Part XII - Through the Darkness
A deep painful throbbing coursed through her skull from the base of her neck. Pounding and squeezing. It was this sensation that struck her as her consciousness came to the present world. Cringing as the pain leaves her breathless, it felt as if this alone could incapicitate her.
There lay a woman adorning a robe of a white so pure it looked to be snow amidst the darkness that engulfs her.
After the Beast had attacked from the darkness, it had left just as soon as it came. Abandoning them after suddenly becoming uninterested in their unconscious bodies as if they were nothing more than a source of entertainment. An object that fulfilled its purpose however brief that may be.
Opening her eyes to the darkness surrounding her, there on her bare skin that lay irritated and red, was a fine layer of black powder. With a gentle breath that she could manage she blew it off and away as she slowly rose to her feet with the hood of her robe bobbing ever so slightly releasing it's hold of even more of the black residue.
It was no easy task, her body screamed for her to return to rest. Yet another part of her body screamed to run.
Ryuu's eyes scan the horizon, where the black fog could be seen waning with new air being introduced. Though she knew it wasn't anywhere near close enough to breathe in. As long as it lingers, there remains that threat.
"Mikoto? Haruh-.." Her body seized in her attempt to call out to her friends, mid circle. "Gah!"
Hunching over with one arm covering her gut, she wretched and wretched though nothing came to.
"This is bad.."
Immediately she followed the temptation to reach for a healing potion from her pouch. Carefully reaching beneath her robe, she found her pouch with the vials clinging excitedly as her fingers fought to grip one. While they fumbled, she managed a count.
One.
Two.
Three..
With the tips of her fingers gripping a single vial, she reluctantly put it back as her sky blue eyes skimmed the world surrounding her. There she saw some strange familiar shapes not too far from her. Slowly she staggered her way towards it.
Closer and closer the clearer the appeared. Each step caused pain to surge through her body, yet she did not hesitate in taking each step.
"Mikot-..." She coughed, wincing at the pain. "Mikoto.."
With all colors faded to one in particular, black, distinguishing them became nothing more than a guessing game.
"Mik-..." Arriving just to the shape, her own weight became too much for her to handle, sending her to her knees as a faint shriek escapes her throat from the sudden pain.
Groaning, she took a second to compose herself before reaching out to her comrade. Gently pulling on her shoulder her entire upper body turned revealing golden hair covered.
"Haruhime.."
Placing her finger just on neck, she waited, focusing intensely as she searched for one particular thing.
A heartbeat.
There under her supple skin was a pulse. One faint and weak. Immediately Ryuu knew that she couldn't let her fall any further.
With the vial in her trembling hands, she carefully worked the top free. And urgently put her thumb over the open mouth of the vail, cautious not to let a single drop fall. Brushing away the black residue from the black fog, she removed one end of the mask revealing her pale complexion.
Haruhime's mouth left slightly agape as Ryuu cradled her head in her lap, Ryuu steadily and slowly poured the vial's contents down. With the vial empty, she cradled her head on her lap waiting.
A few seconds later, Haruhime let out a series of violent coughs with Ryuu tilting her head to one side. A thick gooey mixture of black and red escaping from her lips and onto the floor.
Already the potion was taking its effects, clearing and healing her lungs from the vile substance that hung in the air.
"That should help.." Praying that it would. That was all that she could do. But she had to believe it would, for if it were up to her, then she would find them all.
Certain to make sure that Haruhime's fit of coughing was finished, she wiped away the remaining mess from her cheek and secured her mask.
"I'm going to find the others but I'll be back. I promise you, we're going to get you out of here." Bolts of pain coursed through her body with each word for a promise she was determined to voice and to keep.
"Alize.. Please give me the strength I need to keep them all safe.."
Piercing through the black fog were sky blue eyes, eager and determined to find the people that she would hope to someday come home to. And with uneasy steps she began her trek where one foot dragged behind the other. Brushing the cold hard floor of the dungeon. Off in the distance she could see another familiar shape.
"It wouldn't be right without any of you."
For in the back of her mind she was certain of one thing about the Beast. It had no interest in the weak or fallen while someone bold enough to fight still stood as she was the last to fall. And now she could think of only one person who could still be on their feet. It was that person where in this one particular moment made her heart ache at the dismay he may be in.
Stepping forward she continued her trek to provide aid, all with the goal of reaching him.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
There was a brief moment of nothing. And before Bell knew it, the world had come back to him as his body felt weightless. Opening his eyes that he never knew he closed, he could feel the air rush past him.
"I'm falling?" His body tensed as the sensation became mind numbing.
He wanted to reach out onto something but as he raced through the fog came the utter realization that it'd be useless. There was no escaping gravity, this he had learned from his fall from the Great Fall. He could only pray. And without any conscious effort he screamed bracing himself for the worst as the black fog blinded him from the world.
Not even a second later his body lost its momentum as he met another object, at first it felt as if the rock had grown weak and soft, wrapping itself around him as the force of his fall carried him further down. Slowing down, the object groaned like the sound of fibers creaking and groaning as it fought the velocity of his fall. In this moment, no new pain shot through his body, his body became engulfed in a strandy and spongy-like material.
Before he knew it he was falling downward to the floor of the dungeon in a short fall, where he landed hard, groaning in pain as he clutched his abdomen. Through the sliver of space in his wincing eyes, he found what he had struck.
A mushroom as tall as a tree had caught him in his "fall," only to realize that he was not falling after all. He had been flung across the dungeon.
"Welf?" Through the gasps and groans of pain, Bell wearily looked around his friend, completely oblivious as to where he was. As his eyes scanned the environment, he noticed he could begin to see the other mushrooms standing tall throughout the floor. The black fog presence has weakened. But nowhere were there any signs of his friend.
Perching himself up with one arm, the other cradling his stomach, he groaned in pain.
Leaning against the fallen bits of mushroom that had dampened his fallt the base of the mushroom, a warm sensation trickled down his forehead. Upon a quick inspection, it was blood. More precisely his own blood.
In the moment before his eyes had closed, a single claw had reached out just enough to swiped at his forehead as Welf had tackled him to thwart the attack.
He had been saved.
Weakly attempting to stand as his chestplate dangled from its harness. It held on by threads. Scanning the horizon. In his sights, there was no clue, no indication where he was. Standing in the silence where the only sound was a sole high pitched ringing, he contemplated calling out to his comrades wherever they may be. Though that invited danger.
"How far was I thrown?"
Within Bell's voice lay a faint sense of determination yet the inevitable fatigue and pain that has been accompanying him since their voyage back. As his view drifted down to the ground, there he found the strangs of mushroom and pebbles silently dancing on the floor.
"What the-?" The words weakly escaped Bells.
They danced to no particular rhythm, it was as if he were deaf. Then he felt it. Eyes staring upon him like daggers. Immediately he swung his head in the direction he sensed them and through the thinning fog he saw the Beast lunged towards him.
"Gah!" Bell grunted as he leapt out of the way, rolling onto the ground a safe distance away.
There he saw the Beast dive head first into the base of the giant mushroom toppling it over, where the trunk violently snaps with a loud crack as the soft head of the mushroom softly thuds against the ground.
As he landed on the ground, he dropped to one knee spinning himself around. Mid turn he reached for his Hestia knife. Using his muscle memory he closed his fist only to grasp nothing.
Air got caught in his throat in dismay, then a faint scowl on his face.
No Hestia knife, and none of his short swords. He wasted no time as he swiftly swung his right fist out in front of him for a secondary attack.
"FIREBOLT!"
The fire and bolts of electricity shot out with great haste, engulfing the Beast leaving it to roar on impact. In a single leap, it cleared the flames landing just before Bell, shaking the ground under his feet.
With both empty hands raised in front, ready for anything, or at least that was what he wanted to believe in. Standing there before the hulking Beast his legs couldn't move even if he tried. Exhaustion had already set in where now his feet were nothing more than dead weight. Though he would not give in to it's menacing presence. No, he would not.
The flames lingered on its skin as it snarled with a deep guttural breath, clenching its front set of claws closest to Bell. It began it's circle around him with an intense gaze. Focusing his glare back at the Beast, he tucked in his chin.
With careful yet focused eyes he followed the Beast in its circle. There he could see the black skin was truly a dark grey with taught skin hugging its muscle that was bound to its body. Each step, he could see the muscle fibers activating, twitching. Flexing.
Its eyes glared upon him, as it too was assessing him. Through the haze of the black fog he could make out some of the details of the Beast. Its muzzle was long yet bore no fur or feathers, it was bare skin with a mouth of curved teeth. Resting on top of its snout down the length of its skull was the slightly curved yet savage looking winged bone-like dome that hung out from over its eyes yet the glare could easily persist as it did not over extend it's eyes blocking its peripheral vision.
It easily possessed the strength to annihilate him and his entire team. How something like this was on the twenty-fourth floor was beyond him, until it occurred to him that it was never supposed to be here to begin with. That there was something else that was going on in the dungeon this day. With this thing being one of the main culprits and somehow Evilus being involved.
As it stepped away from the flames behind, and the lingering flames on it faded, there he could see a dark steam emanating from the Beast. But as Bell focused his eyes he had a stark realization that it wasn't steam. What he saw was the source of the Black Fog.
Bell grimaced and his body tensed up as he noticed that and finally that on the manus closest to him, the Beast was missing a single claw.
"You were here this entire time.."
The Beast let out a deep yet soft grumble in its throat as it rotated its head from left to right.
"The thing that killed all of the adventurers.."
As the Beast stepped it dug it's front set of claws into the ground before it where there lay a few magic stones that were hidden in the darkness. Then it let out a deep bellow like no other, as if it were chuckling as it kicked the magic stones away.
As if it said.
"Even the monsters."
The chuckling bellow then turned into a hiss that contained an ear piercing high pitched ringing. The sound alone overwhelmed Bell, causing his eyes to squint and cover his ears. Then immediately he opened his eyes when he realized his mistake. He took his eyes off of the Beast.
Opening his eyes his legs were primed to dodge out of the way but the Beast was nowhere to be seen. Carefully spinning around, he could see the areas in which the black fog was desperately trying to overtake the open air. Half expecting to turn and find the Beast emerging from the shadows, he gripped his empty hands tightly.
There he contemplated beginning his charge of Argonaut. He could dodge, assuming he could see the attack coming, but he'd be defenseless.
"I need a weapon.." He thought to himself, almost mentally berating himself after losing his grip on the knife that his familia is in debt to, twice. "I need my knife.."
Standing in silence, where the sole sound was the high pitched ringing the overwhelmed any and all sound. Wiping away the blood that began to trail into his eyes, he began to step away from the spot. Reaching into his pouch his fingers fumbled around in search of something. A vial. A potion.
Two vials bounce against each other faintly, as his fingers carefully try to grip one.
"Found it!.."
Steadily scanning the area, he pulled out the glass vial, carefully removing the cork with a sturdy push of his thumb. Just as he was about to bring it to his lips, he could feel the ground tremble.
With eyes widening, he scanned the area, only to find nothing.
It should take a second no less to drain the vial of its contents, then hopefully that would be enough for him to continue. Counting the seconds he began raising the vial to his lips he was met with a sudden sensation of numbness that spread across his being as he felt what he could only describe as a gust of wind against his back.
The first thought that came across his mind was that it was the healing potion taking effect, relieving him of the pain that his body has been enduring.
He would've been convinced of that too, of course he'd have to have consumed the potion first.
With the rim of the vial at his lips, it's contents still remained. All that he could amount was a faint gasp as he felt a warmth crawl down his back. Then amongst the warmth spawn a burning sensation. His breath shivered as he began consuming the healing potion.
It was a hit and run tactic, with a swipe that struck through the defenses of his goliath robe, negating any benefit of consuming the potion. Forcing Bell further into an exhausted state.
As he turned around, there he caught sight of the Beast darting into the darkness that it so eagerly produced.
Off into the darkness its heavy footsteps flowed in no rush. As if it were beckoning him to follow.
Storing the empty vial into his pouch, he took a step forward with a grimace. Dragging his feet that felt like stone against the dusty as each step brought new pain. He followed.
Then behind him new footsteps rapidly approached before he could react. Turning he could see the Beast rushing towards him on a collision course. Gasping at the sight, he brought both arms up in guard to block, and before he knew it once more he was airborne.
Landing on his back, his body flopped hard against the floor, skidding to a stop.
Wrapped in his robe and rolling on the floor, he groaned and his empty voice howled nothing but air.
In a new location, his eyes desperately gazed around the area in what little time to assess the environment.
Black. Nothing but black.
The Beast had swung him back into oblivion. And catching his breath he made a horrid realization.
He had no mask. At some point in the tumble it became unsecured. Even if he were to find it, it'd be a lost cause. Tainted by the black fog, he'd suffocated with denial disguised as hope.
The particulates in the air clung to the moisture in his mouth, leaving a chalky film that coagulated almost immediately. Rolling to one side he immediately spat it out. But with each breath brought more and more of the substance to him.
Gasping and groaning in both parts frustration and pain, he clenched his fist remembering one specific moment.
The flames from Welf's sword ate away at the black fog.
Moving onto his knees, he leans over the ground and with one clenched fist he tightly shuts his eyes and bears his teeth. Betting with what luck he had.
"FIREBOLT!"
It may have been a moment that lasted only seconds, but for those who must endure it it might as well be in minutes. Around his wrist coursed the faint bolts of electricity that then reached to his palm where a faint light began to grow and grow.
Searching in his vast memory and experience of using such a short cast spell, never once had he truly experienced it in full. Perhaps that was a good thing. With two elements dancing, intertwined with one another bearing such pain and heat, how good could it be to experience such things?
In the middle of the blinding light, he screamed towards the ceiling as the wound on his back became cauterized and the blood that stained his face cracked and crumbled. Pain shot through his tense body again in a sudden overwhelming burst as he faced the heat and electricity. But surely as he endured the spell ate away at the darkness.
Once it subsided, the only haze that remained was the smoke emanating from Bell with his head dropped in exhaustion.
A moment passed where that seemed to be all there is.
Bell's chest expanded and contracted cautiously. Waiting for more bad news, but nowhere it was to be found. With lungs that were already beginning to be tainted black, they rejoiced at the clean air that surged into them.
With the darkness gone in this small space, with open eyes he found something else both of worry and relief.
A weapon.
It's blade was long and sleek further emphasizing it's lethal appearance having been adorned with the color red. Crafted by hands of someone he was deeply familiar with.
"Kazuki..."
Bell's stomach dropped at the sight of his friend's prized creation laying there. Knowing how he'd never let this one go.
Stretching one arm out, his fingers slowly dragged the hilt closer to his hand. Careful not to scrape it's fine blade across the floor he brought it to his lap peering down upon it. It was the first time he held the weapon. Sitting heavy on his lap he held it firmly in place, not that it was going anywhere on it's own.
Bell wouldn't let it leave his grasp and fall into the unknown once more. He wouldn't risk that, not for his friend.
And through the metal of his knee pads he could feel the ground faintly tremble.
"It's coming.. Of course it's coming.."
In all likelihood it was coming from behind. To capture its prey off guard. Just like it had time and time again.
The tremblings grew closer and stronger and so did Bell's grip on the hilt of the sword.
He didn't know where his friend was. Though he was certain of one thing.
"I'm going to find him and get you back to him-.."
The fabric of Bell's gloves crunched as his grip tightened even more.
Bearing his teeth as the pain flared within him, he swung his arm back with the long sword while bouncing onto one knee. His body twisted, and as the Beast arrived he released the tension he wound in his body and swung Welf's magical sword.
For a split second, Bell prayed. Not to any god or goddess. But to the magical sword in his hands.
"-But first, I'm going to need your help!"
The tension he built up in his body swung him around. First his torso and head. Off in the distance he could feel the Beast's eyes focused upon him like daggers in its charge. And through the darkness it came into view.
Investing much of his hope in this sword, he swung his arms out from his side. Because he knew that if it didn't work this would be the end.
An immense roar escaped from the Beast's mouth, eager to make the kill.
In return Bell roared with all of the anguish and pain for him and his comrades. At the apex of swing, the blade began to glow. Showering one side of his face with light.
The magical blade had answered his prayer, his sole request.
Drawing mind from Bell, in one swing an arc of fire and light erupted from it's blade catching the Beast off guard. Having completely invested in its charge forward, it couldn't dodge once it realized what had happened.
The roar of the Bell fell into an unexpected shriek as the fire and light engulfed it, sending it head over heels tumbling straight to Bell.
Bell's instincts screamed at him to leap out of its path, yet his feet couldn't move. Stuck in place like useless pieces of rocks. He waited, preparing himself for the worst until he heard a voice off in the distance racing towards him.
A voice that chimed like a church bell.
Whipping his head to the side, he saw her grace amidst her disheveled appearance.
"Ryuu.."
Her face distorted as she battled her own pain. Their eyes locked and there he could see the terror on her face for his sake as she reached out to him.
For a moment it was like they were back on the thirty-seventh floor, barely surviving against the Juggernauts relentless hunt for them. But this time their places swapped.
"I guess that this is what it must've felt like.."
Bell thought to himself, recounting how Ryuu did whatever she could to save Bell. To give him greater odds of surviving. Even if that meant sacrificing her own life. But this wasn't the end, he didn't want it to be. Standing utterly helpless on his own there was still so much he had to do and to accomplish.
For himself.
For his familia.
For the people he loves that he never could quite put into words.
And so he reached out to Ryuu.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
She ran. She ran as fast as she could with the wind blowing at her back, propelling her even faster and further than before. Bearing her teeth, each stride contained such power that she covered great distances almost effortlessly. Yet every fiber of her being churned in these moments as she raced against the clock from when she last heard his voice.
And finally when her foot touched the ground on it's next step, there lay a groan that stretched through the dungeon walls, surrounding her. Enveloping all.
The Dungeon had awoken.
Stepping off with tremendous force, the ground below her foot crumbled as if it were hollow ground. And as the wind carried her further and faster than any falling star, she wasted no momentum nor speed as she darted through the corridors of the Dungeon. Left, right, forward. She raced with mind numbing speed as she made each turn with no regard to her being as the wind not only shielded her but also carved scars into the passageway wall.
When exiting the tight passageways and entering the floor above if any one were to be around to witness such a thing, surely they'd fall silent in awe, perhaps some in confusion at what they saw. For it would last only for a few seconds, a spectacle so brief one would think it was nothing but their mind playing tricks. But, the sound for those who would bear it would be like no other in the Dungeon, for it was like the scream of a banshee. Not from the lungs of Aiz, but from the wind that carries her.
"One more floor.."
Carried by the wind, she could see the world of the Dungeon beginning to grow darker with the black fog. Though the wind that sheltered her gave no way for the fog to enter her breath. That was her saving grace.
But only for her.
In the time it takes to catch one's breath, she had already reached the other side.
"Hold on just a little longer.."
Entering the passageway that leads to the last floor in her way, she rushed up completely blind as the black fog filled the space. Though she did not waver in her determination to maintain speed, instead she readied her sword, and swung.
In her desire to reach Bell she had come to the conclusion that the fastest way to reach him would be in a straight line. As the swing of her sword raced ahead of her, cutting through the black fog, it struck what she had predicted. A stone wall. Relying on her years of experience, there lay this one wall, it stands tall and intimidating with the illusion of being impenetrable. Though she knew that was only a ruse. The wall crumbled violently as the strike made impact, revealing that on the opposite side was the path that continued forward.
Creating her own little shortcut.
As she raced through the opening, the wind broke through with a massive bang sending rock and debris out in her wake. And not even a second later she was gone leaving the wall to collapse under its own weight.
The Sword Princess, a woman to have the face of a doll, beautiful and expressionless. Time and time again she'd leave people captivated by such strength and beauty. Or in most cases, people would be intimidated. For most could not see what lays underneath.
A type of darkness breathes and swells within her.
And there, racing through the passageway at a speed she's never known, she races through an unknown black mass of oblivion.
But no matter how fast she ran or how far the wind carried her, she could feel the black flame within her breathing with lively breath. Trying to envelope her.
Inside or out. She couldn't escape it.
Wielding what glimmer of hope she possesses like a light, she'll carry it through the darkness.
To face it all head on.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
The world spun with the constant berating of pain on their back against the cold hard ground. Eventually coming to a stop the air remained still with Bell opening his eyes looking up to the source of the light sensation of weight upon him.
Adorned in a white robe and hood hung back, her head was held against his chest just under his chin and arms wrapped around him from her tackle. And his arms too tightly around her.
Pain, adrenaline were all coursing through him. The things he could imagine she too was experiencing. But there within lie something else in a brief lapse of reality. A spark of something new and unknown to him. If he could describe it, there was only one thing that came to mind.
It was warm.
Though her breath lay with life as it brushed against him, she was still.
"Ryuu.." The single word, her name, weakly escaped his lips. Determined to gain her attention.
Yet she didn't move. Bell knew that they needed to move. To strike the Beast while it was down.
As one arm travelled up to her shoulder, he was about to call out until he heard a faint incantation being cast ending in a whisper.
"Noah heal."
The spell wasn't grand or brought such a noticeable change, it was the only healing spell she knew. One that took slowly brought a person back to health unlike the healing potions that she ran out of.
"Ryuu.. We gotta-.."
Before he could utter anything else she gave a quiet hush that even he could barely hear. Her sole reasoning in a whisper that was barely audible.
"Play dead."
Not even a second later the Beast roared hidden in the darkness that it continues to create.
It could be anywhere as his body trembled against the hard floor with each step it took in its search to find them. Determined to bring the two to their knees. Releasing a deep shuddering bellow, it growled, roared and shrieked as it searched. Followed by seconds of silence, then a deep thud rumbled through the ground.
It had leapt.
Where? Still he didn't know.
What he knew is that they couldn't stay here in the open forever. It was a matter of time before the Beast would stumble upon them.
Even though Ryuu lay lightly upon his chest, the pain surged from the sensation nonetheless. Bearing his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. His face began to sweat as his abdomen tightened.
He needed to cough. To release the blood and black fog that had settled into his lungs. His body screamed at him to let it breathe.
Choking on the cough, trying to muffle it. Ryuu lifted her weight off of him ever so slightly, to lessen the pain she would cause. Though it wasn't enough, his abdomen tightened into a wretch. In between the slit of his eyes that were trying so hard to stay open he could see the look on her face. And all it said was,-..
"He's in no shape to fight..To run.."
Neither of them were. Exhausted from the previous battle, they needed to leave. To run. To survive.
The idea of help arriving remained an uncertain distant thought.
Covering his mouth with her hand, a mixture of blood and saliva seeps through the cracks of her fingers as she kneels on hand and knees over him. Watching his eyes wince in pain, never did she think she'd have to do such a thing.
And though his body wretched, the faint cough lay faintly muffled. The only other sound lingering in the air was the sound of a high pitched ringing that engulfed all like a cold blanket. Wrapping around them, in a shivering embrace that made hairs stand on end.
While fighting her own exhaustion and pain, the sound of this deafening tone assaulted her ears. She scanned the area, defeating her own previous idea of playing dead. Ryuu had to come up with a new plan as now they had to assume that the Beast could detect even with the faintest of sounds.
She needed to find them a place to hide. But movement created sound, and sound invited danger.
Her sky blue eyes wander, scanning for a sign of salvation amidst the darkness. Unfortunately she could only muster a vague recognition of her surroundings as her vision could only see within a few feet of her. And with their recent tumble, they lay disoriented in their actual position. They were effectively lost.
Lost on the twenty fourth floor of all places, shrouded in darkness with salvation being four floors away.
They were not just lost.
They lay within the absence of hope and helplessness from such circumstances that never should've happened to begin with.
"This can't be it.." The words reaped themselves through her mind. Pulling any and all hope from her conscious mind.
A deep singeing struck her heart that brought an immense heat throughout her being as she struggled to maintain her balance over Bell whose rubellite eyes squinted and trembled.
"It can't be.."
She wanted to believe that they'd have more time. That there'd be a way out for all of them. But it was coming. She knew it was. This was now it's territory, it's hunting ground. Bathed in darkness that sought to take any and all with great malice.
"I can't let it.. Not you, not for everyone else."
Fighting the exhaustion that swept through her engulfing her focus. She squinted her eyes, desperately trying to create some essence of hope for them. Though all ended in failure.
"Ryuu.." Bell's voice weakly escaped Ryuu's fingers as he reached out to her arm. His fingers left the faintest of sensations as they slid down her arm unable to get a hold of her.
With self-defeating thoughts racing through her mind, she was met with the strangest of sensations. All of the breath that lay within her chest had vanished and her body began to feel as if she were floating on a cloud. Every physical sensation was replaced with a blissful nothing.
Unable to resist the urge of some dreaded curiosity, her downwards eye caught sight of nothing but red amongst her white attire that gathered at the tip of the spear-like object from her chest.
Only then did she notice the deafening high pitched ringing in the air. The warning sound that overwhelmed all senses, thrusting it's victims into a state of obliviousness.
"No." The singular word rang out in denial in her mind as she was pulled away.
From behind there came the bellowing chuckle of the Beast that pulsed through the air.
What faint breath she had in her chest came out as nothing more than a weak cough as she brought one hand out.
"Bell."
Drawing one hand out to him, it was too late. Their fingers brushed and slowly she rose above the ground with her feet dangling in the air. The sensation tickled her fingers then all went numb. Her eyes set on the boy before her as horror and helplessness grips them both. The last thing she heard was cry, a roar mixed with such grief that it shook her own pierced heart.
"NOO!" Bell cried out in a howling roar mixed with grief and blood that spewed out of his mouth. Still reaching out further to her as the Beast slowly pulled her out of his grasp.
Watching the color fade from her face, her arm held out to him. Desperately trying to reach him before falling limp to her side.
"LET HER GO!" Bell roared as he stood on his feet, groaning with each step, he staggered forward with the Beast giving a deep chittering sound. Thrusting out his fist, he aimed to the head of the Beast tucked in the darkness.
"FIREBOLT!" He commanded, punching his fist forward sending a pulsing fireball through. The Beast roared as it engulfed its skin.
Then another.
And another.
Releasing an onslaught of his core spell his fire, though weak, ate away at the black fog. Driving the Beast to swing and sway its tail that had pierced Ryuu and refused to let go. Each time, shrieking and hissing in anger and surprise at the attack. Somewhere in between the strikes lay the sound of shattering glass with shards erupting from his gauntlet.
As Bell took a few staggered steps forward he swiftly reached down to the ground where Welf's sword had landed from their tumble, and then with an underhand swing he released a mighty roar demanding only one thing.
"LET HER GO!"
The roaring arc of fire ate away at the darkness, piercing the front leg of the Beast. Howling at the pain, it flung it's tail, whipping the very tip straight to Bell in a move not to join the two together. But to comply in the cruelest of ways.
Ryuu's body, free of the spearlike tip of the Beast's tail, raced towards Bell. Instinctively lowering the sword to his belt, he opened his arms, catching her weight at full force sending them both backwards.
The bottom of Bell's boots skid across the dirt and grime of the dungeon floor, and the metal knee pad screamed like no other as they came to a stop.
Gazing down upon her, all color from her face had gone. In this singular moment she was his sole focus. Reaching into his pouch, his fingers fumbled and shook as he pulled out the vial of healing potion. Pulling the top off with his teeth, he spat it out.
"Come on. Come on.." He uttered incessantly as he poured the contents down her open mouth and across the wound on her chest. Desperate to give her any fighting chance.
"Don't do this. Please don't do this. Not now.." Bell begged as his voice began to tremble as he watched the red wound seize its spilling of blood. As he peered down into her eyes that once held a sharp gaze now look soft with such an unnatural expression. Utterly nothing.
From the top of his thigh he felt her body slowly slide off. Hooking his arms around her, he held her close to him. Unwilling to let go.
"Ryuu! You can't! You have to wake up! Come on, I know you can!" His voice shook and cracked as he held her to his chest. Cradling her, both of their bodies shook feverishly as Bell began to sob. "You can't go! What about Syr?! About Mama Mia?! You can't go!"
There lay no signs of life to the naked eye. No response. No breath. No pulse. Solely lifeless eyes staring off into the darkness that claimed another life.
"You can't go.." He weakly said.
To hold a body once full of life, brimming with determination to bring justice, felt surreal. Borderline unnatural as the curves of her face turned soft. Her sharp expression was gone. It was as if it wasn't real. It couldn't. Of all people, how could it be her?
The Gale Wind.
The sole survivor of the Astrea familia.
A single person who brought Evilus to their knees.
It couldn't, it can't.
This can't be happening.
There lay in Bell's mind a brief denial that this wasn't reality. That they'd still be at the camp fire with Aiz and her team.
They could go back. Like this never happened for anyone.
At least that was what he wanted to hope for in this brief lapse of rational thinking.
Alone in the darkness the Beast approached with heavy footsteps, scraping it's claws against the hard ground, making its presence ever so clear to the boy. That this was the reality he couldn't escape. Releasing a deep chittering purr-like sound, it titled its head at Bell with it's mouth slightly agape revealing a mouth full of teeth.
It's moist breath reeked of a foul odor as it clung to his face.
Gazing up to the Beast with Ryuu's limp body close, the tears wouldn't stop but in place of the sorrowful gaze there turned into a burning rage aimed solely for the Beast. A creature that was like no other monster in the Dungeon, not even the Juggernaut. It's sadistic nature exceeded that of the Irregular Moss Monster.
For the pain and suffering that it had caused and will continue to cause. Bell came to one vindictive conclusion.
"I'm going to kill you."
The solemn declaration escaped through his beared teeth with a foul grimace as his body trembled from exhaustion, grief and fear. Face to face, the Beast who gave a light chuckling breath as if to say-..
"You couldn't even protect her."
Giving the boy a dismissive huff, the Beast slowly strode off into the darkness leaving him alive to bear the horrible truth.
"I wasn't strong enough.. She's dead because I wasn't strong enough.. They all could be dead because I wasn't strong enough.."
Hanging his head, the tears slowly fell from his face landing on Ryuu's. Engulfed in darkness, time ceased to exist as slowly her weight came too much to bear. Slumping down to his behind, his feet laid out behind as he sat hunched over her resting body on his lap. His grip upon her unrelenting. All of his exhaustion and pain blinded him leaving him to wheeze faint breaths as saliva and blood drip from his mouth. Breaths unnoticeable to the naked eye. Guessing that soon he too would succumb to the black fog.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
It was the light of fire that broke through the darkness that guided her way to him. However brief it was, that was all she needed.
Landing where flames licked the darkness, the black fog eagerly drew in closer. A suffocating mass of darkness. Though her wind denied it such pleasure as it grew. There she began her search. Landing where she last saw the light, there was nothing noticeable about the area.
Golden eyes that were normally expressionless carrying the faintest of trembling. One step forward, then another. Swinging her gaze anxiously, there she noticed spots on the floor. Spots that rippled in the wake of her wind. Trailing with the currents of wind.
Drawing closer came the realization that it was blood amongst the scorched ground.
"No.." She uttered solely to herself in denial.
Compelled by unknown force her feet needed to keep moving. Whatever logic that raced through her mind that slipped past her consciousness brought her forward. Further and further until she stopped. Not out of choice. But out of horror.
At the edge of her wind, a lone figure sat hunched over another. Perfectly still. Like a doll intricately posed.
"No.."
White hair stained red over an elven beauty who's chest lay stained with red.
Choking on her breath, she gasped as her eyes trembled and burned. His hair, matted down with blood, with a line of blood clinging from his mouth.
Within her gut churned a desire to say his name. To call out to him. But she found herself unable to say his name.
Everything that told her to take one more step closer, to call out his name, pulled her back. Within her heart her own darkness brewing. Tempting her for control. For revenge.
"No.." Her voice cracked.
Taunting her, the darkness uttered three words.
"You're too late."
One step, then another. All in the direction she didn't want to go. Drawing herself backwards, she gripped her sword tightly, swearing not to let go of it as the memory of his promise taunted her.
"-I'll be here so we can figure it out together.."
They were words she believed, that she in some way looked forward to. Bearing her teeth, she marched as the wind carried the tears from her cheeks. There she set off on a hunt of her own.
To slay the thing responsible with no mercy.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
For a brief moment he thought as if he felt a wind brush against him. Though as soon as it had arrived it had left. Leaving a single numb sensation as his body barely was able to comprehend any physical stimuli.
Shortly after and somewhere off in the distance he heard the sound of wind breaking the silence followed by the Beast releasing a foul unsuspecting cry.
A new battle has begun.
Swiping a few strands of hair away from her face he continued his gaze down to her sky blue eyes. Currently in utter disbelief at how beautiful they were. Deep within yearning for a flicker of life to return to her eyes. Truly a fool's hope.
Certainly a fool indeed.
Off in the distance, the battle grew as a cacophony of sound that shook the air.
Burrowing his head against hers, he covered his eyes sobbing as one hand clung to her hair reluctant to let go. There came to be a soft white glow engulfing his hand. Spreading it's pure light upon Ryuu's still face.
"I just need a little more time to do one last thing."
With one last embrace he gently lay her upon the ground. Crossing her hands over her chest and closes her eyes. Struggling to maintain his composure he regained, he let out a violent sob that this is now a world he has to live in.
One without her.
On one knee, he covered his eyes trying to hide his face knowing all too well that no one was watching. Gripping the magic sword he left hanging on his belt, he struck it down into the dungeon floor. It's metal clinged as he gave one more mournful cry.
"But I promise that I won't leave without you.."
Standing up with a reddened face, his eyes locked to the faint signs of battle in the distance. Staggering around her, he began his trek.
"Four minutes.." Bell thought to himself with raw determination. "That's all I need.."
Venturing into the black fog he aimed himself at the source of the battle. Using the sound of the screaming wind as his guide.
It wasn't long until new stimuli joined in the battle. From incoherent shouts that were drowned out by the high pitched ringing, to the metal humming from impact. Above all the Beast's roar and utter delight at these challengers remained clear. All unseen due to the black fog.
Relying on his hearing just as he assumed the Beast would, he grew closer and closer. Each step inviting more pain as the black fog attacked his eyes and lungs. Certain that the matter escaping his mouth was a mixture of blood and saliva.
None of it was relevant. Not pain nor time.
Only ending this thing before this thing can claim another life.
Approaching the chaos of the battle, a silver streak raced past him with a disdainful shout as it attacked. Leaping forward into the darkness, it continued its onslaught with no mercy and complete determination to be the victor.
Under Bell's feet, the ground trembled and shook as a mighty strike impacted the floor. Dust and debris mixed and mingled with the black fog, brushing against Bell's blood stained face. Yet his eyes did not waiver. Locked forward, he continued his march with feet that felt like they carried a ball and chain to the next life.
Streaks and arcs of wind burst in front of him through the darkness, and for a brief second he saw golden hair. Only for it to return back into the depths of the darkness.
It was close.
Surely it was close.
Without any warning, a great wall of fire erupted in front of him at a distance that bore no injury to him. It's immense heat singeing his skin, drying his blood. The wall of fire stood for mere seconds before it returned to an empty space promptly followed by a shocking breeze of cold air and ice that strutted out into the world. Freezing anything it touched. Before him a tail whipped out from the darkness striking the ice down, sending more debris out onto the dungeon floor.
Anything and everything was being thrown at the Beast as what he assumed to be the arrival of the Loki familia. Off in the darkness of the black fog, faint strikes of light from metal and magic lit the darkness like strikes of lighting within a storm cloud in the night. Where the silhouette swayed in agony and striking back at it's assailants.
From his side, figures stood in battle stance, all a blur in his peripheral vision. Some may have been silent in awe, or perhaps their words and battle cries were muted by the high pitched tone that the Beast rang.
Or perhaps it was from the chimes that rang out from the orbs of white light that surrounded Bell, that slowly turned into the ringing of church bells that deafened them all.
If he could hear their cries to him, what would have they said? Would they have begged him to stop? To rest his weary head upon this ground not knowing if this catastrophe ever ended? To succumb to dungeon, and leave the fate of his familia in their hands?
Even if words had reached his ears, he would not stop. He dare not stop nor waste this last chance.
For if he did, Ignis fatuus would envelope them all.
Yet there still one who waged an unrelenting battle against the Beast.
Before him pulsed a wall of wind that cut and scrapped his skin as he drew close. Desperately keeping any and all away as it cleared the black fog and held the Beast in its influence.
Without hesitation or fear of harm to himself, he pushed through. The wind cut deep drawing blood, though in his state there lay no pain. Just one singular goal above all else.
Though with each step through the barrier, something unusual began to happen. The orbs of light and the chimes and ringing of church bells began to be gently carried away by the forceful wind no matter how hard they clung to him.
Breaching the harsh winds barrier, the air turned into a calm state as a gentle wind breathed through the sphere. And for once, it was clean breathable air. Bell's body shrieked with delight. Though it was no time to bask in the moment as before him stood Aiz in a battle stance with legs trembling and breath heavy as the massive Beast stood growling at it's attacker.
Her armor chipped, scrapped, borderline destroyed. Her being not too far off, as numerous close calls grace her skin that is shown from the open cloth.
On any other day, he would have questioned that observation. To provide compassion and care. All he could see was the menace before him.
Lunging forward her sword made contact. Striking the Beasts flesh, red spilled from the wound. Releasing a painful roar, it swatted at the golden haired woman before she could dart back out of its reach with the blessing of her wind.
The attack sent Aiz tumbling backward, landing in a kneel before Bell as he approached from behind.
In the silence of the Aiz's wind, Bell's dragging feet left an audible impression along with his ragged ragged breath. Her ears instinctively perked up as it caught her attention and there she spoke in faint relief and dismay as he passed her side.
"Bell. You're alive.." Her voice was in awe, shock. Horror. Having left the boy she believed to be dead, a guilt overwhelmed her.
Completely blind to all but one thing he continued forward.
"Stop.. Bell, stop! Don't go near it!" She tried to warn him in a shout. Speaking in a state that her voice was not used to, her voice cracked. "Bell! Stop!"
Reaching out her hand, she stumbled bracing her palms against the floor as her hands caught nothing.
Gazing up to the image of the boy walking away from her, she couldn't bear the image. Like a silhouette from so long ago, she couldn't let him go.
Standing in place, the Beast did not attack. Scrapping its claws against the ground, it wobbled its head as it noticed the return of a previous contender. As if it was allowing the boy to have the honor to die by its hands.
A faint layer of black fog hovered over its body. Trying to reclaim what territory it had lost due to Aiz's wind.
"Bell!" Aiz cried out as she summoned a wind to bring her to her feet. Going past the point of exhaustion she relied on the blessing of her mother to keep her on her feet. And there she could not bear to watch and do nothing as the Beast invited him to meet his end.
His rubellite eyes were locked on the Beast's own red eyes.
They were so different from hers.
Where Ryuu's were a soft blue that often reminded him of the sky that lay outside, it was one thing that he knew he would never forget about her. And how painful every clear sunny day will be from here on out.
Though the Beast's own eyes were that of blood spilled from the lives of adventurers. Feasting on their pain and torment. Pure and utter malice.
In shambles with blood and tears covering his face of plain exhaustion, he raised his hand that glowed white with orbs of light circling around him. All being carried by the wind. With one point being engulfed in a pure glow.
He wouldn't allow this thing to continue its slaughter of lives.
Amongst the church bells rang out a voice calling out to him.
"BELL!"
Light began to grow and breathe with each time the orbs of light passed around them. As the Beast curiously swung its head, as it observed the phenomena.
A single orb of light fell, free of the current of the wind, and landed on the nose of the Beast. It sizzled causing the Beast to whip its head all the while growling in dismay. The sensation caused the Beast to roar a mighty roar that contained a foul hiss at the sight of the light that circled around it. Hunkering it's head, it determined the source was none other than the boy. Gifting a gaze that held a malice like no other. Gone was it's perception of the boy being nothing more than a mere toy, but a newfound source of pain.
A threat.
It was never fire that the Beast held contempt for.
In truth, it was light. The one thing to ward off the darkness. If darkness were to plague people with despair and death, then light would give the people under its embrace one thing.
Hope.
Deep within him it flickered. The light wavering as the black fog cast itself upon his fragile heart. But against all odds, against all of the pain and torment he stood before it.
With faint breaths, Bell began to utter a single word as the Beast brought its claws down in full force. All to put an end to light and darkness.
"Argonaut."
The orbs of light that circled the sphere of wind began to grow into a blinding light.
All remained was an overwhelming silence as a blinding light engulfed all. Embracing every and all in the area. How it seemed for so long they were trapped in the darkness, to be enveloped in light felt as if to be reborn. To take their first breaths.
As the light subsided, there stood only two figures.
A golden hair woman, one of profound beauty and strength. A woman who ran carrying whatever light she could carry through the darkness for the boy she was so fond of.
The other?..
White hair stained with red, and life that could be mistaken as lifeless. A body beaten and torn. A heart gripped and stabbed.
There stood Bell with the damage that had been done. As the ash of the Beast rain down upon them. Exhaustion. Fear. Pain. He felt nothing of it. Or perhaps everything all at once. With his right arm crippled from the Argonaut blast, it hangs limp at his side. His legs shook, as they struggled to keep his weight upright.
As his eyes fell where the Beast had stood, he turned to Aiz where he was met by the strangest of things from the woman.
Her embrace.
Aiz's golden hair swept around Bell's stained face as she held him.
"I thought you were dead." She whispered.
With his arms hanging by his side. The only thing that escaped his lips were the faint breaths that his body struggled to make as her grip around him was unwilling to let go.
"The others.. Your familia, they're safe. We found them."
Across the torne cloth covering her body, she felt a warmth on her shoulder. Pulling herself away she gazed into his eyes to see a gentle stream of tears escaping from the corner of his eyes.
She didn't know what to say or do to comfort the boy, finding herself at a loss. It wasn't much longer that Bell weakly shrugged his arms. A gesture that Aiz could only interpret as a plea to be released. Without even returning a glance, or a single word he stepped past her. Returning to where he came from she could only stare at his back in disbelief as he staggered away from her.
"Where are you going?" Perplexed, she began to hesitantly follow. "You need care. Bell you-.."
At a short distance behind him, she followed. With the black fog lifting, and the Beast killed, the world of the twenty-fourth floor became clearer. A coat of black dust covered the world, the giant mushrooms and everything in between. The Dungeon breathed life in the form of air. Clean and pure.
Passing the other members of Aiz's team, he paid them no mind. Whatever words they uttered, disregarded and ignored.
Breath trembling from the fight and her dash up to him, she tiptoed behind. Peeking over his shoulder from a distance and there she saw a marker jutting out from the ground.
A sword, more precisely Welf's magical sword.
With no idea what that meant, the few following members of Aiz's team stopped and watched as Bell knelt down. Until finally they came to the same conclusion as the figure he knelt over became clearer.
"Oh no.." Tione whispered as she covered her mouth.
Bete stood silent, grimacing the entire time. Not to any fault of Bell's.
"What are you doing?" Aiz whispered to herself as she watched Bell.
Behind them all was Riveria wielding her staff. Experiencing some level of grief at the passing of someone who she had come to vaguely know in their time together. Slowly approaching Aiz, Riveria placed her hand on Aiz's shoulder.
Hooking his arm under her torso, the other under her legs. He carefully propped Ryuu up and close to him. All the while struggling to stand up, wobbling as he gained his balance. As the black fog faded, and sound returned to the world there they heard the faint cry amongst the struggling breath. Followed by a metal click, the magic sword was attached to his belt.
Gripping her staff, Riviera silently chanted a healing spell that spread through the thinning darkness. Reaching the boy, doing all that it could to ease his pain. To give him what strength he could.
"Go with him. We'll get the others and catch up." Riveria whispered softly through her own mask.
Aiz gave her an uncertain glance.
"He needs you." She quietly affirmed then gently ushered her forward. "Go."
Whatever plain expression on her face had vanished, at his brow was knit with concern. Darting off in a job, she joined his side.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
Watching the two leave, Riveria felt an overwhelming pressure as she turned to face the others.
"Gather everyone up, we're going home." Riveria commanded as she cast her eyes to her team. "Tione, I want you and Finn to stay in the back of pack. We can't run the risk of those two running into each other."
Of the people present, there stood Bete, Tione and Gareth. Leaving only Tiona and Finn at the previous floor awaiting for the battle to subside. They all knew what she meant. To separate Finn and Bell from any contact to lessen the likelihood of their being a potential conflict.
Acknowledging the order, the few members nodded and darted off into the distance.
Alone in the fading darkness, she walked to where the Beast had perished. There lay an empty space where the heart of the Beast should be. Gazing up, imagining its menacing stare baring down upon her like a wicked giant enveloped in darkness. She felt shivers down her spine as the pressure that wrought itself through her brought a single worry.
That this was far from over.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
Bete and Tione scoured the floor, with the darkness of the black fog subsided, clean fresh air filled the floor. Yet each step kicked up what black fog that settled on the ground, prompting them to keep their masks on.
Unable to rely on his sense of smell, he listened with great focus for the faintest sounds of life. Of breath.
"Over here." Bete nodded his head in a direction to his left. Around the base of an elevated pathway they found two bodies lying on the floor. One huddled next to the other.
"You've got to be kidding me." Said in faint disbelief.
Before them lay Mikoto reaching out and holding her friend's hand as her face lay buried in the ground. She had crawled to find her.
"I got the Renhart." Bete said, kneeling down, he reached for their hands to release them. But their grip on one another's stood strong. There Bete grimaced at the sight. "God dammit.."
Swooping Haruhime's still breathing body in his arms he immediately turned away from Tiona.
How long ago was it since he had last seen her?
Daedalus street, the hunt for the Xenos. The night he sent her reeling across the street bloodying her, shouting and degrading her. It annoyed him, her insistence on protecting her friends despite how weak she proved to be. It was useless, all she did was get a beating. It wasn't even a good one at that.
But now, in his arms lay something delicate. The utter fragility of life. And in his chest lay a guilt as her golden hair tossed to one side revealing her misshapen face from the tragedy that had fallen before them. He didn't fall for her. Nor anyone else here.
"You all good, Bete?" Tione asked, noticing the lack of groaning in disdain or words of extreme annoyance.
"I'm fine. Let's just get out of here." Bete said in a growl. "This place reeks.."
"Yeah.."
Carrying the two friends, passing the remaining corpses that they found on their way down, they both set off for Rivira.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
"Nice and easy now." Gareth said as he lifted the red haired boy off of the ground.
His black smithing attire was in ruin from his one on one with Beast, and thanks to Riveria's impressive magic ability, her healing spell had reached him too.
As Welf rolled into Gareth's arms, the dwarf had no problem picking him up. If anything the young man was light like a feather considering the difference in their status.
But still his arms weighed heavy.
"I'm sorry young lad, I shoulda opened my mouth." As he took his few first steps.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
After having found the large backpack, Riveria had found the Prume. Laying in a fetal position gripping her own stomach, some distance from her team. It seemed that all logic fled her mind as she was pursued by the Beast in the darkness. It's seemingly endless taunting driving her into an isolate space. Where at some point she had lost her mask.
Casting the healing spell one more time unleashing its full effect on her.
She had to be certain that no one else shared the same fate as the young elven woman. For she knew that there would be hell to pay if the boy realized his true influence on the city and used that against them. The thought alone shook her.
Knowing how it would tear Aiz apart and them from each other. Bound by thoughts of family and justice but also attachment to the young boy. A great conflict in the making.
"I pray that it doesn't happen."
Bearing Lili's small frame in her arms, she marched to rendezvous with the others.
"△▼△▼△▼△"
Authors Note:
Hello everyone! Thank you for your patience and as well as getting this far. First off, I'm sorry about the Ryuu shippers over here. I can imagine that if you have gotten this far, you may be pretty upset. Of which I can't blame you. When I began brainstorming this story, this was a main part of it. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but because Bell hasn't really grasped real loss yet, or at least that we've seen in the LN(I don't believe it goes too far in depth in regards to his grandfather nor mother and father), in order to propel the conflict, drama, and character growth forward, I chose Ryuu. Someone that he had been hellbent on saving while in LN 12-14. I could go on, but I should leave it at that for all of our sakes. (And yes I know, in some way Weine did die, but Fels worked his magic.)
It has been over a month since the last addition, if you've stuck around, thank you. I genuinely appreciate it. Especially after this last addition. I will be still working on bringing more chapters out for you all. Of course, I intended it to be much more frequent, but obviously work-life balance plays a role in that. Just know that I haven't given up on the story, nor do I intend on leaving you all with nothing after dedicating some of your own time reading this.
Quick thing, I added perspective breaks. When I write on my word doc, I have them implemented and unfortunately that doesn't translate to this site well. Nor does the formatting. I have looked into this, and even with Scrivner (a writing program), I can't solve the formatting issue. Back to the main point, I went through a few chapters and added the perspective breaks to dispel any confusion.
There's a lot more that happens that I'm excited to share with you. Big things happen. Or at least big in the city of Orario.
Stay safe out there!