The Argonaut and The Child of Light
Cian
"Ha… thank the gods for your guild advisor," Welf said from under Bell's arm.
Cian despite the blistering pain in his forearm wound, and fatigue bringing down his body managed to laugh at that. He thought about Eina back at the guild for a moment. She had told Bell and Cian that an almiraj on its own, could be handled by even a low level one adventurer, but if a group of them got together, they were a danger to any party in the middle floors. Finn had always used to tell him with the Scathach familia, the key to winning any battle, was controlling the circumstance in which you fought. That was useless to them now.
Bell smiled at him and nodded. "You're right, if not for this salamander wool we'd be goners."
"We'll have to buy something nice for Ms. Eina to make up for it when we get back," Cian said, turning and smiling at them, cruaidin at the ready for any monsters coming out of the wall.
After he'd wrapped Welf's leg, he realized that the less pressure he put on it, the quicker it would heal. So, Cian had given Welf the Gae Bulg to help him walk. The red-haired smith held the red spear in one hand, using it to help push himself along, while Bell and Cian had been taking turns helping him walk. One would stay under his shoulder, the other would walk at the front of the group, with Lillie secure in the middle.
The cave in thankfully had taken out the group of monsters around them as well. While a few strays had come at them, Cian or Bell had been able to take care of them. Cian turned back, and when they went around the bend, they'd been hoping to find a larger cavern with more options to go. They didn't know what floor they were on, but it was deeper than they had wanted to go.
Cian's smile faded, when all they found was another dead end, and a shaft like chasm leading down even further into the dungeon's depths. The silence, as everyone in his party saw the dead end was palpable. Cian's bones ached, even more then they had after he fought Mog. It wasn't the physical injuries that were the worst, it was the pounding in his head.
And even more so, the thought of how familiar this situation was. He could remember how lost they had gotten with Lady Aife's familia in the caves before the Fomorians attacked them.
Not again… not again, Cian thought, biting his lip as Welf groaned.
"Another one… dammit," He said, letting Bell lean him against a caved in wall.
"That cave in must have affected more then just where we were," Cian said, sliding his sword back to his waist and looking at Welf. "Welf, how's your leg feel?"
The smith coughed, but smiled, meeting their eyes. "Not good, won't lie…. Listen, you guys need to leave me-."
"What?! You can't be serious!" Bell yelled from next to him.
Welf smirked and shook his head. "I'm only slowing you guys down. You'll all be able to move a lot faster without-."
"Not an option," Cian hissed, walking over, and leaning against the wall with the red-haired smith, pulling out the small skin of water, and drinking some. After he was done, he handed it over to Welf. "I told you; we're all getting out of here."
"Cian's right, there's not a chance anyone's getting left behind," Bell said sternly, as Welf sighed and took the water to drink.
"But we've just hit another dead end," Welf said with a shake of his head. "We don't have any other options. We need to-."
"There is… one more option," Lillie said, as they all looked up at her. The prum sucked in a breath and looked up from the ground at them. "We can head for the eighteenth floor."
Lillie's words his Cian like a brick. His tongue had just been wet again, but his brain worked so slow, his head was so muddled, he couldn't respond before Bell did.
"What? The eighteenth floor," He said shaking his head. "Why would go even deeper in?!"
"The monsters are gonna be stronger!" Welf said, leaning up on Bell again.
Cian finally found his words. "Guys, relax," he looked at Lillie. "Go on Lillie, what's your idea."
Lillie got flustered and gave him a tired smile before letting out a breath. "You see, floor 18 is a dungeon safe zone. Monsters don't spawn there. If… if we get closer, we could run into another party of stronger adventurers, and go with them. Or if we make it there, we can send a message back to the surface with a runner. It… it's just an idea, but I think it can work."
Bell and Welf were quiet, and so was Cian, but his brain started whirring to life again.
That… that's actually not a bad option, Cian thought. They didn't know what floor they were on, but they would have to at most go down another four or five, as opposed to going back up nearly fifteen.
Bell slowly shook his head. "But how would we get down there?"
"We don't know where we are," Cian said. "How can we find the stairs?"
Lillie shook her head. "We don't need to find them, look here," she said, pointing to the shaft going down next to them. "The dungeon is full of these vertical shafts going down. If we use Master Cian's spear as a base, and repel down with rope, we can get further down."
"The Gae Bulg won't break, it'll hold our weight," Cian said, nodding towards the spear.
Welf shook his head. "But… what about the floor boss?"
Cian looked at him confused. "Floor boss?"
Lillie answered for him. "Some floors are protected by high leveled monsters, they're massive. They normally take huge parties of adventurers to take out."
"Some make that Fomorian from last week look like nothing," Welf said, sounding nervous. He shook his head again. "The one on floor 17 is huge."
"That's Goliath… but the Loki familia went on their expedition last week," Lillie said with a shake of her head as well. "But they'll have defeated him, and all the floor bosses have an average respawn time of around a week and a few days. If we hurry, we could just make it."
If it makes Mog look like nothing… Cian thought, looking at Welf holding the Gae Bulg. A shiver ran up his spine if that thing attacked them. It was hard to say if even he and Bell together could defeat it, they'd beaten Mog thanks to everyone attacking at once, and even then, Ryuu had been there, and she told Cian she's level 4.
Cian bit his lip and sighed. "Well… we'll need to hurry then. Bell, what do you say?"
He had been deferring to Bell as the party leader, but he knew they thought alike, he'd see the same merit in the plan Cian did. Cian knew there were a lot of risks involved with Lillie's ideas, a lot of risks and variables.
However, Chu had always told him, a risky plan is better then no plan.
"Huh? Me?!" Bell said worried.
Lillie nodded. "You're the party leader Master Bell, we'll do what you say."
"Yeah, and don't worry we won't hold it against you either way," Welf assured him.
Bell looked to Cian.
He smiled and shot him a thumbs up. "Chu used to always say, a risky plan is better then no plan. You're the leader Bell, you tell us where to go, we trust you."
Bell finally looked at them again before sucking in a breath. "Okay then… let's go. We're going to go for the eighteenth floor."
Cian smiled, it felt good to have a plan. "Alright, let's switch off Bell, I'll carry Welf."
Welf scoffed with a grin. "Yeah, treat me like an old lady why don't ya."
Everyone chuckled, as Cian put the smith's arm around his shoulder.
Bell took the lead, and looked back to Cian and Welf, holding out his plan. Welf nodded, and handed the Gae Bulg to Cian, before Cian gave it to Bell.
Lillie went into her bag for rope, and Cian tried to clear his mind.
We're getting out… we are.
OP: Hello to Dream, DanMachi S1
The Argonaut and The Child of Light
Season 1, Episode 2: The Little Rookie and The Lancer of Red
Ryuu
Something isn't right, he should have been back by now, Ryuu thought, dropping off the order at the table.
Cian was always on time, for everything, the boy made it a habit. He'd told Ryuu that Scathach had always told him, 'if you're late in life you'll leave it early'. It was a good if morbid saying, one that she knew Cian always followed. Just as when she realized he had gone off on his own a week and a half ago, her chest went into overdrive when the time he said he'd return by-the dinner rush- past by, and he still hadn't walked through the door with Mr. Cranel and the rest of his party.
"Ryuu!" Mama Mia said, getting her attention. "What's on your mind, you alright?"
Ryuu handed back the empty dishes she had and shook her head. "Cian's not back yet, he said he'd be back by the dinner rush."
Mama Mia slowly nodded, crossing her large arms. "Yeah… that is odd, never knew that kid to not be on time, but I'm sure everything's fine. They're adventurers, they probably got caught up."
"I know," She said, but soon, she found herself looking at the ground and shaking her head. "But still, I can't help but feel…."
"Worried?" Mama Mia said, a smirk coming to her. "You've taken quite a liking to the kid haven't you?"
"Not just him," Ryuu said, a bit quicker then she intended. "Mr, Cranel and everyone else as well-."
"You don't gotta hide it Ryuu," The dwarfess said with a shake of her head. "You and Cian spend a whole lot of time together. You're always talking, working, you like him don't you?"
"My feelings are irrelevant," Ryuu said, trying to sound stern. "What's important is that he's not returned yet…"
She bit the inside of her lip. She knew she didn't deserve to think about the kinds of feelings Mama Mia spoke about. She'd lost that right long ago.
Ryuu wasn't blind, she clearly saw how Cian acted around her. His face got red, sometimes he stuttered, and she caught him looking at her smiling many times, not to mention how he was always willing and ready to help her whenever she needed. She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy his presence, a lot, more then a lot even. He was kind, pure, selfless, hardworking.
But the truth of the matter was, what her feelings are where irrelevant. She was blacklisted, nothing but a dangerous blood thirsty elf, Cian she knew would be better off with his feelings anywhere else.
However, that didn't mean Ryuu didn't care about him, or what happened to him, which is why she'd not hesitated in running off last week to help save him.
Mama Mia sighed and narrowed her eyes at Ryuu. "Ryuu you can't think like that, of course your feelings are irrelevant. You can't go through life-."
She was cut off when the door to the tavern slammed open.
Mama Mia glared. "Huh?! What the hell-."
"RYUU!"
Ryuu's eyes widened. Her chest nearly exploded, as the goddess's hands fell to her knees.
"Lady Hestia?" Ryuu said.
"Lady Hestia," Mama Mia said with a scoff. "What's wrong, you seem like you just ran through the city!"
"I… I did, please excuse me Mia!" Hestia said, her eyes wide and near crying. She turned to Ryuu and shook her head. "Ryuu, please I know you've already done so much, but I need your help I it's-."
"Cian…" Ryuu said slowly, cutting her off gripping the end of her uniform. "Him and Mr. Cranel… they really haven't returned?"
Hestia shook her head. "Them and their party are trapped in the dungeon, they got pass paraded!"
"Pass paraded…" Ryuu said, images, horrible images flashing in her mind.
"I'm putting together a quest, I already went to the guild," Hestia said, trying to keep her composure as she looked at Ryuu. "But… I'm putting together people myself, please will you-."
"Mama Mia…" Ryuu said, turning to the woman who'd taken her in. "I know I'm working a shift now… but… but I-."
"Go, get your things and head after them," She said, a small smile coming to her face. "Get'em and drag'em back here for dinner now, be careful."
"Thank you so much Mia!" Hestia said, bowing profusely.
Ryuu only nodded, trying not to show the relief, and the worry on her face.
She turned to Hestia. "Alright, we'll move out now, just give me a moment to get my things."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Mikoto
The elf looked at Mikoto with more scorn then even the goddess did. The blonde elf, with the long green cape and wooden sword at her waist, leaned against the altar next to Goddess Hestia, her gaze trained on Mikoto and her familia.
She didn't blame her, for her deeds deserved such scorn, and a part of her wished Goddess Hestia would look at her the same. She'd broken the minute they returned to Lord Takemikazuchi, before even Ouka had the chance to tell him. Luckily, in the end… it had paid off, as Chigusa's wounds had been treated and she now stood with them, the intense sun coming through the stain glass window.
He saved me… he saved my life and… and I doomed him and his friends, she kept thinking, over and over again griding her teeth and gripping her fists.
"So, they deliberately led a pack of monsters into Bell, Cian and the others?" Lord Miach said and having even more gods in attendance only furthered Mikoto's shame.
"Bell… Cian…" The girl next to Miach said, Naaza, Mikoto had heard her name was. Another person who cared about the people she'd condemned to death.
"Yes…" Lord Takemikazuchi said, his voice more disappointed then angry now. "Even if their backs were against the wall, it was still unacceptable."
It was… I should have at least stayed behind, Mikoto thought, suffocating under the looks all the gods gave her.
"A pass parade… you should all be ashamed," The elf hissed, her sharp, intense blue eyes turning on them all. "They could be dead now because of you, and if they are I-."
"Ryuu… please," Lady Hestia said, her voice soft, as a beautiful light casted over the goddess.
The elf growled still, and leaned against the alter again, her eyes still full of anger. Lady Hestia smiled and pressed her hand against her chest.
"I know you're worried Ryuu… I am to… so worried," Lady Hestia said, sucking in a breath before she turned to the gods again. "But Bell and Cian are alive, the blessing they have from me hasn't faded I can feel it. Besides, they have each other, Welf, and Ms. Supporter too, they'll make it."
"You're right…" The elf said with a shake of her head. "Cian won't let his party fall, neither will Mr. Cranel. I know it… he's told me as much."
Mikoto took note on how she called the Lancer of Red by his first name, that he was the only one she did that for. It made Mikoto's chest nearly cave in, could it be the two of them… were perhaps romantically involved? Had she really taken that away from someone?
"But still… if Bell doesn't survive if he and Cian don't return… I'll never forgive you all," The goddess said, and Mikoto nearly let a tear slip, until the light in her eye made her look up and then, she saw the goddess hold a hand to them. "But I won't hate you…. So please… please, will you help me get Bell and Cian back?"
Mikoto felt a jolt run through her, like she'd been struck by lightning. Her head shot up to see just how beautiful the goddess's eyes were, hear how sincere her words were. She looked to Lord Takemikazuchi, who only nodded, a stern look on his face. Mikoto hated disappointing him, she hated seeing the disappointed looks of the gods around her.
But more importantly, she hated what she did. She could still see it in her head. The Lancer of Red had looked back down at her, saved her when his own back was against the wall. He could have left her to die to leave open a hole for his party to escape through, but he hadn't, he had gone to save her. He was better than her in that regard, she had left him and his friends even after he effectively saved her and hers.
"We're at your command!" Every other member of her familia said, dropping to their knee.
But Mikoto's only shook.
"Huh? Mikoto?" Lord Takemikazuchi said, looking to her.
Mikoto sucked in a breath, her heart racing, and closed her hands into fists. Blinking away tears of guilt, she looked up at Goddess Hestia, and the elf still glaring at her.
"The Lancer of Red saved my life," Mikoto said, trying to not let her voice shake. When she had everyone's attention she let out the breath she'd been holding and met Goddess Hestia's eyes. "I was attacked as we fled past his party, I would have died if he hadn't come to save me but-."
"But you still left him to die," The elf spat. "Some way of saying thank you."
"I know!" Mikoto snapped, meeting her glare. "I'm ashamed of it and I will be for the rest of my life, but please…. Let me promise you now, I will make it up to you and him. Let me travel down into the dungeon to save him and his friends."
"Mikoto…" Chigusa said softly, as Mikoto got to one knee.
She waited for a moment, waited for a reprimand… but one never came.
Lady Hestia even laughed. "Ha… that sounds like Cian. Yes, you'll all come, thank you… thank you so much all of you, and you Take, Miach."
Lord Takemikazuchi nodded. "I can send Mikoto and Ouka with you as Chigusa as support, but I'm afraid any more would slow you down."
Mikoto's heart felt the smallest bit rejuvenated. She had to find him, she had to find the Lancer of Red and his party.
And she had to fix her mistake.
"I… I can't go into the dungeon anymore, I'm sorry," The demi-human girl, Naaza said from next to Lord Miach. "But I'll give you as many potions as I can!"
Lord Miach nodded and smiled at her. "Good Naaza, I'll help you. Hestia, give us a half hour before you depart, we'll gather what we can."
"Thank you Miach, and you Naaza," Hestia said, smiling at them as she hoped down from the stage. "We'll need to leave as soon as we can."
"Hestia," Lady Hephaistos said for the first time, smiling as she stood from her seat. "If you happen to run into Welf, will you give him something for me?"
"Of course! I'm sure he's okay, Bell and Cian would never leave someone behind," Lady Hestia said assuredly.
Mikoto calmed a bit, having more supplies, and the elf along as well-who by her simple presence Mikoto could tell was powerful- it would be much easier to traverse floors. She had only just recently gotten to level 2, along with Ouka, and then Chigusa, they'd stand a much better chance.
But either way… Mikoto would get to that boy who'd saved her and his party. She'd see those eyes of his again, and hope they'd be able to look at her the same way they had the first time.
"It won't be enough," The elf suddenly said, following Goddess Hestia down from the stage, and taking place next to her.
"Huh? What do you mean Ryuu?" Lady Hestia asked.
The elf shook her head, glaring at Mikoto and her familia again. "I'm not doubting their skill, but they don't know their way around the middle floors like I do. I'd have to lead us, and I can't do that… and protect you at the same time."
"WHAT?!" All the gods said at the same time.
Mikoto's jaw dropped, a god, in the dungeon?
"Hestia you're going with them?!" Lord Miach said. "That's ridiculous!"
"Gods aren't allowed in the dungeon Hestia," Lord Takemikazuchi said. "Not to mention how dangerous it will be for them already."
"This is insane even for you," Lady Hephaistos said with a shake of her head. "I know you're worried about your children Hestia, but you can't-."
"I don't care about the rules right now! I'm going, I won't leave Bell and Cian down there all alone, I have to go!" Lady Hestia said, in a very finalized voice. After nobody said anything, she finally sighed and looked to Lady Hephaistos. "But Ryuu is right… we need to find more adventurers even if I wasn't going down."
Lady Hephaistos sighed. "I'd say yes, but I don't have any of my strongest members. They're all on their way back from an expedition with the Loki familia."
Lady Hestia sighed and turned to the elf. "Ryuu, do you know anyone-."
"Well, I can certainly help you out Hestia," A new voice said, and everyone turned to the door.
Mikoto turned with the rest of her familia and saw yet another god walking through the doors of the old church.
Hestia's eyes widened. "Hermes?! What are you doing here?"
"Lord Hermes…" Mikoto said slowly.
Chigusa whispered next to her. "And that's Asfi Al-Andromeda, she's the captain, a level 4!"
Mikoto looked at the blue-haired girl trailing behind the god. Her eyes widened. "Lion… what are you doing here?"
The elf shook her head but bowed. "Andromeda…. I… I'm here to save my friends."
"Asfi here is right!" Lord Hermes said, turning to Lady Hestia. "And I'm here to help out my darling friend Hestia as well!"
Lady Hephaistos scoffed. "You call her your friend, but I can't remember one time you were eager to help her in the lower world until the last Denatus."
"She's right," Lord Takemikazuchi said. "I can't remember you being a very good friend to her."
Lord Hermes laughed nervously and held up his hands. "Oh man tough crowd…"
"They're right Hermes…" Hestia said with a shake of her head. "First the Denatus, now this… I don't know what you're planning… but…"
"But I know you don't wanna turn down help! Not when young Bell and Cian's lives are at stake," Hermes said, sounding genuine, as he held up a flier. "I have my reasons, but I do really want to help you out Hestia. And it looks like you already got Ms. Ryuu here on your side, getting fond of the young man from Ulster, aren't you Ms. Ryuu?"
"What I feel isn't important," The elf hissed, shaking her head. "If Lady Hestia accepts your help, I will too. My reasons for going are to save my trapped friends."
Mikoto let out a breath… so she hadn't taken away a boyfriend from someone. Still, the elf seemed on edge, and it worried her.
Hermes looked genuinely afraid. "Ha… of course, of course, but still, I'm glad to offer you my help Hestia," he put an arm around Andromeda. "And I'm gonna even send Asfi here to help!"
"HUH?!" Andromeda said, before gritting her teeth and glaring at the god.
"You got that right Asfi!" Hermes said, before looking at Hestia again. "The only other condition is that I'm going to come along with you as well. Asfi to protect me, Ryuu to protect you Hestia, with two level fours and Take's group. We'll be just-."
"Except you have something else planned…" The elf said, her gloved hands becoming fists.
"Ha… planned? Oh, whatever do you mean Ryuu?!" Hermes said.
"Lion…" Andromeda said.
"Ryuu… what is it?" Hestia said, as the elf stood next to her, her blue eyes looking past Hermes and Andromeda.
She crossed her arms and shouted. "You! The person waiting behind the door, come inside now, stop skulking. Don't try to run either, I'll know if you do."
A silence crept over the church, and Mikoto was tempted to draw her weapon. A tense air came, as she looked and saw Andromeda stir, and look at Hermes. Hermes finally sighed and turned towards the door.
"As perceptive as ever Ms. Ryuu, you're right, I was going to bring someone else along," He said, before looking at the door. "Come inside, it's fine, we won't let anyone hurt you."
"Lion, promise you'll listen to her first," Andromeda said, a bit sterner than before.
"Ryuu…" Hestia said shaking her head. "When did you hear them?"
"Since Lord Hermes arrived," Ryuu said, shaking her head. "They've been waiting."
Every other god in the room stood still, and Mikoto kept her hand near her sword. From how Ryuu spoke, and how tense Lord Hermes got, she expected an evil looking villain to come in through that door.
But instead, it was just a girl. She had long flowing red hair, and green eyes that clearly looked as if they wished to be anywhere else. She sucked in a deep breath in the door for a moment, before taking steps into the church. She wore a black cloak with the good down, over a light cuirass of brown leather, and thigh high brown boots, with two swords at her waist. She felt powerful but didn't seem like anything other than an ordinary adventurer.
You wouldn't have been able to tell that from the reaction Lady Hestia and the elf gave.
"Y…You!" Lady Hestia said, her voice sputtering.
"Lady Hestia get back!" The elf said, pulling the wooden sword from her waist and stepping in front of the goddess.
"Hestia who is that?!" Lord Takemikazuchi said, stepping next to her.
Lady Hephaistos and Lord Miach both stepped up as well, as Lady Hestia seemed to be a bit shaken. Mikoto sensing the tension grabbed the hilt of her sword, seeing her familia do the same. She turned to see if the girl was making any moves. From the reaction, Mikoto thought she'd perhaps cast a spell, or try to attack.
But no, the girl only seemed afraid. Her knees shook, and to her credit, Andromeda stepped in front of her, seemingly to protect her, however, the girl shook her head, sucking in a breath, and stepping in front of Andromeda, and in front of Lord Hermes. Her eyes looked up, as the elf held her wooden sword out towards her.
And the girl only got to one knee.
"L…Lady Hestia…" She said, not looking up. "And… and R…Ryuu… I heard your name was."
"What in the world is this?!" Ryuu demanded, looking at the two behind the girl. "Andromeda?! Do you know who the hell this is?!"
"I'm aware Lion, we both are, we're aware of what transpired between you all," Andromeda said, trying to keep her voice calm.
"Then how the hell is she still alive?!" The elf yelled again. "She tried to murder Cian!"
"What?!" Lord Miach said, looking at Hestia, "Hestia, what in the world is going on?!"
"This girl…" Hestia said, shaking her head, but seeming calmer. "She's a member of the Morrigan familia."
"Former, member of the Morrigan familia," Hermes said, all traces of jokes in his voice gone. "As of last week, Mebd here is a member of my familia."
"WHAT?!" The elf demanded. "How the hell could you do that?! She was with the Morrigan familia, they were members of Evilus!"
"Not Mebd, she joined them only last year," Andromeda said, trying to remain calm, but her eyes narrowed at the elf. "Put your sword away Lion, she won't hurt you or anyone. Not that she could, you beat her pretty bad."
The girl shook, as she still looked at the ground, and Mikoto felt a touch of sympathy. However, it was overtaken by worry.
Morrigan familia… didn't lord Takemikazuchi…
"The Morrigan familia?! The ones who attacked you and the others?!" Lord Takemikazuchi said.
"The ones you just got done telling us to watch out for at the Denatus, that are a threat to Orario," Lady Hephaistos said, narrowing her one non covered eye at Hermes. "What the hell are you playing at Hermes?"
Lord Hermes let out a sigh and shook his head. He walked to the girl-Mebd- she'd been called and knelt down next to her.
"You told me you didn't want me to speak for you," He said, holding a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Go on, just say what you said to me and Asfi."
"Go on Mebd," Andromeda said after that.
Lord Hermes rose, and the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Mikoto's brain went a mile a minute. She remembered hearing about what the Lancer of Red and Little Rookie had done. They'd killed an ancient monster west of Orario, one that breathed fire and leveled a village. The Lancer of Red had killed a monster that was Level 4 at Level 1.
And it seemed this girl had almost killed him.
The girl rose to her feet, letting out a shaky breath again. She whispered some words in a language Mikoto didn't understand.
But before she could say anything, Lord Miach spoke up.
"Fàsaidh fìrinn a‐nìos as an talamh, agus seallaidh ceartas a‐nuas o na nèamhan," The god spoke, his voice soft, every person in the room-except the girl Mebd-looking at him like he had ten heads. He nodded again. "Go on child."
The girl Mebd's eyes widened, and she bowed. "Bith go raibh maith agat, Lord Miach."
Mikoto had no idea what they'd said, but he knew that Lord Miach was from Ulster, and this Morrigan familia was as well. She deduced it had to be perhaps the native language of the western land. They had a native language in the far east as well, but they rarely spoke it among the familia, except when reminiscing about home.
Mebd sucked in another breath, and after looking at the ground for a few moments, finally looked up at everyone. Mikoto still saw fear, but there was a bit of calmness to them now.
"Goddess Hestia… my name is Mebd Mac Caomhanach, of the Caomhanach clan of Western Ulster," The girl said, before taking another step forward, and falling to her knees. "And… and I'm here to give you… and… and you Ryuu, and everyone, my most sincere and humblest of apologies for my inexcusable and despicable actions. And now… I would like to ask you if… if you would let me come with you, to rescue Ci-."
"Not a chance," Ryuu said, stepping forward again, but the girl didn't move from her knees. "Get up and leave. I'll let you go because Andromeda asks, but never show your face again. You think we'd just let you come along after you almost killed Cian?"
The girl was silent, and Ryuu shook her head.
"You stood by, stood by and watched as that Fomorian burned the village to the ground and slaughter every living being there," Ryuu said, and Mikoto's stomach fell.
The girl's head fell back to the ground, her red hair falling over her eyes.
Ryuu didn't stop. "I know you didn't kill any of the villagers yourself, but you standing by, leading Cian into that trap, being there makes you just as guilty. And why? All… all in the name of some revenge? You should be ashamed for even thinking you can go to Cian. After it all he tried to help you, but you didn't deserve it. You should-."
"I KNOW! I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW!" The girl screamed, her hands shaking, and tears falling from her eyes as she shook her head.
The silence returned, and Mikoto's heart stopped.
The girl sobbed, and everyone was silent. For a minute, Mikoto thought she'd leave, but she didn't. Mebd stood and looked up through her tears, her voice shaking.
"I know…. Nothing at all you say about me, about what I've done, do I not already know. I know you hate me; I know you do, but you don't hate me nearly as much as I hate myself for what I did," She said through a pained voice. Her teeth grinded as she spoke in a stern, yet devastated voice. "I know… that no matter what I do for the rest of my life, no matter how many people I want to save, no matter how many deeds I perform… I'll never be forgiven by people or forgive myself for what I did. It's going to haunt me until the day I die but… but…"
She cried more, and fell to her knees, bowing again. "But I want to try for my brother's sake. The ca… Connla is the one who killed him, they used me, convinced me in the end I could avenge him, and it was the only way. I know it's no excuse, and I'm not using it as one, but I want to try. I want to try and be the person my brother wanted me to be."
Then, Mebd stepped forward, the point of Ryuu's wooden sword poking her. She looked right into the elf's eyes and shook her head.
"C…Cian Mac Gallagher said to me that… that it's never too late to make the right choice," Mebd said, looking up at everyone with wet wide eyes. "Lord Hermes has given me the opportunity to try and I won't let it go to waste…. So please, if you can find it in your hearts to let me come… I want to try and save him, to apologize to him as well. Please…"
And with that, she fell back to her knees and bowed again at Ryuu and Lady Hestia's feet.
Mikoto's heart stirred, she didn't know the full story, but she wished she could lay plain her faults and take responsibility like this girl was trying to do.
After minutes of silence, Lady Hestia chuckled.
"Ha… this is why you didn't back me up about the Morrigan familia at the Denatus," Lady Hestia said, walking in front of Ryuu, in front of Mebd. "Isn't it Hermes? You were trying to protect her."
Hermes stepped forward and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Yes, I'm sorry Hestia. They would have asked how I knew about the Morrigan familia. Mebd here was left by them after your battle."
"She was healed, but drained of energy, half dead really when we found her," Andromeda said, looking to the elf. "Lion… trust me when I say she has nothing to do with Evilus, or the Morrigan familia anymore."
"So, what do you say Hestia?" Hermes said, meeting the small goddess's eyes. "I promise if she does go rouge, we'll protect you, but you won't have to worry about her, I'll stick my reputation on it."
Mebd looked at her god wide eyed. "Lord Hermes…"
Lady Hestia walked up to the girl Mebd and looked up at her. "Mebd wasn't it? Are you aware that Cian wanted to help you after he killed the Fomorian? He wanted us to heal you, and help you back to Orario, I want you to know he was genuine."
"I… I know," Mebd said slowly, wiping her eyes.
Lady Hestia smiled. "That's the kind of person he is. Can you look me in the eyes and promise me that when we get to Cian, you'll tell him what you just told me?"
Mebd's eyes widened again and she bowed. "I… I swear Lady Hestia."
"Good… then welcome aboard," She said, smiling, looking to Ryuu. "Ryuu?"
The elf scoffed. "I'll do what you order Lady Hestia."
"I'd prefer if you did it because you think it's a good idea."
Ryuu sighed and slid her wooden sword to her belt and walked next to Mebd. "I'll agree… because it's what Cian and Mr. Cranel would do. But know that if I sense any kind of deception during this trip, a threat to any of my friends, I won't hesitate to finish you off this time."
Mebd's quickly nodded, and for a minute, she seemed like the young girl she was. Mikoto guessed she had to only be about sixteen, the same age as her.
The same age The Lancer of Red looked. Mikoto's face got red for a minute, which was odd, she didn't know why, but her heart started thumping more. She breathed to calm herself as Mebd quickly nodded.
"You won't, I promise! Thank you," She told the goddess.
Lady Hestia smiled and nodded. "Okay, now… we're heading out. Come on, we're going to save Bell and Cian!"
I'll redeem myself… I will, will you look at me with kind eyes like you did before… Lancer of Red?
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Cian
Cian gagged.
"Ughhh," Welf groaned.
"Argghhh oh man…" Bell said, a few steps in front of him and Welf.
"Ughhhhh," Cian said, before hacking up his lungs as he helped Welf limp along. "Oh man… oh man I've never smelled anything worse."
But… Naaza was right, that thing's working like a charm.
The charm was doing its job, but that didn't mean Cian wouldn't complain about the smell. They'd been walking for what felt like days, he remembered long marches with the Scathach familia, but it was always counteracted with Diarmuid telling a story or stupid joke, Finn giving a lecture, or Lady Scathach reminded them all they were on a mission and to focus. He used to enjoy the marches, despite the fact that since he was always in the back, he'd have to carry a large number of supplies, so the others could fight quickly.
He thought Welf would be upset being compared to supplies, but again Cian found himself in the back out of necessity. Bell and he had been switching off helping the smith along, while Cian still let him use to the Gae Bulg to help him walk. Right now, his arm was over Cian, and despite the fact that they were all still exhausted, it had helped him, or Bell defeat any monsters who came past the stink pouch Lillie had pulled out.
Naaza had made the pouch and given it to Bell and Cian the day before, asking them to test it out in the middle floors if they could, to see if she should make more to sell. So far, Cian was going to give it rave reviews.
He hacked again, Bell doing the same however, he knew that was the point, but marching through that smell was nauseating.
"Oh man… little bit, can you please do something about the smell," Welf gagged, as Cian and Bell both tried to cover their nose.
Lillie who was carrying the sack in front of them, did not take kindly to Welf's request.
"WELL WHY YOU DON'T YOU CARRY IT THEN MASTER WELF?! HUH?!" She yelled turning around and showing it in their faces. "OR YOU MASTER BELL?! MASTER CIAN?! YOU THINK I LIKE HOLDING IT, YOU THINK YOU GOT IT BAD I'M THE ONE WHO HAS TO CARRY IT! YOU WANNA DO IT?! GO ON, DO IT, DO IT DO IT DO IT!"
"Lillie… Lillie please," Cian gaged as she waved the thing in front of our faces.
It didn't take long before all three of Cian, Welf and Bell collapsed, and Lillie was left with a very satisfied look on her face.
After a minute of recovering, the three of them rose, and Cian took hold of Welf again helping him along. He had no idea what floor they would be on now, but he hoped they had to be on at least seventeen. Lillie had told him, that the boss chamber was marked by a sort of magical barrier that the floor boss if it had respawned would sense the crossing off. That had worried Cian still, the idea of a monster even larger than Mog wasn't something he wanted to fight. He'd only defeated Mog thanks to the Gae Bulg's power, and he'd only been able to use it with all of his friends actively protecting him while he chanted and performed the kata.
Welf and Bell both had commented a few days prior, they didn't have to worry about any monster, because if Cian used the Gae Bulg on them, they'd die no matter what so long as Cian's will was stronger then them, and monsters didn't have a will of their own. So unless they were fighting a monster that was multiple levels higher, the Gae Bulg was an 'ace in the hole' Welf had called it.
Cian knew this wasn't the case. In a one-on-one fight, the Gae Bulg would be near impossible to use, unless Cian got significantly better at performing the kata. It still took him a minute and a half to perform the movements, which didn't seem like long but in a fight it was eternity.
There was also the fact, that it drained him of most of his energy. He still hadn't recovered from using it in the cave earlier and using it again would almost certainly make him go mind down, or possibly even worse. Yes, while the Gae Bulg was powerful, he needed to be careful and selective in its use until he got stronger with it.
"This stink bag is the only thing saving us from being swarmed right now," Lillie said, still sounding a bit annoyed as she glared back at them. "It's keeping the monsters away, I don't recognize this floor, but we can't be much further now."
Bell nodded and looked back at Cian. "Man, Ms. Naaza really is talented, this things working great."
Cian managed a smile and nodded. "Yeah, she'll be thrilled when we tell her it saved us."
Bell like he normally did, managed to smile as well. "Not bad for our first trip to the middle floors eh, 'Lancer of Red'?"
Cian scoffed, he liked his name from the gods, but being called it all the time would get a bit old. Chu had been lucky his name from the gods was so catchy. Still, Cian knew Bell was right. His body was aching from head to toe, he had stifled the bleeding on his inner arm with Chu's raven scarf that he'd previously been wearing along his arm. He felt a bit bad wearing something that was so precious a memory as a bandage, but he had nothing else.
As normally happened when he didn't know what to do, he thought to what the various members of the Scathach familia would have done, had told him to do in this situation, and tried to tick off each in a checklist in his mind.
Fergus would have told him to remain levelheaded the entire time, he checked that off. Uathach would tell him to conserve the energy of his party, by dividing up the work and helping their most vulnerable, he could check that off as well.
Finn would say to find a plan and stick to it, to analyze and prepare counter measures, the stink sack had that covered. Diarmuid would encourage him to make witty and boisterous jokes. Cian was feeling neither witty nor boisterous then, so he didn't check that off.
Chu would have told him above all else, the most important thing was everyone's survival, no matter what the cost was. Lady Scathach would say it was his duty as one of the stronger ones, as a hero, to protect those who were weak then.
He and Bell would certainly check off those.
"You got that right Little Rookie," Cian said with a smile, looking to Welf. "After we're finished lugging around this old man I'd say we earned a vacation."
Everyone laughed, even Lillie. Maybe he could check off that witty joke box now.
Welf smirked at him. "Yeah you got jokes now, but just you wait until-."
He was cut off by a familiar growling. Cian's instincts took in and he unsheathed his sword, turning with Welf. Bell's knife was out in an instant, as a hellhound stood in a nearby passageway. Its mouth was aflame, and Cian's blood pressure spiked. An annoyance shot through him, they'd been walking along, actually laughing, and he was beginning to feel more confident, when this beast dared interrupt.
Lady Scathach had told him, that annoyance, when channeled the correct way, could bring about determination and strength.
However, before Bell could leapt forward with his knife, Cian saw the wolf's mouth begin to smoke, it was about to unleash its fire. Thinking quickly, Cian was about to throw his sword, but before he could, Welf groaned and moved from his shoulder.
"I got this!" He said, getting to one knee and shoving out his hand. "IGNITED HERETIC SPELL! WILL-O-THE WISP!"
A blast of wind shot from Welf's hand, and he almost fell. Cian knelt down to help grab him again just as the magic found its target. It smashed into the hellhound's mouth, and while it didn't kill it right away, Cian saw its mouth widen, before it imploded in a fiery explosion.
Right away, Welf groaned and nearly fell like a sack after Cian got him to his feet.
"Welf!" He said, helping his friend back to his feet. "That spells great, but you don't have to be using it so much."
"Cian's right, it's been what's saving us," Bell said, coming up to give the Gae Bulg back to Welf. Bell shook his head as Welf stood up. "But we're here, we can take out any hellhounds that come along."
"Ha, I won't be useless, I refuse," Welf said with a smirk, looking between Cian and Bell. "Besides, you two need to save your strength incase anything big comes our way."
Cian's chest felt like it was shaking. "But Welf… you-."
"No, won't hear any of it, from either of you, we're gonna make it out of here, I ain't scared," He said, looking to Bell as well. "Because you two are gonna kick the ass of anything that comes our way."
Cian's voice was lost. He looked at Bell who seemed to be having a similar reaction. Bell met Cian's eye, and those both seemed to think the same thing. He nodded at Cian, and Cian managed to smile.
We'll make that the truth, Cian thought.
"Master Welf's right," Lillie said turning to them and managing to smile. "I know we'll be fine so long as we have you Master Bell, you too Master Cian."
"We will get out of here," Bell said, walking up next to Lillie and turning back to Cian. "Come on, we should get moving."
"Yeah," Cian said, helping Welf along as he groaned. "We'll be in the safe zone before you all know it."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Hestia
"ARGHH!" Ryuu moved faster then any adventurer Hestia had ever seen. She hated having to use th elf, and ask so much of her, but she wasn't blind either. She could tell from the way the elf looked at Cian she cared a lot about him, not to mention she was friends with Bell as well.
So, Hestia currently trusted her the most out of anyone with them. It wasn't that he didn't trust Take's children, quite the opposite, the girl Mikoto and the others had cut down anything that came their way so far. However, Ryuu moved with purpose and precision, swung her wooden sword like she was born with it. Between her and Hermes's captain Asfi, they knocked away anything that came into the path of their little party, while Take's children kept up the rest.
They weren't the only ones working hard however
"GOATH!" The girl Mebd yelled, as a pair of hellhounds came at her from the left.
Wind appeared around the girl, and when one leapt at her she ducked down before kicking upwards. The hellhound was knocked into the other to the side, and then she dashed forward almost as if gliding and cut them both to dust. She landed next to Ryuu, who just glared at her, before turning to the group.
"Keep moving, we can't be far from finding a sign," Ryuu said, before turning back to guide them.
The girl Mebd looked disappointed, before sheathing her two sword and walking next to Asfi, striking up a quiet chat with the blue-haired girl.
"Impressive isn't she?" Hermes said from next to her. "Already a level 3 at such a young age, I'm already grooming her to be my vice-captain."
"You trusted her awfully quick," Hestia noted. "Even after you learned she was with Morrigan?"
Hermes shrugged. "She seemed genuine; do you deny it?"
Hestia sighed and shook her head. "No… she looked like she meant it."
Hestia only conceded the girl coming because she wanted Cian to decide for himself. She knew Cian had wanted to help her at the end, so he'd see if he did yet again when they found him.
Cian, Bell… I know you're alive, Hestia thought, trying her best to feel some kind of sign through the blessing she'd given them. She promised to protect Cian, and she would, and Bell… she loved him more than anything. She wouldn't let them down now.
"Exactly, besides you know me Hestia, I'm a big softie when someone's in need," Hermes said, smirking and being dramatic. "Why, that is why I'm here with you my dear Hest-."
"You can drop the act Hermes," Hestia said, keeping her eyes forward. "And I want you to tell me what you're really after. Why are you so interested in Bell, and now Cian too?"
Hermes sighed, Hestia knew that he was probably a good guy, in his own twisted kind of way. However, she had already been on guard after people coming for Bell, with Cian now as well… she couldn't take any chances.
"Fine, fine, I'll let you know. As for your Bell, I really do just find him interesting, I wanted to meet him. Someone also asked me to look after him, keep an eye on him," Hermes said.
Hestia's ears twitched as she looked at him. "Keep an eye on him?"
"Yes, that's it," Hermes said, sounding genuine. "And I promise that's the only intentions I have with your precious Bell."
Her chest tightened, who would ask Hermes of all people to keep an eye on Bell?
Still, as suspicious as that sounded, she couldn't turn down Hermes help, it'd be impractical.
"Okay… but what about Cian?" Hestia asked hesitantly, worried about the answer.
Cian was a much different story then Bell. The idea that Morrigan was out there, that man Connla was out there, and they were coming after him for the spear he carried, for being The Child of Light… it terrified her more then she let on. She knew she couldn't fight them off, so the only way to keep him safe was to help him grow stronger. And it wasn't just Cian at risk, it was Bell as well, and very well could be the rest of Orario. Yes, it all hinged on Cian getting stronger.
It was why she couldn't tell him he was the Child of Light. He already had put himself under such immense pressure just from the man Connla's threats, to tell him he was the Child of Light would only add to that.
"Now young Cian Mac Gallagher is a different story, yes he's quite interesting as well," Hermes said, holding his chin between his fingers. "I only learned about him on a whim from Lord Nuada after I stopped in Orario. First Bell and now… the Child of Light, quite the finds for you eh Hestia?"
"Quiet!" Hestia hissed, glaring at him. "How did you figure out about that?"
Hermes held up his hands. "I didn't snoop or anything, I was told my Nuada. Apparently Scathach had two contingency plans incase anything happened to her. The first, was Cian coming to find you. I'd talked to her when I passed by Ulster first, and she's the one who told me to make sure I stop back and talk to Nuada on my way back."
"She was always one step ahead… Scathach…" Hestia said, looking at the ground, the grief of not even getting to see her friend before she was sent back to heaven gnawing at her.
"That she was… she was one of the best of us gods," Hermes said, sounding quite sad himself. "She had a backup plan, told Nuada to go and find him, had Cian not made it to Orario. I was supposed to write back to Nuada when I got here and figured out for myself. As you can tell, I didn't have too."
"I'll do it," Hestia said, looking ahead and feeling guilty. "I'll write him a letter. It makes sense Scathach told him, she trusted him, he trained her… still though, Hermes you can't tell Cian he's the Child of Light, he doesn't-."
"He doesn't know?" Hermes cut her off, sounding surprised for a moment. "Why wouldn't you tell him?"
Hestia sighed and recounted their interaction with the man Connla.
Hermes nodded in understand. "Ah, I see. Mebd's old captain… he's a wildcard in all of this."
Hestia looked at him. "What do you mean? It's simple really, he's getting the spear for Morrigan."
Hermes shook his head. "Not according to Mebd. She told me, that apparently this Connla is only motivated by his desire to get his hands on Cian's spear. It makes sense he'd offer to leave you all be if he gave it up."
Hestia bit at her lip. "I still don't like it…. Hermes, I hope I can count on your secrecy. Being Child of Light already means people will come after him from Ulster, but if the gods here learn it gives him his advanced growth in stats well…"
"Fear not Hestia, I have no intention on telling anyone," Hermes said, holding up his hand. "I promised Mebd this as well, and I can't go letting down a member of my familia."
Hestia sighed, a worried sigh.
That would have to do for now.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Cian
"Here Cian, let's switch off," Bell said as they all came to a stop. He smiled as he came over. "You take watch, I'll help Welf along."
"My caretakers are so generous," Welf groaned, before switching over to the smiling Bell's arm. The smith sighed and looked at them. "Seriously, thank you guys. I'll make it up to you."
"It's no problem Welf really," Bell said with a smile.
Cian nodded, putting a hand on cruaidin. "He's right, we wouldn't do it if-."
"G…guys…" Lillie said softly, as they all turned to her, Cian realized something horrible.
The smell… it was gone. Bell and he both held Welf up as they turned to see no smell emanating off the bag anymore. Cian's stomach churned, Naaza's stink sack had done its job for hours, and they'd hope that before it ran out they'd be at the eighteenth floor. However, now it was gone, and a horrible, terrifying silence fell over the cavern they were in. Cian looked and saw passages on each side, the darkness seemed to be stirring, and slowly, he slid his new sword out of his belt. His hands trembled for a minute, until he looked at everyone in his party and slowly shook his head.
"Okay, move slow," He said quietly, all of them looking at the passages around them. "If we take is slower, maybe-."
"Oh man… you have got to be kidding me," Welf said, and Cian saw his eyes widen. "You can't be serious, this isn't funny!"
The growling and steps that shook the ground beneath them is what Cian felt first. He spun around and his throat closed up. He had never seen one, but he knew that it's what Bell had killed to get to level 2. The minotaur was massive, not bigger than Mog had been, but just as muscled. It roared, and kicked back its feet, Lillie who was in front of the group stood shocked, it roared again, louder this time, and she stumbled back.
"Lillie!" Cian yelled, moving from Welf to run to her. "Get back and-."
A flash of white hair ran past him. Cian yelled for Bell to wait, but he didn't listen, and it turned out he hadn't needed to stop. Cian watched as Bell yelled and ducked down under the minitours hand, he cut the Hestia Knife deep across the monster's stomach, before leaping up onto its back and stabbing both of his knives into its shoulders. The minotaur roared and bled, trying to grab for Bell, but his hands erupted with fire.
"FIREBOLT!" Bell yelled, his voice deep and angry, Cian couldn't remember ever seeing him like this before. He was like a man possessed, like one of the old stories Cian heard in Ulster of warriors being possessed by gods that give them incredible skill.
Bell moved like a whirlwind, Cian stood there in awe with Welf and Lillie, watching Bell destroy this high-level monster that had nearly killed him a few weeks ago. The fire from Bell's spell erupted inside the minotaur, sending it to its knees, and Bell took the chance to leap and cut upwards along its stomach, and when he came back down he spun and lashed out with both his blades. The minotaur roared one more time as it fell to its knees and disappeared, as Bell fell to the ground with both knives out at the ready. He was breathing heavy, and Cian saw a narrowed icy glare on his normally smiling friends face.
Cian could only stare, but eventually he scoffed in amazement, I really am leagues behind him aren't I?
But then, he saw a second Minotaur charging with its horns down from the left.
"BELL!" Cian yelled, and his friend turned just as the Minotaur got close to him.
Cian had already thrown his sword. Cruaidin smashed into the monster's shoulder just before it could smash into Bell. Bell rolled out of the way and Cian darted forward as the minotaur turned to him.
"Cian!" Welf's voice said, and Cian turned his head to see his friend throw the Gae Bulg towards him which made him fall to the ground.
Cian shot out his hand and summoned the spear to him. It flew through the air to his hand just as he reached the minotaur. Turning, Cian saw it try to smash its massive hand down on him, but with a yell Cian thrusted the Gae Bulg upwards. The minotaur roared as the Gae Bulg stabbed clean through its hand. Cian leapt to the side and the monsters hand hit the ground with a massive hole in it, the Gae Bulg sticking out the back.
Quickly, Cian grabbed the spear again and when the minotaur smashed its horns towards him, Cian spun and grabbed his sword out of the beast's shoulder. After he was behind it, Cian cut his sword deep down across its back and leapt. When the beast roared and turned around from above Cian threw the Gae Bulg downwards, and it pierced the minotaur's chest, making it roar one more time before it fell into dust.
"Oh man… those two," He heard Welf say in amazement. "I've never seen anything like it…"
Cian didn't have time to thank Welf for his compliment. He turned to Bell who looked exhausted, cuts and scrapes lined his face and hands, he was so pale it looked like he'd keel over soon, and Cian was sure he looked the same. However, in the last few weeks, he and Bell had learned to communicate without any words, so when they heard more footsteps banging against the ground. Cian turned and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Five more minotaur's were charging at them from down the passageway forward. Cian's mind right away knew there was only one thing Bell, and he could do against all numbers, and when Bell turned to him he had a determined look in his eyes.
"Cian! DO IT!" He yelled, scooping up a massive axe that the minotaur attacking him had dropped. The chiming of loud distinct bells came afterward, and Cian saw white sparks begin to radiate from his hands. It traveled up the axe until it glew bright white and he looked to Cian.
Cian's heart lurched as he looked in front of him, I need to do this in under a minute!
He thrusted out the Gae Bulg and without wasting any time dropped it to his foot. He kicked it back up into the air and started the kata, moving as fast as his limbs would carry him, hoping that muscle memory would take over. But with each twist, each twirl of the Gae Bulg, the minotours got closer, Bell stood in place in front of him with his glowing axe, waiting for him to finish, waiting for the monsters to get into position.
But I'm going too slow, Cian worried as he approached the end of the kata, I won't be able to finish it before-.
"Come on! Come on Cian you can do it HURRY!" Bell yelled, rearing back his axe, turning back to look at him with narrow eyes. "Come on Lancer of Red!"
Lancer of Red… he's right, I was given that name by the gods, and I'll live up to it! Cian thought, bringing the spear around his body and over his shoulder again. And I'll live up to how much they all believe in me.
"Oh, great spear of the Tuatha Danann, spear of Ulster, spear of mortal death. Lend your power to this mortal body of mine so I may protect the land and its inhabitants!" Cian chanted as the spear snapped under his shoulder, he shoved it out in front of him as it burst alive with violent red lightning like light which as he chanted traveled up his arm, through his entire being. The minitours got closer, only steps away as it exploded with light again and Cian dropped it to his feet.
He kicked it into the air and leapt up to grab it as Bell yelled and leapt with his axe. "Fill me with the strength of the gods, let my strength join with your power to fight for a new and free tomorrow. I call on your power, oh great spear as your master Cian Mac Gallagher!"
The Gae Bulg erupted with more light as he grabbed it mid-air, while Bell yelled and struck down with his axe. A massive blast of white magic shot from the weapon and smashed into the minotaur's, and as they screamed and burned, Cian reared the spear behind his head, aiming for the spot right in between all five of them.
"Behold the red fands of Ulster, behold the power of my will and the gods," Cian shouted, seeing the beasts still moving and let the spear go shouting out its name. "GAEEEEE BULG!"
With a loud blast the spear shot from his hand and impaled itself onto the ground just as the rest of Bell's blast exploded. Cian knew Bell's ability argonaut, was often a one shot kill as well, but with so many minotaur's, they needed to be sure, and they had discovered by combining the argonaut blast, with the power of the Gae Bulg, they could defeat massive hoards of enemies. The dust eventually cleared, and a massive red bush of dangerous thorns sprouted from around where the Gae Bulg had penetrated the earth in the dungeon.
Cian landed on his feet, and nearly fell. He could barely feel them, as if all his bones had simply disappeared.
"Cian!" Bell yelled, helping him back to his feet.
Cian hacked up his guts and held out his hand. The Gae Bulg shot back to him, and he pushed himself up as his party gathered around him.
"Master Cian, here!" Lillie said, handing him a vial.
Cian coughed again as Bell helped him to his feet. "I… I can't Lillie, you or Welf should have it, that's our last one."
"No arguments, you and Bell are the ones fighting," Welf told him, having took his greatsword to lean on.
Cian looked to Bell holding him up. "Then Bell, why don't you-."
Bell shook his head, taking the vial from Lillie and holding it to Cian's mouth as he leaned on the Gae Bulg.
"You need it, I'll be fine trust me," Bell said urging him. "I know how much using that spear takes out of you. Come on, drink it."
Cian sighed, finally relenting and taking the vial to drink. The last of Naaza's potions hit his stomach, and the fatigue lifted ever so slightly. He regained feeling in his legs and leaned off the Gae Bulg, nodding at Bell, a feeling of guilt washing over him.
"Thanks Bell… I'll make it up to you," He promised, looking to Welf. "Okay, let's get moving, we don't have any time to waste."
"M…Master Cian's right," Lillie said, turning from them and hefting up her pack. "We… we don't know… don't know when…"
"Lillie!" Bell yelled, getting to her side before she fell forward.
Cian bit at his lip. Lillie had been so headstrong, but this entire time she'd been carrying that massive pack. She told him one of her skills was the reason she was able to hold so much, but Cian still doubted it was easy. Bell helped her to her feet, as Cian came over with Welf.
"You alright Lillie?" Cian asked her.
She was breathing heavy, Cian could tell she probably had a good number of bruises from the falls she'd taken, and the monsters tossing her around by biting into her pack. Still, she forced a smile and got up with Bell's help.
"I'm fine, come on… we… we need to move," She said, starting to walk forward again.
Cian grimaced and looked at Welf. "How about you?"
Welf scoffed. "I… I'm okay, you… you two man… I've never seen anything like it."
He groaned again, almost dozing off on Cian's shoulder, and terror ran through him.
Bell and he looked at each other and both nodded to one another. They both understood how dire a situation they were in.
It was up to them, they needed to get their party out, and they wouldn't fail.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Hestia
Hestia bit her lip, the question on the tip of her tongue for the girl. Mebd walked next to her. Take's children guarded around Hermes, Mebd guarded her, while Asfi was the rear guard, and Ryuu in the front. The girl's red hair fell down her black cloak, and she seemed just as nervous as she was to be next to Hestia. Her eyes kept darting forward and to the side, but not at her. Still, Hestia knew she needed to talk to the girl.
Come on Hestia… this may be your only chance, she told herself.
"Excuse me, Mebd," She forced out.
The poor girl nearly jumped and looked at Hestia with terror. "Ye…yes? Lady Hestia?"
Hestia sighed and met the girls' eyes trying to be stern. "You don't have to act like that Mebd, I'm not going to hurt you. Still… I need to ask you some things."
Mebd's eyes only looked more scared as she gulped. "Of course, Lady Hestia, anything I can do I will, I promise, I swear!"
Hestia couldn't help but smile, the whole stern thing didn't suit her really anyway. She felt a bit bad for the girl, as bad as she could feel for someone who had previously almost killed one of her children. She liked to think she seemed sincere, besides, you couldn't lie in the presence of your god, so if she told Hermes she truly wanted to repent, Hestia knew she was telling the truth.
It was just Hermes she didn't know if he was telling the truth or not. Still, she needed to gather information now and wouldn't waste the opportunity.
But first…
"Mebd, you know don't you?" Hestia asked her. "That Cian is the Child of Light?"
Mebd's fear turned to surprise, as she slowly nodded. "Yes Lady Hestia… I assume you figured out when you read his status for the first time. You're saying he doesn't know?"
Hestia shook her head. "No, Scathach kept it from him to protect Cian from other gods trying to get their hands on him, and I'm doing the same. The less who know, even Cian, the better. Hermes has already promised me, but I'd like you too as well."
Hestia expected her to ask more questions, but the girl didn't. Her green eyes narrowed, as if she were determined not to let Hestia down, she nodded and bowed as they walked.
"I swear Lady Hestia, if it's for his sake I'll take it to my grave," She swore, and Hestia let out a breath of relief.
"Okay… now, there's something else," Hestia said, trying to keep careful watch of the girls' reactions to her question. "I want you to tell me, what has Morrigan done to the barrier in the west, and if the Fomorians are free, why is she and that man Connla after Cian?"
At the mention of Connla, she did see Mebd seem to stir. Hestia remembered how the man had stepped in to save her, when he thought Cian may have finished her off. Cian had told her, he thought the man Connla had to have some shred of honor despite his actions, from his willingness to save another member of his familia.
Mebd hesitated, and again Hestia thought she'd be a bit hesitant with the information. Again, however, she was proven wrong as Mebd sighed and looked at her again.
"Well, I actually don't know too much. I was only with them for around a year after… Connla saved me and took me to them," She explained, looking at the dungeon floor. "I only knew the bare minimum, I didn't really talk to any of them besides Leanan, Dullahan and Connla. But… I do know that Morrigan has used her godly magic to cause a crack in the Fomorians seal, in the End Mountains West of Emain Macha Ulster's capital."
The idea of someone using their godly power was still baffling to Hestia. She shook her head. "How did she do that without being sent back to heaven?"
Mebd shook her head. "That's one of the things I don't know… she barely talked to me. But when I asked all she said was that Lord Dagda was a fool."
"Lord Dagda… he's basically Ulster's Uranus, he leads the Tuatha Danann right?" Hestia asked, trying to remember all Scathach had told her.
"That's right," Mebd said with a nod. "They haven't found her, and the base would be impossible to attack without an army. It had a magical barrier around it, not to mention the Fomorians everywhere."
"If she already has them released," Hestia said, confused. "Why hasn't she attacked at all? With those Fomorians she could destroy almost anything if they're all like the one we saw."
"Mog… he was one of the weaker ones," Mebd said with a shiver, she met Hestia's eyes. "As for why she hasn't attacked, well, that's why she need Cian Mac Gallagher."
"What?! What does Cian have to do with it?" Hestia asked. "I know she probably wants him dead because of the Child of Light prophecy, but if that's the case, why didn't she tell that man Connla to just kill him?"
Mebd bit her lip. "Connla is different… he just wants the spear but, the reason she needs to capture him, is because the Child of Light is what's needed to fully unlock the seal. And if she does… he'll come… the Fomorian King, Balor."
"B…Balor?" Hestia said, shivering as an uneasy feeling went through her.
"Yes… Balor of the Evil-Eye. Now, an army of Fomorians could be defeated easily really if Ulster and Orario ban together," Mebd said with a shake of her head. "But Balor… it required the God Lugh using his true power to defeat him all those years ago. Morrigan cracked half the seal with her magic, but the other half? It requires the Child of Light, and the Three Divine Weapons of Ulster."
"What? Divine weapons? I've never heard of those," Hestia said, trying to think of things Scathach had told him.
Mebd nodded her head. "The Three Divine Weapons are the weapons used in ancient times to free Ulster, and defeat Balor. They're Caladbolg, the sword of destiny. Connla is heading after that now it's kept in a secret cave in the End Mountains. The second is the Gae Bulg, which was given by Lugh to Lord Nuada, who gave it to Lady Scathach, and eventually…"
"To Setanta… then, to Cian now," Hestia said with a shake of her head. It was hard to believe the red spear Cian carried was a godly divine weapon, it made sense now why it drained him so much to use. She looked at Mebd again. "And the third?"
"The third is the Gae Assail," Mebd went on explaining. "It was the spear of lightning, the personal weapon of Lord Lugh, which he used to fight Balor, it was fired from a tathlum, a sort of slingshot, and defeated Balor, before Lugh's magic sealed him away. It's the strongest of the Three Divine Weapons."
Hestia nodded. "Okay, and where's that one located?"
Mebd looked pale for a moment, the sound of feet shuffling along became loud, and Hestia thought she may stop with the information. She looked frightened, but after a minute she sighed and shook her head.
"That's why Cian's needed. Lord Lugh used his magic to give the captain of his familia then, the skill Child of Light," She said carefully. "And, sealed away the Gae Assail with his magic within his captain. So, the Gae Assail can only be summoned through a special incantation, a spell that only passes to people of that bloodline. These are the Children of Light. So, to open the seal Morrigan needs…."
"To get Cian to summon the spear…" Hestia said, panic starting to set in. "But how's that possible?! I checked Cian's status and there's no spell that says Gae Assail!"
"The old legends say that the Gae Assail can only be summoned when the Child of Light needs it most, they have to make up their own incantation, their own vow of using the spear," She told Hestia, sounding as worried as Hestia was. "They need to accept their role as Child of Light, before it can be used."
Hestia pondered the idea, and it only made her sweat. That could have been another reason Scathach had not told Cian the truth, because if she did, Cian could activate this ability to summon another divine weapon. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how carefully Scathach had tried to plan out Cian's future. Had her friend known about Morrigan already? She'd never know, but the more she heard, the more she worried. What could Hestia do?
She could tell the guild, but that would only reveal Cian was the Child of Light. And if the other gods already didn't care about Ulster's problems, they wouldn't care about protecting Cian. She couldn't go to Ulster, not now anyway, that was closer to Morrigan and the Fomorians.
No, it was looking more and more like her original plan was the best one. She had to do all she could to help Cian and Bell grow stronger, so that when the time finally came when Morrigan made her move, they were as prepared as possible.
But one thing gnawed at her mind, something that didn't make sense. Morrigan she knew from Scathach was cunning, she thought of every possible situation and scenario, and it would take someone just as cunning to beat her, why would she leave such a glaring flaw in her plan?
"But Mebd… it doesn't make sense," Hestia said.
Mebd looked at her oddly. "What doesn't make sense?"
"If she needs Cian to summon this spear to unlock the seal," She said, shaking her head and meeting the girls' eyes. "If she kills Cian she can't get it, if she captures him alive well… knowing him he'd die before he summoned it for her. How does she plan on getting it then, on making him summon it for her if she does capture him?"
Mebd floundered for a minute, looking confused as well. "I… I don't know. Now that you mention it, that does seem like something trivial she should plan for. Honestly, she never really shared much with Connla, Dullahan, Leanan and I, only the bare minimum."
Hestia found something else even more confusing. "And if she needs him alive, why is that man Connla threatening to come and kill him for the spear? That goes against her plan doesn't it?"
Mebd scoffed at that, before shaking her head. "That's because Connla doesn't care about Morrigan's plan. He's only doing it to get the spear, that's all he wants. He's said before he's only with her because she can help him get it."
The entire situation was only getting more confusing to Hestia. How could Morrigan possibly think that Cian would summon the last divine weapon for her? Should Hestia even tell him about all of this? Cian thought Morrigan was coming after him for the Gae Bulg, that would already put him on edge, and give him encouragement to get stronger, adding more pressure wouldn't do him any good. Also, the longer this Gae Assail stayed tucked away inside Cian the better if it could be used for Morrigan's plans.
But then of course there was the man Connla. He was coming as well and seemed to be working with Morrigan and against her as well. Either way, they would both be coming, and Hestia needed to do something, and do it quick. The only problem was, she had no money or power to speak of. She couldn't gamble Bell or Cian's lives, and as of now, the most important thing was making sure they were both alive.
Cian… Bell… she thought, sighing and turning to Mebd. "Thank you for telling me all of this Mebd, can I ask one more thing?"
"Of course, Lady Hestia," She said thoughtfully.
Hestia smiled and met her eyes. "What will you do if the members of Morrigan's familia come to Orario? You're almost speaking fondly of some of them."
Mebd's eyes widened, before a sad look came to her face. "Well… I truly believe they're not all bad. Leanan took care of me from the moment I joined, she almost became like my big sister…. Dullahan may be big, but he'd always read and tell me stories. And Connla…."
"You told us he was the one who killed your brother really," Hestia remembered.
Mebd slowly shook her head. "He… he said that, and at the time I was angry, wanted my revenge but… the more I think about it, the more I think he lied."
"Lied? Why would he lie about something like that?" She asked.
Mebd sighed. "To make me hate him… to make me leave and come here. He, Leanan, Dullahan, they always told me that I didn't belong there. I thought it was because they thought I was weak but… now I think it's because they knew. Knew that I wasn't meant to be working with Morrigan. But I was a fool to stay for so long."
"And… what will you do when they come?" Hestia asked again, slowly, seeing the despondent look on the girl's face.
Mebd looked over at her and sharply nodded. "I'll do what I think is right, and that's stopping what Morrigan is planning, even if I have to fight them… I think they'll be happy I was making my own choices."
Hestia smiled at that; the girl seemed genuine. She shared her smile with Mebd, she had given Hestia more to go on then she'd had so far. Now, once she gained more power, helped Cian and Bell grow stronger, she could go to work being a proper goddess for them.
But first… they needed to be found.
"Good… thank you again Mebd," Hestia said, smiling still. "I think you'll-."
"Lady Hestia!" Ryuu's voice came from above.
Hestia turned right away with Mebd. Her heart sank as she saw a collapsed ceiling in front of them. She rushed forward to the front of the group, Mebd behind her as they all gathered around the cave in. Ryuu had already started trying to climb over it, and it was after she kicking away one rock that Hestia felt like her chest was exploding. A glint could be seen between the stones.
A short sword was sticking out of it, one she recognized.
"No… no, no!" She said, rushing forward past Take's children and picking up the blade from the stones, and her fears came true. "This… this is Bell's! No… no they can't have fallen under this…"
"There's no blood or anything coming from beneath the stones," Mebd quickly said, kneeling and looking up at everyone. "It's safe to say they got past it."
Mikoto, the girl with black hair from Take's familia looked worried. Her eyes widened and she walked past Hestia to the stack of rubble.
"You guys, do you see this? It's… red," She said, pulling out one of the rocks and putting her hand through the hole. "It's as if it's a kind of bush. What- OW!"
She yanked her hand back, and the tip of her glove was ripped open from the barbs, a small cut now bleeding on her hand. Hestia and everyone else looked, and sure enough underneath the boulder was a giant bush of red thorns.
Hestia turned to Mebd. "Mebd, is this what I think it is?!"
Mebd quickly nodded. "It is! These are the barbs unleashed when the Gae Bulg's power is activated. It normally unleashes them inside a victim after the spear pierces them, but it can be used on non-targets as well."
The tall adventurer Ouka groaned. "Ugh… hard to imagine something like that inside your body."
"So, it seems the Lancer of Red used his spears power to block the passage," Asfi said, coming up between the group. "A smart strategy, but the ceiling must have collapsed afterwards."
"A creative one that Lancer of Red seems to be," Hermes commented. "You got yourself quite the pair Hestia."
Hestia ignored the comment for the moment and turned to the barbs again. "So… they must have made it out of the cave in, where could they be now?"
Asfi stepped between them all and looked at the blocked passage. "We haven't seen signs of them heading back. My guess… is they're heading for the safe zone on the eighteenth floor."
"What?!" Hestia said, her worry shooting through the roof. "Why would they go down further?!"
"It's what I would do," Ryuu suddenly said, looking down at them from on top of the rocks. She gracefully made her way down, landing in front of them, her face fell. "It's the most logical thing to do, besides, with Cian and Mr. Cranel both, they'd have suitable protection if anyone got injured."
"And the Gae Bulg's power can defeat any monster, so long as his will is strong enough," Mebd commented, standing next to Ryuu. "So, they have a fail safe incase they run into anything big."
Ryuu looked agitatedly at Mebd, as if she was annoyed she agreed with what the girl said. After a minute, the elf looked back to them.
"She's right, besides, Cian and Mr. Cranel won't fall," She said, looking back at the rocks, but Hestia could still see her face fall. "And… they're on their first real adventure in the dungeon. They'll drag their party their if they have too, that's just the kind of people they are."
Hestia felt a swell of pride despite her worry. She looked down at Bell's blade in her hands and let out a shaky sigh and looked to the rescue party.
"She's right, they're alive I know it!" Hestia proclaimed, looking to Ryuu. "Ryuu, did you see if they left a trail on the other side?"
Ryuu scoffed, even smiled. "They've left a trail that I've been following this entire time."
"What?!" The entire group said at once.
Ryuu smiled and walked to the dungeon wall. She pointed out a small indent, which when Hestia looked, she could see the rock had been chipped away at. It was like someone had taken a weapon to it. It was in the shape of a crudely drawn R. Hestia recognized it from when Cian visited the church during the day to spend time with her and Bell. He often wrote the symbols in a small journal over and over again. She also recognized them from the armor Scathach used to wear.
"That's… a rune!" Hestia said, walking next to Ryuu. "One of Cian's runes, he uses them for his magic!"
Ryuu nodded. "Correct. It's the symbol from the 1st Aett- the Earth Family. Each rune can represent a number of things. This one is the symbol for wheel, which can also mean unexpected journey. Cian left these I'm sure of it, they've been on multiple walls and turns."
"He knew we would come…?" The girl Mikoto asked.
Ryuu nodded. "He must have. If he just put simply marks that could be mistaken as just a blemish in the rock, he put the runes because….."
"Huh? What is it Ryuu?" Hestia asked.
The elf hastily turned her head from them. "Because he knows I can read them… he thought I'd come after him."
Everyone fell silent for a second, nobody seeming to dare imply what everyone was clearly thinking. Ryuu sighed and made her way towards the rubble again.
"Come on, let's move," She said, climbing the rocks again.
The rest didn't object and started following her.
"Ahhh do I detect something in the air for the Hestia familia?" Hermes joked as he walked by.
Hestia shot him a glare. "Now's not the time Hermes, we have to go."
She turned to the rubble, where Mikoto offered her a hand up. Hestia climbed, looking at Bell's blade, and the barbs from Cian's spear.
Before we figure out what to do later…we need to get to them now.
They'd hold out… they just had too.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Bell
"Will-o-the wisp…!" Welf groaned out, leaning from his shoulder.
Bell could only watch in horror, as the hellhound in their way exploded yes, but the minute Welf casted the spell he fell limp on his shoulder. He looked wide eyed at his friends closed eyes, he was breathing but it was shallow, and his body was pale as a ghost, his head, neck and arms covered in new bruises from how many times he'd fallen. Cian and he had been switching off, but the treck was still taking too much out of him.
"Welf! Welf come on!" Bell urged, helping him to the ground where he fell limp. Panic running through him Bell turned. "Cian! I need help, Welf's-."
"Lillie! Lillie come on!" Cian yelled, cutting him off, and Bell looked to see him on his knees, trying to shake Lillie awake.
She'd fallen, and Cian had already taken off her massive bag and had her smaller body in his lap. She was breathing too, but it was clear she had collapsed from the exhaustion. Bell felt guilty, she'd been carrying the true burden of this treck the entire time, and they hadn't once offered to take the bag from her. Cian clearly looked just as guilty, as he bit at his lip and looked to Bell. They locked eyes for a few seconds, before they both seemed to realize what they were going to do.
"We'll have to leave the stuff," Cian said, standing with Lillie in his arms.
Bell nodded, hoisting Welf back up to his feet. "Yeah… you carry Lillie, she's lighter. You can still hold your spear."
Cian nodded and held out his hand. From the spot where Welf had dropped it, the red Gae Bulg flew into Cian's hands as he situated Lillie's legs around his waist and put her arms around his neck. He leaned forward so she wouldn't fall off, and walked up next to Bell, using the spear to help him keep balance.
"Hell of a first trip to the middle floors huh?" He asked.
Bell couldn't help but scoff, the fatigue overwhelming. "You can say that again…"
He situated Welf on his back, and leaving behind the smith's greatsword and Lillie's bag, he and Cian with their red salamander wool cloaks draped over them, made their way down the passage they had already been going down.
With one painstaking step after another, Bell followed just slightly behind Cian, who was still moving slow himself, but was more mobile thanks to Lillie being lighter. With each step, his legs shook and ached, he looked up at Cian who still had bits of blood dripping from his arm. He looked even worse off then Bell was, so he knew that he had to make sure he didn't overexert himself. He probably could have carried Welf and Lillie by himself, but if Cian fell, they'd be stuck.
"Hey… do you have anymore stories from Ulster?" Bell asked, seeing his friend starting to blink and doze, along with the silence being deafening. "I'd love to hear more."
All they could hear was the shuffling of their feet, and the dripping of water from the stones of the dungeon. Bell felt as if they'd been down there for days and would have given anything then to just see the sky, see any kind of color that was bright.
Cian looked back and gave him a weak smile. "Well, I have tons. Um… how about another story about the first hero Cian?"
"That sounds fun," Bell said, groaning at Welf's weight on his back. "What's this one about?"
"It's about how the End Mountains, the monster filled part of Ulster was formed," Cian said, shifting Lillie's weight on his back. He looked back in front of him, his spear hitting the ground with each step. "So, when the gods first came down to Ulster, Cian was named leader, and joined the familia of Lord Dagda himself, the leader of the first Tuatha Danann."
Bell nodded, the strain on his shoulders becoming worse. "So, the monsters in those mountains didn't come from the dungeon?"
"No… so you see in the old days, mages in Ulster were called druids, they practice magic that's outlawed or lost nowadays," Cian explained, a small smile coming to his face. "In the years after the gods came down, the Druid order lost a lot of power and influence to the gods and Tuatha Danann council. They didn't worship the gods, because they were so arrogant, they believed they were gods with their magic."
"People who didn't worship the gods, really?" Bell said, genuinely shocked.
Cian nodded. "Mhm, you see, Druids provided food, water, supplies with their magic. It was limitless, they gave everyone even more then they needed. People grew lazy and weak from this, giving the Druids power over people, that was why Cian, and his forces were so unprepared against the evil sorcerer, who was a rouge druid."
"How did they lose power then?" Bell asked.
"Well, when Lord Dagda came down, he taught new magic to people, and helped feed them from his magic cauldron. It provided water, food and helped crops grow," Cian said, as the end of the passage got closer. "But, he didn't over feed people, he let them learn to fend for themselves while helping them. He said, 'give a man fish and you feed him for a day, teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime."
"That makes sense, the gods came down to give us there blessing," Bell said, smiling at the moral of the story. "Not to do things for us."
Cian nodded. "Yes, but you see the Druids were worried about their power waning. So, they stole Dagda's cauldron and took it to their base in the End Mountains. They spilled it out, but weren't ready for the magic within it, for anyone who poured it out without the intention of giving it to other, it was corrupted. So, it turned the Druids into monsters."
"People can turn into monsters?!" Bell said, the idea sickening.
Cian chuckled. "Ha… I told you the magic was terrifying. After this, the Hero Cian and Lord Daga's familia, along with the other Tuatha Danann led a force to defeat them. The Hero Cian used his sword of light to strike down the Druids, wiping them out and cleansing the land."
Bell smiled; he loved hearing the stories about heroes. Hearing brand new stories he'd never heard before from Ulster was a dream. He only wish that it wasn't being told to him as they were half dead walking through the dungeon. He looked at Cian who seemed to be in higher spirits now, his big blue eyes were wide open, despite having black bags under it, his black hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.
Smiling, he wondered what he'd do if he was by himself. It would have been hard he knew, which only made him gladder to have Cian here with him.
"Hey Cian?" He asked, as they got to another hole going down to the next floor. Bell looked at his friend as he sat down readjusting Welf. "Do you ever miss Ulster? Living there?"
"Huh?" Cian asked, getting down over the edge with the Gae Bulg in on hand, Lillie on his back as he sat next to Bell. "Why do you ask?"
Bell adjusted to holding Bell in his right arm and looked at Cian. "I… just wanted to know if you're comfortable here. All we've really done is fight since you joined us. I wanted to make sure you didn't regret it…"
It was true. All that had happened since Cian joined his familia, was them almost dying. First with the Fomorian, and now this. He knew it wasn't their fault, but that didn't stop him from feeling bad.
Cian however, scoffed, and smiled. "I don't regret anything. You have no idea how thankful I am to you and Lady Hestia. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Bell's skin tingled and smiled back at him. He'd dreamed for years of having comrades and other adventurers to form parties with like this, and now he had everyone here. It was like a dream come true, and they only had upwards to go. He looked at Welf on his shoulder, and Lillie on Cian's back and smiled.
Despite the situation, he found himself pretty happy.
"Okay… good," He said, cheekily rubbing his head. "You know, I'm really happy you're here. I was really excited for the idea of gaining more members of the familia one day. So… thanks."
"Ha, you're welcome," He said, holding out his fist. "I think this has to be it, let's get down there and move quick."
Bell smiled and bumped his fist. "Yeah… come on!"
Cian nodded and pushed himself off the edge of the shaft. He heard his friend sliding down the shaft, with Lillie in his arms now. After waiting a short while, Bell tucked Welf securely in his arm and dived down himself. He started yelling as the tiny tunnel zipped by him, he felt rocks and other debris smash into him, but he kept his eyes open and dealt with the pain, making sure Welf's head didn't hit against any stones itself. It was completely dark for a minute, until he also heard the yelling of Cian in the tunnel as well.
Eventually however, a light came into view, and after a drop off, his body hit the ground. Welf fell from his arms, and he rolled, only to be grabbed and stopped by Cian. He dove on top of Bell before he could roll any further into the wall of shimmering colorful light in front of them.
"Bell! You okay?" Cian asked, as Bell groaned and sat up.
He blinked the dirt out of his eyes and saw Cian looking at him, then turned to the wall. His stomach fell, but a huge surge of adrenaline ran through him.
"This… this is the wall of lamentation," Bell said slowly, sweat dripping down his face as he looked to Cian. "This is it; the eighteenth floor will be on the other side!"
Cian slowly nodded, biting his lip. "But… there could also be that Goliath Lillie was talking about. We'll need to hurry. Bell, can you carry Lillie and Welf both?"
Bell's eyes widened. "I… probably can, but why?"
Cian nodded, standing up and grabbing his spear as he did. He looked at Bell, then at the shimmering wall of color.
"Hopefully it's still dead, but I'll run out in front of you guys in case it isn't," He said, gripping tighter to his spear. "If it is, I'll distract it until you guys get down the shaft then I'll follow."
"What?! Cian you can't do that," Bell shouted, standing up next to him. "That thing takes huge parties to take out! If it hits you-."
"I won't try to kill it don't worry, I'll just distract it and be right behind you," He said, even shooting Bell a thumbs up. "Besides, maybe we'll finally get lucky and it's dead. Come on, let's go."
Bell chewed at the inside of his cheek but sighed. "Okay, but I'm coming back for you if it does."
"Won't have to worry," Cian said, sucking in a deep breath and readying his spear. "Okay, come on, let's do this."
Bell nodded reluctantly. He moved over and with all the remaining strength he had, picked up Lillie under one of his arms, and Welf under the other. Both were like sacks of flower, all their weight being held up by his skinny arms. Cian was a bit bigger then he was in terms of muscle, since he'd been an adventurer a bit longer, so Bell was about to suggest they switch roles. He didn't like the idea of Cian being alone in a boss room, even if he was trying to escape.
But he didn't have time to voice that opinion, because the minute he picked Welf, and Lillie up Cian looked back to him.
"Alright, remember, don't stop running," He said with narrowed eyes. "Don't stop running no matter what Bell! GO!"
And with that Cian darted into the boss room, and Bell had no choice but to follow him. He had been wishing to see bright colors, but the bright whites of the crystal-like cave around him made him feel like his eyes were burning in his head. He had to blink furiously to stop his vision from blurring and managed to see Cian had slowed the pace of his jog waiting for him. He heaved up Welf and Lillie again, and got just up behind him, as Cian slowed still and let Bell pass him.
"Don't stop running!" Cian yelled, jogging behind him,. "COME ON BELL RUN!"
"I am!" Bell yelled, but with every step he finally felt all the fatigue, all the injuries catching up to him. His head pounded like a drum, all his energy was gone, his arms felt like wet noodles, his chest as if it was about to explode each time he took a breath.
Don't stop! Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop! Welf and Lillie are counting on it! Was all Bell could think, and closing his eyes he screamed and started moving his legs faster.
"GO!" Cian yelled, picking up his pace as well, running with his spear out and ready next to him. "Come on! Come on Bell you can do it-."
A massive CRASH rang out, and Cian tripped as a stone shot up and hit his knee. He yelled and stumbled, Bell took steps and ran past him. He skidding to a stop and turned back around, his heart racing as if it would come out his chest. He looked and saw a disoriented Cian groaning and grabbing at his knee as he struggled up to his feet. Cian shot out his hand, and the Gae Bulg which had fallen from his hand flew back to him.
"Cian! Cian you okay?!" Bell yelled back to him, the stones and white crystal-like walls started crumbling around them.
Cian was in the middle of the room, he took another step and stumbled to his knees. He looked up at Bell, his face contorted in pain, his eyes widened when he saw Bell.
"What are you stopping for?!" Cian yelled, pushing himself back to his feet. "GO! DON'T STOP NOW GO YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!"
Bell turned and saw that indeed the passage down towards floor eighteen, towards safety, towards what all of this had been for.
But when he turned back, Cian was still stumbling, dazed as the ground shook.
"I won't leave you here!" Bell yelled, struggling with the weight of Lillie and Welf. "That things coming, come on Cian we-."
A massive ROAR shook Bell's knees. A massive crack formed in the walls, and finally Bell saw it, Goliath. The floor boss was just as massive as his name suggested. He punched through the walls, a massive brown fist, a colossal titan of a monster as it sent massive rocks flying. One of them bounced through the air, the boulder bounced off the wall of the boss chamber and looked like it was coming down for Bell. His feet started moving and he tried to run again, but he saw the shadow over him.
"LIGHTNING SPEAR!"
He heard the crackle of lightning and the shadow above him exploded. Bits of the rock fell around him, nothing hurt him, but for a minute his vision was blurred. He blinked away the dust, only to look to the left and see Goliath had its upper body inside the chamber now. It picked up a boulder and hurled it towards them. It screamed through the air over Bell's head and broke apart near the wall. The sheer size of the beast made the Fomorian they fought the last week look like a child, and Bell's chest finally erupted, his legs like bags of sand could barely move.
"GO! COME ON BELL RUN!" Cian yelled, tossing another spear of lightning at a boulder that Goliath had thrown. The boulder exploded, and Bell looked back to see Cian screaming still. "DON'T STOP GO! GOOOO-."
"CIAN!" Bell screamed as Goliath took his first steps into the chamber. The floor shook as he did, and with a roar he smashed his fist into the ground, it shot up, erupting as a wave of debris shot towards Cian.
Bell could only watch on in horror as the wave of dust and rock smashed into his friend. A large plume of smoke shot up as he did, but when it finally cleared, Bell saw the familiar whirlwind of red. Cian had taken the red spear and spun it in his hands so fast it created a practical shield in front of him. It spun so fast the red spear knocked away the rocks, and when they were finally clear Cian snapped the spear under his arm and stood with it aimed out towards Goliath who was taking his first steps into the room.
"BELL MOVE DAMMIT!" Cian yelled again at him, just as Goliath roared and started rushing towards Cian with slow, but powerful, monstrous steps, moving the whole time. "GOOOOOOO!"
"Cian… Cian…" Bell cried out, tears starting to fall from his eyes. "I'll come back! I'll come back, I'M SORRY!"
And then Bell rushed towards the passage with tears in his eyes, his legs about to finally fall apart. When he jumped, Lillie and Welf falling from his arms, he heard the sound of falling rocks, the roar of Goliath, the sound of Cian casting a spell.
But all he saw was his friend across from the floor boss.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Bell
Pain erupted like a firebolt in Bell's entire body as he fell, but when he finally landed, he felt a cool, chilling breeze.
"W…Welf… Lillie…" Bell said, blinking open his eyes and trying to move his arms. "C…Cian… Cian… Cian!"
All he saw was Cian face to face with Goliath, the massive monster bigger then the Fomorian baring down on him, only a red spear between his friend and death. He knew Cian probably couldn't even use the Gae Bulg's power after using it already before to save them, there was also the fact Cian needed time, support from a party to use the spears power. He needed to get up, he needed to move back up that shaft, he wouldn't let Cian do that alone.
He grabbed onto the ground, and was surprised to find grass… but still his vision was blurry, his head pounded. With all his remaining strength, he tried to crawl, get up, anything, but his entire body felt like dead weight, like an immovable object he was uselessly struggling against.
"Cian… Cian!" He said, yelling now as he tried to push himself up. "I… I need. ARGHHHH!"
A pain shot through his arms, and he fell back to the ground. All he could think about was Cian, he could still hear the explosions, hear the roar of Goliath. He had to get up, and he had to do it now.
"Cian…." Bell said, moving again.
But this time, he was stopped by a hand on his arm.
"Bell, don't move I'll get you and your friends help," A voice said, a calm voice, a voice he recognized oh so well.
He blinked and looked up, then saw it. Long, golden hair, gold eyes, and normally, his heart would explode as usual upon the sight.
However, this time, all that happened was a massive shot of adrenaline hit his heart like a lightning bolt, hope rushing through him. He grabbed onto Ais, and tried to pull himself up.
"Ms…Ms. Ais…. Cian… Cian he…" Bell struggled, trying to push himself up. "He's fighting… the floor boss. I… I got to… I need to help…ARGHHH!"
The pain again, this time he fell forward, Ais's eyes went wide, as Bell fell onto her lap. Again, normally he would go red and get tongue tied, but all that happened this time was he tried to get up again.
"He… he'll die if I… if I…" He said, trying weakly to get up again.
"Bell," Ais said again, shaking her head. "Calm down, it'll be alright. Cian, that's the new member of your familia right?"
"He… he was with us," Bell said, trying to get up from her lap still. "He… he covered me while I got Welf… Welf and… and Lillie here. Gotta… gotta… help…."
And Bell's eyes started fluttering. He shouted, screamed, demanded himself to get up, but his body simply wasn't responding.
Ais's eyes went wide again and slowly moved him to the ground. "Don't worry, we'll-."
"Hey, Ais, there you are!" Another voice yelled; one Bell didn't recognize.
"We've been looking all over for you," A second said. "We're about to…. What the heck, who are they?!"
"That looks like Mr. Argonaut!" The first voice yelled, and through his blinking, he saw two more figures, but couldn't make them out.
"What's he doing here?" The second voice asked, as Bell saw three people knelt over him now. "Is that his party? What happened?"
"I don't know, but we need to move," Ais said, looking towards the tunnel. "Bell says his party member Cian is alone with the floor boss."
"Alone with Goliath, is he crazy?!" The first voice said. "He may only be level 4, but he's so massive it still takes about five of us to fight him!"
"He covered their escape it seems," Ais said.
The second voice spoke up, and Bell saw them stand. "Tiona let's go and get him out of there! Ais, they'll be fine here go and tell the Captain!"
"It must ne that Lancer of Red we were hearing about!" The first voice said ago. "Go Ais, get the Captain!"
And the two figures ran away, and Ais looked back down at him. "It'll be alright Bell, rest now, we'll save your friend."
"C…Cian…" Was all Bell could get out before his eyes finally closed.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Cian
Of all my crazy ideas, this one certainly seems like the worst, Cian thought gritting his teeth as he saw Bell drop down the tunnel. Okay, I just need to make it there!
The only problem was the massive giant that was running towards him from the other side of the chamber. Welf had been right when he said floor bosses would make Mog look like nothing. Goliath was at least twice the size of Mog, and even more muscled. It was a massive giant of muscle, with a jaw that when opened nearly made Cian's ears bleed. Goliath roared again just after Bell fell down the tunnel and started charging at Cian now.
GO! He told himself, rushing towards the tunnel to the eighteenth floor. The only problem was once he did, his legs started feeling like jelly again, but despite it he pushed forward, and that was when Goliath smashed his hands into the ground. Like he was a kid flinging a puddle up mud, he pulled his hand up and massive rocks made their way towards Cian.
Cursing Cian moved in between the boulders. He bobbed and weaved as they fell around him like a meteor shower, he used the shadows he could see thanks to the light from the crystal-like walls. He was able to move and dodge them, but it was close, and he almost got smashed dozens of times. He had no intention of trying to be a hero and fight that thing on his own, he knew if he did he'd end up dead. So all he had to do was reach-."
Oh no… dammit, dammit, dammit.
"DAMMIT!" Cian yelled with frustration, as just in front of the tunnel down to floor eighteen one of the boulders Goliath had knocked up was blocking his was. "I can't get through that… dammit!"
He spun back around just in time to see Goliath rushing towards him again. It moved fast for such a large monster. It went to pound its fist down onto the ground where Cian was, and it was all Cian could do to duck forward. Goliath's fist hit the ground and made a massive crater right in front of the boulder and Cian cursed. He'd hoped the giant would smash the boulder for him, but now he was trapped. Goliath roared with anger and turned back to Cian, who could only grip both hands tight to the Gae Bulg and try to make the exhausted gears in his brain churn.
I could head back up to the floor… but then I'd just have to make it past him again, if I stayed up there, I'll eventually pass out, I have no supplies, he thought, as Goliath screeched and rushed towards him.
Cian shook his head, no… my only option is to get past that boulder, and I won't have time to break it without getting crushed, Cian thought again, gritting his teeth and looking at the glinting tip of the Gae Bulg, reflecting the light of the room. I have to use it, it's my only option!
But the Gae Bulg required the kata to be precise. He'd done it while Mog was attacking him the previous week, and in the dungeon on the way down, but both of those times he had his familia and party backing him up, to give him time to perform it. The only chance he had now was somehow buying himself enough time to use it, and the only way to do that….
"A bigger enemy just means bigger weak spots. Every enemy is possible to take down so long as you can remain calm and exploit their weakness," Finn's words played in his mind.
After that he heard Fergus. "Learn to use this… before you use this, always remain calm in battle, and you'll always have the advantage."
Remain calm, remain calm, remain calm!
It would have been easier to do without a massive giant the size of a building baring down on him. For a minute as Goliath rushed at him, Cian genuinely thought this would be the place he died. It didn't sound too bad, if he got squashed there, then Connla and the Morrigan familia may leave Orario alone, the Gae Bulg could be lost in an avalanche down the dungeon yes, but at least it would stay out of Morrigan or Connla's hands. Bell, Welf and Lillie were safe, so did it really matter?
"It's good to be self-righteous and all squirt, trying to save your party, putting your life ahead of theirs is honorable and all but don't fool yourself. Nobody wants to die, it's human nature to wanna live and experience life, you don't need any reason to live other then that, so don't be an idiot and let yourself die because you're feeling self-righteous especially when you don't have too."
That had been something Diarmuid told him… and he found his old boisterous friend and mentor was right. Who was Cian kidding himself? He wanted to save his party of course, but he didn't want to die. He wanted to live, he wanted to come back to this dungeon with Bell and the others, he wanted to be so strong that next time he went to the middle floors he breezed through it like it was nothing. He wanted to go back and have dinner with Ryuu and Syr again, he wanted to keep working at Mama Mia's, master the power of the Gae Bulg, and be as strong as Chu and the others were.
"I won't die here…" Cian said, gritting his teeth and looking at Goliath chasing down towards him. He charged mana to his hand and shook his head. "I won't die after making it this far! LIGHTNING SPEAR!"
The spear of lightning formed in Cian's hand and he chucked it towards Goliath. It shot through the air and hit he monster in the chest but it barely did anything besides send up a cloud of smoke and slightly make the monster stumble. He still ran forward, but Cian hadn't been trying to go for the kill, he did it for the lightning.
The remnants of the lightning from his spell still spread up his hand. He winced but felt as if that lightning had shocked his very heart. Chu had once told him, that the ability Lightning Rod, was one of the most useful ones in the entire Scathach familia and Diarmuid used to have a saying that Cian remembered them.
If you're smaller than an enemy, just be quick enough to poke them full of holes until they fall.
So that's what Cian did. He could feel his ability take effect, his speed was increased thanks to the lightning, and he ducked down through Goliath's legs with a dive again. He tumbled and came back up to his feet. He screamed so loud he thought his vocal cords would rupture, trying to get as many hits off as he possibly could. Along Goliath's right ankle he cut and sliced the Gae Bulg as many times as he could, one time, two, times, three times, Cian lost track after twenty. His veins pulsing with energy from the lightning he finally stabbed the spear right where the achilles tendon should be. Uathach had told him when teaching Cian first aid, that a ruptured achilles in even one foot, would bring down the largest of opponents.
Goliath must have finally felt it, because he roared and swung his fist back behind him. Cian yelled and ducked, yanking the Gae Bulg out of his ankle, and using as much strength as he had left leapt back and then up into the air as Goliath turned. Before he lost sight of his back, while in mid-air Cian reared back the Gae Bulg and threw it with all his might.
He heard it whistle through the air, and it implanted itself into Goliath's spine. The monster roared and spun around as Cian fell to the ground. The giant slammed its fist down, and Cian just barely avoided being smushed, but the impact sent him flying across the room. He yelled as he tumbled and groaned when his back hit the wall. His armor cracked, and when he stood up he saw the Gae Bulg was still sticking out of Goliaths back. Cian had planned that, it didn't hurt him now, but it should slow him down later. He hadn't bothered figuring out where the magic stone in Goliath was, because he never thought he'd find himself in this situation.
That's the last time I don't listen to all of Ms. Eina's advice, Cian thought, crawling to his feet, and reaching for cruaidin at his waist. He pulled out the sword and switching it to the reverse handed grip that Bell had taught him to use, one that Bell liked to use with his knives. Cian looked at Goliath turn to charge at him again, and he tried to think of some kind of plan again.
I need to cripple him! I need to cripple him and give me enough time to use Gae Bulg… no wonder this thing normally takes a whole party to fight!
His spear in the back of Goliath was supposed to slow him down, and it did, the giant was about a step slower, but nothing else Cian did seemed to scratch him. He racked his brained for any idea, but few that made any sense came to the forefront.
Maybe I can have him crush the boulder again… but that would require me to stand still for too long, the only way is to cripple him somehow! Cian thought, biting his lip as Goliath charged. What do I do, what do I do?! I can poke him full of holes but even with Lightning Rod I'm not… fast… enough… wait, wait no that could work!
It was stupid plan, an incredibly stupid plan that very well could get him killed, however Chu's advice of, a risky plan is better then no plan, came back to him. Cian let out a breath and held up his free hand.
"Oh great gods of the Tuatha Danann I do humbly call upon your aid! To save the land and people I fight so hard to protect," He chanted, drawing the correct runes in the air. "Bless me now and grant me the power of lightning! STORIM DEALANACH!"
Those Fomorian bones conduct magic like crazy, it'll work really well with your enchantments, had been what Welf said about his new sword, and the minute the runes burst with electricity and went to the blade it exploded with bolts of electric light. Cian nearly jumped back as now he felt like he was holding a real bolt of lightning in his hands,. It raced up his arm through his body, invigorating him like he'd never been invigorated before in a fight, all of his bones, his nerves, all of them felt like they were working overtime just as Goliath rushed towards him again.
But it wasn't enough.
"Come on… come and get me you ugly bastard!" Cian yelled, blood trickling down his forehead before he reared back the sword and plunged it into the veins of his own wrist. "Catch me if you-. GAHHHHHH!"
Cian writhed in pain as the lightning from the blade entered his veins. The minute it hit the inside of his skin, Cian almost fell over. He stumbled, and Goliath took advantage, but despite his vision being cloudy, his head ready to burst he dashed forward with his arm bleeding. Goliath punched his hand into the wall and for a moment he was stuck. Cian had just barely avoided death, and when he finally got to his feet he saw the raven scarf starting to fall from his arm.
He caught it, his arm moving unnaturally fast. He stood with sparks flying off his body and off his sword. He reached up and tied the scarf around his head, tying it tight before he looked up at Goliath and reached out his hand. The Gae Bulg ripped from Goliath's back and shot back to Cian's hand. He spun it as lightning traveled up it before Goliath turned and roared.
Its screech almost made Cian stumble, but he stood up and tall, lightning coursing through his veins and stared down the monster.
"Come on… come on…. faster, faster, faster," Cian yelled, and as Goliath charged he did too with his sword and spear both at his side, his arms flew behind his back as he moved reached Goliath after he'd only take two steps and a new fury roared through him. "FASTER! FASTER!"
He dodged around a kick from Goliath and leapt up towards its stomach. His hands moved so quick with the strike; he could barely see them. He cut deep down and finally managed to penetrate Goliaths skin along it's stomach. It roared as blood started falling from its stomach. It tried to swat him away, but Cian had already fallen and dashed away before he could reach him. He was on the other side of the room, static still shooting from his weapons, he still bled and could feel the lightning inside his body, he shouldn't have been alive, but his hope that his skill would mean he could take it turned out to be true.
Goliath smashed his hands into the ground and scooped up a new volley of massive rocks and boulders, and Cian dashed forward, the tail end of the scarf blowing behind his head as he moved left and right, dodged around the boulders, before getting close and ducking through Goliath's legs. Again he tried to cut away at his ankle, and he cut deep. He stabbed the Gae Bulg through his ankle, and tried to swing with his sword, but Goliath roared and kicked his foot back. Cian if not for his ability would have been killed, he moved and shot out his hand out. The Gae Bulg went clean through Goliath's leg and shot back to his hand.
It roared and fell to the ground, and when that happened Cian's eyes widened, the chance he was looking for finally present itself as Goliath fell to one knee. He rushed towards the walls, and he moved so quick he was able to run up and twisting he body he leapt off the wall and into the air. Goliath raised its arms and Cian threw the Gae Bulg. It stuck into Goliath's hand, and he reared it back in pain, and that finally gave Cian the opening.
"YOU'RE DONE!" He yelled coming towards Goliath's eye, and with a massive thrust he sank cruaidin deep into the monster's eye.
For a brilliant moment Cian felt nothing but elation. Goliath went still and he waited for the monster to sink and puff away into dust. That had to be it, if you stabbed something in the eye, man or monster it was supposed to die, that was normally how the world worked.
Only Cian, wasn't in the real world. He was in the dungeon.
"Huh?!" Cian said, looking down and seeing smoke start to rise from Goliath. The massive gash that Cian had left in its stomach was gone, the muscles of it started growing back, and Cian with horror realized what was happening.
It… it's regenerating! It made sense now why only parties of adventurers took on these beasts, it was the only possible way, he would be able to take it out on his own, he never stood a chance.
"Shit… shit, shit," He yelled, as Goliath stood, his ankle regenerated, and when Cian looked down its other eye looked over at him and when he yanked his sword free and started falling, he saw its massive hand strike.
"GAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Cian could feel his bones crunch like twigs. The world sped past him, blood spat out of his mouth, he started bleeding from his forehead, and when he hit the ground the first thing that crunched up and inwards was his arm. A pain like nothing Cian had ever felt before shot through him as he could feel the crack of bones in his shoulder, his forearm, and when he finished tumbling, smashing into the wall he saw his own blood begin to pool up below him.
That… that was stupid of me… He thought, biting his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Regeneration... ha... i definitely should have known.
He heard Goliath roar, along with its massive footsteps. It pinged around his head, and Cian sucked in a painful breath, using his good right arm to push himself to his knees. To the right he saw the Gae Bulg and held out his right hand. The spear shot through the air to his hand, and he dug the blunt end into the dirt below him, and tried-failing at first-to get up to his feet.
"Come on… come on Cian, GAHHHH!" He yelled, as he instinctively tried to move his broken arm, but it felt then as if it was set on fire. He bit harder on his tongue and pushed himself up. "At least die on your feet… die on your feet like they did…"
What was he talking about? He wasn't going to die, he was going to activate the Gae Bulg's power, and when he did the kata with one hand, winning the fight he'd have one hell of a story to tell.
I wonder if that will be enough to impress Ryuu, he thought with a goofy, delirious smile as Goliath saw him, and went to charge again.
His left arm hung limp at his side, and it was all he could do to shift his feet and hold the spear out in front of him. It was possible, only very difficult to preform the kata with one hand, it was even more difficult, to do the chant at the same time as the kata, but he had no choice.
It was his only way to live.
"Oh great spear of the Tuatha Danann, spear of ulster, spear of mortal death," Cian said, trying to drop it to his foot, but when Goliath stepped, he stumbled, and without his left arm to stop him, he fell to the ground. His eyes wide, he pushed himself up to his feet as Goliath got closer.
He picked up the Gae Bulg again, his head fuzzy. "Oh… Oh great… great spear of… of the…"
He fell forward, just barely keeping himself upwards with the Gae Bulg… and that was when he saw Goliath's shadow. His head went up, to see the monster's two massive fists above him.
And Cian deliriously smiled, as the hands came to smash him into the ground. Ha… Ryuu is going to be so pissed off at me.
"BECOME A SHIELD OF CRUSHING EVIL!" A voice yelled from the other side of the room. "DIO GRAIL!"
Cian's senses all came back to him, as a massive white circle of magic appeared just above his head. Before Cian could be smashed out of existence, Goliath's fist smashed into the barrier, and as if it was a fire the monster roared and got sent stumbling backwards. The magic shield fell apart, and like stars were falling from the night sky Cian was showered in a soft gale of white magic. He blinked, his head ready to explode, his useless arm throbbing as he held onto the Gae Bulg to keep him upright.
Goliath roared as he stood again, and rushed towards Cian ready to try and smash him again. He only got a few steps however, before a figure came flying through the air.
"ARGHHH TAKE THIS!" Whoever it was shouted, swinging forward with a powerful kick. It smashed into Goliath's jaw and sent the monster stumbling backwards, and as the person came down he spun and kicked the giant in the stomach. "GET BACK!"
Goliath's stomach was caved in as it was sent flying back on its knees. Cian could only look up, as the person who'd done it, a werewolf with grey hair, and his ripped midriff exposed under a small coat, landed in front of him, and when he did Cian finally couldn't stay up. He fell forward, the Gae Bulg falling to the ground. He groaned and looked up, narrowing his blurry eyes as the werewolf looked back with an annoyed glint in his eyes.
"Who the hell do you think you are kid?!" He shouted, sounding genuinely angry. "Making me waste my time saving your stupid ass from something like this. What kind of ridiculous dumbass are you to think it was smart to fight a floor boss on your own huh?! People like you annoy the hell outta me!"
Cian shrugged off the insults because he didn't consider them insults. The man was right, Cian really was an idiot, but he was more concerned about who it was. Through rapidly blinking eyes, he thought he recognized him.
"You… your…." He said weakly, trying to get to his feet with the Gae Bulg, only to fall back onto his butt. Still, he looked at the annoyed werewolf, trying to ignore the pain of his arm. "I… know you.."
"You're that dopey tomato kids' friends, I recognize you," He said, folding his arms and turning back to Goliath. "I wouldn't even have bothered saving your ass if-."
"Bete stop it now!" The voice that had casted the spell said, and before he knew it, someone fell at Cian's side, and he definitely recognize them. "Cian! What in the world are you doing down here with a floor boss?!"
"Le…Lefiya?" He said, recognizing the elf. She's gotten to her knees next to him, and Cian felt her hand on his back, he was so delirious he laughed which made him hack up blood next to him. He felt Lefiya reach over to help him, but he could only shake his head, he managed a delirious smile. "I… I was trying to get ahead in our contest… couldn't…. couldn't fall behind you now."
"Asshole, quit trying to act tough!" The werewolf-Bete-yelled at him.
Lefiya looked red for a minute but glared at the werewolf. "Enough Bete, we need to get him to Rivera, he's gonna bleed out, I can't heal something like this!"
Cian at hearing this, coughed up more blood, and looked at his useless dangling arm. The Gae Bulg and his sword weren't far away. He held out his hand, and Lefiya jumped back when the spear shot to his hand. Yelling as he did, they both looked at him, as Cian dug the spear into the ground, and slowly, painstakingly pushed himself to his feet.
"Cian stop! You're bleeding you shouldn't move right now!" Lefiya yelled at him, rushing to his side as Cian almost fell.
"She's right you dumbass, stay down, you'll only get in the way," Bete reminded him.
But Cian shook his head, using the Gae Bulg he walked up next to Bete and looked out at Goliath who was regenerating again.
"No… I started this," Cian said, sucking in a breath and taking his weight of the spear, he snapped it with one hand under his arm and looked out at the monster. "And I'll help you finish it."
"Cian you can't!" Lefiya yelled at him again. "If you do to much-."
"Oh, let him Lefiya, he wants to be a big tough man let him," Bete said, walking towards Goliath with his hands in his pockets. "Not that he'll need to do anything. No start chanting, destroy that boulder blocking the entrance and-."
He was cut off by Goliath's roar, as the monster flung more boulders towards them. They came their way and using what energy he had left Cian jumped out of the way. Bete did the same, and Lefiya then jumped the same way Cian did. As he landed, Cian screamed from landing on his broke arm. He rolled onto his back and looked up with hazy eyes.
"Cian! Cian come on!" Lefiya said, coming into his vision again. "Hang on, I'm going to try and numb the pain, but we need to get you-."
Cian was conscious enough to see the shadow. He pushed his body up and grabbed around Lefiya's waist.
"LOOK OUT!" He yelled, jumping out of the way of another boulder that came flying over their head that would have hit her.
They rolled and landed, and when Cian looked down he was on top of her. Her blue eyes were wide as she looked up at him from the ground, her orange hair spread out behind her.
"Are… you okay?" Cian said breathlessly, ready to pass out.
"I… I'm okay," She said, her face beat red.
Cian nodded. "Good… now… I think I… I'm gonna…"
He fell off her, onto his back again. He heard Lefiya call his name, before she sat him up. She said something, but all Cian saw and heard was Bete angrily kick away another boulder.
"Dammit this is why we need at least a big group to kill him despite his level," He complained, looking back at Lefiya. "Lefiya! Hurry the hell up and-."
"ARGHHHH FINALLY!" A voice yelled, an angry voice as nearby from where Lefiya had him, the boulder that had been blocking the tunnel to the eighteenth floor shattered into tiny pieces.
Two figures burst through, two amazons, one with medium length hair and one with long hair, Cian wasn't proud of it, but the first thing he noticed after that was the size of their chests. The one with long hair had been the one to smash the boulder ands he looked annoyed, but the one with medium hair spotted Lefiya.
"Lefiya!" She yelled, rushing over to them, and falling to a knee. "You're back early!" she then looked down to Cian and breathed in relief. "Thank god, you must be Mr. Argonauts friend!"
"Mr… who?" Cian asked, still delirious.
"Tiona!" Lefiya cut him off. "We need to get him help; he'll die soon!"
"Come on Bete move!" The other one yelled, and Cian, Lefiya, and the amazon-Tiona- all looked to see Bete and the second amazon rush towards Goliath.
Neither had any weapons, but when the leapt up, they both lashed out with kicks that sent Goliath tumbling. The landed nearby, and the other amazon turned to them.
"Tiona! Lefiya! Is he okay?!" She asked.
Lefiya. "He's fine Tione! Cian! I'm going to cast the spell now."
Before he could argue, Lefiya muttered a spell, and a bright light appeared in her hand. She held it out over Cian's body and a warm feeling washed over him. He was able to breath as he looked at the other amazon Tione, and Bete lash out with kicks and punches that kept Goliath at bay, but it was clear they'd need a weapon. Of course, he knew now this was the Loki familia, they weren't in danger, but still, Cian's chest exploded, he couldn't just lay there.
"You know, that was super cool what you did!" The amazon, Tiona said from his right. She looked down at him with a smile and wide, excited eyes. "Staying to guard for your party who was injured, taking on a floor boss by yourself for as long did, that's super brave and awesome!"
"I… I'm not…" He started muttering, after Lefiya finished with the spell. "I'm not… not done… yet…"
"Cian!" Lefiya protested, as he looked to his right and held out his hand. The Gae Bulg flew to his hands, and when it did he right away-using his good arm-tried to get to his feet.
"Woah Lefiya's right!" Tiona said. "Besides, they got this, you don't have to-."
"In… In Ulster…" Cian started, as he pushed up to his feet, steadying himself. "In Ulster… you… you always finish the fights you start… no matter what! I… I'm going to kill this thing."
"Dammit! We don't have any weapons, and he just keep hurling those things!" Tione, the other amazon said, punching through a rock that had been thrown.
Bete scoffed. "We'll deal with him later, let's just get out… Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
Cian had walked past him, and when Goliath saw him he roared, almost as if knowing Cian was challenging him. That was how it worked in Ulster, when you fought someone, a monster, anything, you were honor and duty bound to finish that fight. Earlier, he had wanted to run yes, but after expending so much of his blood, being hurt so badly, Cian wasn't just tired, he was angry.
"Oh great spear of the Tuatha Danann, spear of Ulster, spear of mortal death," he chanted, as with one hand he dropped the Gae Bulg to his foot.
And when he kicked it back up, it exploded with red light.
"Woah what the hell is that?! What do you think you're doing?!" Bete yelled, taking a few steps back.
"Lefiya what is that?!" Tione said, dropping back as well. "I've never seen magic like that before!"
"Neither have I, what's going on?!" Tiona yelled.
Lefiya stuttered. "I… I don't know! Cian! Cian stop-."
"Lend your power to this mortal body of mine so that I may protect the lands and its inhabitants," And with those words, Cian found he was already halfway through the kata.
He moved the spear with one arm like it was nothing. All he could do was stare down Goliath, who seemed to somewhat recognized Cian again and charge forward, but Cian remained calm and continued spinning and tossing the Gae Bulg.
"Protect him while he chants! GO MOVE!" A new voice yelled, but Cian was too engrossed in his kata.
"Captain?!" One of them yelled.
"You hear me, go! Let him finish his chant!" Finn Deimne yelled, as Cian saw a spear fly through the air.
It hit Goliath and knocked him back. He tried to throw more stones, but Bete launched forward and kicked them in half, joined by Tione, and Tiona who kept them from hitting Cian. As he chanted and moved the spear with his one good arm the red magic around it continued to explode, and when he neared the end, the finally started running, running towards Goliath, dodging the boulders, and seeing the confused faces of the Loki familia around him.
But all Cian wanted was that monsters head, a sort of payment for everything that his party just went through.
"Fill me with the strength of the gods, let my strength join with your power to fight for a new and free tomorrow!" He yelled, finishing the kata and across from Goliath, who recognize him, and started rushing towards Cian as well, Cian neared the end of the chant and came to a stop, dropping the spear down to his foot. "I call on your power, oh great spear of the gods AS YOUR MASTER CIAN MAC GALLAGHER!"
He kicked it up into the air, the red magic erupting around it, Goliath went to rear his hand back, ready to swat him out of the air.
But Cian caught the Gae Bulg and cocked it back behind his head. "Behold the red fangs of Ulster! Behold the power of MY WILL AND THE GODS. GAEEEEEE BUUULGGGG!"
Like it had been shot out of a supernatural weapon, the Gae Bulg left his hands and fired downwards. He heard people yelling, heard Lefiya yelling his name, but all he did was watch the Gae Bulg smashed down into the center of Goliaths chest. The impact was so hard it sent the giant stumbling back. Cian fell down and landed on the ground, stumbling and falling to one knee as he did, but as he heard the giant take another step he stood up.
"CIAN MOVE!" Lefiya shouted, but Cian looked straight up at Goliath, all the worry gone from him.
Goliath roared and took another step towards him… before he stopped, stuttering, blood began to leak from its body, the red fangs of the Gae Bulg, the hundreds, thousands of barbs started shooting out of its body, until it fell to its knees.
And it looked like it was going to fall on top of Cian, but before it did, as it was falling, just before smashing him, Goliath evaporated into black dust, which fell around Cian like the magic of Lefiya's shield had.
The Gae Bulg fell, and with one last motion, Cian summoned it to his hand and dug it into the ground. Under his armor, his shirt was torn off, revealing his multiple cuts, bruises, and pale skin. His arm still hung lifelessly from his left side, but when Cian saw the black dust falling, say the massive magic stone fall to the ground, another goofy smile came to his face.
Ha… oh man… I… I need a nap.
And his eyes closed while he still stood on his feet.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Lefiya
"What… what in the hell was that?!" Bete demanded, all of them standing there looking at the black dust fall around Cian.
She, however, was the first to brush aside her amazement. Cian had just saved her life; she would let him hurt anymore now.
"CIAN!" She yelled, dropping her bag and staff, rushing towards him as he stood in the center of the room.
"I've never seen anything like that!" Tione said as they followed behind her.
Tiona was absolutely starstruck. "That was so cool! First Mr. Argonaut, and now him?! He's the Lancer of Red right? From the Hestia familia, we heard about him from the news in town a few days ago!"
"Still can't believe the news like that gets down here," Tione said as Lefiya reached Cian. "But you're right… that was amazing."
Bete scoffed. "Bah, some fancy spears is all it was. He was still an idiot and would have died if we hadn't shown up."
"Still! To use a magic like that when he was so weak," Tiona gushed. "To hang on by himself for as long as he did at Level 2 against a floor boss, that was amazing!"
"Cian!" Lefiya said, grabbing onto his arm. "What…. Oh, he went mind down… but… but at least you're alive."
"Ooooo, you seem awfully close Lefiya," Tiona teased, coming up next to her.
Lefiya's face got red and she looked at her. "No! No, no it isn't like that! He… he's my rival! My rival for your information, we're competing to get stronger together!"
Still, even if that was true, Lefiya was worried. If Cian could do that, then she had a long way to go to even catch up to him, despite already being a higher level. Still, it wasn't the competition that was on her mind, as she gently helped the unconscious boy down to the ground, holding his head to her lap.
It was the fact he had saved her. After meeting him that first night, their expedition was delayed a few more days, and during hat time… she'd talked to him a few more times. He was often going to fetch that annoying Bell Cranel after his time with Ms. Ais, and she was thankful for him. Thankful he listened to her grievances, and ignored her goofy, clumsy tendencies. She could blink and see him above her, half dead but still saving her.
"Right, right," Tiona teased, kneeling next to her. "We should get him to Riveria. Ais is sure to have Mr. Argonaut and his party there already, they'll wanna see each other."
The captain nodded. "You're right, Bete, if you would please."
Bete scoffed, looking annoyed as always. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, move pipsqueak."
Lefiya reluctantly got up, and let Bete pick up Cian.
Tione looked at the captain. "Captain… just who is this guy anyway? He's the one you wanted to talk to, the one you wanted to join us."
The captain smiled, looking at Cian in Bete's arms, running a hand through his blonde hair.
"That my friends, is the heir to the most powerful familia this world had seen, and it's greatest adventurer, Chu Chulainn," He said, smirking and reaching down to pick up the red spear Cian had been carrying. "His name, is Cian Mac Gallagher, the Lancer of Red."
Next Time, Season 1, Episode 3: Dungeon Paradise: After an intense, dangerous, near deadly treck down the dungeon, Cian, Bell, Welf and Lillie finally find refuge with the Loki familia on floor eighteen. After such an arduous journey, it's time for talks and relaxation to be had. Meanwhile, Mikoto finally comes face to face with the Lancer of Red who she thought she doomed, while Ryuu visits a sight from her past.
A/N: Damn, here I go again guys, making chapters super long lol. I try not to, but I just wanna fit whatever I can, I looooove writing small character moments to flesh people out. Like that scene with Mebd and Hestia, it shows us Hestia's gentle side, and how nervous but determined Mebd is to fix her mistakes, plus it gives us backstory and future plot beats.
NOW, at the end, I know in the show Lefiya and Bete don't show back up on floor 18 until after Bell and the gang are recovered, but I decided to have them show up a little earlier to save Cian, because I want to develop Cian's relationships outside the Hestia familia. He's going to spend tons of time with Mikoto, Bell, Welf, Ryuu and Lillie, but I wanna give his other relationships some spotlight.
I also really love the Loki familia, so it's always fun to write them.
In this story, some of the cannon character may act a bit different, like we see Hestia is becoming more responsible as a goddess much quicker due to her having his responsibility from her friend Scathach, Ryuu thanks to her relationship/friendship with Cian is a bit more talkative and takes more chances.
Also, to reassure everyone YES, this story is still Mikoto x Cian, but that doesn't mean there won't be other people who fall for him, other relationships he has to navigate. We just haven't had Mikoto until now and starting next chapter we'll really get to develop that relationship.
We also have Mebd back already! I was thinking of keeping her out until a bit later, but in the end, I want to expand and make her more of a well-rounded character, I wanna show everyone her journey of redemption for herself and those around them.
Finally, we have a lot of fights this episode, the highlight being the battle vs Goliath. Now, since Bell is really gonna have the spotlight vs the Black Goliath soon, I wanted to give Cian some shine here. Now I know what some of you are already thinking.
"Oh why did Cian waste his energy attacking when the Loki familia was about to kill Goliath or escape with him anyway"
The answer is in the story, in Ulster, Cian learned you finish your fights. We also have the one line, where he says just how angry he is, he's tired, pissed, annoyed, every word for it, and he wanted to take it out on Goliath. This is going to be a thing with Cian, we'll see soon that he is not all rainbows and sunshine, there's more sides to him you all haven't seen yet.
BUT that is for later. What did you all think of the Morrigan storyline? What could it be that Morrigan is planning to make Cian open the seal? How will these Divine Weapons come into play? We'll see soon, I'm so excited.
Now I hope you all enjoyed really, please, please leave a review if you have time, even two-word reviews are awesome haha. Now next chapter we'll have right until Hestia gets kidnapped, since I have a lot of conversations I want to happen. Cian and Mikoto, Cian and Ryuu, Cian and Mebd, plus the famous bath scene with Hermes and the others, so much fun stuff coming!
Haha, so like I said, review if you can, and thank you for viewing and reading!
