We get updates for this, yay! I almost decided to post two chapters a day after the other, but I like having this buffer. If I happened to burn out, there will be at least a month of space before they stop. Still, I need to get back into my other story, that's been off for almost two months...
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter. As always:
"Speaking"
Individual thoughts/Mindscape talk with the twins
*Ability/Spell*
...
Dia, Hephaistos, and Miach were all in Hephaistos' office for a change in scenery. Dia didn't want to be in her home when it was empty. She didn't like knowing her children were out there with a chance they won't come back. Something every Deity must prepare for is losing the blessing bestowed on their children. When it happens, they can feel their internal blessing 'counter' decrease. But Isaac and Irene were more than just her familia and children. They were family, ever since she met them.
"Has she even-"
"Nope."
"Are you going to-"
"Tried that already."
"Is there anythi-"
"Unfortunately not."
Hephaistos and Miach were discussing what to do with Dia. As it stands now, they were trying to get Dia to eat, sleep, and function like a normal human being. Irony aside, Dia hasn't been herself. It's been four days since her familia went into the Dungeon, and it's been almost two since the request was given. A God's sense of time was different than that of a mortal, but Dia felt the time go by at an agonizing pace. The trek to the eighteenth floor only took eight hours at a snail's pace, two if one was running full-tilt through the Dungeon knowing there wasn't anyone else around.
Dia was currently rummaging through Hephaistos Familia expenditures and profits. In short, Dia was the temporary accountant. She needed something to do, and since she already calculated her own expenditures five different ways out of boredom—one of them was while blindfolded—she went to the next thing to keep her occupied. All of this was with Hephaistos' permission.
Even the Hephaistos Familia captain, Tsubaki Collbrande, a half-dwarf with an eye patch over her right eye, saw this and was concerned, bringing said concerns to her patron deity. Cyclopes, Tsubaki's alias, felt a little helpless. Even though her attitude comes off as brash, she does care for people, even other allied deities. No one likes seeing a deity feel so depressed.
Miach and the Goddess of the Forge watched as Dia sat hunched over a desk, neat stacks of paper on both sides, her in a chair on wheels, her feet not even touching the floor. While she looked calm, her inner thoughts were anything but. If you got close enough, you would hear, "Where are they?" and "Please be alright." and finally, "Come back to me, please."
Those were the only words she spoke. It was scary for a Goddess to have this bad of a personality switch. Dia's hair was disheveled, her natural straight raven hair had knots and a side of bed head. Except the bed head was desk head. Her emerald eyes were drooping as she finished another stack of papers, apathetically reaching for the next stack.
The two Deities were just outside the door when the elevator dinged and out came a vermillion-haired Goddess. Her eyes were in slits, barely visible. They were brimming with an unknown emotion. "Oh, Dee-Dee!" Loki's voice carried through the rooms. The smiths stopped, wondering why Loki, of all deities, was here.
It finally got a reaction out of Dia, her head turned and her eyes widened at seeing Loki, but her voice was monotone, "What are you doing here, Loki? Can't you see-" she yawned mid-sentence, "I'm busy?"
Ignoring that, and shutting the door to keep prying eyes and ears away, "Mhmm, totally busy. right now, I'm taking you to the Divine Bathhouse, because honestly, seeing you like this actually makes me upset. Where's the Dia I know?" The Goddess of Trickery leaned on the desk, not interested in the paperwork, but her friend.
"Probably dead," Dia responded tonelessly.
Loki's eyes opened and stared down one of her oldest and dearest friends, even if she doesn't outright admit it, "Look at me, Dia." The Goddess faced her equal. "I'll apologize after."
"Apologize for wh-?"
The sound of skin-on-skin contact flooded the room. It was only for a singular second.
Loki's hand was raised and Dia's head went to the side, a bright red handprint forming. It wasn't that hard, but it wasn't soft either. The Trickster leaned on the desk, almost sitting on it, but refrained, as this wasn't her home. "I'm sorry, but I know you're better than this. You think I'm not worried every time my children enter the Dungeon, knowing full well that they could lose their lives in an instant?! Welcome to Orario, Dia! Not everything is like a fairy tale."
"But-"
"Dia, your children are resilient, if the clues Riveria left for me indicate anything. You need to stay positive. You don't think it wasn't heartbreaking to know that my top-ranked members have their wills already crafted?" While the information may seem personal, it was in fact, common knowledge. High-ranked adventurers knew the risks very well and prepared their own funeral arrangements. Loki shook her head with a sardonic laugh, "Let me tell you, I had it play it off so much until they all left the room, but the reality still stuck with me. No God is ready for their child's demise. As much we came to the lower world for entertainment, we begin to make attachments that we didn't think possible, and just when we think they will last." Loki made a gesture with her hands, "Poof, they pass on. The bond we forge breaks."
"How is this supposed to cheer me up, if that was even your goal, to begin with?" Dia's voice slowly gained a tone again, but to Loki, it was progress. In truth, it was making her more worried.
"My point, Dee-Dee, is not to worry. I know being in a small familia is more difficult because you spend a lot more time with them, making your attachment greater. Now, I'm not discrediting that, but the bottom line and my real point is: You need to have faith in your children."
Dia pondered that. Of course, she has faith in her children. After all, she put her faith in them years ago, when she gave them her blessing. It seems they try to do everything to repay that. Dia let out a smile when she recalled a memory of the two fighting to decide what they were going to get Dia for their anniversary. Anniversary, in this case, was the day they were accepted. Speaking of, that was coming up.
"See? Now, you're not so tense, but my offer to the bathhouse still stands. You look like you could use it," Loki leaned off the desk, facing her counterpart.
"Sure, but you aren't tricking me into paying, are you?" Dia's voice was slightly slurred, but she was coherent.
"I promise, but before the bathhouse, you should sleep. In a bed, and just clean yourself up, your children wouldn't want to see you like this," Loki advised before standing and opening the door. Hephaistos and Miach were standing on opposite sides of the doorframe, "Couldn't resist, eh?" However, the vermillion-eyed Goddess cleared the air, "Make sure she sleeps tonight. Phai-Phai, Miach. I invited her out once she actually does the basic human needs."
"What did you talk about?" Hephaistos asked Loki as she pressed a button on the elevator.
"What she needed to hear, and someone needed to smack some sense into her. We've all been there," Loki said seriously as the elevator door shut and started its descent. Hephaistos and Miach both noted the look in Loki's eyes, it was one that both deities understood.
Loki's message aside, the office door where Loki just exited opened again and there stood Dia, wrapped in a cloak, "Do you mind if I use your facilities?"
Hephaistos smiled at the raven-haired Goddess, "Sure, just don't shrivel up in there."
Miach snickered once, but withheld from saying anything, just enjoying the show. Dia's glare did nothing to intimate the Goddess of the Forge. It was actually kind of adorable, like a baby lion trying to scare its mother.
Isaac only felt his consciousness return soon after, but he felt light as a feather. Someone was carrying him, and they didn't feel human at all. The quarter-elf slowly opened his eyes and he saw only red. That… and yellow eyes peering down at him. Was that fear? Isaac identified this as a Lizardman.
"Uhm, problem!" they said.
Wait… did h—it—just speak?
"What now, Lyd?" a harmonious voice said. "Oh," they said a moment later. That must be the Siren.
"Can someone please explain what in the gods-damned fuck is happening here?!" Isaac shouted, making his head hurt from the effort. Thankfully, the thing holding him did not drop him. In a softer voice, "And… can you put me down? I'm not a damsel in distress, even an over-the-shoulder carry would have been more dignifying."
"We didn't have to save your sorry-"
"Now, Gros, don't be rude. After all, it was not his fault that he was down there. It was those other humans that left him to die," the Siren said, cutting the final member of the trio off, the gargoyle.
Reality hit Isaac hard, yeah, the Freya Familia members left him to die. Anyone knows that the deeper floors, especially floor thirty-seven, are a nightmare for any adventurer not prepared or at full strength prior.
"Ray, that's nice and all, but can we please focus on the situation at hand?" the one called Lyd said if Isaac recalled correctly. Isaac felt himself be set on the ground, but his strength still had not returned to him. It was Lyd who held onto him, "Now you see, human, why I was holding you the way I was."
Isaac sighed, "I'm actually a quarter-elf." He moved his free hand, and by gods was it painful, to part his hair to show his ear. Knowing the things? Monsters? Who knows at this point? Knowing they have somewhat nocturnal vision, Isaac guessed they could see them. "No, I'm not upset, you didn't know. Just like I didn't know that there were talking and intelligent monsters, so please explain before I have another mental break." Isaac could barely open his eyes, but he did through sheer will, and it was no surprise that he was looking at three imposing figures. "Here's a better question, where am I?" Isaac slurred, his vision swimming once more.
The Siren spoke, her wings gently caressing Isaac's face. The feathers… felt soft, inviting. "We're on the thirtieth floor if I remember right. You've been out for a few hours now. We were heading to a different location, but we saw those people carrying you down. We decided to follow. I'll explain when we get you to her, okay?"
Isaac tensed as panic coursed through his veins, and he began to struggle, "D-Don't take me to her! Please! Not her! Take me to Irene!" Even now, Isaac wanted his sister above all else. He just needed to see her, that's all.
"Ray, we need to explain this to him, or he'll never understand," Lyd said pleading, holding Isaac's thrashing form, and despite being equivalent to a level five, Isaac was thrashing with all of his injured might. Lyd almost let go a few times. Isaac's muscles were beyond useless, it was shorter than a miracle that he was even standing at this present point.
Gros, meanwhile, was laughing his rocky ass off. "This is the best entertainment I've had in ages!"
Ray sighed, gesturing for Lyd to let him go. Isaac was too far into his tantrum/fear of being put in her clutches that he didn't notice the transfer of who was holding him. Ray had wrapped her wings around Isaac's form, whispering to him in a soft, motherly voice, "We mean you no harm, but please, calm down. The rest will come after you met Marie."
Isaac ceased his tantrum to listen to the soothing voice of Ray. The quarter-elf inhaled, but then blushed bright red when he realized where his head was. He sputtered out an apology before he moved too fast causing a rapid change in blood flow—making his vision fade to black—knocking him out again. "Lyd, please stop laughing and take him again. Gros, you say anything, my feathers will be the least of your concerns."
Lyd took a deep breath and eventually took Isaac's form and carried him, like he was before, despite the quarter-elf's request. His injuries were far more severe, while the few drops of her blood stopped his own bleeding, he still was in critical condition. "Will she meet us there?"
"If she didn't get too curious, then yes, she will," Ray said, before continuing off the beaten path. The two other masculine monsters followed.
The party of four finally arrived in the Water City. However, there were a few things to know about this place. The pathways are a series of tunnels that wrap around the Great Fall. This massive waterfall spans over four hundred meders and stretches all the way down to the twenty-seventh floor. Even still, each member noticed the stiffness of the Sword Princess as soon as they entered.
When the Loki Familia would go on expeditions, she would always stick to the middle of the pack, where there was no water in her sight. Now, she was basically confronting that fear head-on. She knew it was coming, but she still felt the feeling of fear. The only things that were keeping her grounded were Tiona and Tione's chatter, Riveria's presence, and the little white rabbit.
Ais allowed a small smile to come to her aloof expression. She wanted to figure out how he had grown so fast. Him being on floor ten in only three short weeks… Ais was interested. She had asked him once what he was after. He told her that he was chasing after someone, to stand at their side, to be a hero. Ais certainly didn't feel like she could be anyone's hero. Especially with that red-haired woman—Revis—calling Ais by her mother's name. Aria.
No one was there for her when she needed a hero. Yet, the rabbit, Bell, fully believed that he could and he'd do anything to achieve it. Yet, she's seen how he is with his friends, caring, worrying for him. To some, he's already a hero. To others, they just don't know it yet.
"I always forget how beautiful this place is, despite it being treacherous. Something about the waterfall is soothing," Tiona said.
"Yes, but do not forget what lies beneath the surface of the water," Riveria said, mostly chiding them to remind them where they are.
Ais was still stiff, but not as much as before. The slight relaxing in her shoulders allowed her to feel eyes on her. They weren't hostile, but they weren't another adventurer either. Ais turned her golden eyes to a stream off to her right, up on a ridgeline. It was there she saw a pair of jade eyes looking at her. They widened in surprise as they disappeared with a splash.
Ais stopped walking and looked to the ridgeline. The gaze was so innocent, like Bell's back at the Hostess, it wasn't of malice or questioning, but curious.
Riveria closed one eye and left the other on the once young girl, "Ais, is something on your mind?"
The Princess finally pulled her eyes away and continued walking, "It's nothing important." Riveria doubted that, but let her think that it was over. Anything that catches the eyes of the Sword Princess is important, no matter the details.
"Well, Riveria, maybe she was finally seeing the beauty that is this floor," Tiona offered. The younger Amazon was giddy because this was the place where she could use her Diving skill. She had full mobility in the water, making her proficient on these floors. Tione shared the same skill.
Ais didn't have a response to that. Yet, she would admit, if she wasn't fearful of not touching the bottom, she can see Tiona's point.
None of them noticed the small pack of monsters entering the twenty-seventh floor, and they wouldn't know that their target was with them.
"Where is she?" Lyd asked, gently setting Isaac's form in a nearby rock. The sentient Lizardman gently removed the weapons that he had in his person. Everything was surprisingly there, despite having dropped a couple of things back in the Colosseum.
The list was as follows: His shredded cloak, a longsword, his daishō, two dozen throwing knives, and the daggers. "A surprisingly well-armored adventurer, is he not?" Ray asked.
"Makes me wonder what happened to him," Lyd added. Once they relieved him of his weapons, they heard some splashes, along with some giggling.
"Hello!" The newcomer said. Her emerald blue hair shined with the water and her jade-colored eyes radiated child-like innocence and ignorance. Instead of ears, she had fins, seashells covered her breasts. Her skin tone was a few shades darker than the water, but maybe that's an effect of the floor, being full of water and all sorts of blues. The assumption that a fin lied beneath the water and it was the same color as her skin.
"What took you so long, Marie?" Ray gently asked, closing her wings around herself.
The mermaid looked confused before attempting to string a sentence together, "New… people… up." She pointed up, close to the Great Fall. "There."
"Other Adventurers?" Gros asked, crossing his rocky arms, his head peering up.
Marie nodded, then held up four fingers, "Three." Then she looked at her hand, confused. She held her hand back out, correcting herself, "Four."
"Four adventurers… is it possible that they are looking for him?"
"What... name?" Marie peered over the lip of the riverbed to see Isaac laying down, and he looked gravely injured. In truth, he looked worse than he actually felt.
That was a lie.
Ray, Lyd, and Gros knew the full extent of his injuries, having witnessed some of them firsthand. He could barely stand seven hours or so ago, and he hasn't stirred since. The experience was most likely taxing on his body. His mind may still be running in the background.
"He... never said his name, actually, but after what we witnessed, we weren't going to leave him down there," Ray started. She looked critically at his unconscious form, "And he doesn't smell like the blood of our own. Aside from his, I smell and maybe an Orc from the higher floors, most likely with his party on the way down, he is not responsible for what's happening."
Marie held her hands out like she wanted someone to pick her up, flexing her fingers, "Gimme." Marie's eyes hardened just a tad, and she was going to help this one. Plus, he looked kinda cute, despite his current visage.
Lys gently picked up Isaac's form and rested him against the surface of the water. His armor rested off on the shore with his weapons. Marie instantly swam around him, gently prodding at his wounds. She frowned, she didn't like how much pain he was most likely in. She looked back to the shore and she pointed to his greaves. "You want the armor?" Lyd questioned, rubbing his head.
Marie shook her head, pointing again at the armor. She was looking at the knife. Lyd understood and he gently handed her the dagger. Marie sliced her finger, putting it down on the shore, back in Lyd's care. For her to do this, she needed to draw her own blood.
Mermaid blood is a sought-after item in the Dungeon. Only mermaids 'drop' it, hence the name. The blood is potent in healing any injury, no matter what it is. It removed the need for a majority of basic care. Thankfully, it looked like he didn't break anything. At most, maybe a fracture. With her blood now pooling on her finger, she gently cupped Isaac's chin and opened his mouth. Her finger entered his mouth, and he unconsciously started to suck on Marie's finger. If any other adventurer saw this, they would probably be questioning a lot of things.
It was more of an under-the-hood change, as many of Isaac's internal injuries were healed, and the swelling on his face went down. The small fractures in his arms and shoulders healed, the deep cuts closed, but they would leave scars. His hands started twitching before clenching into fists.
He then opened his eyes to see the ceiling, a bright blue cavern, full of light, and twisting pathways. It was nice, but then the memories all came rushing back. That's when he realized he was wet for some odd reason. "What the fuck?!"
He quickly stood, water dripping off his form, he then saw a mermaid looking at him with glee. "Awake!" she giggled, clapping her hands. Thankfully, she didn't understand the meaning of the word 'fuck' yet, and Isaac hopes she never does. Then, he did a double-take. He was much more alert like he just got up from a nap.
"Glad to see you're better," the Siren's voice drifted into Isaac's ears. He turned, eyes wide, to see the three monsters who saved him.
"Can I have that explanation now? But first, who are you, which floor, what are you, and where is my stuff?" Isaac almost screamed but kept his voice down, stepping out of the water, shaking himself off. He won't be comfortable, but he'll take that over death.
Lyd spoke, "Well, my name is Lyd, the Siren is Ray, the Gargoyle is Gros, and the little Mermaid behind you is Marie. You can thank her for healing you." Isaac turned to see Marie waving at him with a goofy smile, her fin swishing under the water. You humans call this area the 'Great Fall' or twenty… something. Apologies, I don't remember the exact floor number, but I believe it to be in the mid-twenties. The third question, that requires privacy. Your belongings are right here." The Lizardman pointed to Isaac's stuff right next to Ray.
Isaac must be going crazy, but he was having a conversation with a monster. Four of them, might he add. No one will believe him, but it's not like he's going to tell anyone except Irene and Dia. At the thought of them, his face fell. He doesn't want to know what Irene is suffering through right now. Does Dia even know what's happening? "Okay, well… you've introduced yourselves and I never introduced myself. My name is Isaac Vlahos."
That got a reaction. "Descendent of the Great Mage?" Gros spoke, more of a fond tone rather than his usual gruff one, "What a time that was. Saved me at first."
Isaac sighed, "Who didn't Grandma know? Of course, she knew about you."
"With that being said, our conversation will have to take place in one of our hidden villages," Lyd said. Ray was chatting with Marie to keep her distracted.
"Where's the closest one?" Isaac figured he owed them this conversation since they did save him. A fact he won't be getting over anytime soon.
"Twentieth floor, of that much I am sure. However, we will have to take a long way around. Our Mother most likely made them for us to get around easily," Ray spoke, entering the conversation.
"Mother?" Isaac hummed before remembering a law about Orario. The Monsters born in the Dungeon consider it to be their mother. "I see, when can we set out?"
Gros cut in, "Or we can send him with those other surface-dwellers that Marie saw. She said she saw four."
Isaac turned his gaze to Marie, who tilted her head at him. Wow, she looked like a little kid, yet he found himself comparing her to Irene. She did the same thing when she was speaking to him sometimes. "What did they look like?"
Marie pursed her lips, crossing her arms under the water, "Two look… same. One… tall, green. Last… doll."
"Members of the Loki Familia are looking for me? Riveria I understand, the twins, yeah, but Ais?" Isaac questioned to himself, having identified the four from the very basic and vague clues Marie had given. Isaac gestured for her to come closer. Marie eagerly swam to the riverbank, beaming at Isaac. He gently wrapped his arms around her, leaving his chin on her head. "Thank you, for healing me."
"You are… welcome!" Marie giggled. The trio behind him was surprised, but Ray was the least so.
"There's hope for our goal yet," she whispered. "Come on, we should get going. Marie, could you please charm some monsters to cause a distraction. Not to the other adventurers, but something to draw attention while we sneak in?"
"Okay!" she chirped before jumping back in the water and swimming away.
Isaac turned and collected all of his things, putting his armor back on him, his weapons in their appropriate holsters, before looking at his Dia Familia cloak. It was cut mostly from the bottom, and the left side was totally shredded, making it look like a cowl more than a cloak. The symbol of the cross and lightning bolt was missing the left half. He'll have to get a new one. "Let's go," Isaac said, putting the cloak on, not caring. It held sentimental value. One question only got partially answered, "So, now that we have time, what are you three?"
"We're called the Xenos, and your grandmother, was it; she and us go way back…"
Thus began an infodump for Isaac, who did his best to remember everything important.
"So, you've been around for three decades or so, and my grandmother knew about it, even before the expedition?" Isaac asked Lyd as he walked side by side with the Lizardman. The Xenos. A name they've called themselves for the past twenty years or so, maybe longer.
"That's correct, Isaac," Ray's voice fluttered into the air. "We've had to hide because of our dream and from other monsters."
"You mentioned that monsters attack you? Should they though? Does the Dungeon know that you're different?" Isaac continued his questions, glancing back at the Siren.
"Our mother made us, yes. However, we were born because of our desires. You see, the monsters you know and kill," Isaac flinched at that, but Ray continued on, "can sometimes have a yearning to know more. To desire something else. Like you mortals above ground, you believe in reincarnation, do you not?"
Gros was silent, watching, waiting for Isaac to make a move. Isaac blatantly ignored his stare, feeling the intent festering beneath his stony exterior.
"We do, and the Gods can even bind a soul to them so that they can never be apart. Nothing can break that bond, not even other deities. We believe that once a soul goes to Tenkai, they judge it before it's sent back down to the lower world to be reborn," Isaac said.
"Same basic principle," Lyd said. "When we die, our souls go back into your Dungeon walls, waiting for a chance at rebirth. If our desires are strong enough, we are born with greater intelligence, rivaling that of your kind."
This gave Isaac plenty to think about. They covered a lot about the Xenos, and how the Guild—specifically Ouranos—knows about them and wants to connect humanity and monsters. A thousand years of hatred stands in the way of that. They even mentioned someone named Fels, who they said Isaac might meet later.
With that being said, they stopped at a wall. "This is where we will part, and I do hope you return to your sister safe and sound," Lyd said, holding out a hand.
Isaac's fingers twitched for a second. His wariness and his instincts were warning him, considering what he just went through, but this time, he powered through it blatantly ignoring the potential danger. Isaac gripped Lyd's outstretched hand and shook. A simple gesture, but to the Xenos, it was the start of something new. Lyd smiled, but it looked predatory and Isaac's hand tensed. "No need to be afraid, Isaac. Lyd is actually quite happy right now. I do realize that his smile may look unappealing-"
"Hey!"
"-but this means a lot to us. Thank you."
As the wall opened, revealing the main path, Isaac stepped forward, but a wing appeared in front of him. He turned to Ray now, a question lingering in his eyes. "Do not hold back against the monsters in the Dungeon. We understand that you have to kill them to survive. You are not the only ones who struggle with this. You keep yourself alive. I'd like to see you again, and I'm positive Marie would too."
The mention of the mermaid brought a small smile to his face, "I will. Right now, I just want to lay down and sleep for a day."
"Safe travels, Isaac Vlahos," Ray smiled.
"Safe travels, you three," Isaac said as he stepped beyond the veil of the wall before it shut behind him. Shut being metaphorical, the wall closed on itself, like there was never a crack in the wall. He heard footsteps approaching and elected to stay out of sight. With only seconds left, he made a move.
Silence.
Whispering to himself, "Wait, is that singing?"
"Those monsters were very annoying," Tiona said, shouldering her double-bladed weapon, Urga. She had just killed a few Raider Fish that decided to play peekaboo. Their magic stones entered the water with a splash. On one positive note, they haven't encountered the Monster Rex, Amphisbaena, yet. Good, they weren't prepared for that.
While the group was walking, they heard singing, and they know no Sirens were currently around. Yet, Ais was on edge and it wasn't because of the water this time. "Who's there?" Desperate out of its sheath, the Sword Princess was out on the prowl now.
The Hiryute twins took a defensive position, but only Riveria was at ease. At first, she thought she was hallucinating. Then, she spoke, "Come on out, whoever you are. We have questions for you, we're looking for someone."
Surprisingly, a voice responded, with a smug undertone, "Yeah, well, I just so hap—son of a bitch!"
The party of four was in action faster than some could blink. They rounded the corner and there on the riverbed, in the middle of the twenty-sixth floor was someone hopping around on one leg, with a small Raider Fish on their heel. A knife was produced and thrown at the offending monster. It disappeared soon after, but little drops of blood leaked onto the dungeon floor. "Well, that was anticlimactic."
The figure turned around and Riveria was the first to react, "Isaac?!"
His eyes snapped up with visible relief, and a twinge of fear, barely noticeable. "Hello!" The person, identified as Isaac Vlahos, stood before the Loki Familia party seemingly unharmed. Despite the physical appearance of his clothes, he looked surprisingly well.
Tiona was the first to jump on him, "Oh, Mr. Harpe, you worried everyone!" Her strength kept him in place. Isaac internally thanked Marie because if he didn't get that healing, it might have actually killed him.
"Too tight!" he squeaked.
Tiona blushed before dropping him, and Tione replaced her sister with a gentler hug. "Irene is not in a good place."
Isaac looked away, "I figured. We don't get separated for nothing." The quarter-elf's eyes drew to Ais, who gave a stiff smile. It looks like someone needs to smile more. A nod to her before Tione disappeared and Riveria was in front of him. She actually had to look up at him. "Am I going to get hit? If so, trust me, nothing you do can possibly hurt worse than the Colosseum."
"You were in the Colosseum?!" Tiona and Tione's voices overlapped. Ais was even concerned, taking a few steps forward, reaching out, but decided against it. Her emotions were acting up again. The aloof princess certainly had a lot on her already full plate.
Isaac's eyes were shadowed now, "I really don't want to open that can of worms, please. Can we just go?" Translation: Get me to Irene as fast as possible.
Riveria didn't allow him to see it, but a tear slipped out of her eye. She needed to tell them, and soon. She hugged him close, but her grip was different. "What can you tell us?" Isaac already felt bad enough, but this felt worse, somehow. He didn't like being a catalyst to other people's problems.
"Simple: Freya has a hard-on for us," Isaac confirmed what Riveria and the rest of the party already knew. Then, Riveria socked him in the chest, sending him skidding back. His armor held, but it didn't stop the two times level difference of force all the way. His breath escaped him and blood trickled from his mouth, hunched over, one hand supporting his body. Crouched on the ground, looking down as blood dropped from his mouth. "Okay, I deserved that," he wheezed.
"Wow, two for two, Riveria," Tione commented. Isaac's eyes narrowed, he didn't like that implication.
"You both are so alike," Riveria said finally, approaching Isaac with a potion, cap off. "Drink," she ordered.
Isaac complied, feeling the swelling stop and his internal organs heal, even his ankle did too. "What did you do?"
"She was being self-deprecating and thinking the worst, a distraction was necessary," Riveria explained. "That though was for worrying me," she hissed at him.
"Why so worried? I know you're looking after us, but you're not our mother," Isaac retorted softly. Riveria tensed. It was getting harder to not say it aloud.
"So, what floor did you end up on?" Tiona asked, hands being her back, Urga in hand.
"Thirty-eight, but just past thirty-seven. Listen, I really don't have the time to express every emotion. I'm exhausted, have information overload, and I'm trying to figure out who doesn't know my grandmother." This piece of information was what made Riveria raise an eyebrow, but that was for another time.
"Let's go. Ais, lead the way. Tione, Tiona, you're in the center. Isaac, with me," Riveria's orders were absolute. Isaac gulped.
Once Irene was up again, she went to go find the rest of her party. Riveria and the others have yet to return, but they were aiming for the deeper floors, so it would take longer. When she asked around where her party was, they pointed towards the cliffside.
She found Bell, Welf, and Lili absorbing the sights of the eighteenth floor, something Irene had yet to do since she was so worried. The crunch of her footsteps on the grass alerted the rabbit, "Hey, how are you feeling?"
Irene looked away, partially in shame, partially in shyness. "I'm doing ok, I guess. I wan-" She stopped. "I-"
"We understand," Welf said, having stood up and gone to Irene's side.
"How can you?" Irene hissed but it wasn't malicious.
"Lili understands the anger you're feeling. Lili had this same reaction years ago," the Prum said, just barely turning her head, her sight still fixed on the view. From here, you could see the way to the nineteenth floor.
Irene put her arms around herself. She didn't know how to function. The last two days, in Rivira time, since the day/night cycle was different, went by, and she was a mess. She apologized to Lefiya for her hostility earlier and explained some of the stress she was under. Lefiya understood, in some capacity.
"If Isaac is as good of an adventurer as you are, he'll find a way to adapt," surprisingly it was not Welf's voice, the one she actually expected to speak. It was Bell. "From the little bits you told us, or hinted at, you both went through a trial most don't encounter in their lives. This was all before you came to Orario. You're both each other's heroes, whether you know it or not. One is always there to pick up the other." The rubilte eyes were focused on the view as well, but his words made sense. "Even when they get separated, they fight. They conquer whatever is in their way."
Irene gently sat next to Bell, gazing at him inquisitively. "I… never thought of it that way." She reached out and pulled him into a surprise hug, one where Bell was not expecting it, and blushed beet red.
Lili snarked at her, but Irene could tell it was half-hearted, "Let go of Master Bell, Mistress Irene!"
"Nope, he's my rabbit now!" Irene giggled as she teased the young Prum. Welf watched with a brotherly look before his attention turned towards the entrance to the nineteenth. People were emerging from it. Ones that the red-headed smith recognized. It was the Loki Familia party that went to search for Isaac, and they had one extra passenger.
The two girls continued to play fight over Bell, which the latter was scared out of his mind, but if Irene was calm now, then it was worth it.
"Hey, Little 'Rene," Welf called out.
Irene narrowed her eyes, depositing Bell to Lili, "Don't ever call me that again or you're going over the cliff."
Welf felt a drop of sweat descend his neck. She was serious too. "Well, I just figured you'd want to see this," the smith pointed to the group of figures in the distance. Now, he was waiting for the reaction.
Mere seconds later, everyone on the eighteenth floor knew of Irene's happiness, but only a few saw her tears of joy and relief, "ISAAC!"
The last figure in the group looked up to the cliff, only for a second before running off ahead. Another followed, most likely to give directions. Irene was half-tempted to leap down the cliff face but refrained. Right now, she had other priorities. She turned and sprinted down the hill, failing to notice the burn in her back. "Isaac!" she shouted again.
"Irene!" she heard her brother's voice. Tears were blurring her vision, but just as she rounded the corner of the camp, she paused, and so did he.
Hazel met hazel. The silence was deafening. Irene opened her mouth to speak, and so did his, but no words came out. Irene wiped her tears away, only for new ones to take their place. She was the one who took initiative. "You're alive!"
"You're safe!" the two advanced towards each other. Two forces equal in strength, and they didn't plan on stopping. The two collided and fell to their knees. Irene didn't have the time to fully inspect her brother. He was the same. Their souls shined beneath their skin like their spirits knew that they were united once again.
The sounds of their cries and laughs filled the little void they created. Spectators came to see but were shooed away by Welf, letting the siblings have their long-awaited moment. Words failed both of them, the shaking of their shoulders broadcasted everything.
"Isaac, never do anything like that again," Irene whispered, clutching to his tattered cloak even tighter, almost to the point of tearing it even further.
"I won't, but I have the story to tell you and Dia," Isaac's voice trembled, but never broke. It was extremely close.
The two pulled back and wiped the tears from their respective sibling's eyes. Irene finally got a clear look at her brother. "What the hell happened to you?"
A sigh escaped the elder Vlahos twin, "Too much…" his mind and body hit their limits. His vision swam again. Healing helped, but it did nothing to escape the mental fatigue—separate from Mind. His whole body screamed for a break and now was the time. "Hey, uhm, use your spell…" and Isaac's head rested against Irene's shoulder.
"You idiot," Irene whispered affectionately, one hand stroking his hair as they remained kneeling.
On a completely different hilltop, two figures were watching the reunion with different reactions. One was scheming with intent to better them. The other was watching with despair knowing what the first was up to. "Are you seriously going through with this, Lord Hermes?"
"Well, my dear Asfi, what kinda God would I be if I didn't mix things up a little?"
Even further back, stood a tall, imposing man next to a woman in an elegant purple robe. The flower-like pattern embroidered on it hid the person underneath. "Are you satisfied, my lady?"
The figure giggled, "Oh, most definitely. To see their souls dance, and weave together fills me with great joy." Their souls shined brightly, as much as the ceiling was right now. Both portions of their color roared at their reunion, and that's what she was after. Maybe then, I can find someone to love. A coy smile played their lips. I wonder what else you two can accomplish. Even then, you both have your Grandmother's charm. "Come, we must return to the surface, lest we anger the Dungeon."