Author's notes:

Short chapter. Next will be heavily focused on combat.

Chapter 66: Interrogation

Welf:

Awakening to the sound of dripping water and a splitting headache, Welf moaned softly. He tried to blink away the darkness, but that was all that there was. Rough rope scrapping against the skin of his wrists, Welf focused on the sensations to keep himself grounded.

Even at level two, there was absolutely nothing to be seen. Welf's room could have been two meters wide or twenty. Craning his neck was the same. The onset of instinctual fear was a gradual building crescendo. Small hints starting as a tightening of his gut. Within minutes, Welf's breath was coming fast and fierce.

Calm yourself, man! The internal yelling at himself to toughen up did nothing to distract from the reality of his situation. The shadows were already shifting and tightening in his useless vision. Only the few remaining sensations that he possessed were keeping him sane. But how long would that last?

Gritting his teeth, Welf bent his head and closed his eyes. He tried to call up images of forging. Of the armour he was supposed to be making Bell.

"Damn it!" Cursing, the harsh words scratched his throat. Forging was not good enough to distract his mind.

What are you complaining about? Are you a smith or not?

Eyes snapping open, Welf gasped as a voice sounded in his mind. "He—phaestus?"

With no distractions, the form of his red-haired goddess appeared fully formed in the empty darkness ahead. With one hand on her hip, she glared at him. "Are you really going to give into these captors' torture?"

"Of course not," Welf smiled boldly back. "I can't win your heart if I break."

"Oh? You think that's a possibility? Many smiths have tried. What makes you different?"

"Hahaha, because it's my dream!" Welf replied laughing heartily. "I have to become a god-level smith and win your heart. Otherwise, my life will have been for nothing."

"You don't have many years to achieve it. To a one, the people who have attempted to do this have either started a family or died in the dungeon."

"I won't be like them! I will-!"

Creak! A door opening destroyed Hephaestus as a beam of light blinded Welf.

"Oh my my, gone insane already?"

Realizing what he was doing, Welf flushed from the horror of screaming at a mental image. With the captors present now, he found himself fully alert. "In your dreams. Now come over here and release me. If you're quick, I'll only break one of your arms."

"Bold, but you have clearly forgotten how our last encounter went."

The memory was blurry, but as the cloaked figure took another step further into the room, Welf gasped. It had been a short and ugly fight. A swing of his smithing hammer that was blocked. Welf had not even been able to register the attack that had taken him out.

"Now, do you know why I brought you here?"

"Hell if I know," Welf growled.

"Take a guess."

"Hah! If you're looking at getting free weapons from Hephaestus as ransom, save your breath, she'll never bend."

"How pitiful." Stepping forward so he was right in front of him, the caped man stroked Welf's cheek. The cold touch could have belonged to a monster. With nowhere to go, Welf strained against his restraints, desperate to escape the contact. "I want you of course. No one else will do"

"T-The hell!?"

"You'll be a great addition to the team… Crozzo."

Of course… Heart sinking, Welf collapsed back into the chair. This damn blood…

Every time he thought he had escaped it, something like this would remind him that he could not escape the fairy magic that pulsed through his blood. A gift that he had been born with was constantly prioritized over his life's ambition.

"Damn… you… all!" Roaring, Welf heaved against his bonds. Wrists cutting into the rope until he bled, Welf continued pulling, feeling the restraints begin to give. With a final wordless roar, Welf heaved and frayed the rope. Bounding to his feet, Welf pulled back his right fist and swing with full force at the caped man.

Just as he expected the crunch of fist on bone, there was nothing but air. Stumbling forward, Welf whirled to try and find him.

"Good. Eager and ready to start forging. Let's get going." The whispered words came from behind Welf.

Growling, he clenched his fists and readied himself for another punch. Whirling around, Welf had to stop himself as a knife dimpled the skin of his throat.

"You'll want to start obeying boy. The other one at the forge with you… Bell. Your misdemeanor here has already cost him one finger. Let's not add any more to that counter, shall we?"

Bell! Groaning, Welf could imagine the boy rushing in and trying to save him. Idiot boy got himself in trouble!

"I'll make you an extra weapon, just don't hurt Bell!"

"If it is nice enough… I suppose I can look past this… rough beginning."

"Asshole…" Muttering, Welf stalked meekly out of the room. He had to make swords for them, Welf would just need to decide how good to make them.

Hestia:

"What a mess…" Yawning, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had not gotten any sleep after Bell had barged into their home last night in a complete panic.

For the first time in… forever, there were humans present at a denatus and half of them were from her own familia. Rain and Philia were here for the door in Daedalus street and Bell about Welf. That was in addition to the three Varma girls from Ganesha familia.

As Hestia was trying to wake herself up, Hephaestus slammed the table and stood up. "I demand a city-wide mission to rescue Welf! Not when Loki familia returns, not tomorrow, today!"

Jerking straight up at the sudden start, Hestia tried to support her friend. "T-That's right! I brought my children who can—"

"Enough." Freya's cold voice cut through Hestia's room. "I can understand well enough where this is going. I see no reason for my familia to track down this 'Knossos' for you."

"Then we will do it alone! I'm going to rescue Welf!"

The room of deities turned cold eyes on Bell who had stepped up and spoken. Bell strode along before them, staring defiantly back at the goddess of beauty.

Before those red eyes, Freya's mouth split into a smile. "That could be interesting. Will we see another dance of Hestia's Black and White knights?"

"We can do this without Kirito!" Bell answered with a hint of petulance.

Hestia facepalmed the boy's rashness. As if aggravating Freya was not enough, he had told the denatus that Kirito was missing.

"Where is your familia captain?" Hephaestus asked. "I must admit that I had counted on having his help."

"Dungeon," Hestia replied simply with a shrug of her shoulders. "Fulfilling a quest."

"Would you like to have your other familia members explain their presence here today?" Hermes interjected. "Perhaps they can give us an idea of how you plan on recovering the smith from evilus."

With what essentially amounted to permission, Philia and Rain stepped up into the central circle, gently guiding a still irate Bell back to the wall to fume silently.

With a steadying look at Rain, Philia began to speak. "There was recently a bank robbery during which I assisted Ganesha familia in the recovery of the goods. I ended up pursuing the same three members of evilus down a tunnel in Daedalus street that kidnapped Mr. Crozzo."

"Hold on, Crozzo?"

"Wait, the magic blacksmiths?"

The room of gods exploded into buzzes of conversation and the first genuine interest and fear from some of them. Those that had been heavily involved with some of the elf wars paled.

So, this is why Hephaestus did not mention his last name.

Philia as well seemed baffled at the response and the gods ignoring her. Conversations at rapid-fire pace proceeded over her head about the issues that Welf could cause them.

"Orario will burn like the forests of old!"

"Rescue or assassination, this must be fixed."

That word got the attention of Hephaestus. The blacksmithing god slammed the table with force and stood up yelling. "Shut up every one of you! If you do not send members to participate in his recovery, your familia will be banned from buying from all Hephastus smiths!"

As Hephaestus barged out of the room, fear became the primary emotion. The power of the most prominent blacksithing familia in Orario was immense. In the face of the act, Freya laughed. "Oh my, it sounds like you'll be getting a lot more business soon, Gobniu."

"It does appear that way…" He grumbled. "However, I have no interest in taking on even more new clients."

"A-Anyway!" Hermes interjected. "Can we get back to the young ladies story?"

"A-Ah, sure." Stumbling over her words, Philia tried to continue. "As I was saying, the kidnappers are also the bank robbers and I found a tunnel."

"Hold on. Who is putting out the reward for this quest and how much will it be? I won't have my children risking their lives for—"

"Hah! Like you care what happens to your children!"

"Why you!"

Hestia felt bad for her child, Philia. The poor girl looked ready to collapse from the strain of facing the collective circle of gods.

"We found the entrance to Knossos you idiots!" Rain's scream cut through the conversation. "Are you all so blind that you refuse to cooperate as the city is on the verge of destruction?"

That got another laugh from Freya, who stood up. "My my, Hestia, you have multiple exciting children." Sauntering over and past, she leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Send Bell to my familia home alone later if you want my help."

Gasping, Hestia turned to follow the goddess out of the room. For once, it felt like the goddess of beauty managed to leave a room without everyone tracking her motions.

Midori:

Gasping, she jerked awake to a horrible sensation. A smell so strong that she could taste it.

"Welcome back to the world of the waking, Ms. Kirigaya."

Her mind snapped to clarity quickly. "Kikuoka… What the hell is this?"

"Hmm, I believe the term is arrest. The government has classified you as a 'dangerous person inciting violence against elected officials'.

"W-What are you talking about!?" Midori bit back. "I did no such thing!"

"Easy, easy," Kikuoka made calming motions. "I was against the harsh night measures they took. After all, I am certain that you wanted to be in here anyway."

As he mentioned it, Midori's eyes flicked around, taking in the details. She was not in a prison cell but what looked like a bachelor's pad. Complete with a small wall TV and futon that she was currently on. Midori had no idea where this was.

"Where is this?"

Kikuoka smiled. "Promise not to punch me and I'll show you. Oh, you also need to promise not to try and run away. That's a big nono."

"Why would I promise anything to a kidnapper?" Midori hissed.

Kikuoka smiled broadly in response. "Do you wish to talk to your children?"

Stomach clenching, she suddenly knew: The new government lab.

Kirito:

Gazing up at the branches of the twenty-fourth floor, Kirito wondered what his familia was up to. I hope nothing went wrong…

His timing had been overly optimistic. It was likely that they would not arrive on the twenty-seventh until the next evening and finish the hunt by night. Kirito would not be free from his responsibility until they exited the water capital.

It would be a lot easier to leave them behind and call this whole thing evil if not for one thing: Kirito liked them.

There were four people in the group. Morte seemed to be a confidant of theirs but was outside the trio of others. The trio was headed by Gregory, a bulky bald dwarf with a penchant for laughter. The other two were middle-aged men with beer guts named Picault and Benedict.

Kirito was not sure what his expectations were, but comradery and jokes were not it. The entire trip from the eighteenth was light-hearted and honestly enjoyable. Benedict with his one-handed sword was impressed by Kirito's skills and asked numerous times for tips on specific things.

It had taken most of the afternoon, but Kirito's sense of urgency and anger had faded completely. He still longed for his familia and worried about the quest, but it no longer seemed the horrible, disgusting thing he had thought it was going to be.

"Your watch is done. The boys would love to hear some tales from you."

Looking over at Morte, Kirito didn't know what to think of the man. There was that breezy easiness to him that Kirito wished he could duplicate at times.

Morte reminded Kirito of the popular kids at school. The ones that could make friends with anyone. One of the boys that could sling his arm around the shoulder of anyone without getting in trouble.

I guess I was just jealous of him… Sighing heavily, Kirito nodded and stood up. "Alright…." Hesitating to return, Kirito asked a single question. "Why did you start playing DOO?"

"Huh?" Morte looked truly shocked for the first time that Kirito had ever seen. "Ahaha, now that's a question I never expected! The answer is easy, however, I wanted to have fun, Kirito. I bought the game to entertain myself."

"I see." Before he could leave, Morte had returned the question. "…I joined… I joined so I wouldn't be left behind."

Kirito knew that the answer would be incomprehensible for anyone other than himself. Even to himself he struggled to understand his answer. It was true though. He did not play MMOs because he was addicted to video games, he played them to find something.

Morte did not pester Kirito further as he joined the fire placed next to their wagon to great fanfare. The wagon was slightly larger than the cart they had brought on their expedition with two full axes for four wheels. Like the cart, it was pulled by a rotation of the three men. With full wooden sides and top, Kirito had not gotten a look inside of it and feared what would be in there.

"Kirito!"

"Hey, there the hero is!"

"You know, I saw your fight in the wargame! Spectacular! I was on seat's edge the whole time as you squared up with that weird bull thing!"

"O-Oh, yeah… That was… that was a hard one." The whole wargame was a strange blot in Kirito's mind. The frantic struggles against Aisha and Hyacinthus felt like an ephemeral half remembered dream that was hidden behind a bull-woman's creepy, sentient smile.

"I'm stull in disbelief that Morte managed to recruit someone like you! And for free as well he said!" Gregory laughed. Leaning forward, he gave Kirito a sly smile. "You can have umm… Well you can have the first turn if you want."

Just like that, the cheer seemed to fade. Like a lantern being doused, the transition was instant. Clenching his hand, Kirito stared daggers at the dwarf. "I have no interest in monsters."

"Ehh? Ah, of course. You're a hero, you have women throwing themselves at you."

"Is that why you do this?" Kirito asked, "because you can't find a girlfriend? You could just go to the red-light district!"

The three men stared at each other, something passing between them. Eventually, the two humans shrugged and left it to Gregory to talk with Kirito.

"Of course that isn't why we do this. It is because they are monsters."

"…I don't understand."

"The monsters die, they turn to ash, they are reborn. It doesn't seem fair. There are no consequences for them. This is the only thing that keeps me sane. To watch as the pain and humiliation slowly break the monster. Before it begs us for mercy."

"…Revenge," Kirito whispered.

"Aye, revenge. It's been a while since our last time and I really need this, so thank you."

Bowing his head, Kirito did not press further but neither did they speak to him again. Having effectively killed the mood, Kirito could only ruminate on what he had learned.

Could one truly claim revenge after killing an infinitely respawning creature? Not really.

Having the feeling that he had somehow lost the argument, Kirito relaxed back against the stoney wall and closed his eyes. It would be a sleepless night for him. Once more in the peace of silence, Kirito's thoughts drifted towards his family once more, wondering what was happening.

Bell:

Bell closed his hand into a fist, feeling his clammy skin that betrayed his fear. Swallowing, Bell moved past it and rapped loudly against the metal gate. The yard before him was so large that Bell could barely see the massive mansion that existed on the property. From what he remembered the defunct palaces that his old god had maintained weren't this large.

As Bell oogled at the building inside, the gate was opened on well-oiled hinges. "So, you did come."

"Hmm?" Glancing at the Freya familia member, Bell thought he knew the man. It took a moment, but the gray hair and fatherly expression finally clicked. "Heathcliff!"

"It is good to see you, Bell. Come, my goddess is expecting you."

Good to see me? It was an odd phrase coming from almost a stranger. He followed obediently along, having to almost jog to match the man's much longer legs.

"Please do not be offended but I am afraid that some of the familia members will be offensive towards you."

"Umm, why is that?" Bell asked, fear rising. His eyes started flitting around, as if a first-tier adventurer would pop up from a bed of flowers.

"Let me just say that Freya familia is not a family, it is a competition."

Continued lack of understanding pushed out Bell's obvious follow-up question. "Umm, what do you mean?"

"…We are Einherjar, the immortal warriors doomed to fight to the death every day until Ragnarök arrives."

It was not an answer, but Bell could not ask any further question as they arrived at the familia home proper. Two beautiful elven men stood guard and glared daggers at Bell. Slinking between them, Bell started to doubt that he would leave this place alive.

The interior was as gorgeous as the outside. Flowing lines, beautiful works of art. Everything was there for a reason and complemented each other. Just the scenery alone doused Bell's confidence in his own appearance. Were his clothes really right for his body? Was his hair washed and styled correctly?

The room seemed to be saying that if you can't even match up to this standard, you have no right progressing further.

Heathcliff, meanwhile, was unaffected and continued up the main staircase to a higher floor. With a quick swallow, Bell pushed the fear down and followed him.

"Umm, where are your familia members?"

"Most are resting after the day's battle."

After what Heathcliff had said earlier, Bell asked another question. "I-I've heard that your familia hosts fights every day but…"

"It is true." Heathcliff responded somberly. Sending a look back at Bell, his eyes were deadly serious. "I told you this was not a family."

Bell's chances to question further ended as they arrived at another ornate set of doors. Heathcliff did not push them open and instead rapped out a melodic beat.

"You may enter," A mellifluous male voice called from within.

Heathcliff opened it and Bell entered the inner sanctum of Freya familia's home. It was darkly lit and long. At the end of the thirty mel hall was a throne upon which the goddess of beauty sat, a topping of gemstones giving her a halo of light.

Similar to earlier in the denatus hall, Bell's mouth went dry, and he struggled to rip his eyes away from the goddess. His instincts as an adventurer, however, saved him by analyzing the others in the room of which there were three. A girl hung back behind the throne that Bell did not know. On either side were the elves Hegni and Hedin. One dark, one light. It must have been one of them that had bid them to enter.

"Bell Cranell…" Freya's soft words made Bell blush. It was only Heathcliff's hand on his back that reminded him to approach the throne.

When he was only half a dozen mel away, Bell tried to speak. It was far harder now right in front of her and unlike the deantus, Bell had her whole undivided attention.

Also… Bell's eyes bulged as he got a good look at the goddess' dress. It was the most lascivious thing he had ever laid eyes on. The black and red fabric curled and hugged the goddess' curves leaving giant swathes of skin available.

Against Bell's better judgement and manners, he could not resist soaking in the sight of her. From the tips of her bare toes to the soft curves of her calves… Every inch was more immaculate than the last.

"Have you no manners, cur?"

The same voice as earlier, but Bell could not rip himself away from the goddess of beauty. "Guh!" A heavy object hit his midsection, emptying his lungs instantly. Clutching his stomach, Bell collapsed with a gasp of pain. When on his knees, a force came from above and shoved his head onto the stone floor.

"I invited him here, try not to be too rough, Hedin."

"My apologies Madam. You know how I despise uncultured men that strut around."

Catching his breath, Bell tried to escape and found himself unable. The foot did not give a single cench no matter how desperately he strained with his level three strength.

"Enough."

In an instant, the force was gone and Bell was thrown backwards with his own force. Able to look up, Bell found the goddess approaching. Going absolutely still, Bell could no longer have looked away if a dragon burst through the wall.

"Ohh, very nice. I feel your masculine urges in your gaze." Leaning down, she touched his chin with a single finger—sending a bolt of lightning through his body—lifting it so they were staring each other in the eyes. "Hmm, would you like to try, Bell? Do you think you could satisfy me?"

"I-I… I want to get into Knossos!" Closing his eyes, Bell yelled his demand. Losing one sense was not the respite that Bell had thought. From this distance her scent filled his nostrils and the tip of her finger on his chin was the softest thing he had ever felt.

"Hmm… And why do you think you'll be able to save your friend? You are trying to break into an enemy base where they know you are coming."

"B-But your familia is super strong! With your help—"

"No." The cutoff was abrupt and severe. "Children must prove themselves to me. If you are successful, then I will help."

"W-What? How can you help afterwards?"

"Silence!" Hedin yelled again. "How can one boy be so imbecilic!?"

"P-Please!" Bell begged. With tears starting to leak from his eyes, he pled desperately. "I'll do anything! Just give me a way to rescue him!"

"Anything?" Freya asked with a seductive voice, the anger gone.

"…Yes."

"Very well. Heathcliff can get you in. He will accompany you home. Use him as you feel, but do not think to take the key from him."

"My goddess?"

"You heard Bell here," Freya laughed. "He is willing to do anything for his friend."

Wondering what that would turn into, Bell watched with bated breath as Freya turned around and walked back to the throne. The view was just as transfixing as her front.

"S-So?" Bell inquired.

"So you are dismissed. Good luck saving your friend."

Bowing his head once more to the stone floor, Bell peeled himself off and staggered out.

Alise:

Fingering the pommel of her blade, Alise ignored the insects that were swirling around them. The thirty-second floor appeared just as empty as the thirty-first. There was only jungle, bugs, and monsters.

As she looked out, the others of their small party came rushing back. "We are running out of time," Lyra spoke first. "The expedition scouts will catch up in an hour."

"You can tell by our appearances that we didn't find her," Kaguya shrugged.

"She must be further down…" Ais muttered. Even her bloodlust was starting to fade in the heat of the deep levels.

"Are you still having trouble tracking her?" Lyu asked.

It had been the reason they had agreed to this after all. Ais had started off like a bloodhound never deviating from the path on the twenty-ninth and then thirtieth. On the thirty-first however, she started leading them to corners of the floor. The same thing had happened here.

"Yes. But only because she is going to these locations."

"So do we gamble and skip the thirty-third to catch up?" Alise asked them. "Or do we remain diligent?"

"Based on her pattern, she must be looking for a rare monster, yeah?" Lyra piped in. "She probably won't skip a floor."

"I think Lyra is right," Kaguya stroked her sword thoughtfully. "I have no idea what it would be but…"

"Good enough for me!" Alise piped up, bring excitement back. "Onto the thirty-third and we will track her down for good! Let's go!"

Taking her own advice, Alise leapt off the small rock outcropping she was on and began to run for the stairs down.

She could hear the girls fanning out behind her, some of them grumbling.

Revis… Memories of her dead older sister welled up again. Like a house with a leaky roof, it did not matter how many times she bailed the water out, it always returned. The drops bringing a slow but incessant decay that was growing more difficult to ignore.

No silly! This is how you grip a sword.

Hey, wipe away the tears, okay? People like a girl that laughs more!

Shaking her head, Alise dispelled the memories of childhood. Of the time spent together with a loving older sister. That sister is gone!

Trying to remind herself of that, Alise slowed down as they entered the thirty-third floor. "Ais?"

"Already on it."

Falling back behind the golden-haired swordswomen, Alise followed her fairy-like form through the trees as she took them immediately off the main path.

"Does anyone know what is over here?" Lyra asked.

"Doubtful," Kaguya tsked. "These are the forgotten floors after all."

"I think… It is a pantry," Ais said quietly. "Everywhere she has been leading us… they are all pantries."

"Pantries?" Alise frowned as the ideas would not coalesce for her. Pantries were areas of the dungeon designed to provide nourishment for the creatures that lived within. They were often spread around the edges of a floor and served as central hubs for monster migration routes. The problem with Ais' assessment was, "these floors don't have pantries. The trees provide the nourishment."

"That is… a lie."

"A… lie?" Alise frowned. This all made no sense to her. She had not cared why there were pantries on these floors and hearing that they do exist did not understand why it would matter.

"…She is here." Ais said instead.

After failing for so long, Alise had not expected to find her. Suddenly being thrown into intense combat, adrenaline and battle instincts kicked in right away. Drawing her blade, she emerged through a thicket of ferns side-by-side with Ais.

The forest ended and became a rock wall; the edge of the dungeon. There was a cave ahead of her, and about forty mels to the side was another.

Making a split-second decision, Alise spoke up. "Ais and I are going here. Lyu and Kaguya, take that one. Lyra, I want these entrances trapped and no monsters getting in."

"Got it." For once, the three spoke unanimously and ran off to fulfill orders.

Looking Ais dead in the eyes, Alise spoke softly so that only she could hear. "Are you ready for this?"

"…Yes. I need to ask her a question."

"Me too." Gripping Ais' shoulder once in solidarity, Alise turned and faced the cave wherein the answers to her questions lay.