Part III - The Crawl

It was quiet. At least that is what it seemed like. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of a heart beating irregularly. Not of the dungeon's own, no. But of a man leaning against the dungeon wall, desperately trying to move forward. Everything hurt. Every inch of his body was burned with a pain that he didn't know was possible. On his left hand, a gaping hole lay where he failed to stop a Deadly Hornets attack with it's stinger. What little venom he was exposed to seeped into his wound. Because of it the feeling in his left arm was gone, the nerves fried. It was utterly useless. Slowly the venom reached his entire left side, causing it to feel weak and on fire. The entire left side of his face bloodied. He couldn't tell if he couldn't see from his left eye because it was swollen shut or the blood coagulated over his eye. Either way, the only thing he could do was move forward. Gripping his sword in his right hand, his weakest and least coordinated, he stepped again and again. Leaving a trail of blood on the dungeon wall.

Suddenly the Dungeon groaned, and every surface began to tremble. What pebbles and rocks lay scattered on the ground dance at the weight of the vibration. Then a cacophony of monster cries.

Whipping his head back, the remaining eye shot open in horror.

"No.."

Limping in a mad rush against the wall he moved forward. Painting the wall intermittently.

"No.. No.. No.. No.." He uttered to himself as made each hurried step. Finally tripping over something soft on the ground. "Aghh!.."

His body landed on the ground with his good eye covered in dust, he opened it to see what he fell over. Looking back at him were the eyes of a dead woman. An adventurer, with a gash straight through her beautiful face and a broken claw pinning her skull to the ground. Leaving her jaw dislocated from its socket, and mouth open as it struggled to accommodate the massive claw. He gasped and trembled, scurrying to his feet. With a better view he saw the remains of her allies. Torn to pieces. Their limbs severed and torsos impaled. She had been given the most merciful death of them all. For at least she was still whole.

His body screamed as he pushed it further leaving the fallen woman and her allies. Denying himself the same fate.

"I've got to get out of here.. I've got to." He said desperately through beared teeth. Breathing in and out through his shut gasp, his teeth shown, like a maniac having a breakdown. Then he heard footsteps rushing towards him from the path he was travelling down. Soon he'd meet whatever it was that was rushing down the path, and he'd be willing to take whatever it was on. He wasn't going to let it end here. Not for himself, not for anyone.

"I just want to see the sky again."

Weakly jumping around the bend, he drew his sword ready to attack, and without thinking he lunged forward. Swinging his blade over head with what strength remained, it stopped with a solid clang. Opening his eye he saw what was before him. The sound echoed down the dark tunnel of the dungeon.

"Hey what the hell do ya think you're doing guy?!" A gruff older sounding man shouted as he held his sword above him to block the strike.

The man lowered his sword backing away. His breath shuddered as he bent over weakly.

"Oh shit, would you look at the guy he's been through hell.."

Their eyes took in everything that he was. A solid mess. His hair clung to his face from the thick layer of blood. His left arm hung limp by his side, still dripping. And he looked as if it'd be any moment before he'd drop the sword in his right hand.

"Whadya think we should do, Jai?" Another guy said as if caught in a rock and a hard place. A guy in the back was already reaching for his bag, where he could hear a few glass bottles jingling. They were going to offer him mercy. But he couldn't let them. It'd be too late for them if they tried.

Before their leader, Jai, could give his thoughts, the man looked up at them all and spoke something so simply terrifying that they could only stare at him.

"Run.."

The dungeon corridor got quiet, only to be filled with the sound of a high pitched ringing sound. And from behind the man, a heart beat with a shuddering breath and a clicking sound from the back of its throats.

"RUN!" He let out a blood curdling scream as he turned and swung his sword. The blade streaked through the darkness of the dungeon, briefly illuminating the beast that hid under a cloak of shadows. The light reflected off of it's white teeth as it opened its mouth, lifting it's arm to block the strike as it drew back into the darkness.

All it took was one look for them to turn and run. The adrenaline rushing through their veins, sent them into overdrive where their body couldn't keep up. At first they tripped and stumbled as they ran. But they didn't dare look back. They couldn't. They left the stranger back there. And all they could hear were not of their breaths, nor their racing hearts, but what filled their ears were the strangers' wicked screams, defiant against the monster before him. Followed by the thunderous clash of the man's sword, all of their ears began to bleed.

Part IV - As The Dams May Break

The sun set its light upon the whole of the city. And though it was still the beginning of the day, the Hostess of Fertility was sparsely populated. Only a few people sat themselves as customers of the cafe. One reading the news paper, another sitting with their beloved, tightly gripping their tea cup. Many of the working girls lingered in the kitchen, idly gossiping as the workload was low and their boss, Mama Mia, was nowhere to be seen this fine morning.

The only one's working were the catgirl Chloe, and the elven woman Ryuu. One was preparing an order, and Ryuu walked gracefully to a table she was serving. It was quite nice, or so Ryuu thought. But she remained cautious of remaining complacent with the current situation. It felt like a responsibility to always remain on her toes, to be ready for anything. And working at the Hostess of Fertility, that meant being prepared for whatever walked through that door.

With a kitchen tray elegantly balanced on the palm of her hand she carefully stacked the dishes that were spaced out between the tables. Shooting a glare back at Anya, who neglected her section of customers who left long ago, and collected the bill. Regardless, it wasn't much work. Keeping quiet, she moved from one table to another.

Outside, she could hear rushing footsteps from far away. It came as no surprise, with the announcement by the Guild, familia's were armoring up and preparing to go into the dungeon. But these were of a distinct cadence. It was only one person. Faster than one would anticipate to go to the dungeon. As it drew closer, she could hear the breath. The faintest of hints of the person's voice. And immediately she recognized who it was. It seemed almost panicked.

Setting the tray down on the table, she marched to the door.

"Uhh, hey! Ryuu, where are you going meow?!" Anya shouted in the most inside voice she could muster.

"Out." Her eyes traced the open windows and in the distance she saw him racing down the street. Opening the door and down the steps she watched him come to a stop before her out on the brick lined street. There she stood at the base of the stairs, and Bell at the other side of the building, breathless.

"Ryuu.." He stopped, trying to catch his breath, as the red from his face faded away.

"Bell?.."

"I think it's back.."

"You think what is back?" Ryuu gave him a cautious glare, what inclination she had to take a step forward immediately vanished. In its place, her body was already instinctively began taking a step back. But Bell didn't answer her, he just stared at her breathless, giving her a single nod.

Ryuu's heart stopped for a second, as her face froze stiff. The last thing she remembered was feeling weightless then a sudden darkness.

"Ryuu?!"

-When she awoke, she felt a familiar warmth holding her close. One she hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. From a time and place of utter despair. The sound of the girl's anxious voices rattling off back and forth. Asking, demanding what happened, others believing Bell to have done something. There was someone else, an overwhelming voice.

Everything was a haze as her eyes scanned the ever changing environment. The one constant thing in her view though, was of a very particular boy. Every now and then she could make out what the voices around her were saying.

"Over here?" The boy asked the other person. Whoever they may be.

"Yes, over here. Now are you gonna tell me what happened to my girl?"

There was the sound of a door creaking open, and then slamming closed. It was a familiar squeaking sound, one she knew all too well. He brought her to her room.

"I know that voice.."

Once again experiencing a vague sense of weightlessness she was met by the soft embrace of her mattress as she was gently lowered upon it.

"Uh, I.. I..-" Bell stammered. He caught up in his words. Of what to say, and what not to say. More specifically the gag order that the Guild had put on the existence of a single species of monster. The Juggernaut.

"Mama Mia is back.."

"I'm sorry, Mama Mia. I can't say." He pleaded with her. But that only served to rouse the fire in her soul even more.

"What do you mean, 'you can't say?' Look at her face. The girl didn't have much color to begin with, but now it's like there's none at all. Now tell me, what did you do to my girl?"

There was a heavy footstep forward and Bell shrieked lifting both arms in front of him in defense.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

"So why. Can't. You. Tell. Me?" She spoke slowly, but low enough that Ryuu could feel her voice.

"Be-..Because of a gag order by the Guild. I can't say anything! I'm sorry!" He apologized profusely as he backed up to Ryuu's bed.

"Does it look like I give a damn about any gag order from the Guild?! Now you're gonna tell me, or you'll have hell to pay!" Mama Mia roared, the sound of her voice alone sent shivers down Ryuu's spine. And as she came slowly to the world, she realized in order to save his hide from her boss she could only do one thing. Reaching out for Bell's hand, her fingers wrap around his hand.

"Huh?" He gasped and dropped down to her side. "You're awake! Are you ok?"

She shook her head silently. "What happened?"

"You fainted.."

The memory came back to her, and the few words he spoke. And then falling into his arms before she hit the ground.

"Ahh.. It's ok, Mama Mia." Still sounding all too light headed.

"Like hell it is. It's ok when I say it's ok. Now tell me what you know or I'll make you work a week here Rabbit. And I'll work you like a dog."

Bell looked nervously at Ryuu as he still unknowingly held her hand.

"Look at you, Bell Cranell, always getting into trouble.." Ryuu said as she let go and weakly sat up in her bed beside Bell. Slowly she brought her eyes up to Mama Mia, who stood in front of her with her arms crossed and chest puffed out.

"Nothing leaves this room. Ok?" Ryuu says setting the conditions. In return she got a single word.

"Fine."

As so the recollection of the painful memories began. The fall of the Astrea familia, Ryuu's friends, the return of Jaru, and the Juggernaut. Occasionally Bell chimed when Ryuu needed to catch herself. Specifically omitting some of the more personal moments, such as their bare skin, and Ryuu's multiple attempts to sacrifice herself for Bell's sake. The scowl on Mia Grande's face faded, and her eyes began to look heavy.

"When the ground shook, I thought I heard the Dungeon make the same cry it made when that monster showed up. When Aiz showed up at the estate, she told me what her Goddess told her. When you see something you don't know, run. She warned us. I can only make the assumption that it's back. Someone had to have figured out how to summon it. But I just don't get why?.. Why would someone want to unleash something like that?"

Bell said as he looked upon Mia Grande. A question he knew that wasn't fair to ask, for the world they live in, he knew people would go so far for revenge. To bring someone down with them. As if that was poetic justice. He saw it first hand with Jaru and the last of his gang of Evilus.

"And you've been ordered to go back in, haven't you?.." Mama Mia groaned.

Bell nodded, his hand trembled as his eyes drew themselves to the floor.

"I have. I'll do it to keep my familia safe.. I just pray that it's not that thing again.."

"Well you won't know 'till you get down there. So until you see it, quit freaking out. You say you want to protect your familia, keep it together so you can when it hits the fan. They'll need you too. Got it? When the op is over, then freak out as much as you want."

Mama Mia huffed, though her voice wasn't scornful but full of a tough love. Coming from a life of adventuring herself, she must've seen her fair share of disaster and tragedy. And easily could've said, 'that's the job. You chose it. Get over it.'

"I.. I.." He began to stutter, the words getting caught in his throat.

Either way it was true. But he couldn't stop shaking, he wanted to. He wanted to calm down, to move forward. But he so vividly remembered the instant he lost his arm. All the times he was so close to death that it felt like the Grim Reaper itself was looking over his shoulder. Even now, his chest was tightening and his breaths grew short and shallow as every memory rushed to the forefront of his mind. Instinctively he reached for his chest to pry it away from his chest but stopped when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

It was Ryuu. She didn't say anything, she didn't have to. There was something in her sky blue eyes that spoke for her, and in that moment he felt everything from the past weeks rush in. The heat in his face felt cold as trails of tears streamed down. And so he buried his face in her lap as he let everything out. The muffled cries filled the room. But Ryuu gently held Bell's head in her lap, taking in this moment. Then her eyes turned sharp as she gazed upon Mama Mia. A look that she knew what she meant, leaving her to shake her head at Ryuu as she turned away and headed to the door.

"You're pulling doubles when you get back."

"I always work doubles." Ryuu says under her breath.

With no arguments, the door opened allowing Mama Mia and her massive frame through the door. On the other side, the staff of the cafe stumble and squeal in the hallway as Mama Mia shuns them. Demanding for them to get back to work. And like a bunch of small children they scurry away from Mama Mia.

As Bell's tears stained her uniform, she couldn't help but look down at him with heartfelt eyes. All the while gently stroking the hair of his head. Being perfectly content with her lack of words. For it was a moment that will forever be ingrained in her memory.