CHAPTER 1: WE WILL MEET ONE DAY..
It was a long day. Stress, fatigue and exhaustion is felt by every member as they ascend. Step by step the closer they reach the surface the better. Most were glad as soon as they see the sun rays. A few people passing by looked briefly at the group and a few contemplated whether to descend or wait for a new day to come. There is no doubt the group they are seeing is the powerful Loki familia. newcomers instantly packed the city after the death of the beast, a few that passed here are probably one of those.
Reaching the entrance point, a few could be heard thanking the gods. But for their captain it's another grueling day to manage and maintain the familias position.
After all they are the strongest in the city or the world, that is when they are in full strength. The tall woman with jade haired sighed.
Looking from the distance she saw the sun descending down the horizon and one elf approaching the group.
"What now?"
In front of her is an elf probably older than her. If we are to use human standards then the older elf is ranging from 50s to 60s.
"My Lady... I was informed by your father and he request you to return to the Alf forest as soon as possible"
With stress, fatigue plaguing her and now another one of her fathers messengers? The jade haired elfs mood went from ("another day, another work is here") face to a furious one in an instant.
"How many times do i have to tell that Old man that i won't? Surely he would've known that i am the captain of this familia now?"
The old man looked annoyed but holding his frustration he replied..
"I will inform him then... your highness..."
The elf man called out his horse and soon he was long gone from the view of the jade haired woman.
Sighing once again..
"Anakitty make sure to write our post dive report details and inform the guild we have completed the quest successfully."
"Yes, captain!"
Together with the human male, both he and the catlike woman walked towards the guilds direction while the rest of the group went their way towards home.
[Twilight manor]
entering the gates, the two guards greeted the captain and the group, suddenly a healer is seen rushing outside to meet the captain.
"Lady riveria! Its tiona! She's awake!"
Upon hearing the news Riveria and the group widen their eyes in joy. the first to move was an amazonian woman. The rest soon rushed inside. The room has two beds with 3 healers monitoring the two people. One with severe burns while the other with a missing leg.
"Please! Dont touch her, her body is still recovering."
Soon muffled cries and joy echoed the chamber.
"Tiona! Thank goodness! I thought you'll never be awake again."
"...huh? T- tione?"
"Yes! It's me, Tione."
"Why is your hair longer?"
Tione flinching from the question fell in brief silence until they are interrupted by another voice
"Its been 4 years tiona. You've slept for 4 years..."
Hearing her coma has lasted that long, the amazonian woman was both shocked. confused by her surroundings, she then noticed someone besides her. A short but large man with a long brown beard descending to his chest coupled with burned skin on his arms.
"Is that... Gareth?"
Riveria looked towards one of the executives of the loki familia. Her face turned from worry to sadness. Tiona noticed this short change but before she could speak she was interrupted by Riverias words.
"He too.. Broken spine and unhealable burns."
The group then heard a voice from behind, it was lefiya.
"Excuse me! Let me through!"
"Lefiya!"
"Tiona!"
The two hugged and once again, the healer warned lefiya to not be careless which could probably hurt tiona.
"Ouch!"
"Ow! sorry Miss tiona, I'm glad you're awake now.."
"Dont bother, ouuh your hair is longer now.. so uh, how is everyone?"
...
...
Silence was once again filled the room but the silence was not long when Riveria uttered the words.
"Tiona.."
Tiona looked at Riveria and Tione's depressive faces. Then the High elf uttered the words that shocked the woman. No.
It shocked everyone again.
"Finn is... dead"
While the room was about to explode into tears, it was interrupted when one of the maids called from outside.
"Guys we need help, Ais is..."
Soon a burst of wind smashed the door. What was once looks like a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and healthy now looked skinny with a messy hair.
Ais went towards tiona, both hugging as the blonde woman and amazon woman dropped a couple of tears that soaked tionas bedsheets.
"Hey! Careful with the hugs, it could injur-"
"You may leave them be"
Riveria telling the nurse as she herself with drooly eyes.
"I apologized Captain"
The three nurses walked outside and gave the survivors of the battle, a teary moment.
Soon another joined in, a red haired woman with vermillion eyes.
"Hey tiona! And everyone!"
The grouped looked towards where the voice was from and soon they greeted her.
"Hello goddess loki!"
"loki, we're home…"
The goddess smiled after looking at tiona and then she looked towards their captain and responded.
"I'm glad you all made it home.!"
[Somewhere in Orario]
In the streets that is filled with many people, adventurers and many types of races let it be prums, elves, dwarves, animal people, humans and Gods are just doing their day to day jobs or quest doing dungeon jobs or surface jobs whatever one does helps contribute to the citys life.
At mainstreet of orario, one man with a scar is seen walking down towards a shop. In a few minutes the young man opened the door now with beautiful flowers on his hand which covered most of his face.
Soon he met up with a group of friends waiting outside on what appears to be a cemetery. Leading the walk was a small girl followed by an eastern looking female. Next is a woman with golden fur of what looks like a fox tail then a golden haired elf covered in green cloth, a red haired man with a scar and lastly a small girl with a maid outfit.
After a few more steps, the group stopped on what appears to be a giant gravestone commemorating a man with a statue.
[Bell cranel]
The red haired man then layed down the flowers which was then picked by his friends. One by one they took a flower and carefully placed it beside the gravestone.
Then lastly a short girl picks the last flower and tosses it to the ground.
Silence then filled...and a few moments it was broken by the red haired man.
"Hey bell, its been a while..."
"Mr bell.. lily and everyone should have been there with you…"
"Bell-dono... i hope you are doing alright up there."
"…You don't have to worry about us bell. I hope you are proud of us now as we continue to grind and get stronger like you."
"Bell... Im sorry for not being strong enough to protect you..."
"bell... i will never forget you for saving me.."
"Bell...im sorry we weren't there when you…"
Slowly the group was about to explode in grief until the last person broke the silence.
The last to speak was a short girl with maid outfit. Hestia, the goddess of their familia, and also bells.
"Bell my child... wait for us. one day when our time has come we will meet again wherever you are in tekai."
Holding on to their grief, one by one their closed eyelids leaked fluid. No noise could be heard from them. Only ruffled noses and tears descending from their eyelids.
As dusk sets in and replaced by the early hours of the night sky, the group then wishes their farewell and exited the cemetery.
As the view widens, the green field that's full of the gravestone and a few statues would show one part of the area specifically made for the fallen. The battle against the One eyed black dragon was fierce and brutal.
Aftermath of the battle, the guild organized a large burial full of honors of the death of Braver, Burning white fighter, The king, and many more. They showed the world of their bravery, courage and ultimately sacrificed their lives just as the zeus and hera familia did before.
Later the banners of zeus and hera of whats left of their memory were placed besides the adventurers who've perished, signaling their final resting place.
[Twilight Manor]
It was early in the morning, The sun hasn't even appeared over the horizon that the Jade haired woman was roaming around the office. She prepared a hot tea early in the morning to calm her stress and achieve peace for the moment.
Riveria tying to her duties as captain was already managing piles of paperwork: replenishment of weapons, armour, potions and trying to manage the budget for the Manor
The other side of the paperwork was all the food and water cost for the loki familia's pleasure. Their expedition of the deep floors 59-67 was hard and difficult compared to when finn and everyone else was around.
*Sigh*
"you make it look so easy finn. As a vice captain it was hard enough to help you manage.. but this?"
"That's normal riveria, as long as i have you and everyone it makes things less hard."
Relieving some moments of her past, Riveria faintly smiled in nostalgia. Suddenly a memory appears during her early days in the familia, remembering her petty squabbles with the dwarf for one, it was touching.
"Hey you lousy elf. Thinking ya some sort of queen on this hole while we scrape food to survive? What are ya even doing this whole day?"
"Oh please you and your filthy race of drunken goons could ever try to save money instead of throwing it all on a drunken spree."
"At least we work while yer ass with that superior this, superior that, race antics keeps dragging us down."
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Knock it off you two!."
"Hmm... Good times"
*Sigh*
"Now. Where were we?"
Below, a golden haired elf was struggling to talk sense into a blonde woman.
"ais! Please wake up, breakfast is soon, we should take a bite and keep our body in good shape. you only ate one yesterday its not good to keep dwelling for the past.. you're this skinny because of it!"
Soon the blonde womans face turned from a depressing blank stare to a furious one like Riveria yesterday.
"So what lefiya? It was better that i died. What's the point anyway? My mother is dead, my father is dead and b..."
Suddenly her outburst went silent, instead she curled and covered herself with the bedsheets.
Regaining her composure, the elf then tried to assure the golden haired woman.
"Alright miss ais we'll eat together then, i'll bring some food up here.."
The woman gave no response and the elf left the room while slowly closing the door.
"Gods please help miss ais, i dont know what to do..."
"Lady aria i hope you'll help her..."
"Is she alright?"
Suddenly a voice appeared surprising lefiya.
"Lady riveria! Ais is alright... I'm gonna grab some food downstairs so we could eat together."
As the golden yellow haired elf was about to leave riveria, suddenly she called her name which the golden yellow haired woman turned to face her mentor.
"Thank you lefiya, for helping her.."
The golden yellow haired elf nods and left the jade haired elf.
*Knock* *knock* *knock*
"Ais! Its me Riveria.."
There was no response
"Ais, I'm coming inside.. ok?"
Riveria slowly opened the door and was greeted by a dark room with two beds and a closed window that blocks the early sunlight from entering.
"Ais.." *sigh* "...how are you feeling?"
"I don't know"
"Hmm?"
...
"Ais how would we know if you won't tell us anything."
"What's the point?"
*Sigh* "not this again"
Riveria walks towards the window and after opening it, she was welcomed by the rays of orange light of the sun slowly rising over the horizon.
*Sigh*
"Ais.. please don't say that."
"We are your familia, your family and friends. We care about you. I'm sorry about your mother and father. And sorry for what happened to bell cranel. It wasn't your fault.."
Suddenly the silence was interrupted
"It is"
Riveria knows where this conversation is going, she decides to push through though.
"Ais. Its not your fault. Bell made the choice and if he didn't you could've died.. no, everyone would've.."
"No! *Sniffs* ther- *sniffs*
There could've been a way!"
...
"But instead its my blade! If i just attacked more accurately... i could've *sniffs* killed it!
instead it was him and it!"
Soon the blonde woman exploded into tears.
"Its MY FAULT! I KILLED HIM!. IF I JUST ANGLED IT RIGHT HE COULD'VE LIVED!"
Riveria instead of pursuing the style of argumentative words broke doctrine and hugged the blonde woman.
"It was my fault riveria.. if i just.. *sniff* if i just corrected my aim! or if i just didnt falter and correctly strike at first chance! They would've been alive. Finn, alicia and everyone else would've been here alive!"
This time the jade haired woman was shocked and was about to burst into tears while hugging the blonde woman. Instead of continuing the tears she instead slapped her.
*Flap*
"Dont you dare say that! Finn, bell and the others gave their lives so the dragon would be killed!"
The blonde woman in tears now in wide eyes looked at a teared woman in front lecturing her.
"Ais... they're gone.."
Mentally she cursed herself for slapping her daughter in everything but blood. But she sees it as a way to show the girl a reality. She needs to let go instead of dwelling.
Now regaining her composure and wiping the tears from her face.
"Its done ais. Its over. Let's just move on. it wasn't your fault. Everyone makes mistakes."
"They know the stakes and the consequences. We adventurers signed up for this."
"Finn... Bell cranel and everyone else.. they know the risk."
"Instead of dwelling, lets mourn their sacrifice and honor them."
Even more tears are descending from the blonde woman. And for this reason, she immediately rushed outside, surprising everyone on the manor.
She used her abilities to the fullest which easily broke the door of the room. She then went below instantly surprising the rest of the high tier adventurers.
"Damn it! Was that ais? Ais!"
Screamed by tione and soon the rest who were about to eat breakfast was stunned by the powerful wind that passed through them.
Soon the blonde woman rapidly rushed past the guards. The entrance gate was shattered and soon every passer looked at the leftover trails that belonged to the blonde woman
*Sigh* "looks like that old hag failed, tsk!"
"I'm going after her!"
Tione immediately rushed and begins her chase of ais wallenstein
"Miss ais..."
Riveria still shocked at what occurred was left alone inside the room. Tears are dropping down from her cheeks as she kneels in grief. And soon everything engulfed her and she silently weeped on the floor.
Meanwhile the passersby and adventurers are startled by Ais wallensteins speed. Her wind and power alone shook and shivered most of the new adventurers and common folk while older adventurers were stunned by her appearance and power.
"Was that the sword princess?"
"You mean "Dragon fighting fighter?" "
"Man i forgot that's her new alias after slaying the dragon. Hot damn I haven't seen her for years!"
As she passed through everyone she ended up in a place that was not surprising for whoever's reading this.
The cemetery.
Soon she walked on a path which takes her to the graveyard of heroes, heroes that died fighting the One eyed black dragon.
Facing three statues, bell, her father albert waldstein and herself.
She mentally cursed at her own figure, she was so furious and sad.
"Father... Mother... Bell..."
She inhaled a bit to ease her ragged breathing.
"I'm sorry for not being strong enough, I'm sorry for letting you all die."
This time the blonde woman broke into tears, and soon her tears wet the stone she was in.
"Im so sorry... *Sniffs* im sorry mother and father."
"Bell... I don't understand the words you told me back then.. but."
Now regaining her posture and looking up at his statue.
"Now that i know.. bell, I love you too..."
After uttering those words, Ais wallenstein felt relieved and saddened by the fact bell is no longer here to hear those reply.
"bell... thank you for being there, you were cute and fluffy with white hair. I hope you'll forgive me when we meet"
Then remembering riveria and lefiyas words..
The world she mentally imagined of where bell, and everyone she knows and care are there.. the people she hold dear on her dreams during the past 4 years… now.. they slowly disappeared as she soon take the words of the two elven women to her heart.
**Dwelling wont do you good, move on and honor their sacrifice instead**
"finn and everyone… thank you for your help…"
"I promised to you that i will be strong. Father, mother..and bell... I promised you that i will cherish our moment. And i wont forget you."
Then for the last time she broke down in tears and weeped under the shadows for what felt like hours.
END OF CHAPTER