AN: Yo, sorry for the shorter chap this time, but my muse is lit for S&M Maid and The Chaotic Traveler at the moment. Still, I wanted to get something out with all the support this story has been getting. Thanks everybody!

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To past readers! I went back and edited Chaps 1 and 2 to improve grammar and flow. And I made a change to Az's Falna. Earth Bending is now a Skill with no grading system. Magic is still locked. Developmental Abilities can now be gained on level ups. And as long as it's a natural flow, Az CAN gain Toph's earth sight, sandbending, metalbending, lava bending, etc, as he levels up. It's now like a BAM, he got it. He has to be figuring it out himself, and on the level up he would gain it as part of his Falna.

If you prefer to keep it to one style, or have ideas for expanding on the branches of earth bending, feel free to drop a comment.

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Disclaimer: I own no source material.

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Chapter 3: The First Dive and Life in the Loki Familia.

"So, what do ya think?"

A fist covered in stone smashed through a goblin's head and splattered gore over the cavernous floor.

Az stared at the mess he had made and shook his head. "Unsettling."

Gareth responded with a deep hum and rubbed his beard while absentmindedly kicking a loose stone at a goblin coming up behind him. "Aye, that's what the first two floors are all about."

Az raised a brow at the single kicked stone killing three goblins in one shot and tried to ignore Gareth's smug grin. "What? The blood?"

"Aye, the first two floors are good for training the young and early adventurers. Teaches ya how to get comfortable with the messiness of this life. Freezing up down below cuz of a splash of blood, lost limbs, or the squelch of an organ will get ya killed in a heartbeat. Best to handle that stuff up here when the dungeon ain't trying to drown ya in beasties yet."

Az idly scratched his chin and nodded at that. "Makes sense I suppose. Is that the dungeons purpose or something?"

Gareth laughed and walked by while slapping him on the back. "Who knows? It's just commonly accepted among us older types what each section of the dungeon tries to train ya in. Except failing results in dying, so it ain't a friendly test, ya hear?"

Az grunted and tried to reach the center of his back unsuccessfully. 'I swear you're doing more damage than the dungeon is to my health points you damn Dwarf.'

Said dwarf seemed ignorant of the death glare as he nodded his head forward. "New group popping up, go deal with it."

"Yeah, yeah, what is this, like the eighth group so far?"

"Aye, the bigger the group of challengers, the more monsters come your way. If you were solo, you might face no more than two at a time till the third floor."

"So two people equal five monsters? How the hell does that math work?"

"Who knows! Now get your old ass in there, or I'll toss ya in myself."

Az rolled his eyes and obediently walked forward while flipping off the overpowered level 6 Dwarf. 'Who was I to think one of the three heads of the Familia wouldn't be a Sadist. I swear when I get up there, I'm gonna be supportive and caring to the youths.'

The truth of his thoughts aside, Az focused on the group of five goblins charging him from ahead. The lighting was dim in the caverns of the second floor of the dungeon Gareth took him to so he could assess his skills in combat.

He took a breath and firmed his stance as he connected to the earth on his body, the bands of stone around his wrists, and the shoes of earth he stepped into the dungeon wearing.

The pulse of the world he listened for drummed on, dulled for sure, but still there, unable to be blocked out without the power to offset the planet itself.

He could sense the vibrations of the approaching goblins. Not sense their exact positions, size, or species, but that something was coming his way, and how many.

His fingers flexed, and the bands of stone on his wrists crawled upward to envelop his fists in stone.

'Breathe in, feel the connection with the earth, enforce your will, and act.'

The goblins screeched in cheer as they approached within feet of his body as he moved.

His left fist shot forward in a jab as the stone covering his hand ejected like shrapnel launched from a shotgun to pepper two goblins and send them down for the count in a shower of blood.

At the same time, his right leg slid along the ground as if he was skating, and his right fist, covered in stone, came down in a vicious haymaker that popped a goblin skull like a balloon.

The momentum from the punch carried through as he swung his arm and clotheslined a second goblin in the throat and pulled back with his left arm, summoning back the ejected stone in a pointed spike to spear through the final goblin inches from biting his shin.

The entire movement took seconds.

'Breathe out, focus on the thrum, pull back the earth, and listen.'

His foot stomped harshly and the vibrations traveled through the floor, walls, and ceiling as it echoed back without finding anything besides the stocky dwarf some hundred feet away.

Az sighed and left his form. 'The dungeon walls still doesn't respond to my will. I wonder if it's not truly stone or if I'm simply not strong enough to bend it.'

Gareth's laughter from the side broke his thoughts as he stepped forward. "You've got a brass pair on ya, Az. Why you insist on waiting for them to get close I don't understand, but you never lost your cool for a second. Good on ya."

Az chuckled and crushed a stone into dirt to rub the blood off his arm. "A good Earth Bender connects with the nature of the earth. We wait, listen, and react."

Gareth rubbed his beard with a thoughtful look and shrugged. "Whatever works for ya, I guess. Everyone's got their own style, no shame in doing something different. Just remember that as the monsters change, you're gonna need to adjust."

Az nodded thoughtfully and re-equipped his earthen bands. "I'll play it by floor; if I need to act first to stop a poisonous moth from dropping its load, I'll do it. But I can't afford to go wasting my earth on big actions."

"So, you can't mess with the dungeon eh? Not too surprising. Usually when someone damages the structure the dungeon gets angry."

"But it's not like there aren't loose boulders and stones on various floors right?"

"Haha aye! Best to lose the hammer and get a container of something if it's gonna be your main weapon."

Az grudgingly nodded as he side-eyed the heavy Warhammer on his back. He had never even used the thing in the few hours they had been there. 'Should I make some earthen armor? Maybe carry a pack filled with stones? I wouldn't mind doing something like Gaara with his gourd, but sand is outside my limits at the moment.'

"The Familia got any extra supporter packs laying around Gareth?"

The dwarf smirked at him. "Aye, we should have a few. I'll show ya where when we get back, you good for now?"

Az nodded with a smile. "I think I learned all I needed for today. Let's head back."

His first dungeon trip wasn't anything special, but at least he confirmed a few things. Now he would just have to keep tweaking things till he finds the right combination for his growth.

On the walk back, a question occurred to him. "Hey, why do some monsters have all the gore and others vanish into black smoke?"

Gareth chuckled and took two stairs at a time like a guy who hadn't skipped leg day in a decade. "Was wondering when ya were going to ask. Every monsters got a magic stone in em. Hit the stone hard enough and they pop into smoke. Hit anywhere else and they bleed like a living being. Stones are usually in the same place every time, so learn where to hit if you want to save energy."

Az blinked at that. "Wait, so they can bleed out?"

"Aye, and they take time to vanish like that. Good for resource collection deeper down where the valuable stuff shows up. If you can't outright kill a monster, just outlast it."

Az hummed and noted that down. It seemed there were plenty of ways to deal with monsters he would have to get used to.

00000

"Az~!"

A red missile jumped him the minute he stepped into the Familia manor and circled his torso like a cat to wrap around his head and lock her legs around his chest. "Loki."

The narrowed-eyed goddess smirked and bit down on his ear. "Az~, take me back to my room and ravish me~."

Gareth laughed and walked off without a word while Az sighed. "Loki, is Riveria looking for you?"

"…..No."

A dainty hand reached out from behind the two to grab Loki by the collar. "Yes. Yes she is."

Loki paled dramatically at the ice-cold voice. "Az! Save me!"

Az shook his head in amusement and unlocked Loki's leglock on him to turn around. "What did she do this time?"

Riveria's face was not one of amusement. "She put itching powder in the ladies clean laundry."

Az raised a brow at her. "Did she get you too?"

Riveria scoffed and lifted her head proudly. "Of course not. Now, excuse me while I discipline this one."

Loki flailed in her arms. "Az!"

Az had many choices available to him, so he took the high road and bent down to give the adorable goddess a kiss that made her eyes light up like a good boyfriend. And then he pulled away and waved toward the hall like a good Familia member. "Proceed."

Riveria nodded and walked off without a care for the show of affection while Loki shot him a betrayed look over the taller high elf's shoulder.

Based on the severe twitch of Riveria's legs as she tried to avoid a bad itch, Loki probably deserved her fate.

'I'll probably suffer for that later. Hm, I'll see if anyone knows where I can get some wine in the city.'

He returned the Warhammer to the weapon storage with a shake of his head and got the pack Gareth left out for him as he returned to his room to shower and change.

He paused as he left his bathroom, rubbing down his hair at the sight of the petite red-haired goddess kicking her feet idly while lying on her stomach on his bed and reading a magazine.

A laugh left his lungs as he approached. "Got away so quickly?"

She side-eyed him in amusement and roved her gaze over his half-nude form. "Years of practice, lover boy." Then her eye hardened. "You abandoned me."

He approached the side of the bed and ran a gentle hand up her leg. "I'm sure I can make it up to you."

She hummed in pleasure at his touch. "And how would you do that~."

He chuckled and plopped down on the bed next to her as his hands traveled to her shoulders. "You know, I was taught about acupressure points, I'm sure I can help release some stress." He punctured his statement by pressing down on a point between the base of her neck and her trapezoid muscle.

A groan of pain and pleasure left her lips. "Ooohhh, yyeeesss~."

He smirked and began smoothening out the area around the point. "Jian Jing, the shoulder well. Helps with a painful and stiff neck as well as shoulder and back pain." His free hand snuck under her body to pinch a hardening, sensitive nipple between two fingers as he bent down to whisper in her ear. "And assists expecting mothers in insufficient lactation."

Loki writhed pleasurably beneath his working hands. "Ah~, a menace. A menace to women everywhere!"

"It's a good thing I'm your menace then, huh?"

She cackled through her groans of satisfaction. "It's a good thing I decided to keep you." She turned her head and grabbed the towel around his neck to pull him into a passionate kiss.

He let her pull him as she twisted onto her back and pulled him over her as her legs snuck around his waist in a hold. "Someone's excited~."

"How could any man not be in this position?"

"Kaka good answer lover boy."

The next few hours were lost to them as they played.

A panting and sweaty Loki lay on her back over his chest. "Oh yeah, want an update after your first day?"

Az idly rubbed a hand through her long red hair and shook his head. "Nah, I'm still getting used to things. I think I'll stay as I am for a bit and master myself."

She smirked and enjoyed the pampering of his hands. "Smart. The longer you stay without updating, the better the Excelia gains will be."

"Why doesn't anyone explain that at the start?"

"Cuz then kids will keep pushing things and get killed when they gamble too much."

"Oof, that's fair."

Loki hummed and changed the subject. "Gareth gave you his seal of approval to go solo."

Az raised a brow. "Did he? When did he manage to tell you that?"

She cackled and waved a hand idly. "When I snuck by Riveria."

"She's going to come down harder on you for that."

"Bah, she's a stick in the mud. It's fun to poke her."

"Let me guess, she gets all flustered and adorable when you catch her off guard?"

"Ha! Got it in one."

"Heh, you're playing with fire Loki."

"Fire is part of my divinities boyo~! Kakaka."

Az chuckled with her and shrugged. "Meh, your funeral."

The door to the room creaked open ominously. "No, it's now a joint funeral."

Loki and Az froze at the ice-cold eyes of Niflheim staring back at them. The two looked at each other and then back to their looming death and pointed fingers at each other.

""She/He did it.""

00000

"Jjjiiiiiiiiiiiiii."

"No."

"JJJiiiiiiiiiii."

"Ais, no."

"JJJJIIIIII."

"Goddamit, fine! Just take it."

"Mn."

Az watched in a mixture of mirth and pain as the chibi nine or ten-year-old Ais went to town on his sandwich and sighed. "Who taught you to weaponize your adorableness."

Ais looked up at him from her seat next to him on the bench. "Nom, nom, nom, Loki-Sama."

Az's brow twitched. "Of course she did. Damn woman's gonna get it."

Ais shrugged and went back to being the world's fastest chipmunk as she devoured a sandwich as big as her head.

Az rested his head on a palm and looked over the Familia compound. Level 1 and 2's trained their weapon forms, supporters went about organizing and moving supplies, and the civilian employees came and went.

It was all a mess of organized chaos, and Az was coming to consider it the sounds of home. 'It's like a medieval soundtrack instead of the horns and construction work in a city.'

A burp to his side made him turn to the satisfied face of the midget. "Full?"

"Mn."

Ais leaned against his side in contentment, and Az shook his head in amusement as he rubbed her little head. "You're a little monster, aren't you."

She shook her head in denial. "No. Monsters bad."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Monsters kill good people. They all need to die."

Az raised a brow. "Do they? Hmmmm, what if there was a good monster?"

She looked up at him with a furrowed brow. "Monsters can't be good."

Az chuckled and leaned back on his hands. "Do you know that there are good and bad humans?"

"Mn."

"So, then why can't there be a good monster?"

"Monsters are bad."

"Who told you that?"

"….."

Az winced at her suddenly sad and vacant gaze; he felt a sense of kinship with the only other half-spirit around and wanted to help her if he could.

He jumped to his feet and lifted the smaller girl up to his shoulders. "Hey, hey, no need to answer me. How do you feel about ice cream?"

She quickly perked up at the mention and looked down at him with shiny eyes. "Where?"

Az chuckled and began walking to the city. "I have no idea! Let's go find out."

"Mn." Ais held on to his larger head and didn't question a thing.

Az internally sweatdropped. 'I need to teach this girl some common sense. Is this what having a little sibling is like?'

00000

"Az! Whats this I hear about you going past floor 11!"

"Riveria! Wonderful to see you too. Lies and slander, all of those rumors."

"Really? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

"Because you deal with Loki on a daily basis."

"Oi! I'm right here you big oaf!"

"Huh, didn't see you short stuff."

"Short!? I'll show you short when I wring you dry!"

"Is that a challenge babe?"

"You bet your sweet as it is honey muffin." Loki jumped into his arms. "Take me now or I'm calling you a coward for the next week."

"Oh, it's on."

Az ran off to Loki's bedroom, leaving behind a flushing Riveria. "Wait! Az get back here!"

"Sorry! My pride as a man is on the line!"

Loki cackled as he ran and looked over his shoulder. "She's gone. Did you really go down that far alone?"

Az rolled his eyes. "Not by choice. Our resident little monster slayer enthusiast dragged me down there looking for ice cream, I didn't even fight anything, she killed everything."

Loki blinked for all of three seconds before bursting out laughing.

"Oi! Don't wiggle so much while someone's carrying you."

"Hahahahahaha that's just beautiful! Why did you go along with it?"

"Can you say no to that girls pouting face asking you for something?"

Loki slapped his chest in amusement. "You're adorable Az."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Want me to drop you at the kitchen or something?"

She gave him a confused look. "We're not fucking till the morning?"

"Wait, you were serious? I thought you were just saving me from a lecture."

"I'm always serious about this kinda stuff! Take me to my room and do the things to my ass that you dream of every night."

Az blew steam out his nose. "With pleasure."

Chap End.

AN: Anything you all specifically want to see? This story is about enjoying the ride, not the destination.

Ideas:

Dungeon exploration and fighting.

Slice of life Familia moments.

Loki romance.

Loki and Az doing pranks in the city.

Az having a day trip in the city with someone.

Az having a big bro moment with a character who needs a good talk.

Other POV's.

? – feel free to make a request.

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Response to reviews:

I apologize as I don't have the time at the moment to respond to everyone individually, so just know that I see your reviews and appreciate the love and support greatly.

corkedplum, DTSlade, Sulzi, Blazeb79, smittyjr, Alasiir The Ranger, SPAGEYEET, dragonfighter11, GoMagikarp, The Kromann, TheRealSloth, Koda, albertocervantes598, gast, Fox O Violet, LooHoo, Ojuk, Haseo187, Zant, mistalenny, War Torn Titan, broldakka, markbale11, Abbadon44, Luffy.

You're all awesome, and your comments inspire me to keep going.