Authors Note: Sorry for the wait, Chapter 4 is here! I got swamped by real life and such and had to take a week or two off from writing. Anyways, this chapter has been the hardest for me to write so far personally. (If you want to know why, then get to reading.)
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this Chapter. Yuna sends her regards 3
Chapter 4 - Horrors of the White Mist
"Don't make unnecessary movements, keep your hands steady."
"Hgh!"
The sound of wood against metal rang throughout the manor's yard as the two of us clashed.
"!"
I twisted my body to the left as a wooden pole swung at me, nearly hitting my right shoulder. My heart thundered against my chest, my forehead drenched in beads of sweat. My opponent's attacks were fast, too fast.
I swung my blade at the prum in front of me, but my attacks slashed at nothing. I couldn't land a single hit, it was as if I was fighting the air itself. The force I put into my attack nearly caused me to stumble, which he noticed.
"Bad footing, keep your eyes trained," Finn noted.
"Gh!"
I lowered my body as I spun around, launching a swing kick in the direction of the voice.
"Not bad."
With each attack, my movements become more and more sluggish, forcing me to put more energy into each attack. In contrast, Finn dodged and parried each of my attacks with ease, counter-attacking with quick pokes from his wooden pole, revealing openings in my defence. The flurry of blows had no strength behind them, but they were enough to force me into a defensive position.
"Gugh!?"
Before I knew it, a strong blow had knocked me onto the grass.
Not again…
"You fall quite a lot, don't you?" Finn smiled jokingly.
"I-I'm sorry, let's start again."
"Alright, one more time."
Standing up, I readied my sword and shifted into a battle stance, steeled my will, and charged.
"Hyah!"
As the two fought, Loki watched from a window overlooking the courtyard on the second floor. Nearly a month had passed since the boy and his sister joined Loki Familia. In that time, their progress has been nothing short of remarkable.
Looking at the boy, it reminded Loki of the time when the renowned Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, first joined the Familia. From Riveria's harsh study sessions to Finn and Gareth's mock battles, she and the boy both received training from the three senior members of the Familia.
"He's coming along pretty well, don'tcha think?" Loki grinned at the high elf standing beside her. Riveria, who had been unanimously voted as the caretaker for the werewolf, knew how fast he had been improving.
Part of her was relieved that Fenrir wasn't as rebellious as Ais was in the past. But despite that, the high elf responded straightforwardly in her usual stoic tone.
"He still has a long way to go. Also, about his custom order weapon that just came…"
"Bha-ha-ha! That one? Don't you think it's a pretty interesting weapon?"
"The finesse required to use it, and the fact that no one else in Orario uses it either makes me worried. It's too risky."
"Well, we can't just throw away anything that dear ol' Tsubaki makes, right?"
"..."
"Come on, it's one of a kind!"
Loki and Gareth had gone to Tsubaki's workshop earlier in the morning to collect the weapons they needed for the upcoming expedition, picking up Fenrir's custom order weapon along the way.
"It took way longer than I thought, so tell 'im I'll give him a discount as compensation, alright?" Tsubaki had said to Loki when they arrived at her store.
Tsubaki herself had admitted that it was challenging to make it even though she used metals found on the upper floors. In addition, she was also behind schedule while forging the weapons, which hurt her blacksmith's pride.
When Riveria first saw the weapons, she had expressed her concerns about them, but Loki tried to convince her they were worth it.
"I'm pretty sold on this, but let's hear what Finn has to say."
"...Fine."
Morning sunlight shone through the opaque window behind Finn, who was sitting at his desk.
Loki pulled out Fenrir's custom order weapon, named Wail and Howl by Tsubaki. They were two lengths of chain, both of which had giant blades that resembled scythes attached to one end and a ring on the other, a weapon that none of them had ever seen before previously.
Finn inspected the one of a kind weapon in his hands. Tsubaki's craftsmanship was excellent as always. It was obvious that they would be hard to wield, but as a veteran in combat, he also saw the possible ways it could be used. The large blades could easily dig into monsters and inflict heavy injuries. Loki had called them hooks, but to Finn, it felt more accurate to call them miniature scythes.
"So, this is what Fenrir ordered?"
"Yeah! Cool, don'tcha think?"
"Well...I have no problem with it, but my concern is he would have to learn to use them on his own. None of us here uses weapons similar to these, and I doubt anyone in Orario does either."
"I still think it would be better if he'd stuck with his dual blades." Riveria furrowed her brow. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty, but she kept her dignified mannerisms.
"Aww...even after the thought Little Fenrir had put into it? Mama Riveria is so cruel."
"...Stop teasing me, Loki."
"On 'nother note, don't you think we should have one member stay behind to look after him while you guys are gone?"
As Riveria sighed in exasperation, Loki decided to change the subject.
"..."
Finn thought for a moment. He and most of the Familia were supposed to head off to the Dungeon for their expedition later today. But with the boy's uncontrollable animal instincts, if he were to suddenly lose control again, it would be a repeat of his first trip into the Dungeon. It was too risky.
"Riveria, are you worried for him?"
Looking up, Finn flashed a wry smile at the high elf.
"Of course I am, but-"
"Eh...Riveria? Captain Finn? Is that-"
Finn looked up from his table. Fenrir was standing at the doorway, his blue eyes fixed on the hook and chains Finn was holding. The boy was still out of breath from their mock battle, but he was too excited to care.
"Oh, Fenrir," Finn handed the chains to Fenrir. "Take it, it's yours."
"T-Thank you..."
"No problem."
Fenrir timidly took the chains from Finn's hands. Turning them around in his hands, he marvelled at them as if they were a long lost treasure. The boy's attitude reminded Finn of when he had just started as an adventurer as well, innocent and always beaming with ambition.
"Little Fenrir, do ya wanna go along with Finn and the others when they head off for their expedition?"
"H-huh?"
"Loki, don't be reckless. He's still inexperienced."
Riveria firmly rejected Loki's suggestion. Loki Familia was headed to explore the deep levels of the Dungeon; they wouldn't be able to reliably protect him once they reached the deeper floors.
"Then how about we let him follow until we reach Riviria? We can have him go back up with an escort."
Finn could tell the boy was dispirited by Riveria's objection, so he decided to go for a compromise. One that would let him experience what it was like to be a part of expeditions and keep him safe at the same time, essentially killing two birds with one stone.
"Finn…are you sure?"
"It's alright. He has Yuna to look after him too, right?"
"That's true, but...huh?"
Riveria felt a tug on her sleeve. The high elf turned her eyes and was met with Fenrir's pleading gaze.
"Fen..."
"Please, let me go with you."
Fenrir had been surprisingly obedient during their time together despite her overbearing tendencies. She had felt relieved that he wasn't too reckless and took her lessons seriously. Hearing his pleas, she couldn't bring herself to deny him.
"...Fine, you can come."
"Really?"
"But, you must stay close to me or your sister at all times. Don't stray from the path just to kill a monster, and bring enough spare potions for yourself in case of an emergency-"
Riveria took the stance of a mother again and began laying down the ground rules. Finn and Loki silently watched the two, exchanging smiles.
"Fenrir! Did you get everything?"
"Yeah, I'm ready."
Inside our rooms, Yuna and I hurried to get prepared before the expedition party was to head out for Babel. I wore a thin sleeveless undershirt and pants under a coat made from a thick red cloth known as Salamander Wool. Yuna wore a leather ranger outfit with a cape made with the same red cloth, her waist-length hair tied in a ponytail.
I tried to wrap the chains I got from Finn around my wrists like how the illustrations of the werewolf in the story I read did, but the metal started to dig into my skin.
"Ow..." I winced in pain, quickly unwrapping the chains from my wrists.
Maybe not such a good idea after all.
"Are those the weapons you ordered from Tsubaki?"
"Yeah, it's from Xuan Ce's story."
"Ooh, that story," Yuna pondered for a moment. "You should wear some protection around your arms when you use them. Xuan Ce wore a pair in the story too, you know."
"H-huh? I didn't know that-"
"Hehe, you were always too lost in the fights to notice anyway."
"Stop it!"
Yuna's shoulders were shaking as she giggled. I thrust both my hands forward, pushing Yuna away.
There was no stopping Yuna's teasing. Before I knew it, I returned to being the innocent little brother who his sister loves to tease, even if only temporarily.
"L-lets go, Yuna. Captain Finn and the others are waiting for us."
"Alright. Lead the way, Prince Xuan Ce."
Trying my best to ignore Yuna's teasing, I grabbed all the equipment I needed and walked out the door.
"Oh, one more thing!"
"Huh-?"
As I turned around, Yuna walked up to me, holding something that looked like gloves.
"Wear this, I had them made for you."
She held a pair of black leather bracers and gloves, the gloves had metal pieces around the back of the hand for protection. On the bracers, pieces of leather and metal strips overlayed on top of each other, creating a comfortable but protective layer.
With delicate hands, she put the bracers and gloves on my hands. Yuna used to help me with clothes or any article of clothing I couldn't put on myself. I could feel the gentle warmth of her hands on mine, quietly saying that she would protect me no matter what.
"Yuna."
"Hmm?"
I took her hand and held them with my own. With all my heart, I thanked her for all she'd done for me.
"Thank you."
With a smile, she wrapped her hands around my body in a hug. It felt like time stopped as we enjoyed this moment of tranquil.
I'm definitely buying her cake when we get back. I thought to myself as I rested my face on her chest.
"You want to prove to the captain that you can take care of yourself, right?" Yuna lifted a hand and patted my head. "Then believe in yourself and move forward. I'll be there right behind you, alright?"
"Okay."
A few hours later, a group of people had gathered right outside Babel. Each of them wore the emblem of the divine trickster, the symbol of Loki Familia. They were standing at the ready like soldiers, patiently waiting for orders from the prum standing in the front. He held a golden-tipped spear with a confident and determined expression on his face, befitting of a hero.
The large dwarf beside him turned his head as if he'd noticed something, two figures walked towards the group.
"Ohh, ya finally came!" Gareth's deep voice boomed. "We were 'bout to head off without ya two."
"Sorry, Mister Gareth."
"Ba-ha-hah! It's fine, what matters is that yer here!"
Gareth greeted the two siblings who had just arrived with open arms. Now that everyone was accounted for, the expedition could begin. Finn nodded in affirmation and faced the crowd in front of him.
"All groups, prepare to move out!"
"""YEEEAAAHHHH!"""
The expedition party let out a roar of excitement and made their way into the Dungeon. With the executives at the front acting as the vanguard and the middle and rearguard protecting their mages and supporters, they moved quickly in a wedge formation through the upper levels of the Dungeon.
They were about to embark on a trip to the deep floors, their goal to explore and document the floors they have never been to before and break their past record. Considering the size of the party, they had to bring along a large number of rations and spare weapons. They planned to rush through each floor in two separate groups, the group in front was tasked with eliminating the majority of the monsters on their route, whilst the group at the back was tasked with protecting the supporters that carried their supplies.
This way, the frontlines could effectively clear the way for the party without having to worry too much about protecting their non-combatants. A strategy that had been evolved through years of trial and error by their leader, Finn Deimne.
"Our first goal is to head to Liviria, everyone clear out all the monsters on the way for the second group behind us. Don't fall behind!"
Filled with vigour, the party rushed along the never-ending hallways of the Dungeon, their soul and body yearning for adventure. This was a chance to prove the strength of their familia to Orario, and none of them was about to let that chance go.
"Fenrir, behind you!"
"!"
Turning around, I faced the group of dark shadows that appeared at the edge of the dark hallway in front of us. I could make out the figures of the muscular quadrupeds, their glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness, eyeing down their new prey.
A few hours had passed since the expedition commenced. Me, Yuna and Lefiya had been split from the first group at the 11th Floor and were told to form a party to explore the middle floors for some "experience", as Finn had put it.
"Go get used to those weapons of yours, Fenrir. Lefiya, train your magic like Riveria taught you to. I'll be watching from a distance." Finn had instructed.
I took out my weapons and braced myself. The two hooks and chains Tsubaki had made felt lightweight. I wasn't used to these weapons yet, but I would be lying to myself if I didn't think they made me look cool. I could slash through the monsters with the hooks, but what do I do with the chains? Throwing the hooks and pulling them back with the chains would be my best guess.
A ball of fire emerged from the darkness, lighting up parts of the pitch-black tunnel. The fireball belonged to one of the hellhounds, it's body reared back and preparing to launch its attack at us.
Using the strength granted to me by my Falna, I quickly aimed and threw my left hook at the monster. As it flew, I felt a tug on the chain along with the sound of flesh tearing apart, but the fireball was still burning bright.
I missed it!?
I have no time, it's going to hit me!
I quickly turned around, desperately trying to shield myself with my coat.
Was the cloth really strong enough to block the fire? Is that light I see my life flashing before my eyes? A flurry of thoughts went through my mind, my head felt light from the adrenaline.
My heartbeat reverberated throughout my body, it felt like it was beating inside my head. As the flames engulfed the carpet, I felt a searing heat on my legs, the only area that the Salamander Wool couldn't cover.
I gripped my right hook tightly, waiting to counterattack.
The heat on my legs started to disappear, the hellhound had finished its attack. Now was my chance.
I drew a short breath, focusing all of my energy on my right shoulder.
I can't hit it from my position, it was way out of arm's reach, but if I swung it by the chains...
I let go of the handle, letting it fall for a moment before grabbing the chain.
No second chances, do or die. I spun around and swung with all my strength.
"Hyaaahh!"
An arc of silver flashes across my vision.
The hellhound's head fell to the ground with a plop.
"Wow...so...this is...how you use it…" I struggle to get my words out, my body desperately gasping for air.
My weapons could be used normally as dual wield weapons, but with the chains, I could turn them into long-range weapons too. I somehow survived that hellhound's giant fireball and returned the favour with one swing, these hooks worked better than I thought.
Wait...
I looked up at the dark tunnel, the hellhound I just decapitated had turned into ash, but more emerged from the darkness, taking its place. Four, five, no...even more than that. I couldn't possibly take on all of them at once.
On top of that, I couldn't retrieve my blades in time, not without getting killed. I swallow the saliva in my mouth and unsheath my two shortswords. Bracing myself for the hellhound's attacks.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are the expert of the bow-"
I heard the voice of Lefiya singing...no, chanting something.
"!"
Pushing my feet against the ground with all my strength, I turned around and ran towards Lefiya. I took a stance in front of her, guarding her against the hellhounds. One after the other, hellhounds charged us, their fangs longing for flesh. I had no intention of letting them do so. A howl started to erupt from my throat. A primal howl, warning the hellhounds to stay away. Blotches of red started to cloud my eyes…
"Arcs Ray!"
Lefiya had finished chanting, she pointed her staff at the hellhounds, casting her spell.
A large magical beam aimed at the hellhounds cut through the air to my left, engulfing the dark tunnel in blinding white light, forcing me to cover my eyes. Even with my ears, I could barely hear the cries of the hellhounds over the otherworldly buzzing coming from the beam.
As quickly as it came, the blazing white light faded away, plunging the tunnel into darkness once again.
"Woah…" Looking up, I saw nothing but piles of ash in front of us. Lefiya had obliterated the pack of hellhounds with only one spell, it was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
"That was amazing, Lefiya….uhh, Lefiya?"
Her body looked like it was frozen in time, her pale face was drained of its youthful gleam.
"Uh...are you okay?"
My mind was running in circles. It didn't seem like she was paralysed by poison. I was positive that nothing had touched her since we came to this floor.
…...What do I do?
"L-Lefiya?"
"..."
"Do you need a potion or…...something?"
"Uu-"
"Fenrir, Lefiya! Are you two okay?"
"Yuna!?"
My sister had been covering our flank until now by herself, her snow-white hair was clinging to her skin due to the sweat. I saw a few scratches and bruises on her arms, no doubt injuries suffered from hellhounds. But considering she'd only been fighting with a bow and arrow, it was impressive.
It looked like she was still good to keep fighting. In contrast, I've only fought a few of them, but I was already out of breath.
"The hellhounds at our flank are taken care of for now, but…what happened to her?"
"Well…"
"…"
"I...think she's in shock."
"So...what do we do?"
Because of Lefiya's current state, we decided to take a two-minute break before going back to the group. While Yuna patrolled the surrounding area for monsters, I sat Lefiya down on a rock and tried to calm her down in the meantime. It took a while, but I somehow got her to breathe again, which was a relief. I took out a small flask of water and offered it to her.
"Here, drink this."
"T-thanks…"
"Your magic just now saved us, but what happened to you?"
"Well, I...just froze up when I saw them coming."
"Eh…"
"Aren't you scared too?"
"Huh?"
"You don't feel scared when fighting monsters?"
"Well-"
I wasn't sure why, but I didn't feel much fear towards monsters, not as much as being alone in the dark. Even with the monsters I've faced in my three weeks of training with Riveria, it didn't occur to me until now that I've not felt scared while fighting them. My eyes narrowed in thought, but I could not think of anything.
I looked up and met the elf's eyes, her dark blue eyes were troubled and scared. Those hellhounds had scared her more than I thought. I tried to give her a clear answer, but I wasn't sure of myself either.
"I don't feel anything, I think."
"I see...then good for you."
Lefiya felt like she'd been through a war. Her body was stiff, her muscles froze up and disobeyed her. Dark blue eyes stared blankly at nothing.
Ever since she'd joined Loki Familia, Lefiya had doubted herself of being worthy of surpassing her mentor. The gods had given her the title of "Thousand Elf'', because of her rare skill allowing her to make use of any elf magic as long as she knew the chant and effects. Seeing this, Riveria, Loki and the others saw massive potential in her and tried to train her the best they could. They said she had the potential to surpass Riveria herself, but she didn't see it that way.
"I'll never be as good as Miss Riveria, she's too far ahead," she'd told herself time after time.
On top of that, the sight of monsters terrified her to the bone, enough to freeze her up entirely. She was impressed that she'd somehow managed to pull off a spell with so many hellhounds in front of her. Maybe it was because Fenrir was standing in front of her, or those months of training with Riveria had paid off even a little.
Is there no way to get over this? Fenrir said he'd felt nothing, maybe I should ask him about it more later.
"Lefiya? Snap out of it, Lefiya!"
"H-h-huh!?"
"Keep your eyes open, there might be more monsters coming."
"Y-Yes!"
Yuna's voice snapped her back into reality. They were still inside the Dungeon, anything could happen at any time. This wasn't the time for Lefiya to get caught up with her fears. Desperately trying to calm herself, she gripped her staff tightly with both hands and followed behind the two siblings.
The area around them was known as the Cave Labyrinth. The terrain was rougher and noticeably larger than the ones on the upper floors. Confusing tunnels and intersections intertwined with each other, creating a spiderweb of hallways. Adventurers coming down this deep were required to carry a map to prevent them from getting lost. On top of that, Salamander Wool was highly recommended for protection against the fire breathing hellhounds that appear starting on the 13th Floor.
Following the map they had on hand, the three of them took the shortest route back to the main road to meet up with the first expedition group. Luckily, they had only encountered a small number of hellhounds along the way. Yuna's arrows brought down most of them, while Fenrir's chain scythes took care of the stragglers, albeit with some stumbles along the way.
So Fenrir ordered those weapons, huh? He looks like he's not used to them yet. Lefiya thought as she eyed the chain scythes Fenrir hung at his side.
A while later, they finally made it back to the main route and met up with some members of the first expedition group; they had stayed behind to pick up the magic stones and drop items of the monsters killed by the fighters at the frontline.
"Excuse me, do you know where the captain is?"
"Oh, I think he's still on this floor. Head in this direction on the map and you should meet up with his group."
After asking one of the Familia members for directions, the three of them headed in the direction they pointed out to look for the captain. Along the way, they helped pick up some of the drop items to lighten the load for the members.
"Yuna, I heard these Hellhound Fangs can go for a bunch of Valis on the surface!"
"Mmhm, we should sell them when we get back to pay off our equipment. How much did those chain scythes cost you?"
"Eh...I think it was three hundred thousand?"
"You should go gather some more then."
"Can I? We didn't kill these hellhounds though."
"We're helping them anyway, it won't hurt for us to take some of them."
"Okay…"
Reluctantly, Fenrir picked up more magic stones and drop items than they should've along the way. Lefiya remembered that her staff had forced a hefty debt on her, but she resisted taking them for herself.
"Fenrir, where do you come from?"
"Huh?"
The werewolf boy stood up and looked at Lefiya, wearing an expression so innocent that it nearly triggered her maternal instincts.
"I mean, you and your sister aren't from Orario originally, right? Where was your hometown?"
"Oh...we're from Dragon Valley-"
"H-HUH!?" Lefiya visibly recoiled in surprise.
Fenrir was caught off guard by her response, his tail stood up involuntarily in surprise. Her scream startled Yuna too, who turned her head at Lefiya in confusion.
"Lefiya? Why did you scream so suddenly?"
"Oh, uh...it's nothing, nothing at all!"
"If you say so…"
As they traversed the rough terrain of the Cave Labyrinth, Lefiya tried her best to get to know the two siblings better. Even though it was embarrassing, she felt a sense of comfort being able to talk casually with members of her Familia.
"Lefiya."
"Y-yes, Fenrir?"
"What about you, where was your hometown?"
"Oh, I'm from Wishe Forest."
"Wishe Forest?"
"Yeah, I can tell you more about it if you want."
"Tell me, I want to know!"
"So-"
Lefiya started telling Fenrir all about the forest she called home. Before she knew it, a slight smile replaced her nervous expression. Her tense muscles slowly relaxed as she thought about her home, Wishe Forest. But in the heat of the moment, she'd forgotten to ask about their home.
"..."
Somewhere on the 12th Floor, a girl stood alone in a dark grass plain covered in thick mist. A giant shadow stood menacingly in front of her, enveloped in white mist. Even with the mist, its unique features gave away its identity.
Infant dragons.
The strongest monster of the upper floors, considered to be the Floor boss of the 11th and 12th floor. Even though they were only infants, their raw power had already grown exponentially at that time. Towering up to 4 meders in height, their power had been categorized by the Guild as a Level 2, and bringing a party was recommended while fighting one.
But the girl that stood in front of it had no intention of running away. Without hesitation, she drew the broadsword at her back and faced the infant dragon.
"Alright, bring it on!"
"Rooooooooooaaaaaaaaarr!"
As if acknowledging the girl as a worthy opponent, the infant dragon unleashed a bloodcurdling roar powerful enough to make the mist tremble with fear. Though its wings were small, it carried enough power to create a strong air current.
"-Ooooo…."
"!?"
The dragon reared its neck, the mist blocking its view from the girl as it opened its mouth, baring the rows of fangs in its jaw.
A ball of fire emerged from the back of its mouth, casting a bright yellow light onto the white grey mist.
"Tch, already!?"
Driving her feet to the ground, the girl dashed to the side as quickly as she could.
And then…
"────────────────────!"
The dragon unleashed its flame breath. A river of fire hit the ground with a loud explosion, kicking up dirt and rock alike. The dragon swung its head in the girl's direction, a never-ending firestorm coming out of its mouth. The little plant life that existed within the plains quickly caught fire, slowly spreading the dragon's hellfire outwards.
"Hgh!"
Running with all her might, the girl made it to a small formation of rocks and hid from the wave of flames surrounding the plains. If she hadn't run as soon as she could, she would've been burned to ashes already.
CRACK! CRACK!
All she could hear was the cracking of tree branches as the fire burned away every organic thing in the grass plain. The pale white trees and the grass, all incinerated by the flames. The area had been turned into scorched earth. The heat had evaporated the thick mist, leaving behind a feeling of uncomfortable humidity in the area. Despite all this, the girl had a cunning smile plastered on her sweat-covered face.
"So these are the dragons of the Dungeon, huh?" She wiped the sweat off her brow, her smile only growing wider. "Hehe, this should be fun."
"!?"
The dragon saw its prey appear from behind the rocks, gathering its fire at the back of its throat, preparing to unleash another volley of fire at the girl. Anyone would've decided to run away after witnessing the hellfire, its towering presence struck fear into the very hearts of adventurers.
Nevertheless, the girl stood tall and firm. Her fighting spirit unwavering, she would not let such a fiendish creature best her in a fight. Focusing all of her mental energy, she started her chant.
"Endure, pure nymph-"
"────────────!"
The dragon released another volley of fire, determined to burn his prey to a crisp. The fire had enough power to burn through second-tier armour with ease. As the fireball landed on the ground, another thunderous explosion rocketed upward, lighting up the entire room. The dragon was confident that it had hit its prey, there was no time for her to run away. But…
"─────────!?"
The girl held firm, continuing her chant. Despite what should have been a direct hit, the girl seemed unscathed by the fire. The only difference was, the red cape she wore at her back was now on the ground.
She was protected by her Salamander Wool cape. Just before the fireball landed, she took off her cape with one hand and threw it in front of her, its magical properties preventing the girl from getting burnt.
Just when she thought she was off the hook, the dragon retaliated with an ear-piercing roar.
"OOOOoooooooooooooooooo!"
"!?"
With deadly speeds, the dragon launched itself forward at the girl, abandoning its long-range attacks. It forcefully twisted its giant body and swung its claws, obliterating anything in its path.
"-Gaah!?"
A direct blow landed on her left shoulder. With its large claws made of hardened keratin, its power rivalling that of a first-tier adventurer's weapon. Despite using her greatsword to block the attack, the armour on her shoulder was instantly crushed, and she was sent flying away by the monstrous force.
"That hurt...you stupid dragon."
Thanks to her armour, she'd barely survived the attack. But she wouldn't be able to survive another direct hit. She started to cough up blood, her organs had been damaged by the attack. She couldn't stall any longer, the only way to win now was to kill the opponent standing in front of her.
Focusing her mental energy, she started casting her magic again.
"Endure, pure nymph. Eternal Earth-"
"─────────!"
The dragon quivered, clearly shaken by the girl's stubbornness. It had hit her with a direct attack, but she still stood back up, her smile unwavering. Losing the little composure it had, the dragon callously went in for another attack, determined to finish this headstrong girl with its claws.
But just as the dragon's claws were about to hit the girl, she looked up at the imposing beast right in front of her and lifted her sword.
"-the oldest of three."
The claws of death could not fulfil their purpose.
The gap between them was now gone. Instead of cutting through human flesh, the dragon's arm was stopped mid-swing, a sword now jutting out from its palm. Somehow, her sword had gotten bigger.
"-Ooooooooooooooo!?"
With all her might, the girl rushed forward. Instead of her usual steel armour plating, the girl now wore a new set of glowing golden armour, no doubt summoned by her magic. It had somehow withstood the attack unscathed. The girl closed in with a speed that the dragon hadn't expected. And then, before the dragon could react-
She swung her greatsword upwards.
"HYAAAAAH!"
The girl's sword, imbued with the same glowing metal as her armour, struck the dragon's chest with a force that betrayed it's expectations, causing the dragon to lose its balance. Not allowing room for a counterattack, the girl slashed at the dragon again and again.
Her left shoulder screamed in agony, several of her bones were fractured from absorbing the dragon's attack, every little movement was unbearable. Despite that, however, she endured the burning pain and swung with all her might.
Swing after swing, her sword tore away at the dragon's scales, ripping away at the beast's defences. Soon, her swings met exposed flesh.
"OOoooooooo-!"
The dragon desperately tried to move away from the flurry of slashes, but the girl was much faster than ever before. That strange magical metal that covered the girl's body protected her from the dragon's claws, and her sword was imbued with the same ethereal metal, granting it the power and size of a claymore, yet she was able to swing it freely with one hand.
Having lost its balance, the dragon had no way of defending itself.
The girl lifted her sword high up, aiming for the exposed part of the dragon's belly and brought it down with all her might.
Shhunk-
"This is for breaking my shoulder, stupid monster."
"OOOOOooooooooooooooo…"
As the dragon cried its last wail, its body disintegrated into dust. The girl's sword now stuck inside a gigantic magic stone, the dragon's core. A victor had been chosen.
In the middle of the scorched earth, one figure sat alone.
"Gugh..!"
The girl sat down, her injuries and fatigue had taken a heavy toll on her body, but she was relieved that the battle was finally over.
The fire surrounding the grass plains started to die out, the last traces of the formidable dragon slowly faded away, only leaving behind its magic stone.
Crack-
Major cracks started to form along with its magic stone, spreading throughout its structure. Until-
TING-
The large stone shattered into a mist of white particles, spreading it across the dimly-lit room. The white particles created a sea of twinkling light, allowing a moment of serenity for the lone girl sitting on the grass.
"..."
The girl could not help but smile faintly at the beautiful scenery.
"Aurora! Where are you!?"
"Huh, Lulune?"
From one of the many tunnels in the room, a chienthrope girl called out towards Aurora. The girl wore a thief's outfit, her dark brown ears and tail waved nervously at the sight of the hellish scene in front of her.
The battle between Aurora and the infant dragon had resulted in the entire area scorched ashen-black by the fire.
"Jeez, I can't take my eyes off you for a second without you going on a suicide mission, can I!?"
"Eheheh…sorry."
"Woah there, you've done it now, Aurora. I wonder what Hermes-sama is going to say about this."
A pallum boy appeared from behind Lulune, also taking in the scenery in front of him. His straightforward attitude left room for little to no manners, causing Aurora to groan in frustration.
"Shut it, Pock. When are you ever going to act your size? Look at that bundle of cuteness that is your sister Pot!"
"Hell no, I'm already way better looking than your furry little brother!"
"Not a chance! My Fenrir's cuter than ten thousand of you combined- Ouch!"
"Hey, take it easy, Aurora. Drink this."
As Aurora and Pock's argument got cut off by her injuries, Lulune hurriedly offered her a vial of potion to drink.
"What were you thinking, running off to fight an infant dragon by yourself when you haven't fully recovered from our previous expedition? Even though you'd just levelled up, you shouldn't be too full of yourself-"
"Hmmph."
"...You're still angry about that?"
"Of course! I wouldn't have let that stupid god touch my back with his finger if I had known he would lie about our levels!"
"Well...I don't mean to pry, but why do you want a title so badly?"
"To show off to my younger brother and sister, of course!"
"Eh?"
"Man, what a pain in the butt you turned out to be."
"You got no right to talk, Pock!"
"Alright, alright. Cool it, you two!"
Lulune's head throbbed as she helplessly tried to stop the two of her familia members from arguing. She'd known that every single member of her familia had their unique quirks. But their newest member, the human Aurora, was another set of problems on her own.
Ever since she'd joined Hermes Familia, Aurora had been stubbornly going to the Dungeon every chance she got, venturing deeper and deeper each time against the wishes of their vice-captain, only stopping when she'd been issued missions by the Familia.
"Let's head back, Asfi must be dying from a headache right about now."
"Eh, the captain? Isn't she always suffering from a headache?"
"Ah, shut up already, blockhead."
"You...!"
"Ugh…..when is this going to end?"
"Lefiya, is it done!?"
"Sorry, give me one more minute!"
On the 11th Floor, our party faced a horde of monsters. In front of us, a horde of imps had formed a perimeter, keeping us from running away. Large bats loomed overhead menacingly as if getting ready to feast on us. We had been forced against a wall with no way to escape, forcing us to hold our ground and confront them head on.
Even with Lefiya, a Level 2 mage in our party, going back up the 12th through 10th Floor was painful, to say the least. Though the monsters we faced here were nothing like the hellhounds down on the 13th Floor, many of them compensated with sheer numbers and size. From the giant silverbacks to the ugly looking orcs, my chain scythes and Yuna's arrows did very little to the giant monsters.
"Yuna, cover me! I'll hold them off!"
"Don't go too far away!" Yuna called out.
As the party's only vanguard, my role was to protect Yuna and Lefiya from the monsters coming from the front. I took a deep breath and prepared to face the horde in front of us.
-I can barely see anything!
The thick fog made it hard to perceive the positions of the monsters in front of us, but my heightened werewolf senses compensated enough for that. Focusing every bit of my mental energy, I strained my senses and assessed my surroundings.
Ten, no, twelve imps were in front of me in a semicircle.
I could feel multiple eyes on me. The undeniable feeling of bloodlust was there.
"So many of them…"
My heart feels like it's about to burst at any moment. Taking a deep breath, I relaxed my shoulders, raised my weapons in a battle stance and charged forward.
I had learnt my lesson from our fight with the hellhounds just now. I had to swing my scythes in a way where I could easily retrieve them with the chain links.
The encounter with the hellhounds had hit home on how much I lacked in terms of skill. As Finn had put it, an adventurer who didn't know their weapon was a dead one.
"Your weapon is an extension of your own body, not a tool. Let your body lead your weapon, not the other way around."
Throw. Swing. Repeat.
"Utilize your speed, press your attack and force your enemy into an unfavourable position."
Finn's words echoed in my mind, all the knowledge I've gained from the mock battles we've done, all condensing into this very moment.
I can't let them down now!
The group of imps around me were walking closer, slowly encircling me in a ring. It was now or never, I had to prove myself as an adventurer worthy of bearing the Loki Familia emblem.
And more importantly, I had to prove that I was strong enough to protect my sisters.
"──────────!"
I gave in to my instincts and howled, sounding the bell of battle.
Driving my feet to the ground, I charged at the imps closest to me.
The imps all had weapons in hand, ready to take me on, but their main flaw was their small size.
At the last second, I stopped one meder away from the imps and swung both my scythes by the chain in a sweeping motion, utilizing its ability to launch attacks from far away to my advantage.
The imps had no time to react.
"Hyaah!"
My scythes slashed multiple imps along its arc, quickly tearing apart their small bodies with ease. As soon as they got hit, the imps fell silent, crumbling onto the ground.
Immediately turning around, I continued swinging the scythes around, creating a ring of death around me. Every single imp that dared to come near would've been sliced to death.
In just moments, the group of imps had crumbled to the ground one after the other until there were none left.
"Gah..hah...hah…"
I stood in the middle of a pile of imp corpses, gasping for breath. My arms were in extreme pain from overexerting themselves. My lungs burned, yearning for oxygen. Thanks to my demi-human strength and senses, I'd somehow pulled through unscathed.
I think we should we safe-
"!?"
As if right on cue, my instincts started to flare up. My tail stood upward as if it was in immediate danger. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.
What-
My body froze in place. It seemed like time had stopped completely.
Something was behind me, something big, something deadly.
I barely had enough time to turn around before something large smashed into my chest.
"!?"
"Miss Riveria?"
Somewhere on the 9th Floor, the second group of Loki Familia's expedition party led by Riveria herself had stopped all of a sudden.
The Dungeon was shaking below them.
"Aki, did you feel that too?"
"Yeah, I've never felt it before."
Aki had also stopped in her tracks, wondering what she'd felt.
The vibrations were subtle, weak enough that most adventurers wouldn't have noticed it at all. But for adventurers like Riveria, who possessed the enhanced senses of a first-class adventurer, and in Aki's case, the heightened senses of a demi-human, it was as clear as an earthquake.
"What should we do, Miss Riveria?"
"Tell everyone to prepare for battle, I want all hands on deck! There may be something happening in the Floors below."
"Yes, Miss Riveria!"
Reassuming her role as the vice-captain, Riveria issued orders to the group to get ready for the worst as they continued going deeper into the Dungeon.
An irregular event on the upper floors wasn't something they couldn't handle. But as an adventurer with decades of experience, Riveria had learnt not to underestimate the Dungeon no matter how prepared they thought they were.
On top of that, her gut feeling told her something was very wrong.
"Fenrir!?"
A lone scream pierced through the air, but it seemed like nothing but white noise.
"Gahh…Aaagh-!"
A fragment of the pain I was feeling slips from my lips, drifting into the mist.
That scream...was that...Yuna?
I couldn't breathe. My lungs wouldn't obey my body's desperate pleas to pull in air. My arms and legs trembled uncontrollably. I had no control over my movements. All I could think of was the pain. This feeling of dread, permeating through my entire body. Was this fear?
Clinging on to the last shred of consciousness I had left, I pulled out a vial of potion I had stuffed to the holsters at my waist and drank the liquid with trembling hands. After finishing the first vial, I pulled vial after vial and desperately drank until I could finally breathe again.
My chest felt like it was burning, the potions had allowed me to move my limbs, but the pain was still very apparent. With great difficulty, I managed to stand up, it felt as if I had just learnt to use my legs.
"!?"
About 20 meders from my position, I could see a giant towering shadow through the white mist, a club held in its right hand. Its height and size were that of an orc, but instead of its usual fat body, its body was fit and muscular. This wasn't a normal orc, it was something else entirely.
"GHOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!"
A blood-curdling howl echoed across the entire room, it was hungry for blood. This was the orc who had launched me here with one swing of its club. If it were not for my status, it would've been instant death.
Wait...
I felt another wave as my mind slowly started to put the pieces together. The large orc who had launched me here wasn't chasing after me, that meant only one thing.
Not good. Not good.
"-YUNA! LEFIYA!"
I was too weak, I couldn't protect them.
"No way…no way!"
"Don'tcha think yer' a little too young for this? Life as an adventurer is extreme, ya' know?"
Loki's voice rang in my head.
Driven by pure desperation, I grabbed my weapons and ran at the orc as fast as I could. Some imps had appeared along the way, but I wouldn't let them stop me.
"Go away!"
"──────!?"
Ignoring the pain in my body, I swung my scythes at the imps blocking my way, not stopping for a moment.
I have to protect them. No matter how weak I was, I had to try, I have to keep trying.
"I can't...I won't keep on living like this!"
"Then howl, brat."
"!?"
"You of all people should know how weak you are now. Howl, and I'll give you the power to protect your sister."
"..."
Hissssss-
Dark blue smoke rose from the beast's chest as it splashed something liquid on it.
Thud-
A glass vial fell from its grip, landing on the grass below.
In its clouded vision, it only saw blood; Its ears only listened for prey; It's nose searching for the tiniest scent.
As if controlled by pure instinct, the beast dashed through the grass with unimaginable speeds, following the faint scent of blood.
And there it was.
A large orc was walking towards the edge of the room, too fixated to notice the beast standing right behind it.
Somewhere deep in its mind, a voice called for the beast to slay it. It had finally found its worthy opponent.
Rearing its head back, it released an ethereal howl, sounding the bell of battle.
"Lefiya, aim for that giant orc in the middle, I'll protect you!"
"Y-yes!"
As Yuna held off the monsters coming for them with her bow and arrow, Lefiya took position and started her chant, aiming for the towering shadow in front of them.
"Proud warrior, snipers of the forest-"
Lefiya was terrified, extremely terrified. The monsters kept coming as if there was no end to them. And the appearance of that giant orc that had attacked Fenrir had nearly paralyzed her. Yuna was the only person that kept her going, her voice the only thing keeping Lefiya from breaking down in fear.
How was she able to keep calm at times like these? Isn't she worried about Fenrir?
"Tinge them with flame, lamplight of the forest-"
"Oooooo-"
"!?"
An unworldly howl echoed across the room. Even though it wasn't loud, something about it made Lefiya shiver unconsciously.
"No…"
Yuna? Lefiya thought she'd seen something snap inside the girl in front of her.
Yuna's jaw dropped, her eyes opened wide as if she'd seen something truly horrifying.
"L-Lefiya, hurry up with that spell."
What-?
"I...Fenrir and I will buy you time. Get your spell ready."
The girl in front of her was shaking.
Lefiya wanted to get out of this place so badly, it took every shred of her confidence to stop herself from cancelling her chant and running away right then and there. But now, the lives of two of her Familia members were on her hands.
This was the weight a mage had to bear, the weight that her mentor Riveria had felt countless times. Now, she had to carry it herself.
The magic circle at her feet glowed intensely as she reached the final verse of her spell.
"Falling like rain, burn away the savages."
Countless smaller magic circles appeared at her side.
"Fusillade Fallarica!"
A rain of fire engulfed the towering orc.
"OOOOooooo!?"
As arrows of fire shot overhead, Yuna ran closer towards the orc, who was distracted by the powerful magic aimed at him. Lefiya's magic had killed off the other smaller monsters in the area, only leaving the orc alive.
Fenrir...please be okay.
That howl she heard had brought back memories she didn't want to remember. Memories of their past, and their past deity.
"Eat this!"
Yuna aimed and shot an arrow at the orc, nocking another one as soon as the arrow left the bow and shot again. Iron and fire arrows mixed to create a rain of death, causing an orchestra of whistling and shaving away at the orc's life.
"!"
At the edge of her vision, she saw a figure dash towards the orc, swinging what looked like chains with a blade attached to the end.
"Fenrir! Stay back!"
"Ruuuuuuuaaaaarrrrggghhh!"
Ignoring her pleas, the boy jumped and swung both his scythes into the orc's chest, right below its arm.
The orc lets out a piercing scream as the scythes rip through flesh, thick green blood sprayed out from its wound onto the ground, staining the grass below.
Orcs may be slow compared to the other monsters in the middle floors due to their size, but this one was not any regular orc, its body was noticeably more muscular. But the thick mist made it hard to notice.
This was the power of an Irregular. A warden of death inside the prison that was the Dungeon, and they were its prisoners.
With a speed that betrayed expectations, the orc lashed out its left arm, successfully grabbing Fenrir by his chest. Even with his status, he couldn't break free from its grasp.
Crack-
"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The boy let out a feral scream as he felt his ribcage break.
"..."
Yuna stood still on the grass, her eyes opened wide, paralyzed with shock as she saw her beloved brother get crushed under the grasp of the orc. How was she supposed to defeat such a large monster with just her bow?
I'm useless-
"-Shoot, sniper of the fairies. Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy."
"!?"
"Arcs Ray!"
"Guuuuaaaaaaaarrrgh!?"
The room was basked in bright yellow radiance as a beam of light burst forth, hitting the orc directly in its chest, causing it to fall to the ground. A plume of smoke rose from its chest.
"Lefiya-?" Yuna turned around to look at the elf.
Lefiya's arms and legs were trembling, her exhausted expression showed that she was hitting her limits as well, she had used too much mind.
"Go...Yun-"
Succumbing to her fatigue, Lefiya fainted on the grass.
"...Alright."
Yuna turned to face the orc in front of her, it ate up two of Lefiya's spells head-on, but it was still very alive. Nocking an arrow, she aimed for its head and let it loose.
"Eat this, you monster."
The arrow landed on the orc's right eye, taking away half of its vision. For a moment, its grip on Fenrir had loosened up.
"Guuuuuhhh….!?"
"Fenrir, its chest!"
Summoning all of his remaining strength, the boy broke free from the orc's grip and jumped, aiming for its chest. The orc desperately tried to grab him again, but it had used up all of its strength.
Fenrir grabbed his left scythe and aimed, Lefiya's Arcs Ray had burned away flesh and bone, exposing part of its magic stone embedded in its chest.
"Ruuuuuuaaaaarrrgh!"
The blade's tip struck the stone with a loud TING!, causing it to shatter instantly.
"Guuuhhh…."
The orc's arm turned to ash along with the rest of its body.
The room was completely still aside from the two adventurers still standing. They had beaten the abomination the Dungeon had sent after them.
A small smile crept onto Yuna's face.
She walked slowly towards the boy standing in front of her, the boy following suit.
Just as they were an arms-length apart, the boy's knees buckled and started to tumble onto the ground, but Yuna supported him with her arms, bringing his thin body into an embrace.
Both of them were bleeding from multiple injuries. Their breaths were shallow and weak. Yuna placed her hands on her brother's head and back, pressing him tightly against her chest as if she was scared he'd disappear.
"...Yu...na, did we…?"
"...Yes, we won."
"...L-Lefiya?"
"...She's safe, don't worry."
Among the scorched grass, the two siblings embraced each other.
A boy stood in snowy tundra, in the middle of a blizzard. Wearing nothing but a thin piece of clothing.
Drip- Drip- Drip-
A drop of blood fell onto the snow, slowly melting the snow beside his feet and turning it deep red. The boy was staring at a large animal lying still in the snow at the base of a tree in front of him. His gaze empty, completely devoid of emotion.
Drip- Drip-
"De…"
The boy muttered something to himself. Looking down at his hands, his fingers were covered in blood, giving off a pungent smell. Some of his nails were missing, and the frigid weather caused unbearable pain to the exposed flesh, but he paid them no mind.
"..."
The boy reached out towards the animal corpse in front of him and used his hands to rip apart pieces of meat from the dead animal.
Meat…
One by one, the boy gathered the pieces of meat and stuffed them in a small bag made with animal hide, they would be his dinner for the night.
Crunch-
"!?"
"Oh…?"
A cloaked man stepped out from behind a grove of trees. The boy instinctively crouched low, baring his fangs at the mysterious person, a growl starting to escape from his throat.
"My...I never thought I'd encounter your kind here on such a peaceful night."
"Grrr…."
"Hey hey, calm down, little one."
The man took off his hood and knelt on the snow. From his pouch, he pulled out a piece of cooked meat and offered it to the boy.
"Hungry?"