Part VIII

The first levels of the Dungeon went like it were any other day. With the Loki familia's team combined power, they moved at a generous pace. Careful not to miss anything, any signs or precursors indicating what has happened or what may. And as Finn assumed, there was very little to nothing on the floor before the first safety point.

Witness reports from adventurers all claimed that the levels below Rivira were indeed the points of interest. Coming from the few that ventured from Rivira. Just how far that went no one was certain. Not until they reach the safe point will they be able to ascertain what has happened if any key witnesses sought shelter on the eighteenth floor. There was something about it that left him in a sense of uneasiness.

His thumb ached.

Bete dashed ahead, striking the monsters that roamed the dungeon corridors. They were too easy of targets and he hated that. He growled in frustration as he didn't even bother putting as much effort as he normally would when charging monsters. Occasionally he'd curse at them for their existence and how weak they were. It didn't change anything, he just wanted to keep moving forward. Hoping that maybe the Monster Rex Goliath was ready to show up. Knowing that it's been a few weeks since it was last reported spawning. It only made sense for it to show up now.

Whenever Bete would take a step back the Amazon twins would charge in making quick work of their targets. In the back, Gareth covered the rear with his war hammer. His senses on full alert despite the low-level monsters that inhabited the area, following Finn's orders to a 'T.'

Just ahead of him walked Finn and Riveria alongside one another, engaging in a quiet conversation that not even the dwarf's ear could pick up.

"-I heard it's not common.."

"For her to last this long?.. It's not. But she's stable.. For the time being." Riveria admitted, though sounding as if it were half of the truth.

"That's good, but not inspiring. I take it your last venture out of the city didn't provide the results you were looking for."

".. No. It seemed to work only for a short time, and with the amount needed, it doesn't seem like it'd be a viable solution for recovery. It's more effective as a painkiller than what the people in Kutin suggested…"

"And Lefiya?" Finn asked.

"She's doing everything she can for her.." Riveria took a long pause as they walked, processing her words, not in any sort of hesitance in asking what was on her mind. Rather it was how much time could she afford to be away. "After this mission, I'm afraid I will have to take leave again. There was a lead with the Dian Cecht Familia that I have to look into."

"Do what you must. You have my full support, Riveria."

It wasn't easy for either of them to face the circumstances that they had to leave behind. With the health of one of their most recent up and coming members steadily declining. A blade struck and pierced her in an assassination attempt by the Remnants. A cursed blade that defied their understanding. One crafted by someone other than Amid. Finn rattled his brain, trying to figure out why they would have chosen her as their target of all people but at every conclusion, every theory he strung together with what limited information he had, none of it stuck. It didn't make sense. In reality he saw himself and Riveria as the two most likely to be targeted.

What lingered in light of the attack was a sense of guilt and foolish narcissism.

Shouldn't it have been any one of us three? Why her?

He shook his head from the thought, there was no use torturing himself. He simply vowed to do everything he could to aid Riveria in her mission to safeguard Lefiya's health. Wherever it took her, he'd cover for her absence. Riveria sent out a net all throughout Orario for any leads. Requesting aid from none other than Perseus, to seeking out the medical expertise from the Dian Cecht familia. For the lengths that she was going for her successor would be considered either madness or obsession. Riveria didn't care. She was utterly determined not to let her fall to the point beyond saving.

Whether this member was already at that point was up to debate.

For now they do all that they can. Secure the dungeon. In turn it'll bring familia's back to scour the reward of their conquest. Operations with businesses up top will continue to be normal and then hopefully by some miracle they'll have found what they were looking for.

"Not much longer till the safe point!" Tiona shouted enthusiastically as she checked Urga in pure anticipation of one hitting the floor boss on the seventeenth floor. She bounced as if walking on air down the path leading to the next floor. Where Bete shouted for her to slow down, admonishing her for beating him to the chase, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Not too far ahead of Finn and Riveria silently walked Aiz. Her eyes scanned the environment almost methodically. Allowing the Bete and the twins to take the lead in the attack of the monsters.

"Aiz.." Finn called out to her.

Aiz turned slowly with a plain expression, one seemingly completely aloof.

"Yes, Finn?"

"I'd like for you to take point and clear out the next four levels including the floor boss."

"On it." She gave a silent nod and with any hesitation she was gone, already passing Bete and the Tiona.

"Oh come on!" Tiona shouted around the corner as the Aiz darted past her.

"If she's gonna be goin' ahead, shouldn't we pick up the pace a wee bit? She'll make quick work of anything down there." Gareth suggested as he stroked his beard.

"It didn't seem that there were as many monsters down here to begin with. She'll more than likely get done faster than that." Riveria added.

"There's actually something I'd like to discuss with you two." Finn started as he took a pause in his step to look at everyone.

"What's teh matter?" Gareth asked while Finn stood silent.

It was an uncomfortable silence as Finn stood there. That was when Riveria spoke, breaking the silence.

"You lied to the boy." She said plainly and to that response Finn drew his arms behind his back, while his spear was stuck in the space in between his arm and body. She was right.

Finn stood there silent, nodding. A deep breath escaped from his nostrils.

"I did.." He said calmly. "While I admit it was uncharacteristic of me, it was merely done out of concern for Bell. I have every intention of keeping my word to him. That you can be sure of. But I believe the extent of which he's reaching out to us is of concern not to us, but for him."

Finn stood strong as he looked them both in the eye but again it was Riveria who called him out.

"But why would you lie to him about the Occulus?"

It was a long silence, but it was a time in which Finn was able to pick out the few words he felt best described his gut reaction.

"Because he's terrified. And even if it's in some small increments, such as lending us something so precious, he needs to believe that he is truly helping us and his own familia so that way he can have that faith in himself. To overcome the fear that plagues him and ensure our success if what he believes to be the cause of today's event is here. And so that's why we'll do everything we can as a team. Both of ours."

Finn had no reason to doubt the boy, Bell Cranel. From the Xenos, to his return to the path of hero after witnessing much of it. The Xenos had an intelligence that paralleled their own, and they chose to have faith in the boy because for them it was a sign of hope for their future. But Finn couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Bell to make him shake.

"Just what had you seen?"

He pondered as he recalled their conversation. It all sounded like first-hand experience.

"Just what did you get yourself into?"

Thinking more and more about it, he could only draw one conclusion. That the elf who joined Bell's team had something to do with it. With the Gale Wind reportedly dead, he wondered.

"Was that all a lie to cover up this thing and keep its existence away from the eye of the public?"

"Which brings me to the next part. If your ears didn't pick up on what he said, we may be dealing with something the likes of which few lived tell the tale of. That in its purest form is Bell's concern. The reason why I'm mentioning this to you two first is solely due to the fact that if something unexpected happens to one of us, you must know this one thing. We are to either make a full retreat to Rivira, or to the nearest safe point."

It should've gone without saying, these were his underlings, the next in the chain of command if anything were to happen to him or any one of them. That's how it worked. Though in the heat of battle, people can lack the rationale needed to make proper decisions. And so he needed to hear from that.

"Don't ya think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself?" Gareth shot back.

It left Finn to wave his hand to the area around them indicating its emptiness.

"Am I? The city shook and there should be monsters spawning as we speak. We were warned by both Loki and Bell. From two unrelated people, I believe that warrants my attention as it should yours. Do you understand?"

Gareth stroked his beard giving him a solid hmm of contemplation. They were a few levels away from the safe point. In the misty forests Orcs would swarm amongst the other creatures. To swarm and overwhelm. Of course this would be no problem for them. Their strength could easily make quick work of any opponent up until the forty-first floor. But surrounding them was nothing but dead trees and fog as it drifted through the level.

It was quiet. And there was no indication of anything else being there than them.

"I suppose so.."

"Riveria?" Finn turned to her, who was listening silently. Deep in contemplation of her own.

"I understand."

"Good. Then let us catch up to the others." Finn said, leading them through the dungeon with spear in hand. "Hopefully someone in Rivira has more information to give us."

Aiz dashed ahead, her speed immense. All that was visible was a blur for a split second. And as she sprinted through the levels she swung her sword that cut through the air with a whisper. Striking silently amongst the few monsters that roam the floor. The only evidence of her ever being there were the bodies and the vortex in the fog caused by her speed.

With each step a storm brewed within her. One that she didn't show. That she didn't know how to. It remained trapped within her. Ever so eager to tear her asunder like an insidious disease.

If only she could put a word to this feeling.

So she continued her endless onslaught as she dashed through the floor. And after clearing the floor, she moved to the next. The floor that would hold the Goliath. A monster she could slay with minimal effort. As she made her way down the passageway she was met with by a wall of sound that made her cover her ears.