At the entrance of the dungeon, the members of the Loki Familia's expedition team arrived back to Orario's surface at sunset as they just cleared the 17th to the 1st floor of any monsters that would give an easy path for the rest of their expedition team to get back home.
"Aiz. I want you, Tiona, Tione, Bete, and Lefiya to go up ahead first and get back home." Finn told the sword princess while smiling. "tell Loki that we came back home but for me, Riveria, and Gareth. We're going to stay here for a while to wait on the others."
"are you sure?" Aiz asked as Finn nodded.
"I want to make sure the others are back home." Finn replied. "and making sure of a few other things."
Aiz looks at Finn for a few seconds before she nodded. "alright, I understand."
Every member of the Loki Familia's first party left the dungeon's entrance while leaving behind Finn, with Riveria and Gareth.
"is it really him?" Gareth asked Finn while crossing his arms. "it's been nearly a decade since he left with his siblings, we waited for him to return but he never did."
"there aren't many people to this day who would wear large full plated armor like him." Finn stated while crossing his arms. "and my thumb was shaking but not in pain. It was an all too familiar sensation that I always have when I'm always near that man."
"still…." Riveria muttered out while crossing her arms and looks down with a frown. "if he's the only one who came back…that means…"
"I'm afraid so.." Finn stated with a nod before he hears loud heavy footsteps coming from the dungeon's entrance. "and it sounds like we are going to hear the story from him soon."
Finn and the others turn towards the dungeon's entrance as they see a large silhouette figure coming up the stairs while followed by a few others.
A minute later, Zag appears as he is followed by Tsubaki and a few other members of her Familia.
"Zagreus…" Riveria muttered out as Zag stood in front of the three.
"Zag…is it really you?" Gareth asked the man who didn't reply but just nodded. "when did you come back? We all thought that you…."
"all of you did, but here I am." Zag replied while lifting his hands up and then crossed them in front of his chest. "you guys changed a lot. Expect for Riveria, you still look as beautiful as I remembered you."
Riveria blushes a bit before looking away while Gareth just shakes his head with a smile.
"I suppose that you return for a reason?" Finn asked Zag while hardening his gaze.
"is it against the law for someone to return back to his old hometown? And be back to some friends who were worried for him?" Zag asked as Finn just gave him a look that made the man sigh. "but we can settle this discussion later" the armored man rolled his right shoulder around before he crack his neck around. "I went through 18 floors to save some kids from being killed by an abnormal Goliath in Under Resort and had to bust some magic to kill it. I'll tell you guys about why I return on a later time, I'm too tired for this."
Finn looks at Zag before to Tsubaki who nodded with a smile.
"very well." Finn stated as Zag nodded before he started walking away with Tsubaki following, the two just walks on the road and heads off to who knows where while the other members of the Hephaestus Familia who joined the expedition went off to their Home.
Riveria watches Zag left as she had a slight off the distance look in her eyes.
"won't you just go?" Gareth asked Riveria who glanced at him before looking away, her ears were slightly red for some reason unknown. "that man isn't the type to go up and confess out of the blue, you know? Better yet, he had promised to return and he did, but you are the one who promised to tell him about it, right?"
"just….shut up.." Riveria muttered out in reply before she left.
Finn and Gareth watch as she leaves, the high elf having a flustered yet sad look on her face that was rather unnormal for her to have.
"even after years of waiting and praying, she couldn't be honest with herself when he came back like she wished" Finn stated as Gareth nodded.
"this is why Elves are so stubborn some times." Said Gareth while crossing his arms.
Zag walks with Tsubaki back to her shop as the half dwarf unlocks it and went in with the man.
"man, I can't remember the last time I repaired your weapons." Said Tsubaki as she went in her shop as she lighted the place up with magic crystal lamps.
Zag went in as he squatted down to enter because of his armor's large size that isn't small for Tsubaki's shop own small door.
Entering the shop, there many weapons ranging from swords, spears, axes, and armor of many varieties in display, some were still in works while some were finished while having the brand of the Hephaestus Familia.
"put them there." Tsubaki told Zag while placing down her backpack near her forge and then placed to the metal table nearby. "I'll get right to it with giving those bad boys their needed maintenances."
"got it." Said Zag as he grabs his broad sword on his back and takes it off before placing it on the table where Tsubaki also placed his gun weapons that she brought on her backpack.
"what about your armor?" Tsubaki asked while taking off her shirt to reveal herself only wearing a Sarashi that covers her chest, the half dwarf taking a magic crystal encrusted hammer and taps it on her right shoulder a few times "Does it need some fixing up to do? Like that broken part on the helmet's right eye?"
"yeah, but I like this one scar to stay." Zag replied as he placed a hand near the broken right eye piece of his helmet. A glowing red eye appeared in the broken part as it appeared there for a few seconds before disappearing "serves as a good reminder of the past."
Tsubaki looks at Zag before she closed her eye and sighs with a smile. She went to him and taps her hammer on his armor one time.
"I don't know what happened to you when you left years back. But I can tell that you have your reason. I won't pry into it." Tsubaki told Zag who sighs a bit before nodding in gratitude.
Tsubaki smiled as Zag placed both hands on his helmet and takes it off to reveal a young man's face who has a long reddish white hair that reaches to his back neck. The man's face is covered in a tight mouth half mask and an eyepatch that covers the right eye which has scars running across it while his left red eye has a few small scars around it, his ears were also a bit pointed indicating him to be a half elf.
"wow, you still look as mysterious as you used to be." Said Tsubaki with a slight blush on her cheeks. "can't believe that you're still young looking in comparison with the Elves' age. Well, you changed your hair color and all"
"like hell I did nor am I happy with that." Zag replied with a chuckle under his mouth mask while giving his helmet to Tsubaki who holds it. "I got the bills for their repairs covered, and I am taking it easy for a while. Won't be needing to use them for who knows when."
"doing your babysitting job, right?" Tsubaki asked to Zag who nodded.
"something like that." Zag replied before taking off the rest of his armor by pressing down the golden skeleton head on the chest part of his suit as this a sizzling sound come out of his armor's gaps and the back part of it opened for the man to come out.
Zag now reveals that he is wearing a pair of black jacket and black ripped jeans with skeletal mark design all over it, his clothes also exposed his ripped abs and pecs. The man also wears fingerless gloves on his artificial metal hands while looking a bit tall nearly 6-7 feet.
"it's been a long time since I got out of it." Said Zag as he rolled his shoulders around and then cracks his neck to the side a few times, making the bones pop loudly. "damn, I feel stiff."
"considering you wore this thing for years without taking it off?" Tsubaki told Zag while checking his armor and is still blushing from the sight of Zag's hard ribbed abs. "I don't find that surprising."
"yeah, I guess so" Zag replied as he rolled his head around a few times while heading straight for the bathroom. "I'll come by and check on ya. Never liked letting my contracted blacksmiths do so much hard work, especially if they're woman."
"very funny" Tsubaki stated as Zag walks towards the front door of her shop while waving a hand in goodbye. "see ya later! Zag-kichi! I'll have this fixed up before Hephaestus-sama finished it up!"
"I got it. see ya, Tsuba-kii" Zag replied as he exited the shop and left Tsubaki who has a hungry look for some reason.
'damn! If Freyja is the goddess of beauty. He's the god of being mysteriously smoking hot!' Tsubaki thought while fanning herself as Zag looks extremely handsome for someone who has scars on his face.
Time passes, Zag is walking down the street of Orario while getting several eyes from women who he passes by.
"man, lots of places have changed in the last 10 year." Zag muttered out while rubbing the back of his neck a few times as he walks across a couple of stores selling variety of items. The man getting attention of the women as they look at him with blushing faces. "some good places are gone and replaced with new ones. I miss the old store that sells meat skewers, the owner must've passed on. He was at least 80 back then."
Zag sighs before he sees a little girl trying to sell roses to passing by people and he could tell that she needed to earn money for a reason.
"Orario still has somethings that never changes, huh?" said Zag in a small sad voice before he went straight to the little girl.
Zag started talking to the little girl as she started to cry before getting several head pats by the man who smiles softly to her under his mask.
giving her a pouch filled with Valis, and receiving all the roses that she had, Zag then leaves while waving a hand in goodbye to the young girl who waved back while thanking him for buying her roses.
Zag started walking away before he stops when he slowly turned his head and sees that the little girl was instantly gone. Normally, anyone would think that she had run back to her home and left. But not for this case.
"adventurers can come in all sorts of personality, shapes, and sizes, huh?" Zag muttered out before he turns and went straight to a nearby alley.
The man disappeared into the alley for a few minutes before he came back with the little girl who seems a bit scared and is crying.
"go home, alright? And be safe" Zag told the little girl who nodded while hugging the pouch of Valis that she received from the man earlier.
Zag watches the little girl run home before he turns his head slightly to glance in the alley where there were three adult men who were beaten up and are dumped into trash barrels.
"Orario needs its order back." Zag muttered out before he went off with his bouquet of roses in his hand.
Turning our attention to the Loki Familia's home, the Twilight Manor. The place was calm and quiet when a loud shocked scream from the goddess of mischief, Loki came about.
"Zagreus?! That Zagreus Kaiser?! That Zag-tan!? He came back to Orario?!" Loki screamed out as she had drips of wine coming out of her jaw dropped mouth and was looking at Finn, and Gareth; both being victims of their goddess loud outburst and spitted wine that covers their whole body. "since when?!"
"I believe today" Gareth replied while taking out a napkin and wipes off the spitted wine on his face. "he bust through 17 floors of the dungeon before we meet him killing the Goliath for us. At first I thought it was someone else but the skeleton design on his armor's helmet makes it clear that it was him and only him."
"well then!" Loki exclaimed while getting up from her seat. "let's go and get him~!"
"better not." Finn stated. "he sounded tired and we all know how cranky he gets when he's tired."
"hmmm….true.." Loki muttered out before she snapped her fingers and then grins. "let's take Riveria with us! Get the two back together like good old times!"
"if it was that easy." Gareth replied while sighing. "she's been rather distance ever since she saw him come back from the dungeon with Tsubaki and the others. that Elf went back to her old stuck up stubborn princess self and not her good old self."
"where is she now?" Loki asked while looking curious.
"at the garden." Finn replied. "she might be having a whole mixed-up feeling after his return."
"really? I thought she went to visit him at his old place?" Loki asked while looking surprised and confused.
We turn our attention to the Twilight Manor's garden as it was night, so the only source of light was the moon's glow in the sky and some lighting from magic crystal lamps near the garden.
Riveria sat upon a stone bench as she wore her night clothes which is a simple greenish white nightgown that has some frills at the end, she also adorned a thin brown coat around her shoulders. The high elf sat there alone as she holds a cup of tea in hand while another cup of tea is placed beside her.
'sorry….we have to go.' Zag's voice came hearing into Riveria's mind as she had a flashback of the man wearing his armor while accompanied by three other armored figures, all wielding large deadly weapons in their hands. 'I promise that I'll be back. I promise you, Riveria.'
"you left and never returned for 15 years…." Riveria muttered out before frowning. "stupid."
"Riveria?" Aiz's voice came about as Riveria turns to see the sword princess, wearing her night clothes on and looking at the high elf. "what are you doing here?"
"ah…Aiz…" Riveria muttered out in reply before she placed her cup of tea beside the other one and stood up. "nothing, I was just enjoying the night."
Aiz looks at Riveria as she blinked her eyes twice.
"Riveria….why does your eyes look sad and happy?" Aiz asked as Riveria blinked her eyes before looking down. "Riveria?"
"let's just say…" Riveria spoke out in a soft voice. "an old friend of mine came back after being gone for years."
"could it be….that armored man?" Aiz asked as Riveria slowly nodded and made the sword princess look confused. "but why would you feel sad if your old friend came back?"
"it's..complicated to explain to you, Aiz." Riveria replied while having a small smile. "come on, it's time for you to go to bed. We have some plans for tomorrow."
"alright" Aiz replied while nodding. "good night, Riveria."
"good night, Aiz" Riveria responded as she watches Aiz leave the area before she sat back down on the bench and sighs a bit.
Riveria stayed in her place for a few seconds before she looks at her two cups of tea as she made one for herself but she somehow made another one out of an old habit she has.
"I can't believe I made two because of thinking he would come." Riveria muttered out as she sighs and takes her cup of tea, she drinks it all and was about to do the same to the other one when it had just disappeared the moment; she took her eyes away from it. "eh?"
"a bit cold, but still taste nice." A voice spoke as Riveria quickly turns and her eyes widen to see Zag sitting beside her. The man having the cup of tea that was set aside as he finished drinking it while still wearing his half mask on. "long time no see, Riveria. Although we met at the dungeon's entrance a few hours back."
"Zagreus….you…" Riveria muttered out as Zag took a glance at her and smiled underneath his mask.
"sorry if I barged in unexpected, I was hoping to have some of your nice tea after not having it so long." Zag told the high elf before he sighs and gaze at the sky. "good taste that gives calm to anyone's mind."
Zag then handed her the bouquet of roses as Riveria holds it and then looks at the man before she sighs with a smile and then shakes her head.
"you always like to do things on your own." Riveria stated in a soft voice as Zag chuckles in response.
"I still do." Zag replied while chuckling before he smiled underneath his mask. "I missed you, Riveria."
"I missed you too, Zagreus." Riveria spoke out in a soft voice before Zag grabs her by the waist and pulls her close to him.
Both lean close to one another while gazing deeply into each other's eyes as Riveria leans close and hugs him.
we turn our attention to the second floor's hallway where there is Loki coming out with Finn and Gareth. The three had a long discussion and have decided to continue on the next day.
"man, I'm pooped!" Loki stated before she yawned. "I'm hitting the hay!"
"we should go and visit Zag tomorrow." Said Gareth. "we get a better knowledge of why he came back and why now."
"true." Finn replied while nodding as the three heads to the nearby balcony where they soon caught sight of something that would be engraved into their heads forever.
Zag is holding Riveria close as the man holds her by the waist with his arms just protectively holding her. Some tears were shed from the high elf as both pulled away from each other.
"you are still as beautiful as I remembered 15 years ago." Said Zagreus while closing his mouth with his mask and smiled underneath it.
Riveria smiled back before she pulled him back into a hug while leaning her face close to his chest. Zag holds her close as he patted her back a couple of times.
"awww~~~" a screaming squeal was soon heard as Riveria quickly pulled away from the hug and looks at the second floor balcony with a red face where she spotted Finn, Gareth, and Loki just looking at the two with teasing grins.
"L-LOKI!? F-FINN A-A-AND GARETH!?" Riveria stammered out in shock.
"don't mind us~! Don't mind us~! Just go back to your usual lovey dovey atmosphere~!" Loki teases out with a happy smile before she waved a hand around. "by the way! long time no see, Zag-tan~!"
"yo, Lo-tan." Zag replied with a chuckle before looking to Riveria who was covering her reddened face. "still embarrassed?"
Riveria didn't reply as she just buried her face to his chest as Zag chuckles while holding her.
"aw~! You two are so adorable~!" Loki squealed out.
"looks like I lost to myself on my own bet." Said Finn as Gareth chuckled in response.
"me too." Gareth added with a grin. "I thought it might take her a month to just get over with it. But I guess Zag didn't like waiting."
"how about we all just settle in for the night?" Zag asked out loud. "better for an explanation in the next morning when we are all not embarrassed too much from teasing."
"aw~! You two must miss so much that you two just need a bed, huh~?" Loki teases out as Riveria's face started to burn up while being covered by Zag. "ok~! Ok~! But I want a full detail on what you've been doing for 15 years and on bed~!"
"GO AWAY!" Riveria screamed out while glaring right at Loki who was already walking away with a laugh.
"lalalalalala~! All sing along~!" Loki sang out before laughing. "sleep in Riveria's room like the old times, alright!?"
Zag chuckles as Riveria's face is just all red after what Loki said.
"it's great to see some things that haven't changed." Said Zag as he leans close and gave a masked peck to Riveria's cheeks.
In the next day, nearly all the top members of the Loki Familia gathered around in Finn's office where they meet Zag who is snoring while leaning his head against the couch.
"hey, Finn. The heck you called us to meet some snoring bastard?" said Bete with an annoyed growl.
"you'd be wise to be polite, Bete." Riveria stated to the werewolf with a serious voice. "I am not allowing you to badmouth him."
"the heck your problem, old hag." Bete growls out.
"who is this guy?" Tiona asked while leaning on the couch with Tione standing beside her.
"he's been sleeping and just snoring." Tione added
"Zagreus Kaiser, an old friend I might say." Finn stated while having a small smile.
"Zagreus Kaiser?" Aiz muttered out before she cups her chin. "I don't think I ever heard of an adventurer with such a name before."
"not surprising since he left nearly 15 years ago." Said Gareth as he crosses his arms. "and Zag's more known by the other country than in Orario."
"just how long is this guy planning on sleeping?" Bete stated with a sneer. "his snores are damn loud!"
"maybe with a good morning kiss from Riveria, he might wake up~!" Loki stated with a teasing grin to Riveria who blushes furiously at the goddess.
"or you could just say…" said Finn before he coughs into a fist once then took a deep breath then shouted. "ZAGREUS! THERE IS A GIANT STEAK!"
"GIANT STEAK!?" Zag instantly wakes up as he stood up from the couch looks around before looking straight at the group with a hungry look. "where's the giant steak!?"
Bete, Tione, and Tiona fell anime style while Aiz looks confused. Riveria sighs while facepalming and Gareth laughs with Loki.
"sorry, the giant steak doesn't exist." Said Finn with a chuckle.
After a while, Zag sat down as he is awake enough to talk for the little meeting they are having.
"the name is Zag, full name is Zagreus Kaiser. Former only member of the Hades Familia." Zag stated before doing a quick hand wave. "nice to meet ya."
"Hades Familia?" Tiona spoke out before she started thinking. "was there a Familia like that in Orario?"
"the Hades Familia was dissolved nearly 40 years ago." Loki stated as she came and gave Zag a glass filled with wine. "Zag-tan here was its only member and he was one heck of an adventurer."
"even if his Familia is dissolved, we should've known his name and all from the records, right?" Tione asked before crossing her arms. "we have never even heard of his name or even his Familia's name at all."
"Zagreus here is someone who has been away from Orario for 15 years." Said Riveria in further explaining Zag's identity. "his records were kept a secret by the Guild and is only known by a few individuals in the city."
"like you guys?" said Bete while eyeing Riveria, Finn, Gareth, and Loki. "you four look awfully chummy with this guy. Especially the old hag."
"hey, kid. You better not be saying old hag on Riveria, alright?" said Zag with a smile before his face darkens and he sends a deadly one eye stare at the werewolf. "or you'll regret it."
Everyone felt a shiver run up their spine as Zag's words were deadly serious.
"now now." Said Loki while easing things up. "Zag-tan here is someone who helped the Loki Familia in the past in reaching what it became now. You could say he was a good benefactor and a great friend."
"I still am." Said Zag as he reaches into his jacket and takes out a small purple pouch sack that he throws to Finn who caught it. "I got plenty, those are the leftovers."
"more like not left overs." Said Finn as he tilts the pouch a bit and some magic crystals came out to his table more and more. "just what you do in your time away?"
"going here and there." Zag replied while leaning against the couch as he rolled his shoulders around then cracked the bones of his neck a few times, making them pop. "searching for that blasted monster."
"searching for a monster?" Aiz muttered out with a curious voice.
"Zagreus, what about Melinoe?" Riveria stated with a slight frown. "or Makaria or Ploutos? If you are the only one to return, does that mean…"
"they're not dead if that is what you are thinking." Said Zagreus while crossing his arms. "if they died, I would've joined them."
"i-I see…" Riveria muttered out before sighing a bit in relief.
"then? Where are they?" Gareth asked before everyone hears a loud thunder roar that echoed for a whole minute.
"that would be them coming." Zag replied as he finished his glass of wine then stands up from the couch. "I'd better come and show myself or they might go to the dungeon to find me."
Another loud thunder soon rang out as it sounded even louder than the last one
At the front gate of Orario, Ganesha and his Familia members look in shock as they see a large thunderstorm with several twisters approaching the city as it was massive.
"what in the name of Ganesha is that?!" Ganesha uttered out as he saw just how much lightning flashes and thunder roaring out. "a truly catastrophic disaster!"
"Ganesha-sama!" a member of the God of Masses' Familia called out while looking scared. "that storm is heading straight for Orario! How do we stop it!?"
"there is no other choice than for me to use my Arcanum!" Ganesha stated as he clenched his fists hard. "but I must have permission to use it!"
"man, they like to make dramatic entrances." A voice spoke out as Ganesha and his Familia turns to see Zag coming out of the gates of Orario while followed by Loki and her Familia. "but since we're siblings and all, I don't find it surprising."
"you…Zagreus!?" Ganesha spoke out from seeing Zag before to Loki and her Familia. "Loki! Why is he!?"
"explanations can wait, Ganesha." Loki told the God of Masses before watching the coming storm that was nearly upon them. "right now, we are going to meet some old friends."
Ganesha looks upon the coming storm as he saw flashes of lightning that illuminated three figures within the dark clouds and the twisters.
"c-could they be!?" Ganesha uttered out with a surprised voice.
The hurricanes disappeared and, in their disappearance three armored figures appears hovering in the sky.
"took you guys long enough!" Zag hollered out as the three armored figures slowly flies down and landed upon the ground in front of the group.
"shut up, Zagreus." Said one armored figure as this one sounded male. The armor is red and dark gray in color that has a spiked design with the helmet's face featuring a mouth grill and yellow eyes. "unlike your route, our routes have a lot of places to cover."
"it took us 2 days to regroup and another 2 days to get to Orario even at our top speed." The other armored figure whose design seems female and sounded like a woman added in while crossing her arms. This one has a black, red, and gold armor that possesses wings and a pair of antennas on the head while having sharp bladed edges on the forearm area and the chest area giving it a similar vibe to Zagreus' armor. "you could've waited for us before coming to Orario."
"sorry, sorry. Things happened and I had to get back faster than you three." Zag stated while holding his hands up then shrugs his shoulders "I would've waited on you guys but I got a promise to keep after all."
"what is with that kind of excuse?" the last of the three armored figure as this one was female too. The armor was just full greyish silver with the helmet being red on the top while the face guard was grey, and a sheathed sword attached to the right waist area. "knowing you, Zagreus. It must've been with a woman, right?"
"it is, but I didn't cheat if that is what you think." Said Zagreus before sighing. "geez, you three are damn slow."
"we would've been faster if someone didn't decide to left us hanging!" the red armored figure shouted out while pointing a finger at Zag' face. "you just called us to gather and just went to go first! We stayed at the meeting point for a week before we went to Orario, god damnit!"
"wouldn't it be obvious after two days I didn't show up?" Zag asked with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, I'm not the type to wait around after a day, right?"
"he has a point, Ploutos." The black armored warrior stated as the red armored one let out a frustrated growl.
"you were supposed to be on my side, Melinoe!" the red armored figure shouted at the black one before looking at Zag who sighs. "you were always like this in the past! Going on ahead without giving others some response!"
"Melinoe-nee, just stop them, will ya?" the greyish silver armored figure told the Black one. "I'm tired after the whole night travelling, I don't want to bother with this so early in the morning."
"Makaria, you were sleeping the whole ride." The black one stated while face palming. "ugh. I hate being the oldest one."
The four chattered around while Loki and the others stood behind with rather deadpanned and awkward faces.
"they still haven't changed, huh?" said Finn with an awkward smile while sweatdropping behind his head.
"even after 15 years being away and all." Gareth added.
"Riveria." Aiz went to the high elf. "who are those three?"
"ah, right.." said Riveria as she looks at Aiz before to Zag and the three armored figures. "those three are Ploutos, Melinoe, and Makaria. They're Zagreus' siblings."
"siblings!?" Tione and Tiona stated in surprise.
Hearing the amazons' outburst, Zag and the three turns to look at them.
"what?" Zag and the others said in unison.
That's a wrap!
I'll be changing the name from Zag to Zagreus in the next future chapters.
Bye bye