Chapter 56:

Loki whistled appreciatively, leaning back in her chair. Finn and the other executives were all crowded around in her office. They had just relayed what had happened down in the bowels of the Dungeon. Soon, every Familia involved would be submitting a report to the Guild. Still, those would probably be heavily doctored and modified to ensure that nothing too terrifying got out to the general public. Even if some adventurers blabbed, it would probably sound more like rumours than anything. She glanced over at Raul.

"I knew there was a reason I took you in all those years ago," said Loki. "Talk about making me proud!" Her gaze travelled over each of her children. She made sure to stop and make eye contact with all of them. "That goes for all of you. I couldn't be more honoured to have you as my children. You fought hard, and you came back." The Goddess stood and walked around to the front of her desk. She bowed at the waist, drawing the rapt attention of everyone in the room. "For that, please accept the thanks of this pervert Goddess. Now, go out and enjoy yourselves tonight! I know I want a stiff drink. We can deal with Freya tomorrow after all!"

Finn, Gareth, and Riveria nodded. They herded the younger adventurers out and promised to meet Loki in the courtyard in half an hour. When they left, the Trickster Goddess sat at her desk and took out some sheets of paper. Even if she told her children that they would deal with their problems tomorrow, in her gut, she knew something terrible was coming. She then started making plans within plans, wanting to get it all down in writing. She prayed that she would never have to send these messages off, but people didn't always get what they wanted. When she finished, she walked over to one of the blank walls of the Twilight Manor. Something had been off about this place for weeks now, and it was making her skin crawl. She gave it only a thought, though. There would be no worrying tonight; she wanted to enjoy her time with her children. Who knew how much of it was left?

With the Lovers:

Ais was a hardened warrior of many battles. She had faced scores of enemies, dived into the deepest recesses of the Dungeon, and fought tooth and nail to reach the peak of adventuring. She was also terrified at the thought of a night out with Bell. Well, less terrified and more of a cocktail of excitement and nerves. She had gotten a little bit dressed up for the occasion, throwing on her best casual dress, so she didn't want to ruin it. After all, things felt good between her and Bell. In fact, they felt really good. After gathering in front of the Twilight Manor, the executives made their way to the Hostess to find Hestia Familia arriving simultaneously.

"Hello, everyone!" shouted Otohime, waving. "I hope you are all ready for some fun!"

Not waiting for anyone else, she practically dragged Urashima into the bar. In her own words, she wanted to, 'fuck shit up,' and, 'get so drunk I end up in Melen.' It was evident that Otohime was letting her new power go to her head for the night. But everyone excused her for it, Bell most of all. As a level five, there was little to no chance that her brother would ever be able to force her home and into marriage. Her strength and will to fight had set her free.

The others followed in slowly, with Lefiya quickly intertwining her fingers with Elwin's. The two shared a soft smile that was not unnoticed by Riveria. Her pupil had pulled her aside as soon as they got home to explain her and her boyfriend's…nightly activity in the Dungeon. And the subsequent repeats after the war. While both were highly flustered by the act of sex, they tried to put it into the context that Elwin would have. That is, as a night of passion between a young couple and not the more substantial implication it carried for almost all elves. Both elves doubted that Elwin understood the actual ramifications of his actions.

Ais watched them walk inside and pouted. All these couples seemed happy, but then there was her and Bell. They hadn't synced up yet, as if they were tripping at the finish line. She felt they were ready, but neither knew how to make the first move. It frustrated Ais because she was pretty confident in how Bell felt for her now. The things he had said to her while battling Typhon were not what you'd say if you weren't interested in someone.

As Ais watched the couples go in, she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to find Bell standing with his hands behind his back. His eyes were trained on the ground, and he seemed to be a little red in the face.

"I know you don't drink, so do you want to sit outside instead?" he asked.

Ais felt her heart flutter before she nodded. The two sat at one of the small patio tables. The rest of the group was practically shoved inside by an all-too-willing Goddess of the Hearth. She gave the two young heroes a thumbs-up and a wink before following the others. That left Ais and Bell sitting at a table, not making eye contact. The sword Princess felt herself start to play with her golden blonde hair. Meanwhile, Bell was picking at a stray piece of wood on the table.

After what felt like hours of quiet, the two finally looked at each other. Instead of looking away, they smiled. Together, they reached out to clasp hands. Slowly, their fingers intertwined. Ais sat there quietly, afraid that she would say the wrong thing. For so long, words had not come easily to her. The same way other people could converse about the weather and their day left her stomach in knots. And those were supposedly easy things to talk about. How was she supposed to try and tell him something as crucial as her innermost feelings?

And then there were the other thoughts. She could not help but have disgusting thoughts about her mother and father. They were the same thoughts she always had: revenge and death. Part of her believed that she did not deserve to be happy, not while her mother was still a prisoner. But that part often fought against another stream of thought. They were the thoughts of a little girl that wanted to be happy. This Little Ais always did her best to push away the dark thoughts, which was always done quickly when Bell was around. But Ais had no idea how to tell him that. And those thoughts always came back.

"Ais, looking at you while we fought against Typhon when you came to my rescue," began Bell, drawing her from her thoughts. "I realized that you…you are almost as important to me as anyone in my Familia, barring my Goddess. You've saved my life, but you've also taught me how to save others. Without you, I wouldn't be the person I am today. There have been good times…and bad times, but you've… you're always trying to do better. Every time you fall, you get back up." Bell was leaning forward now. "I know that things have been hard for you, and you have had to deal with things that no one ever should, but that doesn't stop you from trying to be better." Bell broke eye contact. "I've done so much with you, and I think I get it now, at least a little bit. Talking is hard for you, isn't it? Not because you don't have much to say; you probably have more to say than most people."

Ais blinked, his words making her heart do somersaults. It was like she was being seen for the very first time. There were no words for how she felt at that moment and for how she felt for Bell.

"But…I want to help you," continued Bell, unaware of the effect he was having. "I want to stand with you, always."

"Ais Wallenstein, I love you."

With the Couples:

Inside the bar, the festivities proceeded with a joy unseen for many months. The adventurers present danced on tables, drank enough to fill a floor of the Dungeon, and almost ate more than the chefs and waitresses could keep up with. Of course, this was made even more complicated by one waitress stepping down from her duties.

"Are you sure it's okay for you to take the night off?" asked Ryuu for the hundredth time. "I know that Mia isn't going to be happy about it. And I'd rather not have her breathing down my neck."

Syr just shrugged, not seeming to care in the slightest. She was wearing a white sundress and had sat down next to Ryuu as soon as the elf came through the door. After ensuring that Ryuu wasn't injured, she latched onto her and refused to let go.

"So, did you like the lunch I made for you in the Dungeon?" asked Syr.

Ryuu blushed. She brought out the empty box from her coat pocket using her free hand. It was rough around the edges but still in one piece. She placed it on the table without looking up.

"It was quite delicious. Your cooking has improved a lot," said Ryuu. "I hope the condition of the lunch box is acceptable."

Syr looked down at the lunch box, then looked up at Ryuu. Then she looked down at the box. And she looked back up at Ryuu, her mouth hanging open in shock. Then, she launched herself forward. Her lips met Ryuu's. The kiss was messy, but the elf with sky-blue eyes still liked it. After what was definitely too short a time, Syr pulled back.

"I can't believe…you just…Ryuu, it was a box!" said Syr. "You could've let it go or let it get destroyed in the fighting! Why would you…?"

Ryuu looked confused, a delicate hand at her lips. "Because you made it for me? So, it was important for me to hold onto it?"

Syr blinked once. Then she threw her head back and laughed. Afterwards, she threw her hands around Ryuu's shoulders, pulling her in for a hug.

"You are the most delightful elf I've ever met, Ryuu Leon!"

At another table sat Lefiya and Elwin, chatting aimlessly about any and all matters they could think of. The truth was that the two of them were just happy to be alive and could continue to survive together.

"What I really want to do, though," began Elwin on his latest tangent. "Is bring you to Carien to meet my mother and Lady Hecate." Elwin looked over to where Riveria was sitting quietly. "I want to take you both there. I want my whole family to meet each other, if only once."

Riveria snorted. "Oh, you even want to bring our father into this?"

Elwin shook his head. "He is NOT a part of my family. He lost that privilege as soon as he threatened Mama."

Lefiya idly stroked the top of his hand with her thumb. She tried to do her best to keep him calm.

"You seem pretty determined about this whole meeting your mother thing…why is that?" she asked.

Elwin grew shy then. "Well… we're joined together now, aren't we? Since we…you know…in the Dungeon."

Lefiya froze. "Wait, you knew what you were doing when we were?"

She trailed off. Riveria sat stiffly, watching everything play out.

"I mean, I had an idea from listening to Ryuu," he explained. "And since we might have been about to go and fight to our death, I just wanted to make sure."

"…you do realize that in elvish tradition, you would be binding your lives together until you die, right?" asked Riveria.

Lefiya sat there dumbly, unable to say anything.

Elwin nodded. "Yeah, Filvis made sure I was certain about all of this before we did it." He blushed again, the memory of their act getting to him. "So when we did it, I knew that it meant that the two of us would be linked."

Lefiya found her voice.

"But why me?"

"Lefiya Veridis, I came back from the dead for you." He spoke like this was just a matter of fact. Then, he nodded toward Riveria. "And her, of course, but mostly you."

Said High Elf huffed. Elwin turned back towards Lefiya.

"I didn't come back for guesses or maybes but because you're the one I want to spend my life with." He winked. "Not to mention, but I think Filvis would kill me again if I left you."

He flinched, and Lefiya knew that Filvis was probably shouting something at him. The elf leaned forward to press her lips to his cheek. She pulled back.

"Well, tell her that I say thank you and that I love you both," said Lefiya.

"Will do!" Elwin retook her hand. "So, with this whole elf business, does that mean we're, like, married now?"

Lefiya shook her head. "No, it's more like… we're engaged right now. We still have to do the whole process with the stars under the trees."

"And you will be doing ALL of it," said Riveria, her tone brooking no argument. "If you try to run off and elope or get married under human customs, I will throw you off the Tower of Babel."

Elwin let go of Lefiya before embracing his big sister.

"I would never dream of a wedding without you around! You're going to be there every step of the way, understood?" Elwin squeezed her tight, and Riveria squeezed back. "You and Mama are both going to be there, and it's going to be so beautiful that we'll all cry our fucking eyes out!"

Riveria rolled her eyes but still held onto her little brother. Finding out about him had been a surprise for sure, but she wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.

At another table, the Goddess of the Hearth slapped a small brass key onto the wood. The people she was sitting in front of, Haruhime and Mikoto, eyed each other warily before looking back at their Goddess.

"Lady Hestia, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you giving us a key?" asked Mikoto.

"Simple, I can only imagine what the two of you are going to get up to tonight, so I rented a room out ahead of time," replied the Goddess. "Mia says it's pretty far from other people and rooms, so you two can be as loud as you want."

The two women sat there in silence. They were quiet as Hestia's words slowly sunk in. But as they did, the two of them stiffened. One could practically see the steam rolling out of Mikoto's ears or how all the hairs on Haruhime's tail were standing up on end. Neither spoke, so Hestia decided to keep going and fill the silent void.

"Listen, I might be a Goddess of virginity, but I am not a prude. I'm fine with you two being as…intimate as you like," she said, tapping the table. "But on a normal night, you two can be pretty…enthusiastic. Tonight, when Haruhime got a level up, and you survived a war? I can't even imagine the noise complaints. So please do all of us, and yourselves, a favour and just stay here for tonight. Does that sound fair?"

Slowly, Haruhime reached out and took the room key. She said nothing, with her eyes focused on the floor. Mikoto's eyes followed the movement, though; to Hestia, they resembled a hunter after their prey. Haruhime flashed her partner a timid smile. Hestia rolled her eyes and just walked away.

"What are your plans for tonight?" asked Mikoto. "Is there anything I should know about?"

Haruhime shook her head, and the twitching of her fox ears distracted Mikoto.

"I am just…looking forward to the celebration."

Mikoto grabbed Haruhime's hand. "I want you to know, and I will say it all night, but I am so unbelievably proud of you. Every day you blow me away and steal my heart, and I want you to know how much you mean to me." Slowly, the two touched foreheads. "Sanjouno Haruhime, I would walk with you to the ends of the Earth and the depths of the Dungeon."

The two sat there in silence for a minute. Then, Haruhime was standing, hand still holding Mikoto's. The level three used her new strength to pull her partner to her feet before leading her off into the depths of the Hostess. Mikoto smiled and asked no questions. It was already evident what the two of them were going to do.

Watching them go was a dreamer, staring in longing and curiosity. She turned back to find her partner's gaze trained on her. Daphne had a sharp eyebrow arched, casually taking a sip of her drink. There was no judgment, just a gentle question. If Cassandra wanted it, her partner would take her away and ravish her. But if the prophet wanted to spend a quiet night in, drinking casually, then Daphne would do that too. And faced with that kind of open mind, Cassandra felt her lips quirk upwards. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss as gentle as the breeze to Daphne's cheek. She scooted her chair closer to cuddle with the level four warrior. Once upon a time, she had a favourite pillow, but now her favourite place to put her head was on Daphne's shoulder.

"Do you want to go home soon? I'm feeling sleepy," said Cassandra, failing to stifle a yawn.

Daphne reached up to run her hand through Cassandra's hair.

"If that would make you comfortable, sure. Besides, I don't think this night is really for us anyway. We can let the big heroes celebrate and do our own thing later," she said before placing a muffled kiss in Cass's hair.

The two stood up to go, but someone was shouting for them to wait before they could leave. The two looked around until they practically recoiled in fear from the Far Eastern Princess barrelling towards them.

"Wait! I need to say thank you!" shouted Otohime.

She practically ran into them, her arms wrapping around the duo. She pulled them in close, nearly squeezing the breath from their lungs. Then, they felt their feet leaving the ground as the new level five swung them around the bar. She placed them both down to look up and smile.

"You two saved my life! Ura told me all about how the two of you came to my rescue when I was unconscious." She looked at Cassandra. "Your dream made you find me, right? And you used your healing magic to keep me safe?"

Cassandra nodded slowly, not quite sure what to make of this interaction.

"Then, I am in your debt," replied Otohime, bowing low. "I don't quite know or understand this whole dream prophecy thing, but your magic saved my life. That's what matters most to me."

"Well, it's not like we were just going to let you die," replied Daphne. "No one should be that cruel. After all, we won that battle because of what you did." She grimaced. "Sorry, we couldn't help with the scar, though. I know it must suck to have that ugly thing running across your chest."

Oto tilted her head. "Why would that be a problem?" She turned towards Urashima, standing at her side. "Does my scar make me look ugly?"

"Not at all," he replied. "If anything, it makes you look even more beautiful. It's a badge of honour for everything you did, and honestly, it's a big turn-on for me."

Otohime flushed red but did not shy away from the praise. Instead, she pressed a large sloppy kiss to the side of Urashima's head. The two held hands, which clued the others present that they had managed to figure out their feelings for each other to some extent. There was still something shadowy in Urashima's gaze, and a certain way, his arms tensed when Otohime first took his hand. But Daphne and Cassandra said nothing. They just let the seemingly happy couple walk off to enjoy their night.

"So, now that you are level five, you realize that things might get more complicated," said Urashima, sitting at a table. "Tales of you in the Dungeon City might find their way back home, and while your brother can't physically force you to do anything, he can't let you just sit out here. You're a challenge to his throne, and he will try and find a way to cage you."

Otohime shrugged. "There are some ifs in there. If he can be bothered to come out here. If my bigger brother doesn't win the throne for himself first. If that rampant jackass can even find a way inside Orario." She looked out over the bar. "After all, the people here would never dream of leaving us alone. Right now, I feel safe, well and truly safe." She brought her free hand to her chest. "It hasn't fully gone away, and that fear is probably always going to be here, but for now, at this moment…I think I'll be okay." She looked up and smiled. "Besides, anyone who wants to get to me has to go through my bodyguard first!"

His smile was small and soft.

"Always."

With the Girl and the Boy:

Ais Wallenstein was still trying to put the pieces of her brain back together. She knew that she was supposed to be happy. This was what she had been waiting for all this time. But when she heard the words, her mother's face flashed before her eyes. Aria was still out there. But Ais didn't know how to say that to Bell. Instead, she reached forward and took his hands in her own. And then squeezed them.

"I'm not good with words," said Ais. "I don't know if I can say it the same way."

Bell smiled. "That's okay. What's important is what you do, Ais." His thumb traced circles on the back of her hand. "And I want to do everything. I want to love you, protect my family, go on adventures, and so much more. And I'm going to do it too."

Ais felt his words resonate with her. It was like all the learning she had done, all the things she had seen working with Bell, and the conversations they had, had been leading her toward this point. She held the image of her mother in her head. And Ais remembered the story that Aria had told her, of how she would find somebody someday who could stand at her side. And then the pieces came together.

"I want it all, too," said Ais.

She nodded, more to herself than anything.

"Stand up."

Her hands still in Bell, she pulled him to his feet. The two stood together in the street, the crescent moon barely shining overhead. Ais studied Bell's face; it was half-illuminated in the lights of the Hostess. He looked almost shy, but the glint in his eye was determined. They knew what was coming, but both were unsure who would make the first move. The two stood in silence, the laughter and music from the bar the only sounds in the nighttime air. They stood still, and time dragged on.

Eventually, Ais decided that enough was enough. She leaned forward, eyes closing. The last thing she saw was Bell doing the same. Their lips came together, and they bumped noses. Their teeth almost smacked into each other, and their foreheads knocked together. The two of them recoiled after only a second.

Ais could already feel herself pouting. The kiss felt so ugly, and nothing like it was supposed to! She looked away, not wanting to meet Bell's eyes after they failed the first kiss. She couldn't help but compare herself to the elf, imagining how much better Bell's kiss with Ryuu had probably gone. Before she could wallow in sadness for too long, though, she heard the light sounds of giggles. Reflexively, she turned towards Bell and found him trying to cover his mouth as he laughed. Her pout deepened.

"I'm sorry, Ais!" replied Bell. "I swear, I'm not laughing at you; it's just… isn't this what we should've expected?" He pulled his giggles under control. "Just look at us, a couple of Dungeon-obsessed adventurers who never grew up the right way. It just makes sense, right? That we'd be bad at kissing too." He looked away. "Should we try again, though?"

Ais smiled and nodded happily.

With the Sister:

That same night, a large encampment stretched out almost a mile in the sky, crawling closer to Orario. And in a tent she shared with her crew lay Iris Cranel. Around her was the sound of snoring, but it would not come to the young woman. She tried to reason that it was because she was too used to the swaying of her ship, but she knew that her reasoning was paper thin. She heaved a mighty sigh before swinging her legs over the side of the cot. Pulling on her coat, she walked out into the chilly night air.

She wandered around the camp, careful to avoid any of the still-lit fires. If she wasn't careful, the old hag would probably give her an earful before dragging her back to her tent. It was not a pleasant thought. Iris loved her adopted mother, but she knew Calypso was not the most understanding person.

Eventually, Iris found her way to a small ridge. She looked over the sea of tents and then peered off into the distance. Even now, the number of villages and towns was slowly picking up. Hermes' best estimate put them about a week or two away from Orario, but the signs of the most fantastic city in the world were already cropping up. And it just kept feeding into her anxiety.

"I figured you wouldn't be asleep."

The deep voice that had scared so many others gave Iris a warm feeling in her heart. She did not turn towards the Captain of Poseidon Familia, but she had heard him approaching either way. After all, he had no need for stealth. The only adventurer still living that could pose a challenge to him was a week away, and even then, Iris was not too concerned about that battle. Especially if Hermes's plans and observations proved to be true.

Iris shrugged in response to her Captain and adopted father.

"Something's been keeping me up most nights. This whole thing has been making me feel uneasy," she said.

"We can send you home if you want. Or you can go to Melen and wait for the fleet to arrive," the Captain responded. "After all, we will need someone there who can help keep everything organized."

Part of her was tempted, but she also knew why she couldn't. Mama and Papa would want her to go. They'd like their children to find each other and be together again.

"I just…I have a brother that doesn't know that I exist," Iris explained. "What in the world am I going to say to him? How is he going to react?" She looked over at the Captain. "Why doesn't he know about me, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Personally, I blame Zeus, wherever that bastard is. He probably had some grand idea about Bell's upbringing that only he could guess at. And then he roped Hermes into it." He placed a tanned hand on Iris's shoulder. "But that doesn't matter right now; what does matter is that you two are going to meet. Then, you'll be able to talk the day away if you're so inclined."

Iris snorted. "And what about Freya?"

"Leave her to me and the others," he responded. "The second we hit the city, you start looking for your brother." He gave a tug on her shoulder so that they were face to face. "And I'm serious about this. Your number one priority needs to be getting to him. Leave the rest of it to me and those blokes from Hecate Familia." He winked. "I've already sent a scout ahead, so the hunt should be a wee bit easier."

Iris rolled her eyes. "Oh, and which one of our many subtle fighters did you send."

"Calico Jack," replied the Captain. "That way, we can keep some of our grog safe from prying eyes."

Iris laughed. "I guess I can agree with you on that one." She looked back at the tents. "What do we do after all this? When the fighting is over, and Freya's defeated." She gestured to the more haphazard part of the camp. "Hecate Familia seems like they're planning on staying in Orario, but what about us? I don't see you setting up shop in Melen again."

The large man shook his head. "Not the whole Familia, no. After all, we promised Lady Yemoja that we would return and help her keep an eye on the Trench. Not to mention, I don't like the idea of leaving Ao Kuang on his own. I bet that God is already trying to steal the rug out from under us." He stopped, took a deep breath, and exhaled through his nose. Then, he shrugged his massive shoulders. "But that's life, and there's nothing we can do about it." He winked. "One voyage at a time." He turned and began walking back down to the encampment. "I'll give you a bit of time for yourself, but if I don't see you asleep in your tent in an hour, I'm getting my wife."

Iris waved him off, grumbling about not needing a bedtime. When he was gone, she lowered herself onto the grass. Picking at a couple of stray blades, she started to play with them. She twined some of them, making a crown of sorts. She heaved a great sigh.

"You stupid oaf of a brother," said Iris. "Honestly, what in the world could you have done to attract the attention of a Goddess of Beauty? We're twins, and I sure as shit know I'm not pretty enough for that." She stopped. She blinked. She laughed. "God, I guess I probably look like a boy then!" She breathed, and when she exhaled, she could feel the tension leaving her body. "I swear, Bell, I will find you, and we'll sort this out." She frowned. "And then we can go punch Zeus for keeping us apart." Her frown deepened. "Then I'll punch you for making me trek so fucking far, you trouble-making little shit."

Iris Cranel hauled herself to her feet and walked down the hill. She passed by a couple fires, waving at them as she went. Finally, she returned to her tent and lay back down in her cot. It was not soon after that she fell asleep. Tomorrow would bring problems, but every day brought her closer to her brother. And that was a good thing in her eyes.

With the Goddess:

Loki woke up to a pounding headache and an ear-piercing scream. She scrambled out of bed, knocked over a snoring Hestia, and threw some clothes over her underwear. She only paused a moment, finally registering the Goddess in her bed. Thankfully, the Goddess of the Hearth was still dressed, with a gentle smile. Before Loki could put her thoughts from last night together, though, another scream rent the air.

She flew down the hallway, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Thankfully, the growing crowd of adventurers made it easy. With a bit of shoving and shouting, her dear children made space for her. At the end of her trek, she stood in front of Aki and Raul's room. The cat-girl was standing on a chair, with Raul swiping at his body. Looking around for why they would be shouting, Loki's eyes focused on the black specks that seemed to move across Raul's body. The same specks that were swarming over his bed. Mentally, she cursed her ill luck.

"Looks like we've got a fucking infestation!"