smelled the thick air of the dungeon. He hadn¡¯t realized his dungeon had a smell. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but something about it seemed strange and unfamiliar. Theo had no idea what this door creature might look like. Except for the invading adventurers, he was the only creature on this floor that he knew of. Theodore arrived at the entrance door, prepared to attack it with even more vigor than he did last time. It was tall, made of thick and heavy wood, with metal bands reinforcing it the heavy metal frame from the outside. He reached out to touch the door handle, but found it cold and unyielding beneath his fingertips. He pushed firmly against it, hoping for some sort of response, but there was none. After a few moments of frustrated silence, Theodore noticed the glowing red circle in the center. It flickered as though beckoning him to touch it. He peered closer and then pushed his hand against it firmly. An illuminated menu suddenly came into view. The words on the screen shimmered in front of him; he had never seen anything like it before. The menu listed several options, but the first one that caught his eye was one labeled ¡°Open Door¡±. He hesitated for a moment before pressing his finger down on the ¡®Enter¡¯ button below it. With a loud click, the door opened slowly and Theodore peered into the darkness beyond. Not even a sliver of light shone through, leaving Theo in a state of apprehension as he gazed into its murky depths. This is what he¡¯d been hoping for. Now he could search out the source of those pesky adventures and eliminate them before they could ravage his dungeon. As he stepped through the door, his surroundings suddenly changed. Green Theo blinked. This was not his dungeon. He closed his eyes slowly and then opened them again. This was still not his dungeon. And yet, it felt like his dungeon. That ever present aura still enveloped him here. How could the second floor look so much different than the third floor of the same dungeon? The door behind him was still open to his floor, so he knew he hadn¡¯t gone the wrong way. This was the first time Theo had ever left the third floor, so he expected it to be different, but not this different. A strange barrage of aromas assaulted him as he stepped into a lush, tropical environment. He didn¡¯t recognize anything. Gone were the smooth stone floors. Gone were the comforting stone walls that kept the adventures out. Instead, green things were everywhere. Tall green things, short green things and most of them appeared to have sprouted out of the ground. Dotted among them were purple and red blotches. Stone corridors were all Theo had ever known. They had been his entire world up until now. Something pungent wafted near his face. He pinched his nose and breathed through his mouth trying to dampen the fragrant mix of odors. Instead of helping remove the smells, he could now taste them. He felt a strong urge to return to the third floor. He could easily step back through the door and retreat to the safety of his third floor, but who would stop the adventurers? He paused for a long moment, looking back at his beloved third floor. However, his mission was clear so he took a step forward into the green unknown. Tall brown pillars stretched up higher than he could see from where they rooted into the ground and oddly shaped green things sprouted from where the brown trunk branched off into smaller columns. They seemed to be alive, but he couldn¡¯t understand their purpose. He placed his palm on one. It felt rough and irritating. A screen popped up.
Item: Wormwood Ash Type: Tree A common variety of the Ash tree found in tropical regions. The harvested wood is good for burning or can be refined for construction. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
So that was a tree. He wiped his hand on his tunic trying to rid himself of the odd feeling. Apparently trees made up a large portion of the green things on the second floor, but they weren¡¯t the only things growing. He reached out and touched one of the purple things that dotting the landscape. The screen popped up again
Item: Knell Flower Type: flower This small five-petaled flower is a staple medicinal herb. Its potent healing powers can be used to make a variety of salves and elixirs.
He pocketed the flower for later and dismissed the screen. The changes to his display were strange, but handy none the less. He touched several more things. Vivid green ropes that snaked through the trees turned out to be Spotted Water Ivy vines and left his hand burning mildly at the touch. He moved well away from their location. There were creatures here as well - small lizards scurried amongst the foliage. He chased after one of them, but couldn¡¯t catch it. The door to the third floor was no longer visible. The foliage was thick on either side of him, but underneath his bare feet was dirt. He hadn¡¯t realized it until now, but he was walking along a path. A path meant there were other travelers and those other travelers were most likely adventurers. A smile crept across his face at this realization. He was on the right track. He hurried down the path, anxious to get to the next floor and closer to his goal of eliminating the adventurers at their source. He skirted an oversized tree covered in Spotted Water Ivy vines and then froze. Something was watching him. Theo looked around cautiously. Not being in his third floor, it was difficult to tell what might be out of place, but he knew the feeling of being watched. He¡¯d experienced it many times as the foolish adventurers came looking for it. That was right before he dispatched them of course. He summoned his trusty dagger and inched closer to where he thought the brush might have just moved. He pulled back the foliage with one had and prepared to strike with the knife. Behind the bush was more green. This time it was a small, green, blob-shaped animal with four legs that looked to be attached backwards. Two eyes appeared on the blob. They scanned left to right. Then focused directly on Theo. Froag Peering out from the shelter of the bush sat a strange, bulbous creature with stubby, backwards legs that seemed too short to support its plump frame. Its eyes were wide and unblinking, and its thin, wiry mouth was curled into a permanent frown. The creature hopped down from the stone on which it sat with a wet plop, circling Theodore curiously in short little hops. It had a strange, relaxed manner about it, as if nothing in the world could ever rile it up. Theo smiled. He had never seen such a creature before and he felt a little bit of admiration. He reached out slowly and carefully and picked up the blob, cradling it in his hands. "Hello there," he said softly. "What are you?" He wasn''t expecting a response, but a screen popped up, the light glowing in the air and reflecting in the blob¡¯s eyes.
Entity: Slick Frog Type: creature This green blob shaped frog prefers to make its home in humid and warm climates. Often choosing to spend their days lazing about eating an assortment of plants and herbs.
"You sound peaceful," Theo said to the frog. The frog didn¡¯t say anything. With a thought the screen vanished leaving him and the frog standing in the foliage. The frog opened its eyes and looked up at him. It blinked slowly and then croaked, "Froag." Theo smiled again. "Froag," he said. "That''s a good name. I think I''ll keep you." "Froag?" the frog croaked, gazing longingly at Theo''s head.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "You want up?" Theo questioned the chubby frog. It wasn¡¯t like it would hurt anything. Theo carefully cradled the frog in his hands, feeling the softness of its slimy skin before gently lifting it up and placing it on his head. The frog''s eyes, although wide, seem gentle and content in its new position. Its small feet curled around Theo''s head for support. As he did so, a strange thing happened. A console screen appeared in the air in front of him, with a message that read:
Helmet acquired. "Froag" has been equipped. Head slot First Equip bonus status applied -- SoulBound.
The words sparkled and glowed in the air. The word ¡°SoulBound¡± appears in a bright blue hue, giving off a faint hint of exotic energy. ¡°SoulBound?¡± Theo mused out loud. Immediately, the screen disappeared and was replaced by a different one.
SoulBound: Items with the SoulBound attribute cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed. They are permanently bound to the soul of the owner. Lost, stolen, or destroyed items consume mana to return to the owner.
That was handy. His trusty dagger and the bracelet he had recently acquired both had the SoulBound attribute as well. Maybe it was a common feature and everything he found would come that way. Theo smiled at the gentle frog on his head, he had never had a friend before. He reached up and scratched the creature gently on the head. "Looks like we are stuck together, Froag. I hope you enjoy the ride." Froag croaked happily in response. Theo trudged forward, the air dense with warm, musty moisture. Small creatures scurried in the shadows as Theo steered through a labyrinthine grove of tightly spaced trees. There was something peaceful about this level. A loud and menacing growl echoed through the dungeon forest. Adventurers! thought Theo, turning toward the noise. They were probably ransacking this part of his dungeon right this minute. He could imagine their ugly faces as they stomped through the beautiful foliage of the second floor, crushing the delicate flowers on their way to wreak havoc on his beloved third floor. He had to stop them.