The ground in the cave shook lightly from time to time for three hours before it stopped.
The adventurers didn´t saw what caused it, the apocalyptic battle between two Floor bosses and their underlings of monsters.
As the queen of the skies, Quetzalcoatl challenged the other boss, hundreds and hundreds of lizardmen answered her call and strove towards the blood temple. Her challenge was answered by a gargantuan snake with two tail tips, he was the king of the earth. Even more of his underlings came to defend their territory, they looked similar to lizardmen, but instead of legs, they had the lower body of a snake. The two giant hordes of monsters ran into each other and the slaughter began,
only the strongest would survive, that was how the dungeon wanted it to be. The ground around the blood temple got covered with dropp items while the battle went on, but unlike the arena on the 37th Floor, the items didn´t remained there. Whenever one side one the battle, they would return to their territory, using the bone skulls and plates that dropped there as an armor. The monsters would respawn, the cycle starting anew.
What made this battle so fearsome, they weren´t mindless hords...those were monster armies. The strongest surviving monsters after a battle would become leaders, all bound to the will of their Floor boss...their god beast.
These leader monsters were capable of using tactics...and formations. This was how the core levels were...each Floor was far more dangerous than the upper one. Only one Floor looked like this jungle, all of Orario wouldn´t stand a chance against the whole Floor at once...and yet this Floor wouldn´t stand a chance against the one below it. The only possibility for clearing that Floor would be to wait for the end of the battle and then attack the one remaining Floor boss. But that would mean beeing near the battle and probably watch it, high level adventurers were strong in body and mind...but a battle with over two thousand monsters against each other while two titan class monsters fought each other...that would overwhelm most of them. The scale of this battle was immense and too much for the minds of the most people.
This was the "Deep Jungle"...
And thankfully...the expedition didn´t saw any of these apocalyptic battles for now.
They safely returned to the save point after the first steps into this green hell. .
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"Thank you, Ms. Tsubaki..." Lefiya had covered her body with her blanket.
"No problem, it will only take a short while, but you have to fix it on the surface."
Tsubaki sat crosslegged on the ground and stitched Lefiya´s skirt, that Bell was forced to rip apart.
He has saved me again...
She looked with red cheeks over her shoulder. Bell sat together with the biggest part of the expedition and they discussed what they had seen, and what their next steps were. Tsubaki had fixed Riveria´s robe that Ais had ripped first, Lefiya had demanded it. Riveria was a high elf and a princess after all, Lefiya wouldn´t allow that she looked inappropriate. Due to Ais´ and Bell´s fast reaction they had prevented the worst.
"Hm? Looking after the guy you like?" Tsubaki grinned.
"Eh? N-N-No i-it isn´t like that..."
But Lefiya felt uneasy, Bell had touched her body a few times by now, seen her naked once...if that would happen again she would have to marry him...her honor as an elf demanded it.
Haaaa... She sighed.
"But Ms. Tsubaki...are you feeling well?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, don´t worry I have a thick skull."
While she watched how Tsubaki worked, Lefiya rubbed her thigh where Bell had pressed his lips on, the wound was closed but itchy.
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"So Bell Cranel, you know this monster?" The eyes of the Loki Familia were all on Bell.
"I wouldn´t say know, but I read about such a being in the past. In one of the books of my grandfather there was a story of old, in a land far to the west where jungles are normal, there were heroes who protected their people against one of those.
It´s name was "Quetzalcoatl", and it was a giant winged serpent, with feathers on the body and a beak."
"Oh I read that too, it looked so beautiful in the picture...man to see one alive..." Tiona smiled happily.
"And what informations do you have about it? We can't be sure that they apply to it, but it will be a start."
"It was called "Queen of the sky" and somehow were connected to the sun."
"The sun?" Finn raised an eyebrow.
"She would sleep on mountains and bath in the sun, apparently the sun gave her power."
Riveria frowned. "Maybe it strenghtened it´s body...or magic."
"Is something like that possible?"
"We elves can do that with special forms of light, moonlight for an example."
"That would explain why it was on that high temple...excuse me Bell Cranel, please continue."
"There weren´t much details about the fights, the story said she could spit sun fire."
"Sun..fire?"
"It had a bright yellow color..."It´s fiery breath was like the wrath of the sun itself."..thats what the book said."
They nodded as Bell continued.
"And something about light magic with her wings."
"Did you say...magic?"
"That was what the story said."
The Loki Familia looked uneasy, it wouldn´t be the first monster they encountered that was able to use magic. Finn looked from one to the other...all knew about a certain incident in Orario.
"Let´s talk openly...if it could use magic...was it able to speak?"
"Hmmm...the story didn´t said anything...only mentioned a resistance to fire...and weakness to the cold."
Now they looked even more interested. "Cold?"
"Yes, whenever it got really cold, like the winter, the queen wouldn´t attack...or her court."
"Her court?"
"She was always accompanied by smaler winged serpents, called "Quetzalcoatelus"...maybe her offspring?"
Pff...a monster ! Bete sighed.
Finn turned his face into another direction. "Tiona, do you have any other informations?"
"Nope. Argo knows even more than I do."
"Maybe we can use some of this knowledge on the Floor, I would like to test something tomorrow...Riveria?"
"Lefiya and I will be ready, I have a guess what you are planning."
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Finn had decided to go to the Floor again on the next day, but for the remaining day they discussed about the monsters they fought, things they had noticed and so on. Until late evening Riveria and Lefiya were busy taking notes and copying them.
"Mmmmh...my shoulders..." Lefiya groaned and tried to ease the pain in her stiff shoulders.
Riveria didn´t looked any better, but she was more experienced in hiding that.
Bell placed two steaming mugs with tea in front of them. "For you."
"Ah, thank you Bell."
"Thank you, Bell Cranel."
"You two have it hard."
"That is our job."
"Ahm..."
"Yes?" Riveria looked up.
He looked a bit embarrassed. "I know...elves don´t really like it to get touched...but if you want...I could give you a shoulder massage, my goddess and Familia members...and my wife...always tell me how much they help.
Hm, I guess Lyon needs a lot of massages these days, her back have to hurt a ! Still Riveria frowned.
"Ahm...I would gladly...accept..." Lefiya blushed.
Carefully, Bell knelt down behind Lefiya, put his hands on her shoulders, the thumbs on her back and slowly started to rub them. Quickly and with much experience he found the stiff parts and circled his thumbs there while adding pressure.
"Hmmm..." Lefiya shivered comfortably.
When Bell was finished with her shoulders, he gently took her hands and massaged them and the wrists too, all in all he needed twenty minutes to make Lefiya feel refreshed again.
His eyes wandered to Riveria.
For a while she was in thoughts, then she smiled lightly. "Well then Bell Cranel, I will try it. But be careful."
"Of course."
Riveria´s reaction was pretty much the same as Lefiya´s, but the younger elf´s eyes widened as she saw Riveria shivering lightly under Bell´s hands, never before had a man touched her mentor this way.
Riveria was only okay with it because, in her eyes he was what is called completely harmless.
He is really good in dealing with elves...
"Hey, hey Argo, my shoulders also feel stiff!"
"From what? What on your body could give you stiff shoulders hm?" Tione crossed her arms under her chest with a smug grin.
"Shut up!"
"I will give you one too, Ms. Tiona."
"Thaaaaanks!" She grinned.
"Ahm...Bell..."
Ais fidgeted lightly, blushing.
"You too?"
"Mhm...my shoulders...and back..."
She got the most intense massage, on shoulders, back, legs, arms and neck.
Riveria sighed, then smiled slightly. If he wasn´t married to Lyon and were a bit different, Bell Cranel would probably having a harem by !
In her home, for an elf something like that would be unthinkable of. But he wasn´t like that so the thought was nothing to begin with.
I´m just happy that he and Ais are such good friends..
Deep in her mind, Riveria would have loved to see how the two would have acted as a couple. But Ais was happy with her relationship with Bell, and that was enough for Riveria.
For a moment she watched Bell massaging the sighing Tiona. "Okay Lefiya, back to work."
"Yes!"
It was a long evening for Bell, he even had to give Gareth a back massage, and he had to use all of his strength for that.
In a lone corner, Bete was lying on his back and played with a small pendant. It was a crystal with a few strains of hair enclosed in it. Yes...Bete Loga had changed over time.
Lena...
Finn watched the scene and sighed. Bell Cranel is good for our girls.
The Loki Familia had fought grim and dark battles, had losses and wounded people...but for a while now, nothing too bad had happened.
He looked up as Tione walked to him. "Captain.."
The strong, proud amazoness looked extremely weak and cute right now, holding her blanket and travel pillow in her hands.
Finn smiled. "Come."
Blushing like a pure maiden in love, Tione put her small pillow on a rock behind Finn, sat down next to him and covered them in her blanket. Since the Expedition was alone, that was okay.
Finn leaned his head on Tione´s shoulder, she her head on his and slowly, both dozed off, while Bell massaged Ais´ bare shoulders and back.
Bete and the supporter were the first guards.
The first day on the new Floor went by good.
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""Harbringer of the end, the white snow.""
Lefiya and Riveria stood side by side while they started their chant. A ring of light was already around Lefiya´s left wrist, preparing her double cannon skill. The expedition had set out again into the jungle, this time prepared for the first encounter. Again three bulky lizardmen charged onto them, the fight was many times easier than the first one.
The first lizardmen was defeated as it opened it´s maw to spit out poison, waiting for this very moment on Finn´s comand, Lefiya had hold her Arcs Ray for this moment. Shooting it out faster than the monster could react, she atomized it´s head. Shortly blinded by the bright light, Ais had jumped up and thrusted her sword through the eye of the second on, dissolving it to ash. Bell was able to do the same thing with Fairy´s Dawn. Gareth was the only one that didn´t took part in the first fight of the day, standing guard with his shield and watching the jungle in case the assassin creature from the day before would attack again.
""Blow with the wind before the twillight.""
Right now the expedition held a huge wave of lizardmen back, one of the bulky ones and some smaller. Where "small" was a relative term, each of them was around two meters tall and extremely muscular, they just looked small compared to the bulky one.
They looked a bit similar to Lyd but had a light blue scale color, and from the back of their heads grew a horn plate, if they lowered down and leaned their heads back, this plate would protect the back of their necks. All of the Lizardmen used shields that looked like they were made of bone and or scales, also clubs or spears, all of it natural weapons from the dungeon. They noticed right away, these monsters worked together...the club bearer stood at the front, the spear users behind them.
The expedition moved into the direction of one of the smaller pyramids, trying to explore as much as possible. Finn wanted to see if the information from Bell was true.
""Closing light, the freezing land.""
While he fought against a tall lizardmen, Bell just had to admire how beautiful the singing voices of elves were...but Ryuu had the most beautiful of them all...and she was the most beautiful of them all.
Ryuu!
The thought about her gave Bell strength. Each of the lizardmen were strong enough to give a level five adventurer a very hard time, and even a level six would had problems. But...alone they stood no chance against Bell. He had defeated three already...with many more coming from the back forward.
""Blizzard, the three severe winters - my name is Alf!""
Riveria and Lefiya chanted louder to the end.
"Everyone...fall back!" Finn shouted loudly.
Immediately everyone jumped back, the lizardmen that had no experience in fighting adventurers charged after them, roaring. Bell was amazed when he heard for the first time, that Lefiya could use magic spells of others, he had praised her for that until her face and ears were as red as a tomato and she was squealing.
""Wynn Fimbulvetr!""
It was beautiful and murderous at the same time, a bright light shone and a huge wave of magic washed forward. The temperature dropped over fifty degrees, the adventurers were prepared for the wave of ice, the monsters weren´t. Plants, monsters and the ground alike froze solid due to the magic, nothing escaped.
And it was extremely effective, the ice damaged the lizardmen a bit...but the other effect surprised them more, they completely stopped. Being high level monsters they should be slowed down but able to move a bit, like that they discovered that ice was their greatest weakness.
"Forward!"
The expedition charged the motionless monsters and slew each with one strike to a weakspot. It was their first big fight on this Floor, before they had a smaller fight with the new lizardmen, soon adjusting to their strengths.
Even in the fights, at least one member of the expedition would have an eye on their surroundings or the sky. From time to time, the giant Quetzalcoatl flew along the sky, circled around the big temples and continued. One time they stopped and hid among the trees as she flew right over them, even if she was hundreds of meters above.
Unnoticed by them, the Quetzalcoatl noticed them, but she didn´t even bothered in dealing with them. Since she was a highly intelligent monster, who was even aware of herself, it was just too boring to do it herself, so she sent some minions.
In total the expedition stayed five days on this Floor before preparing to return to the surface, they received many informations, a few dropp items but now their supplements were running low.
"Man that was something, hey Argo do you remember that giant lizard champion with the halberd and armor? Man that was a fight between you two." Tiona grinned while she packed up her things.
"Yeah I remember very well..."
Bell had a few bruises from this fight, that commander was stronger than a level six adventurer, thankfully it was the only one they had encountered. The mood in the expedition was good, they had fought safely the whole time and no one got hurt badly. On the last day they finally managed to clear the first small temple they had found, it was only about ten meters high with the commander lizardman in the main chamber.
With that they had cleared...about one percent of the Floor.
And Bell was well liked by the party, especially the women. After the first evening, they had demanded shoulder and back massages every evening, even Tsubaki had joined in. The only exception was Tione, no man except Finn was allowed to touch her body. But the last woman Bell touched every night...indirectly holding her hand...was Ryuu through his sword.
Nothing bad had happened...so far.
The women had stepped into the smaller room with the hot spring to change into their travel clothes, the men changed in the other room.
"So everyone, we will now enter the icy hell again, be prepared for feeling unwell after that heat. Stay close together and be wary, move out!"
Finn and Bete took the front, Bell and Ais took the rear guard this time. Since they were moving upwards now, the stronger monsters would be behind them, not in front.
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"Proud warrior, snipers of the forest.
Take up your bows before the advancing plunderers.
Answer the call of your brethren and ready your arrows.
Tinge them with flame, the lamplight of the forest.
Release them, the fire arrows of the fairies. Falling like rain, burn away the savages...
Fusillade Fallarica!"
The expedition was swarmed by monsters from all sides, as soon as they had left the snow storm of the icy hell, wave after wave came from behind and the sides. For the third time now, Lefiya bombarded them with magic, thinning their ranks.
"The flame will soon be released."
Riveria was next to her, singing her chant while Bell and Ais protected the two. An enormous wave rushed in from the front, werewolf like creatures with white fur led the charge, Bete especially hated these. Other wolf creatures, huge snow spiders and even three mammothons closed in. The dungeon didn´t want to let them go.
"Creeping war, unavoidable destruction. The horn of battle sounds aloud, the cruelty of conflict will envelop all."
Bell blocked the leg attack of a snow spider with his sword, stabbing between the eyes with his Knife. The next spider was destroyed with a quick use of his firebolt. He and Ais had to change their way of fighting, since so many monsters came, they couldn´t evade or they would swarm the two elves behind them.
"Come, crimson flames, the ruthless inferno. You are the avatar of hellfire."
Still he found it amazing how calm they continued their chant, in the past Lefiya would have panicked and broke her chant, but now she was a level five adventurer and probably one of the five strongest mages in the city. Tiona and Tione hacked and whirled through the monsters on the left flank, Gareth and Tsubaki on the right, the supporer behind Bete and Finn.
They had to keep moving continuously, if they would stay still, the monsters would overwhelm them.
"Sweep completely, bring a close to the great war. Burn them through, Sword of Surtr - my name is Alf!"
Magical ciruit lines of red energy emerged from Riveria´s feet into all directions except for her back. Lefiya gave a specific signal and everyone fell back as fast as they could. Before Riveria finished her spell, Lefiya raised her left hand and unleashed the magic that she had on hold with her skill.
"Via Shilheim!"
A barrier of golden light enveloped the expedition behind Riveria, the monsters jumped at the defensless mage...
"REA LAEVATEINN!"
Bell was always amazed to see this, tornados of fire broke out of the magic lines and cremated every monster that was caught in it.
As amazing as it looked, they still had a long way ahead...and more monsters were on their way. The expedition continued their way in the direction of the next Floor.
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Annoyed...
Down in the deep jungle, on top of the highest of all temples, Quetzalcoatl layed there and stared up to the far away ceiling. The small creatures that had invaded her kingdom, given to her by her mother the dungeon, had dared to attack on of the small temples.
Of course the damage was already repaired and the monsters respawned...but they had trempled her kingdom!
Teach lesson...
The giant winged serpent was highly intelligent and aware of her own existence, even rememberring it after dying and respawning due to her mother, it was the dungeons "will". She raised her green colored head and faced the ceiling that only she could see. Not even one of her offsprings was allowed to be up here, not one of them saw the enormous glowing crystal that was her "sun". She started to spread out her wings, turning her body towards the crystal and absorbed the rays of light that fell down. Soon her colorful wings glowed more and more, magic power rose in her.
Her eyes followed the one who had killed her commander even through the thick ceiling, she wasn´t the only monster in the dungeon who could do that...but on a whole other scale.
Absorbing more and more energy, her body shone like she was a sun herself, slowly she opened her beacon, the light gathered in it.
I am the sun!
She wasn´t able to form whole thoughts, nor even understanding them like a human would, but she was able to communicate in her own way. Lizardmen and Quetzalcoatelus below the clouds looked up as their queen lit the clouds from above.
One by one, all of the monsters below started to roar until the whole Floor screamed in unison. With a fierce scream, the Quetzalcoatl unleashed an enormours stream of sun fire in the direction of the ceiling.
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Bell blocked the incoming attack of the snow spider and raised his sword.
"I-"
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Pang!
Suddenly Ryuu let go of her mug, it fell down to the ground and broke.
"Ryuu?!" Astrea rushed over to her.
Ryuu had clutched her hands over her heart and was pale, her eyes widened in horror. "Bell!"
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Wha...t...hap...ppened...
Bell felt numb...something wasn´t right...
His cheek was on the cold ground, slowly he opened his eyes...everyhing was white. Well everything was white before, but now he didn´t see anything beside his body and a bit of the stony ground.
Stony?..
The ground was meant to be ice and snow...
Now it was solid rock ground and white fog everywhere.
Where..am I?
Groaning, Bell pulled himself up from the ground, at first into a sitting position, then kneeling and finally standing up. As far as the eye could see, only fog and stony ground.
Where is everyone?
Somehow his hearing was muffled too, Bell walked carefully a few meters, but the fog didn´t lightened. Slowly he noticed cracks in the ground, carefully he continued his way.
What...happened here...
Bell looked in horror as he arrived at the edge of a hole, measuring around thirty meters in diameter, it led down and down. Something had burned its ways out of the ground...he saw the ground slowly moving, the dungeon already repaired the damage.
Now he rememberred some white light and heat.
Was that...a monster attack?
Slowly his hearing returned, he wasn´t sure from which direction, but he heard fighting sounds...far away.
I am...alone?
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"Hurry! Move, move, move!"
The Loki Familia was horrified, they were about to fight their way through the monsters, when suddenly a stream of fire exploded out of the ground, evaporating the snow into fog immediately in a huge area. The explosion had whirled them through the air, but thankfully killed the monsters. Most of them weren´t in the immediate area of the attack, so they stayed conscious. Immediately they looked after each other. Tsubaki and the supporter had burns on their bodies, both groaning in pain. Lefiya and Riveria also were hurt but not so bad since they were further away. When they found Ais, many of them screamed. Ais was unconscious and had horrible burns on her back, the frost spirit shirt was burned away. Her skin was red and gangrenous.
"Ais!"
As fast as they could they treated her, but healing a wound like that completely was not possible here.
"WHERE IS BELL?!" Lefiya looked around, agonized.
She had to scream to hear her own voice, blood was dripping from her ear holes.
He was nowhere to be seen, half of the expedition was badly wounded...and to make it worse...
New monsters ran towards them, the dungeon was baring it´s fangs.
"Move!"
"WHAT ABOUT BELL?!"
"LEFIYA! We will die if we stay here!"
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"Kshhhriii!"
A snow spider jumped onto Bell, his reflexes took over, he let himself fall down and split it open with his sword.
I have to move!
Bell didn't know why the expedition had left him behind, but he had a guess. When they had explained to him how a big expedition worked, they told him about situations like this one. First things first, treat and protect the wounded. Soon his experience took over his thoughts.
Theory. Some of the others got hut in whatever happened, the next to me was...Ais!
Ais was strong, but Bell knew he had the higher defence, and ever since the incident with the dragon, Bell´s resistance to fire had risen.
Was she hurt? What about the others? Miss Tsubaki and the supporter!
Bell Cranel was more worried about the others than about himself. He wasn´t angry that they left him behind, because he was absolutely convinced, that they had no other choice.
"Grrrr..."
A snow werewolf came threatening towards Bell.
"Sorry, I have no time for you."
Bell dashed forward, ducked down under the armswing and thrusted the Hestia Knife deep into the monsters chest, turning it to ash.
Time to get out of here.
More monsters came running to the lone adventurer, they wanted him dead.
Yelling out, Bell jumped onto the next monsters, when a shadow fell over him...
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"Ryuu! Please calm down!" Astrea sat next to Ryuu and hold her in her arms.
"*Hic* *Hic* *Hic*" Ryuu sobbed and cried with a shaking body.
"Ryuu...what happened?" Syr knelt in front of Ryuu, looking worried.
She had come to visit her, but had seen from afar that something wasn´t right with Ryuu´s soul orb.
"Bell..." Ryuu whimpered. "Something happened to him...I know it...I feel it..."
From everyone else Syr would just have waved of these words, but she knew that Ryuu´s soul was connected to Bell, so there was a possibility that she felt it when something happened to him.
I´m sure it will be nothing too bad...Loki´s children are with him...
Freya could immediately send out Ottar to search for Bell in the dungeon...if he was in the city. She had send him to fetch something special for her from a region far away.
And no other child of her was strong enough to go so deep into the dungeon alone, and sending them all down together...there were a few reasons why this wasn´t possible.
"Ryuu..." Syr gently hugged her. "I´m sure it was just something while they explored this dungeon...he will come back to you."
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Four days later, the Expedition returned to the surface, bringing their wounded comrades into the guilds hospital...Bell Cranel was not among them.
Many people wanted to go down into the dungeon and search for him...but the level on which he had disappeared made it impossible. The Loki Familia just hadn´t enough level six adventurers to go into the glacier territory right away.
"Everyone listen up." Finn looked grim.
It was his job to play the boo man.
"Reality is, we can´t go down right away. Amid is treating our wounded as far as she can and our Familia is preparing everything we need, but the earliest date we can go is in three days, and without Ais. Amid told me her wounds have to be treated correctly or she might get chronic injuries."
It was hard to accept, but they had no other choice.
As soon as Freya got the information about Bell, she called together her elite children.
"I want you to go into the dungeon and search for Bell Cranel."
Allen looked not so happy. "May I ask why?"
Freya glanced over to him, she was not in the mood to smile sweetly. "Because I ask you to do it."
That was the easy part, next came the hard one.
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The gates of the Twillight Mansion opened, Freya walked through the gate, accompanied by Helun. It was rare that the goddess of beauty and love visited someone in the city.
The one who was surprised the most was Loki.
"Oy Freya, what brings you here?"
"Loki, I need all your notes about the glacier territory."
"What? Why?"
"My children will go down and search for Bell Cranel."
"Huh? Do you want your pet bunny back?"
Freya glared at Loki. "Stop with the supid jokes for once!"
Loki´s eyes widened, it was a first to see Freya like that. "Freya?"
"Some of my children are running a pub you may know, Bell Cranel is married to one of the girls working there and she is expecting his child. I will not allow that the mood their gets ruined by him dying in the dungeon."
"My children will go down there themself in two days."
"Time is of the essence Loki, my children will go right away. So give me these notes."
"Tell me why should I care about him? Or the happiness of your children?" Loki crossed her arms in front of her chest.
It wasn´t like she hated Bell, she just didn´t cared about anyone beside her children.
"Loki..." Freya´s tone became threatening.
"What?..." Loki´s tone also got dangerous.
Helun dared to touch Freya´s arm who glared at her, her child slowly shook her head and looked at Freya pleadingly.
Freya sighed. "Okay, okay...Loki I will say this only one time to you..."
"Yes?..."
"Please..."
Now Loki was really shocked, Freya had never before asked for something and said "please".
"Also...as far as I know, there are a few of your children that are friends of him, don´t you think it will affect them? And think about what Hestia will do to you if her first child gets lost...or the guild."
That adventurers got lost in the dungeon or died was not rare...but her reputation would suffer if he died done there "left behind" by her children. Hephaistos was angry enough since Tsubaki got hurt.
"Okay, okay...but Freya?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you care so much? That isn´t like you."
"Loki." Freya got a queen like expression. "This pub is runned by my children, so it belongs to me, everything and everyone in there belongs to me...so does he in a way. And no one is allowed to take what is mine, not even the dungeon."
A shudder ran down Loki´s spine, that was the Freya she knew.
But luck wasn´t with everyone, Hedin, Hogni, the Gullivers and Allen went to the dungeon, but they didn´t found him. .
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"Ryuu...he is alive, I know that, you know that. He will come back to you, I promise it."
Hestia sat next to the glum Ryuu, who held her sword in hand. Hestia would have felt if Bell had died, and Ryuu felt his heartbeat through the sword, it was racing.
"Bell...come back to me..." Ryuu sobbed again.
Time went by...in the next three or four days...Ryuu would give birth...it could even happen every day.
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"Hah...Hah...hah...*ptui*...Hah..Hah..." Bell leaned heavily panting on a wall.
He had lost how much time went by until he finally had found the way out of the glacier territory. There was a ray of hope for him...but he was down on the 58th Floor.
"Hah...hah...hah...hah..."
Even for him it had been hard to fight his way through that environment, especially since he got lost a few times. Bell couldn´t even count anymore how many monsters he had defeated, or how many times they had hurt him, giving him wounds.
"Hah...Hah...Hah...Hah..."
Bell glanced into the huge room that lay before him...dragons...dragons everywhere.
"Ryuu...I´m...on my way..."
Bell Cranel raised his weapons, parts of his armor were gone and his body suit ripped. But from here on, it would only get easier...and he weaker, even a level seven body had it´s limits. He gritted his teeth and started sprinting, the tactic was to evade as many monsters as possible, running with maximum speed. He couldn´t trigger a monster train, since they stopped following him when he got too far away. As soon as they noticed him, the dragons in the cave flew or ran into his direction.
Argonaut...time to earn that title!
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The first dragon claw sweaped down on him, Bell jumped over it, thrusting Fairy´s Dawn upwards into the skull of the dragon, turning it into ash.
Forward!
The snapping jaws of the next dragon closed right where his head was a second ago, Bell didn´t returned the attack but continued running. The ripped frost spirit cloth waved behind him, smoke was in his eyes, but he didn´t stopped. His Falna got hot...or rather a single point with a certain skill as his desire to break out of the dungeon and get back to his wife rose and rose.
Ryuu! I am coming!
More and more dragons came swarming at him, so many blocked his path that the had no other choice.
After charging for three seconds. "FIREBOLT!"
Even the dragons stood no chance against the white electrical plasma bolt and got evaporated.
"OUT OF MY WAAAAAAAAAAAY!"
A viewer couldn´t say who fought more aggressive, the dragons or the bloodthirsty rabbit. Many more red firedragons with fiercly glowing eyes came over the ground and attacked with their fire breath. Bell knew a story from Lefiya when she once fell down here, Tiona, Bete and Tione jumped after her to save her.
The dragons had used their fire breaths and only Riveria´s protection magic saved them, but they were level five at that time. Again and again the dragons attacked with fire ball´s or breaths. They attacked from the sky, from the ground, with claws, teeth, tails and their whole bodies. They were enough to wipe out whole parties, the strongest monsters before the glacier territory. The absolute kings of the deep levels and...
They didn't even stood the slighest hint of a chance against the Bell Cranel...
"Firebolt! Firebolt! Firebolt! FIIIIIIIREEEEBOOOOOOOLT!"
Every Wyvern that flew towards him but remained in the sky was shot down, sometimes even hitting two at once when they were close enough together.
Out of the cloud of smoke, fire and sparks, Bell Cranel jumped out with a warcry, landing in a flying kick on the head of a fire dragon, ramming it into the ground and breaking it´s neck. A new cloud of dust and ash rose, without stopping, Bell sheathed the Hestia Knife and took his sword in both hands. He started to sprint again, jumped and raised his sword with both hands over his head, slicing the surprised dragon almost in two from head to belly, dissolving it to ash. Every dragon or wyvern that dared to get in his way got slaughtered in the fastest way possible. They simply were in his way...an annoyance.
The ground shook and got cracks, he narrowed his eyes in anger. The dungeon tried it´s best to keep him away from his wife and child.
More cracks came and the ground burst open, a giant red head appeared out of it, followed by a scaly body, a Valgang dragon...a big one. The dragon screamed at Bell, towering at least as big as Bell was when he looked similar to that. He gritted his teeth and started running, the huge dragon was in his way. The dragon opened it´s maw wide, a fiery glow shone in it. Bell let out his loudest warcry so far...and ran right into the fire breath, this one was way stronger than that of the smaller dragons. Bell saw only fire, but he just had to follow the fire to its origin.
A puny flame like that won´t stop me from seeing them!
Bell charged his argonaut skill for the few seconds he ran on two points, his legs and his sword.
"Raaaaah!"
He catapulted himself right into the maw of the dragon, stabbing upwards through the brain and dissolving the body to ash before he reached the neck, and flew past the cloud. As soon as he touched the ground, Bell sprinted forward, his heart raced and pumped blood pure energy through his body.
"Hah...hah...hah..."
Bell´s eyes shone in a bright red, he went on...he had to went on.
A new monsters hacked it´s way through the dungeon...an unstoppable killer rabbit...the dungeon reacted in the only way it was possible of, spawning more monsters.
The unstoppable power hit the immovable object.
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"Hnnngh...aaaah!" Ryuu suddenly stopped as she walked to the couch in the living room and grabbed her belly.
At once Astrea supported her, for the last days she was constantly at Ryuu´s side.
"Ryuu? My little girl!"
Ryuu was panting, slowly she sat down on the couch and put both hands on her belly, sweat gathered on her forehead.
"Oh oh...Hestia!"
The small goddess came running as she heard the panic in Astrea´s voice.
"Y-Yes?"
"It´s starting!"
"W-W-What?! I thought we had at least two more days?"
"The baby probably has other things in mind!"
"Oh eh right, Mikotoooo!"
Already alarmed by Astrea´s yelling, the Familia came running. "Lady Hestia?"
"Go, run! Fetch the midwife!"
"On it!" Mikoto just took enough time to close her shoes before sprinting of, jumping over the fence.
"Hah...hah...ow...hnngh..." Ryuu clenched her teeth. "Bell...hurry..."
She put her hand on the hilt of her sword that leaned on the couch, she felt pounding. Ryuu didn´t even knew how close he was...if he was close...maybe he was still trapped down there.
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"Okay everyone, fast and steady! Hurry! Every minute we need longer, are two he has to stay down here!"
The Loki Familia smashed their way through the deep Floors, already passing the 45th Floor. Returning to the deep Floors so soon after an expedition was dangerous and exhausting, but they all had seen Ryuu Lyon.
Riveria herself had told Ryuu that Bell got lost in the dungeon. The young elf had started to cry, sank down to her knees and had put her hands around her belly.
"Your papa will come...your papa will come..." Ryuu had looked up, tears streaming endless over her face. "Lady Riveria...please...bring him back to us!"
So they were healed as fast as possible, leaving Ais, Tsubaki and the supporter in the hospital before running into the dungeon again. They knew from Loki that the Freya Familia was down and searching for him, but only the gods knew when...if...they would find him.
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"Hah...Hah...Hah..." Bell panted heavily.
Bruises, cuts and more wounds covered his body, he had no armor left on his chest and right arm, even one of his boots was missing. But Bell Cranel kept running, between some battles he had noticed the sudden raise in Ryuu´s and ***** heartbeat, he counted the days and a fear rose in him.
***** is coming! I have to hurry!
So Bell Cranel ran and ran, he had only stopped at the 50th Floor for a short moment to drink some water, but not too much or he would get problems with his digestion. Groaning in pain he walked fast towards the exit to the 49th Floor, the endless wilderness.
Gong...
"Hah...Hah...Hah..."
Gong...
His right foot hurt, running through the dungeon without a boot was painful.
Gong...
Bell limped badly, his muscles burning like hell. His head ached, the wound on his arm throbbing, his fingers clenched stiffly around his weapons ... he was in miserable condition.
Gong...
He sheathed the Hestia Knife, holding Fairy´s Dawn in his right hand while he kept his eyes on the path before him...he knew what would await him as soon as he reached the 49th Floor.
Gong...
Gasping, Bell fought the pain down and sped up, jogging.
Gong...
Light gathered around his sword and all of the runes shone bright.
Gong...
Bell leaned forward, groaned loudly as he started to run again.
Gong...
He wouldn´t stop...not before arriving at the surface...
Gong...
Bell Cranel ran out of the tunnel into the endless wilderness of the 49th Floor, screaming loudly. As always there was an enormous horde of Fomoire´s blocking the way down to the 50th Floor...at least a hundred or more strong.
The goat-like monsters heard the screaming and saw the wounded adventurer running out of the cave, roaring in unison, the horde charged forward.
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Bell had charged his Argonaut skill for two minutes now, he put all of it into his sword and unleashed every magical charge in it remaining. The horde turned to ash and the wave of white fire continued for a while, clearing a path for Bell...and he kept running.
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Sometimes fate and or chance laughed in your face ... and sometimes they spat too.
The Loki Familia noticed the enormous explosion and wave of fire as they entered the 49th Floor from the other side. Someone was fighting there.
"It has to be him!"
Without losing time they kept charging, a second explosion came as they got closer.
"Bell Cranel! BELL CRANEL!"
"BEEEEEEELL!" Lefiya screamed from the top of her lungs.
A third explosion and monster screams filled the air, eventually the Loki Familia saw a single figure fighting against Fomoire...or rather slaughtering them.
"Beeeeeeell!" Lefiya screamed again.
But...
As they came closer...they saw it wasn´t Bell Cranel.
Hedin lifted up his glasses and threw an explosion spell against another group of Fomoire. "Geez, who is screaming there? So unciviliced...oh...the Loki bunch..."
A bit out of breath, the Familia stopped in front of the elf.
"Hildrsleif?"
"Obviously, what are you doing here? Searching for him?"
"Of course!"
"Such an irony...you passed him without noticing him then."
"What?!"
"One of us saw him from afar, we followed him but well...he is fast...and badly wounded."
"As if all the demons of hell were on his heels." A second figure appeared, a dark elf.
"Hogni...you took your time."
The dark elf simply shrugged his shoulders and walked past the Loki Familia, not caring about them. "Doesn´t matter, come, we have a rabbit to catch...or follow. Either way our job will soon be done."
The Loki Familia was both, incredibly releived and worried at the same time. Bell was alive, and running like never before towards the surface.
Riveria frowned. "Lyon is probably about to give birth...that´s why he is running like that."
"Did he felt that?" Lefiya looked confused.
"Maybe...but that doesn´t matter now."
"Everyone, hurry! We have to catch up to him fast, even he has to reach his limit soon!"
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Hah...hah...hah...hah...run...hah...keep...hah...running...
Bell didn´t even felt his arms anymore, just how many times had he raised and lowered his arms? He didn't know anymore.
Ryuu...
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"Hnngh!..Ahn...ow..."
Ryuu stopped every few steps, panting. Astrea and Syr supported her while she slowly walked to the small spring-like bath in the garden, that was surrounded by trees. The elven midwife had told her that the birth was only hours away. If she wanted to or not, Ryuu had to go to the small spring.
"Bell..."
The midwife and her helper already sung with low voices in elvish. It was an old song as well as a chant, it would help Ryuu and her child with the birth, lowering the pain and making sure the baby was safe.
"Ah!"
Ryuu stopped, suddenly water ran down her legs.
"Your water burst..."
The midwife looked at Ryuu´s legs, she only wore a wide dress with a short skirt now. Every Familia member except for the two helping her was forbidden to follow them, especially the men. As soon as they would reach the spring, Astrea also had to go. That was the elven custom.
"Ryuu...stay strong...Bell will be here soon, I´m sure of it." Syr looked at Ryuu worried.
She really hoped Bell would make it in time, but even so...she was fascinated by Ryuu´s soul orb. It pulsated faster and stronger from time to time, calming down and starting anew.
Are these ... labor pains? You poor thing...
Her eyes focused on the smaller soul orb that pulsated strong.
Please wait a bit...your papa will be here soon...I hope so...
When they arrived at the spring, they helped the groaning Ryuu to sit down in the shallow water at the edge. They had prepared a few things here so that Ryuu could sit as comfortably as possible.
"Ryuu...my little angel...I will go now...as soon as Bell arrives we will send him here."
"Y-Yes...thank you...mother." Ryuu looked exhausted, sweat covered her forehead but for now the labor pains had calmed down a bit.
Astrea kissed Ryuu´s hair and walked out of the small forest.
The midwife took off her boots, pulled up her skirt and walked into the shallow water. "Ms. Lyon, I have to take a look now, I know it´s embarassing but please, open your legs."
Ryuu nodded panting, she grabbed both of Syr´s hands, who knelt behind her head, giving her a bit of a lap pillow.
"Ryuu, I´m here, I will keep you company."
Freya gently stroked Ryuu´s hands, the whole scene was just amazing. Seeing a birth like that was a unique experience, even for her.
The elf in front of Ryuu lowered her head and looked under Ryuu´s skirt.
"Four hours...at max."
"Bell..."
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"Hah...Hah...Hah...Hah..."
Bell tried to swallow but his throat was dry...which was quite the irony since he was in the water capital. So much water but he couldn´t drink it.
The...water...capital?
His mind became hazy from exhaustion, he didn´t even rememberred how he came here.
"Huh? Aren´t you Argonaut?"
Bell blinked a few times when he heard a voice. Now he noticed that he was about to pass a group of adventurers that were going down. And they noticed how horrible he looked...no armor remained on his body, his shirt was ripped away, parts of his pants were missing. He was dirty, injured, burned, stabbed, bruised, and smelled terrible.
"Water..." He could only let out a dry whisper.
"Huh?"
"Water...please..."
"Oh yeah, of course, here."
The adventurer who led the party gave Bell a water bottle, he hastily drank half of it and returned it.
"Thank...you..."
Bell nodded tired...and started running again.
The adventurers were too perplexed to stop him, they wanted to give him a healing potion but he was already too far ahead. Not one adventurer before him did what he did now, a level six wouldn´t have survived that.
At least the Floors up ahead got smaller and smaller...
But so got his remaining time, he didn´t felt the heartbeat anymore. So Ryuu had let go of her sword...that could only mean she went into labor.
"Ryuu...I´m coming..."
While he ran his mind got blurry again.
Ryuu...Ryuu...Ryuu!
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"Hah...hah...hah...hnnngh!"
Ryuu squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth. Freya made a face, she had forgotten to think about one thing, Ryuu was a level six...her clenching hands really hurt her own hands. But she didn´t showed any of that.
"Ryuu...I´m here...Bell will soon be too...stay calm."
"Syr...thank you...Hnnngh!...so much...Ouh..."
Freya leaned down and put her cheek against Ryuu´s hot cheek. "Forever, Ryuu...I love you very much."
"Syr...I Nnnngh!...love you too...please...stay with me..."
"Of course..."
Freya groaned in her mind as Ryuu squeezed her hands again.
Bell...hurry!
Ryuu let out a scream.
The midwife´s eyes widened. "It´s starting soon."
Ryuu sobbed. "Bell..."
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"Come on...brother...come on..."
Welf walked back and forth, he waited at the passage to the sixth Floor together with Mikoto.
"Sir Bell...hurry."
Both had prepared special double potions from Naza, they just knew that Bell was close.
"Dear gods...I-"
"Sir Welf! THERE!"
A stumbling figure came up the stairs, not even panting anymore. He gasped like a broken machine.
"Bell!"
Immediately both ran towards him, he didn´t noticed them.
"Hurry!"
Welf and Mikoto unsealed the potions and splashed them onto Bell. In his hazy state he mistook it for a second as an attack and slashed after Welf.
"Woah! Hey Bell!"
Instead of answering them, Bell suddenly sped up as the potions healed big amounts of his mind, body and stamina.
The white rabbit just kept running, just now they noticed that he was half naked.
"Sir Bell! Ah Sir Welf, hurry!"
Mikoto and Welf did their best to follow Bell, but his strength returned and he ran with all the speed of his body.
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Up..up...up...stair...jump...ran...evade...stab...run...up
The walls around Bell changed, there were not natural anymore.
"Hey, are you A- HEy! Wait!"
The guard of the Ganesha Familia had to jump to the side when Bell ran upwards the big spiral stairs to the entrance of Babel. Perplexed and surprised adventurers looked at him as he ran past them. Some at first wanted to laugh by his experience, but when they saw his expression and rememberred the fact that he was level seven...something incredible had to happen to him.
"Hah...hah...*gulp*" Bell´s mind cleared slowly.
Adventurer in the way, evade...adventurer...circle around...Eina...pass...run...run...RUN!
Eina shrieked as the half naked Bell ran past her so fast, that her paperwork flew all across the hall. Not one adventurer would have been able to stop him if they tried, soon after Welf and Mikoto followed, apologising to everyone Bell had ran over.
Ryuu!
The streets raced under Bell, jumping and running over the rooftops was way faster.
Ryuu!
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"Hnngh!...Ack...ow...Bell...where...HNNGH!...are you..."
Ryuu was panting more and more, the baby was on the way. Tears flew down her cheeks, Freya knew that she was very important to Ryuu...but Bell missing the birth...would break her heart.
Syr did her best, stroked Ryuu´s hands and head.
Even with the small magic tools and the magic song it wasn´t painless for Ryuu, but much less than without it.
"Ryuu I-.."
"uuuu!"
Ryuu´s ears twitched and she groaned, but a happy, pained smile bloomed on her face. "Bell!"
"yuuuu!"
"Ack...Bell! I´m Hnnnngh!...here!"
Freya saw Ryuu´s and the childs soul orbs pulsating faster, now she noticed the other soul orb that was heading towards them incredibly fast.
Wow...not even Allen is that fast...
The midwife startled as something crashed into the small spring, soon after Bell walked fast through the water.
"Bell! Finally!"
"Ryuu! I´m so sorry my love!"
He fell to his knees right next to Ryuu, kissing her with all of his love. Freya next to her just had to smile, finally...
They had no time for words, the baby came.
"ACK! Hnnnngh! ow!" Ryuu threw her head back and panted heavily, squeezing Syr´s hands, who whimpered because of her strength.
Ah ow! Mou, Ryuu! I´m never holding your hands during birth again!
She still was happy about what was about to happen.
"Shh shh! You have to go! You can wait behind the trees but you disturb us!" The midwife didn´t even looked up.
"Ryuu." Bell kissed her again, both crying. "I´m right behind those trees."
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Groaning exhausted, Bell walked out of the small forest, turned immediately around and waited. After a few seconds he noticed that Astrea was standing next to him.
"Thank the gods...you are back Bell..."
She hugged him for a moment.
"Yeah..." Bell didn´t react much, his eyes were glued to the forest.
Hestia waited a bit away, she wasn´t mad that Bell hadn´t noticed her. Every action came to a hold in the Mansion, everyone pricked up their ears...waiting for a certain noise.
Bell was sweating heavily, his arms and legs shook, his heart raced and his breath went fast. It wasn´t from exhaustion...he was just that nervous.
He clenched his fists and shuddered more. Astrea looked just as nervous.
"AH!"
Both startled as they heard Ryuu scream...and again...and a third time.
Then...
...
"Wääääh!"
A high-pitched scream from a small voice.
"Ah..." Bell´s mouth opened. "Ahh..."
"Ryuu!" Astrea cried openly.
Again the high-pitched scream, someone was crying, a small live was crying.
Soon an exhausted looking Syr appeared and rubbed her red hands, she smiled up to him. "Bell...go."
Not waiting one second, Bell ran.
He passed the few trees in his way and arrived at the spring. A scene like out of a book, the whole place looked like it was filled with light particles. He noticed on the side the two female elves who had helped with the birth but...
His eyes were glued to the spring...
Ryuu sat in the water...
Crying and sobbing in joy...holding a small bundle in her arms.
"Ryuu..."
She looked up, never before had she looked so happy.
"Bell..."
As if in a trance, he went to her. His eyes all the time on the small bundle in her arms. His vision got blurry when he started to cry, his heart wanted to burst of joy.
Water splashed as Bell stepped into the shallow water, falling onto his knees next to Ryuu. Now he saw it clearly...there was she...
His daughter...wrapped in a little blanket. And cried to greet the unknown world.
Tears from Bell and Ryuu fell down.
They looked at the tiny head, the closed eyes...the lightly pointy ears.
"Ah...aha...ahaha..." Bell couldn´t help but chuckle.
Ryuu looked up to him for a moment, both kissed lovingly, then their eyes returned to their daughter. Bell raised his hand and as gentle as possible, stroked along the small head.
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Bell smiled.
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"Welcome..."
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Ryuu´s smiled bloomed like never before.
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"Ardi..."
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Authors Note: Hey thanks for the Reviews. At first for a quesition from pix, I didn´t changed anything, no idea why it looks different.
I made the part with the expedition a bit shorter than inteded, I wanted to write the finale of this chapter so bady and maybe will later write something again about the expedition. Truth is I got a bit bored about my own action scenes. Since I have many planned for the story with Ais, we wil have enough there.
So here is she, the little Ardi. I don´t know how it will be pronounced in english, but she doesn´t have the direct name of Ryuu´s dead friend "Ardee", just similar.
Was this the last chapter? Hell no!
We will go on for a while with the small family.
Next chapter drops next week.
See you sooooon.