Chapter 50:
On the fiftieth floor that night, Bell stood in silence and watched Otohime. She had told her story to him, sparing no details about how she had grown up. In reality, Bell knew it was not the saddest story he had heard, and Otohime had said so herself.
"People die every day Bell," she had said when she finished. "Children die, and their parents weep while the rest of us are left to move on. How many of our friends have lost loved ones?"
"…but that doesn't make what happened to you any less horrible. For your brother to…he was your family," said Bell.
Oto had shrugged. "That just goes to show inconsequential something like blood is. Better to focus on the relationships that we've built for ourselves. That's my opinion anyway."
She hadn't spoken after that, and Bell didn't know what to say. Instead, the two sat in silence in the clearing of the Dungeon. Distantly, they could hear the other adventurers retiring for the night and finding solace around campfires. But the two adventurers sat in the dark, noiseless as they watched the time tick by.
The sudden sound of rustling leaves had them jumping to draw their weapons, but Oto relaxed first. She smiled, and Bell noticed just how tired it was. An easy smile that she had constructed to ward off would-be suitors. But Bell also saw something real. There was genuine joy on her face, and even he could figure out why.
"It's about time I found you," said Urashima Taro. "The others were worried about you."
"Ah! Sorry about that," replied Oto, scratching the back of her head. "I was just telling Bell some stories, and I guess the time got away from us."
Ura looked between the two of them. He finally decided to step closer to Oto, who promptly dropped her head on his shoulder. She turned her face towards Bell, and he saw a smile that hid an abyss.
"Bell, I feel a strong cry coming on right now. Would you mind leaving?" she asked, her wet eyes gleaming in the dark. "I'd hate to make you feel any worse."
Bell nodded and walked off. He pretended not to hear the sounds of sniffles behind him. Or the wailing that followed soon after.
The Elves:
In a different part of the woods, Elwin had no idea what was happening. Lefiya had marched up to him, looking absolutely adorable per usual, and dragged him off by the hand into the dark. They had left the camp behind, with not a single person or sound to be felt. Even Filvis was confused and constantly checking to ensure that this wasn't a trap or that monsters were not hanging around.
"Um, can you please tell me where we're going?" asked Elwin.
Lefiya remained quiet; the only sound she made was her stomping through the undergrowth. Elwin would have tried to stop her, but she was a level five, and he was only a new level four. There was no way in hell that he was getting her to stop.
"Listen, Lefiya, I'd follow you just about anywhere, you know that, right? But I would like to know where I'm following you," said Elwin.
"Shhh, no talking, please," said Lefiya.
After another three minutes of silent hiking, they came to a small break in the trees. On the grassy ground were a couple of blankets, pillows, and other bedroom items. Elwin stared at the pile and then stared at the blushing Lefiya, looking at the ground. She had her hands grasped in front of her and did not move. Elwin's eyes returned to the pile to look at the lamps and cushions. Not to mention, there was a lovely sheet laid on the grass.
"Umm, Lefiya, does this mean what I think it means?" asked Elwin.
Lefiya did a little hop.
"No! It certainly does not mean that!" she exclaimed, her crimson cheeks betraying her anger. "I just thought…that since you do not sleep well…we could sleep together…." She blinked. "But not like that! I just meant that we would lay side by side…to help you sleep."
"Can we cuddle?" asked Elwin, an impish grin on his face.
"Absolutely not!" retorted Lefiya.
The half-elf pouted. "Well, that's no fun. What am I supposed to do if I get a nightmare?"
She rolled her eyes. "You don't get nightmares anymore, remember? You just have trouble sleeping in general." She pointed at the pillows. "Now lie down and go to bed!"
Elwin rolled his eyes before lying down. Surprisingly, the floor of the Dungeon was cushier than he thought. Not to mention, Lefiya had picked all the suitable pillows. And the sheets had a faint floral scent to them as well.
"Did you spritz these with perfume?" he asked.
Lefiya avoided eye contact. "Maybe."
She followed him into the makeshift bed. Slowly, she settled into the grass, ensuring that her skirt did get into a mess. Then, she lay backwards, holding the sheets up to her face. Looking at her out of the corner of his eye, Elwin saw that she seemed to turn redder and redder and that her muscles seemed to have stopped working. Slowly, he put a hand on her shoulder and shuffled closer.
"What if we both held each other?" he suggested.
Slowly and mechanically, Lefiya nodded. She let herself be held, and Elwin let out a slow breath. Filvis said that she would keep watch during the night. She also said that if he hurt Lefiya, he would be a dead man again. He rolled his eyes and settled down for the night. Lefiya's presence calmed him as he lay there, hoping to avoid the inevitable.
The Leaders:
In one of the few tents doing actual work, Finn looked at a large map of the fiftieth floor. At his side were Riveria and Gareth, and scattered around the table were the different leaders of the many factions in this alliance. Amid, Shakti, Tsubaki, and Lili were all standing around the same table. Also present, but standing more in the background, were Raul and Aki. They all had spent the last couple of hours debating on what happened next. Everyone was in agreement that they would be attacked while the first-class adventurers were away. That meant that they had to hammer out the details of what happened next.
Putting so many Captains and strong personalities in one tent was not a great idea. They were all butting heads on where their focus should be and which units should be placed where. Tsubaki thought that the smiths and baggage train members needed to be right in the middle to take care of everyone in reach. But Amid had counterargued that they would be too far from the healers who needed to make medicine and get the things they needed to take care of people. That discussion was one of a hundred. Lili was rubbing her temples because of the headache that was coming on.
"Why do people who aren't going to be here have a say in all this?" asked Lili aloud.
The rest of the tent was silent. Finn was grinning at her outburst, and he gave the most subtle of nods that only she saw. Shakti was not as amused.
"Because this is our Familia and our people you'll be leading," she replied. "Sorry that we care about them."
Lili rolled her eyes, turning to face the Captain of Ganesha Familia. "Except, you're going to need to be focused on everything happening down below." She pointed at a map of the Dragon's Urn. "If you're spending too much time thinking about what's happening up here, you're going to lose down there." She smirked. "Besides, if Lili doesn't like what you've done, she'll just change it after you leave."
There was a pause before a small sound like chiming bells rang in the tent. Everyone looked to find the Dea Saint giggling into her hand. She nodded along.
"I will do the same if I am speaking honestly," she said.
Gareth and Tsubaki started laughing soon afterwards. Shakti just sighed before looking at Finn.
"Well, I guess we should all figure out what we're doing." She jerked her thumb at Lili. "We'll leave the youngsters here to figure out the rest."
Finn nodded. "I have everything already set up in a separate tent."
The rest of the room's occupants just stared at him as he walked away. Soon, those that would be heading down below followed him. The only one not amused by the situation was Shakti Varma. That left Lili, Aki, Raul, and Amid standing around the table of maps and charts.
"Now, Lili has already sketched out the formation that she thinks is most appropriate, but that still leaves who will actually go where," explained the Dauntless. Her presence had shifted, and now the other three were leaning in to listen to her plan. "We have three level fives with us." She looked up at the cat girl and her man. "There's you two and Hippolyta. Lili wants to put one of you on each flank. Raul on the left, Aki on the right, and Miss Aisha in the middle. You will be the anchor that holds the line."
"You talk like they aren't going to surround us," said Aki with a raised brow.
Lili nodded, conceding the point. "That is a very possible thing. These Xenos know the Dungeon better than us and could have possibly brought an army around the back of us." She tapped the Dungeon map. "However, even if they attack from the back, the force they would bring to bear would be sizably smaller. They can only sneak so much behind is this fast." Her finger moved along the map. "Not to mention, but natural foundations will protect part of our position if we set ourselves up here. The rest can be protected by some of our tougher adventurers."
"Led by Otohime Nakamura?" asked Aki.
Lili nodded. "That would be my suggestions, but Lili is open to suggestions of others."
Aki shook her head. "She's capable enough. Just have to make sure the people around can keep up."
Lili nodded before turning Amid. "And what about you? Will this work for your healers? The smiths will be nearby with magic swords for protection, but that's it. Resources are going to be stretched thin as it is."
Amid stopped to consider her options. She picked up one of the little wooden tokens they had made to represent troops. The one in her hand was the one for her unit. She turned it over, examining it in her hand. She put it back down and nodded once.
"As long as we're in a position to help everyone, then I'm ok with that," said the Dea Saint.
"What do we do with the mages?" asked Raul. "Are we splitting them up or keeping them close together?"
Lili opened her mouth and started talking. A lengthy discussion began, and it would go throughout the night just until the early hours of what passed for a morning down in the bowels of the Dungeon. But no matter how much they planned, nothing seemed to settle the horrible feeling that was creeping up on all of them. This was their final battle coming up.
The Heroes:
And then, next to the mouth of the floor, on the way down to fifty-first, stood a boy. He looked into the darkness, unsure what awaited him in this unknown. He had never been this deep in the Dungeon; he was supposed to keep going, down to a depth that only the strongest Familias in Orario had been to. And he was going to go deeper. He was on his way to going to the bounds of the known world. Part of his mind recognized that this was the depths for even Zeus and Hera Familia. From what Eina had found for him, his mom and dad hadn't probably gotten that deep. However, he was sure that his Aunt Alfia had been down here. From the pictures he had been given, he could almost imagine her standing in the same spot he was. The thought comforted Bell Cranel.
However, his reverie was disrupted when there came a rustling from the bushes behind him. Thankfully, the footsteps didn't sound like that of a monster, nor were they sneaky enough to be someone trying to get the drop on him.
"Hi Bell," said Ais in her monotone voice. "What are you doing?"
Bell didn't even turn to look at her.
"I'm just…thinking about tomorrow and everything else that will happen," Bell replied. "I mean, I know that it's a war and that it's supposed to be horrible, but I'm also a little excited, you know?"
Ais smiled because she did know. A part of her was also always excited when they got to a new floor in the Dungeon. The thrill of the unknown existed inside everyone, no matter how young or old they might be.
"Don't let your excitement get the better of you, Bell," cautioned Ais. "Even if the Sun Seekers were not here, we would be in trouble. These are the deepest floors of the Dungeon, and everything is going very fast for you." She looked over, frowning. "You stay close to me, got that?"
Bell nodded. He watched the gaping maw to the lower floors, not wanting to ruin the silence. But he suddenly felt something down at his side. Looking down to his left, he saw Ais reaching out to hold his hand. Her face was solemn.
"Can I…hold your hand?" she asked after the fact.
Bell nodded, not trusting the words that would come out of his mouth. He looked at the floor, trying not to let his emotions overspill and overflow. He half expected his back to tingle from the effects of Liaris. But then he remembered that this was the Neo-Liaris, based on his ideals. He looked out of the corner of his eyes toward the girl of his affection. There was some comfort now since these feelings of his were real.
"Are you going to be, ok?" asked Ais. "I saw what happened on the thirty-seventh floor." She stopped speaking, her grip on his hand tightening. Finally, she spoke again. "Bell, you have to be careful…I don't want to lose you."
Bell shook his head. "You won't lose me, I promise. What happened there…that was a lingering problem." He looked over. "Do you remember when I told you about how I fell down to the Deep Floors with Ryuu?"
Ais nodded.
"I think the experience left a mark on me." His free hand went to his chest, gripping at the fabric of his clothing. "Whenever I even think of what happened down there, my breaths get shallower, and I find it hard to concentrate. But…then I remember that I got out. And that I can get out again and again."
Ais gave his hand a squeeze.
They stood in silence.
The Lovers:
Finally, two souls sat in a clearing. Otohime had finished crying and was now on the ground, leaning on Urashima's shoulder. He held her close, pushing away his own distaste for his fake arms. Thankfully, Oto had become very quiet. He didn't want to disturb her and honestly hoped that she had fallen asleep. She would need her rest for the coming battles.
"Hey, Ura."
Well, there went that happy thought.
"I know this might not be the right time, but I wanted to ask you something," asked Oto.
She did not move. Instead, she kept her head on his shoulder. She appeared relaxed, but Urashima could feel the way her hand tightened around the metal. He was afraid that her level four strength would crush them, but then he remembered that the arms were as strong as his status was.
"You may ask anything," he replied.
"Why do you love me?"
Ura sat there in silence. A minute passed, and then five minutes passed. He was not trying to avoid the answer; he just wanted to make sure he was giving it the thought it deserved. After all, this was no simple question, and it was being asked by the most important person in his world. And most importantly, he didn't even know where to start. Finally, though, the silence went on too long. The waves of fear rolling off Otohime were almost palpable, and Urashima recognized that he had to start talking.
"The honest answer is, I don't know," he began. "I can tell you the reasons that I tell everyone else, that I love you for your determination and spirit. I can tell you why many think you are a beauty that touches the realm of the Gods. I can tell you these things and a myriad of other reasons, but at the end of the day, I love you because you are you, down to the marrow in your bones."
There was silence then. Otohime was quiet before speaking her piece.
"That's why people like Dixen exist, I guess," she said. "Because we can't say why. We don't have the words to say it." She reached up a hand to turn his face towards her. "But when I look at you and see you standing at my side, I know what I feel."
Slowly, he brought his forehead close.
"And I feel the same. I know my answer is insufficient, but it is the only one I have. I love you because you are you. Because of the million things you do and all the ways you behave. You are my light," finished Urashima.
They sat there, and slowly the bodyguard felt something from his Princess. Her body was shaking. He was afraid that it might be in anger or sadness, but when he pulled away, he found her smiling. She was trying to hold in laughter.
"How foolish we have been!" she screamed, throwing her hands in the air. "To think that all this time, the reason we were holding back was so stupid."
Urashima tilted his head, totally lost.
"We did not pursue our love, content with what we were, because we thought we only loved each other as master and servant," explained Otohime. "And that was good. We needed time to figure out our new relationship. But then, why do we still hesitate?" She pointed into the blackness of the Dungeon. "There is a chance we will die tomorrow. We might be devoured by monsters. I am tired of waiting, trying to determine if our love is true. Because the truth is, I just have to have faith." Otohime looked him in the eye. "Do you trust me?"
Urashima Taro blinked.
"I do."
"Then, what are we waiting for?"
The Fighters:
Eventually, what passed for a morning deep in the pits of the Dungeon came to pass. People started cooking their breakfasts, and the members of the baggage train handed out supplies. The night guards were relieved, and the subsequent shift took their place. The squadron leaders made sure that everything ran smoothly in all the units, with the first-tier members briefing their Lieutenants about what was happening next.
While this happened, a renard was leaving back to her post. She got up from the tent she had shared, slipping her adventuring gear back on. She turned to find Mikoto doing the same. Haruhime took the time to admire her girlfriend's defined muscles, making a happy humming sound. That sound caught Mikoto's attention, and when she saw Haruhime staring, she blushed.
"It really is not that impressive," she said.
"Oh, but it is. And yours are my favourite," replied Haruhime.
There was a comfortable silence as they finished getting ready. They did not need to speak because they knew exactly what the other would do. When all was said and done, Mikoto made to leave. Before she could, though, A hand grabbed at her sleeve. She turned to find a serious-looking Haruhime.
"I need you to promise me something," said Haruhime.
Mikoto smiled. "I will come back to you, I promise."
The renard shook her head. "That's not what I wanted. You have to promise me no losing control."
Mikoto blinked. "What do you mean?"
"No losing control and letting that other side take over," repeated Haruhime. "You have to promise that."
Mikoto nodded. "I promise, I will keep control."
Haruhime smiled. "I love you."
The samurai turned red. "I love you too."
The Wild Children:
On a different part of the floor, Elwin felt himself wake up. He wanted to sit up, but an unfamiliar weight was on his chest. It was also quite warm. As he shifted on the grassy floor, something that was not his blanket rubbed up against him. He moved his hands against it and was met with something smooth. It was also squishy. He moved his hand again, and it got tangled in something.
"Is that hair?" asked Elwin. "Filvis, what's on top of me?"
The ghost did not respond. Elwin opened his eyes fully, searching for his companion. What was on top of him was hidden under the blankets, and his mind was too groggy to comprehend what was happening. When he found Filvis, the dead elf's eyes were trained on the ground. Her ghostly skin was also as red as her eyes. The weight on top of him shifted. It also let out a sigh. Slowly, the puzzle pieces came together.
"Filvis…is Lefiya on top of me."
She nodded.
"Without any clothes?"
Another nod.
"Did we…."
Nod.
"…did you watch?"
"No, you animal!"
Her sudden shout made him jolt. That made Lefiya suddenly wake up. When she first saw Elwin's face, she smiled. But then her brain started working, and he could feel her hands on his torso. As she made sense of what had happened, Elwin could feel her body freeze up. Her mouth hung open, and her face lost all of its colour. Elwin tried to figure out what to say to make her feel better, but she pulled backwards.
"You vagrant! Seducer! You absolute lust-filled monster!"
Lefiya gathered the blanket to try and cover herself. Except, when she did that, Elwin's body was in full view. She froze again, processing the sight of Elwin in front of her. Filvis stopped to blink. Elwin through a pillow on his lap.
"Listen, I will agree with the fact that I was…lustful…but this took two people," responded Elwin. "I did not hear you complaining at all."
"That is because…." Lefiya stumbled, remembering the experience of last night. "Ah! I will not be able to be married now! I have sullied the sanctum of an elvish wedding!"
She buried her face in her hands. While she wallowed in her apparent shame, she forgot that she was holding a blanket. Which meant that she didn't realize it had fallen to the floor. Filvis fell backwards, her ghost body passing through a tree. Elwin just stared.
"You…are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."
Lefiya's hands flew to her body.
"Stop staring!"
The Adventurers:
After everyone had woken up, Finn called a gathering of everyone. Smiths, supporters, adventurers, mages, and more gathered in front of a large rock. On top of it stood the Braver, Gareth, and Riveria stood at his side. The rest of the first-class adventurers were congregated around him. His spear shined in the artificial light of the Dungeon.
"Listen up, everyone," he began. "It's time you all understood what is going to happen next. Me and the other leaders will be diving even deeper." He gestured with his spear to everyone level five and six. "It will be our job to go down and find the King of the Sun Seekers. We will kill him and any other leader we find along the way. Hopefully, without any of their leaders, the rest will retreat or fall apart." His eyes surveyed the adventurers. "But make no mistake, you are all in just as much danger. You will be here to draw out the bulk of the Sun Seeker forces."
There were quiet mutters amongst the assembled troops. The words 'trap' and 'bait' were thrown around, and the terror set in. Finn slammed the butt of his spear on the stone, calling everyone's attention back to him.
"I will not sugar coat it; this is a trap," answered Finn. "But not one that I would not set if I did not have faith in your abilities. Once upon a time, two great Familias led Orario in its greatest age yet. But is that the peak?"
There were a few muttered no's and shaking heads.
"Is that how far we can reach? All that we can aspire to?"
More no's, louder and more pronounced.
"Will we be complacent, or will we reach out to become even greater than ourselves?" His hand stretched into the air. "Will our bones rot here, in the bowels of the Earth, or will we claw a place for ourselves amongst the heavens?"
"The Heavens!"
The roaring response shook the cavern. Finn smiled at this assembly of fools and dreamers. Each and every single one of them was an adventurer that he was willing to call an ally.
"I will not be with you here, but our battles, and why we fight, remain the same!" shouted Finn Deimne. "And I swear that I will come back once I finish killing the Mad King Typhon myself." He smiled. "That is if you all haven't killed the Sun Seekers on your own."
The crowd laughed, and Finn let them. But then his face regained its seriousness. He raised a hand for quiet, and it soon came.
"But do be cautious. Look out for one another, and watch the back of the person standing at your side. There are no Familia lines down here, just one group with a singular purpose. Now, go to your squad leaders; they will instruct you where to go next."
Finn finished his speech and was met with a resounding AYE from everyone involved. He hopped off the rock, the crowd dispersing around him. As he walked, adventurers fell in beside him. First were Riveria and Gareth, who had already squared away the last of their problems. The last thing the high elf did was pull her brother in for a hug. The two siblings stood there quietly before pulling back. They nodded at each other once.
After Gareth and Riveria, the rest of the Loki Familia executives fell into line. There was Tiona and Tione first, the twin's energy making them vibrate on the spot. After that was Bete and Lefiya. For whatever reason, the small elf mage couldn't look anyone in the eye. Next to join them were Shakti and Tsubaki, leading the contingent of Ganesha Familia members. By and large, the executives of Ganesha Familia would be supporters. It was the same way Riveria and Lefiya would be both mages and healers. Tsubaki would care for equipment. They walked towards the empty maw to the fifty-first floor. Some wanted to look back towards their allies, but they all resisted.
When they reached the passage to the next floor, they found the last members of their part waiting for them. It was Bell Cranel, Ryuu Leon, and Ais Wallenstein. The three had been more impatient than most, their gear already standing by. Their armour was polished, and their weapons had been seen to by Welf all of last night (he refused to let anyone else look at them).
Finn stopped to look Bell Cranel in the eye. The young man nodded to him, and the Braver nodded back. Bell fell in behind him, at a middle spot in the party. Ryuu and Ais flanked him, deciding their place in the formation. The pallum chose to say nothing to these adventurers. They knew what their job was and the responsibility on their shoulders. Instead, they marched into the dark.
The Strategist:
Lili stood atop an outcrop of rocks, surveying the work of everyone around her. Adventurers from different Familia worked hand in hand to set up a more defensive position. The mages discussed attack patterns amongst themselves while the smiths and supporters set out the most essential supplies. Lili had done the numbers, and they had everything they needed to survive a prolonged battle. Even their position was more defendable than first thought. Lili had used her magic to scan the place and discovered many shelters. It was like a fort made in the bowels of the Dungeon.
Squads were taking up bottleneck positions while the flank commanders planted themselves as anchor points. Aisha had made it very clear that she was not a strategist or leader. She would fight with everything she had, but someone else had to be ready to give orders. Which was why Lili assigned Daphne to the front. On the left, Aki had taken charge with ease. The cat girl was good, probably the third best here after Finn and Lili. But then there was Raul. The Dauntless wasn't ashamed to admit that the High Novice worried her. But when she had voiced those concerns to Aki, she had just smiled.
"He'll surprise you," she had said.
Lili sure hoped so.
As midday came and everyone ate their meal, there was silence over the battlefield. It was a held breath. And in answer to the quiet came a pounding roar.
The pallum looked up, the words of Lady Athena and Alexander the Great thrumming through her ears. This was it, the moment Lili earned her place in their pantheon.
The Rival:
And then, deep in the Dungeon, a large black minotaur pulled itself together. It had been made a fool of by that horrid thing that called itself King. Asterius leaned on his axe, his breath snorting out his nose. His grip tightened as rage-filled thoughts clouded his brain. The giant bull roared and began running through the Dungeon. This was a battle he was looking forward to.
His roar echoed, bouncing off the walls, and a single thought responded. It could not speak or interact; it could only watch. It was stuck down here, too stubborn to be absorbed by the Dungeon but too weak to find its way back home. It remembered a significant fall in its final moments. In the end, the spirit decided that a miserable existence down here in the deep floors would be its penance. It would pay for its sins this way. But having nothing better to do, it followed the black minotaur. It sensed that a miracle was needed.
The Maestro:
And finally, in the Dungeon City, all was quiet. The Guild sat in fear that Freya would make a move while its primary allies were away. As that happened, a little Goddess did her best to prepare for the inevitable strike. She worked with Ghost of the Guild to make something that could give them an edge.
Thankfully, no blow was forthcoming. At least, nothing directly. When all was a shadow, a blur could be spotted around the Twilight Manor in the night. It was too fast for Loki's remaining adventurers to notice, and did not stay long enough to be caught. It was a flicker and nothing more.
Watching it all was the director of this tragic farce. The maestro who had made these events to be the Goddess stared at the soul of her Odr. He would be purified because of her scheme, and he would thank her for it in time. After all, this war was not for the Xenos or the Adventurers. Everything she had accomplished up to this moment was for her darling. It was all for Bell Cranel.
