I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.
Splitting Up
Ethan watched the Gargoyle in silence. Lyd had called it Gros, and it didn't approve of them. It had been his idea to test them by pretending to try and kill Wiene, but apparently, it wasn't enough for Gros. Lyd had had the other monsters throw them a feast, but Gros wasn't pleased. He had told Lyd to stop being foolish, but even as he spoke, his eyes didn't leave Ethan. In other news, Lyd had told them that Ouranos had not only known about them for a long while, but had been helping them, sending food and weapons from time to time, and had sent them a mission to see what Ethan and the others were like at the same time as he gave them the mission to bring Wiene to them. Ethan wasn't sure what to make of that, but he didn't think Ouranos was acting in an effort to cause chaos or bloodshed. In fact, if Ethan didn't know better, he'd have said Ouranos was acting like he wanted humans and Xenos to learn to live together in peace.
Ethan's eyes shifted to the bonfire, where Ray was singing and Mikoto was dancing, though only after the Harpy, Fear, had pushed her out of her seat to make her. He sighed, smiling and tightening the arm wrapped around Wiene, turning his head to kiss the top of Ryu's head. He didn't want to leave Wiene with them. She would be better off with them than on the surface, safer, but he didn't want to say goodbye.
"Well, it seems things have once again developed in an unexpected direction," Fels' voice said from the shadows off to the side.
Ethan was on his feet with his sword drawn instantly, Ryu also drawing her sword and preparing herself at his side.
"Fels!" Lyd smiled. "You came!"
"That won't be necessary," Fels said, watching Ethan.
"I'll be the judge of that," Ethan said. "Last time I met you, you pitted me and Ryu against a Minotaur horde and the Goliath all at the same time alone. So, maybe you can tell me something. Why is it I'm not even remotely surprised to find that you always knew about the Xenos? Or that you're not human? Of course, you're also not a Xenos, so I'm not really sure what you are, or why we should trust you."
Fels watched them for a moment before starting down rounded stone stadium seats they were sitting on. "I am working under orders from Ouranos. He wishes for the Xenos and humans to find a way to coexist. I have no intention of harming you, Ryu, Wiene, or anyone else. I allowed you to fight on your own, because Ouranos wanted to know how powerful the two of you were when fighting together."
"What do you mean?" Ethan asked.
"Bell is the best chance to find coexistence between Humanity and Xenos, but you are uniquely qualified to protect the Xenos in the mean time," Fels said. "And Ryu is the source of your power. That is why Ouranos granted her a full pardon, so that she could be with you when you need her."
Ethan glared at him. "And why should we trust a word out of your mouth?"
"You don't have to," Fels said. "Whether you believe me or not is not important. You wish to protect the Xenos because you care about Wiene, and therefor understand that the Xenos do not deserve to be exterminated. That is enough."
Ethan glared at him before sheathing his sword, as did Ryu. "You've received your one warning. Do anything to threaten Wiene or my Familia and I'll kill you. I don't care who you work for."
"Who are you, exactly?" Bell asked.
"It is good to meet you, Bell Cranel," Fels said. "My name is Fels. Conveying communications between Ouranos and Lyd and the Xenos is the bulk of my duties." He held up a small, blue, crystal ball no larger than a marble. "For the past seven days, I have watched over you and the dragon maiden."
"You have..." Bell trailed off.
"Fels has eyes all over the place," Lyd said, holding up a yellow one. "With this one, they can contact us at any time."
"Mr. Fels, are you a monster, too?" Lili asked.
"Nope," Lyd said. "Fels is human."
"No, he's not," Ethan said. "He's something else."
"You are both correct," Fels said. "To be precise, I am a former human."
"What?" Bell frowned.
"I shall show you, as well," Fels said, reaching his clawed, gauntlet-like hands up to his hood, revealing a human skull.
Every human but Ethan and Ryu shouted in fear, recoiling. Under his hood was a human skull.
"A monster!?" Bell gasped. "A Spartoi!?"
"An animated human corpse," Ethan said calmly.
"Fels is a sage!" Lyd said. "A super-amazing mage!"
"A sage!?" Lili gasped. "You mean...In that one, well-known, great nation of sages!? The Philosopher's Stone! Only one person managed to successfully create it and gain eternal life!"
"Looks like you forgot about eternal youth," Ethan said dryly.
"Indeed," Fels nodded. "You are correct, Liliruca Arde. I am the remaining ruins of one who was once called a sage. In my pursuit of infinite wisdom, I became obsessed with eternal life. I devised a secret formula to become undying and regenerative, and I became a living ghost. Now, I am known as Fels the Fool. At Ouranos's side, I observe the shifting of the ages. I first made contact with Lyd and the others over fifteen years ago. We called them Xenos, and crated a community by the same name. An organization to shelter their kin, born of the dungeon, and allow them to live together."
"Since then, so that other monsters don't find us, we move through the labyrinth, living together, looking for new kin," Ray said, having stopped singing when Ethan had drawn his sword against Fels.
"Living together?" Lili asked. "Doesn't this room give birth to monsters?"
"Hey, that's a good point you've noticed there, Lili-cchi!" Lyd spoke up.
"Lili-cchi?" Lili grimaced.
"This is unexplored territory that adventurers haven't found yet," Lyd explained. "A place where monsters aren't born. A safe area. We call it a hidden village."
"Are there more on other floors?" Ethan asked.
"The Dungeon has several spaces like this," Fels said, pulling the hood back up.
"Is that right?" Bell asked.
Fels nodded. "There are approximately forty Xenos here. Among them, Lyd, Ray, and Gros have been members the longest."
Gros huffed.
"Then...are you the leader?" Welf asked, looking to Lyd.
"Yeah," Lyd nodded, lifting his alcohol. "And, I'm also the strongest, too."
"If that's true, you're all doomed without help," Ethan said. "But you're also wrong. He is." He pointed at Gros. "Without even fighting him, I can tell he's probably as strong as a First-Class Adventurer."
Lyd grimaced. "Okay, we're not sure if Gros or me is actually stronger. We haven't had it out for a while. But actually, neither of us is strongest." His voice turned bitter. "Recently, a newcomer has joined us and surpassed me. Even now, the newcomer's gone down to the deeper levels alone to train. Probably planning to get even stronger, that one."
"I know the feeling," Ethan said, glancing at Bell.
"But Master Fels, why do you and the others support the Xenos?" Lili asked. "In their position, there is no need to give them aid."
"Yes there is," Ethan said. "There's no guarantee that monsters won't find them, or adventurers. If adventurers found out about their existence, they'd be hunted to extinction. And besides that, without someone helping them, they'd never be able to live peacefully with humans. There are plenty of reasons to give them aid."
Wiene smiled, hugging him, Ethan smiling as well and wrapping his arms around her.
"Our one and only wish is to emerge on the surface," Ray said.
"I have this wish," Lyd said. "A dream where this crimson light sinks behind giant rocks. A sky that doesn't exist here is died red enough to cry red."
"Sunset behind mountains," Ethan said.
"Have you ever been to the surface?" Welf asked.
"No," Lyd said, staring upward, but seeing something miles away. "Not even once. That's why I think maybe...the last time I lived, I might have been somewhere I could see the sky."
"The last time you lived?" Lili asked.
"Ethan-cchi," Lyd said. "Wiene learned how to speak really quickly, right?"
"Within a couple of days," Ethan nodded.
"Here, we have both those who can speak and those who can't," Lyd said. "Those who can speak, for some reason, they learned really fast. It's just like they're remembering that they've spoken before."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly as he remembered Wiene telling him about a nightmare she'd had about being a normal Vouivre, fighting humans and killing them, and eventually being killed.
"An intense, severe longing," Fels said. "The feelings hidden in their hearts are varied. But an intense aspiration towards humanity, or the surface, is the sole commonality."
"I want to see that sunset one more time," Lyd said.
"I want to try spreading my wings in a world of light," Ray said. "In place of these wings, which can embrace no one...I want to embrace someone I love."
Ethan frowned, staring at the ground.
"We know," Lyd said. "We're outcasts, meant to live in the shade. We're neither one thing, nor the other, hated by both people and monsters. Even this place. We think our mom might have prepared it for us."
"Mom?" Welf asked.
"The Dungeon which gave birth to us," Ray clarified. "We were attacked by our own kind, our lives targeted. But at the same time, our existence is permitted by our mother, the Labyrinth. That is what we believe."
"That is why, you see?" Lyd asked. "Why we were so happy to meet you and the others, Bell-cchi!" He began to scratch the side of his snout. "It's not about wanting you to help us or anything. It's just the fact that people who can accept us exist. Bell-cchi, I'm glad I met you and the others." He smiled happily.
"Fels," Ethan said, considering his words carefully. "Do you, or would Ouranos, think it's possible that the Xenos...are actually humans who were somehow reincarnated as monsters?"
Fels hummed thoughtfully. "It's an interesting idea. And it would explain a bit about them. However, Ouranos believes that monsters have their own cycle of death and rebirth, but return to the Labyrinth, as opposed to Heaven. He believes that after countless rebirths, their mounting regrets have mounted until they have begun to try and change the nature of their souls."
Ethan frowned. "I suppose it's just as possible as my theory." He stared at the fire for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm going to help you all. I'll help you all achieve your dreams."
The monsters all smiled.
"Thank you!" Ray beamed.
Ethan smiled and nodded, running a hand over Wiene's hair. After a while longer, they extinguished the fire and the monsters prepared to move to a new safe area.
"Thank you for today, truly," Ray said. "I am glad to have met you."
"W-We should be thanking you!" Bell stammered.
"Bell-cchi," Lyd said, holding out a magic crystal. "Do you know what this is?"
"Huh?" Bell asked. "A monster's magic crystal?"
Lyd at it. "We get attacked my other monsters without a chance to talk. And we, too, kill monsters to survive. We eat magic stones this way and use them to strengthen ourselves. So, please, don't hesitate to kill monsters. Don't waver for consideration for us. If you hesitate, Bell-cchi, you will die."
"If it helps, think of it this way," Ethan said. "The more you kill, the more chance there is that you're creating more Xenos. You're actually helping them."
"Make sure you don't die, okay?" Lyd smiled, holding out his hand. "I want to see you again."
Bell smiled, nodding and shaking Lyd's hand.
"Ethan, Ryu, that was fun wasn't it!?" Wiene asked, running over. "Let's go home together!"
"You're with us, Wiene," Lyd said, scooping her up.
"No!" Wiene shrieked, pounding on his neck with her fists, kicking her legs. "Put me down!"
"I can't, you're with us!" Lyd said.
"No!" Wiene shrieked. "I want to be with Ethan and Ryu! Let go!"
"If you're with them, you'll make Ethan-cchi and the others cry!" Lyd said.
"What?" Wiene asked, stopping suddenly.
"They treated you horribly on the surface, didn't they?" Ray asked. "Next time, all of that will be turned toward Bell and the others."
"We can't live on the surface, yet," Lyd said. "But here, no one will hurt you. You're going to live here with us."
Wiene's eyes began to water, but Ethan stepped forward, taking her from Lyd and resting her on his hip, wiping her eyes with his free hand.
"Don't worry, Wiene," Ethan said. "You're still going to be able to be with me."
"And me," Ryu smiled. "We'll stay here with you."
"WHAT!?" the rest of the Familia all but shrieked.
"Ethan and I can't go back to the surface after we publicly protected her," Ryu explained. "And besides, we don't want to leave Wiene, either. She's our family."
"But..." Bell trailed off.
"It's alright, Bell," Ethan smiled. "We'll come visit. But we want to live with Wiene."
"She's our child," Ryu smiled, slipping her hand into his. "We can't leave her. So we'll stay with her, and see you when we can. Besides, like Fels said, we want to protect them. We can't do that if we're not here."
The others all looked around at each other before all sighing and nodding.
"Okay," Bell said. "We'll tell our goddess your decision. Be back soon, though. You'll need to have your Status upgraded soon."
Ethan nodded and they all said their goodbyes before everyone but Anya left.
"I'm staying with you," Anya smiled. "Our family's not splitting up again."
"Good," Ethan smiled.
The rest of the Familia left and Ethan, Ryu, and Anya turned, walking further into the safe area with the Xenos. After a little while, Ray announced they had reached the area they'd be sleeping, so Anya laid out a bedroll for the three humans. Ethan and Ryu lay on theirs with Wiene cuddled between them, and Anya walked over to Ray.
"Than you for letting us come," Anya smiled.
"You're welcome," Ray smiled. "We're glad to have you along. Even Gros, though he's too stubborn to let it show."
Anya laughed and nodded. "I'm sure he'll warm up to us."
Ray smiled and nodded. "I really am glad that you wanted to come with us. It means so much to us all that there are humans who accept us, and even more so that they would choose to live with us for our benefit."
Anya smiled. "We don't care that you're monsters. You're still people."
Ray smiled and nodded, and they began to talk about what it was like on the surface, as well as the things Anya had seen and done both in the Dungeon and out of it.
Four, a Fomoire Xenos who couldn't speak, grunted in greeting to Wiene as she, Ethan, and Ryu stepped out of the small enclosure the Xenos had all slept in that night.
"Good morning Four!" Wiene beamed.
Four held out one of his massive hands and Wiene grabbed it with both of hers, squealing in delight as he lifted her up onto his shoulder.
"Where's everyone else?" Ethan asked, looking around at the half-dozen Xenos with them.
"They went on ahead," Anya said. "Ranye," she gestured at an Arachne Xenos wearing plate armor on her human upper body with the visor down, "is going to lead us to the next safe area."
Ethan nodded. "Alright."
"While we're moving, anything could happen," Ranye's said impatiently. "Until we reach our new village, absolutely do not let your guard down! All of you be extra alert. With these humans with us, I expect we'll be ambushed. I tried to warn Gros that we needed to leave before they woke up, but Ray wouldn't let us."
"They won't do anything like that!" Wiene said.
"She's right," Fear said. "These humans are different."
"We'll see," Ranye said. "Let's go!"
She turned, scurrying away quickly, the others all following. As she moved, she went ahead of the others slightly, a Xenos wearing a full suit of black plate armor staying at her side. His armor had a horn in the middle of the front, and he wore a blue scarf and tattered blue skirt with a white rope belt to hold the skirt up.
"Why are we moving villages?" Wiene asked as they walked, Wiene still riding on Four's shoulder. "Did someone find us?"
"Out of caution against the unlikely event of a raid, we change positions," Ranye said.
"And if we stay in the same spot too long, we run out of things to eat," Fear added.
"I see," Wiene said, face falling. "Mikoto's food was really yummy."
"Hey, it's alright," Ethan smiled up at her. "We'll see them again."
Wiene smiled and nodded.
"Forget the humans!" Ranye snapped. "They will only cause you trouble! Even these three!"
"No they won't!" Wiene snapped, glaring at her.
"Be nice, Wiene," Ethan smiled. "It's alright if she doesn't trust us. She's allowed to believe what she wants."
Wiene nodded but didn't look happy about it. Suddenly, however, she gasped in pain, holding her hands to her ears.
"What is it?" Ethan asked, instantly drawing his swords and looking around as Ryu drew her wooden sword and Anya her Durandal sword.
"Someone crying," Wiene said. "Saying 'help me!'"
"The voice of our kin?" Ranye asked.
"Yes," Wiene nodded, beginning to struggle not to cry. "So much suffering! If we don't help soon..."
"What do we do Ranye?" Fear asked.
"In these circumstances, every moment must be fought for!" Ranye said. "We go!"
Ethan and Ryu both nodded, taking the lead at a sprint, Wiene directing them from her place on Four's shoulder. After a few minutes, they found a tunnel where screams were echoing out of. They all stopped, tense, and Ethan narrowed his eyes, looking back at the Xenos, particularly Wiene.
"Anya, protect Wiene," Ethan said. "Ranye, let me and Ryu go first. It's a trap."
Ranye ignored him, pulling out a small red crystal. "Gros, can you hear me? We are going to rescue new kin! Please wait for us at the meeting point!"
"Wait, Ranye!" Gros's voice responded, echoing and distorted slightly. "It's too dangerous with just your group! We'll come support you!"
The voice screamed again.
"After hearing this voice, we can't wait!" Ranye said, charging.
"Ranye, no! It's a trap!" Ethan shouted, he and Ryu sprinting after her with the others just behind them. "Anya, Fear, Four, protect Wiene!"
"Right!" Anya and Fear both said as Four grunted and nodded.
"Ranye, stop!" Gros shouted. "The human is right! It could be a trap!"
His voice cut out suddenly as they entered the small cavern, only to freeze. There was a Siren chained to a tree ahead of them, blood coating her and feathers missing from her wings, some still drifting through the air. For a moment, Ethan was afraid it was Ray, but her feathers were white, rather than pale yellow, and the feathers in place of hair were all growing backward.
"Ray!" Anya shrieked.
"It's not Ray," Ethan reassured her.
The Siren's eyes opened slightly and she looked up at them, pain filling her face.
"R...Run," she warned weakly.
"So you really can cry, you monsters," an arrogant voice off to the side said.
Ethan spun, seeing Dix Perdix, of the Ikelos Familia, sitting on a high root off to the side, a spear with a jagged, blood-red bladed head across the back of his shoulders. He wore a brown jacket with a fur-lined collar, jeans, and goggles, and his black hair was brushed backward messily.
"Dix!" Ethan snarled.
"Hello again Ethan," Dix smirked. "Anya. Long-time-no-fight."
"You know Hazer?" Ryu asked.
"He and I have had...rather violent disagreements in the past," Ethan said, his irises shining crimson and his sclerae turning a darker and darker black. "You're not laying a hand on them, Dix. And you're going to die for what you did to her."
"You know, I didn't think you could sink any lower than being banished from your first Familia, but here you are, defending and living with monsters," Dix said. "You're a disgrace to humanity." He flipped forward to the ground and began to walk forward, smirking wickedly.
"Adventurers!" Ranye growled.
"An ambush?" Fear asked, looking round worriedly as the rest of the Ikelos Familia walked into view all around them, including the tunnel they'd sprinted through.
"It all went exactly as planned," Dix smirked, walking forward. "To lure in a Vouivre, with her excellent hearing, a screaming siren is the perfect choice.
"You evil, scheming..." Ranye trailed off, growling angrily.
Suddenly, the black knight sprinted past her, a hand made of darkness extending from his armor and growing three large claws, Ethan realizing that he was a War Shadow for the first time.
"No, don't!" Ethan shouted, but it was too late.
The bald one with the massive sword intercepted him and split him in half across the abdomen. It crashed tot he ground, struggling to look up, only for Dix to stomp on its head, shattering the helmet and killing the Xenos, which exploded into a cloud of darkness just like any other monster.
"Orde!" Ranye shrieked.
"Stay back!" Ethan roared, glaring at the two of them. "Dix is Level Five, and almost all of the others are Level Four!"
The Xenos all glanced at him in surprise, then looked around, terrified.
"Gran, you moron," Dix said. "What if there was a monster we could have sold in there?"
"Sorry Dix," Gran said. "Couldn't help myself."
Ethan narrowed his eyes, Ryu already chanting under her breath.
Dix looked over to the Xenos again. "Not as many as I'd hoped. Kills my motivation. Guess I won't need to use this, will I? Alright. Let's hunt!"
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