When Axton reached the surface after the eighteenth and twenty-fourth incidents where Revis stabbed him, took him prisoner, reached level six, and went on the expedition to the fifty-ninth…he had a lot on his mind.

He knew that he had to improve so much before being able to take her on again just so Ais didn't have to. Maybe that was far-fetched but he still had his priorities. During that time, he would train harder than ever before.

Out of all people, it would be Bete who would stumble upon Axton training in a new style, one very unlike him. "Oi, what the hell are you doing?" Bete would ask.

"Training," Axton replied before doing a backflip to slash his swords. Yes, swords. Requiem remained in his dominant hand while a smaller dagger that Bete honestly doesn't remember the name of or where Axton obtained in the other. "You saw how weak I was…and I refuse to be like that again." Referring to the time he saw Axton limping on the eighteen, to where he fought an irregular Goliath.

That was something Bete could agree with, even empathize with. He traced the blue streak on his cheek as a reminder, "So, do you need a sparring partner?"

Axton paused in his routine, panting slightly. "What have you done with Bete?" He asked with a teasing smirk.

Bete flashed him a grin with fangs, "You afraid of me beating your ass?"

"You might, I'm still adjusting to my strength, so yeah, I'll take you up on it. Don't you hold back on me."

"Promise the same, you little shit," Bete taunted before getting into his stance.

The two boys would fight for hours, neither of them winning but neither of them giving up. They agreed to settle this another time. It surprised Riveria when the two walked into the dining hall all roughed up but amicable.

Gareth was the first to comment, "Looks like the boys are getting along just fine…"

Finn quirked an eyebrow at his fellow executive, "Did you happen to send him over there?"

"Whatever do you mean, short stack?" Gareth quipped with a grin. The dwarf was sure that Axton would take that personally. After all, Bete was still trying to recover from his trauma. Those two would need each other.

.

.

.

Riveria would eventually get curious about what Axton was doing for so many hours a day, even between all the events happening seemingly every day. So, the High Elf went to see if she could help the young boy like she did nearly a decade ago. This was not her motherly instincts, just an executive concerned for another executive! Nothing more!

The High Elf was greeted by Axton training hard with Bete once more, both of them shirtless, bruises forming on their chests. It seems the two are trying to use one another to pad their statuses. The two might have been at odds before but they clearly have a goal in mind, "Come on Axton, show me what you're planning! You aren't going to be that weak again, are you? You gonna let that red-headed bitch get the upper hand again?! She stabbed you once and the next time, she'll aim for your heart or even Ais!"

"No!" Axton shouted back, using the dagger to deflect another of Bete's high kicks before attempting to sweep his other leg. Bete backflipped before launching himself at the Sword Prince. The blond boy dodged right with a spin, using centrifugal force to power his swing with the flat side of Requiem. Of course, this was a spar not a fight to the death. "I have goals to achieve, a life to live! I'm not going to let her dominate that!"

Bete laughed, clearly tired and injured, "Haah, then come on. Show me you little fucking shit!"

Axton smiled, not at all offended by the name-calling, "Tempest!" A force of wind answered his call, and the blades that Axton held were wrapped in his wind. "You asked for it!"

It ended up with Bete on the ground, huffing with exertion. Axton wasn't any better, however, as he was on his knees, breathing heavily. Riveria worried that he would end up like Ais, in terms of his drive. Unyielding. While not a swordswoman, Riveria noted that Axton's new style was improving. She left the area with a smile on her face, pleased that he was attempting to better himself.

While she didn't like the method, she would have to wait for the results. Axton's training seemed borderline obsessive but he would take a day or two off to be with Lefiya. The young elf had noticed he was constantly training and when asked, he would say that he was preparing. This was at the point where Ais would notice he was training and ask to join in. The two had a lot of catching up to do and this expedition into the unknown would do wonders for them.


Traversing the halls of Knossos was a lot more difficult than Axton would have imagined. There was no official set path and there would be times that he would have to turn around because he did not possess a specific key. This 'key' he had no clue on what it even looked like. Everything about this place was unknown, which made it incredibly dangerous, even for someone like him.

What makes matters worse was that he had gotten separated from Finn's group by no fault of his own. Violas popped up and started to cut Axton off from the group and despite how many he, Finn, and Bete took down, the room kept swarming. They kill one, three more take its place. The Sword Prince had often thought of using Ariel but that also meant bringing all the monsters to himself since they love magic energy so much; even more so when it was his since he was the half-blood of a Greater Spirit.

He tried to ignore the thoughts about his mother…and how she was still trapped within the clutches of the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Even as he felt Aria's comforting presence in his wind, he still wanted to know more about why she was taken—aside from the obvious. Going to the beast itself was out of the question, even though everyone knew where it was. Somewhere in Dragon Valley, where the Zeus and Hera Familias tried and failed to kill it.

As Axton was being pushed back into a separate pathway, he felt Ais' wind pass by the walls, and that spurred the blond boy into overdrive. With his goal now clear, he started clearing a path for himself. The vines of the Violas did nothing but give him love taps. By that, he could still get hit but the pain was near zero. Even if his chest plate was dented, he still had protection on the majority of his body, especially on his vital organs.

When Axton got serious, nothing stood in his way. Using Ariel, he sliced and diced through the horde, making it to another pathway. However, just as he was about to leave, one of the Violas still standing grabbed him by the leg and threw him back.

"Oh shit!" Axton exclaimed as he was flung through the air, managing to reorient himself before ricocheting off the wall he was thrown into. The sheer force of his takeoff left a crater in the wall. Using Requiem, Axton killed the final Viola, exhaling as the constant fighting was slowly taking its toll on him. Letting his guard down was the last thing on his mind. He had to reach his sister. He could feel that she was in trouble.

Taking another two lefts and two rights, the sounds of fighting could be heard. However, it was the voice of Revis that he heard, causing him to clench his fists as anger washed over him, "Have you lost your nerve, Aria? Where was the fight I longed for?!" A crash could be heard and Axton tried to find a way into that room. He heard his sister cry out in pain.

"Bitch…" Axton muttered, his hands shaking, knuckles turning white. If he was able to break his skin, his bones would be showing. Thankfully, he did not puncture his hand with his nails...yet.

"I won't…give up!" The reassuring sound of his sister's voice pleased him.

"No one is coming to save you, Aria! That spawn was already taken care of and no one saved him! You couldn't save him and you can't even save yourself," Revis taunted and Axton knew that she had a wicked smile, just by judging the tone of her voice. It irritated the boy.

Axton wished he was stronger, so he could break through the wall. Wait, this material is breakable at level six…and even though Gareth had trouble, he doesn't have my enchantment…

A feral grin slowly crossed the Sword Prince's face.

*Tempest!*

His mother's wind surrounded him and he forced it all onto Requiem, the blade slowly gathering what he was offering. While made with the Durandal attribute, he was completely unsure if the blade would survive. It would be a great thing to be remembered for: being the only person in the world to have broken a Durandal-type weapon.

The wind condensed on the blade, giving it slightly more weight. Axton had never used Ariel like this before, as that was not what his training was for. It was for his technique. If he and Ais survive this, he was going to find ways to add technique to his style and he would force Ais to learn as well. A few test swings had Axton frowning before calling upon the winds once more.

"More…" he whispered, "I need more…my sister's life is on the line and I will be forever dampened if I let her die when she needs me the most! Come forth, heed my call…Tempest!"

This influx of power paused the battle between Ais and Revis. Even Barca—who was silently observing the fight from a different room but thanks to his bloodline, and the keys to Knossos—was able to witness the ability firsthand.

Axton chose a point on the wall and with a war cry that rivaled all war cries, he thrust Requiem forward, the tip of the blade sending profound spider-web cracks through a seven-meder area. Seeing this, Axton's grin widened. Pulling Requiem from the wall, he was pleased to see that there were no visible cracks on the blade but he would have it serviced after this using his own funds.

Turning his attention back to the wall, he raised his leg, infused it with Ariel, and drove it into the wall, taking great pride in watching it crumble. "I heard you were talking a lot of smack Revis…without proof to back it up! You and I still had an unfinished fight!" He announced as the rubble cleared. Twirling Requiem in his hand, he faced the woman who was nearly about to strike down Ais.

Revis was momentarily shocked that he had just broken through an orichalcum wall using nothing but his power. Yet her smile came back, one that struck Axton as familiar…but who did he see it on before? "So you lived, spawn. What perfect circumstances! Having both Aria and you who share the same blood will please Her immensely, once I bring her both of your corpses! You will join us! Becoming like me!"

The humanoid woman's eyes crinkled in glee and a hint of longing for a fight. The fight she needed. The fight she craved for. The fight she could only get when facing Aria's flesh and blood.

"Not on your life," Axton replied, glancing at Ais' state and Guardian activated Ais' clothes were torn, her armor full of dents and scrapes, blood trickling down her forehead, nearly covering her eye. Desperate remained clutched in her hands and the look of happiness and hope he received was more than enough to Axton.

Ais pushed herself up on shaky legs, facing the woman who had been taunting her ever since they met. The black flame that swelled within her dimmed at seeing her brother. She noticed he was not completely unscathed. His armor suffered some scratches and some of his clothes were slightly red.

"You're injured…"

"…so are you…what do you say, we fight her together?" Axton replied with a lop-sided smile to show his sincerity on the matter. That and he was worried about her.

The Sword Prince joined the Sword Princess in her fight, one she was grateful for him joining. He was going to save her but a part of her wanted to help. To pay back what he was owed.

Even as injured as she was, she needed to—had to—help. No one was there to save them all those years ago when the Dragon came…so they would have to save themselves. It would not be the first time.

Axton did not wait for Ais to join in as he rushed forward and started attacking Revis in a blitz. The creature blocked each strike but found herself being put on the back foot. Yet her smile never wavered, it only widened. Axton likened it to an Amazon when they found their special person. Requiem twirled in his hand and struck Revis' arm, making her drop the dagger that was originally Axton's.

Scooping up the dagger, Axton's smile became slightly more confident. Ais took up the vacancy that Axton left and continued to pressure Revis. Their wind, the wind of the Greater Spirit Aria Waldstein, was flourishing in the room.

Sparks flew from the weapons as they clashed over and over. "Yes yes yes!" Revis cried in joy, her smile turned slightly genuine but Royalty never noticed. "This is the fight I've been longing for! I will strike you down for HER just as I was so long ago!" Revis lunged at Ais, knowing she was in a weaker condition than Axton. That last part Axton heard and started drawing comparisons…but that had to wait.

Guardian's buff to Axton was perfect, however, the negative of it was his increased susceptibility to injury. His face twitched slightly as he blocked Revis' sword. "Not happening…but answer me this: Why do you look so familiar?"

Revis backed off, her smile gone, looking critically at him and Aria. "Irrelevant. That will not matter when I spread your remains in Her honor."

The repeated mentions of 'Her' were grating on Royalty. It was as if the Dungeon knew they were just outside its walls and was waiting for the opportune time to strike. Revis readied her sword and aimed to stab Axton once more. Certainly, that would kill him as it almost did before.

Yet Axton parried her blade with Requiem and then made her regret extending her reach by stabbing her wrist with his smaller dagger and then twisting and dragging it up her arm. However, it was the movement that had him eyeing Revis critically. That sword style and its subsequent move was something Axton hadn't seen in a long time. Despite that, his blow landed, making Revis rear back in pain as Ais swiftly followed, giving her a long cut across her torso, her clothes peeling back due to the sharp tip of Desperate. "You forget that there are two of us…but…" Axton frowned, never taking his eyes off Revis, "…I'll ask you this: What does Justice mean to you?"

Axton never thought about it before but seeing her crazed smile made him think of someone that he knew was dead. Her sword style and moves were similar. At first, he didn't think much of it since he was more focused on surviving whatever she planned. However, it was where she died that concerned him. Axton knew the Dungeon was alive in some twisted sense. So, it is not outside the realm of possibility…

As soon as he asked that, Revis froze on the spot, which made the pit that formed in Axton's stomach widen. That did not bode well. "W-What does…J-Justice?" Conflicting emotions passed along Revis' face and it was here that Axton saw it clearly now, making him frown. "Nonsense, you're just saying that to throw me off! Filthy spawn, I'll mount your head on a pike and I'll make Aria watch!" She launched at Axton in a fit of rage.

Seeing her blinded by rage, Axton easily dodged her. "Why did you ask her that?" Ais inquired under her breath, still recovering from the beating she received from Revis. Axton was slightly winded, noted by his elevated breathing and bruises that were slowly spreading across his visible skin.

"Because it just confirmed my biggest fear and my disgust for the Dungeon just went up," Axton said with anger and sadness. While he had not verbally said this to anyone, not even Lefiya, he felt like he knew Revis from somewhere…before they met for the first time." 'I'm going to have to talk to Ryuu…' Shoving that thought away for later, Axton refocused on his opponent. "You still haven't answered me…What is Justice to you?"

Revis felt her head convulse, dropping her sword and screaming in pain, "Get out get out get out!" In a whimper, she replied, seeing flashes of a brunette woman, smiling gently at her. Another flash of a woman in a kimono with a teasing smile, and lastly a blonde-haired elf reacting to her touch…"J-Justice…meant NO!"

The redhead shot up, reacquiring her sword, and made a swift strike at Axton. Despite being on guard in case this happened, the speed was unexpected and Axton took a cut to his exposed arm, which only got worse due to Guardian's effect, spreading up to his bicep. Blood descended his arm and dripped on the dagger due to his grip. "So…that confirms it…this is what the Dungeon has done to you…and after everything she had done to help the city…it turned you."

Ais cupped her hand over Axton's, the one holding Requiem, having noticed that they were clenched. However, neither sibling took their eyes off Revis.

"I'll kill you…like I should have before when I had the chance. Aria…you will get to watch!"

*TEMPEST!*

*TYPHOON TEMPEST!*

Through silent communication, Royalty chanted their one magic. Their wind enhancement…their mother's power. Axton's chant was different but that was because he was channeling his power as he did on the fifty-ninth. He needed to protect what was precious to him—Ais was his only sister.

Ais felt the same as he was her only brother. Ais has come a long way in the past few months but there was more to her emotional journey. She could feel Axton's wind just as easily as her own. She could tell that his power was trying to encompass her own not to take it over, but to preserve it. That only reminded her that he was always looking after her even when she never reciprocated.

She vowed to make it up to him. Starting now. Ais increased her wind's output, unknowingly matching Axton's flow. Due to his precision enchantment on Ariel, he had far greater control and the Sword Prince knew that he could do better. Ais felt the connection get stronger as she replicated Axton. Was this what she was missing?

Revis tried to dispel the wind with her attacks to reach her prize but with her frazzled mind due to the spawn's question, she couldn't put enough power or force into her strikes. Revis worried that this amount of Spirit power would preemptively set off the Jewel Fetuses located throughout Knossos. So, she chose to leave, "Until we meet again…"

She was close to leaving when more people showed up. The rest of Loki Familia. Bete was the first to say something, "Hey, shit for brains, next time leave a note!"

"I'll make a note of it," Axton cheekily said with relief. His eyes, however, never left the direction Revis took off in…

"Lad, since when could ya do that?" Gareth asked, seeing and feeling the wind blowing about. Finn also looked relieved to see them mostly unharmed. Ais was worse for wear but she was still standing. Now, if his thumb could stop twitching, that would be great.

As he was about to answer, Royalty heard giggling.

"This feeling…"It's just like before…"

"When I held that Jewel Fetus…" Ais muttered, her golden eyes quivering in fear.

What busted through the wall was another Demi Spirit, its eyes locked onto Royalty and spoke, "ARIA! Entertain me!" Royalty flinched at hearing their mother's name from the abomination's mouth. Their bodies locked up after their power faded—since everyone was here—and could only stare at the soulless eyes of the Demi Spirit.

Finn, already seeing a weakness in the Spirit, called out, "Tiona, take out its feet. Tione, prevent it from getting to Royalty. Gareth, cover our rear and find that exit that Lefiya found." Finn also sent out Line and her group to help.

The pair could only watch as they felt so small in comparison. Their minds flashed back to when they had chased Lulune for one of those Jewels. The feeling coiled around them, binding them to their spot. The Demi Spirit approached Aria's spawns and just as it was about to reach out and take them back to Her, the Loki Familia intervened.

All Royalty was able to surmise was that Tione, Tiona, and Gareth whooped its ass.

Yet not everything was fine and dandy.


Upon reaching the surface, and meeting up with Riveria…it was Loki who delivered the bad news. She had felt seven connections to her sever. Of course, after the fight, Bete, Ais, and Axton found them or what was left of them. Line was alive long enough to confess her love to Bete and after she passed, he started insulting the weaker members for dying.

That nearly made Axton deck Bete but he was too emotionally exhausted to retort. Finn did that for him and the wolf disappeared into the city somewhere. They would find him later.

Royalty was unnaturally quiet and once Loki saw the look in their eyes, she gently hugged them without any ill intent to grope Ais.

Their thoughts were scrambled and they lamented that they weren't much help fighting that Demi Spirit. Axton broke from the hug first, immediately trying to seek out Le-

"Axton!"

He turned to see Lefiya running at him and then jumping at him. With wide eyes and on reflex, he caught her and twirled her. It brought back the smile to his face and when Lefiya kissed his cheek, the warmth returned as well. Gold-onyx met dark blue. "Lefiya…" he breathed out.

"Miss Filvis guided me out, and I owe it all to her!" She said before burying herself into her fiancé's arms.

Axton immediately became skeptical, "She guided you out?" A nod in his chest. 'How would she know?' Maybe she got lucky.' Axton dropped his skepticism to focus on his new priorities: Informing a certain Elf of his suspicion. "I'll need to thank her for keeping you safe…when I couldn't."

"Axton, you don't nee-"

"But I do," he said, hugging her to his body. "That place…it's different to the Dungeon but it is just as dangerous. Sadly…not everyone that went down came back…"

Lefiya looked up at him shocked, "The higher-ups are fine but…Bete opened his mouth…and it was out of line, even for him."

Putting her head in the crook of his neck, she whispered, "So what now?"

"Now?" He whispered back, closing his eyes, "Now, you head back to the Manor while I have to talk to someone who deserves to know what had become of their Captain."

Lefiya clutched his clothes, "Can I go with you?"

"Sadly, this would be something that I need privacy for," Axton lamented as he did want to spend time with Lefiya. The longing in his voice was not missed by the elf. She sighed before letting him go, "If anyone asks, I'm taking a few moments for myself to process the loss of members of our Familia."

With that, Axton slipped away from Babel and went to the one pub where he would find the Elf he was looking for. He cared not that he had dried blood on him or the fact that many citizens were giving Axton looks. Truthfully, he was lost in thought, so he cared little about his appearance. His wound had stopped bleeding long before he was on the surface. Looking up, he found himself in front of the Hostess.

Entering the establishment, all eyes turned to see the Sword Prince injured but seemingly paid no mind to them. His gold-onyx eyes searched the place until he found who he was looking for, "Miss Ryuu, may I have a private conversation with you?"

"What makes you think I'll just let you take one of my girls away from her job?"

"A personal request from me," Axton said, challenging Mama's authority. "And she is the only one who can answer my questions." He walked to the bar, ignoring everyone whispering, "Unless you know if someone can come back from the dead, I'll need Miss Ryuu. An empty room with no prying eyes?"

Seeing the unwavering look in his eyes, even with Mia's fiercest glare, she sighed, "I'm charging you fifty percent extra on your next meal."

"Understood, thank you, Mama Mia," Axton thanked. He turned to see the elf looking at him with confusion. "Shall we?"

"Follow me," Ryuu said. She wondered why the Sword Prince was here. Many thoughts came to her and while none were of a devious manner, the look in his eyes told part of the story.

Axton followed his savior once upon a time with a steeled heart. He knew that he was going to open up trauma and that was what made him feel bad. Once Ryuu guided him to an empty room, he used Ariel to 'sense' the halls. To most, it would be compared to a light draft. However, it was to keep out eavesdroppers. "What is it that you wished to speak with me about?"

Axton sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Do you prefer blunt honesty?"

"That would be beneficial," Ryuu's eyes expressed slight impatience.

"Fine, just don't kill me for asking. I debated even coming but my suspicions need to be conf-" Seeing the glare he was getting, he spat out his question, "How did your former Captain die?"

Ryuu, while normally stoic in the eyes of many, glared a glare to the point Axton started to sweat under her gaze. Her hands were tense, knuckles white, and the guilt she's always carried since then came back, "W-Why?"

"Answer me, then I shall answer you," his reply was short, sweet, and desperate.

"I ended up having to kill her, with my magic," Ryuu admitted softly before her whole body started to shake as the memories of that monster came back. The Elf's tone. "You ask me this not to relive my past, what is your motive, Mister Wallenstein?"

"…I met someone in the Dungeon, who at first, acted like a psycho…but as we fought, I noticed her sword style was similar to one you've practiced," Axton remembers the Astraea Familia, much like many residents did years ago.

"Whose?" The Elf asked, her voice quivering, stepping forward, nearing Axton.

Instead, he pulled out his sword, Requiem, "May I demonstrate?" The room was just spacious enough to allow for it. However, before he was about to start, his eyes darted to the door, "But first, I must deal with whoever is outside the door and doesn't know the meaning of privacy!" The Sword Prince quickly opened the door to be met with the seemingly innocent eyes of Syr Flova. "Can I help you?"

"I was worried about Ryuu," she answered but Axton didn't like the way she was looking at him. Not in any lewd or hostile way but with untrustful eyes.

"And our conversation is not over and if you're worried about me defiling her, I think that would be a poor way to repay my savior during the Great Feud," Axton said. "Now leave." He shut the door but not before Syr stopped him. "Is there something else?"

"Don't hurt her," she said but Axton's instincts reared on her, sensing the hostile intent. Unconsciously, his wind picked up in the halls.

"Might want to see about that draft and when did Mama Mia give you permission to come up here?" He asked instead, secretly relishing in the look of shock and fear of Mama Mia."

Once that was over, he turned back to Ryuu who was looking expectantly at him, not acknowledging the conversation he just had with Syr. Perhaps she was thinking, he didn't know. Grabbing Requiem and setting himself into a stance, he tried to do the move that Revis used on him. He had enough space to do it and sure enough, he managed to recreate the technique but even he could feel that it was not perfect.

After flourishing his sword, he sheathed it, turning to Ryuu only to see the look of horror on her face. That horror turned to anger and some of it was directed at him, "How dare you?!"

"Huh?"

"How dare you think that it was…my former Captain…who did this?"

Axton knew that Ryuu was level four and she had no hope of fighting him but he did not want it to come to that. He would rather have a peaceful solution. So, the blond looked her directly in the eyes, "I asked her what Justice meant to her, since I know that was Lady Astraea's foundation…and yours…and you know what happened?" He stepped forward, lowering his voice, "She froze and all of sudden, gone was the psychopath who was trying to kill my sister and me and for a fleeting moment, I saw the former Captain of the Astraea Familia, Alise Lovell and do you know what I felt…?"

"Anger, fury, horror, and the realization that we have to kill her to set her free…" Axton finished, his left hand clenched tight enough to make his fingernails pierce his hand. He didn't register the pain. "I came to you so that you may know because it is unfair to you…how you helped cleanse the city of Evilus…and get treated like this."

The Sword Prince was only reaching the age of double digits when the bounty for Gale Wind was posted, and despite not knowing her personally—like he somewhat does now—he knew who it was and he felt disgusted for the first time. Disgust at Orario for allowing it. However, Axton was still a naive child. He was ignorant of the full details.

"Why do you defend my actions?" Ryuu asked, tears dripping down her pale cheeks. "I did horrible things."

"So saving me was horrible?" Axton countered, a low blow yes, but necessary. "While I don't know what happened fully to your sisters," as the Astraea girls were reported to be like sisters, "you know what happened. So, my theory is that the Dungeon took her soul before it could reach Tenkai or someone found her body…"

Ryuu stood up, glaring out the window, wiping her tears away. She didn't like that her friend and former Captain was reported to be like this, "Are you absolutely sure that it was her?"

There was so much hope and desperation that it threatened Axton to rescind his words but he knew taking this step would be crucial. Finn doesn't even know about it yet and he plans to keep it that way. There was too much going on in the Familia to even worry them about something he could handle. After all, Revis wants him and Ais. That was not going to fly. "Sadly, I'm positive. Her eyes, normally that of a monster had softened into the bright green orbs that were Alise's." He had only met the Captain of the Astraea Familia a couple of times and what he remembered vividly were her bright crimson hair and vermillion green eyes. There was no mistake.

The former adventurer slouched at the window, "…I see…"

"Do you wish to be alone?" Axton asked softly, his tone conveying that he hated having to bring this up.

In the softest tone that he had ever heard from her, "N-No…could…could you get Miss Syr for me?"

While the mention of the silver-haired waitress irked Axton, he nodded; not that she could see it. "…I'm sorry for bringing up the past…but if it makes you feel any better…you inspired me that night of the Great Feud…I wanted to be like you, fighting for a goal higher than myself."

Ryuu only stared out the window more, "…I am not the example you wish to follow."

"But it's the one I have," he countered before opening the door and walking downstairs to the main area. He quickly found Mama Mia and told her that Syr would need to see her. When asked what he talked to her about, all he said was that it involved the Dungeon and its tricks.

Mia, who was a retired adventurer, knew some of the tricks the Dungeon could make up, and from his tone and general demeanor, it was not a nice one and it affected that clumsy elf. There were only a few things that it could have been. "I'm charging you double on your next orders."

"Accepted," he said before leaving, the draft that once roamed the halls then disappeared. He would soon find himself going to the Red Light District to deal with a wayward wolf.


In the gilded cage, Aria sat. In that cage, she could feel the bonds of her children. She could feel they were reaching out to her, begging her to help. She granted it. It was one of the only things she could do now. The Dragon that held her captive still tried to goad her into marrying him.

He even went as far as getting an appearance that resembled her husband, Albert. The OEBD learned the fury of an angry Spirit that day, and he has not tried anything since.

Aria has made more progress in her attempts to escape…but then another thought came to her, 'What if I can get him to let me go to see my children?' The Spirit knew that it was a snowball's chance in hell that he would even go for it but if she promised to return…would she be able to?

Sadly, Aria could not enact her plan as the Dragon has not been around. While not a full power, the presence of the Dragon alongside the barrier that someone made around them made it difficult for her to leave. Judging by the power within it, it was made by a deity, someone higher than her in terms of power. However, over the last few years, the power has been waning.

Would this be a perfect time to escape? And during this entire time, she has been fiddling with the lock on her cage. Click…

The lock fell into the cage and the door was able to be opened. Now the question remains: Should she stay or should she chance the Dragon's wrath?


Omake: Realization.

There have been multiple reports of an amber-type structure in the Dungeon. These reports were from the Zeus and Hera Familias before they were banished and now, they ended up in Loki's hands.

Currently, she alongside Riveria were studying the structure. Riveria was using her magic energy to get the structural analysis of the amber surrounding them. The reason why it was only Riveria was because there was something inside. Merely silhouettes but they were too small to be anything else.

"How's it going, Mama?" Loki inquired.

"About the same as when you asked five minutes ago," Riveria absent-mindedly replied. Not before bonking Loki on the head and adding, "I'm not Mama."

"Just you wait!"

Riveria continued her work, only taking small breaks to review what she knew when she had an epiphany. Immediately putting her theory to work, she was pleased to see the amber cracking. However, when the amber broke, the shouts of two children screaming for their Mama and Papa were what greeted her sensitive Elf ears.

Quickly bonking them lightly—by pulling back all of her Falna-enhanced strength—they quieted down with a shout of 'owie!'

"They're so adorable!" Loki cooed.

"…b-big sister…where's Mommy? Papa…"

Two children, one girl, one boy. One with golden eyes. One with gold-onyx eyes. Clearly, the boy was the younger one. Riveria's first instinct was to hug the children as per her maternal nature but she refrained.

"What are your names?"

"…daughter of the Sword Hero, Albert Waldstein, Ais Waldstein. My younger brother, Axton Waldstein."

All of Loki's playfulness died there. Children of the legendary Sword Hero? Wasn't he married to…The Trickster's eyes widened to their max, "Holy shit…"

"Language!"

"…Riveria, she's not lying. Albert was one of the greatest heroes of his time, being able to wound the Dragon…and married to a Greater Spirit, Aria…and it was theorized that he had children…"

Riveria turned toward her Goddess, jaw agape, "Are you saying-"

"Where's Mother?" The girl named Ais asked, Axton clutching to the back of her shirt. His eyes were full of tears but they did not fall; not yet anyway. "I want to see Mother."

This was not a topic that could be breached lightly. Loki held out a hand, "Follow me, you two. There's some explaining that must be done." That was only the beginning of the long journey…

…and their legacy.

Okay took me as long as the last one. Shorter than the previous but I REALLY did not want to write this section but I had to in order to move the story along. Sorry if this is subpar.

Yes, I am having Revis do the thing. (Hint: a Wiki page broadcasted this fact long before.) I am not the first person to use this 'trope'—is it a trope?—for Revis but I figured it would give her more charcter.

While I also realize that I probably made Ryuu OOC…yeah the mafia bout to have my ass…#worthit

In my defense, it needed to happen.

Also, you may have forgot about Aria but I certainly haven't. I am planning something but I am debating how to go about it. Two ways, one bad, one even worse, in terms of the OEBD's reaction. Next chapter then…

Hope you enjoyed and I know FF's email system isn't working so I highly encourage you all to install the app on whatever device is compatiable. I would be behind on stories I read if not for that.

So, the omake. Something quick and I will definitely be having more of to fill in the unsaid or unseen parts of Royalty's history. This is just the start.

Next update: Delicate Balance Redux