A/N: I did say that the update pace would slow down, but I was not expecting it to be two weeks before I could even sit down to write. I could give you the real world reasons for the delay (My dad's car engine dying a couple days before his birthday, taking a trip out of state and forgetting my flash drive, my grandparents catching Covid.) It's been a crazy couple weeks for me. Honestly though, I think I needed a break after all that writing. It gave me time to think and do a little planning. Still, I hope to get back on a decent update pace now that things have calmed down.

I really appreciate all the feedback I got for the last chapter. It was an absolute beast to write, so it was great to see how you all felt about it.

This one is definitely on the short side. I'm sorry about that, but I wanted to get something out quick so you'd know I wasn't dead. I promise, they'll get longer again after this one! I don't think I'll be posting many 10k chapters again soon, but I'll try to get more in the 5-7 range.

Thank you all so much for the comments and reviews you've left. They're so much fun to see and read. Don't hesitate to leave one if you have a question or something you'd like to say!

Hearthfire

Chapter 23

Torrhen

Thin wisps of smoke wafted through the air as Torrhen trudged through the Loki Familia camp. It had been around three hours since the irregular Udaeus, the last of the abnormal monsters, had been defeated and the crystal ceiling was giving off a dim evening light. Teams of adventurers were still combing through the forest, putting out fires and collecting any monster loot or fallen weapons they could find. In the immediate aftermath of Udaeus' defeat, Torhen had made his way directly to the aid station to help with taking care of the wounded.

Considering his prodigious skill with Restoration magic, the Dragonborn had quickly taken over the worst cases and had worked tirelessly alongside the other healers and volunteers to save as many of the casualties as they could. With Rivira and the Loki Familia having emptied their stores to help the wounded, combined with Torrhen's skill and the potions he'd brought with him, the casualty report was better than he'd expected.

"The final tally is in," he said as he plopped himself down on a log next to Finn. The Pallum was sitting alone near an isolated, low-burning fire towards the edge of the camp. Both men were still clad in their battle gear, covered in sweat and grime.

"How bad is it?" Finn asked, poking the fire with a stick.

"Better than I was expecting." Torrhen said, honestly. "From what we can tell, there were one hundred and ninety-seven adventurers on this floor when the fighting began. So long as the teams combing the woods don't find any more bodies, the death toll stands at 14. Most of them were killed in the woods by the Juggernaut before I was able to draw it away."

Finn sighed. "I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky that it didn't spawn in the middle of camp or the town. Things could have been a lot worse if any of those things had spawned there."

Torrhen hummed in agreement. He guessed that Finn, like Torrhen himself, was mostly relieved that none of their members had died in the fighting. "Have any runners been sent to the surface?" Finn had joined up with Bors to take charge of cleanup after the battle.

Finn nodded. "Once he was healed, I sent Bete and a few of our fastest runners up top. They're going to report what happened to the guild and organize relief supplies. If things go quickly, they should be here by tomorrow."

"Did you have them mention Hermes?" Torrhen asked, quietly. The god had said he was willing to take the blame, but Torrhen wasn't going to trust that he'd actually do it.

Finn shook his head. "Lord Hermes went up with them," he said, to Torrhen's surprise. "I told Bete to make sure he didn't get away, but Lord Hermes seemed adamant on turning himself in. It looks like he feels genuinely guilty about what has happened here and wanted to get out of the Dungeon before anything else could go wrong."

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that." Torrhen muttered. "What do you think the guild will do to him? His presence is what caused all this."

"A hefty fine to start with," Finn said after a moment's thought. "Probation for him and his Familia is likely, but I don't see them being exiled. He's not much of a public figure, but I know Lord Hermes is one of the more important gods in the city. They can't afford to exile him. In the end, it will be up to the Guild to decide how he is punished."

"Finn!" Riveria's voice called to them as she walked up. The beautiful, green-haired elf woman was covered in sweat and grime just like everyone else, but she still managed to cut a fairly regal figure. "Bors is looking for you. He wants to discuss how the monster drops are going to be handled."

The Pallum sighed and hung his head. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" He muttered to himself. Standing, Finn bade Torrhen farewell and moved off to join Riveria as they headed towards the town.

Torrhen sat alone for a while, contemplating all that had happened that day. Despite the circumstances, it had been nice to be involved in a serious fight again. Even better to fight alongside family members he hadn't seen in years. Nearly a century, in Kodlak's case. He wasn't alone for long though. Perhaps twenty minutes after Finn had left, Ryuu came walking up. Torrhen braced himself for her questions as the elf girl sat down. They were well isolated, so he wasn't worried about eavesdroppers.

"Ask what you wish," he told her. "I'll answer what I can."

Ryuu hesitated for a moment. "Were those two women really your children? You can summon their ghosts?"

Torrhen nodded. "They were. That particular Shout is named the Call of Valor. It allows me to summon the spirits of fallen warriors in times of need. The man was Kodlak Whitemane; a mentor of mine in my youth."

"Could you…" She paused. "Is it possible for you to summon any fallen spirit?"

Torrhen knew what she was after. "No," he shook his head, sadly. "I'm sorry but I cannot summon the ghosts of your friends." Her ears drooped as he explained. "The Call of Valor allows me to summon the spirits of Sovngarde; an afterlife reserved for fallen Nord Warriors. Unfortunately, none of your friends were Nords. What is more, I cannot control who is summoned or even if anyone will show up. When I use the Shout, it is essentially a request for help. It is up to Shor, the god who rules over Sovngarde, to decide who is sent. I have no say over who he sends.

"Lord Hermes said you were a demigod. Is that your father? Shor?" She asked.

Torrhen chuckled and shook his head. "No," he said. "I am the son of Akatosh. The Dragon God of Time. Akatosh is a god belonging to another world. One beyond Genkai. My kind, the Dovahkiin or Dragonborn, are created by Akatosh in times of great need. We are not a single race. For instance, I am a Nord Dragonborn but one of my predecessors, Mankar Camoran, was a High Elf Dragonborn."

"If you're not a race, then what is the difference between you and others? Is it just being the child of a god?"

"I did not have mortal parents, but rather was made directly by Akatosh. Not all of us are created directly by him as I was however," Torrhen explained, "and not all of us wind up following his will. Both Mankar Camoran and Miraak, the first of our kind, turned against Akatosh. Some, like Saint Alessia, are born mortal and made Dragonborn by Akatosh later in their lives. What makes us unique is that we bear the blood and soul of a dragon."

"A dragon? Like the ones in the Dungeon?"

Torrhen shook his head. "No, those are mindless beasts. The Dovah, or Dragons of Nirn, are more akin to spirits. They are direct children of Akatosh and thus, semi-divine and extremely powerful. Dovahkiin are mortals who are blessed with the blood and soul of a Dovah."

"So, your physical body is a human," Torrhen nodded, "but your soul and blood are closer to being divine." She sat in silence for a moment before speaking up again. "You said Akatosh is not a part of Genkai. If that's true, how did you get here?"

"I was born on Nirn, the realm governed by Akatosh and the other Aedra. Once I discovered my true nature and realized how many threats plagued my world, I spent my life in service to Akatosh. The very fate of Nirn rested on my shoulders more than once in the time I served him. After saving my world from more dangers than I could count, I settled down with my family. Many years later, with my tasks complete and my family gone, my father offered to send me here. To a place where the fate of the world no longer rests on my shoulders, so that I could truly retire."

"I see…" Ryuu said.

They were both silent for a few moments. Perhaps now it was Torrhen's turn to ask a question. "How are you feeling?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been through a lot the last couple days. You've learned a great deal and, on top of that, you helped kill a Juggernaut. It may not have been the one that killed your Familia, but it was the same type of creature."

Ryuu sat in quiet contemplation for a good while. "I don't know how to feel." She finally said. "I haven't really had time to process anything but…you told me to find Lady Astrea. To seek her forgiveness. I still don't know if I'm worthy of it but… I think I have to try."

Finn

The crystal ceiling of the 18th floor was glowing with the bright light of mid-morning as Finn led a group through the Loki Famlia camp towards the command tent. Behind him, were Riveria, Gareth, Torrhen, Bors, Tsubaki, and three members of the Guild. Bete and the other runners had returned in the early hours of the morning with a company of adventurers carrying relief supplies and a group of Guild investigators led by a brown-haired Chienthrope named Rehmer in tow.

Once they had arrived, it hadn't taken long to get word out to everyone and begin distribution of food and other supplies that were needed. Most of the adventurers on the 18th floor would be returning to the surface in only a few days, though some like Bors planned on remaining behind to begin repairing the damage done to Rivira.

Finn led the group into the command tent and gestured for them to make themselves comfortable. Aside from the investigators, Finn had assembled the rest of the group because they were the ones with all the information that the investigators were likely to be looking for. Rehmer made himself comfortable in a chair while the other two Guild members broke out notepads and pens so that they could record what was said.

"I suppose we should begin with the exact details of the events of yesterday," Rehmer said once all were settled. "From what Master Bete, Lady Asfi, and Lord Hermes told us, it seems that three powerful monsters were spawned in the late afternoon yesterday? Lord Hermes claims responsibility."

Finn nodded. "That's correct. The first we knew anything was wrong was when they came crashing through the ceiling."

Rehmer nodded. "I just need to ask a few questions to confirm what we were told on the surface. The larger monsters that spawned were irregular versions of the Monster Rexes Goliath and Udaeus, along with an unknown skeletal lizard monster?"

As one, the group confirmed the information.

"As I understand it, the adventurers here divided into groups to handle the Monster Rexes, can we get some clarification on their division?"

Finn nodded. "Since we have dealt with Udaeus before, the majority of the Loki and Hephaestus Familia members tackled the irregular version while a small detachment joined up with the adventurers from Rivira to deal with Goliath."

"Andromeda and I organized the defense of Rivira," Bors chimed in. "If it hadn't been for the detachment from the Loki Familia, we might not have made it. One of their mages led a powerful barrage of spellcasters. They, in conjunction with a special attack by the Rabbit Foot, are responsible for killing the Goliath."

"Afterwards, Lefiya, who led our detachment, and Mr. Cranel led what adventurers who could still fight over to us to join the battle against Udaeus" Riveria added.

"What of the skeletal lizard? From what information we have, it caused several fatalities during its initial appearance." Rehmer asked.

"I handled that," Torrhen chimed in. "I and one other led it as far from the fighting as possible and dealt with it there."

"And who are you, sir?"

"Torrhen," he said, "Semi-retired member of the Hestia Familia. The younger members of my Familia were pass-paraded on the 14the floor and wound up here on 18. I led a rescue team organized by Hestia down here to find them."

"That would be the team Lord Hermes accompanied down into the Dungeon?"

"Against my wishes, yes."

"Torrhen is powerful," Finn spoke up. "He's a regular sparring partner for Ais, Gareth, and myself so I trusted that he could handle the lizard."

Rehmer nodded as his assistants copied down their testimony. "What of the casualty report? Has a final count been done?"

This time, Riveria spoke up. "Yes," she said, "sadly, we have recovered fourteen bodies. Most of those, it seems, were camping in the woods near to where the monsters first appeared. Thankfully, we had plenty of healing items on hand to keep that number from growing."

The guild official nodded. "Lord Hermes has given his testimony about what triggered the incident, but I wish to confirm. He claims that an accident occurred which caused him to lose control of his aura, thereby angering the Dungeon. Can you confirm this?"

Riveria nodded. "Hermes was attempting to spy on several female adventurers who were bathing when he fell out of a tree. The cloak he had been wearing to conceal his aura came off as a result of the fall."

Rehmer sighed. "Well, that checks out with what Lord Hermes told us. I can assure you that he will be punished, but we have orders to keep things as quiet as we can. Lord Hermes will be penalized, and a statement to that effect will be made to the public but Lord Uranus has demanded that we keep some information quiet. For instance, all information regarding the skeletal lizard monster is to be suppressed. I don't know what it was, but Lord Uranus is adamant that no information about it be leaked to the public."

"That's crazy!" Gareth said, angrily. "Monster information is supposed to be shared freely!j Especially for one so dangerous!"

"No," Torrhen chimed in. "Hermes told me what that thing was. They're right to keep information about it as quiet as they can. You do realize that you can't keep it all down though, right? Too many people saw it."

Rehmer nodded while Gareth grumbled. "We know that we cannot keep everything quiet, but we can at least keep exact details from reaching the public. It's the best we can do."

"What of Hermes?" Tsubaki chimed in. "His actions got fourteen adventurers killed and nearly killed a whole lot more. I, for one, want to know what his punishment will be."

"Lord Hermes is currently being detained by the Guild, while we investigate. Until we have concluded our investigation, I cannot tell you what his exact punishment will be."

"I can accept that for now," Bors grumbled, "but what of Rivira? The town got caught up in several of Goliath's attacks. Our stores are empty and half the buildings were destroyed. Much as I hate to say it, we are going to need some help to rebuild."

"The Guild is not against offering you assistance but…" Rehmer hesitated. "We are requesting that the Dungeon be evacuated for the next few days. Considering the events of yesterday, we believe it best to allow the Dungeon a few days to restore itself before any construction attempts begin."

"Evacuate?" Bors demanded. "You mean the Dungeon is going to be sealed off?!"

"Only for a few days! A week at most!" Rehmer said. "With all the chaos, we feel that's what's best." Finn doubted that this was a decision made by just the Guild. Loki had mentioned just how much pull Lord Uranus had on the organization. If this was an order from him, they couldn't' disobey.

"I think I speak for most of us," he chimed in, "when I say I don't mind not entering the Dungeon for a few days. We, at least, were returning from an expedition when this happened. We'd like some time to rest."

"Aye, that's probably for the best" Gareth agreed. Bors nodded, reluctantly.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Rehmer sighed in relief. "I just have a few more inquiries about the events of yesterday." The questioning continued on for several more hours while outside, orders were given and preparations began for a mass exodus from the Dungeon.

Torrhen

"It's kind of hard to believe just how much has happened over the last few days," Welf commented. He was stood next to Torrhen, waiting for the signal that it was time to move out and ascend the stairs. The Guild investigation had lasted a few hours but they had been able to answer most of their questions about the incident. Once the questioning was over, the group had spread out to aid in organizing the temporary evacuation of the Dungeon.

The exodus would be done in three stages. Since they were returning from an expedition, on top of taking charge during the recent battle, half of the Loki Familia would be heading out first accompanied by the Hephaestus Familia and Torrhen's group, comprised of the members of the Hestia and Takemikazuchi Familias. A second group, made up of the rest of the Loki Familia and other scattered adventurers would move out an hour after the first group departed. The last group, led by Bors and comprised of the residents of Rivira, would move out an hour after that.

Torrhen and his group were stood off to the side as the first exit team assembled. It wouldn't take long, only a few hours, for the group to reach the surface. Off to one side, Finn and Riveria were getting the group organized while Gareth gave instructions to the
Second String members who would be leading the second exit team. Despite several having been wounded in the battle, the members of the Hestia and Takemikazuchi Familias had been healed rather easily and had spent most of the night and morning assisting with the cleanup, forest search, and evacuation prep.

Bell in particular had become very popular. While none save a few were aware that he'd killed the Juggernaut, many had approached Torrhen to thank him for healing them. Far more, however, had approached Bell to thank him for his leadership and actions during the battle. Torrhen was not afraid to admit he was proud of his young protégé. By all accounts, the boy had carried himself well over the course of the battle and had even managed to take charge and rally the ground forces once Goliath was defeated. He really was shaping up to be quite the young adventurer. That wasn't to say that he was any less proud of the others, of course. They had all performed exceedingly well and were deserving of praise.

"We have quite a lot to get done once we're back home," Torrhen said to Welf and Bell, who were standing nearby. "Now that the battle is done, we need to perform the conversion of our friends from the Takemikazuchi Familia. Not to mention investigating the Apollo Familia and finding out exactly who pass-paraded you. Also, you and I have quite a lot of smithing work to do, Welf," He mentioned to the red-head. "Nearly everyone's armor and weapons were damaged during the battle, so most of our Familia is in need of a repair or replacement. I, personally, have agreed to make new gear for Finn and Riveria, not to mention enchanting Gareth's new armor."

"I'm really looking forward to having so many projects," Welf grinned. "I'll need to get everybody into the forge so I can go over what they want as soon as we get settled back at the Hall."

"You may want to give it a day or two," Bell said. "We could all use a good rest, and Goddess Hestia is planning a meeting soon."

"That she is," Torrhen nodded. "We'll be having a proper, formal meeting with Loki soon. Two or three days after we return to the surface would be my guess."

"Hmm, true" Welf acknowledged. "I could use a couple days to sleep before I get back into the forge. It's just the idea of having so many commissions makes me so excited!" Torrhen chuckled. It was good to see his apprentice so inspired. Still, everyone needed time off. There would be time for excitement after they'd gotten their new members settled. Speaking of the new members, Torrhen called out to them.

"Make sure you stay close once we're out," he called to the three members of the Takemikazuchi Familia. They, and Lili were standing a few feet away from Torrhen, Welf, and Bell. "Takemikazuchi will likely be with Hestia once we return to the surface, so you should just stick with us." The trio nodded. Before they could respond, however, Finn stood up on a makeshift podium to address the group.

"Alright, everyone!" He shouted over their heads. "It's time for the first wave to move out! We'll be keeping to an orderly fashion, so stay with your teams and don't wander. A few runners have been sent to warn the surface that we're coming. We should make it out of the Dungeon in a few hours if we all stick together! Let's move!"

As one, the large group of adventurers began to file onto the stairs to Floor 17. Leading the group were the executives of the Loki Familia, with Tsubaki and a few of the Hephaestus smiths just behind them. Torrhen's group was next up the stairs, following close behind Tsubaki.
After them came the horde of Loki and Hephaestus Familia members that made up the first exit team. Although they had began their journey in silence, the group hadn't cleared Goliath's boss room before the sounds of chatter began to fill the Dungeon. With such a large group, nobody was even slightly worried about monsters.

"When can I expect an invite to your forge, Torrhen?" Tsubaki grinned. "I still want to get one of these magic packs for myself. Not to mention going over what we're going to do to Gareth's armor!"

"I think we'll all need some time to wind down," Torrhen replied with a smile, "but I won't object to you stopping by in a few days. Hephaestus knows where Hearthfire Hall is, so she can direct you."

"Fair enough!" Tsubaki replied. "I'd like to see some of what you're working on too, Welf so expect me to stop by!"

"You're welcome any time," Welf grinned at her. "I'll be making new gear for pretty much the whole Familia so I'm likely to be working on quite a few projects."

"Oh, Torrhen!" Finn's voice rose up from the head of the column as they rounded a corner. Moving forward, Torrhen joined the Pallum and other executives. "Hasn't the deadline Goddess Hestia gave Loki passed?"

"It has," Torrhen nodded. "We were waiting for you to return to the surface before we sent the invitation so you can expect it in a day or two."

"Invitation?" Tiona asked.

"Goddess Hestia and Loki are planning to meet to discuss a potential partnership or alliance between our two Familia" Riveria explained to the amazon and other executives. "Since the new potions, Lefiya's shield spell, and our packs came from Ais training with Torrhen and Bell Cranel, we feel that something formal is in order."

"I can't deny that all the new stuff has been great, but are we really forming an alliance with such a small Familia?" Bete cut in, gruffly.

"It wouldn't be a public, political alliance," Torrhen explained. "We wouldn't seek that until we stand on equal footing. More likely, Loki would provide us with some protection from political machinations and we'd do some joint training. Perhaps Welf and I would get first pick on any drop items your Familia sells. In return, you'd get discounts on our enchanting services. I might even be convinced to let a few more spellbooks go." He glanced at Riveria.

"Eh," Bete grunted. "I guess I don't mind, then."

"You'd really be willing to give us more of those books?" Riveria asked, curiously.

"Why not?" Torrhen shrugged. "If we're allied, I have no issue with helping your Familia improve, so long as you return the favor."

"Of course," she smiled.

The group continued in this way for several hours, winding their way through the Dungeon, and dispatching what few monsters they encountered. In that fashion, around late afternoon, the group emerged from the Dungeon entrance and stepped out into Orario. Gathered around the courtyard was a sea of faces. Gods, Goddesses, and a myriad of adventurers, Guild officials, and civilians were standing there, cheering as the group emerged from the tunnel.

It didn't take long for Torrhen to spot Hestia as they began to move towards the crowd. She was jumping up and down, tears streaming down her face, right at the front with Loki, Hephaestus, and Takemikazuchi beside her. The gods moved to join them as the sea of people parted, letting the group through.

"We're back, Goddess!" Bell said, happily.

"Welcome home" she smiled.

A/N: There we go! Mostly just an after-action report and some setting up for the next few chapters. Nothing major.

Again, I'm sorry for how short this one was compared to previous chapters, but I promise the next one will be closer to my normal length.

About Hermes. I have a rough plan in place for his punishment, but I am not against amending it if anybody leaves a good idea in the comments. If you have a suggestion or a guess on what his punishment will be, I'd love to see it.

Also, I'm still open to gear suggestions for any of the characters who are getting new armor.

Total Casualty Report. 197 adventurers alive at the beginning of the battle.

14 dead. No permanent, crippling injuries, thanks to potions and powerful restoration spells.

About the death toll. I was honestly shocked that nobody died fighting Black Goliath in canon. Not only that, but if I killed too many people, there was no way I could get out of not exiling Hermes. So, I made the number of deaths a bit small. It's still 14 dead people, but if I'd made it somewhere around 20 or 30, I doubt I could get away with not exiling an fairly important character.

I've seen quite a few comments about the falna slowing the aging process. I'm aware of it, but Torrhen doesn't know just how long that extension will be for him. He knows that if he'd never left Tamriel then he'd have a century or two left but until he gets a feeling for how much the Falna has slowed his aging, he's basically guessing at how long he has left to live.

With regard to Torrhen's potential leveling up or becoming a god. If he levels up, he would become a god. I don't seem him attaining godhood. That doesn't seem like it's something he would want to do. He's not as power hungry as Tiber Septim or Miraak were. (Different kinds of power hungry, yes but still power hungry.) Torrhen is the Paarthurnax of the Dragonborn. The one who rejects his nature and resists the instinct to dominate others. He doesn't want godhood.

I am leaning towards an elven pairing for Torrhen, eventually, but I am still open to suggestions. Please, anybody who has pairing suggestions for any character, leave a comment. Only two pairings been officially decided and they're Bell x Ais and Welf x Hephaestus. All other characters are available for pairings of any kind.

About the Juggernaut. This was an irregular, irregular so I took some liberties with its abilities. So far as we have seen, the Dungeon does not create invincible creatures. Ever. With that in mind, I sacrificed the Juggernaut's magic resistance and replaced it with extreme regeneration. A normal one would still be magic resistant but lack the regeneration. I'm sorry if that confused anybody, but that's what I wanted to do. However, I do think Shouts would work on even a normal Juggernaut since they're more akin to warping reality than casting magic.

Answers to Questions

On FFN

Matthew Davis1: Torrhen will be teaching several people more Tamrielic spells.

Temsen: I suppose Torrhen was holding back a little, but the problem was speed. The Juggernaut was a lot faster than Torrhen and he wasn't able to fight it the way he normally would. As for Ryuu, the only times she could do anything at all were when Torrhen had stunned the Juggernaut or it was surrounded and distracted by bigger threats. (I.E. Torrhen, Kodlak, Lucia, and Sofie.)

Petrox: They were way too busy to even think about loot, but I mentioned in this chapter that there were teams in the forest picking up the dropped loot once the fighting was done.

On Ao3

Silmeri: I considered Durnehviir, but ultimately summoning a dragon in that situation would have caused even more panic among the other fighters so I went with Call of Valor.

Land_Of_Chaos: I don't think it would be considered a 'shout with divinity.' The Dungeon seems to react to actual divine beings and Shor doesn't actually show up when you use the shout. Torrhen's divine energy can't be felt unless he used Dragon Aspect and gods just have it naturally.

Hulk9970: You're right. When he did make contact, Torrhen was able to chop off limbs and make crippling blows with ease but the Juggernaut had stupid quick regeneration and was faster than anything Torrhen has ever fought before. That's where his difficulty came in.

Banger'n mash: I don't think I'll go with a Ryuu pairing for Torrhen, even if I go with an elf. She's just too young. Ryuu is 21. Torrhen is 132. That age gap is nuts, even with their longevity. I honestly see him becoming more of a parent figure to her than anything romantic.