I like to think I can do action well, but this chapter is a testament to how I try to make it feel engaging. For those who can write fight scenes like a badass, I applaud you.

This one was a little more emotional than I thought, but I wanted to reveal the plot point I had stored since chapter four. The italicized section is the conversation I wanted to put in chapter four, but I felt it would reveal what I had too soon.

With that being said, I hope you enjoy! As always:

"Speaking"

Individual thoughts/Mindscape talk with the twins

*Ability/Spell*

...

After many twisting paths, staircases, and tunnels that lead in circles, Isaac may have finally figured out this fucking labyrinth in the labyrinth. He was heading up a staircase, but this one seemed off the beaten path. The shroud of the Skull Sheep covered him, and it still smelled like death and decay, and he was fortunate enough to not worry about vomiting. He hasn't eaten anything in a while, but he still felt fine… for now.

Isaac still hasn't found anyone else, no one was chasing him, and it seemed like no one was looking for him. He only wanted to get out of this situation so he can relax in the embrace that is his bed, and maybe that girl he saw. He had to admit, even with the look on her face, she seemed like when she smiled, it was radiant. Is this what Bell feels like with Ais? Of course, it's no secret that Bell has eyes for Ais. Sometimes, when he sees her, his eyes follow her like she's the Goddess amongst men, ironic as it sounds.

Still, back to the amethyst-eyed girl, Isaac felt his heart beating in his ears when he thought. "Fuck I have it bad." One thing he always keeps under wraps around his sister is his dirty mouth. This was the tiniest of silver linings, he could be foul all he wanted.

One foot in front of the other, and Isaac felt the presence of monsters, but this was overwhelming. He almost faltered when he reached the top. "The Colosseum? Here?!" he hissed to himself. This one was different. Monsters were all around the area, and he stood at the top of a rope bridge that resided over it. In the middle of the room stood a central platform with three other bridges. He was about to step into the room when he heard a voice, a harmonic voice. "Is that a Siren?"

Most of the Monsters in the area seemed to be attracted to it, and Isaac had to admit, for a creature born of the Dungeon, it was a beautiful voice. If they weren't going to try and kill him, he'd compliment them.

Using the shroud, he covered himself and stepped onto the rope bridge. He felt all sorts of eyes on him. This was the moment of truth, would he be discovered? Would he die here? Hopefully, the smell of death and decay on him was enough to fool them. When the monsters in the area looked away, Isaac almost immediately broke his cover, Holy shit that worked.

The voice was stronger, but it almost felt like it was speaking to him. A piece of him wanted to follow, but another told him no. It seemed like he was being led somewhere, but that was all going to change. A gust of wind caught Isaac by surprise, and his shroud came off, exposing him, and sending chills down his spine. The monsters that previously wrote him off now are gunning for him, roaring in anger and with bloodlust. They started climbing the walls with such speed that Isaac wasn't able to keep track of them. Before he knew it, something hit him.

He flew far, but it was near-instantaneous. He hit the wall and the force of the impact made blood fly from his throat. That was only part one.

Part two, which was Isaac's least favorite part, as he tumbled down the side of the wall, into the Colosseum's stands. The pain was nothing compared to the dread he was facing. When Irene was lecturing him over their library stint, she named the Spartois. Deadly skeleton monsters that are around level four in strength. They are able to spawn with random weapons which they know how to use, such as swords or lances made of bone and kite shield-like protectors. They are rumored to be the 'Ghost Adventurers'; Adventurers who have fallen in the Dungeon, only to be reborn as these things. They are no longer human, but they fight as if they were one.

At least, that's how the story is supposed to go.

Isaac barely managed to roll over before the sword plunged into his position that he was only in seconds before. His first instinct was to grab his tanto, but that was dropped somewhere on his descent, so he went for his daggers because if one was lost, he could assume the other was too.

Isaac grit his teeth and attempted to steady his breathing, but the onslaught of the singular Spartoi in front of him was overwhelming. Isaac had a few fleeting thoughts as his daggers were parried and a slash was landed on his side, more blood flowing out of the wounds and it was deep.

The Spartoi seemed to grin down at their prey, seemingly satisfied with its work, watching this adventurer squirm and realize the futility of their situation. They were hopeless, and at their mercy, which they had none.

Isaac's dagger was knocked away and a bony hand was placed on his shoulder, squeezing with all of its might, feeling his own bones creak beneath his skin. Isaac took notice of its magic stone and devised a last-ditch plan, if it works, another monster will end him. If it doesn't, then he'll die here.

Even through all of this, the Siren's song never ended, it echoed and carried through the Colosseum. Maybe that's why Isaac wasn't absolutely swarmed through it all, it was a distraction, but who did it? Well, the Siren was the reason, but what's their deal?

Quickly reacting, a throwing knife was used and it shattered the magic stone. His aim was half-assed because his eye was swollen shut, and it was his right eye too. The fall did far more damage than he thought, but his aim was true at the very least. His arms sagged and he was about to fall over, but something else rushed by his side, knocking him over, throwing him across the stands, and over into the main arena.

Isaac had this realization as soon as it happened mid-flight. He was in the worst area ever. The deeper floors are one thing, but this place was unlike any other. Isaac struggled to even move before something towered over him.

Right now, more than anything, he desired to make it out of this alive and see his sister again. While the mention of his sister was a catalyst, it only truly made his back burn. His falna, his blessing from Dia. Liaris Freese, his skill. He desired to be right next to his sister, growing with her. The bond the two of them forged through disaster after disaster, and heartbreak after heartbreak. Their sibling bond ran so deep that most confused them for lovers. Isaac loves his sister, but not in the sense most see. It's out of protection that he wants his sister to be happy. If she's happy, then he's happy. He doesn't know how Irene feels about it, but he'd never go that far. Those that think so are sick in the head. "Irene… Dia…" Isaac groaned, struggling to move. I'm sorry…

But a new fire was only just beginning. He desired to live. The sheer blessing that was life, he fought for it years ago. He fought to live for both him and Irene. He… even took another's life in order to save them both. It was self-defense, Isaac swears, and it was. They attempted to kill him, then… the situation was bad and Isaac did what he had to do.

This was the same thing, but only this time, it was his life that he was fighting to defend. A secondary burning lit on his back, a brand new hellfire. It would show up later. Issac forced himself up and punched the figure with all his might. It surprised Isaac as he launched the figure that once stood over him across the area. His body recognized the change, but his mind was still reeling. At that point, he didn't care.

He looked around for his weapons and saw the shimmer of them back in the stands. He leaped up, with almost too much force, the ground crumbled beneath him as he reached out and grabbed his missing dagger, and his daishō. He grabbed it all, but as he turned around, he saw all the monsters spawning from the walls, and they all had the same objective: Kill.

Their stares made Isaac feel small, despite his power boost. It also ignited the drive to get the hell out of here. "So, which way out?" Isaac questioned, already looking to where he fell from.

"Adventurer, over here!" a voice called out. It came from the western side. Finally, help. Isaac looked up to see anything he could climb because he could feel the after-effects of his actions. He looked to his pouch and found one potion remaining. He downed it without a second thought. Throwing the bottle away, he dogged out of the way of a Lizardman Elite. Unlike the red scales of a Lizardman, they were blue. Using twin swords, it leaped at Isaac.

The quarter-elf moved quickly, or so he thought. Pain rippled across his back as he moved, the tearing of his cloak audible to his ears. "Gah!" He ran, dodging and weaving, monsters on his tail, his goal within reach. Seeing the exit, so high above him, it made him have doubts, but the monsters roaring gave him great motivation. Isaac leaped to the wall and grabbed onto the first rocks he could.

He could feel one of the twin blades whoosh by his foot, but now was not the time to breathe a sigh of relief. His muscles were exerted to their limits. The burning made him almost fall, but just as he was about to fall, someone grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up.

Now set down, the exhaustion set in. His injuries showed their true colors, and by Zeus' great fire did it hurt. That potion felt like it had no effect. "T-Thanks…" He looked up into gleaming yellow eyes. The rest of his words died in his throat. Fear ravaged his heart. His hands were shaking. His vision was swimming. Oh, forgot about me bleeding.

Soon, feathers came into his line of vision and that was the last thing he saw before he passed out.

While that happened, a small conversation took place, "Look what ya did, Lyd! You made him pass out from seein' your ugly mug!" A stone-like creature, a gargoyle, said.

"Gros, now is not the time," The Siren said, her feathers a beautiful golden color, faded into a cyan until the tips turned blue. "Give him that vial. Lyd, would you please carry him, and be mindful of his injuries."

The first one grumbled, "Sure sure, but… I'm not that intimidating, aren't I?" Pulling out a small vial, which was a deep crimson color, one drop entered the adventurer's slack-jawed mouth. The effects were immediate.

Several cuts and bumps were healed before their eyes. The Lizardman, whose name was Lyd, grumbled again, "Well, she'll want to see him. Take point, will you Ray?"

The feminine one of the trio responded, the Siren, "Sure thing, but we should go before one of them gets too smart and climbs up here."

Gros snarked, "Why are we saving him? Couldn't we leave him here?"

"After we watched him get dragged down here, it's the least we can do." That was final if Ray's tone was anything to go by.

Isaac was dreaming. The whole world faded away. His current injuries, they didn't exist. The Dungeon. Orario. They didn't exist either. All he was thinking about was a conversation that he had with Irene and Riveria around ten days ago. They just entered the room where Riveria shut the door…

Isaac held out the first scroll, "Then please explain. What happened?"

Riveria sighed, putting down the scroll she was holding, "You may want to sit down, because what I am about to tell you does not leave this room," Irene's eyes widened, while Isaac had a semi-permanent look of shock on his face. They both displayed a look of 'are you serious?', which given the circumstances laid out in front of them. They already swore in the Elven language, but they couldn't even tell Dia?

How can they not be bewildered? When they did not respond, "And yes, I do know you are quarter-elves, and I know she at least had some Elven tradition passed onto you both. However, before we get to that, I wish to say this. Sofia entrusted me with one task after my apprenticeship ended. That task was simple: to look after you two." That was not the whole truth. Riveria already read the scroll left for her and only her. She was looking at her Godchildren. The High Elf still remembers the message.

...

Dear Riveria, my student.

You may be wondering why I am writing this particular message to you, and why you received it in such an odd manner. This means I have passed on. You could call this my will if you really wanted to. It pains me to say this, but I need one last favor from you.

There is something out in my workshop that I have been working on for you. A graduation present. That is yours, and I will give you a contact in Orario. Just leave my name and she will help you. Her name is Leona, and she is located in the Northwestern section of Orario. You will see the signs.

Secondly, I do wish I could have seen you grow. It fills me with deep sadness as I have to write this, but Zeus and Hera are on the way with news about our expedition. To slay the Black Dragon and complete the Third Great Quest bestowed upon Orario. We have no idea what awaits us, but I do hope that this will be the end.

If I should fail, which considering this letter means we did, there is one last thing, my stud- no, my graduate. My Grandchildren. As of now, they have no family, and as far as they know, they think I despise them. I know you have changed, but I want you to prove it to me. I ask this not as one adventurer to another, but a dying grandmother to one who yearned for that connection. Please watch over them, and I already made it official at their birth, with permission from their parents: You are Isaac's and Irene's Godmother. So please, watch over them and care for them in the way I've seen from you in the past decade. Thank you, Riveria.

Sincerely,

Sofia Vlahos, Great Mage

...

The twins know nothing of this message, and Riveria will keep it that way, for as long as she can. Even so, the sentiment from Riveria's words, that came from their grandmother made Irene's eyes glass over and she started shaking, the information was too much and she was going into a state of panic. Isaac, was almost to that point, "T-To look af-after us?"

"Correct, because after…"

"The Slaughter…" Irene whispered fearfully, shaking like a leaf would in an extreme breeze.

"...yes, you two were nowhere to be found and I assumed the worst, which was a fault on my part. I felt like I had failed your grandmother, for not being able to save you. However, it looks like I have a Goddess to thank. It was only when I met you both again, that the weight on my chest lifted."

"So, where did you come into our lives?" Isaac asked.

"On the first scroll, the one you are holding, that was around the time you were five. Despite being a High Elf, and contrary to popular belief, I hold no resentment towards half or quarter elves. I was around before you were even born, but I want to ask, do you recall a time where you were told to stay inside, explicitly?"

"When weren't we told that? Most of the time, we were sure that they were going to let us fend for ourselves. Any semblance of trust we ever received was shattered in an instant. Being a half-elf in our forest was bad, but tolerable, but we look more human than anything else. Our ears are barely elongated, and that was the only saving grace," Isaac said calmly. "Please, is there any specific time? And answer the question, she said you were around us at birth."

"When you were four, you were playing in the field close by and your mother came by to tell you to get inside?" Riveria recalled.

Irene calmed down just enough to say, "That was you?"

The High Elf nodded, "Yes, I was coming to continue my lessons from her. I didn't become a mage on a whim, but I learned from one of the greatest of the Zeus Familia." There was a fond gleam in the elf's eyes, but it quickly turned to sadness. "I wish I could have done more."

"That still doesn't explain why we had to hide from you," Isaac said, somewhat calm, but he still was on edge.

"They most likely thought I'd burn the forest down if I saw you," Riveria said with zero hesitation.

"That's not funny," they said in sync.

"Oh I would never do that to other elves, my resentment was nonexistent at that point in my life," Riveria waved off their concerns. "To be honest, I never thought of you as inferior. The gift of life was bestowed upon you and it would have been unfair for it to be taken away."

"So what did you learn under Grandma? What was she like?" Irene asked.

"Stubborn, first of all. Her teaching methods were so far outside the normal, that I considered my own sanity. However, that all changed when the pieces fell into place. I'll never forget that smug look she had on her face when I figured it out. That training gave me the key to unlocking my true magic, all after I joined Loki. Granted, back then my magic was only a fraction of what it is now," Riveria rambled.

"Anything else?" The twins asked softly, enraptured in her description.

This gave The High Elf pause, "You… never met your grandmother?" The twins only had he-said-she-said about her, nothing solid. Except for maybe the scroll in front of them.

Isaac grumbled, "If it wasn't obvious, we didn't meet her until she was on her deathbed, and that's when it began. She was the one holding everyone else back. We didn't even get to hear her speak, she just reached out and cupped our faces, smiled, and she was…"

"I see. I was already on my way to Orario at that time. Had I known, I would have come back."

"It wouldn't have mattered, they set fire to the village and anarchy ensued, the insults were just the beginning. What they wanted to do to us was inhumane," Irene said, her eyes unfocused, memories were being replayed over and over in her mind, each one darker than the last. Isaac was the same way, except he was looking at his hand and clenched his fist. He doesn't regret his actions, and he only did it to protect her. At least, that was his reasoning that he believed.

"We only barely managed to get away, and that was because Dia was nearby. She literally gave us salvation. Her blessing was what allowed us to live. Had she not, we might not be having this conversation and you would be willfully ignorant to it all," Isaac continued.

"Well, next time I see Lady Dia, I will thank her for saving you both." Then, Riveria chuckled, confusing the twins, "even though I dislike the nickname Tione and Tiona gave me, I'd think it applies here."

"Mama Riveria?" Irene recalled Tione saying it.

"Yes, and I suppose it came from me watching over Ais as a little girl, but I did see you two as children before. I only truly knew it was you because of that spell. That magic power I had felt sparked more than just memories. Honestly, it sparked a yearning; but that's for another time. Now that I answered your questions, time for you to answer mine. If you feel uncomfortable answering then don't, I'm used to it with Ais."

"Okay, but I warn you, if a subject gets too sensitive, then we might just not acknowledge you asked. It was... difficult for that length of time," Isaac warned.

"Good, I don't expect answers for all of my questions, so let's begin. What happened that day?"

Isaac almost reacted for the sheer gall to ask that point blank, but Isaac only asked back, "What didn't happen? That should be your question. I've never seen more blood, guts, and gore when our forest burned, all because they wanted us dead."

Riveria has one eye closed, but the other was open as she calmly listened. "Your forest was called Saumouth Grove, was it not?" Isaac and Irene nodded.

Isaac spoke softly now, "Yeah, it was. Now, I'm positive that it's called Saumouth Grave. With the number of people who died…"

Irene squeezed Isaac's hand. "We got separated in the chaos, and it almost killed us. Did you notice how we are never far from one another unless we agree to be?"

"I have," the High Elf said.

"When we did get separated, I was terrified. They came at us with anything and everything and… well, there was a point where I questioned everything," Isaac sighed as he leaned back into the seat he was in. Irene froze.

"You…"

"My aversion to blood spawned because of that day because you got knocked out by burning debris and they were g-going t-to… and I… I d-didn't have a ch-choice…" Isaac's voice cracked, sounding closer and closer to nails on a chalkboard.

"You killed someone that day?" Riveria got right to the point.

"I did, and I don't know if this makes me a monster, but I'd do it again to protect her. She's my sister, the last of my family, what wouldn't I do for her?" Isaac let a few tears escape. Irene was looking at him with… an unreadable look. She wasn't speaking mentally either. She shut herself out. Usually, Isaac would always be able to read his sister, but… this scared him more than anything. Fear gripped his heart and the scenarios ran through his head. Would she be upset? Would her view of him change? Would she fear him?

So, when Irene clutched Isaac even tighter drawing him into a hug, it confused him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You know why."

"No, I don't know why. I know that you were scared to tell me. I want to know," Irene whispered to him.

"What would I have done if you turned me away because you thought me a monster? Irene, you are literally my only family left," neither twin noticed Riveria flinch slightly at the word 'family' and that was for the best, "and without you, I don't know what I'd do."

"Well, that's never going to happen. We're together, and that's how it will remain," Irene said.

Riveria watched the two of them have a moment and she smiled softly. A mother's smile, if anyone saw it. "So after that, what happened? You two got away, but how did you meet Lady Dia?"

The change of subject was one that filled the twins with relief. "Well, she was visiting our forest weeks prior and she seemed enamored with us. She would spend any time she could with us. No one bothered us. And to us, she was that older sister figure," Isaac explained. "I mean, Dia was wondering why we seemed to get so many looks. I didn't tell her."

"I did though, and that's why she stuck around us so often," Irene admitted.

Isaac glanced at his sister. He couldn't exactly be mad; it was what probably prompted Dia to save them.

"When… everything was happening, she found us and told us that she could help. At the time, we hadn't met a God or Goddess, so when she revealed that she was, it only enticed us more, to better defend ourselves. It was sorta selfish, but we wanted to leave. So, in the span of two minutes and in a burning house, she bestowed her blessing upon us both. That started the Dia Familia, and from then on we followed her."

"She even carried us away, and well, that was after the house had started to collapse on us. Dia pulled the both of us out, woke me up, and I carried you away. We never looked back, and we haven't gone back since. Obviously, you know the rest," Isaac explained, standing up and looking to the multiple shelves in the room.

Riveria sighed, letting the tension she gathered flow off her easily. She was going to meditate after this. "That should be all, but you are welcome to stay once you both feel better. I know I made you speak of memories, whether they be fond or not. So, take your time."

The twins stayed in Twilight Manor for a few more hours, interacting with various members of the Loki Familia and just relaxed in the High Elf's presence.

The party of four consisting of Ais Wallenstein, Tione and Tiona Hiryute, and Riveria Ljos Alf all left the eighteenth floor soon after Irene went to sleep immediately. They were coming to say goodbye for now, but Riveria refused to leave without making sure she was alright and that she wouldn't follow them.

As it stood currently, they were on the twentieth-fourth floor. The Large Tree Labyrinth, rumored to be half the size of Orario itself. The Dungeon is certainly a wondrous place. It still drives the top-tier adventurers to wonder how big the lowest floors are, and what's at the bottom of it. Even still, the path that the four were on was the main path. They traveled in relative silence, save for the Hiryute twins conversing and arguing about something. Even though they seem carefree, they are very much paying attention.

After some of the things that happened previously, it definitely was no surprise that the entire Loki Familia was keeping an eye out for any other irregularities. After that whole other debacle that took place on the fifty-ninth floor, they had to be concerned about the little things they didn't think possible.

"So, do we even have any leads on where he could be, Riveria?" Tione asked, peeling away from her sister.

"If they truly did take him, they would put him in an area unfamiliar to him; as a test. She wants something from them, but she wants him to prove he has what it takes first. So, they most likely took him to the deeper floors. The thirty-seventh floor to be precise," Riveria said, her staff clicking on the ground as they walked. Ais was in the front, the twins in the middle, and Riveria in the back. A simple formation.

"They'd take him down there?!" Tiona exclaimed. "Every monster is at least level four! He's only level three! Wait, isn't Udaeus supposed to respawn soon?" Ais had killed Udaeus solo prior to this, so Isaac didn't have to worry about it, but it was the rest of the floor he had to worry about.

"No, it's only been three and a half weeks," Ais said, soft enough to be heard.

That gave the group pause. "In any case, we need to move quickly through the Water City, since I know that will take us a while," Riveria reasoned, moving an eye to Ais as she stiffened.

The Sword Princess still remembers the 'lesson' Riveria gave her. The High Elf threw little Ais into the deep end of a pool because she called Riveria an 'old woman'. Respect her elders, she called it. So, floors twenty-five through twenty-seven are a little fearsome because of that. She can't touch the bottom of the water otherwise and it triggers that fear.

Ais actually didn't want to leave the eighteenth floor because she wanted to fully apologize to Bell, the rabbit. She had felt she wronged him and wanted to atone for it, but he ran away, putting Ais into a depressed state. It was only when she saw him again that the corner of Ais' lips curved up in a noticeable fashion. Something her heart soared for, but it left a frown on her face and hand on her heart. The aloof expression was being flexed as she thought about all of it; but that was then.

This was now.

"Should we expect the worst?" Tione asked, being the one to ask the hard questions.

"Expect the worst, hope for the best," Riveria responded, but there was an edge to the High Elf's voice. An edge that Ais picked up on. With Riveria being Ais's confidante, there were some mannerisms that the golden-haired girl picked up in return. This being one of them, she was worried, far more than she let on. Ais glanced over her shoulder to see the grip on her staff be a little tighter than usual, the High Elf's knuckles were white.

Tione and Tiona didn't notice, but Ais decided to mention it later. A few stray monsters appeared in front of the party, but Ais was already on it. With Desperate in hand, she quickly maneuvered around the area and disposed of the enemies. Thankfully, they were not dragons, because she might go overboard. "So, where do you predict we'll meet him?" Tiona asked, Urga slung on her shoulder.

Tione answered her sister, "Whenever we find a trace of him. We can't exactly predict his movements, especially since they weren't his own."

Riveria chose not to comment. Ais only hummed softly. This was going to be a long trip.

Irene's eyes opened with a snap. The words played over and over in Irene's head. They woke her from her slumber like a lightning bolt. She wished she never heard them, but they echoed in her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them pass by her. Irene fought to keep the scream of agony and frustration under control.

She wanted to burn something down, she refused to accept it. She refused to believe that something happened. She refused to submit to the reality that potentially laid in front of her. She wanted to charge down there. She wanted to exact her revenge on every monster in her way.

The female quarter-elf felt her soul burning with anger, despair, and a sense of loss. She was on the verge of a relapse. A panic attack. She was already noticing the signs. Her hands were shaking, she couldn't feel one of them; pins and needles spread throughout her arm. A blaring headache made it worse when her vision faded in and out.

Her breathing must have been audible because the tent flap opened and it was Bell, Welf, and Lili.

"""Irene!"""

The quarter-elf snapped to attention and they saw fear and despair in her eyes. "Irene, talk to me."

Welf gently put a hand on her shoulder, and he almost immediately regretted it. Irene clutched it like a life raft on a sinking cruise ship. "Ow…" Welf said to mask what he was really feeling. Thankfully, the grip wasn't strong enough to break his hand, but it was enough to cause discomfort.

"Irene, tell Lili what's troubling you," the Prum said, gently holding Irene's face and wiping away the tears.

All she could utter were the words:

"I'm sorry."

No one was prepared for the scream that Irene released.

...

I'm not sorry. See you next week!