I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.
Ambushed
Ethan smiled at the elf girl who ran the same potion shop he usually stocked up at as he and Ryu walked over to it.
"Hello Ethan," she smiled. "It's been a while since you've stopped by. I was starting to think you didn't use healing potions anymore."
"Oh, I really don't," Ethan smiled. "I have a healing spell that works really well, and also a skill that heals me quickly over time too, now."
"Really?" the shop owner asked. "That's great! But if you're not here for a healing potion, what are you here for?"
"He's actually acting as my escort for a few days," Ryu said. "I stopped by to pick up a few Incubi potions."
The shop owner's eyes went so wide Ethan thought they might fall out, and her eyes dropped to Ethan and Ryu's joined hands for the first time. "Holy shit!" She laughed. "That is definitely the last thing I was expecting to ever have to sell either of you!" She laughed again as she set a half-dozen thin vials of green liquid on the shop's counter. "Five hundred valis."
Ethan handed over the money, ignoring Ryu's scowl, and collected the potions. Ryuu took one and drank it as they headed toward the Hostess.
"I was going to pay for them," Ryu said.
"Which is why I made sure I beat you to it," Ethan said. "You spent your entire life's savings on my sword, so you've spent enough money for a long time. I'm going to support the woman I love, whether she likes it or not."
Ryuu glared at him for a moment before giving him a quick kiss. Then, she lay her head on his shoulder, smiling as they walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. Once they'd arrived, Ryu kissed him for a few seconds before going to get changed for work. As she did, Syr and Anya Fromel, the brunette catgirl who worked at the Hostess, both grinned at him knowingly. He sighed, turning to them and both flung their arms around him, congratulating him, Syr acting as though she hadn't just done it the night before. Both stayed away from the topic of what had almost happened to Ryu, except for Anya thanking him without saying what for, and instead began to warn him to be good to Ryu and give him advice about how to apologize to Ryu based on various scenarios of how he messed something up. He simply rolled his eyes, smirking, and allowed them to have their fun. They were loving getting to tease him about having a relationship, just as much as his sister Anya would as soon as they got home later and she got the chance to talk to him for the first time since he and Ryu had gotten together, especially after he and Ryu had made minimal effort at best to be quiet last night.
"So, does her walking like her legs are stiff mean what we think it does?" Anya Fromel asked.
"Hard to say," Ethan shrugged. "I'm not a mind reader."
"Did you do it!?" Syr asked.
"Do what?" Ethan asked innocently.
"Yes, we did," Ryu said, walking out of the back room in her uniform, then walking around the bar to sit in Ethan's lap. "You don't have to hide anything for my benefit. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed."
"Are you sure?" Ethan asked.
Ryu nodded. "I'm fine talking about it. I have nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Alright then," Ethan smiled, kissing her. "Can I have a drink?"
Ryu smiled and nodded, standing and walking back behind the bar as Anya began to question her about what they'd done. Ethan was honestly surprised by how honest and detailed Ryu's answers were. She answered literally anything Anya asked, even when she asked how many times Ryu orgasmed and whether or not she let Ethan finish inside her. Ethan sipped at his drink to hide his smile. She was glad Ryu was so comfortable about their relationship already as to talk about it that freely, though he shouldn't be surprised. It took a lot to phase Ryu.
After a while later, and a few more drinks that Ryu continuously tried to argue with Ethan that he didn't need to pay for, customers began to show up and the girls began to work. As they did, Mama Mia walked over to give him another drink, handing him a pouch containing all of the valis he'd payed that day.
"Your money's not wanted here," she said. "After you saved Ryu yesterday, we're not going to accept your money. Whatever you want is on the house for as long as you're with Ryu."
"You don't have to do that, Ma'am," Ethan said.
"It's already done," Mama Mia said. "I just passed the order to the girls, too, so don't waste your time trying to pay them."
Ethan looked over at Ryu, who smirked and stuck her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Ma'am."
She nodded and handed him a plate of eggs, fried, chopped potatoes, and steak, then walked away as he sighed heavily. He hated getting free things, especially food. But, Mama Mia had made up her mind, so there was nothing he could do. He ate the food, smiling pleasantly. It was as good as always. Once he was done, he returned to passing the time by drinking slowly. Not nearly enough to get drunk, just enough to pass the time. However, after a few hours, several adventurers walked into the Hostess, a mix of Amazonesses and former Apollo Familia members, all of whom Ethan recognized. Ryu froze as they walked in, the tray of drinks she was holding trembling, and Ethan stood instantly, stepping between them and her, his eyes turning crimson with black sclerae instantly. The entire group glared at him, several griping their weapons.
"Draw them, and I break every single one of you," Ethan snarled.
"Are those the ones?" Anya asked.
"Most of them," Ethan said. "There were more."
Just then, Mama Mia slammed a fist down on a counter, smashing it and making Ryu jump and drop the tray of drinks.
"Get the fuck out!" Mama Mia snarled. "Every single one of you is banned! If I see you in here again, I'll break you all and drop you off with the guild myself!"
The group remained motionless for a moment before turning and walking away. Ethan turned, wrapping his arms around Ryu, who was still trembling, and led her to the back as Syr quickly began to clean up the spilled drinks Ryu had dropped, the rest of the patrons all silent as the grave.
"Are you okay?" Ethan asked.
"I'm sorry," Ryu said in a small voice.
"Ryu, I've told you, you have nothing to apologize for," Ethan said. "What they were about to do to you was horrible, and you're, understandably, shaken up by it. It's perfectly understandable that you're afraid. You don't need to apologize for it."
Ryu nodded, sniffing, and Ethan sighed, reaching up and wiping her eyes.
"Hey," he said, Ryu looking up at him. "You know I'll never let them lay a hand on you again, right? No matter what happens, I will never allow them to harm you."
Ryu smiled and nodded. Ethan kissed her, holding it for several long seconds before pulling away and standing, offering her his hand. She smiled, allowing him to help her up before they returned to the main room of the Hostess, finding the lively mood had returned. The rest of the day passed easily, and once it was over, Ryu changed into her Dungeon diving outfit in the back before she and Ethan headed to the Dungeon. As they were passing the first floor, Ethan stopped, staring, wide-eyed, at a trio of birds standing a short distance away. They looked like roosters, except with yellow-green feathers, and all three were staring at Ethan and Ryu silently.
"I don't believe it," Ethan said.
"What luck," Ryu said. "Should I try?"
"I'll go first," Ethan said. "You follow up as needed."
Ryu nodded and Ethan lifted his hand, firing a Chain Lightning into one of them. It exploded into black smoke and dust instantly, and two more bolts of lightning arced from it to the other two, killing one of them. As the other turned to flee, Ryu shot forward, hurling a tanto into it and killing it as well. She collected the three golden eggs the birds had dropped, then the magic stones before walking back to Ethan.
"That spell of yours is useful," Ryu said.
"No kidding," Ethan smiled, accepting the eggs and slipping them into one of the small pouches he'd brought for magic crystals. "Should have a backpack."
Ryu nodded, smiling, then took his hand as they headed down the stairs. "We'll manage."
Ethan nodded in agreement, giving her hand a light squeeze. After a few minutes, they reached the thirteenth floor and Ethan drew his sword as Ryu drew her stick. They both took their hands back and walked out into the tunnels a little ways before Almiraj and Hellhounds suddenly began to swarm toward them. They both took off, remaining close together as they fought, Ethan's eyes glowing red as he tore into the enemies, Ryu never getting more than ten feet from him. After several minutes, they finished the monsters off, just as a wyvern flew around a corner, its pink scales giving it away and allowing Ethan to target it instantly with his Blade Rain, the sword silhouettes all identical to his sword now. As they collected the crystals, Ethan healed the few scratches he'd received.
"You should leave a few injuries," Ryu said.
"Why?" Ethan frowned.
"Your Berserk skill," Ryu said. "In addition to making you stronger when you're angry, it does the same when you're wounded. Similar to your Hero's Sacrifice, the more wounded you are, the stronger you become, and the faster your stats upgrade. You just retain the ability to heal now."
"Oh," Ethan said. "Good to know. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Ryu smiled.
"Hey, I've also been meaning to ask," Ethan said. "What's with the shield and wings emblem on my blades?"
"It's your crest," Ryu said. "Your sister and I came up with it after you got your title."
"I have a title already?" Ethan asked.
"Oh, I guess we forgot to tell you with everything going on," Ryu said. "Your title is The Guardian. Very fitting. So your sister and I chose to give you your own personal crest based off of that."
Ethan smiled. "Thanks."
Ryu smiled and nodded just as a half dozen massive worms with mouths lined with sharp teeth burst out of the ground around each of the. Both spun, slashing in a circle and killing them all before collecting their crystals as well and heading deeper into the floor. After a few minutes, they reached a pantry and stopped, looking around, both of them frowning and narrowing their eyes. There should have been a swarm of monsters waiting for them. However, the pantry was deserted. Ethan gripped the handle of his second blade tightly as his irises turned red, the two of them walking out into the pantry. As they neared the center of the room, a former member of the Apollo Familia stepped out ahead of them. Ethan's eyes narrowed instantly as he recognized him from the group that ambushed Ryu. Then, as more and more Apollo Familia and Ishtar Familia members began to step out and fill every path, including the one they'd entered through, Ethan found that the entire group was present. He narrowed his eyes as his sclerae began to turn black from the outside in. Beside him, Ryu began to tremble, stepping a little closer to him.
"Look at what we have here," one of the Apollo Familia members smirked, walking forward, holding a rapier in his hand. "You even brought our toy back. You're so thoughtful. We'll take good care of her, I promise."
"You're not going to lay a hand on her," Ethan said flatly, restraining his anger and focusing it, keeping himself under control while maintaining the powerup from it.
He was infinitely glad that living as an Apollo Familia member had taught him to control his anger a long time ago. It would be immeasurably helpful now that he had Berserk as a skill.
"We may not be able to charm her like Lady Ishtar, but I bet that by the time we've all had our first turn, the little elf whore will be begging us to take another," one of the Amazonesses said.
"I'm going to warn you only one time," Ethan growled. "If any of you tries to lay a single hand on Ryu, I'm going to kill every single one of you."
"What's wrong?" the Amazoness asked. "Afraid she'll like fucking us all too much and choose to stay with us instead of being you loyal girlfriend?"
"I'd be more worried that she couldn't beat an armless minotaur with both horns cut off," Ethan snorted. "I just have no intention of allowing you to rape my girlfriend."
All of the adventurers drew weapons of every kind. Ethan glanced at Ryu, seeing the fear in her eyes, and drew his second blade, holding it in reverse grip for the moment.
"It's alright, Ryu," Ethan said. "I won't let them lay a hand on you. This is what my skills are made for."
He gave her a quick kiss and a confident smile, then turned back to the ambush just as the adventurers all charged. Ethan took off instantly, kicking up a cloud of dust, and flipped over the first adventurer, driving his xiphos into his heart fro behind, killing him before sending a Chain Lightning into the Adventurers on the far side of the circle, killing a handful and hurling the rest backward. He spun as he landed, slashing in a wide arc, bisecting two adventurers and splitting two more halfway, killing all four. One of the two groups from the side passages, both groups having eight adventurers, reached him and he smirked, forming his Blade Rain into a single silhouette around his sword, the silhouette extending the back guard and forming a sharpened blade along the front of the finger guard, as well as expanding and extending the blade to nearly double its size. He slashed through the group, splitting five in half across the diaphragm, then shot through the rest of the group to the one nearing Ryu. He tore into them and killed them all in seconds, just as a pair of Amazonesses from the group he'd blasted with his Chain Lightning reached him from behind, slashing him across the back together, forming an "X" and sending him staggering forward.
Ryu shrieked in fear as they did before seaming to snap out of her fear. She grabbed her stick and tanto, streaking forward and slashing both Amazonesses with the stick, killing both before using the tanto to block a sword for Ethan. He spun, slashing the Apollo Familia member up the front before letting the Light Blade fade and shot forward to the corpse with his xiphos planted in his back. He ripped it out and spun, deflecting an axe with it before spinning and slashing the Amazoness wielding it across the chest. He looked to Ryu just as she finished off the last of the adventurers. She fell to her knees, trembling, and Ethan hurried over to her, kneeling beside her and pulling her into him, holding her tightly.
"Sshh, Sshh, it's okay," he comforted her. "It's over. They can't hurt you anymore."
"You're going to be blacklisted!" Ryu cried.
"That doesn't matter," Ethan said. "I don't care what the guild says. I will defend you from anyone who wants to hurt you."
Ryu tightened her hold on him. "Thank you."
Ethan smiled, squeezing her comfortingly, only to go rigid as an obnoxious "Keh heh heh" laugh echoed through the cavern. He looked around at one of the tunnels, seeing Phryne filling it, her battleaxes in hand and the gash Aisha had given her sealed into a nasty, jagged scar.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Ethan groaned, standing with his blades. "I was so hoping you died. I'm amazed the dungeon let something as disgusting as you into it."
Phryne's smile turned into an enraged glare instantly. "You obnoxious little shit!"
"What do you even want, toad?" Ethan asked.
"You freed that cunt prostitute to fight me, and you convinced that cunt Renard to power her up," Phryne said. "This scar marring my beautiful face is your fault as much as those two's. Plus, you have routinely insulted me and chose that skinny, homely slut behind you. I'm going to teach both of you what a real beauty can do!"
Ethan's eyes flared red, his sclerae still being black from his wounds keeping his berserk active, though Phryne insulting Ryu made anger race through his veins as well. He crouched, readying himself for an exceedingly difficult fight just as Ryu stepped up beside him with her stick, having sheathed her tanto.
"Together," Ryu said.
"Together," Ethan nodded, both charging.
"Bad news!" Welf shouted, running into the mansion's living room, finding Cassandra, Daphne, Anya, Aisha, and Haruhime. "Syr told me she saw that toad from the Ishtar Familia follow Ryu and Ethan into the dungeon!"
"Oh shit!" Aisha swore. "Let's go!"
Everyone jumped up, except for Cassandra, who caught Daphne's arm. Daphne looked over at her, only to stop, seeing the tears flooding down her face.
"What's wrong?" Daphne asked, kneeling in front of her.
"Don't go!" Cassandra pleaded.
"What?" Daphne asked.
"Please!" Cassandra pleaded. "I had a vision! Don't go!"
Daphne sighed. "Cassandra...We don't have time for this. We have to help Ethan."
She turned to leave, only for Cassandra to grab her from behind, sobbing.
"Please!" Cassandra sobbed. "You'll die! If you go you'll die! Please!"
Daphne sighed heavily. "Cassandra..."
"Why won't you believe me!?" Cassandra wailed. "Why don't you ever believe me!? Please! For once in your life, just this once, please believe me! Do you have any idea how much it hurts that the person I love thinks I don't know the difference between dreams and visions?"
Daphne's eyes widened before she looked back at her friend. "What...did you say?"
"I know the difference between dreams and visions!" Cassandra sobbed.
"Not that," Daphne said, pulling Cassandra's arms away so she could turn around and kneel in front of Cassandra, who had fallen to her knees when she grabbed Daphne. "Did you just say...you love me?"
Cassandra blushed but nodded, voice trembling and soft when she spoke again. "Please don't go! I don't want to lose you! I couldn't bear it!"
Daphne's eyes softened and she pulled Cassandra into a hug. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll to try to believe you from now on. I can't promise I always will, but I'll try."
"Thank you!" Cassandra sobbed, clinging to Daphne. "Thank you!"
Daphne smiled, holding Cassandra for a few seconds before pulling back and cupping Cassandra's cheek, lifting her face. "Cassandra."
"What?" Cassandra cried.
Daphne leaned forward, capturing Cassandra's lips for a second before pulling back. "I love you too."
Cassandra let out a sob of joy and kissed Daphne fiercely.
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