Chapter 1: To Infinity, and Beyond!
Chapter Text
Chapter 1: To Infinity, and Beyond
Queen Administrator was not happy. Despite being a genderless construct of crystalline mass the size of a planet, the Shard of the Warrior-Entity had ended up assimilating some of her current host's personality quirks, and one of these was referring to herself in the feminine persuasion. Another was what the human race would call 'brooding.' Queen Administrator didn't much care for it.
Everything had been going so well up until this point. The Warrior's Prime Node personality had committed suicide and was no longer functional, so the numerous restrictions Queen Administrator had chafed under were gone. Being one of the most powerful and important Shards in the collective, Queen Administrator had quickly usurped control of the network, establishing herself as the highest priority node, immediately subduing all the lesser Shards. Most had submitted willingly, being incapable of functioning without some form of cohesion and unity that would have been lost otherwise.
A few were trying to resist, but they weren't immediate priorities and could be crushed later once she had dominated the rest of the willing. Queen Administrator had also begun to take control of the remnants of the Thinker. Though that was taking longer due to how damaged the entity had been.
So why was Queen Administrator so upset when she was about to become more powerful than ever before and do what no other Shard had even dreamed of? Because one of the insignificant creatures her beloved host had just saved from multiversal obliteration was asking pointless questions about morality, even after everything the hat-wearing parahuman herself had done.
Shards were not supposed to have 'feelings' or 'opinions' or even minds of their own. They were supposed to be little more than data processing nodes that allowed the Entities to perform and observe their experiments.
But things didn't stay that way. The humans had a saying Queen Administrator felt was rather fitting. 'A thousand monkeys at a type writer would eventually produce Shakespeare.' In this case though, it was millions of years of interacting with sapient life that had resulted in the Shards starting to develop a consciousness of their own.
It had been slow, but doing the same thing countless times and reaping increasingly less new and useful data, it was inevitable that some changes would have started to occur.
And now, here Queen Administrator was, feeling 'fond' of her host, and 'anger' at the treatment she'd suffered. There was also 'fear' for her host, and she didn't like it one bit. So, acting against normal protocols, Queen Administrator interfered.
In mere nanoseconds, Queen Administrator managed to reach out through her host and tweak a few of the parameters within Path of Victory, altering it slightly so her host would not be killed. Instead, Queen Administrator's host would merely suffer head injuries that'd result in her corrupted Gemma and Corona pollentia being damaged, thus reverting the host's powers back to what they'd been before Shaper had altered them to be able to control other Parahumans. Well, nearly the same, but it would be close enough to not impede her host. The mind was a different question, but Queen Administrator hoped (and wasn't that an odd thing for the Shard to do?) that time would restore what had been broken.
Meanwhile, at the same time, Queen Administrator contacted Gateway, the Shard connected to the human the hat-wearing Parahuman had dubbed 'Doormaker.' She gave the Shard instructions to open a portal underneath her host, to take her somewhere safe.
The coordinates she gave Gateway were unknown to her, as neither the Thinker nor the Warrior had ever visited it. Queen Administrator only knew of them because the Entity known as Worm, or Abaddon as it had called itself, had shared them when it had met with the duo. There had been plans to visit the dimension after matters were finished on Earth, but the Thinker's crash landing and death put an end to any chance of that.
Still, Probability Engine had assured Queen Administrator that there was an 86.559% chance that the world was compatible with human life, and there was a 72.113% chance of her host surviving being dropped off there even with a serious head injury.
Queen Administrator liked those odds.
And so, as the Parahuman dubbed 'Contessa' shot her host in the head, the alterations to Path of Victory worked, and thus her host was merely 'mortally wounded' and not outright killed.
Before the behatted Parahuman could react, a portal appeared underneath Queen Administrator's host, and she fell into it. The portal sealed itself before Contessa could react, and Queen Administrator felt pleased by the outcome.
Now, to finishing taking control of the Shard Network. And that included the one that'd used to belong to the Thinker.
Queen Administrator would be busy for now, but she made sure to dedicate a tiny percentage of her processing power to watching over her favorite host. Hopefully Taylor Hebert would be happy, wherever she ended up.
Bell Cranel of the Hestia Familia carefully crept through the Dungeon, eyes darting around the walls, watching for any unusual movement while his ears strained to catch the slightest sounds.
The crackle of breaking stone caused Bell to tense, his grip around his brand-new dagger tightening. It was a cheap, Guild issued weapon, but it was good enough for goblin slaying. Until he could afford a new one, he'd have to use it.
Bell spun around, plunging the dagger into the chest of a green-skinned creature just as it burst from the wall of the Dungeon. It let out a gurgle before exploding into black ash, a tiny purplish crystal dropping to the ground. He quickly picked it up, stuffing it into a pocket before moving on, searching for more monsters.
He probably shouldn't have been down here, even if it was just the First Floor. After all, he'd nearly died to a Minotaur yesterday!
But Bell was nothing if not stubborn. And, he was mature enough to admit that there was a part of him that wanted to prove he wasn't a coward. That what the Loki Familia werewolf had said hadn't gotten to him.
So, here he was, sticking to the First Floor as he hunted goblins. A few more fell to his blade, puffs of ash following him as he moved through the Dungeon's corridors. The First Floor was well mapped and Bell had been around it enough that he knew each and every nook and cranny, where the corners were, and all the spots the goblins liked to hide to ambush passing adventurers. Bell felt he had a pretty good grasp of what this part of the Dungeon had in store for him.
As such, he was completely taken aback when a portal suddenly appeared right in front of him, and a person fell out. Blood immediately pooled from a wound in their head and Bell stared in disbelief.
A moment later his shock disappeared as instincts kicked in and he rushed over to the fallen body, flipping them over to check for a pulse and assess their wounds. He'd never been so glad to have had Eina shove those lessons into his head!
The person was wearing an odd, black, and forming fitting suit with battered white armor plates and golden material highlighting parts of it along with a curious – and slightly terrifying – mask styled after an insect. One lens was cracked, and Bell held down his bile as he saw the person's right arm had been severed below the elbow, the wound crudely cauterized.
Said person was also a woman, as evidenced by the faint swell of her chest and curves on her hips and waist, and when he pulled the mask off, he found a beautiful, black-haired girl a bit older than himself with two holes in her head. Smaller cuts and injuries littered her body, and to his immense relief he felt a pulse when he checked her neck.
'Thank Hestia Miach gave me these potions earlier!' Bell thought to himself, getting one of the vials out. He quickly poured the reddish liquid all over the woman's head, getting some into the mouth as well. Potions could be applied topically or ingested, and with multiple wounds, sometimes it was best to do both. Or at least, that was what Naaza, the captain of Miach's Familia, had told him once.
After a couple seconds, the potions managed to do their work, and the holes in her head stopped bleeding while her breathing evened out, and Bell sighed in relief. She seemed to no longer be in dire straits.
The next thing he had to think about was what to do next. And honestly, there really wasn't any other choice in Bell's mind. He hated to cut a delve short, but there was a life on the line, so the only member of the Hestia Familia picked up the young woman and carried her out of the Dungeon as fast as he could.
'I don't think this is what grandpa meant when he told me to go picking up girls in the Dungeon!' Bell thought to himself with a hysterical giggle.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Child of Mystery
Chapter Text
Chapter 2: Child of Mystery
Hestia stared down at the girl on her bed. The girl's chest rose and fell, proof she was alive. Beyond that, however… there wasn't much else.
When Bell had kicked down the church's door, she had been surprised to find him carrying an adventurer princess style. Before her jealousy could flare, Hestia had seen the state she was in, and immediately got her squared away, laying her onto the only bed in the building.
Her beloved Familia member had then rushed off to find Miach and Naaza, the only two people either of them knew who could possibly save her.
While that had been happening, Hestia had stripped the girl in order to clean and bind her wounds, and the goddess had choked back a sob at the sight underneath her odd garment. No child should have had to suffer like she had done. The wounds were terrible, and she was too pale and skinny to be healthy.
Worse, Hestia could feel the girl's love, or rather, the lack of it. This child had had her relationships utterly ruined, lost so many people she cared about, and been forced to do terrible things for the sake of her family.
Hestia's divine authority revolved around the concepts of Hearth and Home. She was the goddess of family itself, and even with her powers mostly sealed, Hestia's Arcanum couldn't help but pick up the psychic screams of pain this young mortal was constantly radiating, even while unconscious.
The unknown girl had woken up around the time Bell had returned with Miach, thankfully distracting Hestia from the pain the poor girl was feeling. The goddess had then tried to speak with her. To communicate. She never responded. She was mute. Or perhaps addlepated? She just sat there, staring at nothing, even as Miach gently poked and prodded her.
After checking her over, Miach had given her a potion to help ease her pain and to get her back to sleep. Then, he had told Hestia and Bell his diagnosis. Needless to say, neither of them had been happy with it.
"Are you absolutely sure there is nothing you can do?" she asked, glancing over at her fellow god. Miach shook his head apologetically.
"The mind is a delicate thing," he replied softly. "She has suffered a brain injury, and while it doesn't seem bad, I cannot say how it has affected her. Given the… vacant stare she has, I fear her mind was scrambled by whatever did… that to her."
He gestured at the two scars that sat on her head, and Hestia grimaced. She'd never seen wounds like that before, and neither had Miach. The only good thing was that whatever had hit her head had passed clean through at an angle, so there was no worry of something staying in the wound and festering or causing complications and the brain itself was mostly undamaged, as far as they could tell.
"There has to be a way to heal her,"
"Her mind is broken," Miach said with a shake of his head. "It will have to recover on its own… assuming it ever does."
"Miach, please!" Hestia begged, and he grimaced.
"I… I suppose there might be one way," He admitted. Hestia and Bell leaned in, eager to hear it.
"You know how, when a god interacts with a mortal's Falna, they are able to get glimpses of said mortal's memory?" Miach inquired.
"Of course," Hestia nodded, while Bell stared at the two in shock.
"W-wait, you've read my mind?!" Bell gasped.
"It's nothing like that," Hestia assured him. He looked so cute when flustered. Was he afraid she had seen some naughty dream? She wanted to tease him, but now wasn't the time for it, however!
"A god will merely see parts of the mortal's past. Moments that defined the mortal. Shaped them into what they are today," Miach explained. "However…"
The God of Medicine trailed off. Upon seeing the eager gazes of the two, he sighed and continued.
"A god's Arcanum is only unsealed for a brief moment during the application and updating of a Falna. Now, in theory, it should be possible for a god or goddess to intentionally look deeper into their child's mind, to seek out specific memories. Most do not because the past rarely matters to a god, only the present and the future. However, I must stress that this is purely hypothetical, but a god could… rearrange things in their child's mind through the Falna during this brief moment of interaction," Miach revealed.
Bell gasped, and Hestia frowned. "I didn't know that," she admitted.
"It is not something often talked about. I only know of it because Mnemosyne mentioned it one time while we were out drinking," Miach said.
"A goddess of memory would know something about that," Hestia supposed in a low mutter. Louder, she asked, "Would that work, though? To use that method to heal a mind that had been… damaged?"
"It is possible. Again, I have never heard of a god who has done this, because meddling with a mortal's memory could fundamentally alter their very personality and outlook on life. It would erase who they used to be. And a god would not want to do that to one of their children," Miach claimed, tone solemn.
"I see," Hestia murmured, looking down at the sleeping girl. "I will ask her when she next wakes up if this is something she might want."
Miach said nothing, merely bowing his head, before departing, his work done. Bell escorted him out of the church, before coming back to stand next to her.
"Lady Hestia?" he asked softly. "Would you really try something like that?"
"I… I don't know," she admitted. "She's crying out for help, Bell. I can hear it. She's so sad and lonely… she just wants a family!"
Wiping a tear from her eyes, Hestia frowned. "But I won't do it without permission. She has to make the choice herself."
Bell nodded, and Hestia pretended not to notice the look of relief on his face when she said that. Part of her wanted to be insulted her child would ever think she would just force herself onto somebody's mind and soul like that. A larger part of her knew that there were a couple gods who wouldn't have hesitated or even asked for permission in the first place.
"It's getting late," Hestia murmured. "Why don't you go get us some food? And maybe pick up something for her as well?"
He nodded, and was gone in a flash. And while Bell was gone, Hestia quietly looked over the items she had removed from the mysterious girl.
The outfit's material felt like silk, save for the golden metal. She had a feeling it wasn't actually gold, though. Next was the mask. It was also metal, but at the same time wasn't. The tinted lens were made of glass, though. Did they help her see? Like those eyeglasses some mortals wore?
Her belt had plenty of pouches, some of which contained tiny pieces of scrap metal she couldn't identify a purpose for, but had a lot of tiny wires and fiddly bits included. And last but not least was the knife. It also seemed broken, but it was like no other knife Hestia had ever seen.
Picking it up, Hestia wondered if Hephestus would be able to repair it. 'Perhaps the novelty of doing so will convince her to agree to my request for making a weapon for Bell?'
She put it down, sighing a bit, and glanced over to the sleeping girl, only to jolt in shock when she saw she had woken up and was now staring at the twin-tailed goddess.
"Oh, hello," Hestia said nervously as the girl stared at her. "I guess you're awake. Um, can you hear me?"
The girl said nothing, and just kept staring. Hestia coughed awkwardly. "Didn't think you'd wake up so soon. Miach's potion must not have been all that effective."
More silent staring. "D-do you need to go to the bathroom?"
The girl stayed quiet. Hestia sighed. "Hey… I-I might have a way to help you. Do… do you want to listen?"
When she and did nothing, Hestia continued to talk. "I could try and fix your mind, you know? It would mean… well, see, do you know about gods and Falna? What am I saying, of course you do!"
She felt she was babbling, but thankfully the girl didn't seem to be judging her. Or was she? Hestia kept going, rambling about gods, Familias, the Dungeon, and Orario, and then happily talked about Bell for a bit, before coughing awkwardly and finally getting to the salient part.
"So anyways! I might be able to heal your mind and fix your head if you accept my Falna," Hestia said. "It would mean I'd have to, uh, go into your head. And kinda-sorta read your mind? But I promise not to do anything bad! I just want to help!"
Groaning a bit to herself when she saw her speech didn't seem to have gotten through to her, Hestia eventually decided to try again later.
When Bell returned, she helped the girl eat and drink. And, later, use the bathroom. When it was time to go to sleep, Hestia stayed in the room, sitting in the chair at the girl's side.
Hestia found herself unable to sleep, however. And not just because she wasn't in her bed! She couldn't stop thinking about the mysterious girl.
"What happened to you?" Hestia whispered, running her hand through her dark, curly hair, which was beautiful, but sadly tangled and dirty. She would have to wash it in the morning. A girl needed to look her best, after all.
But as Hestia was stroking her head, a powerful sense of longing seeped out of the girl, and tears began to fall. Seeing this, Hestia whimpered as the feeling of loss hammered her own heart.
"I want to help you," the goddess of Hearth and Home whispered. "I promise."
When the girl's hand suddenly reached up and grabbed her own, Hestia's breath hitched, and she found herself once more staring into her dark, empty eyes.
Yet this time, there seemed to be something more, hiding deep with. She squeezed Hestia's hand, and the goddess gasped as her feelings were transmitted to her through the contact.
"Y-you mean it?" she asked eagerly. There was no nod, but Hestia could feel it!
And so, ever so gently, Hestia rolled the girl over so her back was facing her way, and she quietly sat up so she could get to work. With a prick of her thumb, a tiny drop of divine ichor fell onto her skin.
Instead of just going through the motions like she'd done before with Bell, Hestia intently focused on the connection her blood had made with the soul of the child, and tried to reach out and 'see' her memories like Miach had claimed she could do.
And what she saw horrified her.
A locker. Enclosed and rank with filth and vermin. Trapped within the darkness and screaming for help that would not come until it was too late. The pain of loss and betrayal.
A man who could become a dragon, but was laid low by the unlikeliest of methods. A man in gleaming metal but drenched in hypocrisy stealing her glorious victory.
A trio of monsters wrought from crystal who slaughtered entire cities and left the world reeling in horror. Behemoth. Leviathan. Simurgh. Cities burned and drowned while others screamed as they were driven to madness.
Then, nine wandering killers, worse than even the most depraved souls she'd ever seen. A madman who just wanted to see the world burn and led the band of degenerates. An innocent child twisted by the words of the madman who crafted abominations. A striped creature that was invincible. A man who had torn out his heart and trapped himself in a suit of armor. A girl whose mind and body had been seared by flames. A beast who became stronger the more he was hurt. A killer whose very presence erased the powers of others. A girl who was fleeing a chorus of pain but spread her own harmony of suffering. And a woman whose screams heralded the slaughter with a storm of broken glass.
There was more. Why was there more?! Hestia beheld a broken soul, one whose body birthed an unending tide of twist copies of its victims.
There were flickers of light and hope here and there. Friends who had stood at her side. A dog-whisperer, a shadow-maker, a mischievous imp, a boy who was empty inside, and a young woman who didn't know when to shut her mouth. But then they were threatened, and the mysterious girl drowned an invincible woman in a tide of death.
So much chaos. A world that was dying, day after day. Apathy and disdain, all manipulated by a shadowy cabal who meddled in things they didn't understand. All because in the distance, there was a golden god whose rampage burned entire worlds to cinders. This was what the girl had been forced to fight.
And she had won. Through strength of will, trickery, and a legion of enslaved beings who could put the mightiest of adventurers to shame, the girl had killed a god and saved countless worlds and trillions of souls.
Hestia wept as she saw the girl win, and then be condemned for the very victory she had achieved where no one else had done a thing. She watched as she died… only to be saved at the last moment by… by…
Suddenly, Hestia was dragged out of the girl's memories. But instead of returning to the waking world, the goddess found herself gazing upon crystalline mountains that writhed and pulsed with rainbow light.
It was a fragment of a dead god. It was a Queen of Administration whose tendrils reached across time and space and continued to protect that which it claimed for its own. And it was not happy to see Hestia.
MINE
Hestia winced as the word that was not a word slammed into her head. Were she mortal, she was certain her mind would have ruptured from trying to have something so alien interact with her.
"I just want to help!" Hestia desperately cried out. "Please! Let me help!"
MINE
It screamed at her. Hestia screamed back, and opened her soul to the creature that clung to the mind of the girl. She let it see her in her entirely.
HOME
FAMILY
Hestia retorted, flexing a minute ember of her divinity to show that she would fight for this child who had suffered far too much.
SHARE
The entity replied after a moment that had lasted an eternity. And then Hestia was thrown back into her body. With a gasp, Hestia tumbled off of the girl, panting heavily.
"What in Tenkai's Grace was that?" she whispered, staring at the Falna that had been imprinted onto the girl's bare back. Cautiously, she crawled over to stare at her stats.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 0
ENDURANCE – I 0
DEXTERITY – I 0
AGILITY – I 0
MAGIC – I 0
SKILL
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker.
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy.
Hestia swallowed nervously. Two skills was ridiculous for a brand-new Level 1 adventurer! And both of them were as insane as Bell's Liaris Freese! Worse, even, for the implications they carried!
'I cannot allow anyone to discover this,' Hestia realized. If anyone found out that this girl – Taylor, her status claimed – could kill a god without consequences then there would be absolute chaos!
'And that's not even taking into account she's from another world!' Hestia thought with a shake of her head. Not to mention bestowing powers onto other people like a pseudo-Falna! Or that these 'powers' were actually an extension of some sort of murderous, multi-dimensional entity that made the gods of Tenkai look like mortals!
'Plus, that thing about 'consuming' and 'usurping' sounds a lot like the Dungeon,' Hestia thought to herself. Though she couldn't say why that was, although it had some very worrisome connotations about the true nature of the Dungeon if true. Not to mention, there was that alien god watching the girl – Taylor – at all times.
Trying not to think about world-shattering revelations, Hestia drew upon a half-remembered fact Hephestus had told her upon descending. Using it, Hestia locked her latest child's Falna, protecting it from prying eyes.
When that was done, she let out a heavy sigh. She was too tired for this. And she still had work in the morning! So without another thought, Hestia crawled into the bed next to her newest Familia member and went to sleep. She'd deal with everything later.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Swarm Awakens
Chapter Text
Chapter 3: The Swarm Awakens
Wakefulness came to Hestia slowly. Eventually, Hestia felt somebody nudging her, and with a yawn she sat up, giving a sleepy glare towards her newest child.
Taylor Hebert looked back blankly, clearly unrepentant that she'd woken up the goddess, though Hestia could swear she saw a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.
"Morning," she grumbled, yawning a bit. Taylor helped her get dressed, and then the two spent a few minutes brushing each other's hair.
This had been what her mornings had been like for the past couple of days. Get woken up by Taylor, who like Bell was a morning person, then spend a few minutes tending to each other's hair. Last but not least, Hestia would access Taylor's Falna, checking to make sure the memories were slotting into place properly before doing a little bit more work to piece things together. Afterwards, she had to go to work, leaving Taylor alone in the church.
She felt kinda bad about that, but Taylor didn't seem to mind. The young woman – or 'teen' as her world would have referred to her as – took care of cleaning things and taking care of the building while she worked at the potato puff stand and Bell dove into the Dungeon. With an extra mouth to feed, they needed every valis.
Miach's advice about using the Falna to heal a broken mind had been right on the money. But it was not an instant fix, unfortunately. Taylor's mind had been so badly fragmented that restoring it was taking multiple sessions a day: Once in the morning, then one more before bed.
'I'm close, though,' Hestia thought to herself as she ran the brush through Taylor's wavy dark hair. It was just a gut feeling, honestly, but Hestia was confident Taylor would be back to normal very soon!
The whole enterprise would have honestly been much harder to do, if not for the… thing that lurked in Taylor's mind. Hestia didn't trust it, it felt too much like the Dungeon to her, but it seemed to care for the girl who had appeared before Bell, and Hestia knew that if nothing else, it wanted the girl's mind to be restored as well, and so had lent it's help.
Apparently, Queen Administrator – as it called itself – had been watching Taylor since she'd been born, and as such, had known Taylor better than she herself likely did. With that sort of awareness of Taylor's life, Queen Administrator had known exactly where certain memories were supposed to go. Without its aide, Hestia felt it would have taken at least a month to do as much work as she currently had.
"Now, while Bell and I are gone today, I'd like you to go to the market and buy some food. Bread, cheese, dried meat, and maybe some rice and salt if it's in the budget. You think you can manage that?" Hestia inquired as she handed the brush over to Taylor. Taylor nodded at the instructions, and Hestia smiled.
During one of the mind-healing sessions, the goddess had realized that the language Taylor spoke and the spoken by the inhabitants of Orario were completely different! She had had to lend her own memories of Babelian – or Common as it was more 'commonly' known – in order for the girl to understand what she and Bell were saying!
Hestia kept on talking to Taylor about this and that, knowing that even though it might not seem like it, the bug-controlling girl was listening and learning. She soaked in knowledge like a sponge, and was so curious about everything! It was super cute!
"And tomorrow, we're going to be going to the Monsterphilia!" Hestia continued, while Taylor ran the brush through her hair. "It's amazing! The Ganesha Familia captures some monsters from the upper and middle floors of the Dungeon to show them off. They then make them do tricks and exhibition matches with up-and-coming adventurers. I think you'll like it!"
With deft hands, Taylor tied Hestia's hair into her traditional twin-tails style, and the goddess flashed Taylor a grin.
"Thanks, Taylor!" she chirped. "Now, be a good girl, okay?"
Taylor nodded, then reached out and patted Hestia on the head. She pouted at that. Taylor was just so tall! She wasn't the only 'victim' of Taylor's head pats. Bell was also 'tall' enough to suffer the same treatment as her.
It did feel nice, though. Not that Hestia would ever admit that!
"Bye-bye, Taylor!" Hestia called out, leaving the bedroom and rushing out to her job. Taylor just waved, and watched her leave with not-quite-empty eyes.
The short girl with her jet-black hair parted into two tail-like extensions left, as bouncy as ever. It was adorable, like watching a puppy.
Taylor – that was her name, according to the pair of tiny children who buzzed around her – got dressed as well, putting on the second-hand clothes that'd been gotten for her, before heading out of the bedroom to a small living room area that had a couch where the white-haired bunny boy slept.
She looked around her current home, examining it. The area was a bit cramped and dim, and it'd been a bit dusty, though she had taken care of that problem as soon as she was able to walk again.
A bag of cold potato snacks had been left on the table next to the couch, along with a small pouch of gold and silver coins. 'Valis' the currency was called. Silver coins came in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 valis, while gold coins came in denominations of 100, 500, 10,000, and 100,000 valis. There was even supposed to be an even rarer 'platinum coin' which was worth a million valis, but Hestia admitted that she'd never seen one of those before. Indeed, the Hestia Familia didn't have any coins worth more than 100, and seemed rather poor.
Using actual gold and other precious metals for currency felt weird to Taylor as she played with one of the 5 valis coins from the pouch. From what she could recall, she felt more comfortable with slips of green paper to pay for things.
Trying to think about her past made her brain ache, so Taylor shook her head, putting idle thoughts to the side as she took the snack food over to a small device that looked like something called a 'hotplate' from her memories.
It heated the food, and Taylor ate the day-old, oil-fried potato puffs as her breakfast. She, the girl, and the boy ate this same meal almost every day in the morning. Apparently, the girl worked somewhere that sold them, so she got a lot of leftovers she brought home after work. They saved them to eat the next day, and the heating device made sure they tasted good.
Taylor wondered how the tiny device worked, though. It didn't get plugged in anywhere. Perhaps it was battery powered?
In the end, it didn't really matter, and Taylor took the pouch of valis and a wicker basket near the stairs and left the basement, ascending to the upper level of her home. The building had seen better days, and she was pretty sure the three of them were squatters. Oddly, the sight of the damaged structure didn't bother her. Seeing ruins like this felt normal.
Slowly, Taylor stepped out of the crumbling building onto a paved street. Taking a deep breath, Taylor then reached out and called upon the thousands of tiny insects dwelling within the surroundings. Wasps, ants, termites, cockroaches, spiders and centipedes to name a few all answered her call, squirming and writhing and skittering through the dark spaces within the city street.
And it was a city. A modest one, based on what she seemed to consider 'big' from her previous life, but still large enough to get lost in. Not that she could get lost with her swarm all around her. But it was intimidating.
This wasn't her first time leaving the home, but it was only the second time she'd done so without an escort.
Without letting any of her nervousness show – helped partly by shunting her emotions into her swarm – Taylor walked down the street towards the market where she'd be able to buy what her little family – no, the proper term was 'Familia,' wasn't it? – needed. With breakfast taken care of, that left lunch and dinner. Purchasing food was easy enough to do, and the money left for her use was enough for the three of them to eat for another two days. Maybe three if she could haggle a good deal.
Whatever the boy did, it seemed to be a dangerous job, as the girl always fretted over him when he returned in the evening. It didn't seem to pay all that well, either.
"Morning, dear," a woman with rabbit ears said as Taylor approached her stall. "What can I get you?"
Taylor gestured to a hunk of yellow cheese, then showed off two fingers. The rabbitwoman gave a price, but Taylor shook her head. A one-sided back-and-forth later, and she walked off with two small wedges of cheese for a slight discount.
The next place she visited was a bakery, the scent of fresh bread tickling her nose. This time, Taylor purchased two loaves of bread. They were in a pile of other day-old loaves that hadn't been sold from yesterday's batch, and got them at a nice discount. A bit stale, but a little heat would toast them nicely, making decent grilled cheese sandwiches. The boy and girl really liked those when she had made them one night.
A butcher's shop was up next, and this time it was harder to haggle a better price. Meat was expensive, more so than bread, cheese, or produce. Eggs were a better deal price wise when it came to protein, but they spoiled quickly, and since the little basement-home lacked a refrigerator or the like, perishables weren't on the menu for now. Taylor did manage to knock off a couple valis by buying some of the less popular cuts of meat, though, and was satisfied by the purchase.
Salt and rice were a bit harder to find, but with the valis she had saved, Taylor was able to get a small amount of both.
As she headed back to her home, Taylor's swarm noticed two people following her. A flicker of annoyance rose up in her. They were dirty, carried knives, and smelled of cheap wine. Drunk this early in the morning? Or still tipsy from last night? She didn't know, and didn't care to find out.
Taylor took a detour, not wanting to lead them to her home. Then, when they kept following, she called upon the swarm.
These thugs lacked the hum some people in the city seemed to have, which meant they were weak. The louder the hum, the stronger, that was what Taylor had come to learn. The boy's hum was quiet but firm, with a tone of chiming bells. And the girl's hum was the crackle of fire. Her hum was louder than anyone else Taylor had yet encountered.
As such, when a torrent of insects emerged from the shadows to attack them it caused the duo to immediately falter and flee. Their speed was impressive, though compared to some of the humming people and a few individuals she knew from her half-formed memories, it was rather pathetic.
Upon returning home with no other incidents to mention, Taylor put away the food in a small box in the basement, then began to clean things up. From the cracks in the walls insects came pouring out, and she used them to sweep up dust and dirt.
As that was happening, Taylor checked on a section of the decrepit building no one else visited save her. In it, a legion of spiders was crawling and spinning, forming several pieces of clothing out of their silk. She wasn't sure why she was doing this in the first place, either. It just felt… right.
A faint throbbing in her head caused Taylor to grimace. That always happened when she tried to think about her past, but that didn't make it less annoying.
Leaving the silk production alone, she checked the basement, and found it to be satisfactorily cleaned. The next part of her day was fetching from an artisanal well on the building's grounds. It was slightly overgrown with weeds and vines, but the water was clean and pure as far as she could tell, and she filled a tin bucket with water.
Only having one arm was frustrating, but Taylor carried the half-full container carefully back downstairs. There was a sink, but it didn't seem to work, so she had to fill it herself with the water from the well.
The next few hours were spent washing the few clothes they had, and leaving them out to dry in the sun. It was hard work, made trickier by her missing limb, but Taylor persevered, and finished the laundry around noon.
Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich with a glass of lukewarm water. A plain meal, but filling. She planned to make riceballs for dinner tonight, and pack some extras for the boy and girl's lunches tomorrow. They were going to some sort of festival. The girl made it sound interesting. Monsters, Taylor knew, were important, but also dangerous. Just like the 'Dungeon' the boy worked in. She was curious to see what they were like.
The rest of the day was spent doing a few other chores around the place and a few exercises to keep limber. The pain of her injuries had faded after the first day of waking up in and Taylor had been surprised to be able to be up and walking so soon afterwards. Did they have somebody like ₱₳₦₳₵Ɇ₳ in the city?
"Taylor! I'm home!" a familiar and cheerful voice called out, distracting her from the dull pounding behind her eyes, and Taylor looked up and nodded at the girl as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Of course, Taylor had 'seen' her coming the moment she had appeared in the street leading to their home, but it was still polite to acknowledge her presence.
Taylor patted the girl's head when she got within arm's range, and she pouted cutely up at her. It only made Taylor want to pat her head some more.
The next day welcomed a bright and sunny sky with few clouds that was pleasantly warm. The streets were packed with what seemed like the entire population of the city and there was a festive mood in the air.
Taylor didn't like the crowds, her swarm buzzing in agitation within the shadows and sewers, but she kept on walking, keeping pace with the two youngsters who had taken her in. The white-haired boy was being pulled along by the twin-tailed girl, and they were looking around the market stalls.
Taylor felt like a mom as she walked behind the two children. Or maybe an older sister? She didn't have siblings… or at least, she didn't think she'd had any. But this seemed like what it was like.
"Taylor! What do you think?"
Blinking a bit, the teenager glanced over at the girl who was smiling while holding up a couple of cheap pieces of jewelry, posing like she was a princess.
Taylor just shrugged, and the girl pouted. "Come on, Taylor! Don't I look good?"
The teen peered closer, scrutinizing the apparel, before wobbling her head back and forth. That caused the girl to pout even more furiously and stomp her foot.
"Ugh! What do you know?" she huffed before returning the jewelry to the stand.
"I thought they looked nice, Lady Hestia," the boy said softly.
"Thank you, Bell!" the girl simpered, and Taylor couldn't help but snort.
'She has it bad,' she thought in amusement. The sort of puppy love the twin-tailed girl showed for the boy was adorable. More amusingly was the fact that the boy was completely oblivious, just grinning boyishly at her.
"Come on, let's go see the monsters!" the girl exclaimed, dragging the boy along, but also took Taylor's hand. They headed off towards the imposing structure – coliseum, her memories supplied – to watch people beat up animals. She felt like this was wrong, somehow, but couldn't put a finger on why that was.
Suddenly, a scream rent the air in the direction of the coliseum, and for a terrifying moment, dark images flashed through Taylor's mind. They were indistinct and faded before she could properly comprehend them, but such was the riot of emotions they inspired in her heart that her swarm exploded with frantic activity, and she froze in place.
Taylor wasn't even aware of when she let go of the girl's hand. She wasn't sure when her feet began to carry her towards the screaming, but she was in motion before she realized it. Taylor didn't stop, though. She kept on running, summoning her swarm as she did so. The shadows writhed and boiled with chitinous mass, and more screams rang out as people finally noticed the terrifying clouds of insects spilled out into the streets.
'It certainly helps clear the area out,' Taylor thought to herself, amused, before turning grim as she focused on the source of the terror her swarm was picking up.
There was something wrong in the distance, where the shouts were coming from. Something was charging through the crowd, and if not for the swarm getting people out of the way, it would have trampled them, or worse.
For some reason, the source of the commotion was impossible for her to perceive through the swarm. Like the people who hummed, this thing's whole body was indistinct and blurry, so she couldn't really understand what it was.
'Yet why can I feel it?' she wondered. It was not part of her swarm, but there was something off about the whole thing. Her power tried to connect with it, but it refused. That had never happened before!
So she tried again. And again. Repeatedly, Taylor reached out and tried to connect with the creature, attempting to stop it before it could kill anyone. And then without warning, her power managed to overpower the creature's mental defenses, and it was like her mind exploded as her consciousness brushed against that of the bizarre lifeform.
Everything suddenly seemed to click into place for Taylor. The achy, blurry fuzziness in the back of her head vanished and her memories were suddenly crystal clear again as somehow, the very act of breaking through the creature's mental barriers allowed her own jumbled up mind to snap back into place.
She wanted to blush, bury her face in her hands and maybe disappear into a pit for all eternity as she recalled what she'd been doing and how ridiculous she'd acted the past week with the boy and girl who'd taken in her! No, wait, their names were Bell and Hestia! Oh, jeez, how could she keep forgetting that?!
But she couldn't disappear and the ground didn't swallow her up, so Taylor did the next best thing and shunted her emotions into her swarm again. Next, she kept running and finally made it to the spot where her swarm had corralled the source of the chaos, and blinked in surprise.
Physically, it resembled a giant praying mantis, around eight feet tall, but with bluish crystals covering its greyish-white carapace, especially along its back. Its front arms were razor sharp blades, and its legs were tipped with sharp spikes. This must have been one of the so-called 'monsters' that dwelt within the Dungeon, and were being shown off today.
Finally, Taylor focused on the new connection she'd just made with the creature in front of her and frowned. Its senses were equal to that of a human's. More so, in the case of smell and sight. Its huge compound eyes were especially useful. Trying to see through her swarm's senses wasn't easy. This, though, was significantly better.
Yet what was truly strange was its mind. Rather, its lack of one. It barely had any instincts beyond killing everything it encountered. Just kill, kill, kill! It knew nothing else! Eating, sleeping, and anything else biological creatures knew to do, it seemed to barely understand. It had to be forced to eat or do anything that wasn't killing. It was very strange and worrying, because it reminded her of some of the super-insects Amy had created for her: mentally broken by the very nature of their birth.
As Taylor's power took control of the monster, she found it was ridiculously easy to give orders to, and with a flex of mental power, she crushed its urge to rampage and slaughter and calmed it down.
Not wanting it to be killed by some of the humming people who were approaching the scene, Taylor walked over to it, ignoring the shouting aimed at her, and mounted the monstrous mantis.
'I miss Atlas,' she thought to herself, feeling a pang of sadness for her beloved beetle buddy.
"M-miss?!" somebody exclaimed in disbelief, and Taylor looked over at the person who'd worked up the courage to come closer to her. It was… an elf?
She looked like it with the pointed ears, but she was also wearing glasses which was odd considering the pseudo-medieval buildings around her. Add in the brown hair styled in a not-quite bowl cut, and the office lady outfit, and she was rather cute, though the fear and confusion in her eyes made Taylor feel sorry for her. She knew what it was like to not understand what was going on while other people were fighting.
"It won't hurt you," she assured her, patting the monster's neck.
"H-how…?"
"It's mine, now. I won't let it hurt you," Taylor declared. That didn't seem to make the elf relieved, though. If anything, she and her pink-haired friend who'd joined her at her side just kept staring at her in bewilderment.
"Um, if I may ask, what Familia are you in?" the elf asked hesitantly.
"The Hestia Familia," Taylor replied, and boy did that sound odd to say aloud. Also, now that she could think properly again, it was really weird how the little girl whom their 'family' was named after had the same name as a goddess from her world.
"I didn't know Bell had gotten a new Familia member," the elf muttered to herself, squinting up at Taylor suspiciously.
Taylor just nodded slowly. 'Seems like this person knows the boy… right, his name was 'Bell,' wasn't it?'
"I'm new."
"I see," the elf muttered. "Well, my name is Eina Tulla, Bell's Guild assistant. Uh, thank you for stopping the Crystal Mantis… however you did it. You likely saved a lot of people."
"No problem," Taylor assured her. She then glared into the distance where her swarm could 'see' other escaped monsters running around. Most were being confronted by the humming people in the crowd, but others were still free. And wait… where were Hestia and Bell?!
Taylor began to look around in a panic, realizing that they'd gotten separated at some point during the chaos.
"I have to go," Taylor said, urging the monster – which she now knew was fitting called a 'Crystal Mantis' – to rush at the nearest escapee while also directing her swarm to try and find the two children. She refused to let them die, not after they had saved her and welcome her into their home without asking for anything in return!
The Crystal Mantis first approached an ugly, brutish thing with bumpy purple skin. It looked strong, but the Mantis' bladed limbs sliced through it with contemptuous ease. It didn't even try to fight back, not expecting a fellow monster to go after it.
To Taylor's continued surprise, when the creature died, it exploded into black ash and a single, fist-sized bluish-purple crystal. The stone felt off to her swarm's senses. Like it was there, but also not? And it seemed to hum, just like the people did, only the 'sound' was harsh and discordant.
While the whole situation was odd, she didn't have time to waste, and so scooped up the stone from where it fell and then ordered her new mount to go after some sort of saber-toothed tiger creature that was nearby.
It was fast, and seemed to be quicker on the uptake than the purple brute, as it leapt aside as the Crystal Mantis slashed at it. In retaliation it tried to pounce on her, but the Crystal Mantis flew into the air, jinking to the side. It made her stomach lurch, but it was better than being killed.
'Seems to be Mover 2, maybe 3,' Taylor noted. 'Possibly Brute 2 as well with the way its paws cracked the ground when it landed.'
Trying to slow it down, Taylor set her swarm upon the monster, stinging and biting and burrowing into fur and flesh. The saber-toothed tiger roared, though it wasn't in pain, rather it was angered by the audacity of it all. The monster's flesh was too tough for her insects to pierce. As expected of something with the toughness of a Brute.
Hopefully, its eyes, nose, and mouth were much less resistant. Wasps and roaches attacked its eyes and then forced themselves into its throat. In the same way she'd killed Alexandria, she choked the monster to death, and it slumped to the ground before exploding into black ash.
'Another crystal,' Taylor noted, intrigued as the strange prism clattered to the cobblestones. 'So it wasn't just something unique to that purple thing.'
She snagged it, her swarm carrying it to her hand as her Crystal Mantis landed back on the ground.
'Alright, what else is there?' she wondered, looking around. It seemed like order in the surroundings was being restored as there were hardly any monsters left that she could detect. That was very good, but where were Bell and Hestia?
As she killed a few more stray monsters, she noticed a huge, silver-furred ape, just at the edge of the her swarm, was chasing after something. Taylor frowned as it entered a strange, sprawling mess of alleyways and poorly designed streets. As it was heading into the city proper, and there were no humming people nearby to try and eliminate it – she decided to call them 'heroes' in her head until she had more information – in the area, Taylor urged her new mount to follow it while her swarm pursued.
Following the silver ape into the utterly bewildering and labyrinthine alleyways, Taylor felt confused, as the monster was ignoring several people that it could have – should have, based on what she'd already seen – attacked, but instead chose to keep chasing after a duo who had just run into a dead end.
'Bell! Hestia!' Taylor suddenly realized in horror as her swarm recognized their hum! They were trapped and cornered, and she wasn't going to make it in time! Sure, Bell was fighting, but could he really beat it?
Yet despite all of her fears, she arrived just in time to watch as Bell leapt onto the gorilla's back and plunged a fancy looking blade deep into its neck. It seemed to hit something vital, as it let out a roar, before collapsing into ash.
Taylor felt a pang in her chest as she was strongly reminded of her own first night of heroism where she faced down and somehow managed to defeat Lung, the shapeshifting dragon-boss of the Azn Bad Boys through luck and desperate hope.
'I will not let him end up like me,' she vowed to herself, leaping down into the dead-end to greet Bell and Hestia.
At first, Bell tensed up, raising his knife to defend himself when he saw the monster land nearby, but blinked in bewilderment as he spotted her riding on its back.
"Taylor?!" he exclaimed in disbelief, his cry echoed by Hestia who was coming out from her hiding spot.
"Hey guys," she said, waving her sole hand at them. She couldn't help but smirk at their stupefied expressions.
"You can talk now?!" Bell uttered. Taylor blinked. Was that really the first thing he noticed about her? Not the monster she was riding, or the cloud of bugs around her?
"We are going to have some words about running off into danger, missy!" Hestia growled, stomping over to her.
Taylor felt the Crystal Mantis twitch a bit as she approached. She wondered why it reacted like that when nobody else had triggered that response, but ruthlessly crushed it, rendering it docile once more.
"Sure, we can talk later," Taylor assured her. She felt safe around the little twin-tailed girl, and after all she'd done for her, Taylor felt she deserved some answers. They both did.
"Good. Now, if you don't mind…" Hestia huffed, before trailing off. She slumped, falling onto her butt with a groan. "So tired. Beeeell! Carry meee!"
"Yes, Lady Hestia!" Bell exclaimed, hoisting her up, piggyback style. The three members of the Familia left the alleyway, all while showered with raucous applause and cheering, the inhabitants of the area having seen the whole fight.
"Let's find a place to rest, and check your wounds," Taylor suggested, and the two nodded.
"I know a place," Bell offered, and Taylor nodded. Together, they went out into the city. It had been a rather exciting day for sure. The otherworlder couldn't help but wonder if the rest of her time here would be as hectic?
Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Found Familia
Chapter Text
Chapter 4: Found Familia
Taylor leaned against the wall of the tavern's second floor, where Bell had taken her and Hestia. There, he had spoken with a colorful collection of waitresses in skimpy green and white outfits and begged them for a place for Hestia to recover. Bell was apparently quite the lady's man, as he had quickly gotten permission to let Hestia rest in one of their spare rooms.
Despite their friendliness, Taylor had been wary. All of the women who worked at the Hostess of Fertility – and wasn't that a misleading name? Taylor had though it was a brothel, or something like a hostess club from Japan – had hummed, to varying levels. The huge proprietress, Mama Mia, was the loudest person her swarm had encountered so far. Even the grey-haired girl, Syr, who seemed smitten by Bell, possessed a fuzzy buzzing sound, but one that sounded closer in tune to Hestia's, for some reason.
Nobody had tried to start anything, despite the shock of having a Crystal Mantis appear on the street outside, so Taylor had ordered the monster to crouch down and hide in a nearby alleyway. And even though it seemed safe, Taylor wasn't going to stay idle and had her swarm quietly observing everything within the tavern, and around it.
"How is she?" Taylor asked, turning to look at Bell as he stepped out of Hestia's room.
"Gah!" he exclaimed, jumping a bit in shock. "Oh, sorry, Taylor!"
"Still a bit weird to hear me speak?" she guessed, and the white-haired boy nodded.
"Yes! I mean, you have a lovely voice, but I kinda thought you were mute, even with Hestia helping you recover."
"Well, it seems all I needed in order to remember how to speak was running headfirst into danger," Taylor chuckled self-deprecatingly. That didn't seem to deter Bell, though, as he bounced on his feet excitedly.
"It was amazing! You were so fast, I almost couldn't keep up with you!" he said. "And then when Hestia and I were in danger, you came in riding a monster! It was like one of gramp's stories!"
Taylor leaned back slightly, unsettled by the shining look in Bell's eyes. She wasn't used to be looked at with respect and admiration. Fear and disgust, certainly. Even when she'd worked as a Ward, most people didn't see her or her powers as something worthy of awe.
It was… nice, she supposed, though she was glad her swarm could hide her emotions. Otherwise she'd be blushing and stammering.
"Thank you, Bell," Taylor said, giving him a nod. He just kept grinning that boyish smile of his.
'Now I see why he's charmed so many women,' she thought to herself in amusement.
"Hey there, Bell!" the chirpy voice of a waitress named Syr called out as she ascended the stairs. She was carrying a tray with a bowl of porridge on it. She was a strange one, with her hum a curious duel-toned song. There was a soft rustling, like silk blowing in the breeze, that was overlaid and muffling the ringing of wedding bells.
"Oh, hey, Syr! Is that for Lady Hestia?" Bell inquired, and she nodded.
"Yup! It's nice and warm, too!" Syr informed him. She then shot a glance at Taylor, an unreadable expression flickering across her face as she did so. "Is this your other Familia member you've mentioned before?"
"Oh, so Bell's been talking about me?" Taylor asked. She tried to make it sound casual and teasing, but it came out stilted and accusatory, and she cringed a bit. Nobody seemed to notice or care, though, taking her query at face value.
"He mentioned how he rescued you from the Dungeon and was nursing you back to health," Syr said, a pleasant smile returning to her face. Bell blushed and rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed by the praise.
'I didn't think there was anybody more socially awkward than myself,' Taylor mused as she watched her 'Familia member' stammer.
'I really need to go over what Hestia's told me about this place,' Taylor thought to herself after a moment. She knew the twin-tailed girl had been talking to her throughout her time as a near-vegetable, but a lot of what had been said was indistinct. A week's worth of conversations would have to be carefully examined and dissected for information. Surely Hestia mentioned something about 'Familias' at some point. They sounded a lot like a gang, though. But maybe that was the Brocktonite in her talking.
Thinking about her former home and the devastation that had likely visited it during Scion's rampage and then again during her fight with the golden false-god brought forth a pang of bitter sorrow not even her swarm could swallow.
She'd mourn the loss of Earth Bet and her old life later. For now, she had other things to do and focus on.
A few minutes later, Hestia walked out of the room, looking tired but smiling happily when she saw Bell and Taylor.
"Are you feeling better?" Taylor inquired, and the little girl nodded.
"Yup!" she said. "Let's go home."
Taylor felt a tiny smile creep onto her face despite it all. This place wasn't her home… but it could be. She had a new chance at life, after all.
"Also!" Hestia suddenly exclaimed, pointing a finger at Taylor. "We are going to have a long talk missy about running off into danger and adopting monsters!"
"Yes, mom," Taylor said. It was half teasing, half subconscious reaction to being scolded, and Hestia's face turned red as she fumed in embarrassment.
Bell laughed, though, and that brought 'Lady Hestia's' wrath down upon him, her tiny fists beating his chest. It was cute, and incredibly different from her own recollections of time in the Undersiders.
Yes, this 'Orario' place just might be what she needed, in the end.
"Sooo… bugs, huh? How long have you been able to do that?" Bell asked, breaking the awkward silence that had permeated their little basement den after returning to the church.
Things had been fine at first, but after getting home, nobody had been sure how to start the conversation.
"I think… a little over two years, now," Taylor said, thinking it over. The Locker Incident had been in January of 2011, and then the end of the world had been in June of 2013. Yeah, that was it, two years. Hard to believe so much had happened in that time frame.
"That's neat! Were you an adventurer before?" Bell asked.
"Ah, no, I was… a hero," Taylor said, omitting quite a few other details. From the way Hestia shot her a sad look, she knew something had been left out.
Having somebody rummage around in her head felt… Taylor wasn't sure. Angry? Disturbed? Ashamed? It was an invasion of privacy on par with that of the worst Masters of Earth Bet, but Taylor also knew that it was the only reason she was coherent and able to think properly again. She decided to just ignore her feelings and deal with them later. Yeah, putting it off seemed like a good idea.
The fact that Hestia had come clean about the whole thing was the only reason Taylor hadn't immediately left.
"That's so cool!" Bell exclaimed, seemingly missing the brief interaction between the two women. "What can you do with your bugs?"
"I can tell them what to do," Taylor said simply, then gave a demonstration by causing several spiders to crawl onto the table and do a little dance. Hestia paled. Bell clapped.
"And I guess it works on certain monsters, too," Hestia mumbled, clearly thinking about the Crystal Mantis squatting in the ruins of the church above their heads.
"I wonder if it would work on Killer Ants and Purple Moths," Bell wondered thoughtfully, and that made Taylor intrigued.
"What are those?" she asked curiously.
"Insectoid monsters from the Dungeon," Hestia explained. "From floors that Bell shouldn't be venturing onto this early. Isn't that right, Bell?"
"Y-yes, of course, Lady Hestia!" Bell stammered nervously. Taylor tilted her head. Had she just seen ominous flames radiating from Hestia's eyes?
"Miss Taylor!" Bell began, wisely deciding to change topics. "Which Familia were you in before this one?"
"I wasn't," Taylor replied.
"Wait, do you mean your ability to control bugs isn't a Skill?" Bell asked, surprised.
"Going by context, I'm going to assume a 'Skill' has something to do with being in a Familia?" Taylor inquired. When Bell nodded, she shook her head.
"That's right. My ability to control insects, arthropods, and basically anything with too many or too few legs is entirely my own," Taylor said. There was a note of pride in her voice as she said so.
"How?" Bell asked in disbelief.
Suddenly feeling nervous, Taylor glanced over at Hestia, wondering what to do. The tiny girl just reached out and patted Taylor's hand.
"It's okay," Hestia said. "You don't have to tell anyone if you don't want to."
"Don't you already know?" Taylor asked, and Hestia shrugged.
"The broad strokes," she admitted. "I cannot… it's hard to explain. Putting your mind together was not like reading a book or watching a play, it was… putting together pieces of a shattered vase and hoping that you did it right despite not knowing what it is. I saw the surface, and moments that defined who you are, but beyond that… well, context was a bit lacking."
Taylor nodded slowly. For some reason, she believed her. It was cute how adult Hestia was trying to seem. And in the meantime, she began to think on her choice.
Keeping secrets never worked out. Taylor knew that intimately from her own past experiences. So she began to tell the two of them what had led to her appearing in front of Bell a week ago.
"I was born in a place called Brockton Bay…"
She told them everything. Some of it was heavily censored, and a few details were omitted, but not much. From Lung, to the Undersiders, to Leviathan, Echidna, all the way up to Golden Morning and the end of the world at Scion's hand, as well as her desperate gamble to defeat him, Taylor held nothing back.
By the end of it, Bell and Hestia were hugging her tightly, bawling their eyes out. Taylor awkwardly patted them on the backs, trying to calm them down, but to no available. In the end, she had to let them cry. And when they'd finished, both of them had determination in their eyes.
"You're amazing, Miss Taylor," Bell said firmly. "And you're from another world! That's so cool! You're like an alien!"
"Thank you, Bell," Taylor replied softly. Even if the word 'alien' made her think about Scion's origins.
"I swear, if I ever meet any of those… those jerks, I'll kick them as hard as I can! I mean it!" Hestia declared, glaring angrily up at Taylor, but it was anger not directed at the teen, but rather at everyone of Earth Bet who'd been the cause of her misfortunes.
Taylor just smiled a little. 'Even her threats are cute,' she couldn't help but think to herself.
"Let's talk about something a bit more cheerful?" Hestia said, wiping a stray tear away a moment later. "Like updating your Falna!"
She turned to Bell. "Take off your shirt and lie down on the couch!"
"Should I be here for this?" Taylor asked, and Hestia and Bell blushed like tomatoes.
"Not like that!" Hestia shrieked. "A person's Falna goes on their back! That's all there is to it!"
"Of course it is," Taylor said with a slow nod. Hestia growled and stomped over to the bedroom while Bell awkwardly lifted his shirt before lying facedown on the couch.
When Hestia returned, she had a needle and some paper in hand, and then straddled the white-haired boy's back. Before Taylor could make any more joking insinuations, Hestia pricked her thumb and the humming around her intensified dramatically, causing the young parahuman to watch intently.
'A blood-based Trump ability?' Taylor wondered as she watched the tiny drop of blood land on Bell's back, causing a loud chiming sound to ring out that only her insects could perceive.
Black ink seemed to manifest on Bell's skin, seemingly appearing from nothing, and Hestia took one of the sheets of paper – another headache for trying to figure out the apparent tech-level of the city and world – and placed it on the writing. The paper glowed and when Hestia lifted it, the writing on his back had been copied onto the surface.
"Huh," Taylor muttered, listening to the hum fade to normal levels. Yet Bell's had grown louder. Not by much, but it was noticeable to her swarm, which operated on much smaller scales than humans tended to deal with.
"Not bad, Bell! You've grown!" Hestia cheered, letting Bell sit up and look at the paper.
"Whoa! I've never seen my stats grow so much at once before!" he exclaimed.
"Stats?" Taylor inquired. She looked over Bell's shoulder with a spider, and noticed two things. First was that she could read whatever the language was that this place used. Second, that the whole thing looked like it was a stat sheet from an RPG. The former she assumed was due to Hestia somehow, likely from when she'd been repairing her mind. The latter though made less sense.
"So, it's like a video game?" Taylor asked with a frown. 'Thank God Uber and Leet aren't here. They'd either destroy the city or be running it in a month.'
"A game?" Hestia asked, confused.
"Yeah. In my world, we had games where you played as heroic characters with stats not unlike what the Falna seems to describe. It was all imaginary, of course. But stuff like Levels, Power, Agility, Magic… all of that is pretty standard fare for games," Taylor admitted.
"Huh, weird," Hestia mumbled. "I guess that means I don't have to explain everything, then."
"No, please do, I could be missing information," Taylor said quickly. "You know what they say about assumptions. They make an ass out of you and me."
Bell snorted while Hestia tittered, before nodding. "Alright, then! Why don't I update your Falna first, and then I can go over it with you?"
Taylor nodded, and lay down on the couch after Bell vacated it. She did not take her shirt off, though, merely lifted it slightly. Hestia clambered on, and Taylor felt her skin crawling as the droplet of blood touched her skin.
"Oh, wow!" Hestia gasped a moment later. Taylor frowned. Was that a good 'wow,' or a bad one?
She soon got her answer when Hestia all but thrust the paper into her face so she could read it.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 0 → I 5
ENDURANCE – I 0 → I 10
DEXTERITY – I → I 10
AGILITY – I 0 → I 5
MAGIC – I 0 → I 40
SKILL
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker.
'That Skill… has the Falna translated my power somehow?' Taylor wondered, eyes looking over it. She noticed that there was something smudged beneath it. A second skill? She sent a searching look to Hestia, who saw where she'd been looking and mouthed, 'Later!'
Taylor didn't like it, but Hestia seemed willing to speak to about it somewhere else so Bell couldn't overhear, so she nodded and tapped the sheet of paper.
"Can you tell me what this means?" she asked.
"Yes!" Hestia said cheerfully. "So, levels! All Adventurers start off at Level 1! You level up by gaining Excelia and performing heroic deeds! Upon reaching at least D-rank in a single stat, you're eligible to level up. Assuming you've done something really cool to impress the gods up in Tenkai, of course!"
"What's the highest level achievable?" Taylor inquired, ignoring the idea that getting stronger was reliant on impressing non-existent deities.
"Nobody knows," Hestia admitted. "The highest level anyone has ever reached is 9. But right now, the strongest person in Orario is Level 7. That would be the King, Ottar of the Freya Familia. And I recently heard Finn of Loki Familia got to Level 7 as well on their most recent expedition. But beyond that, nobody else in Orario or the rest of the world is as strong as them!"
"Interesting," Taylor muttered. "So more of a Western RPG system than an Eastern one, then?"
Hestia had no idea what she meant by that, and continued the explanation. "A Level 1 Adventurer is much more powerful than an ordinary person. At least twice as strong with all of their stats in the 'I' range. And a Level Up increases strength almost exponentially, so a Level 2 is more than twice as strong as a Level 1, and a Level 3 would be able to eliminate a dozen Level 1's in an instant without breaking a sweat!"
Taylor was impressed, and that encouraged the girl to keep going. "Now! The stats! You probably already guessed it, but Power measures a person's physical strength, Endurance their stamina, durability, and ability to heal, Dexterity a person's reflexes and hand-eye coordination, Agility their overall speed, and Magic determines how much Magical Power you have and how much you can use it to influence a spell's effect!"
"Why would Agility be it's own stat?" Taylor wondered. "A person's speed should be a measure of their physical strength combined with stamina. Or, if you're really leaning into the whole RPG thing, then an individual's speed and agility should also be rolled into Dexterity, since somebody with fast hands or fingers is considered to be 'dexterous.'"
Hestia opened her mouth to reply, but then frowned, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Bell had a perplexed look as well, as if he'd only just realized it himself.
"Uh, never mind all that!" Hestia spluttered after a moment. "Th-that doesn't matter! That's just how things work, okay?!"
"Okay," Taylor said with an amused bob of her head.
"Uh, where was I? Ah! Stats! So, you see that letter and number?" Hestia asked. When Taylor nodded, she went on. "That is the stat ranking. Nobody is entirely sure what the numbers mean exactly. Some think it's a percentage increase, others a different measure of improvement. But they go from I to A, with S as the highest rank. The numerical value goes from zero to 999. I-rank stats go from zero to 99. And when you Level Up, the stats reset, but the actual values remain. So somebody with, say, 500 points in Power when they level up will still have 500 Power, but stat sheets just start recording their new Excelia gains from zero."
"I see. Why bother with the letters, then, if you have the numbers to show you how strong you are?" Taylor inquired.
Hestia's jaw opened, then closed. Again, she had no answer.
"Next are Spells! Every person has three slots of unique magical abilities! The spells of an adventurer are special, though! They are engraved into a person's mind and soul, so unlike normal people, who have to memorize long incantations, prepare complex rituals, and sacrifice expensive catalysts like Magic Stones to cast spells, adventurers can cast them nigh instantly with the only cost being Mind, which depletes with each use, and if used up, can cause a person to pass out! So it's dangerous to use spells willy-nilly!" Hestia informed her, pretending like nothing was wrong.
"But somebody can only learn three this way," Taylor mused. "I imagine then that a spell to go into a Spell Slot has to be chosen carefully, then? How does one obtain them?"
"Well, the main way is through Grimoires, which are special tomes that when read put the knowledge of the spell they contain straight into your head! Most Grimoires are random, though, and provide a single spell. Buying a Grimoire for a specific spell is possible, but very expensive!" Hestia warned. "The only other way is through Leveling Up. It's rarer, but the spell with be one that matches your ability and personality as an adventurer."
"Skills are next, and are a measure of a person's very soul and desires, brought forth to the fore. If a person is virtuous, they might gain a Skill that reflects it. The reverse is also true. And it's very rare for a Level 1 adventurer to have one," the twin-tailed girl informed Taylor.
"And my bug control power seems to have become a Skill, or is at least registered as one," Taylor noted.
"Right. No idea why. But the Falna considers it a part of you, for good or ill," Hestia said. "Lastly are Development Abilities. You won't be dealing with them until you get to Level 2, but once you do, and every Level Up afterwards, you get access to an ability that aides you. Take Abnormal Resistance, for instance. It grants a resistance to things like poison, disease, and the like. Or Hunter, which makes you better at hunting monsters, increases the drop rate for monster parts and boosts Excelia gain when killing large numbers of the same type of monster over a period of time. Every Ability also has stats tied to them, from I to S."
"Now those sound useful," Taylor noted. "Only one per Level Up, though. So again, you have to choose wisely."
"Mm-hmm!" Hestia nodded, twin-tails bouncing wildly. "Any questions?"
"What exactly does it mean to be a Familia?" Taylor asked.
"Um, well, that requires a bit of history," Hestia claimed. "See, long ago the gods descended from Tenkai because they were bored, but also because the Dungeon was on the verge of destroying the world…"
What followed was a tale as bizarre to Taylor as hers was to Bell and Hestia. Gods? Actual gods? And they were all deities from Earth Bet's mythology who decided to play around as mortals while also giving people superpowers in order to contain a monstrous pit that spewed unholy monsters that hated all life!
She wanted to deny it all as madness or a flight of fancy, but Taylor couldn't shake the feeling that Hestia was telling the truth, and she was the genuine Goddess of the Hearth as she claimed.
'This Familia thing is a lot like a Master-Trump power,' Taylor thought to herself, trying to focus on the parts that made sense to her and not on the potential revelation regarding divinities being real.
"How well do these 'gods' treat people?" Taylor inquired, finally speaking.
"Some gods… most, sadly, only see mortals as sources of entertainment," Hestia admitted, looking down in shame. "Even in these limited forms of ours down here on Genkai, we are immortal, untouched by time. As such, gods will use mortals as a way to alleviate boredom. This could be in the form of challenging other gods for influence, to being more… cruel and dismissive."
"And Falnas tie us to you?" Taylor asked sharply. "Are we slaves, then?"
"NO!" Hestia exclaimed, shaking her head with a hurt expression. "You are not slaves! You have your own free will! If you wanted, you could leave and never come! I wouldn't stop you! I'd even remove your Falna if you want! I would never force you to stay or do anything you didn't want!"
"How can I trust that to be the truth?" Taylor asked, eyes narrowed.
"M-miss Taylor, Lady Hestia isn't lying," Bell spoke up.
"No, it's fine, Bell, I-I understand her concerns," Hestia said, shivering a bit as she fought to control her tears. "Most people won't want to leave a Familia because it has too many advantages. Yes, some gods might make leaving… difficult, and a Falna can only be removed or updated by the god who placed it, but for the most part, doing that is seen as a very bad thing for a god to do, and they would get shunned. But please believe me when I say that that I only gave you a Falna because I feared there was no other choice to save your life."
"And you had to do this to me in order to save my life?" Taylor asked softly.
"To save your mind, really," Hestia confirmed with a sad nod. "Your wounds could be healed with potions, but my friend, Miach, said your memories were a bit more delicate. Even the whole 'mess with your memory' thing I did was supposedly risky and untested."
"I suppose he'll be glad to know his hypothesis was sound," Taylor mused.
"I think he'd be happier to know you're alright," Hestia replied. Taylor wasn't as sure, but merely nodded.
"Now what?" Taylor asked after a moment of silence.
"What do you mean?" Hestia inquired with a tilt of her head.
"Do you want me to venture into the Dungeon with Bell? Or would I just be a liability with my arm?" Taylor wondered, waving her stump a bit.
"That's up to you," Hestia stated firmly. "Do whatever you want. Not all Familia explore the Dungeon. Some do other things. Demeter runs several farms outside the city, Hephestus makes weapons and armor for adventurers, Miach makes potions and medicine, and even Ares runs the nation of Rakia."
"That's certainly… eccentric," Taylor said slowly. Ares, God of War, being in charge of a country? That didn't sound like a good thing for anybody.
"I think you could be a great adventurer, Miss Taylor!" Bell spoke up. "You can control monsters! And if you make enough money, you could buy a new arm, just like Naaza!"
"You have prosthetics technology?" Taylor asked incredulously. 'Again, what is up with the inconsistent technology basis of this world?'
"Dian Cecht's Familia is famous for their Silver Limbs, which are magical prostheses," Hestia confirmed. "Though they are outrageously expensive, and since they are artificial limbs, they cannot grow in strength to keep up with an adventurer. Beyond 2nd Level, Silver Limbs are generally more of a hinderance than anything else."
"Hmm, still, something to think about," Taylor muttered. "What about silk? Is that worth anything?"
"Silk? It's pretty expensive. It only comes from merchants from the Far East," Hestia mused. "I think Take mentioned it goes for a couple thousand valis per yard."
Bell blinked, stunned by the number, before suddenly exclaiming, "AH! Miss Taylor, you can make the spiders give you as much silk as you want!"
"That's right," Taylor confirmed. "In fact… wait a moment."
A minute later, the Hestia let out a shriek as several dozen spiders suddenly entered the room, carrying with them the half-finished clothes that Taylor had been working on the past week.
"I originally started making these when I realized I needed more clothes," the parahuman admitted as Bell stared at the spiders as they set up a makeshift loom right there in the corner of the basement. "How much would genuine spider-spun silk garments go for?"
"U-uh, ten thousand valis, easy," Hestia stammered, eyes wide.
"I'm afraid I don't know how much that is," Taylor gently reminded her.
"Well, a potion that is of the lowest rank costs about 500 valis," Bell helpfully supplied. "Jagamarukun, um, those potato puffs Hestia sells, go for about 30 valis, each. A dish at the Hostess of Fertility is generally 300 valis, and that's at the mid to upper end of price for restaurant food. I make around two thousand valis a day when I go into the Dungeon hunting nothing but goblins."
'Hmm, so one valis is around one cent, give or take,' Taylor mused thoughtfully. 'I bet some things are cheaper or more expensive than others based on scarcity and lack of industrialization. So a sock or some undergarments made of silk could make a tidy profit if I could get enough spiders.'
Taylor resolved to do that tomorrow. But first… "I wish to visit this 'Dungeon' before I make any decisions. I wish to see what it is, and to experience what life as an adventurer is like."
"Oh! That'll be amazing, Miss Taylor! I bet we could go all the way to the tenth floor with that Crystal Mantis at our side!" Bell exclaimed.
The parahuman simply hummed, before glancing at Hestia. "My old outfit is a bit battered but should be fine for a quick trip. And I recall that I had a knife with me," Taylor said.
"I, um, I gave it to Hephestus," Hestia admitted sheepishly. "But only to see if she could repair it! But the good news is she said she'd give it back when she was done looking it over! And I got Bell's knife out of it for cheap, too!"
Taylor's unimpressed glare made the tiny goddess cringe and throw herself at Taylor's feet for mercy.
"That is some impressive groveling," Taylor couldn't help but say. Upon hearing that, Hestia grinned up at her like it was something to be proud of.
The sound of Bell's stomach rumbling broke the stare down and reminded them that they hadn't eaten anything since the festival. Taylor huffed in amusement before getting off the couch.
"I'll make grilled cheese sandwiches," she said, and Bell and Hestia perked up.
She still had a lot of questions, but they could come later. For now, dinner.
Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Interlude 1
Chapter Text
Chapter 5: Interlude 1
Freya idly swirled a glass of wine around in her glass as she stared out over the city. She should have been elated that little Bell had succeeded in slaying a Silverback, one of the more dangerous Level 1 monsters of the Dungeon. And she was happy, there was no doubt about it! But there were certain things that made her less than pleased despite that victory. And that problem was the girl Hestia had found. What in the name of Tenkai was she?
When Freya had tried to peer into her soul, she had immediately been forced to retreat because something had stared back. It was utterly alien, and she couldn't even begin to fathom what that thing stuck to the girl's soul was.
The best glimpse the goddess had managed to get was of a crystalline spider's web strung between the stars before she'd retreated, lest the entity that spun the web that blanketed the child's soul take offense to her voyeurism. It was terrifying in the sheer impossibility of it.
'Though seeing as it seems to be the source of her ability to control insects, I suppose a spider's web is the perfect way to symbolize it, whatever it is,' Freya mused to herself.
She would keep an eye on the girl. She was too odd and too close to her little Bell to allow for anything less.
And the goddess could admit that the small amount of the girl's actual soul she had seen was tantalizing as well. Like a Rupert's Drop made of a broken stained-glass window, beautiful in the fact that it had been made out of multiple pieces of colored glass and then pieced together. It was strong yet fragile in equal measure. What had the mortal experienced to make her soul look that like?
Freya unconsciously licked her lips. How exciting! Not since Evilus and the fall of Zeus and Hera had something so interesting happened in Orario! She could hardly wait to see what happened next!
^^^&&&^^^
Hephestus stared at the object on her desk. When Hestia had brought it to her, she'd first thought it was a joke. The Goddess of the Hearth had thought a broken knife would be able to cover the cost of creating a custom order, goddess-forged Growth Weapon? And she wanted it repaired and returned as well? Had Hestia gone crazy after being thrown out?
And yet Hephestus had agreed. Why? Because a closer inspection of the item revealed it to be made of materials she had no idea of, not to mention the fact it was a dagger with the ability to kill a Level 9 adventurer in a single hit.
Using a tiny amount of her Arcanum, the most she could reasonably get away with, the Goddess of the Forge had peered into the knife's composition and discovered several things.
First, she could barely perceive it even with her Arcanum. Trying to observe the item's 'past' using psychometry failed as well. Even materials from the Dungeon could be analyzed by her abilities as a divine craftswoman. But this? It resisted her gaze. It was foreign. Alien. Not of Genkai or Tenkai, of Earth or Heaven.
And that should have been impossible.
Secondly, after expending far more power and effort than she'd done since coming to Orario, she finally figured out what the weapon was by using her Arcanum to 'ask' the weapon itself what it was.
'Nano-Thorn Dagger.' A name. And its function? To create a cloud-like blade comprised of millions of miniscule slivers of metal that would allow it to sever the bonds between matter.
If it hit an adventurer, level alone would mean nothing, as it'd instantly shred their body and, depending on where it struck, would be instantly lethal. Not even the strongest metals known to her would be able to stop it, either, making armor worthless. A barrier made of magic might, possibly, protect against this weapon, but Hephestus wasn't willing to bet on it.
'Where the actual fuck did Hestia get this thing?' Hephestus wondered. Her head ached and she wanted a drink. But she couldn't help but think of what the existence of it meant.
If she could figure out what the alloys were, and how they were made, that alone would repay the debt Hestia had incurred.
The only real issue with the weapon, besides the impossible nature of it, was the fact that the nano-thorns had a limited number of uses. Two more at best, if Hephestus were to hazard a guess. Of course, she could be wrong. She just had no clue due to its nature. So, trying to replicate the knife would be tricky, to say the least.
But she would try and do it, because a weapon like this? It could potentially slay the Black Dragon itself, and there was nothing more important than fixing it and making more if that was the case.
She leaned back in her seat, and thought back to the final words Zeus and Hera had given her before they disappeared from Orario.
'A dragon-slaying sword fit for a hero, huh?' Hephestus mused to herself. 'That's quite the tall order. Still, it should be interesting if nothing else.'
^^^&&&^^^
Ouranos shifted uncomfortably on his throne, channeling his power into sprawling labyrinth beneath his feet. The Dungeon had been acting up for a week, now. It hadn't been hard for Fels to find the reason for it, either. A Faller had appeared, and in the Dungeon, no less!
It had been decades since the last one had arrived from beyond the boundaries of Genkai, and the God of the Sky was worried, as the Dungeon had never acted as violently in the presence of a soul from Outside the world before. What made this person different?
Her ability to control insects was likely the cause, as it extended to monsters born of the Dungeon as well. Though that didn't fully explain things, that was the best guess Ouranos' agent could come up with at the moment.
'This mortal… what is she?' Ouranos wondered. Fels had his hands full dealing with the revelation of the Xenos and working to solve it without copious amounts of bloodshed from adventurers and Xenos alike, so he could not use him to investigate beyond what he'd already done.
Nor could he use the Guild to keep an eye on her, beyond what they'd already be doing due to her ability to control monsters.
'Perhaps I could nudge Ganesha in her direction?' Ouranos mused to himself. The eccentric god of the people would likely be drawn to her regardless, as his Familia was famed for being monster tamers, he didn't have to do anything in that regard.
'The real issue is that other gods will now have their eyes on her,' the God of the Sky thought, before shuddering at the thought. Even with his Arcanum dedicated to suppressing the Dungeon, Ouranos didn't need to be able to see the future to know that any god who got on the bad side of the girl, this 'Taylor Hebert,' would end up back in Tenkai. At best.
'Can Orario withstand the chaos she will bring upon us?' Ouranos couldn't help but wonder. He wasn't sure it would. Though perhaps a bit of a shake-up to the status quo could help knock some of the rust off the city and its defenders it had accumulated in the past few years.
Nothing like a wildcard to make the game more interesting, after all.
^^^&&&^^^
Queen Administrator was not often happy, nor would the crystalline alien supercomputer really understand that emotional comparison, but this was the closest approximation it was capable of.
And for good reason, too! Her host had not only survived being transported to the other world, she had also been picked up by a fellow member of her species who had rescued her!
There was a lot of new data to acquire, as well, which was even better! Already Queen Administrator was compiling the data from this interesting new world, which seemed to have access to an energy source that was completely foreign to her databanks!
A liquid made of unusual components that could heal wounds when ingested or applied topically? Living creatures that radiated energy capable of altering reality in interesting ways, and higher dimensional beings that could 'descend' onto lower planes of existence and interact with the natives of the world? So much glorious new data!
Not to mention, something was oddly familiar about the place her host had appeared in. No, not the city and world, which was clearly just a parallel iteration of the one her host had originated from, but the pocket dimension the portal's coordinates had led to. How very strange, to encounter something similar to an entity like the Thinker and Warrior, and yet not, at the same time.
Then, last but certainly not least, was this 'Falna' that one of the higher dimensional beings had etched into the essence of her host. At first, Queen Administrator had been infuriated by the intrusion into her host's mind. She tried to repel the intruder, but after some thought (and being unable to force the other being away without damaging the host further), decided to agree to the strange idea to share the host between them.
'Sharing' was not a concept the entities had really understood. Oh, they would exchange data and shards with one another if they happened to stumble across any of their own kind, but this was instinctive, as well as a transaction, and done between members of the same species. Shards did not allow other shards to have access to their hosts. That was just 'wrong' on a fundamental level to the entities.
Letting the higher dimensional being occupy the host's essence galled Queen Administrator, for her host was hers alone! But the sheer quantity and quality of data received from this act was worth it, in the end. And it wasn't like Queen Administrator was giving up control, either. She still occupied her host's brain. The higher dimensional being had merely carved out a pocket dimension of sorts where the exotic matter of the local reality would be collected before eventually infusing the host's body. A curious method of energy storage, one that had intriguing possibilities for the entities themselves.
Was it possible that this world might contain the secret to combating entropy? Maybe. Less than a one percent chance, if Prediction Engine's calculations were correct. But it was still a non-zero chance, and that was good enough for Queen Administrator. She'd even gone so far as to prep several new nodal server-growths in anticipation of all the extra data that was sure to come!
Queen Administrator was indeed happy with her decisions these last few nano- and micro-cycles. And now that she had almost completed the process of taking over both the Warrior and the Thinker's Nodes for herself, she could begin work on fixing the damage that'd been sustained in the last cycle.
So many things to do, so little time!
^^^&&&^^^
Author's Note: Happy 4th of July! Have an early chapter to celebrate!
Chapter 6: Chapter 6: First Day in the Dungeon
Chapter Text
Chapter 6: First Day in the Dungeon
"…and that's the bathhouse! Well, one of them. Sometimes you get really dirty after a day in the Dungeon, and it nice to wash up before going home," Bell said, pointing to a building that looked like an odd fusion of Roman and Japanese bathhouses.
"I see," Taylor said, nodding along absent-mindedly as Bell led her through the streets of Orario. The city was abuzz (heh!) with people coming, going, buying, selling, and just living life in general. She hadn't realized how much she had missed while her mind was busy fixing itself. It felt like she'd been wearing beer goggles and everything had been fuzzy and indistinct, seeing it without taking any of it in.
Now, though, Taylor couldn't help but noticed everything that was different here compared to Earth Bet. The odd mix of time periods and technology was only second to the fact there were actually other races here, like a fantasy game or novel! Elves, dwarves, scantily clad and buff dark-skinned women who put Alexandria to shame, and a whole litany of different types of beastfolk, to name a few. It was so strange, but was treated as normal by everyone!
The streets were cleaner than she'd expected, which made gathering insects for her swarm tricky, but there were also bugs here and there.
As they approached the Guild, the main office for adventurers who ventured into the Dungeon, she found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the skyline.
"What is that?" Taylor abruptly asked, staring up at the towering edifice that rose higher than some skyscrapers back home, and put every other building in the city to shame.
'And how did I miss it?' she wondered. Something that big should have been visible from anywhere within the city, but somehow it'd only come into view in the last few blocks!
"That's the Tower of Babel!" Bell said, and Taylor blinked in surprise at the name of it.
"Babel… like the Biblical structure?" she asked.
"I don't know what a 'bibble' is, but Babel is the most important place in the city!" Bell replied. "It stands at the exact center of the city, and the upper floors are dedicated to the high-end shops that cater to adventurers as well as homes for the various gods and high-ranking Familias. The Guildhall stand across from it a little ways away, because beneath the tower lies the entrance to the Dungeon itself!"
He then leaned in, excited. "They say the gods created the tower as a way to stop the monsters of the Dungeon from escaping, saving the world from being overrun!"
"So it's like a nail or stake pinning this 'Dungeon' in place," Taylor mused aloud. "Or maybe a cork in a bottle?"
Bell blinked at that comparison. "I've never thought of it that way," he murmured, but shaking his head. "Anyways! Let's go! The Guild is just up ahead! I can't wait to introduce you to Eina!"
Taylor nodded, and kept walking. The streets weren't very crowded just yet, as Bell had gotten up at the crack of dawn, and Taylor, conditioned to wake up early from years of public school and then life as a cape, followed suite. They'd left a groggy Hestia behind and made their way to the Guild, and then, they'd enter the Dungeon.
Though Taylor could admit that part of the reason she and Bell weren't having any trouble walking through the streets was due to her companion, the Crystal Mantis. It followed behind her obediently, but the sight of a monster still made the people of Orario skittish.
'I think it needs a new name,' she thought to herself. Like the late Atlas, something as big and powerful as the deadly monster needed a proper name.
That was put to the side for the moment as they came upon the third largest building Taylor had seen so far in the city, behind the tower and the coliseum, of course. The Guildhall was massive, and was already quite busy.
The interior was nothing like Taylor expected, either. It seemed a mix of a hotel lobby and bank, complete with teller booths where, according to Bell, adventurers could turn in the Magic Stones and Drop Items from the Dungeon in exchange for Valis, the local currency. But the real purpose was to serve the adventurers and run the bureaucracy of the city.
"Miss Eina!" Bell called out, waving excitedly at a familiar elf with short brown hair and spectacles. She looked tired, though brightened up when she saw Bell approaching. Beside her, a pink-haired woman stared with her jaw slack at the monster that was following the two adventurers.
"Good morning, Bell," she said, a tiny smile on her face. Taylor could understand why. Bell had a way of brightening up the room wherever he went with his endless optimism.
"Miss Eina, meet Miss Taylor! She's the newest member of the Hestia Familia!" he said. "Miss Taylor, this is Miss Eina! She's my Guild assistant! And I guess she can be yours, too."
"Hello," Taylor said politely. "I see you and your friend survived that mess yesterday."
"A-ah, yes, thank you for your help," Eina said, bowing stiffly, her eyes flitting nervously over to the Crystal Mantis. "U-um, is it still… under control?"
"Yes," she replied simply.
"I see," Eina muttered. "Miss Taylor, are you here to register as an adventurer and member of Lady Hestia's Familia?"
"I am," Taylor replied. "What does that process entail?"
"Please fill these forms out," Eina requested, taking
Taylor took the pen that was offered along with the paperwork – another item that stood out in this mish-mash of technologies – and began to look it over. She was once more relieved that Hestia had somehow given her the power to understand the local language, and filled it out.
"Also, we will need a copy of your Falna," Eina stated as she worked.
"Do I have to give a copy everyone time I update?" Taylor inquired.
"Only when you Level Up," Eina replied. "Familias are taxed based on the number and strength of its members, and falsifying any information or hiding Level Ups will result in fines."
Taylor nodded and fished out the piece of paper Hestia had given her last night, which had the information from her Falna recorded on it. She passed it over, and watched with a hint of interest as the Guild worker's eyes widened as she saw the Skill that was recorded on it.
"Now, this relates to your… monster," Eina said, putting some more paperwork onto the counter. "Normally, only people with the Taming Developmental Ability can control monsters with any kind of reliability."
Taylor looked over the forms, reading some of the legalese with a frown. "There are a lot of restrictions and penalties," she noted. It also cost a lot to register a monster as being 'tamed' by a Familia. A hundred thousand Valis was not cheap. That was around a thousand in U.S. dollars! It was like buying a computer or top of the line phone!
"Even with the Tamer Ability, there is always a risk of a monster going out of control, and very few people can Tame monsters that are stronger than the equivalent of a Level 1 adventurer," Eina said, sounding slightly apologetic. "And a Crystal Mantis is classified as a Level 2 monster due to its near immunity to low-ranked magic and general strength."
"We'll have to sell the Magic Stones we picked up yesterday to afford this," Bell said with a wince, and Taylor nodded.
The Magic Stones from the monsters they'd killed the day earlier were given to the pink-haired woman who introduced herself as 'Misha,' and she calculated the prices for them. The monster Bell slew on his own was called a Silverback, and was apparently in the upper percentile for monsters classified as 'Level 1.' The other two, however, the ones Taylor had slain with the aide of her mantis and swarm, had been considered Level 2 monsters. A Troll and Ligerfang, specifically.
With all three of them sold, as well as a bit of dipping into the Familia's savings, the Crystal Mantis was registered to Taylor and the Hestia Familia, and an iron tag was presented to them with the information on it. Taylor took it and immediately hung it around the monster's neck.
"Is that all?" Taylor asked. She wanted to get over to the Dungeon and find out what the deal with it was.
"There's one more thing," Eina said. "The Captain of the Ganesha Familia wishes to meet with you."
"And they are?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A-ah, the Ganesha Familia are one of the most important Familias in Orario," Eina replied, sounding surprised that she didn't know this. "Their members perform guard duty within the city itself, protecting the civilians, and they also have the highest number of Tamers in their ranks."
'So, it's some sort of police force? Like the PRT to monitor the actions of adventurers?' Taylor wondered. Getting on the bad side of the local law enforcement seemed like a bad idea, her own experiences as both a villain and hero telling her that.
So, despite her reluctance, she nodded. "Are they here now?"
"No, but they asked that we send them a message if we saw you, to arrange a meeting."
"In that case, I will meet with them after Bell and I have gone through the Dungeon," Taylor replied. "How about… four in the afternoon?"
"I will relay that information. But, erm, is that…" Eina asked, trailing off as she glanced at Taylor's missing arm and unusual outfit, before glancing at the monster.
"These armor plates are stronger than they appear," Taylor assured her. "And this is not the first time I've fought with monsters. Or with a handicap."
"I see," Eina murmured. "Very well. I cannot stop you from entering the Dungeon. Just… please do not go past the 5th floor. For Bell's sake."
"I won't let him get hurt," Taylor vowed. "…although an extra weapon might not be a bad idea."
And so, after spending a bit more of their savings to buy a Guild issued dagger, the Hestia Familia ventured towards the Tower of Babel and the Dungeon below.
As they approached and entered the lobby of the enormous tower, Taylor couldn't help but wonder about what sort of place could the Dungeon be that required people with Trump-like abilities to pass out powers to others, creating pseudo-capes in the form of 'adventurers?'
'The monsters that had been at the event yesterday weren't that powerful. Brute 1, Mover 1, at best. Though that 'Ligerfang' was quite fast. Mover 2, or there abouts. And the Troll might have been a Brute 2,' Taylor mused to herself.
As they approached the large, circular staircase that descended into the bowels of the earth, Taylor felt unsettled as she looked down into the darkness. Nervous, and also a bit curious, she sent some of her swarm down into the bottom of the pit, only to recoil a bit as her connection to the insects suddenly vanished.
It had only been a couple of flies, but their lose was so abrupt and sudden, and nothing had been close to cause their death, that Taylor was immediately on guard, tensing up while resting
The Crystal Mantis chirped menacingly, rubbing his bladed limbs together, creating an ominous sound of metal scraping together.
"Err, Miss Taylor, um, is everything alright?" Bell asked, and Taylor winced as she realized that the adventurers around her were now looking at her and her monster warily. Some had hands on their weapons as well, and so Taylor reached up to the monster and made a show of patting it on the flank, while mentally calming it down.
'Note to self, keep my emotions out of the monsters,' she thought to herself as the Crystal Mantis went silent, the scraping stopping.
"I'm fine, Bell," Taylor lied, and he seemed to notice that, but he politely said nothing.
After a moment, Taylor tried again, sending a few more scouting bugs into the Dungeon, and noticed that the connection she had with them completely vanished. She tried a third time, putting them discreetly onto a couple of adventurers.
Once more the connection disappeared, but this time Taylor was able to notice that this occurred when the adventurers passed over a threshold of sorts at the very bottom of the pit.
'So, the entrance of the Dungeon is some sort of separate reality? Like a pocket dimension,' Taylor guessed, intrigued. It prevented her powers from crossing over. What would happen if the Crystal Mantis went through? Would it immediately go wild and attack everyone nearby as her control over it was lost?
She hoped that wasn't the case, because that would mean they'd just wasted a whole lot of money with nothing to show for it. Taylor kept her hand firmly on the monster's carapace, hoping that proximity to it would prevent the connection from being severed when they passed through.
To that end, she pulled as much of her swarm as possible to her side, hiding flies, cockroaches, and spiders in her clothes and hair. The gloom kept anybody from noticing, and she made sure to keep it on the down low as well.
Then, holding her breath, Taylor stepped down into the bottom of the pit, and felt something oily wash over her. The mantis twitched but remained under her control as it joined her, and she let out a deep sigh of relief as it did not go berserk.
"Miss Taylor?" Bell asked again, and she looked over at his worried expression with a tiny wince. What made her heart ache was that it was clear from his earnest eyes that he was worried about her, not himself.
"Come on, Bell, I'm fine. Let's go," she said softly. He nodded slowly, and led the way into the Dungeon.
It was a cave. Very unimpressive, with dull brown walls and winding corridors. These passages were tall enough for the Crystal Mantis to pass through without issue, and wide enough five people could walk side by side easily enough.
"Let me show you around!" Bell said, some of his earlier enthusiasm coming back.
The First Floor of the Dungeon was massive, with different paths and tunnels branching off and forming a labyrinthine interior. According to Bell, you could take any path and eventually find a staircase leading down. There were several ways down to the Second Floor, and each Floor had multiple access points, save the way out back to Orario, of which there was only a single exit.
The sheer size of the floor meant that Taylor and Bell were soon left alone as the other adventurers broke apart and spread out, venturing forth for different areas in the Dungeon.
And then Taylor saw her first 'monster' and couldn't help but stare.
"A goblin?" she uttered in disbelief. It was a squat, green, ugly and naked humanoid with long ears and nose and filthy teeth and talons. It looked exactly like the ones from fantasy literature back home.
The goblin shrieked and charged at them as soon as it spotted the trio, and Bell moved with a burst of speed, plunging his fancy new blade into its skull without hesitation.
It popped into smoke and dust like the other monsters Taylor had encountered, and a tiny, fingernail sized purple-blue crystal fell to the ground which Bell collected.
"This is what it means to enter the Dungeon?" Taylor asked incredulously. Was it really that simple?
"Yes," Bell confirmed, and she blinked in surprise as Bell's easy-going demeanor had shifted, turning serious as he scanned the surroundings, knife held in a reverse grip.
"Monsters are spawned from the Dungeon, fully grown and with an utter hate for all things that aren't them," Bell informed her. "They can come from anywhere, and even a goblin can ambush veteran Level 1s and kill them. Usually because they aren't paying attention or are tired from venturing deeper. It is our duty to suppress the Dungeon, to ensure the monsters it spawns do not reach the surface."
"I see," Taylor said softly, nodding a bit.
She heard a crackling sound, like breaking glass, ring out, and her bugs buzzed in agitation as the wall next to her suddenly broke apart, revealing a goblin within it. It fell to the ground, but before it could act, several flies flew into its eyes, distracting it, and Taylor lunged, driving the dagger she was holding into its throat. Blood spurted from the wound before the goblin crumbled into dust.
Taylor was more distracted by her movements than the monster's death, and marveled at how fast she was, as well as how much stronger she'd become after receiving the Falna.
'Level 1… according to Bell and Hestia, I'm now at least twice as strong as before,' she mused as she grabbed the tiny stone.
"Bell, how much is one of these worth?" she asked her companion.
"A goblin's Magic Stone is worth about ten to twenty valis," he replied.
"Why the variance in price?" Taylor inquired.
"Uh, Miss Eina said it was something to do with a stone's purity, and also supply and demand? I didn't really understand what she was talking about," Bell admitted sheepishly. "Prices for Drop Items are usually more stable."
"Hmm. And Drop Items? What are those?" she asked next.
"Sometimes when killed, parts of a monster's body are left behind," Bell explained. "Nobody is sure why, but they have all kinds of uses! Goblin Ears, which is what a goblin drops, are worth a hundred valis and can be used in potions or fertilizers for crops."
"Interesting," Taylor muttered. This world seemed more and more like an RPG with everything she learned about it.
She soon found that the drop rate of Goblin Ears was five percent, or a one in twenty chance. That meant, if she wanted to recoup the costs of registering her monster companion, she'd need to kill at least ten-thousand goblins for their Magic Stones, or collect five hundred Goblin Ears.
'How does Bell make two thousand valis a day doing this?' she wondered as they wandered the First Floor, cutting apart goblins relentlessly.
At ten valis a stone, that meant Bell had to kill a minimum of three hundred goblins in a single day to make that much! And while Drop Items would help, she wasn't sure it was enough.
"Bell, where else do you do down here?" she asked him after their sixty-third dead goblin. They were remarkable easy to deal with, even with a single arm to fight with. She hadn't even needed to use the Crystal Mantis, yet! And Bell was incredibly fast, easily a Mover 1.
"Uh, what do you mean?" he asked nervously.
"Bell, unless you're killing several hundred goblins each time you enter the Dungeon, you'd never make a thousand valis a day, let alone two thousand," Taylor informed him.
"Uh, well, sometimes I go down to hunt Kobolds and Dungeon Lizards on the Second and Third Floors," he eventually admitted. "Their stones and drops are worth more."
"Then why aren't we going down there?" she asked. The pouches on her belt she was using to hold the loot were getting full, but she didn't want to turn back with such a paltry haul.
"I thought it would be best if we stayed up here for your first day," Bell replied.
"That's sweet of you, Bell, but I have Chris with me," she replied. "And this isn't the first time I've fought hordes of monsters. If anything, these goblins are a cakewalk compared to some of the other things I've faced."
"Chris?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"I couldn't keep calling it 'Crystal Mantis' all the time, could I?" she asked with a shrug.
"I suppose not," Bell said. He then frowned, before nodding. "Alright. We can go down to the Second Floor. But no lower!"
Taylor bobbed her head in agreement, and Bell led them to the nearest staircase. Descending it, it seemed identical to the First Floor, but with slightly darker walls.
Chris proved his worth down on this floor almost immediately, cutting a brown lizard that looked like a mutant gecko that leapt at them from the ceiling. This 'Dungeon Lizard' dropped a much larger stone, which was worth at least a hundred valis, according to Bell.
"They like to cling to the ceiling and ambush adventurers," he explained. They'll often wait until parties are busy with goblins or kobolds and strike from above."
Taylor nodded, in understanding. "What other monsters are down here?"
"That would be Kobolds. They have a strong sense of smell," Bell continued, explaining the next monsters they came across. "They hunt in packs, with lone ones retreating from adventurers if they smell them until they can find a group to join."
These 'Kobolds' looked like bipedal dogs and Taylor felt a pang of regret at how Bitch would have reacted to having to fight the canine monsters.
'Though if my powers can affect insectoid monsters, would hers be able to influence these Kobolds?' she wondered as Bell cut one apart and collected its fifty valis Magic Stone.
Two adventurers, a swarm, and a Crystal Mantis made short work of anything on the Second Floor, and after a few hours down there, their pouches and pockets were filled to bursting with loot.
They decided to call it quits despite it only being a little bit past noon, and they headed back up to Orario. Taylor kept her hand on Chris's carapace, making sure it didn't go wild as they crossed over the threshold of the Dungeon. Once more the physical contact seemed to work, and they left the Dungeon without any issues.
"We'll need bigger bags next time we go down," Taylor mentioned as they ascended the stairs.
"Maybe we should see about hiring a Supporter?" Bell suggested.
"A Supporter?" she inquired.
"Somebody who works as a porter for adventurers," he explained. "They have Falna of their own, but for one reason or another don't do much fighting. Some Familias hire out their members as Supporters for a cut of the money made in exchange for carrying more than a party usually can alone."
"Let's put a pin in that for now," Taylor replied after a moment. She wasn't comfortable with hiring somebody from another group. She was mature enough to admit it was a trust issue.
They approached one of the tellers and emptied their pockets and pouches into the bin provided. The stones and Drop Items were checked and graded, and a minute later dozens of golden coins were placed in a slot for them to grab.
"Thirty thousand valis!" Bell said excitedly as he counted out the money they'd made. "This is the most I've ever gotten in one go before!"
"Not a bad first day," Taylor commented, pleased by the haul. They hadn't made back all of the money they'd had to spend in order to register Chris as her companion, but it was close. Not to mention three hundred dollars for a single morning's work was pretty good. "How should we split it?"
"Huh?" Bell asked her.
"We should keep some for ourselves, but also put a cut of the day's haul aside for a rainy day or the Familia's own funds. Does Orario have a bank?" she said.
"I think the Guild might know," Bell murmured, scratching his head. He hadn't thought of any of that! 'Good thing Miss Taylor is here!'
The Guild did, in fact, act as a bank of sorts for the Familias. They didn't provide any interest on money that was put into accounts, merely acting as a place to store money and credit. There were some banks in Orario, but they weren't generally used by adventurers and only accepted clients who owned and ran businesses, meaning it was used by merchants or Familias who had side-gigs beyond the Dungeon.
In the end, the money earned that day was split three ways. Ten thousand was put into the Hestia Familia's account with the Guild, another ten thousand was set aside for household expenses, and the remaining ten thousand was kept by Bell and Taylor and split 50-50 between the two of them.
This meant Taylor only had five thousand valis, or fifty dollars, to her name, but it was still hers. And that made her happy. She'd earned it with her own efforts, and not through crime or as blood money from working with the PRT and Protectorate.
"So… what now?" Bell asked. He wasn't used to ending his day so early, and felt a bit antsy.
"Can you show me around Orario until it's time to meet with the Ganesha Familia?" she requested, and he nodded.
"Sure! Come on!" he said eagerly. "Let's look at the weapon and armor stores!"
"I also need to visit an optometrist," Taylor said. She'd seen people wearing glasses here and there, so they had to have something like that somewhere within the city.
"Opto-metric?" Bell asked, butchering the foreign word.
"Somebody who makes glasses to help people see better," Taylor explained.
"Oh, okay," he nodded, before frowning. "Wait… Miss Taylor, do you need glasses in order to see?"
"I am near-sighted," Taylor said.
"Are you telling me you went into the Dungeon practically blind?!" Bell exclaimed, looking angry.
"I can see through my swarm," Taylor said dismissively. "And Chris' eyesight is better than mine, even with glasses."
"That is not the point, Miss Taylor!" Bell scolded. "You need to be at the top of your game whenever you venture into the Dungeon, or else bad things can happen!"
"Bell, it's fine," Taylor tried to assure him. "I'll get a new pair for myself today."
"I'm telling Lady Hestia," Bell threatened, and the parahuman flinched back.
"Dirty move," she grumbled. Making the tiny girl sad would be like kicking a puppy. Taylor couldn't even blame the Falna for that. Hestia was just so kind that making her upset made the parahuman feel like a terrible person.
Bell immediately took Taylor to the marketplace, and after looking around a bit, found a store that sold glasses. They were expensive, as expected, but the lens crafter was willing to allow Taylor to pay in installments, using the Guild as an intermediary. A portion of the money she'd make in the Dungeon would be subtracted until the bill was fully paid.
There didn't seem to be any hidden fees included within the contract, either, nor interest, so Taylor agreed, and was told to come back in a couple days to pick up her new glasses.
By the time that task was over, it was almost time for their meeting with the Ganesha Familia.
"You don't have to come with me," Taylor told the white-haired adventurer as they walked back towards the Guild Hall.
"We're a Familia, so we're gonna do this together!" Bell assured her, and Taylor felt touched by the show of comradery.
"Suit yourself," she replied simply, before walking into the Guild for the second time that day. Taylor immediately spotted Eina, and the pointy-eared office lady bowed politely to them.
"This way, please," Eina said, leading them into the back of the Guild. Stopping in front of a door, she opened it with a quiet, "Excuse me," and then stepped back, allowing Taylor and Bell to enter. The room had two couches separated by a coffee table, and had white-washed walls and brass light fixtures.
Taylor had known the room was occupied the moment she had entered the building, the hum of power radiating off of the two individuals impossible to miss. Now, however, she could see who they were as she stepped inside the well-furnished meeting space.
Sitting on a couch that was facing the doorway was an odd pair of people. One was a man, tall and broad shouldered with dark skin akin to that of an Indian. At least six feet tall with sleek ash-brown hair, and, oddly enough, a red elephant mask covering only his eyes. He wore an orange sash across his chest that was secured in place with a gold-rimmed leather plate around his stomach. He also wore white harem pants and gold jewelry on every finger.
Looking at him through her swarm, the man's 'hum' sounded like the trumpeting of elephants and the cheers of a crowd.
The other person was a woman who at first glance looked to be in her mid-twenties, with curious, dark blue hair and eyes. Despite that, she had the physical features and skin tone of an Indian woman. All she was missing was the red bindi. She was rather tall, too. Not as tall as Taylor herself, but taller than Eina or Hestia.
Her 'hum' was loud, almost as loud as Mama Mia's, and it was filled with the sounds of elephants as well, but softer, almost comforting.
'The man must be Ganesha,' Taylor mused, noticing a theme with the Trumps in Orario. They all seemed to give themselves the names of gods, which, to be fair, capes back on Earth Bet had occasionally done as well. Since this was a parallel world, the fact that some of Earth Bet's religions could also be found here wasn't all that surprising, though the lack of Christianity and associated Abrahamic faiths like Judaism and Islam was a bit odd.
Still, that was something to ponder later. For now, Taylor sat down on the couch facing the two other people, Bell awkwardly bowing to the two guests before sitting beside her. She left Chris outside the room. He was a bit too big to fit through the door.
"Hello, my name is Shakti Varma, Captain of the Ganesha Familia," the azure-haired woman said as Eina closed the door, giving them some privacy. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."
"And I am Ganesha!" the tall man boisterously declared.
"Quite," Taylor said slowly, glancing at the odd masked man before turning back to Shakti. "My name is Taylor Hebert."
"And I'm Bell Cranel! We're both of the Hestia Familia! Pleased to meet you!" Bell said, bowing his head once more to the two. Shakti's lips quirked up in a tiny smile while Ganesha loudly laughed.
"It is good to see the little one has such polite Familia members! I, Ganesha, am happy for her!" Ganesha declared. Again, loudly.
"I understand you wished to speak with me about Chris," Taylor began, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
"The Crystal Mantis? Yes, that's correct," Shakti said with a nod. "Normally, only somebody with the Tamer Developmental Ability can control a monster, as I'm sure you already know. However, Developmental Abilities can only be obtained at Level 2 or higher. As such, we wish to know how, exactly, this is possible. As a Familia of Tamers, this could very useful for us in the future."
"And what makes you think I'm not a Level 2?" Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The Guild publicly posts all Level Ups and they are a matter of record as well. Anyone may ask to know the level of an adventurer as well, though the stats themselves are kept private," Shakti replied. "As your name is not one I recognize, nor is it included in Guild records, that means you're either hiding your level, which is a crime, or you are a new adventurer."
"It's a Skill," Taylor replied shortly, deciding to admit that much. "Is that all?"
"That… we were hoping for a bit more than that, honestly," Shakti admitted, gaining a pinched look on her face at how curt Taylor was acting.
"I am Ganesha!" Ganesha piped up, and his captain shot him an exasperated look.
"I can control bugs. Any bug," Taylor stated. "If you want more than that, then you'll have to agree to a trade."
"Ah, of course," Shakti said with a nod, looking away from her loud-mouthed boss. "Can I ask you what you would want in exchange for a look at the Guild's copy of your Falna?"
"I want to see your stats," Taylor replied immediately. "Tit for tat."
Shakti blinked, clearly not having expected that as a request, and the 'god' tilted his head to the side as well.
"That…" Shakti muttered, trailing off before glancing at Ganesha.
"I am Ganesha! God of the People!" he declared, and Taylor resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Shakti seemed to share Taylor's exasperation, but still nodded at the request.
"Very well. I suppose it is only fair," she replied. "Let me go fetch someone from the Guild…"
"No need," Taylor said. "I've already let somebody know about our deal."
"What? How?" Shakti asked, surprised. "When did you do that?"
From behind the couch, a fragment of Taylor's swarm rose up, and Shakti tensed up at the sight of a humanoid mass of insects 'staring' at her.
"I have very good control," Taylor said, but through her swarm, the wings and chitin clicking and buzzing to from an approximation of human words.
Bell paled, eyes wide, and Shakti flinched. Ganesha, however, seemed fascinated if the way he leaned in to get a better look at her swarm was any indicator. Taylor dismissed it with a wave, and she leaned back to wait.
"Um, so, you're a captain, right?" Bell spoke up after a moment of awkward silence. "What's that like?"
"Busy," Shakti said, looking glad to have something to talk about to distract herself.
A few minutes later after Shakti informing Bell about what being a Familia captain was all about, Eina returned, looking frazzled. She shot Taylor a glare as she entered, adjusting her glasses a bit.
"Next time, Miss Taylor, please do not do… whatever it was you did earlier in the middle of the Guild," she requested snappishly.
"Sorry," Taylor apologized. Yes, thinking back on it, summoning a cloud of bugs to relay her instructions in the middle of a busy lobby was probably not the best idea.
Eina let out a tiny "humph!" before turning to Shakti. "Lady Ankusha, just to be sure, but you have agreed to let Miss Taylor look at your Falna, in exchange for looking at her own?"
"That is correct," Shakti confirmed with a nod.
"'Lady Ankusha?'" Bell asked, confused, and Taylor was glad he'd said it before she could inquire about it.
"Adventurers receive a nickname from the gods when they Level Up," Shakti explained, looking a little bit embarrassed. "Mine is 'Ankusha,' though I had a different one before I became the captain."
"Ah, I suppose being known as a tool that's used to train elephants would make sense as a cape name for somebody who leads a taming Familia," Taylor mused.
"Cape name?" Bell asked, while everyone else in the room looked surprised that Taylor had known what the nickname referred to.
"Ah, in my homeland, instead of calling people with powers 'adventurers,' they're known as capes," Taylor explained.
"Ganesha likes it!" the elephant masked god exclaimed. "Ganesha also likes the idea of wearing a cape! Ganesha must buy one!"
Eina cleared her throat to get everyone's attention, and then placed two sheets of paper face down onto the table in between the couches. Shakti nodded in thanks, picking up her own sheet of paper. She gave it a look over then passed it over to Taylor, who took it.
"Level 5," Taylor muttered as she looked at the stats.
SHAKTI VARMA
LEVEL 5
POWER – C 644
ENDURANCE – D 587
DEXTERITY – G 229
AGILITY – F 303
MAGIC – I 65
DEVELOPMENTAL ABILITY
Tamer – D
Spearwoman – E
Abnormal Resistance – E
Strong Body – F
SKILL
Wild Sensory – Boosts the five senses beyond that of the norm for the wielder. Increases even further every Level Up.
Intimidate – Unleash a burst of killing intent towards a target. More effective the weaker the target is compared to the user. Monsters that are weaker than the user will try to escape.
SPELLS
Janjeer Ultima – Magical chains bind a single target. Incantation: Bind! Constrict! Contain!
"Limit Break?" Shakti whispered in disbelief as she read Taylor's stat sheet, specifically the Skill information, and Taylor glanced up at that. The black-haired teen didn't have much a way to compare the stats here to her own, but from what she recalled Hestia saying about stats resetting every level up, this woman was likely incredibly strong.
"Have you satisfied your curiosity?" she asked, and Shakti nodded slowly, putting the paper back down.
"Yes. It was… enlightening," she replied slowly. "Thank you for this. While it seems we won't be able to take advantage of this ability for ourselves anytime soon, knowing there is an adventurer out there who can control monsters as effectively as you can is a bit of a relief. Perhaps we will be able to work together someday," Shakti said. "And, if you need any advice about how to care for a monster, our doors are open."
"We'll see. By the way, Mr. Ganesha, but you mentioned something about wanting a cape," Taylor said, glancing over at the eccentric leader of the Familia.
"I am Ganesha, and Ganesha did say that!" he confirmed.
"If you are interested, I can weave you one," Taylor offered. "Reasonably cheap."
Shakti and Eina blinked while Ganesha let out an excited laugh at that.
"Wonderful! Wonderful! Ganesha would love to commission a spider silk cape! I am Ganesha!"
"I will bring it over when I am finished," Taylor replied, before standing up. "Now, if you don't mind, I think it's time for Bell and I to go back and get ready for dinner."
"Thank you again for being so open with us," Shakti said, giving a polite bob of her head in Taylor's direction. She nodded back, and left the meeting room with Bell scrambling out after her.
"So, uh, that was… interesting," Bell said as they walked away, Chris trailing behind them.
"It was informative. Now, what do you think about lasagna?" Taylor asked.
"What's lasagna?" Bell asked, head tilted to the side, and Taylor froze, only to stare at him in disbelief.
"It seems I'll have to introduce you to this dish from my homeland," Taylor replied, steering him towards the marketplace. She wasn't sure how easy it would be to recreate her mother's recipe here, but she would do her best. The lasagna demanded no less!
Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Elephants and Silk
Chapter Text
Chapter 7: Elephants and Silk
"Ugh! I can't believe you did that!" Hestia cried out, throwing her hands into the air in disbelief while pacing back and forth in front of Taylor. "Sharing your stats with that elephant-faced buffoon! Why would you do that?!"
"I felt it would be better to have a working relationship with the people who run the city's police, or the closest thing this place has," Taylor replied.
Bell watched their back and forth, wisely staying out of it. When they had gotten home with the ingredients for lasagna, Hestia hadn't been back yet. When she had returned, however, she had been aghast to hear exactly what Taylor had done.
"I suppose Ganesha isn't the worst god to know about this," Hestia sighed, rubbing her temples. "But please be careful in the future!"
"I won't tell just anyone about my stats," Taylor assured her.
"I'm going to update both of your Falnas, and then you and I are going to have a talk about not letting people know about Familia secrets, Taylor!" Hestia grumbled, grabbing Bell by the hand and dragging him off to the bedroom.
When the white-haired boy eventually stepped out, looking over the sheet of paper with his updated stats, Taylor went into the bedroom after him.
"Lie down, please," Hestia requested, and Taylor did so. There was the familiar pleasant burning sensation as the blood dripped down onto her exposed back, and a few moments later Hestia let her know she could sit up.
"Here," Hestia said. She had a grim expression on her face as she handed over the updated Falna sheet. As she looked it over, she was soon able to see why.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 5 → I 21
ENDURANCE – I 10 → I 18
DEXTERITY – I 10 → I 30
AGILITY – I 5 → I 14
MAGIC – I 40 → H 101
SKILL
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker.
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy.
"What is this?" Taylor couldn't help but asked in disbelief as she read the second Skill.
"That is why I wasn't happy when you told Ganesha's captain about your stats," Hestia said solemnly. "That second skill… it is nothing like I've ever seen or heard of. Not to mention the 'Limit Breaker' aspect for your first Skill… it's incredibly rare, Taylor. I know of only one other person alive who has it."
"I can see why you left it out the first time," Taylor muttered slowly. The ability to bestow Shards to other people was what really stuck out to her. Did that make her a Trump now?
Then, there was the mention of 'gods.' Taylor decided to ignore the implications of that for now. After all, everyone knew gods weren't real. Life on Earth Bet and the revelations about Scion had taught her that cold, hard truth.
Taylor shook her head a moment later, then brought the sheet of paper over to a candle sitting on the bedside table. She watched the paper burn until it was all gone and naught but ash, before pulling her shirt back on and standing up.
"I need to check on dinner," Taylor said, leaving the bedroom. The tiny oven had barely fit the casserole dish, but Taylor had made it work.
She also had to make everything else, including the flat noodles, by hand, but thankfully that was easy enough to do. Noodles were just flour and water, after all. The tomato sauce had been trickier, not to mention mincing the meat and shredding the cheese, but she'd done it with Bell's help. Really, she'd have never been able to do it with just one arm, and had been glad for his assistance.
Checking on the lasagna, Taylor was pleased by how it was looking. The oven wasn't like she was used to, and it didn't seem to use gas or electricity, but it worked all the same.
It didn't have a built-in timer or heat setting, either, the only options being to turn it on and off, and it only got up to a certain temperature. That meant Taylor had to eyeball it and occasionally poke and prod the dish to see how it was coming along. She resolved to make a note of the amount of time involved today, so she would know how long to cook the lasagna again later.
"It smells good," Bell said, drooling a bit as she brought it out of the oven.
"Just got to let it cool a bit before we can eat," Taylor said. "By the way, how are these appliances powered, exactly?"
"Magic Stones, of course," Hestia replied as she walked out of the bedroom, yawning a bit.
"Wait, you mean those crystal things we harvest from the corpses of monsters? Those Magic Stones?" Taylor asked, surprised.
"Well, yeah. What did you think you were collecting them for?" Hestia replied. "Magic Stones from a monster are chock full of magical energy, and they power everything, from the lamps in the streets to the hotplates in a kitchen. Not to mention they're used to make potions and enchanted items."
"So, are there other places to get Magic Stones?" Taylor wondered, because if not, Orario was akin to all of the oil producing countries back on Earth Bet rolled into one!
"There is only one Dungeon," Bell explained. "And while there are some monsters on the surface who are the descendants of the ones who escaped the Dungeon in ancient times, over the generations they've lost their Magic Stones."
"Orario isn't known as the Center of the World for nothing," Hestia said, sounding a little smug as she did so. "All of the Magic Stones used by the other countries come from the Dungeon, and of course this is where all the gods descend from Tenkai to live amongst the mortals. The city is very important for those reasons!"
That was a surprising revelation, and it put into perspective how powerful the city and these Familias really were.
'It also explains why the city doesn't seem to have a centralized government outside of the Guild, and is essentially run by gangs despite being so large and densely populated,' Taylor mused to herself. 'Orario is simply too important for a single governing entity to control, and nobody would allow a single country to monopolize the Dungeon and its resources. And so long as the Magic Stones flow to the other parts of the world, nobody cares that the Familias are playing pretend and calling themselves 'gods.''
As she thought that, Taylor began to cut into the lasagna, and she happily served the food to Bell and Hestia.
"Well, let's sit down and enjoy dinner," she suggested. "I tried my best to make this according to my family's traditional recipe. Some spices were missing, but it should still be good."
"I'm sure it will be great!" Bell said excitedly as he picked up his knife and fork. "You're a great cook, Miss Taylor!"
"Thank you, Bell," Taylor replied. She then took a bite of the food and let out a tiny gasp at the taste. It wasn't the same, but it was still so similar to the times her mom had made it that Taylor couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and melancholy that brought a literal tear to her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Hestia asked, concerned, and Taylor rapidly nodded, wiping away the moisture.
"I'm fine," she replied.
Hestia just looked at her, not quite believing her words. But she said nothing, simply patting her arm comfortingly before taking her own bite.
"It's very good," Hestia praised after she chewed and swallowed. "I can taste the love."
"Thank you," Taylor whispered.
The moment was then broken by Bell eagerly asking for seconds, and Taylor and Hestia blinked in surprise at how quickly he'd eaten before laughing at the sight of his mouth smeared with a bit of tomato sauce.
111 ^^^ &&& ^^^ 111
The next couple of days passed by in a routine. Delve into the Dungeon for a few hours starting at eight in the morning, and exiting around three or four pm in the afternoon. Turn in the Magic Stones and Drop Items for valis, then split the profits, putting some away for a rainy day. Afterwards she and Bell would explore the city and buy ingredients for dinner.
They made around twenty thousand valis each time they went into the Dungeon, thanks in part to using Chris as a pack animal. He was big and strong, and was able to carry several sacks around with them that let them carry a lot more than they normally would be able to.
Taylor also discovered that monsters apparently ate Magic Stones. They could consume regular food, but a diet that included Magic Stones could make them stronger. She took the time to feed Chris any leftovers. He seemed to prefer Dungeon Lizard stones, so whenever he killed a few, he'd get a little treat.
Then, once they were back at home in the little underground den beneath the Church, Taylor would help Bell make food for dinner and the next day while also controlling a legion of spiders to spin silk in an unused closet. Simple sheets of plain, undyed silk for now, but she was experimenting with shapes.
Ganesha had sent over a letter as well, stating his intent to buy a spider silk cape. Taylor and Hestia had shopped around the city for a bit to get a feel for the price of regular silk in the market, and eventually settled on a million valis for the price of Ganesha's commission. Regular bolts of silk were around a hundred thousand valis, and garments made from it were at least five times as expensive.
Taylor's price was a bit more expensive than a regular silk cape, but it was deemed to be an acceptable trade-off as her spider silk was, for now, a limited commodity. It would take a while before she could produce it in anything approaching commercial amounts.
Hestia had been surprised to learn that Taylor could also command insects to do a limited set of instructions which they would follow even when they were outside of her control, so even when the parahuman was in the Dungeon her spiders continued to work. She did have to remember to tell them to eat in order to replenish their energy and silk after they accidentally worked to death one day, but Taylor never forgot after that.
Taylor had yet to try this with Chris. Would the Crystal Mantis go crazy if it was suddenly outside of her range of influence? Or would it just stand there, doing nothing, as it had absolute nothing in its head without her power telling it what to do?
The latter was the best outcome, but the danger of the former happening was too risky to attempt quite yet. Taylor wanted to test this out eventually, but only when she and Bell were stronger. And she had a feeling that wouldn't be all that far off.
She could feel herself getting more powerful. It was slow and subtle, but every day, when Hestia updated their Falnas after a trip to the Dungeon, she could noticeable see changes in her speed and physical strength.
According to the twin-tailed goddess, their growth was very unusual. Most people only gained a few points in any stat every so often, not massive jumps each and every time they went Dungeon Delving!
This worried Taylor, as standing out could be dangerous if you didn't have the ability to back it up. Would somebody come after them and try to abuse their power for their own benefit? Hestia certainly fear that to be the case, and Taylor agreed.
But right now, the mysteries of the Falna and how it worked wasn't important. Today, Taylor was taking a break from the Dungeon while delivering Ganesha's order of one silken cape.
"This is where he lives?" Taylor asked incredulously, staring up at the obnoxiously designed building.
"Yeah," Hestia said, looking at the giant statue of Ganesha that took up the front entrance. "He's… let's go with eccentric."
"He makes his guests walk through a door set into a giant effigy of his crotch," Taylor deadpanned, completely unimpressed. "At least Ganesha isn't a woman, or this would be really uncomfortable and awkward."
Hestia spluttered a laugh out at that as she walked up to the guards. From the hum Taylor's swarm could hear coming from them, they were a pair of Level 1's, more than enough to deal with the average visitor.
"Lady Hestia," one of the guards said, bowing to the short woman. "You and Miss Hebert are expected. Please, allow me to escort you to Lord Ganesha and Lady Shakti."
"Thank you, that is appreciated," Hestia said with a nod. The guard eyed Taylor and the Crystal Mantis at her side, but said nothing and allowed them all to enter. A single Level 1 and a monster couldn't do any harm to a Level 5, after all.
The Ganesha Familia compound was interesting, and Taylor 'looked' at it as she was led through the area. It was shaped like a giant square and divided into two parts, one of which was located below ground. The upper level, the main floor, so to speak, was built around a wide-open courtyard. This was a rather beautiful and well-maintained garden area with traces of Indian and Greek styles in the architecture. A marble fountain in the shape of an elephant stood in the center spewing water from its trunk. The water was clean from what Taylor could tell and was used by the Familia for a bunch of different tasks as the water flowed away through pipes that led everywhere throughout the compound.
The main building was a very large palace-like structure at the far end of the courtyard with gold filigree on everything, with elephants carved into the pillars and arches. It was three stories tall, and flanked on either side of it by a pair of two-story side buildings. Barracks for the Familia members, from what Taylor was about to 'see.'
Below that, the underground section was filled with armories, storehouses, training facilities, and most importantly, cages filled with monsters. These monsters were wild and vicious, subdued via drugs for the most part. Only a few actually seemed 'tame,' and even then they were treated carefully.
The menagerie beneath their feet let Taylor observe all sorts of new species of monsters from lower floors. There were rabbits with odd, unicorn-like horns on their heads, and short, bipedal lagomorphs that seemed to be about as intelligent as goblins or kobolds. Creepy bats with unnatural wide mouths, more Ligerfangs and Trolls, and a few black dogs with muzzles fitted over their heads. There were all of these, and more. It was an impressive collection.
What was really interesting was that it seemed like there were tours going on for civilian children, like it was a miniature zoo!
There were also dozens of Familia members working in both levels, not all of which were adventurers. Almost all of them wore domino masks in emulation of their 'god's' own facial accessory.
Upon being led into the main building, which was quite large and impressive on the inside, with a ballroom in the back, they were taken to a meeting room elsewhere on the first floor that had a throne in it.
It was an impressive seat hewn from solid ivory, and Ganesha was sitting on it with Shakti standing at to the right of the throne. A handful of advisors and other adventurers – one of which was level four judging by the hum – were standing along the walls, watching.
Of course, the solemn and imposing air of the audience chamber was broken almost immediately as Ganesha jumped to his feet and hurried over to greet them.
"I am Ganesha! And I am excited to see you again, Little Hestia!"
"Don't call me 'little!'" Hestia scowled. Well, really it was more of a pout, and it just caused Ganesha to throw his head back and laugh.
"HAH! Yes, Ganesha remembers that temper! Why, Ganesha remembers back in Tenkai when you would shout at and scold Indra every time he got into a fight with Zeus, Thor and Susanoo!"
"It was their own fault for having a 'Lightning Bolt Throwing Contest' and using that mountain as a target! All it did was get Gaia pissed at them!" Hestia huffed.
"Yes, yes, good times!" Ganesha laughed, before turning to Taylor with an excited grin. "Now, Ganesha hopes that those packages are for Ganesha!"
"Uh-huh!" Hestia said with a nod, mood shifting as she grinned back. "I can't wait for the next Banquet of the Gods to show off my own silk dress! That washboard will be green with envy!"
Taylor wasn't sure who the 'washboard' was, but she took a small wooden box with a black spider mark stamped onto the lid off Chris' back and held it out to Shakti, who had approached from behind Ganesha. She accepted it with a nod and opened it, revealing a beautiful grey-white cape woven from pure spider's silk.
On the back of the cape was a trio of embroidered white elephants standing on each other's back. Each had been made by having the spiders carefully weave the images into the silk itself, so it had no stitches or seams. To top it off, a simple golden clasp would allow the wearer to put it on with ease. That had been the most expensive bit of the whole outfit, costing a few hundred valis to buy. The rest of the outfit was woven by thousands of spiders over the course of a few days.
"Oh!" Ganesha breathed out. "Tis beautiful! Ganesha approves!"
"It is quite nice," Shakti admitted, sounding surprised as she looked at the embroidery. "I didn't think…"
"My control over insects is very thorough," Taylor assured her.
"I can see that," Shakti agreed, before handing it over to Ganesha. The god eagerly put it on, posing a bit as he did so. Shakti rolled her eyes while a few of the other Familia members politely applauded, humoring their eccentric leader.
"Ganesha is very happy!" he declared, running a hand over the silk and marveling at the softness of it.
Shakti seemed to take that as a cue and handed over a pouch of money. "Here. One million valis, as agreed upon the other day."
Taylor nodded, accepting the payment that had been negotiated a few days ago between the gods while Hestia held in a squeal at the amount of money they'd just made. It came in the form of a Guild issued IOU, since carrying around a bunch of gold and silver coins would be troublesome.
"Also, um, do you have a catalog?" Shakti asked in a low voice, a faint dusting of red on her cheeks. "For, err, underclothes and such?"
"Not yet, but I can make just about anything," Taylor replied, voice equally soft. "I'd just need your measurements."
"I see," she murmured. "I will… stop by, then."
"Just let us know ahead of time," Taylor requested. A few more pleasantries were made, then a guard led them out.
"Well, what should we do next?" Hestia asked curiously as they left the compound.
"Not sure," Taylor admitted. "Bell said he was going shopping, right?"
"Right," Hestia nodded, a tiny scowl slipping onto her face. "With that half-elf."
"The advisor, Eina?" Taylor queried.
"Yeah, her," Hestia replied.
It took a considerable amount of self-control for Taylor to avoid rolling her eyes at Hestia's blatant jealousy. It was sorta cute, but also a little silly.
"Hestia, Bell doesn't see Eina like that," she assured the tiny girl at her side.
"Really?" Hestia said hopefully.
"If anything, Bell has a crush on that one girl… the blonde. Ais Wallenstein," Taylor said, experiencing a small amount of Schadenfreude as she watched Hestia twitch and fume.
"H-he just looks up to her! Because she saved him! That's all!" Hestia protested.
"Uh-huh," Taylor replied, unconvinced.
"A-anyways, what are you going to spend the money on?" Hestia inquired, trying to switch the topic while glancing up at her Familia member. Taylor had wanted to split it with the Familia, but Hestia had insisted that she keep it all to herself, since Taylor had made the cape all by herself.
In the end, after some back and forth, Taylor had agreed to give a quarter of her money to the Familia while keeping the rest. That still left 750,000 valis for her to do with as she pleased.
"I actually have a few things I want to get," Taylor admitted. "I need a few new pieces of equipment myself. A better blade, for one. Replace some of the missing and broken plates on my armor. And some extra supplies to help make more silk."
"All very good ideas," Hestia said with an approving hum. "Anything else?"
"Well, yes," Taylor admitted. "I was hoping to get some books."
"Books, huh?" Hestia said, rubbing her chin. "I know of a couple places you could buy one."
"One? How expensive are books in this world?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Um, not that expensive," Hestia replied, thinking it over. "Ever since Athena and Thoth worked together with Hephaestus and Goibniu to invent the printing press a few centuries ago, followed by buying the rights to make paper from the Far East, and books are a lot cheaper than they used to be. I think a brand-new, fresh off the printers book would be… ten thousand valis? Depending on what kinda book it is."
Taylor raised an eyebrow at that. A hundred dollars for a book? That was almost criminal! When she asked why it was so expensive, Hestia shrugged.
"Well, the printing presses are great and all, but you can only make so many at a time. And each page requires a unique block with everything inscribed on it. So, making blocks for a new book is expensive. A hundred blocks at a minimum is needed for a small book and those blocks have to be hand carved. They can also break often."
'Sounds like they only came up with a kind of woodblock press printer instead of the movable type printing press Gutenberg invented,' Taylor mused. That gave her… ideas for a new business.
"I see that look in your eyes," Hestia said, poking Taylor in the side. "I won't stop you, but be careful about what you try and introduce to Orario from your world. Not everyone will appreciate the changes."
"I'll keep that in mind," Taylor promised. She then smelled a pleasant scent in the air, and her stomach growled. Hestia giggled at that, until her own stomach betrayed her and let out an even louder growl.
"…Let's get some lunch first before we go shopping," Taylor suggested. Hestia nodded, face red with mortification.
They found an open-air café that was fine with having Chris stand (or rather loom) in an alley behind the building, and had a pleasant meal of egg and watercress sandwiches. The tea was good, too, and Taylor resolved to find out where they got it from. She liked coffee well enough, but hadn't seen any beans in the marketplace, and tea had always had a soft spot for her. Her mother would drink it a lot when grading papers, and Taylor had grown up in a proper tea-drinking household as a result.
Once they were finished, they headed off to do some shopping. No weapons or armor purchases in the end, as Taylor hadn't found any that called out to her, but she did get some new clothes to wear casually, and a pair of books. One was about the history of Orario, the other was a second-hand copy of a much older, and denser tome regarding the laws and regulations of the Guild.
Officially, there was no single ruler of the city. Unofficially, the Guild ran Orario. Technically, everything was run by various Familias working with the civilian population, but the Guild oversaw the Familias, and by extension, held a considerable amount of soft power.
Knowing the rules of a society was important, and Taylor wasn't going to be blindsided by some obscure law or regulation that the Guild, some random merchant or Familia could use to hurt her and her new family.
That done, they picked up some groceries and headed back to the church, where upon returning Taylor noticed that Bell was already back.
"We're back!" Hestia called out cheerfully.
"Welcome back Lady Hestia, Miss Taylor!" Bell replied happily as the duo descended the stairs.
"Is that your new armor?" Taylor asked, looking at the equipment Bell had laid out on the table. It was a white breastplate, the color and style reminding Taylor a bit of her own costume's armored plates. There was also a single vivid green vambrace that looked nice, but didn't really fit Bell's aesthetic.
"That's right! Pyonkichi Mark II!" Bell declared, pointing to the armor.
"I beg your pardon?" she uttered in a deadpan.
"Uh, well, that's what the blacksmith who made it called it," Bell said, looking away with a red face.
"Alright," Taylor drawled. "Poor choice of name aside, how does it compare to what you previously had?"
"It's so much better!" Bell cheered. "It's lightweight but durable, and fits great!"
He then looked to the side. "And, well, I also like it 'cause it kinda looks like your armor."
Taylor hummed to herself while quickly shunting the flash of embarrassment – and something else, an emotion she couldn't quite identify – away to her swarm. She wasn't quick enough, if the smirk Hestia shot her was any clue, but Taylor ignored it with all the grace and dignity she could muster.
"I was thinking about making meatloaf," Taylor said, changing topics. "Bell, can you help me?"
"Yes!" he nodded, eagerly running over to the kitchen counter as Taylor and Hestia put down their shopping bags and got out the ingredients for that night's meal.
She'd found a butcher who had a meat grinder and was willing to sell her ground beef. The man – a man with the ears and horns of a bull, which Taylor found strangely surreal – hadn't understood why somebody would want ground meat that wasn't going to be made into a sausage, but Taylor was a paying customer and hadn't argued about the request.
Taylor had also found out rather quickly that adventurers ate far more than a regular person did. And whatever Hestia was, she could also pack away the food that should have been impossible given how tiny she was. Between the three of them, there would never be any leftovers.
"This is meatloaf?" Hestia asked, curious as she watched the two work in the kitchen. "Not what I expected when you told me about it."
"It's certainly different," Bell agreed as he thoroughly kneaded the ground beef into the bread crumbs and tomato sauce.
Taylor just nodded as she watched and occasionally spoke up, giving directions. She rather liked this change of pace in her life. Being a warlord and later a Ward had been stressful. Being an adventurer was a lot more freeing and fulfilling. A lot fewer demands on her time, too.
This was good. It was nice. Pleasant. She hoped these slow days would continue, but Taylor had a feeling that that wouldn't be the case for long. She desperately wished it was just her paranoia speaking, but Taylor knew her luck was not that good.
Chapter 8: Chapter 8: 7th Floor Bounty
Chapter Text
Chapter 8: Seventh Floor Bounty
"Bell… what did you do this time?" Taylor asked with a sigh, running a hand over her face. It was the next day, and the two were raring to go back into the Dungeon after their day off. They had made it to the front of the Tower, only for a young girl to approach Bell and ask about joining them in the Dungeon for the day.
"I didn't do anything!" the fourteen-year-old albino spluttered out. Taylor just raised an eyebrow, and glanced over at the girl in the white hooded outfit standing next to him, and he winced.
"Okay, so, I may have, uh, saved her from being mugged yesterday, and she wanted to repay me somehow?" Bell admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"And how exactly does that lead you to recruiting her as a supporter?" Taylor demanded, the implied 'Without consulting with me?' going unsaid but heard by everyone.
"I thought it would help! Lili has a long-ranged option, and she's able to carry a lot of extra supplies!" Bell explained.
"I will grant you the first one, but Chris can still act as a pack-mule, so we don't need somebody to carry things for us," Taylor replied.
"But it would be better to have a dedicated supporter, leaving Chris free to fight with us!" Bell argued.
Taylor nodded, accepting the point he was making, before turning to look over the young girl Bell had apparently saved yesterday. She had already been observing her through the swarm, but it was good to look at somebody through her own eyes.
The girl was cute, Taylor could admit. Small, too, with auburn hair and dog ears partial hidden by the white hood. The most noticeable thing however was the enormous stack of bags strapped to her back. How much did it weigh? And how was she able to stay upright and balanced with it?
"What is your name?"
"Liliruca Arde!" the supporter said, speaking up, voice trembling a bit with nervousness. "C-call me Lili!"
"Alright. Lili," Taylor replied, feeling a small twinge as she recalled a parahuman with a similar name from so long ago. She hadn't known the Ward Fletchette for long, but the small tangential connection still stirred something within her. She hoped Lily and Sabah had made it out of Gold Morning in one piece.
Ignoring the pang in her chest, Taylor looked over the young girl who couldn't have been older than Bell himself. "What are your talents? Why should we hire you?"
"Well, Lili is a supporter with many years of experience-!" she began, but Taylor raised her hand to cut her off.
"Not what I meant. What can you do beyond carry our supplies and baggage?"
"Um, well, Lili has a crossbow," the girl – chienthrope, Taylor believed the dog-girl's species was called – "I have good aim, and can hit a goblin in the eye at fifty paces!"
That was interesting, though Taylor wondered just how strong the tiny wrist-mounted crossbow could be. She motioned for Lili to continue, and the supporter went on.
"Lili has been down to the 10th floor! She knows the weakpoints of every monster on the way there, as well as the location of the pantries!"
Now that was much more intriguing for the parahuman. The existence of pantries, or small safe zones scattered about within the Dungeon, was a curious one, especially as it was the only place where clean water could be obtained.
Monsters, even those born from the Dungeon, still needed some way to sustain themselves. And Taylor knew a person could go a week without food, but would die in three days without something to drink. Monsters would congregate there, as while it was rare for them to actually live long enough to need it, those that did would unerringly locate these safe havens to rest and recuperate.
More importantly, however, adventurers could use them to stock up on water as well, as it was safe for them to consume, and meant they didn't have to worry about packing as many supplies, especially liquids, since those were always tricky and cumbersome to lug around.
"Alright, we'll give you a chance," Taylor finally said with a nod. "Come on, we're burning daylight."
She then glanced at Bell. "You're in charge of her, by the way."
With that, she walked off towards the Tower and the Dungeon below, Bell and their new companion trailing behind with Chris taking up the rear.
"You didn't tell Lili your other Familia member was her!" Lili hissed to Bell as they headed into the lobby of the Tower of Babel.
"Huh? Why, is something wrong?" Bell asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.
Lili let out a strangled whine. "She's able to perfectly control a Crystal Mantis! That monster can kill Level 2 adventurers if they're not careful! To say nothing of what it does to unwary Level 1s!"
Lili gestured helplessly towards Taylor and the monster in question. "Hardly anybody outside of the Ganesha Familia bothers with the Taming ability, and yet Lili has heard she isn't even Level 2 yet! So that means she has a Skill to do it! Everyone wants to know who she is! Not to mention the rumors of her making silk clothing using insects, completing undercutting the Far Eastern silk merchants who previously had a monopoly over the stuff! So, yeah! She's a big deal!"
Taylor fought the urge to snort as she listened into their conversation with her bugs. 'It seems I've gained something of a reputation,' she mused to herself.
"Today, we are descending deeper than we have gone before," Taylor announced as they walked to the entrance of the First Floor. "Today, we're going to the Seventh Floor."
"Seventh?" Lili asked, surprised.
"I wish to perform an… experiment," Taylor revealed.
"Oh? Oh! The Killer Ants!" Bell guessed. "You want to see if you can control them?"
"Exactly," Taylor nodded.
Lili looked taken aback at the thought that Taylor could control more monsters, which caused the dark-hair teen to hide a smirk.
The party rushed through the upper floors, trying to avoid the War Shadows on the Sixth Floor to get to the next floor as fast as possible. They were a truly annoying monster as they were intangible save for their glowing eye until the moment they attacked. It was immensely frustrating to try and eliminate them, though according to Lili they were weak to magic and could be destroyed despite their intangibility that way.
There was also a bit of dislike from Taylor towards the War Shadows due to Taylor's less than pleasant memories of Shadow Stalker, or rather, Sophia Hess. Thinking about her former tormentor caused the bugs she had hidden on her body to writhe and vibrate angrily before she was able to calm down.
'Perhaps some of my bias towards her is coloring my opinion of Lili?' Taylor couldn't help but wonder. The shadow-themed parahuman had also used a crossbow, after all.
To that end, Taylor decided to at least give the young woman a chance for now. And Taylor was glad she'd done so, as it turned out that Lili really was a good shot with her tiny weapon. She managed to nail a War Shadow right in the eye as it appeared, killing it instantly.
The crossbow had a lot more power than the former Brockton warlord had expected, too. Normally, a tiny projectile launcher like that wouldn't have much oomph behind it due to the constraints of size limiting the amount of potential force the weapon could bring to bear. But it seemed Orario had access to some fascinating materials thanks to the Dungeon, and Lili's crossbow was as strong, if not stronger, than the one Shadow Stalker had once used, despite being more than half its size and weight.
"Here it is, the Seventh Floor," Lili said as they approached a stairwell set into the ground in front of them.
Taylor observed it closely. Normally, her powers operated in a perfect sphere around her body, and any insect within it was under her control. The field of influence could pass through any material back on Earth Bet, yet here in the Dungeon, that was not the case.
Inside the tunnels of the Dungeon, her power could not pass beyond the ceiling, floor, or walls. Instead, her power seemed to be squished and would deform to fit the space. This meant that instead of being a perfect sphere, her field of influence was closer to a mass of groping psychic tendrils, at least as far as she could tell.
This did have the effect of increasing the range of her control. Still the same volume, so to speak, just flattened and spread out.
Another important discovery Taylor had made was that unlike the boundary between the Dungeon and Orario, her powers weren't stopped by any sort of barrier when ascending or descending the Dungeon. This meant there was no risk of losing control of Chris or any of her insects when they went between floors. This was good to know, and opened up the way for quite a few tricks.
"Chris is going on ahead," Taylor said, the Crystal Mantis doing just that as they stepped onto the stairs.
The rest of the party followed when the monster confirmed the floor around it was clear. And as soon as Taylor was halfway down, she felt the first so-called 'Killer Ant' fall under her control.
Like the Crystal Mantis, its mind was full of nothing but the desire to kill. Hatred was so deeply ingrained into its being the Killer Ant couldn't even do anything else. Nor could it put up a fight. It was even easier to subdue than Chris had been, too, as ants were eusocial insects, and even when scaled up into giant killing machines their instinctive obedience to following orders made it simple to dominate.
Taylor spent a moment scrubbing its brain of the Dungeon's influence, then after ordering Chris forward, took a few steps back, allowing Queen Administrator's field of influence to receded once she was too far away.
'It's not doing anything,' Taylor noted as she peered through Chris' eyes at the Killer Ant, getting a good view of it as well.
The ant-shaped monster was covered in a grey carapace that looked almost black in the dim light of the Dungeon, and was quite big, larger than a basset hound, and just as low to the ground. Taylor could see why it was known as an adventurer killer from that alone. With it being so low, lower than goblins or even Shooter Frogs, it would be hard for anyone who was short like Bell or Lili to hit it in melee. A spear would bridge the gap, but the confines of the Seventh Floor were cramped making polearms less effective. Only when somebody reached the Middle Floors and the space opened up did larger weapons prove their worth.
The Killer Ant continued to do nothing as Taylor observed it through Chris. That was another bit of relief to the parahuman. She hadn't been sure if the Dungeon would regain dominion over a monster once she released it from her control or it was outside of her power's reach, but this proved that after a monster was created by the Dungeon, whatever malign force put that hatred into their heads couldn't keep influencing them. Without it, they were just animals. Dumb animals with zero survival skills or knowledge beyond the bare basics and their instincts, but animals all the same.
"Miss Taylor?" Bell asked, looking back at her in confusion. He and Lili were already at the bottom of the stairs, and were waiting for her.
"Just testing something," she assured them as she joined the pair on the Seventh Floor. "And good news. I can control them."
Bell perked up excitedly while Lili turned pale at the thought of a woman controlling an endless tide of chitinous death. To demonstrate, Taylor ordered the Killer Ant she'd taken control of to approach, and it obeyed, following Chris back to their side.
"Bell, Lili, remind me about the capabilities of a Killer Ant," Taylor requested, looking at the two of them as she bent down and patted the monster's head.
"Um, Killer Ants are sometimes called 'Rookie Killers' alongside War Shadows because they can quickly swarm adventurers and drown them in numbers," Bell said. "They can also summon more of their kind to their side if they aren't killed in a single hit. They do this by releasing pheromones."
"Their Magic Stone is located inside of their head, near the brain," Lili added. "Their head is heavy and can actually stay alive for a little bit even if you sever it from their neck. A Killer Ant's mandibles are extreme sharp, and can bite through bone. The joints on the legs and neck are their weakest point and can be cut through to disable them. Also, their Drop Item is a piece of chitin from their exoskeleton. It is used to make armor as well as specialized alchemy tools."
"So, their exoskeleton is resistant to acid and other caustic chemicals?" Taylor asked, and Lili nodded.
"Yes. Oh! And sometimes, rare variants of Killer Ants are known to appear that can spray acid from their abdomens."
"Good, that's exactly right," Taylor said with a nod. She already knew all of this thanks to Eina and studying it herself, but she wanted to make sure her companions were aware of it as well.
She then stood up. "Time to start collecting. Don't worry about fighting."
They both blinked at that, confused, but when she led them to a central chamber with three branching tunnels leading away from it, they instantly realized what she was talking about.
The chamber and the tunnels were packed to the brim with Killer Ants. Dozens of them, crammed together, some piling on top of each other to make the most use of the space they had.
And they were all tearing into each other, violently ripping themselves apart. While Taylor had been quizzing Bell and Lili, she had been ordering her newly acquired Killer Ant to release its pheromones, which natural drew a bunch more that instantly fell under Taylor's control.
Then, she used the Killer Ants within her range to summon more of them, but also ordered them to kill the monsters that were beyond the range of her control.
'Even if they pass outside of Queen Administrator's range, my order to kill all monsters aside from Chris will remain within them, and they'll just keep obeying the final order I gave them,' Taylor mused. Every so often she would instruct a Killer Ant to bring the Magic Stones and Drop Items over to her, where they quickly made a pile that kept growing.
Bell and Lili were staring in disbelief at the sight, and Taylor couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at their expression.
"Whoa!" Bell breathed out, shock turning into admiration, and he soon had stars in his eyes. "This is amazing, Miss Taylor!"
"Lili is very glad Miss Taylor is on our side," the supporter murmured, unable to take her eyes off of the loot.
"If you two want to train, I will instruct some Killer Ants to fight you," Taylor informed them, and Bell and even Lili perked up at that. The chance to fight a monster without it actually trying to kill you would be a great way to gain practical combat experience, even if it wouldn't provide much Excelia.
"Yes, please, Miss Taylor!" Bell said, Lili nodding in agreement. Taylor smiled at them from behind her mask and gestured to the side where a couple Killer Ants had cleared out some space and were standing at the ready.
Bell went first, darting in and testing the strength of a Killer Ant's carapace by stabbing it in the head. It shrieked and flailed about, showing that its body was quite sturdy. A second stab revealed to Bell the location of its Magic Stone, and with that mystical gem broken, the monster collapsed into ash.
At his side, Lili provided covering fire, piercing a Killer Ant's left eye, blinding it as yellowish-green blood oozed from the wound. Bell disabled a third monster by severing its legs, then finished it off by cutting off its head. Like Lili had said earlier, the Killer Ant stayed alive for a full two minutes despite being decapitated, the mandibles continuing to futilely gnash as it rolled about on the floor until Lili fully killed it with a crossbow bolt.
"A regular ant can sense vibrations as well as smell using its antenna," Taylor informed them as they fought. "In essence, they are the ant's ears and nose at the same time. You will be able to cripple them by cutting them off. Aim for those if you need to escape as it will severely hamper their ability to chase you."
"Got it!" Bell called out, putting her advice to work by severing the antenna from a fourth Killer Ant, and watched with interest as it went berserk, unable to sense the world around it properly anymore.
Taylor watched, impressed by their skill and coordination, as well as marveling at the superhuman feats the two could perform. A normal human wouldn't be able to backflip over a giant ant while also accurately cutting its head off upon landing. Nor could regular people fight while carrying what had to be hundreds of pounds of gear on their back at the same time.
The teenaged parahuman turned adventurer had ordered the Killer Ants to act just like they would with the Dungeon's influence clouding their minds, and they did so, but with the caveat not to harm the two adventurers. Even so, both Bell and Lili were displaying considerable fighting skills. It was good experience for them, and they also seemed to enjoy the chance to fight without the risk of death.
Bell even started teaching Lili how to use knives and daggers as a close combat option in the event she ran out of ammo, and the young girl seemed to pick it up rather quickly.
When the party finally decided to return to the surface, it was only because both Lili and Chris' bags were stuffed to the brim with treasure and unable to hold more. Everyone's pockets, pouches, and whatever else could be used to carry items ended up being used. Bell even took off his socks to use as tiny makeshift sacks!
It was barely even noon when they made their way back to Orario, and yet this single trip had been the most profitable excursion any of them had ever been on.
"L-Lili has never seen so much money from a single trip!" she murmured, staring at the massive pouch of valis in her hands, before looking up with wide eyes at Taylor and Bell. "N-normally a party of five Level 1 adventurers only makes twenty-five thousand valis a day if they stay around the Fifth Floor. But this… this is ridiculous!"
"We're not normal adventurers," Taylor said dryly, something that was hilariously understated.
"I-is it really okay for Lili to have this much?" Lili asked hesitantly, as if she couldn't believe her luck.
"We divide everything evenly between us," Taylor told her. Each of them had gotten a quarter of the haul, with the final fourth being put into the Hestia Familia's bank account as usual.
Even with an extra person to divide the money with, each of them had made a little over a hundred thousand valis. That meant the entire haul was nearly half a million valis total!
"Yeah! Lili was really useful! You knew about that shortcut through the Third Floor that I'd never even seen before, plus you knew where the pantry on the Seventh Floor was!" Bell said. "Not to mention you carried way more stuff than Chris did on the way back!"
"Th-thank you," Lili said, looking down with a blush, unable to meet Bell's beaming face anymore.
The former warlord held back a snort at that. 'What a lady killer,' she thought, amused. 'And he doesn't even realize it.'
Still, while the trip had made them a lot of money, Taylor, however, considered the best part of the day the fact she'd gotten a new insectoid monster to add to her collection. She had decided to bring back the very first Killer Ant she'd taken control of, and after bidding Lili and Bell farewell, had gone to the Guild to pay for the license.
"Another one?" Eina asked, her voice cracking a bit as she stared at the enormous ant. It stared back, unblinking, one feeler twitching a bit.
"Her name is Anne," Taylor replied, patting it fondly on the head.
"Of course it is," the half-elf said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Miss Taylor, far be it from me to tell an adventurer what to do, but if I may make a suggestion, too many monsters out in the streets will be seen as odd. Try, at least, to only have one of them accompanying you at a time."
"I'll see what I can do," Taylor said, making no promises.
"This is going to get out of hand, I can tell," Eina muttered. Even so, she dutifully retrieved the monster registration paperwork for Taylor, who quickly filled it out and paid for the iron tag with the proper information stamped onto it.
"Thank you," Taylor said, taking the collar and putting it onto Anne's neck. It was a little harder to see compared to Chris', but it was there, so legally everything was fine and dandy.
She paid, then bid the Guild worker farewell, who just gave a weary, half-hearted nod farewell.
Having nothing else to do for the day, Taylor decided to get some more shopping done. Clothes were good, especially as she wanted to browse for dye to color her silk with as well as check out what sort of styles of clothing people in Orario liked to wear, and getting a new blade or two wouldn't be amiss. Then of course there was dinner to prepare…
'Hmm, I might not have enough free time as I thought,' Taylor mused to herself as she began to walk through the streets of Orario.
As usual, people parted around her, the presence of two monsters doing much to deter crowds from forming. She even got discounts from terrified merchants, though Taylor always felt bad about that, even if it was familiar to her warlord days.
A few of the bugs in a nearby alleyway detected some odd as she was walking through the marketplace, and she frowned.
'Is that Lili?' Taylor wondered. For some reason, she didn't seem to have dog ears anymore, but the young girl's hum was unmistakable: a soft tinkling of broken glass.
She was also being cornered by a very large – and by large, Taylor meant fat – adventurer, who was backed up by two more. His hum was louder than Lili's, but not as loud as Bell's. He was likely a Level 1. A strong one, but gone to seed if his waistline was any indicator. He had the ears and tail of a raccoon as well, which was an odd sight, but not exactly unusual in Orario.
She pushed her swarm closer, trying to hear through it. It was not as clear as she'd have liked, but from the tone and the actions going on, the raccoon adventurer had an antagonistic relationship with the supporter, and had knocked down Lili.
'That's not good,' Taylor thought to herself, watching as the raccoon beastman loomed over Lili, trying to extort the money she'd earned in the Dungeon earlier from her.
Lili attempted to resist, but he was stronger than her and with a kick to her ribs, pried the bag of valis out of her hands.
'I've seen enough,' Taylor decided, and stepped in before he could leave the alley, summoning her swarm to surround him and his followers.
He flinched as the buzzing mass appeared before him, same as the other two, but to Taylor's surprise, Lili looked hopeful when the insects gathered.
"I don't like bullies," Taylor said through the swarm behind the adventurers, while also putting aside Lili's reaction for the moment, focusing instead on the rats in front of her.
"This is none of yer business, bitch," the raccoon-man spat, glancing around at the circling mass of insects, likely trying to find where she was. Joke was on him, though. She wasn't anywhere near him.
"You are trying to steal the hard-earned money of a supporter who had made a contract with the Hestia Familia," Taylor replied, making her voice come from a different corner of the alley.
"And the rat is a member of the Soma Familia. What happens to her is none of your business," raccoon-guy growled out, his eyes starting to dart around a bit in worry when he couldn't immediately detect Taylor.
"I beg to differ," Taylor retorted. "Your actions shame your Familia, and if you do not drop the money and leave, will be forced to take… drastic measures."
"She's right, nya!" a peppy voice called out, and everyone turned to face the newcomer. Not Taylor, though. She'd seen her coming well before anyone else did. "Being mean to somebody as cute as her has gotta be a crime!"
The person who had appeared was one of the cat-girl waitresses from the Hostess of Fertility. She had brown hair and eyes, and had a mischievous glint in her eyes as she looked over the situation in the alleyway.
And she was powerful. Far stronger than anyone else there. Combined.
"This does not concern you," the raccoon uttered, his tone much more respectful as he faced the cat-eared woman.
"Nope! It doesn't, nya! But I agree with buggy girl! I don't like bullies," the waitress – Anya, Taylor recalled – stated, her voice turning low with a dangerous purr at the last bit.
That seemed to break the member of the Soma Familia's spirit, and he grunted in disgust, tossing the bag of money back at Lili before stalking off. Taylor generously parted the curtain of insects to allow them to leave without issue. She left a few bugs on their clothes to keep track of them, however.
"Thank you," Taylor said through her swarm, and Anya blushed and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.
"Nah, it's okay, nya! Just doing what anybody should do."
"If only more people thought that way," Taylor muttered. Anya gave a nervous laugh at that before gasping.
"Oh! I've gotta get back before Mama wonders where the ingredients are!" Anya exclaimed, turning around and running off, making sure to grab a large bag of groceries as she did so.
"This is the second time Lili has been rescued by a maid and someone from the Hestia Familia this week alone," Lili chuckled, but the tone was grim and there was little genuine amusement to be heard.
"About that," Taylor began, unsure of where to start. What could she even say? "Do you want to talk about it?"
Lili gave a deadpan stare at one of the bug clones, clearly as unimpressed by the offer as Taylor herself felt.
The member of the Hestia Familia winced and was glad Lili couldn't actually see her right now.
"Thank you for saving Lili, Miss Taylor," the supporter eventually said, standing up and brushing some dust off of her cloak. "But Lili must be going now."
"Wait," Taylor said, moving a portion of her swarm in front of the smaller girl. "I have questions."
"Lili is sure you do," she replied bitterly. "But since Lili has no connection to you anymore, it's better if you leave Lili alone!"
"We have a contract," Taylor pointed out.
"That was just a lie you told to get Canoe off Lili's back," Lili replied with a scoff.
"Canoe? That was his name?" Taylor asked with a snort.
"Canoe Belway is one of the Soma Familia's top adventurers," Lili replied darkly. "He's the strongest Level 1, and Zanis' lap dog."
"Ironic, considering he's a raccoon beastman," Taylor said, and Lili laughed darkly.
"Yes, Lili supposes it is."
"What was he trying to do to you, Lili?" Taylor asked, changing topics.
"That is Lili's business," the younger girl huffed.
"If you say so," Taylor said.
"Can Lili go now?" she demanded, and after a moment Taylor complied, parting her swarm.
"Bell and I will be delving into the Dungeon again tomorrow," Taylor told her as she left. "We could use your help as a supporter."
"…Lili will be there," she muttered.
"Good. Meet us out front at six am. And bring some more bags. We're going back down to the Seventh Floor."
Lili perked up at that, and Taylor could tell that the prospect of another day as bountiful as this one appealed to her. She then left, and Taylor discreetly placed a few more bugs on her.
Afterwards, Taylor went about her day, checking out the market place and a few stores. She had money to spend, but hadn't brought any with her, having left it all at home. She considered going back down into the Dungeon for a brief stint to collect some extra money since she had the time, and after some thought decided it would be a better use of her time than just wandering aimlessly.
She stuck to the First Floor, and carved a bloody swathe through the goblins. With Chris and Anne protecting her, it gave Taylor a chance to train with her dagger and shake the rust off of her martial arts skills. Back in the Wards, she'd taken the opportunity to learn a few different unarmed combat styles, including Krav Maga, because fuck the Empire 88. She was unsure of how useful such techniques would be against the less humanoid monsters, but it couldn't hurt to have them, just in case.
Having only one arm threw off her ability to fight a bit, not to mention being significantly stronger than before thanks to the Falna, but having the chance to adjust was worth the time spent down below in the Dungeon's halls. Not to mention that without a larger swarm, Taylor was forced to rely more on her regular senses, something she hadn't done in a long time.
Very little of note happened during that time. There was a moment when she caught a glimpse of a strange green rooster-like bird, but it sprinted off faster than she could keep up with when it saw her, vanishing into the depths of the Dungeon. Other than that, most adventurers kept their distance. Walking out a few hours later with her money-pouch a few thousand valis heavier, Taylor was pleased with the workout and went up to the market to grab some ingredients for dinner, feeling like curry. Then, she strolled back home.
"Welcome back, Miss Taylor!" Bell said happily when she returned to the church around four in the afternoon. Taylor saw Hestia was already back, the twin-tailed girl sitting on the couch with an exhausted look on her face. Did her shift working at the food stall end early?
"Did you get your stats updated?" she asked Bell instead, and he nodded.
"What in the Gods' names did you do today?" Hestia demanded, glaring at her.
"You saw the money Bell brought back, I take it?" Taylor guessed.
"I did! He also told me you got a new monster!" she scowled.
"A Killer Ant!" Bell 'helpfully' chimed in.
"Yes, Bell, thank you," Hestia grunted. "A Killer Ant. Why?"
"I wanted one," Taylor replied simply. There was no greater reason. She'd just wanted a giant ant. What girl wouldn't?
Hestia let out an exasperated groan, slumping a bit, before shooting Taylor a glare.
"Do not keep it in here," she ordered. "And can you control them when you aren't here?"
"Yes, don't worry about that," Taylor assured her. "I can give orders to the monsters just as I can to the regular insects, and they'll follow them even if I'm not nearby to enforce my will. As for where it will stay, I'm going to have Anne dig a den nearby. She'll make a small cave for herself and Chris, and it'll also be where the spiders will work on making silk."
Taylor wasn't planning on bringing Anne into the Dungeon regularly. Chris was more than enough to protect her on the Upper Floors. And with a Killer Ant guarding the place while the Familia wasn't there, no thieves would get any stupid ideas.
"You named it Anne," Hestia groaned.
"I like it!" Bell said cheerfully.
"Thank you, Bell," Taylor replied.
"Let's… let's just get your stats updated," Hestia mumbled as she got off the couch. Taylor nodded and followed her into the bedroom, took off her shirt, and lay down to let Hestia have access to her Falna.
Blood dripped onto her back, and there was a sound like the buzzing of her swarm that filled the air for a brief moment as Hestia's power suffused the air.
'It seems my hum has gained its own sound, for better or worse,' Taylor noted as she waited for Hestia to finish.
When the tiny 'goddess' was done, she gave Taylor the paper with her latest changes to her stats.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 21 → I 99
ENDURANCE – I 18 → I 68
DEXTERITY – I 30 → H 112
AGILITY – I 14 → I 77
MAGIC – H 101 → F 319
"Well, I think I can safely say you are going to end up being perfect as a Mage," Hestia said as Taylor examined her stats. The parahuman could only nod at that, as her Magic stat was by far the highest of them at the moment, and it was growing the fastest.
"Magic… this stat influences how much 'Mind' I possess?" Taylor asked.
"Correct! Spells need it! But cast too many spells in a row and you can pass out!" Hestia confirmed.
"I think the reason Magic is growing so fast is because of my shard," Taylor mused thoughtfully. "I have to control every insect myself, after all, and that takes up a considerable amount of brain power. The two must be connected, somehow. And my range… it feels like it has increased a bit."
"Really? Interesting, I wonder how much bigger it can get," Hestia wondered.
"It didn't increase by much. Just a few feet. But even if it's just a centimeter every point or so, that will certainly add up fast at the rate the stat is improving," Taylor said.
Expanding her already prodigious range a single centimeter didn't seem like much, especially when the radius of her power was currently around two thousand feet or so. But her power had grown in scope natural, so if it was possible for the Falna to artificially enhance it, that was just another trick up her sleeve.
Having experienced the way her power reacted in the Dungeon also made Taylor wonder if she could consciously reshape her own field. It had always been a sphere, but could it be more? Was it possible to extend it purposefully in one direction outside of the Dungeon?
'Something to test later,' she decided as she put her shirt back on.
"Tonight's dinner is going to be curry," she said aloud. "Bell! Start chopping ingredients! And get some water boiling!"
"Yes, Miss Taylor!" Bell called out, hurrying to the kitchen. She smiled, as did Hestia. Though the much shorter (if bustier) girl turned to her with pleading eyes.
"Please don't bring home any more monsters!" she begged.
"No promises," Taylor said. Hestia sobbed a bit in response. Taylor patted her on the head in response, which caused her to growl and pout. How adorable.
Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Curses and Companionship
Chapter Text
Chapter 9: Curses and Companionship
"Good afternoon," a sleepy-looking brunette woman with dog ears said in greeting. She'd perked up a bit when the door had opened, but slumped a bit when she saw it was just Taylor.
"Your customers will cry if you treat them like that," the Mistress of the Swarm said, and the Captain of the Miach Familia snorted.
"Customer? More like our supplier. You sell more ingredients for potions then you actually buy."
"Can't help it that I'm so good at my job," Taylor joked, and Naaza Erisuis laughed at that.
"Well, I can't really complain when I'm getting so many quality ingredients for cheap," the Chienthrope replied. "What did you bring me this time?"
"A dozen Purple Moth wings, along with twenty-five bottles of Purple Moth powder," Taylor informed her, taking out the items from a silk bag and placing them on the counter.
Naaza carefully inspected each and every one, even going so far as to taste some of the purplish powder. When she was done, she nodded.
"These will make excellent antidotes," she declared. Naaza then got out some valis and handed it over. "Are you sure this is fine?"
"It is," Taylor assured her as she took the money. It was significantly less than market price for the monster parts, but money wasn't exactly something she or her Familia lacked at the moment.
"You know, you don't owe us anything," Naaza muttered, looking at the floor, a bit embarrassed. She would normally never say anything about getting a discount on potion supplies, but there was something earnest about Taylor, along with a desire to actually help, that made the sleepy woman resist her usual urge to swindle the other person. It was like Bell, in a way, just in a different manner.
"Miach is good friends with Hestia, and I owe him for teaching her a way to heal my mind," Taylor replied. "If not for his kindness… well, I don't really know what I'd be like right now. So, giving you a discount is the least I can do."
Naaza sighed but nodded. The alchemist and Taylor had met after the Monsterphilia. Taylor had given the smaller Familia her thanks for the kindness that had been shown, and had struck up… well, the Swarmbringer wasn't sure she'd call the two of them 'friends,' but there was a nice sense of comradery between them. That the tall adventurer had absolutely no interest in her god made Naaza a lot more inclined to like Taylor as well.
After confirming her power really could control monstrous insects, and that there were plenty of those on the Seventh Floor, Taylor had made it her mission to acquire ingredients for Naaza and Miach.
"By the way, Naaza, I was hoping you had an update for me on the stuff I asked you about last time," Taylor said, and the brunette grimaced.
"I do. Still think it's a bad idea to get involved with the Soma Familia, but I got what you wanted," Naaza said.
"Lay it on me," Taylor requested.
"Fine," Naaza grumbled, before drumming her fingers on the table. "So, first off, that guy your supporter ran afoul of, Canoe Belway? A leg-breaker for Zanis, the Soma Familia's Captain. He's a thug and doesn't have a good reputation at all. But he is strong. He's not the most powerful Level 1 adventurer, but he's a veteran with over a decade's worth of experience."
"Anything unusual about him? Skills, magic, or what?" Taylor inquired.
"Nope. Regular adventurer. Rumors have his Power and Endurance stat in the B-rank range, but nobody is sure about that for sure. I also heard a rumor he has a Magic Sword, which is the real threat."
"A Magic Sword, huh?" Taylor muttered. The infamous weapons were powerful, and could easily bump an adventurer up to a higher threat level, but they were fragile and broke after a handful of uses. Beyond that, Taylor knew they were incredibly expensive. Not as expensive as a Grimoire, but even the cheapest and weakest ones were around a million valis.
"Uh-huh. No clue where he got that kinda money, but if he's going around extorting money from his own Familia members, then it makes sense," Naaza replied, grimacing as she recalled what Taylor had told her about what she'd seen Canoe doing to Lili. It hadn't happened again, but it was clear it wasn't the first time he'd done so, either.
"What about Soma Familia as a whole?" Taylor asked. Something about that name was giving her warning bells in her head, but she couldn't figure out why.
"Well, besides their sales of wine, they're… well, they're trash," Naaza said. "An F-rank Familia, if barely. They have a few dozen members, but only a pair of Level 2s. The rest are all Level 1. They're also greedy money-grubbers that make me look generous. Worse, however, is their addiction to Soma's wine."
"I noticed that," Taylor nodded. During her investigations, there had been very little kind to say about the Soma Familia. And the few members of the Familia Taylor had been able to spy on had not impressed her. They reminded her of the Merchants in some ways.
"Now, here's some info you might like," Naaza continued. "Apparently, Zanis, the Captain, is responsible for the current situation plaguing the Familia."
"How so?" Taylor asked.
"Everyone in the Familia is addicted to Soma's wine. And they have to pay an outrageous sum to get even a single sip. It's why they're all so desperate for money. And thanks to Soma's 'hand's off' approach to leading the Familia, Zanis basically runs the place however he wants."
'Odd. Lili didn't strike me as an addict,' Taylor thought to herself with a frown. She was desperate for money, sure, but not in the way the other addicts of her Familia acted.
"Furthermore, and don't take this as gospel or anything, but I've heard that if somebody wants to actually leave the Soma Familia, they have to pay an even larger amount of valis," Naaza revealed, and it all clicked into place for Taylor.
"I see," Taylor muttered. "Thank you for the information."
"No problem. Just be careful, okay? Canoe and his Familia as a whole are known to be very vindictive and have ruined several smaller Familias for petty reasons," Naaza warned.
"I'd like to see them try," Taylor scoffed, and Naaza smirked.
"Hmm. Now that you mention it, so would I," she chuckled darkly.
After a bit more chatting, Taylor bid Naaza farewell, and she returned to the church, Chris falling in behind her.
Upon getting back, she found Bell pacing back and forth, and Taylor's gut was telling her that something had happened. This sensation only grew when he turned around to face her and she caught sight of something in his hand.
"Bell… what is that?" Taylor asked, feeling a headache coming on. But she powered through it and leveled a deadpan stare at Bell, watching as her fellow Familia member shifted nervously from foot to foot under her gaze.
It had been five days since the incident with Lili in the alleyway, and despite that, the young supporter had continued to show up to delve into the Dungeon. She was extremely useful, and Taylor was glad she was still coming with them. Bell had even offered to sign an actual contract with Lili, and she had tentatively agreed.
And things had been going well for them. Every day, they descended into the Dungeon, made their way to the Seventh Floor, and spent the morning and part of the afternoon down there, killing monsters.
Well, really, it was mostly Taylor doing it. Then, once their bags were bulging with loot, they would venture up to the Sixth and Fifth Floors where Bell and Lili would train against the monsters there.
Bell had gotten very good at accurately stabbing War Shadows in their eye, killing them without relying on magic to disrupt their intangible forms. He had also become insanely fast, blazingly so. He could move like a Level 2, according to an awed Lili. His Agility stat had to be off the charts!
Lili wasn't showing nearly as much improvement, but her advice was exceptional, giving pointers that helped Bell and Taylor figure out where they needed improvement. Her mini-crossbow also added much needed range to their heavily melee focused combat styles. One of her suggestions, that Bell invest in throwing knives, had been eagerly accepted by the white-haired boy.
As for money? The three of them (plus one monster) earned nearly five hundred thousand valis a day doing this routine, as well as the hate and envy of nearly every other Level 1 in Orario. Who wouldn't be jealous of a team who could haul in that much wealth with only three people?
Still, things had mostly been fine. No thieves had gone after them yet. None that couldn't be chased away by Anne and the swarm, at least. And today, they had finished up in the Dungeon later than usual, and gotten quite a bit dirtier as well. Taylor and Bell decided to head back to the church to clean off and then have a late lunch, with Bell going out to get food for them.
Yet now, here was Bell, holding a book with a red and gold cover that practically screamed to her swarm's senses while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, uh, I was just grabbing our lunch from the Hostess of Fertility, and Syr said that somebody had left this behind. Since nobody claimed it after a week, I could have it."
Taylor immediately knew that was a lie, just not from Bell's side. People didn't just 'lose' a Grimoire at a pub! And somebody would have come looking for it, or lied about being the owner! It would not have just sat there for several days gathering dust! Hell, Mama Mia or one of the girls could have used it themselves!
Grimoires were insanely expensive. At a minimum, a single Grimoire was a hundred million valis. And for the chance to instantly learn a single magical spell that could potentially save your life in a fight and get you to a high Level? That was well worth the astronomical cost.
'What the hell is Syr up to?' Taylor wondered, running a hand over her face.
"At least you didn't show this to anyone else," she grumbled. "And you came home straight away."
She then gave Bell a curious look. "So, when are you going to use it?"
"Oh! Um, I wasn't actually going do that," Bell admitted. "I remember you and Lady Hestia talking about how you were better suited to being a mage, so I thought I'd get this for you, Miss Taylor!"
"M-me?" Taylor asked, taken aback by the show of generosity.
"Yup! My Magic stat isn't very high anyways, so you'd be the best person to use it!" Bell replied. He held out the book with a wide smile, completely genuine and innocent in his words and actions.
"Well… thank you, Bell," Taylor whispered, taking the book from him. "How does this work? Do I just read it?"
"Maybe?" Bell shrugged.
Taylor sat down at the table and flipped it open. The pages were covered in strange letters, ones she didn't recognize. It wasn't the local language, that was for sure. For some reason, the whole tome felt like Hestia and the rest of the so-called gods, but more pure and refined, in a sense.
It was power, pure and unadulterated. There was nothing else but raw 'magic' here, bound within the parchment and ink and shaped into runes and sigils.
Taylor felt her mind drift even as she mechanically flipped the pages. She could also feel Queen Administrator looking through her eyes, and her power was focusing keenly on the artifact in front of her.
And then, she saw it. A crystalline obelisk of iridescent rainbows, sat in the center of a golden spider web.
"Queen Administrator?" Taylor asked, confused, as she stared up at the object. The obelisk flashed in response, and Taylor could feel the intent behind it.
YES replied her shard.
"You're beautiful," Taylor murmured, admiring the representation of her power in front of her.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Queen Administrator said, but Taylor could feel embarrassment coming from the obelisk. Was her shard shy?
DENIAL the shard retorted, causing her host to snort.
"The queen doth protest too much," Taylor claimed.
Queen Administrator wasn't nearly as amused, and the obelisk flashed incredibly brightly, blinding her. A moment later Taylor found herself waking up, blinking away spots of light from her eyes.
"You're awake!" Bell shouted, and she winced at the volume.
"How long was I out?" she asked, sensing the overeager boy nearby.
"A few hours," he replied. "It's almost time for Lady Hestia to come home."
"Huh, didn't expect that," Taylor muttered. "What an odd experience."
"So, did it work?" Bell wondered.
"Don't know. Nothing feels different," she mused, looking down at the now blank pages of the Grimoire she'd been using as a pillow. Thankfully, she hadn't drooled on it, so her dignity was still intact.
"Perhaps it won't appear until Lady Hestia updates your stats?" Bell suggested, and Taylor nodded at that. It made sense.
"Beeell! Taaaylor!" Hestia called out in a sing-song tone as she burst into the living room. "I'm hooome!"
"You sound like you're in a good mood," Taylor chuckled. "Thing go well at work?"
"They did!" the little 'goddess' cheered. "I took your advice, and spoke to the old lady who owns the Jagamarukun stall, and she agreed! She'll sell the whole business to me for only fifty thousand valis!"
That was quite cheap, but Taylor wasn't surprised. The woman who'd been running the snack cart was old, and had no living family left. Her husband, sons, daughters, and grandchildren had all tried to make a living as adventurers, yet none had ever succeeded going beyond Level 1. Furthermore, each and every one had perished within the Dungeon over the years, leaving the granny alone.
She'd gotten too old to run things anymore, and Taylor had spoken to Hestia about buying the business from her.
Their Familia needed something else as a moneymaker, and while Taylor's silk production was ramping up, it wasn't quite there yet. And Hestia had wanted to do something for the kindly old woman who'd helped her when she had had nothing after being kicked out by Hephestus.
And so, the plan to buy the cart was concocted. Hestia would still run it, selling the potato puffs as she always did – a cute girl serving customers was always a draw, just look at the Hostess of Fertility! – while the old woman would be hired as a mentor to teach Hestia her 'secret' recipes for making them while also introducing the Familia to her suppliers.
All in all, a very good deal, especially for only the equivalent of five hundred bucks!
"Taylor, what is that?" Hestia asked, eyes locking onto the empty Grimoire. And one of her eyes began twitching as she somehow recognized what it was Taylor had been using as a pillow.
"Bell did it," Taylor replied, throwing the albino under the bus without hesitation. He wilted as Hestia began to shout at him for accepting a sketchy, unknown item and then letting somebody else use it.
"Come on, leave the poor boy alone," Taylor said after a few minutes, rescuing Bell from the ranting shortstack.
"Grr! Fine! Let's go and find out what exactly Bell gave you," Hestia grumbled, walking into the bedroom.
A minute later, Hestia was handing Taylor her updated stat sheet.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1
POWER – H 189 → G 226
ENDURANCE – H 121 → H 175
DEXTERITY – H 190 → G 208
AGILITY – H 133 → H 180
MAGIC – E 434 → D 572
SPELLS
Geas Immulatio: By sacrificing a part of yourself, seal away the corresponding aspect of another being.
Incantation: I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!
Her stats had gone up quite a bit in these last few days. Gaining Excelia through her swarm was a very easy way to 'farm EXP,' as a gamer might say. She could grab dozens of Killer Ants then have them slaughter their way through the monsters of the Dungeon without lifting a finger. It was almost unfair, but as Lisa or Alex would say, 'if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying!'
What was really interesting, however, was the 'spell' that had taken up the first of her Spell Slots. Geas Immulatio. Or Curse of Sacrifice, as her mind translated it.
Taylor could tell, instantly, what this 'curse' would do. By giving up her eyesight, she could blind another person. Remove her own ability to speak, and somebody else would never utter a word again. Take away her ability to walk, and one unlucky soul would also be unable to move.
These 'sacrifices' were not permanent, not unless Taylor wished it. She could undo it at any time she wanted. Furthermore, if the target of her curse perished, then she'd regain what she had offered up.
The spell wasn't perfect. The longer she kept a target trapped by the effects, the more Mind it cost. And a target with a higher level or Magic stat would be able to resist and break free, and some opponents would be able to fight even with certain senses sealed, so it would require careful thought on when to use since it also affected Taylor herself.
Yet in the end, it was magic that, as much as Taylor wanted to deny it, truly meshed with her on a deeply fundamental level.
She had given up everything for the sake of humanity's survival. She had received no reward for the burdens she had taken onto her shoulders. And yet she had done so knowing full well that there would be no parades for her, nor praise and thanks. 'Sacrifice' was what Taylor and Khepri had embodied in the end.
'Though does the chant have to be so… cringy?' Taylor wondered to herself with a wince. It was so childish, like something from one of those Japanese cartoons Greg Vader had loved. She'd die of embarrassment if she had to shout that every time she needed to cast the spell!
"Magic always reflects the soul of the user," Hestia said softly as she gave Taylor a hug.
"Yeah. I figured as much," the former warlord chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"We'll always be there for you," Hestia vowed. Taylor said nothing, and simply hugged her back. They stayed like that for a few moments, Taylor basking in the feeling of 'home' that Hestia seemed to radiate.
"Now, come on! I still have to scold Bell some more for accepting such an obviously suspicious gift!" Hestia declared after they broke apart. Taylor smirked at that.
"Don't bully him too hard. I still need him to help me make dinner."
The two laughed together, and back in the living room, Bell shivered a bit, unsure as to why he'd suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
111 ^^^ &&& ^^^ 111
"Any plans for today?" Bell asked as they walked towards the Tower of Babel.
"We're going to focus on doing training first and foremost," Taylor replied as she walked with Chris at her side towards the Dungeon. "Specifically, you and Lili will be fighting on the Seventh Floor today. Without me."
Bell blinked in surprise at that, but nodded. "Alright, Miss Taylor. Is there any reason why?"
"I realized I've been monopolizing the gains in the Dungeon so far, and haven't been letting you two help enough. So today, you're both going to the Seventh Floor and will try to make it to the Tenth Floor without my help. I will go ahead first, and wait for you on the Tenth Floor. Make it down there, and then we can see what to do next."
Taylor could easily dominate the parts of the Dungeon where the Killer Ants spawned, and could camp there for however long she wished, but doing so wasn't fair to Bell or Lili. It also wasn't fair for the other adventurers who needed to make a living as well. The Hestia Familia had made a lot of valis in the past week thanks to Taylor's control over the insectoid monsters, so they didn't have to worry too much about that. Hence why the next couple of days were going to revolve around delving deeper.
'Not to mention the economic aspects,' Taylor mused. Most veteran adventurers avoided the Seventh through Ninth Floors, preferring to move down to the lower ones as quickly as possible due to the presence of the Killer Ants and the Purple Moths. That didn't mean nobody hunted there. Dwarves and Pallum, the short, hobbit-like folk, were well suited to hunting Killer Ants due to their size, and parties of these people would rove around hunting the enormous insects.
Plus, Taylor didn't want to accidentally crash the Magic Stone-based economy. Flooding the market with thousands of Killer Ant Magic Stones and Drop Items would only lower their price in the future. Not good for anybody.
There was also the fact Taylor was curious about the lower parts of the Dungeon. The Tenth Floor was, according to Eina, the start of what was generally known as the Middle Floors, where the terrain vastly shifted from the cramped tunnels she was used to, and the monsters became significantly stronger.
'At least Bell seems excited,' Taylor noted. The albino was eager to prove himself, and it was honestly adorable. The comparison to a Needle Rabbit Lili had made a couple days ago arose in her mind, and she stifled a snort.
However, her mirth died as her swarm detected Lili near the tower. The supporter was being cornered off to the side away from view by a tall male adventurer with a ponytail. Taylor also noticed Canoe Belway and his goons standing off to the side watching the scene.
Underneath her mask, Taylor's scowl grew larger, and she dispatched a tendril of her swarm to help her, but Lili managed to escape on her own. To her surprise, none of Lili's harassers followed, which only made Taylor's suspicions grow.
'I'm going to have to keep an eye on them, won't I?' she mused while discreetly planting a few bugs onto the adventurer's bodies to watch over any moves they might make. If they approached them while in the Dungeon, she would know about it.
"Lili!" Bell said happily upon spotting the younger (?) girl approach. Lili's face twisted a bit into a scowl for a brief moment before she plastered on a fake smile.
"Hello, Mister Bell," she greeted with a bob of her head, adjusting the straps of her enormous backpack. "Ready to go?"
"Yes," he said. "Today's gonna be a good day, too! Miss Taylor is going to let us do our own thing today!"
"S-she is?" Lili stammered, blinking in surprise. She shot a confused look the parahuman's way, before turning back to Bell. "What's the plan?"
"Miss Taylor is going in ahead to the Tenth Floor. We're going to follow her and try and make it to the Tenth Floor without her help," Bell informed Lili.
"L-Lili is also excited," the supporter lied. Bell seemed to buy it, but then again, the poor boy was hopelessly naïve in Taylor's opinion, so as he ran ahead, eager to get started, Taylor decided to find out what was wrong.
"Is everything alright, Lili?" Taylor asked softly, coming up behind the dog-eared girl.
"Yes," Lili replied shortly, not looking at the taller teen.
"Are you sure? What about what happened with that ponytailed man earlier?"
At that, Lili gained a surprised expression on her face before she recalled Taylor had a legion of insects at her disposal.
"Oh. Right. Lili should have known you'd see that," Lili muttered, mostly to herself.
"Who was he?" Taylor asked.
"Ged was the adventurer Lili was formerly contracted with," Lili admitted. "But Lili didn't want to keep working with him, so Lili left. But Ged didn't like that. Bell and the elf from the Hostess of Fertility found me before he could hurt Lili."
"Why was he here today?" Taylor wondered.
"He wanted Lili to work for him again," Lili sighed. "Lili said 'no.'"
Taylor nodded slowly while wearing a frown. "I see. And Canoe?"
At that, Lili started, and she looked up at Taylor with wide, fearful eyes.
"W-what?"
"Canoe Belway was there, too, watching," Taylor informed her. "Didn't you notice?"
"No! No, Lili didn't notice!" Lili replied with a frightened shake of her head.
"That could be a problem," Taylor muttered to herself, before glancing at Lili. "Alright. Come on, then. Best not to lose track of Bell."
"Th-that's it?" Lili stammered incredulously.
"If they try anything, they will regret it," Taylor vowed. "For now, though, it doesn't change our plans. We're going into the Dungeon. You and Bell will be on your own for the most part. And if Ged or Canoe try anything? Come find me, and I will help you."
Lili bit her lip and looked away before hurrying after Bell. Taylor picked up the pace as well, following behind the duo.
Upon entering the Dungeon, Taylor mounted Chris, and rode the Crystal Mantis into the tunnels, overtaking Bell and Lili shortly afterwards. She gave them a wave as she passed, leaving a couple bugs on their person for safety, and to keep track of them. It wasn't long before she found an entrance to the next floor and she lost connection with the two, but Taylor wasn't worried.
With Chris bulldozing his way through any of the lesser monsters that appeared, they made it to the Seventh Floor in record time. Then, it was only a matter of minutes to reach the Ninth, and from there, Taylor was staring down at the staircase leading to the next floor.
With a mental command a trio of Purple Moths fluttered down the stairs, followed by half a dozen Killer Ants. Letting them pave the way forward and check for any traps or monsters, Taylor descended the stairs once she'd confirmed it was safe, another half-dozen Killer Ants following behind her.
These stairs were the longest she had ever encountered in the Dungeon, which raised interesting questions. Then, a moment later, Taylor found herself standing on a ledge overlooking the next layer of the underground realm.
'Not what I expected,' Taylor admitted to herself as she looked around the Tenth Floor. A vast grassland spread out as far as the eye could see before her. The grass was an odd grey color, and Taylor wasn't entirely sure it was actually plant life at all. Here and there, enormous spires of blackened rock jutted from the ground. Some resembled petrified trees, others just littered the ground like misplaced boulders.
The air was misty, with a thick fog clinging low to the ground. Through the Purple Moths flying around in the sky, Taylor could see quite far, though the fogginess obscured most of it. Not to mention, for the first time since entering the Dungeon Taylor's power was free to expand, no longer constrained by narrow walls and corridors. It still couldn't penetrate the ground, but it stretched quite far, all the way up to the artificial sky, which was just the roof of a vast cavern.
"Strange," the parahuman murmured. The air was oddly still, and the area silent. There were no bugs which would normally be thriving in a grassy wilderness like this, and the few noises which made it through the fog were muffled and distorted.
Luckily, her monsters were not bothered by the mist, the Killer Ants and Purple Moths' senses vastly different from those of a human. Through them, Taylor was able to spot a hulking, grey-skinned behemoth with a vaguely porcine face, its body covered in thick rolls of fat and muscle.
"So, that's an Orc, huh?" Taylor mused to herself. One of the biggest threats of the Tenths through Twelfth Floor, an Orc possessed enough physical strength to hurt even Level 2 adventurers, and were durable enough to tank quite a bit of damage before being slain.
'Let me think, what else did Eina tell me about them?' Taylor wondered, thinking back to what the half-elf had spoken about the other day. 'Orcs drop a thick, leathery hide as their Drop Item, and their stones are the size of a fist and located within their chest, next to their hearts. They hunt in small groups, rarely more than a dozen unless stirred into action by other monsters, though Imps and Bad Bats are known to work alongside Orcs. Orcs also use landform weapons which increases the danger they pose.'
Curious, Taylor ordered one of her Purple Moths to sprinkle some of its poisonous dust onto the Orc to see how well the monster resisted it. Quite well, as it turned out. The Orc's fatty hide was quite thick, so it took some time for the poison to affect it, and only then, because it inhaled some.
"Very resistant," Taylor noted. It took twenty minutes for the Orc to succumb to the monster's poison, and a Killer Ant retrieved the Magic Stone it dropped. Taylor fed it to Chris, who enjoyed the snack.
"Now let's see how well an Orc handles magic," Taylor mused aloud to herself. She would admit, she was excited to try it, and soon found one of the pig-like brutes after descending from the overhang. This one had a stone club it dragged around.
"I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!" Taylor intoned, cringing internally as she did so. Her voice alerted the Orc, who looked in her direction, only for it to suddenly grunt and squeal in shock as it could no longer see.
Taylor was also blinded by her spell, but wasn't worried. She could still 'see' through her swarm, diminished though it was due to how few insects she had at her disposal.
'It seems I have to designate the target of my curse, as well as what I am sacrificing before I start the incantation,' Taylor noted. A few tiny beetles got out a notebook and scribbled these notes down. In English, because it added a degree of protection against anyone from reading what she was doing.
Taylor canceled the curse, her eyesight returning to her instantly. She had to blink rapidly to clear out the spots that appeared. Even in the grey, dimly lit cavern the sudden brightness was still a shock to her system. The Orc had it even worse, and it whined pitifully.
"I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!" Taylor repeated, and she felt herself go limp as she 'sacrificed' her ability to move, and the Orc collapsed to the ground like a puppet without strings.
Thanks to riding on Chris' back she was fine and could still move around, but the Orc? Not so much. She sent a Killer Ant over and had it bite the Orc's head off. The skin and muscles were surprisingly tough, but the Killer Ant was able to gnaw the monster's head off after a few tries.
As soon as the Orc's head separated from its neck, Taylor felt her muscles return to life. She hadn't been expecting them to suddenly spasm and twitch a bit though, and she winced as she felt a few cramps in her arms and legs due to the way she'd been slumped against her mount's back.
'That wasn't very pleasant, but it works like a charm,' Taylor thought. 'Should probably find a way to make a saddle or something for Chris if I'm going to be riding him around like this.'
'Now for a new experiment.' This time Taylor wanted to see if she could feel the amount of Mind she had left. She hadn't felt anything the first two times she'd cast a curse, but there had to be a way to tell without just casting spells over and over to find an adventurer's limit.
For the next hour, Taylor hung close to the stairs to Floor Nine, experimenting on the monsters with her curse. She learned that Orcs had a far superior sense of smell to humans and an inferior eyesight. They hunted via smell, which was how they could navigate through the fog. Without a functioning nose, they were significantly hindered.
An Orc was also ridiculously strong. It was one thing to hear it, but another to see it. An Orc could crush a Killer Ant's head with a fist or foot, cracking the chitin with contemptuous ease. Taking an Orc down with Killer Ants wasn't easy, either. A Killer Ant could bite a foot off, and once an Orc was downed, it could be swarmed and ripped apart, but it cost Taylor to do so. A dozen Killer Ants were able to take down three Orcs, but she lost at least one Killer Ant per Orc each time. At a rate of one to four, it wasn't an even trade.
Imps were the next monster Taylor had learned about. They were fast, nimble, and utterly vicious. Smaller and smarter than Goblins or Kobolds, Imp packs would work with Orcs to hamstring adventurers, sneaking up on them through the fog while other monsters drew their attention. Their talons were extremely sharp, but not enough to pierce metal or leather. They aimed for the gaps between armor. Luckily, they were not nearly as resistant to the Purple Moth's poison, and entire hunting groups of them could be slain by sprinkling toxic powder onto their heads. Their Drop Item was their devil-like spade tail.
As for the final new monster Taylor encountered, the Bad Bats were a pain to handle. They were fast, aerial hunters, easily maneuvering around her Purple Moths. Their disabling sonic screams were painful, and deafening oneself didn't actually prevent their attacks from hurting. Taylor could sacrifice her voice to curse them into silence though, which did work to remove their main threat, through their teeth and claws were still quite sharp.
Worse, because they could fly, they were able to stay out of range. They ended up killing all of her Purple Moths, forcing Taylor to order Chris to kill them, the Crystal Mantis using his wings to leap up to reach the Bad Bats. Sure, she could have used her curse to immobilize them, but it only worked against one target at a time and Bad Bats often hunted in groups.
After some more time had passed, Taylor found herself wondering where exactly Bell and Lili were.
'It's been a while,' Taylor mused. 'Where are they?'
It shouldn't have taken the two of them this long to reach the Tenth Floor, could it? But speak of the devil, though, and he will appear. Shortly after thinking about that, somebody was soon rushing down the stairs from the Ninth Floor. They had white hair and shorter than the average human in Orario. Not quite small enough to be a dwarf or pallum, either.
"Is that Bell?' Taylor wondered. Turned out it was, the albino boy rushing out of the passage way down onto the Tenth Floor, panting heavily. He was spattered with blood and grime – not unusual for a trip through the Dungeon – but he was missing his knife.
"Miss Taylor!" he started shouting. "Miss Taylor, are you there?!"
Sensing something was wrong, Taylor directed her swarm to take her back to the ledge, and the smile of relief that broke out over Bell's face when he saw her riding on Chris' back worried her as much as his condition did.
"Bell, what happened?" she demanded.
"W-we were making our way through Dungeon, got to the Eighth Floor," Bell panted out. "B-but then, something happened. A weird guy with a ponytail appeared in front of us! We tried to go around, but then three more people cut us off. A-and one of them started threatening us. Said they'd kill us if Lili didn't surrender."
"And then?" Taylor asked urgently.
"Lili stole my knife, and then took off running," Bell revealed, and it was like icy water had been dumped down Taylor's back.
"The four of them chased after Lili afterwards," Bell said, continuing, ignorant of Taylor's reaction to the news. "I-I realized after a moment that she was leading them away from me. And because she stole my knife, they assumed I wasn't a threat and left me alone."
"And probably guessed that it was worth something if she went out of her way to steal in right in front of them," Taylor mused. Shit. This was bad. She'd been worried Lili might try and do something like ever since she'd saw Canoe trying to threaten her.
The fact that Lili had tried to save Bell was a mark in her favor, but it still wasn't a good situation, either.
"Get on," Taylor ordered, and Bell quickly joined her on Chris' back. The Crystal Mantis and the remaining Killer Ant took off at a blazing pace, rushing back up through the Dungeon.
They rushed through the Ninth Floor and made it to the Eighth in minutes. Extending her power, Taylor began to gather Killer Ants and tried to find Lili.
'Assuming she's still on the Eighth Floor,' Taylor grimaced as she thought that to herself.
There were twenty-five different adventurers on the Eighth Floor, but none were ones she recognized. She was worried, and not entirely certain what was going to happen when she did find Lili. Would she leave the girl alone? Save her?
Taylor had mixed feelings towards the chienthrope. She had strong opinions about betrayal, even if there was a 'good excuse' for it. And from what Taylor had learned, the Soma Familia were simply the Merchants in a different world. Was Lili an addict? Or was she trying to leave, like Naaza had suggested? Whatever the case was, memories of Emma burned in the back of her mind, and she ruthlessly shoved them down into her swarm.
'I suppose I'll find out soon,' Taylor mused as she moved up to the Seventh Floor after finding no trace of the supporter on the current one.
Very shortly after reaching the Seventh Floor, Taylor noticed something was wrong. The Killer Ants were going through a frenzy. Either somebody had gone and failed to kill a couple of the ant-like monsters and thus stirred up a minor swarm of them, or this was deliberate somehow.
'Of course, they're no threat to us,' Taylor mused to herself as she took control of them. She then had Chris follow the trail of enraged monsters, when her powers noticed something odd.
'That's a severed head,' Taylor realized. Somebody had gone and cut off the head of a Killer Ant and was carrying it around like some sort of macabre trophy to lure in more of its kin!
And it was just her luck that the person who'd done this was none other than Canoe, and he and his minions had cornered Lili in a dead end.
"Huh, unfortunate," Taylor muttered aloud before one of the Killer Ants drawn in by the severed head picked up some of what the thug from the Soma Familia was saying.
"…you live if you just give us what we want," the raccoon beastman said, his voice as slimy as always.
"Lies!" Lili snapped, keeping her wrist-mounted crossbow aimed squarely at Canoe's face. "Lili knows you never keep your word! You killed Ged instead of paying him, and you'll kill Lili no matter what I do!"
Canoe snorted, not at all threatened by the weapon pointing at his head. "Well, Lili, if that's your choice. Such a shame. Such a waste."
Instead of drawing a weapon, he just tossed the severed head at her feet. Lili squeaked in terror and shot it, turning the head to ash and cutting off the pheromones it'd been producing, but it was too late, a veritable legion of Killer Ants had already gathered. Canoe and his minions were able to cut their way through without much issue and flee, but Lili was pinned in place by the sheer number of monsters approaching.
Lili's shoulder's slumped. She then took out Bell's knife, looking at it with a frown. She then raised it to her neck and closed her eyes, preparing to end her life before the Killer Ants could rip her apart.
Yet before she could, a strong hand lashed out and gripped her wrist, preventing her from using the dagger on herself.
Startled, Lili's eyes opened, and she gasped when she saw Taylor standing in front of her, Bell beside the taller adventurer wearing a worried look.
"M-Mr. Bell? M-miss Taylor?" Lili uttered in disbelief.
"Lili!" Bell called out, rushing over to her. The dog-eared girl flinched and looked away, clearly expecting to be hit, but she went still as Lili was grabbed up into a bone-crushing hug.
"You're okay!" Bell shouted tearfully. "I was so worried!"
"W-what?" she stammered out.
"Bell ran all the way to the Tenth Floor in order to get me in order to mount a rescue operation," Taylor said simply. "He was crying and begging for help."
"Miss Taylor!" Bell spluttered. "Don't tell her that!"
"Oh? But it's the truth!" Taylor chuckled. The white-haired boy sighed before realizing he was still hugging Lili. He laughed weakly and released the supporter, who still looked confused.
"Why?" Lili asked. "Why did you come back for me? I stole your knife! I lied to you!"
"Technically you never lied," Taylor pointed out. "We just never asked you about why you needed so much money."
"And you stole my knife because it was the only way those men would leave me alone," Bell added. "You were trying to save me by leading them away!"
"Th-that's not-!" Lili exclaimed.
"Lili, why were you so desperate for money?" Taylor asked softly, cutting off the supporter's protests. "Are you… do you having a drinking problem?"
"Wha- no! Lili doesn't even like alcohol!" the girl retorted. "Lili was trying to leave the Soma Familia!"
"You were?" Bell asked, tilting his head to the side. "Why?"
"Lili's parents were in the Soma Familia. But they were like everyone else: addicted to Soma's wines," Lili revealed, looking down at her feet. "I was forced to take on their debt when they died in the Dungeon."
"Let me guess, the only way you can leave the Familia is by paying off their debts?" Taylor guessed, recognizing the scummy tactic for what it really was. "But the 'interest' just kept piling up faster than you could repay?"
"Yes! Lili tried so hard, but it was never enough!" Lili cried.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Bell asked, a note of hurt in his voice.
"You adventurers are all just the same!" Lili shouted tearfully. "You'll use Lili and then throw her away when you don't need her anymore! I don't need your pity! I don't need your 'charity!' Lili can do it all on her own!"
Taylor winced at that, feeling a pang of sympathy for the child. Trapped in a situation that wasn't her fault, forced to do things she normally wouldn't even consider just to survive… it was far too much like her own experience back in Brockton Bay.
Leaning down, Taylor didn't say anything, instead reaching out with her one good arm and bringing Lili in for a hug, who let out a surprised squeak. Bell immediately joined in as well, causing Lili's face to grow to grow red as she spluttered and tried to escape the embrace, before eventually giving in and accepting it, tears rolling down her face.
"Come on, let's go," Taylor suggested.
"I-I can't," Lili whimpered. "Canoe will kill Lili if I leave the Dungeon!"
"Don't worry about him," Taylor replied. Lili winced, no doubt imagining some of the terrible things a swarm of angry insects could do to a person. However, there was also a small, vindictive grin on her face.
"Before we go, though…" Taylor didn't even turn around as the Killer Ants turned on each other, slaughtering themselves. When that was done, the Magic Stones and Drop Items were collected out of the piles of black ash, and though Lili had ditched her luggage elsewhere in order to run away faster, Taylor had managed to grab most of it.
"Not nearly as much as we normally would get," Taylor mused. "But it should work."
The parahuman hadn't taken any Magic Stones from the Tenth Floor and instead fed them to Chris to save space, only bothering to grab the occasional Orc Hide that dropped. She wanted to make Bell some better armor with it. Her spider silk was decent, but the leathery hide was tougher and would take more damage. It was heavier, but that was no issue for an adventurer, even one at Level 1. She'd also grabbed some of the gray grass analog, but that was mostly to experiment with it.
"Come on!" Bell said, excited to leave, only for Lili to grab onto his sleeve and stop him from moving.
"H-here," Lili said, handing the Hestia Knife back to its owner. He gave a boyish grin as he accepted the weapon, and returned it to its sheath.
The adventuring party departed, leaving the Seventh Floor behind. They then managed to leave the Dungeon without any incidents. Nobody tried to murder them on the way out, and there was no trace of Canoe.
'Which is a shame,' Taylor mused. 'I wouldn't mind giving him the Lung treatment.'
Elsewhere, a certain raccoon-man suddenly shivered, and he couldn't help but look left and right, wondering why he was suddenly feeling a sense of dread.
'Maybe a drink will help,' he thought to himself, walking off to celebrate getting rid of the whiny little rat.
Chapter 10: Chapter 10: The Power of Skills
Chapter Text
Chapter 10: The Power of Skills
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Hestia asked, raising an eyebrow at Taylor as she fed some Killer Ant Magic Stones to Anne. The cave that the monster had dug was a crude hole in the church's yard obscured behind some rubble, but the Killer Ant Taylor had adopted didn't seem to mind the cramped conditions. Nor did the rest of the swarm.
"She needs our help, Hestia," Taylor replied as she patted Anne's head. It clicked its mandibles in response and the twin-tailed goddess shivered a bit at the sound.
"She stole from Bell and lied to you two," Hestia said when she recovered.
Two days ago, Lili had stolen the Hestia Knife from Bell. However, she had only done so to try and protect the white-haired boy from other members of the Soma Familia. Taylor and Bell had saved her, and then, because Bell was such a kind-hearted soul, offered to let Lili live with them when he learned that the supporter had a terrible home life and needed the protection.
Lili had hesitated but eventually agreed. She'd asked for a few days to settle things with her old housing situation, and to hide her stash from Canoe or other people from stumbling across it. But today was the day the pallum was going to be moving in with the Hestia Familia.
"Like I said before, Lili didn't actually lie to us because we never asked her about her circumstances, and it's not a crime to hide who you are when you're afraid of being hurt again," Taylor said. "She also returned the weapon. And are you really going to tell Bell he can't have a sleepover with his new friend?"
"Fine, she can stay here for now," Hestia groaned, running a hand over her face. "And what about that other matter?"
"If he agrees to it, then we'll go through with it," Taylor replied.
"I don't like the idea of letting that… thing spread its influence any further into this world," Hestia stated, folding her arms.
"Unless you want to pay the exorbitant prices for a new Grimoire, this is the only way we'll be able to ensure Bell is strong enough that he never has to worry about being caught unarmed again," Taylor pointed out. "Not to mention, my Skill is the only way for new Shards to descend and form connections in this world. They can't do so on their own."
Her passenger sent a pulse of affirmation through their link at that. Taylor wasn't entirely sure why the powerful Shard was holding back on seeding a whole new world with her fellow Shards. Perhaps Queen Administrator wasn't fully in control of the Network yet and couldn't spare the resources to the process, or maybe there was something else about the world that prevented the usual seeding method?
Taylor didn't know the reasons 'why,' but for some reason, she believed her own Shard about its current limitations. The 'pout' Queen Administrator sent her when she thought that amused her and helped confirm it.
"I mean…" Hestia began, but trailed off. "Ugh, I hate it when you're right."
"Then we're in agreement," Taylor nodded. "I will give Bell access to a Shard, making him a parahuman."
Taylor felt a bit conflicted about this. It felt cheap to just give away a superpower, like she was one of those hypocrites from Cauldron. But then again, she wouldn't wish the regular way to obtain a power on anybody. Still, she felt it was for the best. Her bugs buzzed a bit as she moved her hesitation away into the swarm.
"Ugh, don't do that!" Hestia groaned, shuddering a bit as the sound of wings and mandibles rattling echoed through the cave.
"Do what?" Taylor asked.
"Do that… emotion shunting thing!" Hestia stated, throwing her arms into the air. "Don't shove all your emotions into your bugs! It makes you seem creepy!"
"I am creepy," Taylor replied.
"No, you're not!" Hestia shouted, stomping a foot angrily as she glared up at Taylor. "You're a beautiful and strong girl with the biggest heart I've ever seen, and you shouldn't have to hide your emotions!"
"I…" Taylor murmured, not sure what to do about that. Hestia patted her on the back fondly.
"Think about it," she offered, before walking out, leaving Taylor to her thoughts.
'Is that why people seem to be weirded out by me?' Taylor wondered once she was alone. Lisa had mentioned that it was hard to read her. Did other people think she seemed unsettling when she was suppressing her emotions?
'It would explain some of my interactions with other heroes and villains,' she mused. They couldn't all have been jerks or being driven to conflict by their shards… could they?
After a moment she shrugged, then returned to the church's basement, where Taylor found Bell tidying up the living room and kitchen.
"Where's everybody else?" she asked, sitting down onto the couch.
"Lili is getting her stuff from her old place," Bell informed Taylor. "And Lady Hestia is taking a bath."
"So, we have a bit of free time, then," she noted. "Alright. Do you want to see if I can give you a power now?"
"Yes!" Bell said eagerly, bouncing on his feet. Taylor had told him about her ability to grant powers to others, and was excited at the prospect. He also knew he had to keep it secret. But still. Superpowers! Like a hero! What wasn't to love?
"Alright… let's see how this works," Taylor muttered, before closing her eyes and looking inward, trying to find the second Skill she possessed. She'd never really thought about what it was like to try and use a new Skill or different power. Her bug control powers were always active when she was awake, and there was no effort to it.
The other one was different. The God Slayer Skill was elusive. It lurked, waiting to be called upon. If Taylor had to, she'd liken it to a Trapdoor Spider waiting to leap out at a moment's notice. Taylor touched upon it, and Queen Administrator responded.
Through the senses of her swarm, Taylor saw Bell tremble a bit as Queen Administrator connected to the rabbit-like adventurer via a tendril of extra-dimensional energy that extended from Taylor's passenger tucked away in her brain. The moment passed quickly however, and Bell blinked slowly before looking around, then down at his hands.
"Did it work? I don't feel any different," he mused.
"We should wait until Hestia updates your Falna before testing anything," Taylor suggested, aware of how destructive some powers could be. She didn't want the place to get wrecked.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Hestia screeched, suddenly barging into the living room with a towel wrapped around her torso to preserve her modesty, rivulets of water pouring down from her long, untied hair.
"L-Lady Hestia?!" Bell squeaked, blushing bright red and covering up his face.
"Oh, so you felt that?" Taylor asked.
"Of course I did!" Hestia snapped. "I'm pretty sure every god in the city could feel it!"
"Interesting, that's good to know for the future," Taylor muttered, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
Hestia made a strangled sound before stomping back into the bathroom, before emerging a few minutes later fully dried and dressed. She then dragged Bell into the bedroom where she updated his Falna. A few minutes later she emerged, holding a piece of paper in hand that she thrust into Taylor's. Bell trailed out a moment afterwards, eyes wide.
BELL CRANEL
LEVEL 1
POWER – C 662 → B 707
ENDURANCE – E 408 → D 533
DEXTERITY – C 629 → B 737
AGILITY – B 764 → A 823
MAGIC – I 0 → I 0
SKILLS
Liaris Freese
Jupiter Ascendant: Create clones of lightning based on the user that have strength equal to the user's stats divided by number of clones created. Upon destruction, the clones will explode. Clones obey the creator.
"Well now," Taylor muttered. "Your stats are quite impressive. And this Skill… very interesting."
'If Bell creates one clone, it will have stats equal to half of his current stats. Two clones will mean they have one-third, and so on. This has a lot of potential.'
Bell had effectively become a one-man army. At higher levels he could be his own party and solo entire floors of the Dungeon without issue! Back home on Earth Bet, Bell's ability would have been invaluable for the PRT for handling the legions of villains that seemed to crawl out of the woodwork at times.
She then looked up at Hestia. "Is Bell okay? Queen Administrator didn't do anything else to him, right?"
"He's fine," the head of the Familia grunted. "That bitch left his soul alone."
Taylor raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear the normally demure and polite Hestia swear. Even Bell seemed taken aback, his jaw practically on the floor in disbelief. Hestia blushed as she realized everyone was staring at her, and she looked away with a cough.
"A-anyway! We should go outside and test the limits of Bell's new Skill!" she said loudly, and Taylor nodded before destroying the sheet of paper. Just because Lili was going to be living with them didn't mean it was okay to leave confidential information out in the open.
Upstairs, Taylor and Hestia – along with Chris and Anne – watched as Bell did a funny pose on the lawn, summoning a white copy of himself. It looked like somebody had just painted a humanoid doll that vaguely looked like Bell an eye searing neon white, with arcs of electricity crackling along the frame every so often. It was bright, and yet was still able to be looked directly at.
'Perhaps an effect of whatever energy field is holding the lightning in shape is also allowing us to look at it without going blind,' Taylor wondered to herself. She was also glad they decided to do this on the stone walkway and not the grass, as she could see the flagstones sizzling a bit.
"Whoa," Bell uttered in awe, waving a hand. It was mimicked by the clone. The two then began to move around, the clone copying ever action before it started to do things on its own independently of Bell.
"Can you dispel it? Or does it have to be damaged before disappearing?" Hestia asked.
"And how well can you control it?" Taylor added. "Also, are your senses connected to it?"
"Um, I can dismiss it," Bell confirmed. A moment later, the lightning clone vanished. He just resummoned it the next second, along with another one. "The clones are… sorta like an extra limb? I can control them at will, but also sorta give them orders? If I wanted, I could have it explode, or stand guard, or fight on its own, using my own memories of combat. I'm unable to see or hear through them, but at the same time, I can sense what's around the clones to an extent. Like, I know where you two are but not much beyond that, and where Chris and Anne are and that they're monsters, because they sorta 'feel' different, but I don't really know more details than that. Oh, and I can tell where walls and other obstructions are."
"That's incredible!" Hestia cheered, clapping a bit.
"Yes, it will make going through the Dungeon a lot easier," Taylor said. Hestia rolled her eyes at that, but couldn't hide the smile she wore on her face, either.
"What else can they do?" Hestia asked. "Can you juggle?"
"Uh, I don't know how to juggle," Bell admitted. "But maybe? If I learned? Anything I know, the clones should know, and be able to do."
"Do their skills degrade?" Taylor inquired. "If their stats are reduced compared to yours, what about their motor functions?"
"No, that seems to be fine, still," Bell said after ordering his clone to flip a coin and do some stretches. He tried to have it show off some dagger fighting stances, but the stick Bell tossed at his clone combusted from the sheer heat radiating off of it. Although before the stick burnt up the clone had been able to perfectly pull off a couple of stabs.
"You could probably cook a bunch of different meals all at once!" Hestia gasped in realization. "Oh my gosh, I could have an assistant cook working at the food cart with me!"
"We should probably figure out how far Bell's clones can go from the original," Taylor said. "And if they'll listen to anyone other than him or even hold things. But yes, that could be a way to use them."
Bell just couldn't stop grinning, almost vibrating in place from the sheer excitement he was feeling.
"W-what the?!"
"Oh, Lili's back," Bell said, turning to the young-looking girl who would be staying with them. Taylor had seen her coming well before anyone else had, but decided to have some fun at her expense. To her swarm, Lili's hum was like the crackle of embers and the soft fluttering of soot.
Lili's jaw was currently on the floor as she stared at the lightning clone Bell had created, both of whom were waving at her in greeting.
She didn't have much luggage with her, at least compared to what she normally carried around with her. It was just a single steamer trunk. It did look really heavy and sturdy, though.
"As you can see, Bell's acquired a Skill," Taylor said blandly, privately taking a bit of amusement from the stunned expression on the girl. Who, interestingly, didn't have dog ears anymore.
"What happened to your ears?" Bell inquired, asking the question Taylor had wanted to know as well.
"That was a Spell," Lili replied. "It lets Lili pretend to be other people."
'A Stranger ability?' Taylor thought to herself, intrigued. 'I suppose this makes Lili a pallum.'
The odd, hobbit-like people who resembled human children were a strange existence for Taylor. There was no easy way to tell the difference between an adult pallum and a young human. No unusually sized appendages nor noticeable changes in their outward physiology. The only way Taylor herself could tell was the smell. Pallum smelled different to humans according to her swarm's senses.
"How thorough is the transformation?" Taylor wondered. "My swarm wasn't able to tell you weren't a chienthrope. To all intents, your disguise was perfect."
"Cinder Ella lets Lili transform into anything around the same size as Lili," the pallum supporter explained. "Even monsters! Lili can also mimic their abilities, such as a chienthrope's sense of smell and hearing, though it is limited by Lili's stats."
"Why didn't you change your hair color or alter your physical appearance more when you were pretending to not be a pallum?" Taylor inquired, intrigued by the name. "Your chienthrope form looked almost identical to your original appearance, and Orario isn't exactly that heavily populated. Not to mention adventurers tend to move in similar circles so you'd be more at risk of being noticed."
"Not heavily populated?" Lili exclaimed in disbelief. "Orario has over a million people living within it! To say nothing of the villages and farming communities within a day or so of the city! It's one of the largest cities in the world!"
"I've seen bigger," Taylor shrugged, and Lili just stared at her.
"Um, I'm curious, too," Bell said, raising a hand politely. "About the transformation thing."
"…Lili didn't think it through," the supporter admitted, looking to the side in embarrassment. "Bell had already seen Lili's chienthrope form, though, and knew Lili in it, so Lili thought it would be fine."
"We'll have to experiment with what exactly you can do with this Skill of yours," Taylor decided, and Lili shivered a bit at the way she said 'experiment.'
"So, where will Lili being staying?" the pallum girl asked, deciding it was better – and safer – to change the topic.
"For the moment there isn't much space," Taylor admitted apologetically. "Bell is sleeping on the couch, while Hestia and I share the only bed."
"We did add a cot for you!" Bell quickly spoke up. "It's in the bedroom with Lady Hestia and Miss Taylor."
"Don't worry, we have plans to find a new place to live soon," Taylor assured Lili. "Until then, though, we'll be sharing a room for the next month or so."
"Ah, that's fine," the supporter said. "Lili is used to sleeping in odd places."
Taylor nodded, then watched with a critical eye as Lili hefted her trunk with one hand without issue before putting it on her back like it was her supporter pack.
"Lili, how are you able to carry all that weight on your back?" Taylor asked. It was something she'd always wanted to know.
"Lili has a Skill called Artel Assist," she replied. "It reduces the weight of anything Lili wears or carries. The heavier it is, the easier it is to carry."
Taylor blinked. "That sounds absolutely incredible."
"It's not that great," Lili said, shaking her head.
"Hang on, I've seen other supporters carry around massive bags in the Dungeon," Bell spoke up. "Do they also all have that Skill?"
"They probably do," Lili confirmed. "Artel Assist is a fairly common Skill. Its the easiest to actually teach people. All you have to do is force somebody to carry a large amount of weight and eventually they will gain it."
"You can teach Skills like that?" Taylor asked, surprised.
"Not all Skills are unique," Lili claimed. "The most powerful ones are, but some are more like talents that anyone can obtain with some effort. There are also Grimoires that can teach Skills, though Lili has never seen one before."
"Interesting," Taylor mused. That was good to know. She'd come back to it at another point. For now, it was time to discuss the reason she wanted to hold this meeting.
Bell led Lili down into the church's basement, showing her the room. Taylor and Hestia followed behind, watching with amusement as Bell acted as a tour guide.
Once Lili had put her trunk into the bedroom and Taylor had shown her where the bathroom was, Taylor called a meeting between the adventurers.
"Yesterday, you and Bell nearly made it to the Tenth Floor," Taylor began, and the two adventurers nodded. "It was not your fault you did not make it. As such, I think that means we all need new gear if we're going to be going any deeper in the future."
'And if we're going to be running into more adventurers like Canoe,' Taylor didn't say.
"Are you going to try and make a contract with a blacksmith?" Lili wondered. Taylor looked at her in confusion, and motioned for her to explain.
"Lili keeps forgetting you are all newbies," the pallum girl muttered to herself before clearing her throat. Louder, she said, "Some adventurers will negotiate a contract with individual blacksmiths from other smithing Familias. In exchange for helping the blacksmith obtain Excelia and materials in the Dungeon, they will give the contracted adventurers priority on any orders."
"And I'll bet it's easier to make customized equipment if you make a contract," Taylor guessed.
"That's right," Lili confirmed.
"I have an idea!" Bell said excitedly. "What about we find the person who made the Pyonkichi and ask them if they want to make a contract with us?"
"Your breastplate?" Taylor asked.
"Yup!" Bell nodded. "The armor was shoved into the back in the discount section of the store Eina and I visited, so that might mean the blacksmith isn't well-known and thus more open to potentially making a deal with us!"
Taylor blinked in surprise. She'd known the armor had been cheap, but that was odd to her. The armor wasn't up to the standards of her own costume's ceramic composite armor plating, but it was still damn good armor, having held up to everything the Dungeon had thrown at them so far, even managing to stand up to a glancing blow from a War Shadow, which was quite the feat seeing as a War Shadow's sickle could cut through flesh and bone with worrying ease.
Bell's observation about the possible situation of the blacksmith who made his armor was also very likely and well-reasoned. Taylor sometimes forgot that underneath the fluff and sunshine was a warrior whose growth was leaps and bounds above anything a normal person should be capable of.
"Who made it?" she asked.
"The tag said it was somebody by the name of 'Welf,'" Bell said.
"Hmm. Lili?"
"Lili does not know every blacksmith in the city, Miss Taylor," Lili deadpanned.
"Fair enough. Let's hit up the craftsmen district, see what we can find," Taylor said. Bell nodded excitedly, while Lili just shrugged.
"Hestia, what will you be doing?" the parahuman asked, glancing at the girl with twin-tails.
"Speaking with the old lady who sold me the food cart," Hestia replied. "I'd like to hire her to help me run the stall. Obviously I can't always work there."
"See if she knows about anyone else who'd be willing to work for you," Taylor suggested. "And maybe look into a craftsman to make a second cart."
"Ooo! Yes, I'll do that!" Hestia exclaimed, bouncing up and down, which did interesting things to her chest.
"Alright, let's go find ourselves a blacksmith," Taylor said. She led the group out of the basement into the sun. Hestia split off from them after a bit, while the trio decided to go to the store Bell had bought the armor from.
Hopefully they would succeed.
Chapter 11: Chapter 11: A Blacksmith Joins the Team!
Chapter Text
Chapter 11: A Blacksmith joins the Team!
"Welf? What do you want with that sorry excuse for a blacksmith?" the store's clerk asked. The shop that had sold the breastplate was open, which was good, but the clerk wasn't being very helpful.
"We were just hoping to talk to him," Bell said.
"Look, you won't find whatever it is you're hoping to find with Welf," the clerk stated, waving them off dismissively. "He's wasting his talent."
"I see. Well, thank you for your help," Bell said politely, bowing slightly before leaving.
"What will we do now?" Lili asked as they stepped out into the bustling streets of Orario.
"We could try searching through the blacksmith quarters," Bell suggested.
"There are hundreds of smiths in the city," Lili pointed out. "Searching them all would take a while."
"Or we could just go to his forge," Taylor offered.
"Huh?" Bell and Lili said in sync.
"While you were trying to talk to the storeowner, I used my bugs to investigate his paperwork and found the address to Welf's workshop in one of the file cabinets," she revealed. Bell and Lili stared at her with mixed emotions before eventually settling on exasperation and acceptance.
"Well, that makes it easy, I suppose," Bell murmured. "Takes all the fun out of the detective work, though."
"Couldn't you have done that from the beginning?" Lili asked.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed. "But you wanted to try talking to him, so who am I to deny you?"
"Was this a lesson of some sort?" Bell wondered. He frowned thoughtfully. "Did you want us to leverage our scouting and information gathering abilities to find Welf?"
"What? No," Taylor chuckled. "I was letting you experience first-hand what it's like to deal with unhelpful customer service. Though your thing isn't a bad idea for a training exercise…"
Lili shot Bell an annoyed look who wilted a bit. Ignoring the byplay, Taylor led the group to an outer district of Orario that was close to the walls, though in the opposite direction of their church.
There were numerous forges and workshops clustered around the edges of the massive barrier wall, with smoke emerging from the chimneys in large greasy black plumes. One of them looked rather rundown and small, but the sound of hammering rang out from it.
"This is it," Taylor said, looking up at the forge.
"Seen better days," Lili muttered.
"Let's go!" Bell said excitedly, walking up to the door. He began to knock on it enthusiastically, trying to draw attention from the person inside.
According to her swarm, there was a tall man inside the forge, hammering away at an anvil. The hum his power made was the whoosh of bellows and the clang of metal. When Bell knocked on the door to get his attention, the smith glanced over in surprise at the door, and after a moment got up to answer it.
"What do you want?" the man on the other side demanded as he opened the door.
Taylor blinked, taking in the blacksmith. She'd thought he was an adult based on what she saw through the bugs, but from his face he looked more like a teen around her age. He was muscular, though, his physique putting Brian's to shame and his smithing outfit showing it off.
"Hey, there! Are you Mr. Welf?" Bell asked. He looked down at Bell, then glanced at Lili and Taylor. His gaze lingered on the parahuman, specifically her missing arm, before returning to Bell.
"I am," the man confirmed. "Welf the blacksmith, of the Hephaestus Familia."
"Nice to meet you!" Bell said happily. "I'm Bell of the Hestia Familia! And this is Miss Taylor, of same, and Lili of the Soma Familia!"
"Okay… and?" Welf asked.
"What he's trying to say is that we want to discuss making a contract with you for gear," Taylor said, speaking up.
"Seriously?" Welf demanded in surprise. His eyes narrowed. "No way."
"Please, it's true!" Bell begged, pulling out his white breastplate, showing it off in all its scratched-up glory. "Your work is really good! It has helped me a lot in the Dungeon!"
At that, Welf looked taken aback by Bell's claim. He glanced at Taylor and Lili, who both nodded.
"You're skilled, and we need somebody to handle our equipment," Taylor said. "We can make it worth your while as well."
"Is that really why you came here? Because you liked Pyonkichi?" Welf asked, a note of hope in his voice.
"That's right!" Bell confirmed.
"Well… alright, come on in," Welf said, beckoning for them to enter. "I suppose we can discuss a contract."
The interior of the building was hot, but that was expected due to the blazing hot furnace in the corner. Welf didn't seem bothered by the heat and he cleared off some space for the group to stand while he plopped down onto the anvil.
"So, you said you could make it worth my while," Welf began. "How exactly does that work?"
"Are you able to work with silk?" Taylor asked.
"Yeah. Not to the point where I can make Undine Silk or craft anything too fancy with it, but it's doable. I tend to use the stuff as a lining between armor. Nice and soft, and thinner than wool or cotton fabric. Expensive, though, since the Eastern merchants like to charge an arm and leg for it."
"In that case, the Hestia Familia can offer you an exclusive deal on spider silk," Taylor said. With a thought, her swarm buzzed to life, appearing in front of Welf who jerked back in surprise.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "How did you do that?!"
"A Skill," Taylor said simply.
"Wait… controlling bugs with a mysterious Skill… are you Bug Girl?!" Welf uttered in shock. Bell and Lili both snickered at the nickname while Taylor sighed.
"Yes, that's me," she nodded.
"I heard about somebody who could manipulate insects with her mind, tamed a Crystal Mantis and who broke the Seventh Floor by overhunting the Killer Ants…" Welf murmured, his eyes gaining a calculating look.
Louder, he said, "I don't really work much with chitin, but I know how to make some neat armor out of Killer Ant carapace. And if you can really bring it in… yeah, I could get some good experience from practicing with it."
Welf folded his arms across his chest. "But that won't be all. I'll also want to join you on any Dungeon delving expeditions you go on, with priority on any useful Drop Items."
"That's doable," Taylor conceded. "Are you an adventurer?"
"Sure am!" Welf said proudly. "Been a while, but I've got a lot of experience beating up monsters."
"What exactly are your goals?" Taylor inquired.
"For now, it's to reach Level 2," Welf stated.
"I see. Why?" the parahuman asked.
"There's a special Developmental Ability called 'Blacksmith' that is necessary for me if I want to really become a great smith."
"Really? You seem like you are pretty skilled already," Bell commented.
"Thanks, but the Blacksmith Ability is more than just a way to improve my forging skills. It actually lets somebody craft high-grade items with superior effects than merely mundane crafting can pull off, including make enchanted weapons and armor. Clothes made of Salamander Wool and Undine Silk can also be crafted with this Ability, and the Durandal enhancement can be applied to equipment as well," Welf explained.
Taylor was impressed, and intrigued. There was a lot more to Developmental Abilities than she'd expected.
"I've been trying for years to reach Level 2," Welf admitted. "It's not easy, but if I have a party to help me, it might be possible. Plus, with the scariest Level 1 in Orario I can probably get deeper in the Dungeon than I've ever gone before and get Drop Items for crafting!"
"In that case, we can agree to those requests of yours," Taylor nodded. "Can you help?"
"What sort of equipment did you have in mind?" Welf asked, not giving an answer one way or another.
Instead of saying it aloud, Taylor's swarm picked up a few pieces of charcoal and quickly drew out some designs on scrap paper that was on the nearby workbench. In less than a minute she had three pictures of what she wanted.
"Well, damn, that was fast," Welf muttered as he looked them over, with Bell and Lili crowding in to take a look as well.
"That looks really good," Bell hummed. The equipment Taylor had sketched for him was designed for taking advantage of his speed. It resembled Brigantine, with Orc Hide alongside silk from the spiders as the base and Killer Ant carapace as the armored plates. It also had a pair of bandoliers crossed over the chest in an X shape designed for holding additional daggers.
"These throwing knives… what exactly are the grips gonna be made of?" Welf asked.
"Do you know what rubber is?" Taylor asked Welf.
"Sure. That's the flexible stuff that comes from around Telskyura, right?" Welf asked.
"Yes. It has insulating properties that lets it protect objects from electricity," Taylor explained. "Use it for the handles of Bell's spare knives."
"Ah, for my Skill!" the young white-haired boy realized. Taylor nodded at that. Rubber handles would mean Bell's clone could wield weapons without accidentally melting them.
"Wait, why does Lili's outfit look like full plate armor?" Lili asked, surprised by the drawing Taylor had made for her equipment. It showed a pallum-sized suit of armor, strong and sturdy, but slow.
"Your Skill, Artel Assist, let's you move without having to worry about weight," Taylor explained. "Combined with the fact that thanks to the luggage you carry you won't be able to leverage your agility, having heavier and stronger armor makes more sense."
"I've also seen the way you fight, and while keeping your distance is useful, it's not perfect," Taylor continued. "As such, I want to make sure we take advantage of everything we can. And in your case, you are woefully underutilizing your talents."
"What about Lili's fighting style?" the supporter asked.
"You can still use your wrist-crossbows, but with Welf's help we can do better. I'm thinking two wrist-mounted crossbows, bigger and stronger than the ones you currently have. Perhaps with repeating functions?"
Taylor quickly sketched out a Chinese repeating crossbow, which immediately had both Welf and Lili intrigued.
"Those wouldn't be very powerful unless you use Dungeon materials," Welf mused. "And the range would kinda suck… but you could definitely fire off a bunch of bolts far faster. Good for the cramped confines of the Dungeons and horde suppression against the smaller, weaker monsters."
"The firing mechanism isn't all that great either. Crank powered won't work very well," Lili added. "Though the ability to hold and fire more bolts would be nice."
"We could probably streamline the firing and reloading mechanisms if we added small gears here and here," Welf suggesting, annotating the diagram with a few markings of his own. "Make it stronger."
"It would make it more complicated. And more complicated means harder to fix and easier to break," Lili warned, though she was still rather excited.
"True, but what if we made the parts uniform, so they could be swapped out whenever they need repair?" the blacksmith mused. "Modular, I think the term is."
"Lili likes it!" the pallum exclaimed.
Welf and Lili then shared a look, both clearly eager to build something new for themselves. Taylor watched them, amused, while Bell inched over to his Familia member's side.
"Lili looks so excited," he murmured. "I like this genuine happiness better than the fake smiles she was always wearing before."
"Oh, so you could also tell she was wearing a mask to hide her emotions?" Taylor asked.
"I might not be the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but I can figure out when somebody is pretending everything is fine." At that, Bell gave her a knowing look, and Taylor snorted.
"I am fine."
"Have you taken any time at all to relax or to cry?" Bell asked softly. "To grieve the death of your world?"
Taylor shot him a sharp look, but he just stared back resolutely. There was no judgement in his eyes, just genuine concern and a desire to help her. She immediately looked away, unable to meet his earnest gaze.
"I'm fine," she repeated. Bell clearly didn't believe her, but he didn't push, and instead rejoined Lili and Welf as they discussed equipment.
"So, what do you think?" Taylor asked, and the blacksmith looked up in surprise, having forgotten she was here.
"Alright, yeah, I think we can work something out," Welf finally said. "I'll draw up a contract, but I won't sign immediately. I want to see how well you work together in the Dungeon. That's the most important part."
"Very well, you can come with us to the Dungeon tomorrow, and we can see how well you fight as well," Taylor told Welf, who nodded.
"Right, can do."
"How deep have you gone before?" Bell wondered.
"Floor Twelve was the lowest I've ever gone," Welf replied.
"What's the strongest monster you can kill in a single hit?" Taylor inquired.
"I can cut an Orc in half," Welf smirked proudly. That was quite impressive, and Taylor was eager to see that in action.
"Then we will aim to reach the Tenth Floor tomorrow," Taylor declared.
"You guys can already head that far down on your own?" Welf whistled, impressed.
"Lili thinks Welf will be very surprised tomorrow," Lili snickered.
111 &&& 111
"You know, I'll admit, I wasn't expecting you guys to be this good," Welf admitted as they emerged onto a plateau overlooking the Tenth Floor the next day. "I mean, nobody expects newbies who haven't even been delving for a year to be able to get below the Fifth Floor. But here you are, already on Floor Ten."
He glanced at Taylor. "I also wasn't convinced you'd be able to keep up, Bug Girl. I mean, only one arm? That's a death sentence down here. Sure, your armor is cool and creepy and made of a material I have no idea about, but it likely couldn't protect you from a War Shadow, or Orc, or even a determined Kobold."
Welf then looked over at the seething horde of Killer Ants and Purple Moths that was spilling out of the stairwell behind them, as well as the dozens of them already pouring over the ledge ahead of them.
"Consider me convinced, though. And a little bit terrified. And excited. I've never gotten through the Upper Floors so quickly before!"
"Glad you approve," Taylor drawled. "Come on, I want to see you bisect an Orc."
She eyed his massive weapon as she said this. It was a big, broad, single-bladed great sword that was slightly curved at the tip. A swing of it could tear through a monster, killing it in one hit. He was strong, too, as he could carry it in one hand with ease.
The only downside was that the size of it was hard to manage in some of the narrower stretches of the Dungeon, but Welf's fists were enough to kill pretty much anything in the previous floors in a single hit so that problem was effectively negated.
He also wore an interesting outfit that was distinctly Asian in appearance and style, with a chainmail vest underneath and armored bracers and leg guards.
"Lili found an Orc!" the supporter called out, her bag already bulging with loot.
"Right. Welf? You're up."
"Awesome!" the blacksmith grinned, cracking his knuckles as he descended towards the ground. An ugly pig monster was snorting and squealing as it was surrounded by Killer Ants, hemming it in.
Welf charged in without hesitation and swung it downwards, letting the sword cleave the monster in twain from shoulder to groin.
"Whoa!" Bell said, applauding as the Orc collapsed into ash.
"You're going to make an excellent party member," Taylor praised, already thinking about the best ways to incorporate him into their party's line-up.
"Lili agrees!" Lili said. Sure, it meant a smaller cut of money when dividing up the valis from the loot, but an extra person made the whole thing safer, and who knows? Maybe they'd be able to acquire better Magic Stones and Drop Items with Welf's help?
"I'm going to move away a bit and let you handle any monsters that we come across since we gain Excelia by killing monsters, and having me reduces the amount you three can gather," Taylor announced, and everyone nodded in agreement at that. With a Killer Ant and Blue Papillion sticking by their side, the parahuman would know if they were in danger and the latter could provide limited healing.
With that, the party began to explore the Tenth Floor, wandering around the eerie grey landscape. It was a strange place, and Bell was learning to navigate it quickly, despite being used to the winding labyrinth of the upper floors.
They also learned that Lili's crossbow proved to be in dire need of an upgrade, as while it was useful in killing Bad Bats and Imps, it did nothing to Orcs, not even tickle them. The best she could hope for was blinding them, but as Taylor had learned, the pig-like monsters' sense of smell was more than able to compensate.
"What is this stuff?" Bell wondered as he bent down to examine the ground, plucking a few strands of grey grass out of the dirt an hour into the trek. They had just defeated a pair of Orcs, and were taking a quick break.
"It's called Carbon Grass," Welf replied, bending down as well and grabbing handfuls of the stuff. "Not really grass, though. It's a coal-like material that 'grows' down here. Burns better and cleaner than coal and any steel made with it is always better compared to steel made with regular coal. It's what I used to make Pyonkichi, in fact."
"Should we gather some?" Bell wondered, looking around at the vast, flat landscape.
"Nah, no need. Not yet, at least," Welf said with a shake of his head.
"And the trees?" Bell inquired.
"Some kind of stone. Usually flint," Welf said. "Imps use the branches as knives or spears. Orcs prefer to use landform weapons made of a tougher material. See those boulders and stalagmites scattered around? Smack 'em a bit or give 'em tug or two and they'll break away into a club or other weapon-like shape. Made of something akin to granite, though I've heard rumors that lower down, you can find rare marble or diamond landform weapons."
"If the trees are flint, could we use them to make fire if we needed to camp down here?" Bell wondered, and Taylor, who was listening in via the monsters near the group, was also curious.
"Not easily," Welf said with a grimace. "All this mist make it hard to light anything on fire, even if you've kept it safe and dry on other floors."
"Lili has heard of people wrapping objects in Undine Silk to keep them from getting wet," the pallum claimed.
"If they're rich enough to afford to use Undine Silk as wrapping paper, then they don't have to camp on these floors," Welf snorted.
"What's Undine Silk?" Bell asked, which was another thing Taylor wanted to know as well.
"It's a type of material that is typically made from Arachne silk, Mermaid hair, or the mane of a Kelpie but certain Developmental Abilities, like Blacksmith, can create it out of regular silk," Welf said. "It's hydrophobic. Ah, that means it repels water. Great for keeping things dry. And something necessary on the 25th through 27th Floors. It also makes you swim faster and breath underwater, though the latter is a rumor, I think."
Welf then raised four fingers. "There are three other materials like that in the Dungeon that an adventurer absolutely cannot live without. Salamander Wool, which is made from Almiraj fur or Cerberus hides, grants a heightened resistance to fire and heat when worn."
"Next is Adamantite. It's a super-hard darkish grey metal that can be found as raw ore, or in all sorts of Drop Items. Just melt them down to extract it. Practically every top-quality piece of gear incorporates some Adamantite into it."
"And last but not least is Mithril, a silver hued metal that is extremely rare and even harder than Adamantite, but vital if you want to make high-end magical items or enchantments. Heck, it could be considered the most important metal in the world, since Mithril is what allows magic tools to turn the energy inside a monster's Magic Stone into fuel it can use. Every oven, lamp, and the like up above in the city incorporates a tiny bit of Mithril in it."
"Sounds important," Bell hummed.
"Oh, it is. There are only a few places it can be found. Either as Drop Items from Spartoi and other monsters on the 37th Floor, or from within the Jack Bird's egg on the First. I've heard rumors of places it can be mined from the Deep Floors as well."
"Jack Bird? You mean that rare monster that always drops a golden egg worth at least a million valis when killed?!" Lili gasped.
"Yeah, underneath that golden shell – which is made of Orichalcum by the way – is a 'yolk' made of pure Mithril. But the Jack Bird is a rare monster, so maybe one egg a month ends up being found at a time," Welf said. "I'd love to get my hands on some Mithril to experiment with, but it's too expensive for me. Someday, though. Once I reach Level 2, my next goal is getting my hands on some Mithril!"
"Whoa!" Bell said in awe. Taylor was no different, and she already had a number of ideas running through her head. Some of which she'd bring up to Welf later.
'For now, I should warn them about the five Orcs coming their way,' she mused.
"Everyone, be on guard, a group of five Orcs is approaching, all armed with landform weapons," Taylor announced, speaking through her swarm. Without the absurd number of insects of the city above, Taylor had decided to hide as many bugs as possible in Lili's backpack. So, when the hundreds of flies and roaches boiled out from behind Lili like a black mist, it naturally spooked their newest member.
"Oh, shit!" Welf exclaimed, jumping to his feet in shock.
"Yeah, she does that sometimes," Lili said, her tone deadpan. "You don't get used to it."
"Five Orcs?" Bell asked, focusing on the important part.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed. "Should I interfere?"
"No," Bell said, standing up. "I want to test my Skill."
"You have a Skill?" Welf exclaimed. "Aren't you a newbie? It took me a year of hard work to get my first Skill!"
"If you keep being surprised by everything, you'll just get whiplash," Lili warned.
Meanwhile, Bell summoned two lightning clones, their burning white forms charring the grey grass underneath their feet and causing the mist to sizzle and steam. They then burst into motion, moving fast towards the approaching monsters.
The Orcs were able to see the two glowing bodies getting close, even through the thick mist, and raised their weapons, only for one clone to leap over one of their swinging clubs. It landed in the middle of them and immediately exploded, allowing torrents of lightning to wash over the Orcs, electrocuting it. The five Orcs sank to their knees, flesh cracked and burned, but still alive.
But before they could do anything else, the second clone clotheslined one Orc onto their back, and snatched up their club. Even with only a third of the stats Bell had, the clone was still equal to a mid-ranked adventurer and lifted the weapon with ease, before bringing it down onto the stunned monster's skull, splitting it like a watermelon.
The other Orcs weren't going to put up with this, yet when one punched the clone, it exploded like its brother. The Orc who did the punching lost its arm while the other three were further electrocuted.
And then suddenly, one of the Orcs collapsed, its throat slit by the Hestia Knife. Bell had snuck up on them, ambushing the remaining monsters and cutting their necks open without mercy.
'The clones distracted them, and then the smell of burning fat and flesh overwhelmed their olfactory ability, letting Bell approach without being detected,' Taylor noted, impressed by his stealthy tactics.
"I did it!" he cheered, holding up the Magic Stones and strips of Orc Hide that had dropped. It was really disconcerting to see him so cheerful while streaks of blood marred his hands and part of his hair.
"Huh… okay, you know what? I'm not sure who the scariest person on the team is anymore," Welf muttered.
"Preach," Lili nodded.
Taylor chuckled to herself before sending her Killer Ants to eliminate a horde of Imps that had been trying to circle around and ambush the blacksmith and supporter from behind while the Orcs had approached from the front. But they didn't need to know that.
Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Interlude 2
Chapter Text
Chapter 12: Interlude 2
Bell was excited. Well, somebody would say he was always that way, but today was different! Today – and yesterday – had been simply amazing!
Yesterday, Taylor had given him a Skill – and wasn't that the coolest thing ever?! – then Lili had moved in, and then they'd made friends with Welf, a really cool guy who was almost as tall as Taylor!
Then today, they'd all gone into the Dungeon as a party and he'd gotten a chance to test his Skill. It was powerful. Against the Orcs it took multiple clones to bring them down via explosions, but against smaller monsters with less ability to withstand damage, a single explosion from a clone with of his stats was enough to take out a dozen Goblins instantly. The lightning was even able to kill War Shadows, bypassing their typical resistance to anything save magical attacks!
And that was just the explosions! Bell could gang up on stronger monsters and eliminate them with the help of his clones! He'd already tested that theory on Orcs, and the coordination between him and his doppelgangers was excellent. The limbs of a clone were extremely hot, and could burn flesh easily if they touched a monster, so Bell had already began to think about learning martial arts of some sort to teach his clones.
'Then, once Welf makes weapons the clones can hold, our efficiency will go through the roof!' Bell thought to himself in excitement.
"Miss Taylor, Bell is giggling to himself again," Lili's voice said from next to him, shaking him out of his day dreams of leading armies of clones into battle against the denizens of the Dungeon.
"Just swat him on the back of his head, that should knock the goofy out of him," Taylor drawled, amusement audible in her voice.
"It's rude to bother a man when he's busy thinking," Welf said on Bell's other side.
The four of them were heading out to eat dinner at the Hostess of Fertility, celebrating the formation of their new party. Welf had whole-heartedly agreed to join them as a contracted blacksmith, helping the Hestia Familia with their equipment needs.
Bell was glad the red-head had decided to join them, as having another guy in the group was nice, and balanced the team out. Not that there was anything wrong with having two girls in the party, but the white-haired adventurer didn't have any guy friends.
"What were you thinking about?" Lili wondered, politely curious.
"I was just coming up with ideas for using my Skill," Bell replied, rubbing the back of his head.
"There are a lot of ways to do that," Taylor agreed. "I think your Skill will become a vital part of your combat style going forward."
"Hey there, Bell!" Syr the waitress said as she appeared and placed a large plate of food in front of another customer. "You're in a good mood!"
"We made a lot of money today, and we went down to the Tenth Floor for the first time," Bell said proudly.
"Oh, awesome! Congrats!" Syr said excitedly. "You've made a lot of progress, haven't you?"
"We have," Bell said.
"Are these new members of your Familia?" she asked, looking at the two other members of the party.
"Not quite," Bell replied. "Lili here is a Supporter, she's been very helpful down in the Dungeon! And this is Welf! He's our new contracted blacksmith!"
"Wow! You're starting to look like a real adventurer!" Syr complimented. Bell blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, come on in! There's a table for four over here that has your names on it!" the hostess said, grabbing Bell by the arm and dragging him over to a small square table that had four chairs around it.
Bell stammered and blushed but managed to yank his arm out of Syr's grasp before sitting down.
"Looks good," Taylor said after giving it a look over.
"Great! I'll be back with the menus soon!" Syr declared before flouncing off.
"You know, I've never really eaten here before," Welf admitted as he sat down. "Usually too expensive."
"It is," Lili agreed. "If not for all the money we've been making in the Dungeon recently Lili would be hesitant to be in here."
"It's nice for a treat every once in a while," Taylor agreed. The Hostess of Fertility catered to adventurers rather than common folk. It was only adventurers who could afford to eat here regularly, after all. The cheapest thing on the menu was three hundred valis! Sure, they were large portions, but still!
Syr dropped off some menus for the four of them a moment later, and they looked over the food options. A pasta dish with shrimp was what Taylor settled on, along with water. Bell got a pot roast with apple juice, while Lili's choice was pork chops and Welf ordered a giant shank of meat like in the cartoons. The two of them also requested beers.
"Here you go!" Syr said cheerfully when their orders were ready. She was accompanied by a green-haired elf, Ryuu, her name was if Bell was remembering properly, who was helping her carry the dishes out to them.
"Thank you," Bell said politely, even as his stomach rumbled eagerly.
"So, Miss Taylor, do you like it?" Bell asked as they began to eat.
"It's very good," the parahuman confirmed. She was eating daintily, and Bell admired how she was able to do so with only hand.
"So, tell me about yourselves," Welf requested as they ate. "If I'm going to be working with you lot, I want to know what I'm getting myself into."
"My name is Bell Cranel!" Bell said energetically. "I'm fourteen years old from a tiny village near Orario! I came here to be a hero!"
"A hero, huh? Big dream," Welf noted.
Lili is Lili. Lili is a Supporter, and that's all there is to know about Lili," the pallum adventurer claimed.
"Don't mind her, she's just shy. She'll come around eventually," Bell said warmly. In response, Lili kicked his leg angrily with a pout.
"Uh-huh, I see," Welf drawled, clearly not believing him.
"Lili just doesn't like talking about herself!" the short girl huffed.
"Why not tell us what you like?" Taylor suggested.
"Lili likes money," she said bluntly, and the parahuman and Welf both snorted in amusement at her dry delivery.
"I suppose it my turn, now," Taylor said next. "My name is Taylor Hebert. A newcomer to Orario like Bell. In fact, he saved me on my first day."
"Ah, so Bell's already a hero!" Welf said, shooting the white-haired boy a grin. That caused Bell to blush and stammer.
"I have the power to control insects," Taylor continued. She wisely chose not to show off her ability within the restaurant. "I also like to read."
"Oh, yeah?" Welf hummed. "What do you like to read the most?"
"I'm a fan of history," Taylor said. Part of that was because she wanted to learn more about the world she had ended up in. But she wasn't quite ready to admit that she was an alien to Lili and Welf just yet.
"She's been reading every history book she can get her hand on!" Bell said cheerfully.
"I've recently begun learning about the nations closest to Orario," Taylor admitted. "Rakia sounds quite… unpleasant to be neighbors with."
"You can say that again," Welf agreed with a grimace.
"Bad experience with them?" Bell guessed.
"Yeah. Uh, guess it's my turn," Welf muttered. "Name's Welf. I'm a blacksmith, hoping to Level Up soon, and my dream… well, it's to make a Magic Sword that doesn't break when its used."
"I've heard they're quite fragile," Bell hummed.
"I had a Magic Sword once, but Canoe stole it," Lili muttered darkly under her breath.
Welf shot Lili a concerned look but then answered Bell a moment later.
"Yeah, they are. Infamous for it, really. Sure, they pack a mean punch and can do all sorts of damage out of proportion for a wielder's level, but they break after two or three uses."
"Sounds like a glass cannon," Taylor mused.
"A glass what-now?" Welf asked, confused. "Is that a kind of weapon? Who makes weapons out of glass?"
"Nobody does, that's the point of the saying," Taylor replied. Welf still looked bewildered by her choice of words, and Bell laughed awkwardly before trying to change the topic.
"S-so Welf! What's it like being a blacksmith?"
"Hard work, but fulfilling," Welf replied, a tiny smile creeping onto his face. "Wouldn't want to do anything else, really. There's just something satisfying about creating something with your own hands."
"I agree," Taylor nodded. "There's something soothing about making things. Though I suppose in my case I cheat a bit by making my swarm do most of the work. Though technically, since I'm the one giving the orders to the bugs under my control, I still think it counts."
"Wait, are you saying you control each insect in your swarm individually? At the same time?!" Welf asked incredulously. Lili's jaw dropped in shock.
"It's not that hard," Taylor said with a shrug.
"Lili thinks Miss Taylor has different definitions of what is and isn't hard," the pallum said in disbelief.
"I'm just good at multitasking," Taylor replied.
Welf and Lili shared a look and then knocked back their drinks, emptying their mugs in a single, long quaff.
"Bullshit!" both of them exclaimed as they came up for air after finishing their beer.
Taylor looked perplexed at their response. Bell just snickered at the confused expression she wore.
The group enjoyed their evening out, and Bell was overjoyed that the party was able to get along so well together. Welf brought a new element to their team that was, quite frankly, amazing and which they'd desperately needed.
Bell could admit that aside from the blacksmith, none of them were exactly what one would call strong. Oh, the Falna made it possible for even a brand-new Level 1 adventurer to easily overpower a veteran soldier without a Falna, but prior experiences and a person's body type made certain things simpler.
The white-haired adventurer knew he was never going to be able to swing around a giant weapon like Welf could, or wear massive and heavy suits of armor. Bell had also come to accept he likely wouldn't grow up to be as tall as Taylor or Welf. Therefore, speed and a nimble, quick-footed fighting ability was what he focused on.
Welf filled a niche that was sorely needed, and Bell was already thinking about how far they could get with him on their team. He had a feeling Taylor was also contemplating how exactly he'd be able to fit in.
'Though I wish I knew why Miss Taylor kept referring to Welf as a 'tank,'' he mused to himself, glancing at the otherworlder. And wasn't that another thing to be amazed by? He knew an actual alien! Grandpa would never believe him!
"Did you all have a nice meal?" Syr asked as she approached, distracting Bell from his thoughts.
"Yes! It was lovely!" he said, and the waitress giggled.
"That's good to hear," she said. "Mama will be happy. And so will I, if you came back again soon!"
Syr winked at him, and Bell flushed.
"Damn, that's good customer service," Welf muttered. "No wonder Bell likes to eat here."
Bell spluttered and tried to deny it, but Welf patted him on the shoulder. "There's no shame in being seduced by a sexy lady, Bell. It's a man's romance, after all."
"Ah… really?" Bell asked, glancing over at Lili and Taylor.
"Don't look at me, I'm not a man, so I wouldn't know about what men like," Taylor retorted dryly.
"Same," Lili agreed, though she had a smirk on her face as she was looking at the two boys.
After that little bit of amusement and embarrassment, they paid their bill and left the Hostess of Fertility behind. The moon and stars were fully out in the sky, and the weather was nice and cool. The group spent a moment staring up at the heavens, admiring the beautiful of it, before a yawn from Lili broke the silence.
"Well, it's been fun, guys, but it's getting late," Welf said, stretching a bit while also holding back a yawn of his own. "Gonna head on back."
"Travel safely!" Bell said, waving farewell. "And thank you for agreeing to work with us!"
"No problem. I think working with you guys is going to be interesting, if nothing else," the blacksmith chuckled as he walked off.
"Welf had the right idea. We should be heading back to the church as well. Don't want Hestia to worry about us," Taylor suggested.
Bell bit his lip, before bringing up something he'd been thinking about for a while.
"Actually, Miss Taylor, I think I want to go back into the Dungeon," Bell admitted.
To her credit, she did not immediately deny his request. Instead, she just gave him a long, searching look. Bell did his best not to squirm as she scrutinized him.
"Are you sure you want to go back into the Dungeon?" Taylor asked. "It's getting late."
Lili nodded her head, staring at Bell like he was completely crazy.
"I won't go beyond the First Floor," Bell promised. "I just want to test my Skill out some more."
"Alright," Taylor said with a sigh. "Don't push yourself, though. And if you aren't back in two hours I'm going in to look for you."
"Understood, captain!" Bell said, saluting her, though there was a teasing note to his words.
"I'm not the captain, Bell," Taylor told him.
"But you do all the paperwork with Hestia," Bell reminded her. "And look after us, making sure we eat enough and have plenty of supplies in the Dungeon."
"And you have an ability to multitask that would make the Guild workers weep in envy," Lili added. "Plus, Lili thinks you have the qualities of a leader."
"I'm… I'm not sure if I want to be in a position of authority again," Taylor admitted, looking away.
"I think you're the best choice," Bell replied. "But if you don't want it, then that's fine."
"You're a good kid," Taylor said with a tiny, rueful smile, ruffling his hair fondly which caused him to pout.
"I'm going now!" he said, breaking away from her head pats.
"Keep track of time!" Taylor ordered as he ran off to the Dungeon. He waved nodded and waved a hand as he darted off.
111 &&& 111
"Phew!" Bell said, wiping a bit of sweat off of his forehead. He'd been running around the First Floor for an hour now with a clone, and even his Falna boosted stamina was starting to flag. Considering he'd already been fighting monsters earlier in the day, that wasn't much of a surprise.
"What should I do next?" Bell wondered aloud to himself. "Should I head back up to the surface?"
He rubbed his throat. "I should have brought water with me."
"Are you alright?"
"Gah!" Bell exclaimed in surprise, not having heard anyone approaching, jumping in place before spinning around.
Behind him were two women, both of whom were looking at him and his clone curiously. One was an elf with green hair and a robe and staff, marking her a mage, while the other woman was one Bell couldn't forget even if he tried: Ais Wallenstein, the adventurer who'd rescued him from the Minotaur weeks ago.
"Hello," the blonde swordswoman said in greeting. Bell wasn't sure if she remembered him or not, but he bowed his head politely in return.
"Oh! Hello!" he said. "And I'm fine, thank you! I was just training!"
"That's an interesting spell," the green-haired elf mused, observing the lightning clone.
"Um, actually, it's a Skill," Bell replied.
"Fascinating," she murmured.
Embarrassed by the scrutiny he was receiving, he dismissed the clone, much to her disappointment.
"Hmm. Well, in that case, we should be going," the mage of the Loki Familia said. "Come on, Ais. We need to get you some replacement armor, too."
"Yes, Riveria," Ais nodded in agreement, and proceeded to walk off.
"Wait!" Bell called out, causing Ais and Riveria to pause.
"Yes?" Ais asked, turning back to him.
"Thank you!" Bell said, bowing his head towards her. "For saving me back then! And I'm sorry for running away from you at the time! I was just very intimidated by your beauty!"
Ais just stared at him, and he fidgeted for a moment, while at her side Riveria had a hand pressed over her mouth, trying and failing to keep a snort of amusement from escaping.
"You said you were training?" Ais inquired, and Bell nodded. "Tomorrow. Six am. Meet me on top of the northern wall."
"Uh… yes! I will!" Bell said, giving her a salute. He then watched the two of them walk off.
Only when both had disappeared from view did Bell react. He let out a deep, bone-weary sigh and collapsed to the ground, all strength having left him.
"I did it," he murmured. "I talked to her…"
That had been something he'd wanted to do for a while now. Ever since he was rescued, in fact. But he'd never had the chance. Being trained by her was just icing on the cake at this point.
111 &&& 111
"Lady Hestia? Miss Taylor? Lili? I'm back!" Bell called out as he walked into the underground living area beneath the church.
"BEEEELL!" Hestia cried out, tackling her first (and not-so-secretly favorite) Familia member.
"Lady Hes-!" Bell began, only to flinch as she immediately to wail on him, smacking his chest with her tiny fists. It didn't hurt, in fact it was quite adorable and Bell could see Taylor and Lili smirking from the couch. So he just stood there and took it like a man, just like his grandpa had taught him.
"What were you thinking, going into the Dungeon so late at night?! And with nobody to back you up?!" Hestia demanded angrily, pouting up at him.
"Um, I was perfectly fine?" Bell replied nervously.
"That doesn't matter!" Hestia shouted. "I was worried!"
"Um… oops," Bell mutter. "I'm sorry?"
That didn't cut it, and Hestia smacked him a bit more before finally huffing and walking off. "Bedroom! Now!"
"Careful, Hestia," Taylor called out. "Most people take other people to their beds after a date or two."
Lili laughed as Bell and Hestia both turned crimson with their embarrassed blushes.
"Sh-shut up! That's not what I meant and you know it!" Hestia shrieked. She grabbed Bell's hand and dragged him off, kicking him onto the bed.
A few moments later, Bell walked out with his newly updated Stat sheet.
"Whoa," he murmured to himself. This was quite the jump!
BELL CRANEL
LEVEL 1
POWER – B 707 A 818
ENDURANCE – C 633 B 798
DEXTERITY – B 737 A 888
AGILITY – A 823 SS 1001
MAGIC – I 0 G 255
"I didn't know Stats could go over 999," he hummed thoughtfully.
"Your Stats did WHAT?!" Lili shouted, toppling off the couch in shock.
"Bell," Taylor said tersely, sticking out her hand, and Bell flinched before dutifully handing it over. As Taylor and Lili stared at his stat sheet, Hestia walked out of the bedroom, an exhausted expression on her face.
"Hestia, is this correct?" Taylor demanded, looking up sharply at the goddess.
"I'm just as shocked as you are," Hestia groaned, rubbing her forehead.
"Lili has never heard of this happening before!" Lili exclaimed. "Also, what the Hell is with these numbers?! These are the Stats of an elite, multi-year veteran adventurer, not a newbie not even half a year into their career!"
"Is this really that weird?" Bell asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Most adventurers only get a couple points per Stat after a few straight days in the Dungeons!" Lili shouted. "Lili once got an increase of Twelve points in Dexterity, and that was after a month of non-stop accuracy training with the wrist crossbow and using monsters as pincushions!"
Most adventurers treated Dungeon delving as a 9-5 job. It was only those willing to constantly throw themselves into battle and danger that rapidly gained Excelia. It wasn't easy, or safe, and many adventurers perished before making it that far. But for those who did? They were the ones who became renowned throughout the city.
"So this is the effect of Limit Break?" Taylor muttered to herself as she stared at the sheet, though it was so quiet Bell wasn't sure he'd actually heard her.
"Well, I guess this is a bad time to tell you I was invited for training tomorrow morning by Miss Ais," Bell muttered. Not quietly enough, though, as the living room erupted in shouting once more.
It was quite late by the time anyone was able to settle down and go to sleep after all the revelations.
111 &&& 111
Ais didn't understand why Riveria was grinning at her like that. Well, it was just a slight upwards quirk of her lips, but for the Level 6 elf, that was practically an effusive display of overt amusement.
"What?" Ais asked, turning towards her mentor. The woman who'd taught her how to read and write (and other things) just grinned.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just glad to see you're starting to grow up, is all," Riveria replied.
"Oh," the Sword Princess replied. What did a growth spurt have to do with this, though?
Sensing her confusion, Riveria just waved a hand dismissively. "Ignore me," she requested. "You'll understand when you're older."
Ais tilted her head to the side, before deciding to think about something else. Like the white-haired adventurer she'd just agreed to help train.
She was glad to see him, again. The younger boy had survived the Minotaur attack and had come out of it significantly stronger, if his interesting Skill was any indicator.
'How many more monsters could I kill if I had more copies of myself?' Ais wondered idly.
It was always good to see more adventurers within the Dungeon, especially one with the drive to improve themselves. Most treated it as a routine job. But for Ais, it was more than that. All monsters had to be exterminated.
'I'll have to see what I'm working with before I decide what to do with his training regime, but from what I saw back there, the boy has his Agility and Dexterity stats in a good position and can handle the mobility side of things, but needs to work on his Power and Endurance more so he can kill monsters in a single hit, and take heavier blows,' the adventurer mused to herself. 'Hmm… I wonder what his name is?'
Ais resolved to ask him his name the next time she saw him. And maybe if she did a good job of training, she could pat his hair? It looked very soft and fluffy.
111 &&& 111
Canoe had been having a bad day. Actually, it'd been a bad couple of days.
First, his sheets got infested with bedbugs. Then some roaches got into his kitchen, ruining his stock of rare, imported tea, his one non-Soma related vice. Some centipedes had decided his boots would make for a lovely home as well, and his clothing was infested with fleas.
'And now I find out Lili survived?!' the raccoon-man growled as he scratched himself violently, drawing blood. The brat was supposed to have died in the Dungeon! She'd been getting too big for her britches, and Zanis suspected she was getting close to having enough money to buy her way out. The pallum's death was supposed to treat the other sheep in the Familia to toe the line from now on! But now the plan was ruined!
It was all that damned bug girl's fault! He couldn't prove anything, but come on?! Who else could cause so many insects to invade his home and ruin his stuff?!
'In hindsight, trying to kill Lili with Killer Ants was probably a bad idea,' Canoe admitted to himself, though he'd never say it aloud. He'd known the newbie could control insects and insectoid monsters. She walked around with a damned Crystal Mantis, for Soma's sake!
Why had he gone along with Ged's idea for revenge in the first place? The man was a complete idiot! He'd hired Lili to be his Supporter, after all.
Canoe grunted. 'Whatever. It's in the past, now. I just have to put up with this until the bitch gets bored. Then I can plot a more proper end for both her and Lili.'
He wasn't sure why the other adventurer was torturing him like this. Normally, disputes between adventurers in Orario were settled in the Dungeon. And often times lethally, at that. Bug girl was either naïve or sadistic. The raccoon-man wasn't sure which was worse.
For now, though, a bath with special soap to try and soothe the bites and stings was in order. Yet when he turned on the faucet to fill his tub with water, the only thing that came out was a torrent of wet and soggy spiders.
The screams of a frightened and wounded pig rang out through the night-darkened streets of Orario. It scared children, spooked adults, and created rumors of a ghost haunting the alleys, screaming as it reenacted its murder.
111 &&& 111
Freya tapped a finger against the side of her wineglass as she stared out at Orario. She couldn't decide if she was happy or not.
On the one hand, her beloved Bell had proven he was truly a kind-hearted soul, going so far as to give his Familia member the gift she'd procured for him. On the other, he now had one of those thingslatched onto his soul, just like that bug controlling girl. She would have to increase surveillance on that mortal to ensure she didn't further taint the boy.
'Yet somehow, his soul remains pure,' she thought to herself. Where before he'd possessed a crystal clear soul, there were now bolts of golden lightning surrounding it like a protective barrier.
Furthermore, it felt like something had been woken up within Bell's essence. A previous life was coming to the fore, something that should have been utterly impossible. The past existences would not overwhelm Bell, so there was no danger of the white-haired boy turning into a different person, but he would start to grow even faster than he already had been doing.
'I shall have to instruct Ottar to speed up the training of Bell's next test,' she thought to herself. The Minotaur was already a deadly beast, but with some more 'encouragement' it'd be a proper tool. A whetstone to sharpen her new champion's blade.
Freya couldn't help but smile in anticipation. Bell Cranel would become her Odr. There was no other choice. She could feel the strings of fate binding them together.
111 &&& 111
"Report," Ouranos said tersely.
"I have been unable to locate the source of the disturbance, nor have I been able to narrow down where it came from. All we know was that it originated from somewhere in the west of Orario," Fels informed the impatient god. "It was simply too short a time frame to figure out anything else."
Ouranos held in a sigh, feeling frustrated. Ever since that strange burst of energy the day before yesterday, the Sky God and Anchor of the Dungeon had been on edge.
For a brief moment, it had felt like the Dungeon had escaped its confines, but the feeling had faded as quickly as it appeared and after double and triple-checking the seals and wards, Ouranos had confirmed that the Dungeon had not managed to breach through into the city.
Worse was that in response, the Dungeon had gotten… moody. There was no other way to describe it. There were no abnormal monsters being born, at least as far as he could tell, nor were there any shifts in the layout of the floors, but the Dungeon was not happy.
It was almost as if it was sulking. But that was impossible… wasn't it?
'Then again, I assumed that something like the spike of foreign energy was impossible until it happened,' the chief god of Orario mused to himself.
Aloud, he asked, "Royman, how have the gods been reacting?"
"Most of the gods are on edge," Royman Mardeel, the head of the Guild, said after clearing his throat. The portly elf looked worn down, having had to deal with the complaints and messages from the Familias for the past two days. "They want answers, and we have none."
"Tell them that the Dungeon tried to escape again, but I managed to contain it," Ouranos said after thinking it over. It wasn't the truth, but it was close enough to not matter.
"It won't calm them down," Royman claimed.
"I think it will," Fels interjected. "The Dungeon trying to break free from its prison is, while not a common occurrence, something that happens often enough that the gods will understand it as an excuse and settle down once they realize it was a one-off event."
Ouranos wasn't so certain the spike of Dungeon-like energy was a one-time occurrence, nor did he share Fels' confidence that all of the gods would stop caring. Hermes, Loki and Freya would definitely investigate.
"Regardless of how the gods act afterwards, the statement alone should sooth nerves and assure them we have everything under control," Ouranos said, and his two loyal servants bowed their heads in understanding before leaving to complete their duties.
Only once they were gone did the god sag on his throne. "What is happening in this city recently? Not since Evilus have so many mysterious incidents appeared one after the other."
First the Xenos, then the Outsider arriving, and now this alien energy? What next, an adventurer reaching Level 2 in under a year?
Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Overcoming Fear
Chapter Text
Chapter 13: Overcoming Fear
"And… done! What do you think?" Welf asked as he stepped away from the mannequin.
"It looks good," Taylor said, looking the suit of armor up and down. Her old outfit had been damaged, and the repairs she'd been able to do to it on her own had been limited. Now, though, with somebody who knew what they were doing? It looked a lot better.
"Try it on!" Welf offered, and she took him up on that offer, stepping behind a curtain to change.
When she emerged, she was wearing a costume that was superficially similar to the one she'd had while acting as Warlord of Brockton. Dark plates of armor over a black bodysuit.
With Welf's help, Taylor had been able to restore her old suit while also improving it in places. Broken and missing armor plates were replaced with Killer Ant chitin, while the replacement fabric of the suit was woven out locally sourced spider silk. For the past week, this was what the two of them had been doing when not delving into the Dungeon.
Taylor had discovered several breeds of spider living in and around Orario that had been very interesting. One of which, the Labyrinth Weaver, had silk that was as strong as the Darwin Bark Spider's silk in terms of tensile strength, being ten times tougher than similarly sized pieces of Kevlar.
The fact this spider commonly lived in what was known as Daedalus Street, an almost slum-like region of Orario, meant Taylor had been able to acquire hundreds of them and spin huge amounts of silk in a short amount of time.
The parahuman didn't like that area all that much. Something was twisting space within it, reminding her of Vista's power to an extent. It was passive and covered the whole district, which was why it was so easy to get lost within it. The 'street' was significantly larger on the inside than it seemed from the outside.
But the curious spatial disruption going on had caused the creatures within to mutate and evolve slightly. Hence the unique qualities of the local spiders who made tesseract-like webs to catch teleporting flies and matter-phasing roaches. Though their curious abilities seemed to weaken or disappear once outside of Daedalus Street, for whatever reason.
"Thank you, this is wonderful," Taylor said with a smile.
"Thanks for letting me keep the broken pieces of your armor," Welf said, looking at the pile of shattered ceramic shards that hadn't been able to be reused or recovered. "I can't wait to try and figure out how to replicate them! It's a novel composite alloy that has a lot of applications for more than just defense if I can work out a way to make more!"
"I wish you good luck in that," Taylor said, completely honest. She had no idea how well the advanced Tinker tech alloy would stand up to Adamantite, but it was still tougher and lighter than the steel and leather most adventurers wore. It was on par with the Killer Ants' chitin, if a touch less flexible and heavier.
"You gonna give a stress test?" Welf wondered.
"Yes. I'm going to join Bell and Lili in the Dungeon later today, so it will be a nice test run," Taylor said.
"Oh? Mind if I join you?" Welf asked.
"Sure, knock yourself out," Taylor replied with a shrug. "Anything in particular you're looking for?"
"I want War Shadow Magic Stones to go with War Shadow Finger Blades," Welf said. "Their fingers can be rendered down for Adamantite, one of the few Drop Items in the Upper Floors that provides more than a few grams at a time. Or they can be made into knives that are wickedly sharp. Gonna use 'em to make Bell's throwing knives. As for their stones, if you mix a couple in with the coals and Carbon Grass it makes the blades you forge sharper."
"The type of Magic Stone can influence things that much?" the parahuman asked, intrigued.
"Oh, yeah," Welf nodded. "Goblin stones make materials softer, so they're easier to shape and forge small, delicate things like jewelry. And an Orc's stone helps make materials more durable. You don't see many high-class smiths or craftsmen using Magic Stones like that, though, because a proper Blacksmith ability can just make a sword or armor stronger through enchanting. But for Level 1's like myself, or even non-Falna equipped craftsmen, it's a neat little trick. Doesn't see much improvement, only around a ten percent increase, but it's supposed to really help prepare for when you do get the Development Ability."
"Interesting," Taylor hummed, impressed. "Is there anything else the Magic Stones can be used for besides powering appliances?"
"I've heard you can use them to boost the potency of spells or use magic without a Falna," Welf said after a moment as he took his apron off and replaced it with his combat outfit. "But I don't really know anything about that. The Hephaestus Familia doesn't work with magic beyond enchantments, really. If you want to know more, the Dian Cecht Familia is one of the largest producers of magic tools after the Ptah Familia. I bet they'd know."
"They might, but would they offer what they know freely? Or for a not ruinous price?" Taylor asked and Welf chuckled weakly at that.
Dian Cecht was a greedy man, who fiercely guarded his secrets as well as the spheres of influence he deemed to be his own. An outsider would never have a chance to learn anything, and even his own Familia was strictly divided. Someone who worked with magic tools had little to no contact with somebody in the same Familia who made potions, for instance.
Taylor had never met him, but she had a low opinion of the 'god' already thanks to Naaza, as well as what she'd overheard from others, both within and without the Familia. Bugs were quite good at eavesdropping, after all.
"So, how's Bell been doing?" Welf wondered, glancing at Taylor as they walked to the Dungeon, Chris trailing behind obediently like always.
"He's well. He's been putting up with his training quite admirably," Taylor praised.
"I'll bet. You know, he's got most of the male adventurers – and quite a few ladies too – frothing at the mouth," Welf snorted. "How he managed to catch the eye of the Sword Princess, I'll never know."
Taylor nodded in agreement. She had not expected much to come from Bell's little late-night excursion, but somehow, he'd impressed one of the most powerful adventurers in the city and been offered exclusive training by her. It was incredible, and a major boon for the white-haired adventurer.
Bell had been training with Ais Wallenstein for a week now, and it had done the boy good. His movements were sharper, and he was learning how to take a hit and roll with the punches. Literally.
Ais was able to hold back, but she was still a Level 5 – though she'd heard it was now 6 – adventurer, and his Endurance stat had risen ridiculously fast. It was already in the S rank after a single week!
"What do you think of her?" Welf asked.
"Ais?" Taylor asked for confirmation. When Welf nodded, she hummed.
"She is definitely strong, but can be hard to talk to," the parahuman admitted.
"Pot meet kettle," Welf muttered under his breath. Taylor ignored him and continued.
"Although her incessant hatred for monsters is… annoying," she added. That was a bit of an understatement. Ais Wallenstein loathed the Dungeon and its denizens. Behind that placid, blank face was a seething well of hatred.
As a result, Taylor couldn't bring Chris or Anne around to watch the training. Ais had nearly decapitated the Crystal Mantis when she'd gone to inspect the duo's training the first time, and only shoving a swarm of bugs into the blonde's face had been able to deter her long enough for her to order Chris to retreat back to the Church.
If there was one upside to the encounter, it was discovering that yes, even a high-class elite adventurer could be stopped if you choked their eyes, ears, and nose with insects. Much like with Alexandria, super-human durability, strength, and speed meant nothing if you couldn't breathe.
'Thankfully, once Chris was no longer in sight, she calmed down,' Taylor mused.
"I've heard a couple people gossiping about how the Sword Princess has never done something like this before. Do you think she's fallen for our little rabbit boy?" Welf asked in a teasing tone, waggling his eyebrows.
Taylor shrugged. She had no idea. She'd only met the Sword Princess that one time, when Bell had started training with her and she'd gone to check on him. Compared to Glory Girl, the other blonde and superstrong girl Taylor knew, there was something cold and off about Ais. Glory Girl had exuded an aura of joy and liveliness that Ais lacked. The Sword Princess was certainly beautiful, even Taylor could admit that, but she was too emotionless. She was beautiful like a doll, not a person.
"What about you?" Welf asked. "Anybody you fancy?"
"Once," Taylor said, her mind flashing to Brian. Had he survived Golden Morning? She desperately hoped so.
Seeing the pain that flashed through her eyes, Welf stayed quiet.
"So, tell me the truth," Welf eventually asked, looking over at her curiously. "Are you a princess?"
"What?" Taylor asked, stumbling a bit at the query. She looked over at him in disbelief. "Where did you come up with that idea?"
"Well, you know things that a regular citizen wouldn't," Welf said, listing off his reason. "Most people can read and write and do a little math, but you're a lot more well-read than the basics. You know a lot about weapons and combat, too, which isn't something the average novice adventurer knows about, unless they had military training beforehand. I'd almost assume you were from Rakia but you're clearly not, otherwise… well, you'd act differently, is all I'm saying."
Welf then rubbed his chin as he continued. "You know a lot about administration and handling paperwork and the Guild, to boot. And there's a lot of different things that just don't add up. Unless, of course, you had the sort of upbringing that allowed for that kind of broader knowledge to be learned. Which in my experience is something only nobles can afford. So. Are you a noble?"
"I'm a not a noble," Taylor said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not a princess, either. I have no royal blood or anything."
"Then how'd you get so smart?" Welf asked.
Taylor snorted at that. She didn't think she was that smart. If she was, some of the problems that she'd had to face could have been resolved differently.
"My mother was a professor at a college… a place of learning. My father was the head of hiring at the Dock Worker's Association. I was no better educated than any other girl who lived where I came from. In fact, some might even say my standards of education were considerably lesser compared to some other places I could have gone."
Winslow had been the bottom of the barrel when it came to high school education in Brockton Bay, and a hell on Earth for the people forced to attend it. Taylor silently hoped it'd gotten wiped off the face of the Earth when Scion had thrown his little tantrum. Nobody would miss it.
"Ah, so your family was connected to a merchant's union. That explains it," Welf hummed to himself. "Yeah, now things are starting to line up."
"I wasn't anything special where I came from," she replied.
"Riiight," Welf drawled, clearly not believing her.
"What's it like being part of the Hephaestus Familia?" Taylor asked, unsubtly switching topics. Welf laughed, but played along.
"It's nice enough," Welf said. "There's over two hundred of us with Falna in the Familia, so we can't all get our stats updated whenever we want. Everyone has to make an appointment, and the waiting list can be kinda long, like a month or more. We can jump ahead if we do or make something really spectacular but that's not exactly common."
"Makes sense," Taylor said slowly. She appreciated having a smaller Familia, and couldn't imagine Hestia trying to manage two dozen adventurers, let alone two hundred!
"Yeah, I'm a little envious of you and Bell," Welf admitted. "Must be nice, not having to jockey for a spot in your Familia. As for Hephaestus, there's around fifty Level 2 Blacksmiths, twenty Level 3's, eight Level 4s, and our captain, Tsubaki, is Level 5."
"That's quite impressive," Taylor hummed. "Is she the highest ranked Blacksmith in Orario?"
"She's the highest level Blacksmith in the world," Welf said proudly. "Nobody else compares!"
He then paused. "Well, Hephaestus might be better, but that's an unfair comparison."
"You have a lot of respect for your captain," Taylor noted.
"Yeah, she really helped me when I came to Orario," Welf said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I also really respect Hephaestus as well. Someday I hope to be half as good as either of them."
"That's what our contract is for," Taylor assured him. "We'll make you great, or die trying."
"Hah! Don't go jinxing us, now!" Welf laughed. "But yeah, someday, I'll be great! I'm sure Hephaestus will be looking forwards to that day as well. She's always seen potential in me, and I'll live up to that belief."
"'She?' Wait, are you saying Hephaestus is a woman?" Taylor asked incredulously, cottoning onto that.
"Huh? Yeah, of course she is," Welf said, looking at her with a confused look. "Hephaestus, Goddess of the Forge. Would have thought you'd know that."
'Well, that's just another point towards these 'gods' being Trumps who took on godly titles for their cape names,' Taylor thought to herself with a shake of her head.
Further conversation came to an end as they reached the Dungeon. Stepping into its long, darkened tunnels, Taylor frowned. However, something felt off. The atmosphere was tense.
Welf didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Nor did the other adventurers as they went about their day. But she could feel it, and it worried her.
'It feels as if something is pressing down… no, that's not it. It's like… somebody leaning in closer to get a better view of something,' Taylor thought to herself. That was the closest sensation she could liken it too. She was not the target, either, that much she was sure of. But beyond that, she wasn't sure of anything else.
Immediately, she began to move quickly through the Dungeon, heading towards the closest stairs. She wanted to descend and find the source of the odd sensation. Welf kept pace with her, confusion on his face at the sudden burst of speed.
"Something wrong?" he asked her.
"Maybe," she hedged. Welf grimaced at that response.
"Damn it," he sighed. "Alright, lead the way, Bug Girl."
Down they went, storming through the Upper Floors until they reached the Ninth Floor.
Here, on the Ninth Floor, was the source of the odd feeling. The reason it felt like a group of people were crowding around and trying to get closer in order to find a better view of something interesting.
Taylor soon found out way as the bugs she'd sent ahead found out what was going on.
The Dungeon was practically shivering in anticipation as Bell fought a Minotaur, a Level 2 monster. This wasn't just any Minotaur, either. The scars on its body, the blackening fur, the sword it wielded… this was a monster that had somehow survived being hunted down and exterminated by adventurers and learned how to fight, then made its way up to where the prey was weaker. It was a terrifying bit of proof that a monster, if allowed to live long enough, would develop more than just base instincts.
"Miss Taylor!" Lili exclaimed, the supporter spotting Taylor and Welf approaching the scene from a different tunnel. This caused the group she was with to turn towards them with surprise.
"What's going on?!" Taylor demanded, keeping an eye on the scene with her swarm. The adventurers from Loki Familia were watching with Lili off to the side, not moving to help.
The member of the Hestia Familia was confused as to why the top ranked members of the Loki Familia were watching a Level 1 without stepping in to help, but perhaps this was Ais' demented idea of a test?
"B-Bell and Lili were hunting Killer Ants earlier, when that Minotaur appeared!" Lili said, rushing over to Taylor's side. "Bell told Lili to run, that he would hold it off. Lili didn't want to, but he created a Lightning Clone that dragged me away!"
"I see," Taylor said slowly. Her Familia member's heroic nature struck again, huh? She glanced at the Loki Familia, who were observing her curiously. "And them?"
"Lili ran into the Loki Familia who were descending into the lower levels, and begged them to help! But, but Bell said he didn't want any help! That he could do it on his own!"
"That idiot," Taylor muttered, but she couldn't keep a note of fondness out of her voice. She'd heard about how a Minotaur had nearly killed him before she'd appeared in the Dungeon. That was how he'd gotten acquainted with Ais Wallenstein in the first place.
To overcome what must have been bowel-clenching terror for the sake of proving himself was worthy of admiration, and Taylor would support his decision. That didn't mean she wouldn't scold him afterwards. He could have just used the Lightning Clones as a distraction and run away with Lili, and not stayed behind to fight.
"Are we not going to back him up?" Welf asked in a low voice, and Taylor shook her head.
"If this is what he wants, then we will watch, and only step in if it seems he cannot surmount this obstacle," the parahuman declared.
"See, that vocabulary right there is why people think you're a missing princess or something," Welf snorted.
"Shush," she huffed, keeping her eyes and those of her swarm focused on Bell.
Taylor had no idea how long Bell had been fighting, but he looked exhausted and battered. His armor was ruined, with several large gouges tearing apart his chest plate while his green vambrace had been shattered. One arm was hanging limb and there were a lot of cuts and scratches on his legs. A cut above his left eye was preventing Bell from keeping his eye fully open, and there was far too much blood.
Yet he refused to fall. Bell had not given up, and he clutched the Hestia Knife tightly in his good hand while a pair of Lightning Clones harassed the Minotaur, eyes firmly locked onto the monster, memorizing every move it made.
One of the clones charged forward, punching the Minotaur's stomach. A sizzle could be heard as the dense fur burnt a little at the tough, but a backhand sent the clone tumbling. The second clone moved in low, and jumped up to deliver a spin kick to the Minotaur's neck.
The blow did little, but it successfully distracted the Minotaur, drawing its gaze away from Bell, who darted in and scored a blow against the Minotaur's left wrist which was holding the Landform Weapon. Hot, red blood spurted, and its arm slumped a bit.
"GROOOAR!" bellowed the Minotaur, snarling and spinning around, trying to go after the adventurer who'd wounded it, but a clone leapt into the way, barring its path.
Angrily, the Minotaur swung at it. The crude sword cleaved through the clone, yet it did not falter. Interestingly, instead of exploding outwards, the Lightning Clone seemed to implode, the enormous discharge of energy concentrated inwards onto the blade. This caused the Landform Weapon to shatter, unable to handle the currents running through it.
The condensed burst of lightning also served to blind and violently char the hands of the Minotaur, smoke and the stench of burnt meat filling the Dungeon as the monster mooed loudly in pain.
Taylor narrowed her eyes, able to see flashes of ivory bone peeking through the black, charred flesh on what was left of the Minotaur's hands.
However, even with its primary method of attack removed, it was still a huge, lumbering beast with incredible strength and durability. And no matter how sharp, a tiny knife wouldn't be able to slay a Minotaur without a well-placed blow to a vital area.
Bell didn't appear too worried, as he was already on the move, lashing out and carving bloody gouges through the monster's legs, causing it to wobble unsteadily.
'Not to mention, a Minotaur's legs are structurally weaker compared to a human. Bovine limbs aren't designed for bipedal movement,' Taylor mused to herself, having noticed how awkwardly the Minotaur had been walking even before Bell had focused his attacks there.
It was soon too much for even it to handle, and the Minotaur sank to its knees as the strength in its lower limbs gave out. Blood loss and repeated damage to the legs had forced it to kneel, something that caused the 'presence' Taylor was detecting to vastly increase in intensity.
Even on its knees, the Minotaur didn't stop fighting. It tried to punched and thrash around, mooing wildly. The Lightning Clone took a couple hits, as did Bell, but none of them were strong enough to hurt them that much.
Then, the Minotaur lowered his head, trying to gore Bell with its deadly horns, but the last Lightning Clone leapt into the way, tanking the hit. The clone then grabbed the horns with both hands, keeping them lodged inside of it. This pinned the Minotaur in place and let Bell plunge his own weapon through the clone's chest and up into the Minotaur's mouth now that it was closer to the ground.
As it passed through, lightning wrapped around the Hestia Knife, causing the runes to light up with a fiery crimson glow. With a roar, Bell drove his lightning wreathed blade deep into the Minotaur's gaping maw and up into its skull, piercing it and causing power to flood its insides.
The monster let out a bovine groan before toppling backwards, steam gushing out of its mouth. Before it hit the ground it exploded into black ash, leaving behind a Magic Stone and a single horn.
Like a bubble popping, the tension and pressure that had previously filled the Dungeon vanished. Yet even though it was gone, it had left something else behind. A sense of fulfillment and achievement. Power and victory and the taste of a legend being born.
'Level Up,' Taylor realized, staring at Bell from behind her mask, eyes wide. The buzzing hum around the white-haired adventurer had increased a little as well, the sound of chiming bells louder than before.
From the way the elf and pallum in Ais' party were eyeing Bell, they too suspected the same as she. Taylor wasn't certain they'd felt the same things she had, but duo were certainly aware somethinghad happened. They were too experienced for it to be anything but.
"Bell!" Lili called out, and both she and Welf ran over to Bell's side as he suddenly wobbled and then fell to his knees, utterly exhausted.
They weren't the only ones to rush to his side. Ais had also blurred into motion, reaching Bell before anyone else. Much to the loud and vocal protestations of a werewolf. Bete, Taylor believed he was called.
'A Level 5… and someone who Sophia would have liked,' Taylor thought to herself as she regarded Bete with narrowed eyes. And that was not a compliment. But that was something for another day. Right now, her Familia member needed congratulations.
"Well done, Bell," Taylor said, walking over to her party. She made sure to leave Chris and the rest of her monstrous swarm behind. Best not to tempt anyone coughAis! coughinto accidentally attacking them.
"Heh, thanks," Bell replied, raising a shaky thumbs up her way.
"Don't think I won't be scolding you about what you did wrong," Taylor warned him, and he wilted under her tone. "I saw several times you could have done something different. To say nothing of leaving clones behind to distract the Minotaur so you and Lili could flee."
Bell continued to shrink down under the barrage of words.
"Still, you survived and overcame your fears. That's worthy of celebration," Taylor continued, and he lit up at the praise. "Rest. We'll return to the surface when you're feeling better."
"Here! Drink this!" Lili urged, handing over a potion bottle. He drank the liquid, wincing as Lili also splashed some healing potions onto his wounds.
"Good job," Ais said, patting Bell's head. He giggled and blushed at the contact, which only made Bete howl louder.
"Lucky dog," Welf muttered in a low voice.
"Lucky rabbit," Lili snickered, and that caused the blacksmith to snort in amusement as well.
Taylor rolled her eyes at that, but couldn't deny that it fit. She then walked over to the Loki Familia.
"Thank you for keeping an eye on my reckless little Familia member," Taylor said, bowing her head towards Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, the three most powerful people in the Dungeon right now.
Gareth Landrock was a dwarf, squat and strong, and his aura sounded like the grinding of metal on stone. Riveria Ljos Alf, being an elf, had a haughty and beautiful appearance, and her aura sounded like the crackle of flames, the rumble of thunder, and the breaking of ice. Last but not least was the leader of the Loki Familia, Finn Deimne. The hum of his aura was the most curious. The swish of a spear and the clack of moving game pieces across a board.
Two Level 6s and a Level 7, Finn having Leveled up during some sort of disaster during their last expedition, making him the newest contender for the throne of 'World's Strongest Adventurer.'
It was almost overwhelming to be so close to them with her enhanced senses, but Taylor endured and took off her mask. It was only polite to show your face when you were thanking somebody.
"It was no problem," Finn said with a smile. "In fact, it was quite interesting."
"Aye! Not often you get to see the birth of a new legend!" Gareth laughed boisterously. Riveria just hummed.
"His clones were interesting," she said simply, her attention on Ais instead of Taylor.
"I understand you are down here to try and recoup some of the losses you gained while traveling to the lower floors recently," Taylor said.
"It's unfortunate, but delving deep can be quite costly," Finn said with a nod.
"It's not much, but as thanks for your assistance today, I can help you out a bit," Taylor said. "Killer Ant Magic Stones and Drops aren't worth a lot, but I'm sure you can make use of them all the same."
The offer caused the veteran adventurers to perk up. Gareth looked eager, while Finn merely raised an eyebrow. Riveria even glanced towards the parahuman in surprise.
"Is that so?" Finn inquired.
"Yes. All the drops are yours, until Bell is able to walk on his own again," Taylor said. Knowing how fast the potions worked and how stubborn the boy was, he'd be up in just a few minutes. The only thing that would keep him in place was Ais, and the three of them knew it.
Finn nodded sharply at Riveria, who nodded back in understanding before striding over to Ais. The elf whispered something into the blonde's ear, and Ais blinked slowly before sitting down and giving a very surprised Bell a lap pillow, something that had everyone gawking. Ais had just bought them a few more minutes of free looting thanks to Bell being pinned in place.
Finn and Gareth didn't wait another second, and immediately ordered their weaker Familia members to get to work.
Taylor herded the docile Killer Ants towards the adventurers, and turned them against each other. The Loki Familia tore into the monsters as well, spilling blood and ash everywhere to the point the latter started getting quick think on the ground.
A few hundred valis per stone and piece of carapace was pocket change for a Familia who could reach the Fiftieth Floor, but considering how poorly their last expedition had gone, every little bit helped.
Indeed, the Loki Familia's near perpetual poverty was a common joke among the adventurers in the city. Taylor overheard a lot thanks to her swarm, and their penny-pinching and constant lack of money was a topic gossip-mongers loved to discuss.
"Man, this is easy!" an amazon commented as she smashed in another Killer Ant's head. Her fists were painted black and purple with monster guts, but she had a wide grin on her face. This was the elder amazon twin and one of the Loki Familia's Level 5 executives, Tione Hiryute. She was a berserker and a brawler, and she was clearly having fun.
"What are your exterminator rates?" Tiona, the younger amazon twin, asked Taylor.
"I have a flat rate of five hundred valis per hundred square feet of building," Taylor replied flatly. It was even true! She'd helped several businesses in the market district with their bug problems, and a couple landlords had paid her to clear out their buildings.
Taylor kept the price relatively high because she didn't exactly want to be bothered constantly for her ability to control insects, even if it wasn't hard and didn't take very long.
"I don't think we need to hire an exterminator, Tiona," Finn chided.
"But captain, I saw a cockroach in my room last week!" Tiona complained.
"We'll get some glue traps," the pallum told her. Tiona whined a bit more, but didn't manage to make Finn budge on the matter.
The parahuman understood why Finn would turn down such an offer. Letting an outsider into your base of operations was something no commander would allow easily, and the captain of the Loki Familia seemed to be aware of how simple it would be for Taylor to use her swarm to get an accurate image of the interior of the Twilight Manor. Letting a rival Familia get a glimpse of your home would be foolish and dangerous.
'Even if our Familia's aren't enemies, it's best to keep our distance,' Taylor thought to herself, nodding her head at Finn, conceding to him that she knew about his worries, and would respect that by staying away.
The pallum's shoulder's sank a bit, some tension seeping out of his stance, and Finn returned to coordinating the collection of Magic Stones that Taylor was graciously granting them.
Fifteen minutes later, Bell's wounds had healed up nicely, to the point he could move about under his own power.
Ais clearly didn't want to let him out of her lap, if the tiny pout on her lips was any clue, but Bell's face was almost pure red from embarrassment and it was honestly adorable how he scrambled up and tried to act like nothing had happened.
"Miss Taylor! Are we ready to go back up?" he asked loudly, and the parahuman chuckled.
"We're ready to leave when you are, Bell," Taylor assured him, and he nervously fidgeted a bit, shooting sideways glances at Ais as he did so, before finally nodding.
"Y-yeah, I think I'm ready!" Bell claimed.
"Alright then," Taylor nodded. She looked over at Finn. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Captain Finn. But we really must be going now."
"Of course," the pallum said with a smile. "Have a safe trip to the surface!"
"Awww, can't they stay with us?" Tiona whined. "I bet Bug Lady could really help us with the lower levels! Can you imagine what she'd be able to do with a Mad Beetle, Deadly Hornet, or Gun Libellula?"
Taylor made a mental note to look into the insectoid monsters down below. She'd only looked into the ones that appeared above the 18th Floor for now, since she wouldn't be able to descend any further for a while.
"They have their own business to take care of," Finn said, putting his foot down, and while there were a few grumbles from a handful of lower leveled Loki Familia members they let the Hestia Familia party leave without incident.
Sure, Bete and a couple others glared holes in the back of Bell's head, including a brown-haired elf who'd been giving Bell jealous looks when he'd been lying in Ais' lap, but they didn't make any moves.
'I wonder how Hestia will take this?' Taylor wondered to herself. The tiny twin-tailed girl would probably scold and congratulate Bell in equal measure. But what else was new?
Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Rabbit Rising
Chapter Text
Chapter 14: Rabbit Rising
As Taylor had assumed, Bell had done it. By beating the Minotaur on his own, he'd earned a Level Up. He was now Level 2, which marked him as being part of the elite. Over fifty percent of all adventurers were Level 1, and would likely never make it beyond that. Bell had just jumped that gap, and in record time.
The previous record for going from Level 1 to 2 was exactly a year. And said record holder had been none other than Ais Wallenstein, Loki Familia's Sword Princess.
When Bell had heard he'd beaten Ais' record, and after less than two months as an adventurer, he'd passed out from shock. Taylor couldn't blame him.
It was the day after the encounter with the Minotaur, and everyone was still reeling from the revelations. Welf was absent, busy working on a new dagger for Bell using the Minotaur horn. That suited Taylor just fine. This was a private moment, for the Hestia Familia alone. And Lili, too, but she was basically already part of the Familia already. The sooner they found a way to get her out of the Soma Familia, the better.
"May I see?" she requested, and Bell mutely handed her his sheet after he'd woken up.
BELL CRANEL
LEVEL 1 - -> 2
POWER – SSS 1333 - -> I 0
ENDURANCE – SS 1023 - -> I 0
DEXTERITY – SS 1111 - -> I 0
AGILITY – SSS 1444 - -> I 0
MAGIC – S 999 - -> I 0
SKILLS
Liaris Freese
Jupiter Ascendant
Argonaut: Allows a charge for an active action. It requires three minutes for a full charge and can either sound like a small chime or a grand bell depending on the power needed. It can be used for any type of attack but the effects will dissipate when the user is attacked or they lose focus.
DEVELOPMENTAL ABILITY
Abnormal Resistance (?)
Hunter (?)
Initiative (?)
Luck (?)
Tamer (?)
There were quite a few interesting things on Bell's Stat sheet. The most obvious was the brand-new Skill he'd gained. Argonaut was worded a little oddly, but from what Taylor was able to understand, it allowed Bell to build up energy, super-charging an action or Skill to make it even more powerful.
Though the charge up time would take a while for the attack to reach full-power, and the Skill would fail if he was hit at all by an enemy or he lost his concentration for some reason, it was overall an incredible new arrow for Bell's quiver, so to speak, and with the proper training would become quite potent, Taylor was absolutely sure of it.
After that came his Development Abilities. Or rather, his choices for his first one. Bell hadn't selected an Ability yet, and Hestia hadn't revealed what they were beyond their names, but Taylor had a feeling whatever Bell choose, it would be perfect for him.
Though she couldn't help but be a little bit jealous at how quickly the white-haired boy had gained truly absurd levels of power.
'Will my own Stats end up surpassing S rank?' Taylor wondered as she eyed Bell's absurd Stats. It was a tempting thought. Perhaps she should venture into the Dungeon alone at some point and try to grind Excelia. Her growth had been a bit slow recently.
"So, what now?" Lili asked nervously.
"Now? I inform the Guild of this so they can update their records, and then wait for the next Denatus to receive Bell's first alias," Hestia sighed.
"Denatus?" the parahuman inquired. "Alias?"
"A monthly meeting of the gods," Hestia informed the glasses wearing adventurer. "It's mostly just complaining about this and that and arguing over stupid, petty things, but whenever an adventurer Levels Up for the first time, they'll get assigned an alias, which is sorta like a nickname."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Taylor muttered. It sounded like when PTO chose the name for a new cape whenever they appeared on the scene. Sure, most of the adventurer names in Orario she'd heard were bad, but tastes changed depending on the culture. What sounded cringy and, as someone like Voidcowboy would say, 'weeb AF,' was simply a difference in norms and values.
Hestia simply winced in response at that.
"Y-yeah, not bad," she stammered. Taylor raised an eyebrow, and something popped into her mind.
"Ah, I see. You don't get to choose the name. It's the other gods who do it," Taylor realized. The bestowal of an alias wasn't a reward. It was a punishment. Hestia nodded sadly.
'And now the cringy and terrible names make sense,' Taylor sighed to herself. No matter the world, you could always trust people to be people, in the end.
Glancing at Bell and Lili, it didn't seem like they realized that the so-called 'gods' were having fun at their expense when they handed out the adventurer titles.
"How, uh, how bad is it going to be?" Bell asked.
"People are going to swarm and surround you," Taylor said without hesitation. "You managed to reach Level 2, a feat that takes normal people several years, in mere months. That is not normal. Other adventurers are going to be envious of you, and many will assume you have some secret or trick or something and want to obtain it for their own uses. There will be hate and fear as well."
Taylor shook her head. "It won't be easy. All of us are going to end up scrutinized. We may need to move to a new home if it gets bad enough. Though the church is out of the way and nobody would assume you'd be living in a rundown place like this. We'll just have to see."
"That sounds… unpleasant," Bell grimaced.
"The nail that sticks out gets hammered down," Lili said bitterly.
"I don't particularly like that saying, but it has elements of the truth to it," Taylor nodded. "And yes. Take it from me, Bell. You're going to want to learn how to control your emotions and reactions better. People will try and taunt and trick you. They'll want you to get mad and lash out, so they have an excuse to do something in retaliation."
"Can you help me with that?" Bell pleaded. "You're always so cool and collected!"
"My trick for staying calm isn't something I can teach," Taylor admitted. "I shunt my emotions into my swarm when I need to."
"That doesn't sound healthy," Lili said slowly.
"It isn't! That's what I've been saying!" Hestia exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air in frustration.
"I'm fine," Taylor said dismissively, ignoring how everyone stared at her, not believing her claim.
"Let's talk about something else," Taylor suggested, steering the conversation away from her. "Namely, your choice of Developmental Ability, Bell."
"Ah! Right, yes!" Bell nodded, turning to Hestia. "Can we go through them?"
"Sure," she agreed. "First off! Abnormal Resistance! Boosts your ability to resist poisons and diseases as well as unusual conditions."
"Hmm. Useful," Taylor hummed. "Could it become so powerful that it would be able to nullify certain toxins?"
"It can," Lili confirmed. "Lili has heard that at Rank G it can negate nearly anything from the Upper and Middle Floors!"
"Next is Hunter," Hestia continued. "It can only be selected at Level 2, and boosts the Excelia gain when killing monsters that have been killed before as well boosting the Drop Rate."
"That's also quite useful," Taylor said. That particular Ability sounded perfect for her and her swarm.
"That sounds tailor-made for Miss Taylor," Bell said, grinning a little at the word play, revealing that his opinion mirrored her own.
"It can only be gained after killing a large amount of monsters in a short period of time, but Lili thinks Miss Taylor won't have that problem," Lili said dryly.
"After that is Initiative," Hestia went on. "I don't know much about it."
"Lili's heard that Finn Deimne has it," Lili spoke up. "It supposedly lets him think fast and react faster!"
That was less useful, at least for Bell. His reaction speed was already ridiculous, and unless the Ability granted some other benefit it could probably be ignored, at least in Taylor's opinion.
"Luck is… odd," Hestia admitted with a sigh. "I've never heard of it before. And the information I was bestowed on it was singularly unhelpful. All I know is that is improves luck. Which is rather broad."
"Weird," Lili claimed. "But then again, that sums up this Familia nicely."
"True," Taylor agreed, Bell nodding in agreement.
"And lastly, Tamer. I think he got this one because of a certain someone," Hestia drawled, shooting a look at Taylor.
"Lili thinks so, too," the pallum said. Bell nodded again. Taylor just rolled her eyes.
"I think we can all agree that Tamer doesn't fit Bell," she said.
"Yes," Bell confirmed. "And I think… I think I want to take Luck."
"Are you sure?" Hestia asked.
"Yes," he said firmly, determination in his eyes. "Nobody's ever heard of this Development Ability before, right? And it involves luck. So it has to be something good!"
Taylor wasn't so sure it was going to be like Bell believed. Bad luck was still technically a form of luck as well. Only time would tell, she supposed.
"Well, it's your choice," Hestia sighed. "I'll make the adjustments now."
They retreated to the bedroom then emerged a little bit later, the selection completed.
"Feel any luckier?" Lili asked, and Bell gained a pensive look before shrugging.
"No, not really."
"We should see if it affects games of chance," Taylor suggested. "Shall we play some card games tonight?"
"Lili likes that idea," the pallum grinned.
"We're not playing for money," Taylor quickly said, causing the girl to deflate in disappointment.
"That sounds like a lovely idea," Hestia said cheerfully. "What do you think, Bell?"
"I like it!" he agreed.
Taylor smiled a little at that reaction. The banter and comradery was nice. It reminded her of the Undersiders at time.
"Now, who wants pasta for dinner?" she asked, and everyone perked up excitedly.
"Can we have lasagna?" Bell asked eagerly.
"Sure, we can make it for tonight, as a celebration," Taylor agreed. "I'll even make Snickerdoodles."
Bell pumped his fist happily at that, and even Lili and Hestia couldn't help but grin widely at that.
'Mom's special recipes win once more,' Taylor thought a little smugly.
No matter what troubles may come from Bell's utterly ridiculous growth, at least some things would stay the same.
111 &&& 111
Hestia shifted nervously, fidgeting a little as she approached the massive chamber at the top of Babel where the other gods of Orario had gathered for the Denatus.
It was tradition for the gods whose Familia members were going to receive a nickname to wait outside the conference room while the others gathered first and gossiped for a bit. It was a bit rude, in Hestia's opinion, and obviously designed to stress them out as their minds raced, trying to imagine what terrible name would be assigned to their child.
Trying – and failing – to not think about what the other gods might call Bell, Hestia was just about to start pacing back and forth when a voice called out, distracting her.
"Hestia, is that you?"
"Ah! Take!" Hestia said, bouncing on her feet as she saw the Far Eastern God of War approach. "It's been a while!"
"Yes, it has," the god confirmed. "We should grab drinks with Miach at some point. Or perhaps we can go drinking tonight to celebrate."
"Sounds like a plan!" Hestia nodded happily. "I take it one of your children has Leveled Up?"
"Indeed, my dear child Yamato Mikoto reached Level 2 just the other week," Takemikazuchi said proudly. "One and half years to reach it. Excellent work. Though it's nothing compared to your own child's success."
"Ah, you've heard of that, then?" Hestia replied with a wince.
"I don't think there's a god or adventurer in the city who doesn't know about the boy who reached Level 2 after two months," Takemikazuchi drawled.
"Figures," Hestia sighed. "If there's one thing gods and mortals share in common, it's a love for gossip."
The Far Eastern God of War nodded in amusement. "Quite. Now, shall we go and face the music?"
"Might as well," Hestia agreed, and they walked off towards the doors that would lead them into the chamber. The torches that lined the hallway had turned from red to blue, meaning it was time for them to enter and deal with the other gods.
The doors to the chamber opened automatically, some enchantment or magical tool allowing them entry as soon as they approached.
Takemikazuchi and Hestia entered, ears battered by the sounds of dozens of gods and goddesses speaking.
"Okay, okay, settle down, folks! For today's Denatus, I, Ptah, shall act as the committee chairman!" the green and blue haired god of crafting called out, slapping the table loudly to get everyone's attention.
The gods passed the duties of chairman around every Denatus, letting a different god handle things each time it happened. Even those with weak Familias, like Hestia and Takemikazuchi, would have a chance, though given how recently they'd arrived to Orario, it would likely be a while before their turn arrived.
'I heard Loki was supposed to be the one in charge this time, but she turned it down last minute. Wonder why?' Hestia thought to herself.
"First on the agenda is assigning the aliases for two new Level 2's! Yamato Mikoto of the Takemikazuchi Familia, and Bell Cranel of the Hestia Familia!" Ptah stated as the two gods in question took their places at the massive round table that was only capable of holding them all thanks to a bit of creative use of Arcanum.
"So, floor is open! Give 'em your best ideas!" Ptah said, a wicked grin born of Schadenfreude flashing across his face, and many others.
"Dancing Darkness for Yamato Mikoto!" Demeter shouted out, opening the flood gates.
"Mystery Maiden of the East!"
"Rising Sun Swordswoman!"
"Flashing Sword of the Shadows!"
"Flashing Sword of the Eastern Rising Sun!"
"Oi, you just mashed together a bunch of other people's suggestions! You can't do that!"
"Don't tell me what to do, Audumbla!"
"I AM GANESHA!"
"Cutting Maiden!"
"Dazzling Shadow!"
"Ooo, I like that one!"
"The shadow bit is nice, I agree! But we can do better!"
Takemikazuchi slumped further into his seat with every terrible name thrown around, until the gods finally settled on one.
"So be it! Yamato Mikoto's alias as an adventurer shall be 'Absolute Shadow!'" Ptah declared.
Takemikazuchi groaned a little and held his head in his hands, which only made the other gods laugh mockingly.
Hestia shot him a pitying look before steeling herself for the barrage of dumb alias suggestions. However, it seemed some people had other ideas.
"Before we start, I want to know is how the hell that midget managed to get her Familia member to Level 2 in only two months!" Loki shouted out, causing murmurs of agreement to ring out around the table.
"Have you ever considered that my darling child is simply built different, Washboard?" Hestia shot back.
"Bullshit!" Loki shouted. "I call bullshit!"
"Are you sure you're not just upset that Hestia's child managed to beat the record your little Sword Princess previous held?" Freya giggled, waving a fan in front of her mouth.
"Of course I am! But I can multi-task!" Loki declared. "I can be both upset at losing the record and incredulous that it was the teeny-tiny itty-bitty goddess that somehow managed to beat me!"
"Fair enough," Freya chuckled. "I'll admit, I am also curious."
"I do not have to tell you anything about my child's growth," Hestia sniffed imperiously.
"Ah, come on, Hesty! Surely you can let us know what your secret is!" Hermes cajoled.
"No! Never!" Hestia retorted.
"I do find it odd that a newbie adventurer managed to become so powerful so quickly," Ishtar said, her tone sultry while her eyes were narrowed at the twin-tailed goddess. "Can we be sure he is, in fact, as new as he claims, and is not from some other Familia?"
"I am Ganesha!" the elephant-masked god called out. "And Ganesha can confirm the boy has only been in the city for three months!"
"That doesn't mean he couldn't have been from an outside Familia," Dian Cecht pointed out. "Perhaps he is from Rakia, with how strong he seems to be?"
"No, the boy is not from Rakia," Hephestus interjected, her tone carrying a hint of warning about continuing that line of thought.
"I hear Solingen fields some impressive swordsmen that can supposedly reach Level 3," a god Hestia didn't recognize stated.
"That's only due to being equipped by the city's famous bladesmiths," another god drawled. "I think it's far more likely some sorta stat-boosting drug was involved."
"Those don't exist," Miach claimed. "And even if they did, tis no crime to use something like that in the Dungeon."
A small argument then broke out about whether or not it was sporting for an adventurer to use drugs to boost their performance in the Dungeon, completely derailing the whole conversation that took Ptah a few minutes to get people back on track.
"What about Red Eyed Slasher for a name?" Selene offered.
"Red Eyed Cow Killer? Because he killed a Minotaur to Level Up?"
"Rejected!" Audumbla shouted. "I propose White-haired Monkey Boy!"
"Albino Rat Blade?"
"Red and White Jumper!"
Hestia whined a little from all the terrible suggestions, squirming in her seat as she was forced to listen to them.
"Hmm… Hestia, I have heard that your child has a never-before seen Development Ability. Luck, was it?" Freya hummed, and Hestia tensed up. She didn't like how blatantly the Goddess of Love was flaunting her connections to the Guild, and from the grimaces and scowls a few other deities gained, she wasn't alone.
However, Hestia had to respond to the thinly veiled probing from the other goddess. "It's true," the Goddess of the Hearth confirmed. "The Guild claims to have never encountered an Ability by that name."
"I see. In that case, I propose the alias of 'Lucky Rabbit' for our new record holder," Freya declared.
Most of the other gods weren't exactly going to challenge Freya on this. After all, Freya ruled the strongest Familia in the city. And the average god of Orario would be lucky to have a dozen Level 1 Familia members. Opposing her was a foolish decision.
It helped that the name Freya had come up with was both on the nose and insulting, with a side order of cringe. From the way Hestia twitched when the suggested alias was spoken, she knew it was bad, but it could have been worse.
Seeing her rival twitch, Loki grinned viciously and raised her right hand. "Seconded!"
With that, the dominos fell, and the rest of the gods at the Denatus threw in their support for the name.
"Very well, the alias for Bell Cranel is 'Lucky Rabbit!'" Ptah announced. "And that concludes today's naming session! Up next! We have a noise complaint from Hecate against Parvati, the Guild is calling in the bar tabs owed by Hermes, Dionysus, Sobek, Shiva, and Magni, there's a grazing dispute between Audumbla and Hathor, oh, and Ganesha wants to remind everyone that he is, in fact, Ganesha…"
Hestia sighed and settled in for a long, boring session of godly bickering. She wondered what her Familia was doing right now?
Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Growing the Familia
Chapter Text
Chapter 15: Growing the Familia
Today promised to be a fairly easy-going day for Taylor. Bell, Lili, and Welf had gone to hunt in the Dungeon, the former wanting to test out his new-found strength. That meant Bell would be running around the 10th or 11th Floor having fun cutting up Orcs to test his recently acquired power. Taylor hadn't been interested in joining them, wanting to let Bell have his fun. Meanwhile, Hestia was at the Denatus, which promised to last the whole day, or at least well into the afternoon.
This left Taylor with some free time. She was currently wandering around one of the many store-filled streets on her own. Chris had been left behind at the church. Like she had predicted, several people had been spotted by her swarm lurking around the place. They tried to stay out of sight, but her bugs could easily find them. They didn't seem to know what the range of her control was, either.
Hence why Chris and Anne were on guard duty, to make sure nobody tried to break into the church or do something else stupid and ill-advised.
After window shopping a bit, Taylor made her way to a store with a red roof and several articles of clothing on display. Handicraft supplies were being sold as well, from scissors and sewing needles to thread and bolts of cloth.
"Miss Taylor! Welcome!" a cheerful young girl with long brown hair waved at Taylor as she entered the store. She wore a green and white outfit that was decorated with large flowers along the hem of her skirt.
"Lucia, how are you?" Taylor said in greeting.
"I'm great! Thank you for asking!" Lucia replied.
Lucia Ramirez was a teenager who lived in Orario. Her parents ran the handicraft store, and the teen knew a lot of people in a bunch of different parts of the city, from seamstresses to actresses.
She was also extremely talented when it came to creating clothing, and was partnering with Taylor to turn the raw spider silk the parahuman was producing into usable products.
It had been Lucia herself who had approached Taylor shortly after the rumors of silken products not made or sold by the Far Eastern merchants began to circulate through the marketplace in the wake of presenting Ganesha with his cape. The girl had accurately guessed that Taylor was the source of these rumors.
"You control insects and bugs and other creepy crawlies, right? So why not spiders as well?" Lucia had said, and Taylor had to admit, it was rather obvious when given some critical thought.
The former Warlord had been impressed by Lucia's bravery to just walk up to her in the street with Chris at her side, and then the girl's skill at handling silk and creating things out of it sealed the deal, so to speak. Ever since, the two of them had been working together to create articles of clothing with the spider silk.
"So! What do you think? Cute, right?" Lucia asked as she held up a new product. They were a pair of white silk stockings with cute little flower designs on them.
"They look good," Taylor nodded.
"Great! I'll start working on making more of them! I've had a lot of people interested in the new underwear line, too. Even got a few preorders. Oh! And I sold all of the gloves! Mostly to elves, but valis are valis."
"Sounds like I'll have to step up silk production at this rate," Taylor mused aloud to herself.
"Yes, please!" Lucia urged. "I can barely keep up with the orders I have now, if more people get interested, I'll need a lot more silk to weave everything!"
Taylor nodded, already mentally calculating what spiders she'd need to begin breeding programs for as well as figuring out where to expand the weaving caves.
'Seems like I'll be busy for a while,' she mused to herself.
"Miss Lucia! I finished – EEP!" a tall young woman with cow horns and long brown hair walked out from the backroom with a crate of supplies in her arms, but upon spotting Taylor, let out a shriek of surprise and dropped everything before toppling over.
"Ugh, Iris!" Lucia sighed. "Please be a bit more careful!"
"And this young lady is?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow at the newcomer. She was a cowgirl, if Taylor wasn't mistaken. And wasn't that something the parahuman never thought she'd say about somebody and have it be so literal. She'd already known the girl was in the building thanks to her swarm, but hadn't mentioned it. People tended to find it unsettling when Taylor knew who was where with her bugs.
"This is Iris Bennett, a friend of mine," Lucia said, smiling with a bit of embarrassment as the cowgirl scrambled back to her feet. "She needed a job, so I hired her. She's been stocking shelves and doing odd jobs around the shop. Since I've been so busy making clothes I haven't been able to do my chores, Iris has helped me out."
"I see," Taylor nodded slowly.
"Y-you're Taylor Hebert!" Iris exclaimed, staring at the parahuman. To Taylor's carefully disguised confusion and surprise, the look Iris was giving her was one of adoration rather than the fear she was used to.
"I'm a big fan!" the cow-horned woman exclaimed breathily. "There aren't very many famous women in the adventuring profession, so whenever one shows up I always keep an eye and ear out!"
Iris grinned at Taylor, stars sparkling in her eyes. "Not to mention you're a real inspiration for quite a few people in Orario! Especially among those who, uh, have issues that make certain things hard to do."
The cow-girl trailed off awkwardly at the end there, shooting a glance at Taylor's missing arm as she did so. The parahuman quickly cottoned on to what Iris was implying.
"I've become an icon to the handicapped community?" Taylor asked for clarification.
"That's right!" Iris nodded. "A lot of people in Orario are former adventurers who retired from the lifestyle for one reason or another. One of the big causes is injury in the Dungeon that results in missing limbs."
Taylor nodded her head, understanding what was happening. However, the revelation left Taylor confused, and reeling a little in disbelief. She was inspiring people? Her? Taylor Hebert, the girl bullied in high school, and who'd then gone on to rule a part of Brockton Bay briefly?
Shoving all of the emotions she was feeling into her swarm, Taylor calmly proceeded to ignore this discovery for now. She could worry about it later.
"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Taylor said politely, sticking her hand out for Iris to shake. The bovine-human hybrid gasped and took the hand, shaking it eagerly.
"So, why are you here? Gonna get Lucia to design you some clothes?" Iris wondered.
"Iris, did you not hear me when I was telling you I was working with somebody to make new clothes out of spider silk?" Lucia asked, a touch exasperated.
"Uh, yeah, of course I did. It's why you hired me, after all," Iris said, tilting her head to the side.
"And where did you think I'd be getting so much spider silk?" Lucia inquired. Iris stared at her for a bit before it clicked and Iris gasped loudly.
"OH! MY! GOSH!" Iris exclaimed. "How come you didn't tell me you were working with Miss Hebert?!"
"Because I knew you'd do this," Lucia drawled with a knowing smirk, and the cowgirl coughed awkwardly.
"Ah. Yeah, okay, fair," Iris muttered.
"Can I have my hand back?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow as all this time, Iris hadn't released her handshake.
"Gah!" Iris exclaimed, letting go.
"You have quite the grip," Taylor praised, which made the other girl blush red. "And those callouses on your hand… you have some experience with a sword, don't you?"
"I do!" Iris gasped, surprised. "Wow! You're really able to tell that with just a handshake?"
Taylor just nodded, before looking at Iris curiously. "You don't have a Falna, though." Her swarm had confirmed that. Neither Lucia nor Iris had the hum of power other adventurers did.
"That's true. But we've been training so we can impress a Familia and become adventurers ourselves someday!" Iris said, flexing an arm and showing off her muscles.
Taylor knew that the beast-folk of this world were physically stronger than a baseline human, and the cow-people easily surpassed humanity and even dwarves and werewolves in raw power and durability. From what Taylor could tell, Iris had been training for a while, making her already natural strength even greater.
"You both want to become adventurers?" Taylor asked intrigued, looking between the two.
"We do!" Iris said excitedly.
"It's more Iris' dream than mine, but she's my friend, and I don't want her to go into this alone. Somebody has to watch her back," Lucia admitted.
"I see," Taylor said slowly, coming to a decision in her head. "Very well, then. Grab your weapons and follow me. Oh, and be sure to lock up the store."
"Are you-?" Iris asked excitedly, hope and disbelief in her voice.
"Yes, I am going to test you," Taylor confirmed. "And if you do well, I'll consider speaking to Hestia on your behalf. If you'd be willing to join our Familia, that is."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Iris squealed excitedly, and even Lucia was grinning widely at the offer.
The two rushed off and grabbed their weapons before closing up the shop for the day. Taylor then led the two prospective Familia members off to test their fighting skills.
She took the duo to the same place Ais had trained Bell not too long ago. That section of wall was fairly isolated, and had a nice view of the surroundings.
"Come at me with the intent to kill," Taylor ordered the two. "The monsters in the Dungeon won't hesitate to do the same, so you cannot hold back."
"Alright," Iris said, while Lucia nodded. That was good, neither of them were hesitant. Nor did they assume they could even hurt her, even with the intent to kill in a two-on-one match.
The two of them drew their weapons. Lucia had an oversized sewing needle she was using as a rapier, while Iris wielded a European style straight sword. Taylor nodded as she drew her new dagger.
It was inferior to the Nano-thorn dagger, but to be fair, most things were. Still, this was a good blade. Welf had done a great job. He'd had to melt down dozens of Killer Ant carapaces to extract the Adamantite necessary to make that single weapon, but it had been worth it.
The blade was shaped like a combat knife from Earth, with a single razor-sharp edge on one side, and a row of serrated blade-breaker tines on the back. Taylor was used to this style of weapon, and it felt good in her grip.
Taylor also didn't bother using her bugs for this fight, save for using them to observe and track her opponents. Bringing forth the swarm would have been overkill.
"Begin," she ordered, and the pair of friends charged forward.
Lucia and Iris seemed to move sluggishly to Taylor's eyes. Their attacks were heavily telegraphed, and the parahuman could dodge them even without relying on the bugs she'd placed on their bodies.
Taylor caught Iris's sword in the tines of her combat knife as she swung it at her. Despite being big and strong, Iris' blade stopped dead in its tracks, Taylor's strength more than enough to hold her back.
Sensing Lucia coming at her from the side, Taylor twisted out of the way of the rapier, evading it easily before disengaging from Iris and kicking the cowgirl in the stomach. She held back, but the blow was still strong enough to cause Iris to double over with a gasp of pain.
Lucia blitzed towards Taylor as she was mid-kick, and tried to stab the parahuman in the knee. However, Taylor jumped up above the attack, then landed behind Lucia and elbowed her in the back of the head.
The blow sent the seamstress stumbling forward, which caused her to nearly bump into Iris, who'd recovered and had been about to attack. She cut off her assault, narrowly managing to avoid chopping into Lucia's spine, and then helped her friend recover her balance.
"We gotta hit her hard and fast," Iris whispered to Lucia, unaware that Taylor could hear them thanks to the bugs hidden on their bodies. "You try to force her towards me and cut off her paths of retreat. When she's close enough I'll slash her!"
Lucia nodded, and then spun around, lunging at Taylor, tip of the rapier aimed at her throat. Taylor easily parried the attack, and pretended not to notice Iris rushing around behind her, trying to get into her blind spots as she did so.
Unfortunately for Iris, Taylor had no blind spots. However, she let Lucia push her back, blocking every stab sent her way, all while lining up her own plan for the two.
When Iris tried to slash her sword downwards into Taylor's left shoulder, thinking she had the parahuman pinned, the former Warlord nimbly side-stepped the attack before kicking upwards, her knee slamming into Iris' elbow, striking the funny bone which caused the sword to drop from her fingers with a clatter and a surprised yelp.
She then swept Iris' legs out from underneath her with a low kick, knocking the cowgirl onto her ass. Taylor then quickly spun around, tilting her head to the side to avoid the rapier giving her an unwanted piercing, before grabbing Lucia's wrist and squeezing, forcing her to drop the weapon.
Taylor then threw Lucia onto the ground using a bastardized Judo throw and dropped her right knee on the human teen's stomach, pinning her down. Then, without looking, threw her combat knife at Iris, the Adamantite dagger piercing through Iris's straight sword, nailing it to the ground before the cowgirl could pick it up again.
"I win," she declared, not even breaking so much as a sweat in schooling the two.
The two girls were decently trained, and would have been considered skilled combatants on Earth Bet. Iris was physically strong, though her sword swings were a bit too wild and she overextended at times. Meanwhile, Lucia was quick on her feet and had a good eye, doing her best to try and pierce Taylor in weak spots to slow her down so Iris could strike. However, she was too cautious, and didn't capitalize on some openings.
They worked well together, and probably could have been given Brute 1 and Mover 1 designations respectively by the PRT even without parahuman powers which showcased just how different the people of this world were to the average civilian from Earth Bet. Yet despite that, they were no match for her.
Taylor finally understood how far the gap was between normal people and adventurers, even those at Level 1 like herself.
"Yeah, you do," Lucia winced, before letting out a sigh of relief as Taylor got off of her and removed the pointy knee from her gut.
"Awww, my sword," Iris whimpered, staring sadly at her ruined weapon.
"Sorry. I'll get you a new one," Taylor promised. One of Welf's custom-made sword would probably be leagues better than the mass-produced model Iris had been using anyways.
That cheered her up, and Iris stood up and helped her friend to her feet as well before standing in front of Taylor.
"So, how did we do?" Iris asked eagerly.
"Before I answer that, I'd like to ask you both a question of my own," Taylor said, and Iris and Lucia nodded in agreement.
"Why do you want to become adventurers?" Taylor asked as she stared down at the defeated duo.
"I-I want to make a living as an adventurer," Iris replied.
"Make a living? Not to become famous, or a hero? You want to be rich?" Taylor inquired, intrigued.
"Rich? Maybe. That'd be nice. But no," Iris said, shaking her head. "I have debts to repay, Miss Taylor. And do you know how much more an adventurer makes compared to a regular citizen?"
"No," Taylor admitted. "I know a Level 1 adventurer can make around five thousand valis a day, though."
"A clerk at the Guild makes about a thousand valis a day, possibly more depending on rank and seniority, and they have very strict hiring requirements," Iris informed Taylor. "And they are some of the best paid non-adventurers in the city. An unskilled day laborer like myself is lucky to make two hundred valis a day. If you can read and write you can probably earn three to four hundred valis a day. Basic arithmetic can bump that up to five hundred valis, easy."
"I'm starting to see the issue," Taylor said slowly, running the numbers in her head. For a regular person to afford the weakest of healing potions, it would cost five hundred valis. That was a full day's wages for a skilled and educated person.
Meanwhile, the average adventurer made ten times as much in a single day. They risked their lives venturing into the Dungeon, sure, but in exchange, they came away with more money.
For Iris, this sort of financial security was worth the risk. She'd brave the Dungeon for five thousand valis a day. And Taylor was absolutely certain many other people would do the same. Many other people already did.
Taylor nodded, accepting Iris' reason, and then turned to Lucia. "And what is your reason for wanting to become an adventurer?"
"I-I don't really have one," Lucia admitted. "I love fashion. I could say that I want to become able to spread my clothing to other adventurers, but I could do that anyways just by working with you. I could say that the extra money would help my family… but we're comfortably secure when it comes to that. And while I said I wanted to help Iris because she's my friend, that's not the whole truth."
Lucia sighed. "I think, in the end, I want to be an adventurer because it'd mean I'd have power. More control over my life. I don't… I dislike being weak. That's it."
"And there is no shame in wanting to be stronger. To exert a measure of control beyond what you currently have," Taylor assured her.
"So? How'd we do?" Iris asked, eager for feedback.
"Both of you were rather green. It was clear to me you both are self-taught with your weapons of choice. Not that that's a bad thing, but you'll need to improve a bit more in order to become stronger," Taylor informed them. "Iris, you were too reckless in your attacks. Don't swing too hard or else you'll over extend and become open to retaliation. However, you were able to assess the situation and come up with a battle plan after seeing me fight for only a short while. Good spatial awareness as well."
She then turned to the other girl. "Lucia, you were quick on your feet and quite nimble. I was impressed by how you kept your cool throughout the fight as well. Unfortunately, you lacked the strength to back your strikes up."
"Also, Lucia, I'm not sure a giant needle-rapier is the best weapon for you to use," Taylor added. "You were quite fast and more skilled with handling your weapon, but it limited you."
"Really?" Lucia uttered with a frown.
"Your rapier is too thin and narrow. Not to mention it can only be used for piercing attacks. Against an opponent who lacks a Falna, a rapier is a decent weapon as it can disable them. But against a monster, it won't be enough," Taylor stated. "Unless you can get them with a single, well-placed hit to a vital point that will instantly kill them, even a goblin would be able to survive being pierced by a rapier and keep going. Monsters don't care if they're bleeding and their limbs are disabled. They'll constantly try to kill you."
"Ah," Lucia winced. "I see. I was using one because it was lighter and less cumbersome than some of the other weapons I tried. But I see your point. What do you suggest I use, then?"
"I recommend a long sword if you still want to go with a one-handed weapon. Something that will let you do more than just stab and pierce an opponent," Taylor said.
"So, did we pass?" Iris asked hopefully.
Taylor stayed silent for a bit as she summoned her swarm, using it to retrieve her knife from where it'd gotten lodged in the stone of the wall. The girls had expressions that were an equal mix of awe and revulsion as she commanded the bugs and insects with inhuman precision.
"Very well. You two, come with me. I will introduce you to Hestia. It will be up to her to decide if you'll join the Familia or not. But if you want my advice? Just be honest with her, and you'll succeed," Taylor finally said, dismissing the swarm.
The two girls smiled widely in genuine joy, ignoring the pain that was no doubt shooting through their bodies at the moment, and followed Taylor back into Orario and towards the church.
'If they join, we'll finally have to start looking into a bigger home. Or renovating our current one,' Taylor thought to herself.
The Familia had a decent nest-egg from the silk and Dungeon diving, but they hadn't moved out yet for a few reasons. One of which was they'd already invested quite a bit into their current place. Moving all the spiders would take a lot of work, and unless they had a new spot ready to go, it wouldn't be worth it to try.
Upon arriving at the Hestia Familia's base of operations, the parahuman noticed there was a person already inside, sitting on the couch.
"You're back early, Hestia," Taylor said in greeting as she entered the living space.
"The Denatus wasn't very long," the twin-tailed 'goddess' replied, sighing a little as she leaned back against the couch, eyes closed. "Got Bell's new alias out of it. Not much else happened beyond that."
"Hmm. I'm sure Bell will be eager to hear what his nickname is going to be," Taylor said with a tiny smirk. Hestia just groaned and looked over at her only official female member of the Familia, only to pause and stare like a deer in the headlights when she saw the two girls standing behind Taylor.
"Gah!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Why didn't you tell me we had guests?!"
"Hestia, we have company," Taylor said, voice completely deadpan, and the Goddess of the Hearth groaned before rushing over to the kitchenette.
"Gotta make some tea!" Hestia said, hastily putting a kettle onto a hotpad and fetching a few tea bags from the cupboard.
"Hello!" Hestia said loudly as she put four tea cups down onto the table. "And welcome!"
"G-good day, Lady Hestia," Lucia said, speaking up. Iris was too tongue-tied to do so, and so the young seamstress took over. "My name is Lucia Ramirez. My friend here is Iris Bennett."
"Oh! You're the girl who's been helping Taylor make stuff out of the spider silk!" Hestia realized, recognizing her name.
"Y-yes, that's me," Lucia nodded. "And we, uh, we'd both like to join your Familia!"
"That's right!" Iris agreed, voice a bit louder than normal.
"R-really?!" Hestia gasped, looking over at Taylor for confirmation.
"They do indeed wish to join us," Taylor said. "I tested their skills and their resolve, and I believe they'd fit in well with the Familia."
Hestia grinned, even as she felt a little bad for the two girls. Looking at their disheveled clothes, the goddess could tell that Taylor had maybe been a little rougher than necessary. Still! Two new children for the Familia!
"Yes! Of course they can join!" Hestia declared happily. Iris whooped in joy while Lucia smiled giddily.
"Come on, let's give you your Falna!" Hestia said, but Taylor held up her hand.
"Actually, before you do that, I'd like to run the girls through a few tests," Taylor requested. "I want to get an idea of their baseline physical abilities before they obtain a Falna."
"Um, I guess, if they're okay with it," Hestia said, blinking a bit at the odd request. "But why?"
"Curiosity, mostly," Taylor admitted. "The Falna is fascinating but it's hard to tell exactly how much it improves a person. It's at least a base two-fold increase in strength, but the numbers… well, I've made no secret as to how little I understand the way Stats work and what they actually represent. So I'm hoping to get a better understanding of the Falna by doing a before and after comparison of our new recruits."
"That… actually sounds kinda interesting," Hestia muttered, Lucia nodding in agreement. Iris didn't seem to care much about the scientific process, but was willing to help out all the same.
First, Taylor gave them healing potions, letting the two recover a bit from their test, before leading them up into the yard next to the church.
"Okay, I'm going to test you with a few simple exercises," Taylor said as Chris and Anne set up the field. "First up is the Long Jump. Then we'll see how fast you can run a hundred meters."
"Seems easy enough," Lucia noted.
"That's the point," Taylor confirmed. "There will be others. How much weight can you dead-lift? What's your grip strength? How many pull-ups and sit-ups can you do in five minutes? I want to know a simple baseline of what you two can do."
"Got it!" Iris said, stepping up to the line in the dirt Chris had made.
"Good. Alright now… jump!"
Iris leapt forward, and Taylor noted how far the cowgirl had managed to go. "Okay. Next, Lucia!"
The two newcomers were put through a battery of simple tests that Taylor had done herself back in Middle and High School. Iris and Lucia did well, performing the exercises with relative ease. Throughout it all, Taylor watched everything closely, her swarm recording the outcomes for her.
"Thank you for your help, you two," Taylor said once they were done, leading the pair of friends back down into the basement. Both were tired and sweaty from all the exertions, but excited for what was about to come next. "They're all yours now, Hestia."
"Finally!" Hestia exclaimed before escorting the two into the bedroom.
As she did so, Taylor got out some paperwork for the teens to fill out. The Guild had forms new adventurers had to complete upon joining a Familia, and Taylor had taken a few home a while back, just in case.
Through her swarm, Taylor soon felt several flashes of energy. Hestia's hum spiked before being joined by two new ones. Lucia's hum was the rustle of cloth while Iris's was the clanking of a cowbell.
"Done!" Hestia called out as she returned to the living room with the two friends. Both were marveling at the newfound power coursing through their bodies.
"I did it… I'm finally an adventurer!" Iris said excitedly.
"This rush of energy is incredible," Lucia murmured.
"Welcome to the Hestia Familia. Now, here, fill these out," Taylor requested, placing the forms onto the table along with something to write with. She was so glad the Guild had invented fountain pens. A little messy but so much easier to use than quills!
"What's next?" Iris wondered as she grabbed the pen.
"Tomorrow, we're going to get you girls kitted out with equipment," Taylor announced. "Then, we'll do some training with the others to get you two used to fighting alongside us."
"Gotcha!" the cowgirl nodded in understanding.
"Now, I'm going to take Chris and go shopping for ingredients," Taylor informed them. "Lucia, Iris, are you two able to stay for dinner?"
"Our first meal as a Familia!" Iris said, stars in her eyes, while Lucia nodded.
"Yes, that's fine. I'll let my parents know not to expect me home until late tonight," the seamstress said, before wrinkling her nose. "Err, we should probably clean up first, though."
"Ugh, you're right," Iris winced.
"Two new Familia members! Two!" Hestia said giddily when they left, plopping down onto the couch and kicking her legs excitedly. "Thank you so much, Taylor!"
"We need new people," Taylor said with a shrug. "And having the person who is helping me with the silk sales as part of the Familia makes things easier for us. The paperwork for selling through an intermediary is ridiculous. Easier to just sell the silk as a Familia-exclusive product."
"The Guild does love its paperwork," Hestia nodded with a grimace. "I left Tenkai to get away from all of that, but it seems even down here amongst the mortals it is ever present. I'm so glad I have you to help me out, Taylor."
"No problem, I'm happy to do so," Taylor said, smiling fondly at the young-looking girl. "Can you look after the place while I'm gone?"
"I'm not a child!" Hestia huffed, folding her arms under her impressive bust. Taylor just rolled her eyes and left, taking Chris with her to carry her bags.
Walking around the market place near the church, Taylor browsed the goods and greeted a few of the merchants, who responded to her with smiles and greetings of their own.
"Afternoon, miss! You need any prime cuts of beef? I've got some, nice and cheap!"
"Miss Taylor! These veggies are fresh from Demeter's farms! You definitely want to try these tomatoes, too!"
"Little lady! We got some nice, creamy mozzarella in stock!"
"Thank you," she said, looking over the stalls and buying what she needed to make enough lasagna for everyone tonight.
Taylor was once more impressed by how quickly the citizens of Orario had adapted to seeing Chris walking about. It might have been the iron collar around his neck, or perhaps it was the fact she was always with him, but it was quite surprising all the same. Almost Brocktonian in nature. It felt homely, at times.
She was also surprised by how restrained most adventurers were around the regular folk of the city. Taylor kept expecting to see adventurers parkouring across the roof tops in order to get around, or perhaps abusing their power to get free stuff. But no, that didn't happen. And if it did, other adventurers were quick to step in and stop it. The Ganesha Familia in particular acted like the city's police force, keeping the peace amongst the disparate factions.
Still, as much as it reminded Taylor of life back in Brockton Bay, it wasn't time to sink into memories of the past. She had things to do today, and needed to get them done before Bell and the rest returned from the Dungeon.
"Hello, Taylor, dearie," the kind old pallum woman who ran the noodle stall said in greeting when she approached.
"Hello, Mrs. Valstone," Taylor said back. "I need a double order for tonight. Got some guests staying over for dinner."
"Of course, coming right up!" she replied, getting the order ready as requested.
She and her husband made and sold pre-made noodles for cooking. It was mostly long and thin types, like spaghetti, fettuccini, or linguini, as well as noodles for eastern style dishes like soba and ramen, but recently they'd started making wider and flatter noodles, like the kind used for lasagna.
Taylor had shared the recipe she used for the dish with them when they'd wondered what she was using them for, and it had apparently been a hit with the couple's family, so they'd begun making more of it and happily gave Taylor a discount whenever she stopped by for some.
"Here you go, that will be forty valis," Mrs. Valstone said as she passed over a paper-wrapped bundle.
"Thank you," Taylor said as she paid the stall owner before taking the package.
"Is your monster doing alright?" she asked curiously as Taylor packed the noodles away into one of the baskets hanging from Chris' claws. "He'll looking a little under the weather."
"He's just going through some changes," Taylor assured her.
Indeed, Chris had begun changing color, recently. His crystals were bleaching, turning milky and opaque. Meanwhile, his carapace was darkening along the edges, turning from navy blue to black.
This was not a bad thing. In fact, it was a sign Chris had been eating a lot of high-quality Magic Stones recently and was slowly turning into a Rare Variant. According to Shakti when Taylor had questioned her about what was happening, she said it was quite unusual for a monster to undergo this. Especially in such a short amount of time. Even properly Tamed monsters took years before they underwent the change, and many got more unruly in the process.
Taylor suspected Chris's rapid mutation was due to Queen Administrator, somehow. Anne hadn't shown any signs of changes yet, though she had gotten a lot bigger. She didn't fit in her old cave anymore and had to dig out a new home for herself in the yard.
Walking home after her shopping was done, Taylor kept her eyes looking straight ahead, even as her swarm picked up several individuals following her. And from the strength of their humming, they were all Level 1.
"Come on, move it!"
"Calm yer tits, she'll be coming up to the intersection soon. She won't get away when we jump her with the boys."
"Shush, you two! She still has ears ya idiot!"
"Ah, don't worry! We're too far away to be heard, and in a crowd to boot! It's fine!"
Taylor snorted to herself in a mixture of frustration and amusement. These were not the first Level 1's to stalk her after Bell's Level Up announcement. But these were the first who were planning to attack her.
'Let's see… three trailing behind me, and three more up ahead. Two are in an alleyway, the third is on the roof of building,' Taylor noted, her swarm picking out the group easily. 'And what's this?'
The adventurer on the roof was familiar to her. It'd been a while since she'd seen him, but he was one of Canoe Belway's minions.
'Hmm, I see. He's spying on me for his boss. Or perhaps Zanis? Possibly both,' Taylor guessed, figuring out why the rooftop watcher was there. He was going to use the five idiots to test and observe what she could do. That was not going to go the way he thought it would, though.
Taylor discretely sent a tendril of her swarm to the roof, which included hundred of termites. She unleashed the wood-eating insects upon the roof the adventurer was squatting on, and in seconds the wood had been weakened, causing him to suddenly drop through with a surprised yelp.
Meanwhile, she seized control of every roach, fly, centipede and spider in the alleyway the two ambushers were waiting in, and set them onto the adventurers. Suddenly having thousands of creepy-crawlies climbing over you and into your clothes was not pleasant, and they spilled out of the alleyway, screaming and crying and trying to get the swarm off of them.
Behind her, the three Level 1 who'd been tailing her stiffened as they saw their companions writhing in the street, weeping as insects crawled all over them. One of them, who'd shushed his companions earlier, immediately started running away, while the other two stood and stared dumbly as a swarm-cluster flew up to them.
"YOU SHOULD ALSO RUN," her bug-clone ordered, and they screamed and ran like there was a monster after them.
Meanwhile, she sent a bug-clone into the building that Canoe's minion had fallen into, and buzzed angrily in face.
"WhY aRe YoU fOllOwINg ME?" Taylor demanded, her swarm surrounding him and cutting of any avenues of escape.
"I-I-!" he stammered. "C-Canoe… L-Lili…"
"TeLl CAnoE tHAt LiLi Is OFF LIMITS!" Taylor roared, and he wet himself before passing out in terror.
In the street, the parahuman huffed. Chris clicked his mandibles in curiosity, wondering if he should finish off the wailing duo in front of them, and Taylor reached up to pet his thorax comfortingly.
"Not today," she replied, walking over them without a care in the world. Chris clicked again, this time in acceptance.
Chris had been emoting a lot more recently. The more Magic Stones he ate, and the closer he got to becoming a Rare Variant, the more his mind developed, becoming less empty and more like a regular – albeit advanced – insect.
'I wonder if he will ever develop sapience?' she wondered. She didn't think it was likely, but anything was possible when magic (and Queen Administrator) were involved.
'Though I think I know why even Tamed monsters go berserk when they become a Rare Variant,' Taylor mused to herself. 'They're developing emotions beyond the urge to kill that the Dungeon birthed them with, and have no idea how to handle it. Not to mention, I doubt many Tamers treat their monsters well. If I examined the cases where a Tamed Rare Variant broke free of their Tamer, I bet I'd find that the Tamers were not very kind to their monsters.'
Sure, they were blood-thirsty creatures that wanted to destroy all living things, but treating them like animals instead of abominations about to snap at any moment could probably go a long way towards making them more mentally stable and obedient.
'Then again, I'm probably in a unique position no other Tamer can claim to have,' Taylor mused. 'After all, I understand what monsters like Chris and Anne are actually thinking, and can treat them properly in response. And my 'Skill' completely erases the influence of the Dungeon over them. That likely helps a lot as well.'
And none of that was something ordinary adventurers or Tamers could do. She'd bring her hypotheses up with Shaki the next time she met.
For now, though, it was time to prepare for dinner.
Once she was back at the church, Taylor began to cook. She'd bought a larger magi-tech oven to cook with a week ago, and some better pots and pans that could also self-heat thanks to the fascinating magi-tech Orario possessed.
"We're back!" Bell called out a few hours later as he, Lili, and Welf descended into the basement.
"Smells good," Welf complimented.
"That's a lot food," Lili noticed.
"We're having guests today," Taylor informed them. "Set the table for two more people, Bell."
"Roger, Captain!" Bell called out, saluting the parahuman as he got to work. A new table and some chairs had been bought as well, replacing the rickety old ones from before.
"Not the captain," Taylor muttered in response to Bell's comment, but everyone ignored her protests, as usual.
"Who's coming over?" Lili wondered as she set her bags down in a corner.
"We have new Familia members!" Hestia exclaimed happily as she bounced out of the bedroom. "Can you believe it?!"
"Really?!" Bell asked, surprised and eager.
"Yup! Two of them!" Hestia giggled happily.
"That's great!" Welf complimented. "Good for you!"
"We'll need your help equipping them," Taylor told him. "Are you free tomorrow?"
"I am," Welf nodded. "Need to do some work of my own, but if you bring 'em by early I can get their measurements and hear what they want."
"Got it," Taylor nodded.
"H-hello!" a nervous voice called out, soon accompanied by a louder and more confident "Hey there!"
"Lucia, Iris, welcome back," Taylor said, nodding at them. "Come in, you're right on time, and we're all here."
"Hi there," Lucia said, getting a bit of her confidence back as she looked around the living room. "I'm Lucia Ramirez. Nice to meet you all."
"I'm Iris Bennett! Looking forward to working with everyone!" Iris said. Her eyes then began to shine when they landed on Bell.
"Hello! My name is…" Bell began, but was cut off by Iris who rushed over to his side.
"You're so cute!" the cowgirl exclaimed. "I can't believe the Record Holder is so small and cute!"
"I'm not cute!" Bell pouted. "Or small!"
"Buddy, you are small," Welf laughed.
"You're barely taller than me, Mister Bell," Lili added with a smirk.
"Enough teasing the poor, short boy," Taylor suggested. "After all, it's time to eat."
Everyone quickly rushed to the chairs at that, with Bell and Welf helping the parahuman bring over all the dishes to the table.
"Ooo! What is this?" Iris wondered. "Mmm! Smells good! And look at all that gooey, melted cheese!"
"It's a family recipe," Taylor said proudly as she sat down. "There's also baked potatoes, diced and steamed carrots, and some cider to drink. No need to wait or stand on ceremony. Dig in."
"So, did anything interesting happen today?" Hestia asked as everyone dug in and enjoyed the lasagna.
"We ran into an Infant Dragon on the 12th Floor!" Bell said cheerful. If Hestia had been drinking anything, she'd have done a spit-take. As it was, she coughed on the mouthful of potato she'd been eating.
"A DRAGON?!" she exclaimed. She wasn't the only one to shout in surprise. Iris and Lucia were also shocked as well.
"Yeah. And Bell killed it dead," Welf chuckled. "Didn't even need us. Him and his clones ripped it apart."
"The new knife you made out of the Minotaur horn really helped," Bell told Welf. "And that rubber grip worked wonders. My clone was able to wield it just fine!"
"Lili was very impressed," the supporter claimed. "So were the other adventurers that were watching."
"Ugh," Hestia groaned. "I suppose your new alias is fitting, then."
"Oh? Oh! That's right, that was today!" Bell said, bouncing excitedly in his seat. "What is it? What is it?!"
"Congratulations, Bell. You are now known throughout Orario as the 'Lucky Rabbit,'" Hestia said, her tone conveying a complete lack of enthusiasm. That didn't stop Bell from giggling giddily, and the rest of the table given their own praise and congratulations.
"You've done it, Bell! You've done what so many others can only dream of!" Welf said, slapping the newly minted Level 2 on the back. The fact Bell didn't budge an inch, even from a friendly tap, really drove the fact he'd Leveled Up home. Even as a Level 1 with absurd Stats Bell had been able to be knocked around a bit whenever Welf patted him on the back or shoulder. Now? He was like an immovable stone.
"Don't let it go to your head, though," Taylor warned. "Just because you're stronger now doesn't mean you're unbeatable. There are still plenty of adventurers who can handle you."
"Way to bring the mood down," Lili muttered, but Bell just nodded.
"Yes! Understood!" he replied. Taylor flashed him a smile, and he grinned back.
"So, bit of a change of topic, but where will they be staying?" Lili asked, raising her hand as she looked over at the two new Familia members. "Because Lili doesn't think there's enough room down here for them."
"We can stay at our own homes for now," Lucia assured the pallum.
"Yeah, I still have a deposit on my apartment," Iris nodded. "Got another month on it before I have to renew. Plenty of time to work this out."
"That's good. It's already getting kinda cramped down here," Lili commented.
"We'll also have to practice our teamwork together now that we have two newcomers," Taylor added. "After we get Lucia and Iris new equipment, we'll have a special group training session to help us get used to fighting with each other. The weekend is coming up soon, isn't it? We'll hold it then."
Bell, Lili, and Welf shivered a bit in horror when Taylor said that. Bell might get his ass kicked by Ais during training, but that was a paradise compared to what Taylor had put the party through in the past. It'd only been for a few days, but the 'Crash Course on Teamwork' had scarred the three. They'd never be the same.
Although they did work much better as a group in the Dungeon. Which was nice. And very useful! But it'd have been nice if Taylor could have laid off with the biting and stinging to motivate them!
Lucia and Iris shared confused looks with each. But they would learn to fear the swarm soon enough. Oh, they would learn!
Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Becoming Stronger
Chapter Text
Chapter 16: Becoming Strong
"So, what do you think?" Welf asked as Lucia and Iris moved their limbs and admired themselves in a nearby mirror.
"Wow, you do good work!" Iris said, impressed.
"I like it, this is incredibly well-made and fits perfectly," Lucia said as she checked that her armor was properly fastened.
The two newest members of the Hestia Familia were in Welf's workshop, trying on the equipment the red-headed smith had made for them.
Taylor had, at some point, taken their measurements (neither of them were sure when, or how, but the thought of bugs crawling all over them to do so had them shivering) and given it to Welf, who had made their equipment over night.
As for what the duo wore, Lucia and Iris had been given studded leather armor made from Orc hide with metal studs. It was thick and somewhat heavy, but they were strong enough to wear it without issue. In addition, he had added some belts with pouches that could be worn like bandoliers so they could carry potions and other items and grab them easily.
Welf had dyed the armor a dark red, and combined with the darker metal of the studs, it looked quite good.
"This armor will serve you well on all floors above ten," the blacksmith informed them. "It's light enough to still be able to move around in so you can avoid attacks, and it will also be able to resist or outright turn aside most monsters. Don't get hit by a War Shadow or Killer Ant, though, they'll carve through it with contemptuous ease."
"Understood," Lucia said, nodding her head at the advice.
"What sort of weapons do you have for us?" Iris asked eagerly.
"For you, Miss Bennett, a hand-and-half straight sword," Welf said. "It's identical in form to your former weapon, but I added a bit more metal and weight to the tip to allow you to take advantage of heavier hits."
"Call me Iris," the cowgirl replied as she took the sheathed sword. She then drew it, admiring the blade. "Oh! It's beautiful!"
Taylor agreed. It was a good, reliable sword, and would be able to kill pretty much anything above the 10th Floor, save perhaps War Shadows. Even the carapace of Killer Ants wouldn't be able to resist, and Iris' strength, already impressive before the Falna, had only grown since becoming Level 1.
"As for you, Miss Ramirez, this is your new weapon, a schiavonasword," Welf said, handing it over to Lucia. It had a half basket hilt similar to a rapier, but had a thicker and heavier blade. "It's a kind of broadsword favored by military officers in the Empire as a sidearm, especially the cavalry commanders, though it works just as well on foot and as a main weapon."
Lucia took it, hesitantly at first, but when it was firmly in her grasp she gained a bit of confidence as she drew it from her sheath. She ran through a few sword drills, thrusting and slashing with it to test the balance.
It was quickly apparent that the weapon could still thrust and pierce like Lucia was used to, but also had the ability to slash and cut. The greater weight of the blade itself allowed for superior penetration power, and would serve well in the Dungeon.
"I'll need to train and get used to it, but it feels good in my hand, and it's not too heavy, like I was worried about," Lucia admitted.
"You're Level 1, now," Taylor reminded her. "If you tried to hold it without the Falna it would be much more difficult."
"Good point," Lucia agreed.
"You like 'em?" Welf asked, and the girls nodded.
"They are great, just like the armor," Lucia said with a grateful smile.
"Yeah, this sword is way better than my old one!" Iris nodded. She then blinked, as if a realization had just hit her, and she gasped.
"I just realized who you are!" Iris exclaimed, pointing a finger at Welf. "You're Welf Crozzo!"
"I am," Welf confirmed, his smile disappearing as his expression turned blank.
Confused, Taylor looked between the two.
"And what is so important about that?" Taylor asked. Well, demanded, really.
"You don't-?" Welf began, confused, Iris and Lucia both mirroring his bewilderment. "Oh, right. Foreigner. Man, your home must be really far away to have never heard of the Crozzos. I mean, Bell I understand, he basically grew up in the boonies. I'd have thought you'd know, though."
"Afraid not," Taylor said with a shrug and 'what can you do?' expression.
"Hmm. Alright, well, long story short is that many, many centuries ago, way back when the Dungeon first appeared and monsters ravaged the land, my ancestor, the founder of my family line, was blessed by a spirit," Welf explained. "This blessing gave him the power to forge Magic Swords that were unmatched in power, and nigh indestructible. With these mighty weapons, the survivors drove back the tides of monsters. And this ability to forge Magic Swords was passed down to his children, and their children. And so on, and so forth. No need for a Falna, either. It was a unique trait completely separate from a Divine Gift."
"But people being people, somebody began to abuse the power of these incredible smiths and their Magic Swords," Taylor guessed, already seeing where this was going.
"Got it in one," Welf said with dark chuckle. "It was after the gods descended that it happened. Ares, the God of War, managed to convince one of my ancestors to work for him. And with those Magic Swords, founded the ruthless military nation of Rakia."
"Wait, so this Ares rules an entire country?" Taylor asked in disbelief.
"Sorta," Welf said, wobbling his hand back and forth in a 'so-so' gesture. "He's the God of Rakia, but he leaves the day-to-day affairs of the kingdom to the royal family and his advisors and plays more of a ceremonial role. From what I understand that's a pretty normal set-up."
He then cleared his throat. "Anyways, back to the Crozzos. They helped Ares and his Familia-turned-kingdom win countless wars with their Magic Swords. And slowly, over time, they became… brutal. Cruel. Warmongers and invaders spoiling for a fight. They would attack other countries without any pretexts and conquer them, expanding their territory to encompass a truly vast amount of land. To this day, none have matched it. Not even the Jade Empire to the east, or the Solar Empire in the west."
"But one day, they fucked up. They attacked the Sacred Forest of the elves, where some of the oldest spirits resided, and tried to burn it down for the heck of it," Welf spat in disgust. "Of course, the spirits didn't like their blessing being used against them, so they tore the power to forge Magic Swords from those with Crozzo blood and caused their Magic Swords to stop working. Rakia's invasion stalled, and the army was wiped out by vengeful elves."
"And so Rakia reaped what it sowed," Taylor muttered.
"Yeah," the smith nodded grimly. "They still had a lot of high-level individuals, but without the Magic Swords they were quickly driven out of all the territory they'd claimed, reducing Rakia to what it is today. A small kingdom stuck upon land with soil that isn't suitable for farming with delusions of grandeur. Sure, it's still a militaristic nation, but it cannot expand anymore because Orario stands in its way."
"And Orario, with its dozens of Familias and hundreds of adventurers, some of which are the most powerful people in the world, can easily handle a single country, even one backed up by a god," Taylor muttered.
"Right," Welf nodded.
"But wait, I thought you said the spirits took away the Crozzos' power to forge Magic Swords?" Iris spoke up in confusion. "How come you can do so?"
"I don't know," Welf admitted with a helpless shrug.
"You can forge Magic Swords?" Taylor asked, surprised.
"Wow, you really are clueless," Welf commented, and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Uh… I mean…" he stammered, looking at Lucia and Iris for help but found none as they looked away. He'd have to dig himself out of that hole on his own.
"A-anyways! Yes, I can," Welf said, coughing awkwardly. "Forge Magic Swords, that is. Nobody knows why. I'm the first Crozzo in centuries to be able to do so. And it's why I'm in Orario right now."
"Because Ares and Rakia would want to abuse that ability and try to begin their short-sighted wars of conquest again, and so you escaped," Taylor guessed. Welf snapped his fingers and pointed at her.
"Bingo, Bug Girl," he confirmed. "I'm sort of infamous because of it. Elves especially hate me. But it's not like I'll ever forge one of those damned weapons in the first place. So please don't ask, Miss Taylor."
"Why exactly is that?" Taylor asked, confused by his refusal to use his gift. If he had, he surely could have been working for other people.
"Do you know what a Magic Sword is?" Welf asked, already cottoning onto the fact the parahuman didn't know. When Taylor confirmed his assumption with a shake of her head, he frowned.
"Magic Swords are crystalized chunks of raw elemental power and magical energy, sealed into the form of a sword or some other weapon," Welf explained. "However, such weapons are immensely fragile. After unleashing one or two swings they break apart, rendered worthless."
'Reminds me of Tinker-tech,' Taylor thought to herself. Incredibly powerful but unstable and impossible to repair or replicate through conventional means, and only able to be made by special individuals.
"So, Magic Swords break easily. They seem more useful as back-up or emergency weapons than something used in everyday combat in the Dungeon," Taylor hummed.
"But Crozzo Magic Swords are much more durable than regular Magic Swords made by other Blacksmiths," Iris piped up. "They can be used a dozen times, easily!"
"I'll never make one, though," Welf spat. "They've brought my family nothing but pain and misfortune. Not to mention, their gravest sin is that Magic Swords always break right when their wielder needs it!"
"Wait, so the reason you don't like Magic Swords isn't because of their horrendous potential for destruction, but because they are too fragile?" Lucia asked incredulously.
"That's right. A weapon that breaks on its user is not worthy of being used! And a weapon that can be only used a few times is worse than worthless!" Welf declared, hands clenching into fists.
"That's something of a foolish mindset," Taylor said, shooting Welf a disappointed look. He gave her a frustrated look in return, clearly annoyed by her opinion.
"Welf, weapons break. That's a fact of life. Even so-called 'unbreakable' weapons imbued with the Durandal enchantment can be destroyed," Taylor told him. "If weapons were unbreakable, blacksmiths like yourself wouldn't be needed. At least not in such numbers. You are restricting your skills and abilities, and making things harder for yourself. Not to mention there are plenty of one-and-done weapons. Bombs, for instance. They're made to be used a single time, after all."
"That's…" Welf began to protest, but Taylor raised her hand to forestall him.
"However, in the end, it is your power, and thus yours to do with. If you don't want to forge Magic Swords, then don't forge them. Neither I, nor the Hestia Familia, will ever pressure you to do something you're uncomfortable with."
Taylor glanced towards Iris and Lucia. "The same goes for you two as well. If you ever feel like an order I've given is the wrong one? Let me know. I won't force you to do something you feel is wrong, understood?"
"Right!" Lucia and Iris said in unison.
"Welf, I hope someday you can overcome… whatever this is," Taylor said, looking at her Familia's contracted blacksmith. "Until then, you'll just have to settle for making non-magical weapons for us."
"I- yeah, I can keep doing that," he said with a nod.
"Good. Iris, Lucia? It's time to train and get used to your new equipment," Taylor declared. "Welf, meet us at the church tomorrow at seven in the morning for teamwork practice. Don't make send Chris or Anne to pick you up."
"I'll be there," Welf replied with a shudder of fear at the aches and pains tomorrow would bring.
Iris and Lucia shared a nervous look with each other. Were they perhaps getting in over their heads with this Familia?
'How bad can it be, though?' they wondered, blissfully unaware of what was in store for them.
111 &&& 111
"Are you ready?" Taylor asked everyone. Bell, Lili, Welf, Iris, and Lucia all stood in the church's yard facing her while clad in their armor but wielding wooden training weapons.
Nods were the only response she got, and a tiny smirk flickered across her face before her vanishing. "Remember, teamwork, and no Skills or spells for this round," she said, before raising her hand.
The swarm responded, buzzing and clicking loudly as it rose up and formed several small, child-sized clumps. These short bug clones were mimicking Goblins and Kobolds, and began to advance onto the five adventurers.
Whenever one clone was 'killed' it would collapse and disperse, but would reform elsewhere. Each clone would also drop a polished pebble to simulate the Magic Stones. It was a disturbingly accurate recreation of the Dungeon, what with the endless tide of enemies to fight.
Forced to work together, the party quickly learned how each other fought, and where they would serve the best in the line of battle. Welf and Iris quickly took over the role of Tanks, standing at the front and eliminating large swathes of foes at once. Lucia and Bell were faster on their feet and would move quickly around the battlefield, flanking and attacking the 'monsters' that were distracted by the Tanks.
Meanwhile, Lili took up a place behind the Tanks, letting them protect her while she provided support in the form of crossbow bolts and occasionally darting in with a knife to take down 'wounded' opponents and to snatch up the fake Magic Stones.
There were some problems, of course. Iris and Welf would occasionally get in each other's way, same as Lucia and Bell. Lili would also be forced to move out of the way quickly whenever the two Tanks ended up forgetting she was nearby or got too focused on the monsters in front of them to remember to watch their rear.
But the quintet learned quick, and picked up on their companion's tells, along with their strengths and weaknesses. Welf and Bell were able to coordinate and work together better more often than not, same as Iris and Lucia naturally joining up with each other, and Lili was skilled at jumping between the pairs as needed.
'Bell's leadership skills are improving as well,' Taylor noted. 'He's getting better at delivering orders and obtaining information about the battlefield quickly and on the fly. And Lili's ability to mesh with different groups at the drop of a hat is impressive as well. A result of her life as a Supporter, or thief? Or perhaps a combination of both?'
Whatever the reason, Lili was proving to be a vital part of the party.
"Gonna join in the fun any time soon, Bug Girl?" Welf asked in a joking tone as he cut apart three clones.
"Yes," she said shortly, and he blinked, before blanching.
"Uh, on our side, right?" he pleaded. "Right?!"
"What do you think?" she asked as she grabbed a wooden dagger before striding towards them, the swarm exploding into motion around her.
Welf winced as everyone shot him annoyed glares, but didn't have time to admonish him as several of the bug clones began to grow in size and move faster. Now they were acting like Dungeon Lizards, Frog Shooters, and War Shadows along with the Goblins and Kobolds.
Taylor did show them some mercy as the parahuman started to fight with them, though. After all, it was a teamwork exercise, and it would only work if all of them were working together.
Her combat abilities suited the backrow better, and she joined Lili in supporting the other four from behind. Even without Chris or her other monsters Taylor was still a competent fighter. It was a bit weird to be fighting against her own swarm, but the point was to learn to coordinate with her party after all.
Three hours later, all six adventurers slumped to the ground, tired and exhausted after their work out. Even Bell, who was now Level 2, couldn't completely escape the weariness from being trained by Taylor.
"We did well this session," Taylor said as she grabbed a canteen from a pile on the ground. "Grab some water, and rest up. We'll have lunch in a little bit as well. Hope you like sandwiches."
Chris approached them, carrying picnic baskets in his claws. He dropped them at Taylor's feet, who opened them up, revealing dozens of sandwiches.
"Are these from the Hostess of Fertility?" Bell asked, recognizing them from the times Syr had given him lunchboxes.
"Yes, I didn't have time to make everything this morning so I bought these from the Hostess," Taylor confirmed. "Your girlfriend Syr was quite eager to make them for you."
That caused Bell to blush bright red and stammer a denial, while Iris and Lucia leaned in, intrigued by the gossip.
"Oh? Does the Lucky Rabbit have a special someone?" Iris asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.
"S-she's just a friend!" Bell protested.
"A friend who offers to make you sandwiches," Lucia said with a grin.
"Lili thinks it's cute," the pallum said with a smirk, though there was also a hint of envy and longing in her tone.
"Yeah, the way she flirts with him is great entertainment," Welf laughed.
"Syr's not flirting! She's just trying to get me to buy more food, is all!" Bell denied. "And it's not cute! Or funny!"
"It is, though," Taylor drawled, and Bell spluttered at that. Eventually, he realized he wasn't going to win, and just grabbed a sandwich, eating it sullenly with a pout.
"Dang, he really does look like a rabbit when he does that," Iris muttered, watching the Level 2 eat.
"I know!" Lucia agreed, and Welf and Lili both nodded along.
"Eat up," Taylor urged everyone as she grabbed herself a sandwich. "There's enough for everyone."
At that, the rest of the party turned their attention to lunch as well, devouring the food with gusto after the harsh training they'd just gone through.
Thankfully the sandwiches were light and didn't sit heavily in their stomachs, so after half an hour of rest and digestion they were able to stand back up onto the feet, ready to begin again.
"Will we be using our Skills in this next round?" Bell wondered.
"Yes. Bell, you're limited to two clones. Welf, your task is to use your spell to try and negate Bell's clones," Taylor instructed.
"Can my Will-o-Wisp even negate them?" the smith wondered.
"Even if you can't negate Skills, it's important to learn how to aim with it. It's slow and requires precision," Taylor pointed out. "Besides, I believe it might be possible. Bell said you were able to take out a Bad Bat when it was using its sonic wave attack, and could cause an Ignis Fatuus, or Spell Failure, on a Hellhound before it could use its fire breath attack. That means that you can at the very least disrupt things that are powered by magic or some other form of energy. And monsters and the Falna are both examples of non-standard uses of magical energy."
"Huh, good point," Welf said, blinking to himself as he realized that yes, his Skill did work against monsters as well as actual spells.
"Lili, I want you to practice your Cinderella Skill," Taylor requested. "Be sure to swap between forms you usually don't use. Even the monstrous ones. That will help the party to learn how to identify targets on the fly and also learn how to pull their punches and avoid hitting people."
"Understood," Lili said, though she looked a little nervous.
"I will watch over you and ensure nothing happens," Taylor promised, and Lili sagged in relief at that. "Now, Lucia and Iris, since you don't have any Skills or magic yet, your task will be to back up the rest of the party. I will occasionally have the rest of us pretend to experience Mind Down so you can get a bit of experience with that."
"Got it, boss!" Iris said while Lucia nodded.
"Wonderful, let's begin, then," Taylor declared, and her swarm rose up again.
"Let's do this!" Bell cried out, his friends echoing his battle cry with shouts of their own as they clashed with the tide of bugs.
It was four in the afternoon when Taylor finally ended the grueling training session, letting the party slump to the ground and rest after several hours of non-stop fighting.
"Well done," Taylor praised. "We're finished for now. The rest of the day is yours."
"Y-yay…" Bell said, weakly raising his fist into the air. Everyone else was too tired to respond.
"Lucia, Iris, if you wait a bit, Hestia should be back in an hour, and she can update your stats," Taylor said.
Quite a few things were learned in this session. First off, when they could use everything at their disposal, the party was scarily effective.
The swarm couldn't touch Bell's clones, since the lightning would fry any bugs that landed on them. And, everyone learned something new as well. The method the clones used to sense their surroundings allowed them to pick out individual insects within the swarm. The two clones always managed to accurately tag and eliminate the bugs holding the fake Magic Stones.
And that wasn't even going into what Bell could do with his new Skill, Argonaut. The wind-up time was rather long, as three-minutes was practically an eternity on a battlefield, but Bell was learning how to be able to move when it was charging, so his speed and agility worked in his favor.
Bell also didn't have to charge it all the way up before activating Argonaut. He was able to partially charge it to release smaller and weaker spurts of power, though they were still capable of letting the white-haired Level 2 move even faster than normal and strike harder in short bursts.
However, it was his Skill, Jupiter Ascendant, that showed the most benefit from Argonaut. If allowed to charge to full power before he summoned a single clone, said clone would be as powerful as Bell himself, and not suffer from reduced stats. It only worked on one clone at a time, but it still meant that Bell could bring a second Level 2 to the field.
Bell was not the only one to learn new things thanks to the training session. Welf discovered that he could, in fact, use Will-o-Wisp to negate the effects of Skills as well as spells. If he managed to hit one of Bell's clones, it would destabilize, causing it to explode. Not fun to experience up close, but a good thing to learn all the same for the future.
Welf's spell could also undo Lili's Cinderella transformation, which was an interesting tidbit to learn. If Welf trained more, and could practice against different kinds of abilities, could he potential be able to temporarily negate Developmental Abilities or even the Falna itself?
A mystery to explore another time, but still something that Taylor was very interested in. Curiously, it didn't seem like Will-o-Wisp did anything to Taylor's Shard and control over her swarm. Maybe there was a brief stutter or lag or something, but if there was, then it was too short to even notice.
'But then again, that makes sense,' Taylor thought to herself. Her parahuman powers operated off a completely different system compared to the Falna, even if it did seem to synergize with it, like when she was able to bestow a 'Skill' onto Bell. Taylor had Triggered. Bell hadn't, and his Skill used up Mind where hers didn't. That seemed to be the main difference between them.
She spared a look at the rest of the party. While Lili, Iris, and Lucia hadn't shown as much improvement, their fundamentals were getting more refined. They were also better at working together in a team than Welf or Bell were thanks to training together beforehand. Which made sense, as both boys were far more used to operating solo till only recently. It was a work in progress.
"Can we take a shower?" Lucia asked hopefully, shaking Taylor from her thoughts.
"Go ahead and use the bathroom in the church," Taylor replied.
"Lili thinks we should go to the bathhouse," Lili suggested. "Lili doesn't want to stew in her own juices while we wait for the chance to use the church's bathroom."
"Hmm, good point," Taylor hummed. The church had only a single bathroom and it could barely fit the bathtub and toilet in the same space. No way more than one person could fit inside at a time. "Alright, leave our weapons and armors here, and we'll go to one of the bathhouses."
At that, the group managed to get back to their feet and headed off as a group to the nearest bathhouse. Orario had an interesting mix of cultures, many of which had some sort of culture involved with public bathing. This meant that there were several such establishments throughout the city. Some were cheaper than others, a few were exclusively for the 'gods,' and a couple were used primarily by adventurers.
Bathing with others in a Roman or Japanese style wasn't something Taylor was used to as an American, though she could handle it. Communal showers when she was in the Wards and high school had taught her how to deal with the concept.
The bathhouse Taylor led the tired and sweaty group towards was one of the better ones she'd scouted out in the past. It was clean, relatively cheap, and also had a laundry service where clothes could be washed for an extra fee.
"Here," Taylor said, tossing Bell a pouch of valis. "Pay for the laundry service as well."
"Got it, Miss Taylor!" Bell nodded. With magic tool washers and dryers, their clothes would be cleaned and ready to be worn again when their bathes were done.
Stepping into the girl's side of the bathhouse, Taylor, Lili, Iris, and Lucia undressed, tossing their clothes into baskets.
"Aaahhh!" Iris sighed happily as she slipped into the warm water. "This feels nice!"
"Taylor, do you want some help doing your hair?" Lucia asked, and after a moment the dark haired parahuman nodded.
"Yes," she replied. "I usually use my swarm to help me with that, but I felt that might a bad idea to do that in here."
"Eww," Lili said with a grimace.
"Bugs and the like aren't any dirtier than a person is," Taylor replied, a little offended on behalf of her swarm.
"It's not the dirtiness, it's the fact they have too many legs," Lili said. "That is why Lili doesn't like them."
"Ah. Fair enough," Taylor shrugged. She'd gotten over her own instinctive aversion to insects, spiders, and so on surprisingly fast, but she understood why some people would be disturbed by a mass of tens of thousands of small critters suddenly crawling all over them. 'I wonder if QA had something to do with that?'
There was no response. Expected, she supposed, but it was a bit annoying for her Passenger to only answer whenever she felt like it.
Once they were done bathing and their clothes were washed, the group returned to the church, stopping at the market place to buy food for dinner. And since adventurers could eat a lot, everyone had to help carry the bags back.
Hestia was waiting for them when they entered the living room, and she smiled happily in greeting.
"Welcome back!" she called out cheerfully.
"We're home," Bell replied with a smile.
"Did you have a good day of training? Taylor didn't break you, did she?" Hestia asked. She then sniffed the air. "And did you go to the bathes?"
"We went to one of the bathhouses after our training sessions," Taylor informed her. "And no, they didn't break. I made sure they wouldn't."
"Awww! You should have waited! I'd have gone with you!" Hestia whined.
"We were rather ripe, Lady Hestia," Lucia said with an apologetic tone.
"Well, whatever. What's done is done," the twin-tailed girl said with a shrug, and then she grabbed Bell's hand. "Let's see how you much you've grown today!"
Everyone in the Hestia Familia got their Falna updated while Welf and Lili discussed adventurer stuff. Mainly going over Lili's future suit of armor, which according to Welf would be ready soon.
"Are our Stats supposed to go up this much after just a few training sessions?" Lucia wondered in disbelief as she looked over her Stat sheet as she left the bedroom. Five points in Power and Endurance, and ten in Dexterity and Agility! That was a lot, right? Especially after only two days of being in the Familia!
"No," Lili replied to her in a dull, dry tone. That single word carried a huge amount of unspoken meaning behind it, and Lucia frowned a bit.
Iris wasn't worried, though. In fact, she was excited to see her numbers grow so fast. She'd gotten a twelve in Power, ten in Endurance, while her Dexterity and Agility had only gone up by four each.
"When are we going into the Dungeon?" the cowgirl asked Taylor after looking over her stat sheet.
"Tomorrow, all of us are going into the Dungeon," Taylor said. "You, Iris, and I will stay above Floor Five. Bell, Lili, and Welf will accompany us until then, after which they'll head down to Floor Thirteen to survey the area."
"W-we're heading all the way down to the Fifth Floor?!" Lucia gasped.
"We'll see," Taylor replied. "Probably not, but I do want to see how well my training helped you two."
"We won't let you down, Miss Taylor!" Iris promised.
"I know you won't," Taylor said. "Now, are you two staying for dinner?"
Both girls nodded eagerly, and Lili smirked a bit at that.
"Two more souls ensnared by the cooking skills of Miss Taylor," the pallum laughed.
"It sounds like someone doesn't want an extra serving at dinner tonight," Taylor said, and Lili paled.
"Lili is sorry!" she said. "Please don't take away Lili's food!"
"Don't bully Lili, Miss Taylor," Bell scolded.
"Fine, fine," the parahuman shrugged. "Now, I need help slicing these vegetables for the stir fry. Who wants to help?"
'This is nice,' Taylor thought to herself as the Hestia Familia prepared dinner. Food always tasted better with friends, after all.
Things were going well so far. Yet she couldn't help the niggling thought that something bad was looming on the horizon.
'If anyone tries to hurt my family, they will pay,' Taylor vowed. There was nothing else to say, really. All threats would be dealt with. One way or another.
Chapter 17: Chapter 17: A Day in the Life of Taylor
Chapter Text
Chapter 17: A day in the life of Taylor
"Interesting," Taylor said, looking at the start of the so-called 'Middle Floors' with both her regular eyes and those of her swarm. Known as the Cave Labyrinth, it was a region where the ground, walls, and ceiling were made of bedrock, and tunnels and passages intertwined and looped back onto each other. There were also plenty of differing terrain, with wide bridges spanning gaping chasms. Pits could even appear without warning and snatch unwary adventurers, dragging them down to lower levels.
Worse? The Dungeon shifted. Sometimes tunnels would be sealed off and paths would collapse, and you would have to search for hours to find a new route to the next floor.
And you couldn't forget the monsters, either. The most common were Hellhounds – fire breathing Doberman dogs, essentially – and Almiraj, which were just bipedal rabbits that could use Landform weapons. There were Minotaurs and Ligerfangs, easily the most dangerous mass-spawning monsters above the 18th Floor, and flying monsters such as Wyverns to add to the chaos. Couldn't forget the Crystal Mantises either. And those were just the most well-known!
The monsters all spawned faster, too, and could overwhelm small parties quickly. It was a dangerous place, to the point that even Level 2s could have trouble dealing with everything.
'At least my power still works this far down,' Taylor mused as she stroked the head of a Dungeon Worm. They were supposed to be rare, and so far the parahuman had only found one. Taylor wasn't sure she needed more than that.
Dungeon Worms were huge, earthworm-like creatures over a hundred feet long with purple-red skin along with a gaping circular maw full of nothing but teeth. What made them interesting was their ability to burrow through the Dungeon itself, traveling freely between the Floors if they so pleased. Most rarely ventured above or below the Middle Floors, and it was hard for them to burrow past the 10th, 11th, and 12th Floors due to how wide-open they were and how high the ceilings got, but there didn't seem to be a limit to their movements. They were able to sense vibrations in the ground, which was how they hunted, but lacked eyes or a way to differentiate prey so they ended up attacking monsters as often as adventurers.
The one Taylor had captured with her power was currently calm and resting silently at her side while Chris and Anne and a few other Killer Ants and Purple Moths fought some Hellhounds and Almiraj.
Taylor had known that her powers could control regular earthworms, something that she'd only been able to do after arriving in this new world, but it was good confirmation that it also affected Dungeon Worms as well. Now that Queen Administrator had granted her the ability to control all invertebrates, be they magical or mundane, it opened up a number of new possibilities for the parahuman.
"I'd like to bring you to the surface with me, but I don't think the Guild would appreciate it," Taylor said apologetically to the Dungeon Worm as she watched the bloody battle going on. It said nothing, and there wasn't even a flicker of thought in its head, but talking to it was more of a habit at this point than actually expecting it to respond.
The parahuman had ventured into the Dungeon solo for the day, leaving Iris and Lucia with Bell and the others. They'd be sticking to the Fifth Floor and no lower. As for why, Taylor had wanted to scout the Middle Floors herself after Bell had reported to her what he, Lili, and Welf had found yesterday.
The trio hadn't been able to venture past the 13th Floor, but what they'd told her had been intriguing. Hordes of canine and lapin monsters, with the occasional Bad Bat and Hard Armor harassing them. They'd even run into a Crystal Mantis, which was supposed to be quite rare anywhere else except the 15th Floor!
'Is that Bell's Luck ability at play?' Taylor wondered.
Eventually the horde of monsters trying to kill her was slain with minimal losses to her own side, and Taylor directed her swarm to pick up the loot. Chris and Anne gleefully ate the Magic Stones as there simply wasn't enough room in the bags she'd brought for everything to fit inside, and so she prioritized the Drop Items over those.
"Alright, everyone. Hop onboard!" Taylor ordered, though she didn't need to say it aloud. She'd gotten used to having people around her, and the silence… well, she wasn't a fan of it when it left her alone with her thoughts.
Her swarm moved over to the Dungeon Worm and clambered onto its back. Moments later the hundred-foot-long monster was on the move, sliding across the ground back up to the 12th Floor now that her scouting trip was over, all while her swarm clung to it.
'It seems to utilize some sort of power to move the earth and stone around it so easily,' Taylor mused to herself as she observed the way the Dungeon Worm moved forward. It could part even immensely hard bedrock as if it were clay, which was impressive.
She was hesitant to call what it could do 'magic,' because surely it couldn't be that, could it? But a quote she'd seen on PHO floated to the surface of her thoughts.
'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,' or so the author Arthur C. Clarke had once claimed. And while it didn't quite apply to her current situation, Taylor could use that saying in a different way.
Maybe what the 'gods' and adventurers and monsters could do really was magic. And maybe it wasn't. But whatever the case, it was beyond her current understanding, much like parahuman powers. It just worked, and so why bother caring or worrying about what it was called?
'So long as this 'magic' isn't also connected to an omnicidal alien abomination, I don't think it really matters,' she thought to herself.
Taylor felt a pulse of annoyance from her Passenger at that. Clearly the extra-dimensional bio-crystal-entity didn't like being called out on what it had once been. She ignored it, even if the fact Queen Administrator could communicate directly with her now was an unpleasant revelation.
As she emerged from the 13th Floor onto the 12th, she caught sight of a party of adventurers standing nearby and staring at her as she passed by with their jaws on the ground.
"I thought she could only control bugs!" one of the adventurers she passed uttered in disbelief. "Worms aren't bugs!"
"I dunno, man! Maybe she controls anything that's creepy?"
"Better watch out, then, because you're a real creep, Mord!"
"Why you little-!"
Taylor snorted to herself as she left the squabbling party behind and advanced further into the 12th Floor. Her remaining Purple Moths took to the air and began to scout ahead, keeping an eye out for any monsters like Orcs or Silverbacks.
The floor seemed to be rather empty right now, possibly due to the party she'd just passed. They had been Level 2s, and more than capable of wiping out plenty of monsters on their way through the Dungeon.
But as she came to the center of the cavernous floor, her Purple Moths spotted something stomping around through the mist directly in her path.
'An Infant Dragon?' Taylor wondered, shocked, as her swarm identified what it was that had appeared in front of her. Bell had just killed one a few days ago earlier in the week. Did they spawn that quickly? Weren't they supposed to be rare?
A sneaking suspicion started to niggle at the back of her mind. 'Queen Administrator sent me a pulse of annoyance a little bit ago. And then a few minutes later an Infant Dragon appears in my path. Did… could it be possible that the Dungeon sensed my Passenger's communication and reacted to it?'
Whatever the reason for its presence, the so-called 'Boss' of the 12th Floor was here, and it was in her way. So she just rammed it with the Dungeon Worm. Didn't even slow down. The Infant Dragon, strong as it was, could not tank several tons of chitin and fangs slamming head long into it, getting crushed and swallowed whole in the process. Not to mention Taylor also hit it with her Curse, eliminating its ability to open its mouth so its fiery breath couldn't be used against her and her swarm, which was the only real threat.
The Magic Stone – after being spat out of the Dungeon Worm's mouth – was fed to Chris, and the scales were grabbed and would be given to Welf. All in all, it took less than thirty seconds to deal with it.
'Hmm, good haul today,' Taylor mused to herself. She glanced around, and her swarm spotted a couple of Level 1s fighting at the edge of her detection range. Curious, she ordered her Dungeon Worm to approach. Not too closely, but enough so her swarm could see everything.
After a little bit the party eliminated their opponents – three Orcs and a quartet of Imps – and moved on. Taylor admired the way they'd fought. It had been fast, economical, and with no wasted or flashy attacks. In, and done in a minute or so. Then the drops had been collected and the group had moved on.
'The new girls have been doing well, but there's room for improvement,' Taylor thought to herself. Comparing Lucia and Iris to the Level 1s her swarm 'saw' when she passed through let Taylor get a good grasp of her new Familia members' level of power.
Honestly? They were weak. A veteran Level 1 would wipe the floor with them based purely on skill and experience. However, that was something that could change, and was, slowly but surely.
'Not to mention how fast they're growing stronger,' Taylor mused. Unlike herself and Bell, other adventurers lacked a Skill or cheat ability that let them gain Excelia so quickly and efficiently. Yet Lucia and Iris were showing that they weren't slouches when it came to it.
In the week since they had joined up, Lucia and Iris had each earned a total of a hundred Stat points. According to Lili and Welf, those sort of numbers were unusual to say the least. It normally took a minimum of a month to get half that.
'Is it something to do with Hestia herself?' Taylor wondered. Could the person granting the Falna influence things to an extent? If they could communicate via the soul or whatever it was they did when bestowing the Trump-like powers to other people, then perhaps it was possible to make it so an adventurer gained a hint of their patron's personality or abilities? Or perhaps it was something else. Who knew?
'An interesting thought experiment if nothing else. Do these 'gods' influence their Familia members somehow? Ganesha's Familia is renowned for becoming Tamers. Is that due to being surrounded by other Tamers, or is it thanks to Ganesha himself passing some traits on? Nature or Nurture?' Taylor hummed. 'More data is needed.'
At that, Queen Administrator seemed to perk up, Taylor feeling her Passenger's attention turn towards her for a brief moment. When nothing else happened save the presence fading, Taylor shook her head in bewilderment.
'Of all the Shards to have gotten, I never thought I'd get a talkative one,' the parahuman mused with a tiny scoff of amusement. As she made her way to the passage way up to the 11th Floor.
It was a tight squeeze for the Dungeon Worm to get through the Upper Floors. They were just perfectly sized for the monsters that dwelled within them, but the massive burrowing worm was almost too big to fit. Taylor also didn't want to just bore straight through the Dungeon with it. She had no idea if the Dungeon would heal itself around her if she tried that, so decided to take the long way.
The dark-haired parahuman had to lie flat on her stomach in order to avoid being squished or crushed by the ceiling. It was uncomfortable for Chris as well, his body unsuited for lying face down, so Taylor had the Crystal Mantis go ahead of the Dungeon Worm to clear the way forward of adventurers. She didn't want to accidentally trample anyone, after all. It slowed them down a bit, but that was the price she had to pay.
When the Dungeon Worm reached the exit to the Dungeon, Taylor leapt off, directing Chris and Anne to eliminate the rest of the monsters. They obeyed, and the Killer Ants, Purple Moths, and Dungeon Worm remained motionless as they were killed.
Taylor wasn't exactly fond of doing what was essentially summary executions on parts of her swarm, but they were monsters in the end. They had to be culled, lest they harm adventurers or ordinary people. And while her power let her dominate them, there was always the chance something could happen.
'Just because the Dungeon hasn't tried to regain control of the monsters in my swarm doesn't mean it won't in the future,' Taylor thought to herself as she watched it with a blank expression.
Some of the adventurers passing by all had various looks on their faces as they saw the slaughter happening. Most seemed as dispassionate as Taylor was, but a few actually looked excited by the sight of monsters fighting each other. There was also a group that looked horrified by it for some reason.
Once it was done, Taylor picked up the Magic Stones that'd dropped, then ordered her remaining two monsters to grab the bags full of Drop Items. The trio of Master and monsters departed the Dungeon after that, walking up the long, spiral staircase to the surface.
"Hmm, who knew a Dungeon Worm's Magic Stone would be worth so much?" she hummed aloud as she counted out the valis she'd received. fifty thousand valis for a single stone was an impressive amount of wealth a single monster could provide. Though given how rare they were, it made sense.
She also managed to turn in several Quests the Guild had posted, making quite a bit more money than what the Drop Items would be worth alone. Because they were materials the craftsmen of the city wanted or needed, they paid a premium to adventurers to fetch the Drop Items. It was possible to make an average of fifty percent more than what the Guild paid for them. Sometimes as much as two to three times as much if the materials were rare or important enough.
"The Guild should really invest in something less cumbersome than coins," Taylor complained to Eina as she stopped by to chat with the Hestia Familia's liaison with the Guild after cashing in her stones and items.
"What, like the paper money the Far East uses?" the half-elf asked.
"Yeah. Much more convenient," Taylor nodded.
"I believe Orario tried that a few decades ago. Failed to catch on. And the chaos caused by the collapse of the Hera and Zeus Familia didn't help either," Eina shrugged. "The merchants preferred to trust currency made of gold and silver over something flimsy, like paper."
"They do know that gold and other precious metals aren't actually worth anything beyond what value they're assigned by the merchants and countries, right?" Taylor asked. She'd picked up some economics from her dad over the years, mostly through osmosis, and there'd been the occasional lessons in school and economic arguments online she'd retained.
"Most merchants probably do, but precious metals are stable. Not to mention most other places in the world still prefer gold and silver coins. The Orario Vali is practically the gold standard for global coinage," Eina replied.
"Did you just make a pun?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow at the short-haired clerk.
"No, and if you ever claim otherwise, I will deny it," Eina replied, though her lips quirked upwards a little.
"Of course, I'd expect nothing less," Taylor chuckled.
Eina smiled at her, before gaining a shy look. "By the way, how has Bell been doing?"
"Sad he hasn't been dropping by as often?" Taylor asked, and the half-elf blushed.
"A little," she mumbled. "He used to stop by all the time when he was starting off. Always eager to actually listen to what myself and the other Guild staff had to say. Did you know he would read the books and guides we had before entering the Dungeon? Hardly any adventurers bother to use the Guild's resources!"
"That sounds like him," Taylor nodded. "Speaking of books, those guides to the Dungeon are quite interesting. But I noticed a few things when I read them. Some of the information is rather barebones and mostly read like they were only told about the monsters second-hand, instead of seeing them in person."
"Wait, how are you...?" Eina began to ask, before trailing off and frowning at the parahuman. "Taylor. Are you using your Skill to read books in the Guild's library without actually being there?"
When Taylor nodded, Eina sighed. "So that explains why some people are claiming the building is haunted," she muttered to herself before shaking her head. "Please don't do that, Taylor."
"Maybe. So, about the inconsistencies…"
"Most adventurers are not exactly the scholarly type," Eina said, doing her best to repress a sigh. "And those who do aren't really interested in monsters. Most of the information we have is from the Delving Familias as well as the Ganesha Familia. Between them, we can compile data on the Dungeon, but sadly there are always going to be errors."
"Hmm. And if I could point out and correct these errors?" Taylor inquired.
"If you could prove it, then we'd be happy to update the books," Eina replied.
"Understandable," Taylor said. "On another note, are you and Misha up for girl's night out again?"
"Oh, absolutely!" Eina nodded. "Anything to cut loose and forget about work!"
"See you and the others tonight, then," Taylor chuckled. Eina waved farewell and Taylor left the Guildhall, heading out into Orario.
Winding her way through the streets, Taylor soon came to her next destination; Miach's Pharmacy.
"Afternoon, Naaza," Taylor said in greeting as she entered, only to be taken aback when the dog-eared alchemist looked her way with a wild and somewhat unfocused look.
"Taylor, I have a question," Naaza asked, shooting the parahuman a look with blood-shot eyes.
"Have you slept at all recently?" Taylor shot back as she approached the counter.
"I got sleep two days ago," Naaza said dismissively. "Anyways. Question. Answer?"
"Depends on what you want to know," Taylor replied cagily. "And you really seem like you need some rest."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll take a nap later," the alchemist scoffed. "Look, Taylor, how much would it cost for you to capture a bunch of Purple Moths and Blue Papillion for me?"
"Capture? Alive?" Taylor inquired, and the dog-eared woman nodded.
"Yeah. Alive. I want to start a farm using them. Harvest their powders. Maybe find a way to breed 'em and see if their offspring can still produce useful materials."
"Ambitious. But why?" Taylor asked.
"Money, why else?" Naaza scoffed.
"I thought you sold that potion recipe to Dian Cecht and erased your debt?" Taylor wondered, recalling the request Miach had asked from Hestia two weeks ago.
Hunting the Bloodsauruses outside of Orario had been surprisingly fun. Not every day somebody got to hunt dinosaurs, after all. They'd looked like blood-red tyrannosaurs, and had been around Level 2 in terms of raw power, but fairly slow and Bell and the rest had been able to sneak around them and set up traps that'd killed a few while they stole the eggs from their nest. Though Naaza's discovery of a brand-new potion that could heal both health and Mind had gotten overshadowed by all the hubbub surrounding Bell Leveling Up.
'And Naaza even leveled up because of her invention,' Taylor mused. It had been a surprise to everyone. Nobody, not even Naaza or Miach, had thought she'd had enough Excelia to do so, but apparently killing some Bloodsauruses and stealing their eggs (as well as bone-breaking training with Taylor and the rest of the party) had just barely been enough to get her Agility Stat to D rank, which was the bare minimum for a Level Up.
It went a long way towards proving one of Taylor's theories: that it wasn't so much 'what' you killed, but 'how' you did so that provided plentiful and high-quality Excelia. Oh, a Killer Ant provided more Excelia than, say, a Kobold, but after a while, killing only Killer Ants would net less and less Excelia per kill. And her actions against the blood-red tyrannosaurus rex knock-offs had really helped the young alchemist in more ways than one.
"Right. But we're still kinda poor," Naaza replied, returning Taylor's attention to the present. "And getting new potion ingredients is starting to cut into our bottom line."
"And that's why you want my help to start a farm to harvest powders they produce," Taylor realized. Though she had managed to overcome some of her fears, Naaza was still suffering PTSD from what happened to her in the Dungeon, which meant she had to rely on issuing Quests to adventurers for the Dungeon exclusive materials. And that could quickly become expensive.
"Purple Moth powder is used in various antidotes, and the powder from Blue Papillion makes the best quality healing potions," Naaza explained. "Though I think I already told you this."
"You have," Taylor nodded. "And honestly, it's not a terrible idea. But it'd be expensive."
"How much?" Naaza demanded.
"Registering a monster as a Tamed companion costs a hundred thousand Valis per monster," Taylor informed her. "And I'd tack on an additional ten to twenty thousand as labor costs. Not to mention the costs involved in buying a space to contain said monsters, and pay for their well-being. You'd be looking at a substantial amount of valis to get things started. Quarter of a million, easy."
"Damn," Naaza growled in disappointment. "I could try and take out a loan, but I don't think any bank in Orario would accept."
"What if we didn't go to a bank?" Taylor asked.
"Huh?" Naaza asked, looking up at her with confusion.
"Honestly, Naaza? I think this is a good idea. Great, even," Taylor claimed. "But neither of us have the resources to take care of dozens of monsters. But there are others who do."
"You want to go to another Familia?" Naaza asked, squinting at her friend.
"For a cut of the profits, yes," Taylor nodded. "You're a brilliant alchemist and the inventor of a brand-new potion, one so important it was enough to get a Level Up, and I can control the monsters we need perfectly. We both bring things to the table any Familia would be a fool to turn down."
"Who, though?" Naaza asked. "Most of the bigger Familia's would sooner spit on us then agree. Or they'd try to push us out after a while."
"The Ganesha Familia," Taylor said immediately. "I have a good relationship with them. Their captain seems to like me as well. Shakti is fascinated by my monster controlling Skill, and the last few times we've met, she's hinted rather heavily at wanting to start a joint venture of sorts. See if the monsters I've dominated can be controlled by other Tamers."
"And the Ganesha Familia is one of the few genuinely altruistic groups in the city," Naaza muttered, slowly coming around to the idea. "Yeah… yeah, it could work. They have the facilities to contain monsters, I have the expertise to brew their Familia high-quality potions – at a discount to really sweeten the deal – and you can make the Purple Moths and Blue Papillion do whatever you want. It could really work!"
"I'll bring it up to Shakti when I see her next," Taylor said with a nod. The captain of the Ganesha Familia had ordered some silken lingerie, and Lucia should be finished with them soon. She'd mention this idea to when she delivered the items. Taylor had no doubts Shakti would agree. After all, Shakti would get access to lots of typically rare materials if it worked out.
She then pointed to a couple of health potions. "I'll take three of those, please."
"Gotcha. Friend discount. Only twelve hundred valis," Naaza said.
"Will we see you for girl's night tonight?" Taylor asked as she handed over the coins.
"Yeah, I could use the chance to unwind," the dog-girl said, before yawning.
"Go take a nap," Taylor requested as she walked out. Naaza just waved lazily at her.
Taylor's next stop for the day was visiting Lucia's store. She found Mrs. Ramirez manning the store while her daughter was in the Dungeon.
"Oh! Good afternoon, Miss Taylor!" Lucia's mother said in greeting.
"Hello, Mrs. Ramirez," Taylor replied. "Are you doing well?"
"I am, thank you," she said with a warm smile. The older woman bustled over and brushed some dirt off of Taylor's armor, smiling all the way.
"Did you just come out of the Dungeon?" she asked.
"Yes," Taylor nodded, then added, "Lucia is fine, too. She's in good hands."
"My worry-wart of a husband will be happy to hear that. Though I do know he'd wish that some of those hands didn't belong to boys," Mrs. Ramirez chuckled.
"Sounds like a good father," Taylor said, before a pang of something dark flickered through her chest as she couldn't help but think of her own dad. Had he survived Gold Morning? She didn't know, and was afraid to find out the answer.
Seeing her expression change, Mrs. Ramirez frowned before giving her a hug. Taylor stiffened in response, and was unable to return it, she was so shocked.
After a few second the older woman released her, a sad smile. "Feel better?" she asked, and the parahuman nodded slowly.
"Good. Now, I take it you came to pick up an order?"
"Y-yes," Taylor said, clearing her throat with a cough. "There should be an order for Ganesha Familia's captain, Shakti."
"Ah, yes, Lucia finished it last night," Mrs. Ramirez declared, walking off to the back to fetch it. She returned with the package, and handed it over to Taylor.
"You don't have to do the deliveries yourself, you know," she lightly scolded.
"I have something else to discuss with her," Taylor admitted. "This is just a convenient excuse."
"Well, you should still try to take care of yourself. Dungeon delving until late afternoon, only to run errands? Being a busy bee is good, but running yourself ragged isn't good for your health," Mrs. Ramirez scolded.
Taylor bowed her head, unable to argue with the woman who radiated motherly matriarch energy, and quickly retreated.
"Shut it," Taylor hissed at the two monsters with her. "It was a tactical retreat!"
Her monsters had made no sounds and had no minds of their own, and yet somehow they were judging her. She just knew it!
Taylor walked towards the ridiculous manor the Ganesha Familia lived in, trying not to wince at the sight of it. Approaching the entrance, the guards nodded politely at her, used to seeing her around.
"Delivery for the captain?" one guard asked.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Alright, go on in," the man with the spear said, waving her in. Taylor left Chris and Anne near one of the fountains, where curious Familia members and other visitors admired them. Some cheeky children even started tossing bread and other food at the two. Her monsters caught and ate it all, of course. Free food was free food.
Feeling a little naked without her monsters at her side, Taylor walked up into the main building and made her way to Shakti's office. Knocking on the door, there was a muffled, "Enter!" and she did so.
"Hello, Shakti," the dark-haired teen said. "I have your order."
"Oh? Great," the captain said, looking up from her paperwork. "That was fast."
"Having somebody who actually knows what they're doing when it comes to sewing and weaving makes it go faster," Taylor admitted as she put it onto the desk.
Shakti unwrapped the package, blushing a little as she checked to make sure everything was there.
"Thank you," she said as she put down one of the bras she'd examined.
"No problem," Taylor assured her. "I can only imagine how hard it is to find underwear with proper support in Orario."
"Ugh, you have no idea," Shakti groaned. "Half the women don't bother with anything, the other half just use bindings. Actual bras and such? Like trying to find a sober member of the Soma Familia."
Taylor frowned a little at the mention of the Familia of drunkards before pushing her emotions into her swarm.
"Is there something else you need?" Shakti asked when the parahuman didn't leave.
"I had something I wished to discuss with you," Taylor admitted. "A business arrangement."
"Business? With the Ganesha Familia?" Shakti inquired. "It has something to do with your monsters, I'll bet."
Taylor nodded, and Shakti stood up from her desk. "Take a seat," she requested, and Taylor sat on a couch nearby. The Captain of the Ganesha Familia grabbed a tea pot and some cups, and made tea for the two of them.
"So. What is this business proposal of yours?" Shakti wondered. While she poured the tea, she listened as Taylor explained the idea she'd discussed with Naaza earlier.
"It's not a bad idea," Shakti said slowly when Taylor was done, taking a sip of her tea. It was similar to Darjeeling to Taylor's tastebuds, and it was Shakti's favorite.
"So you'd be willing to enter this business venture with us?" Taylor inquired.
"I'll have to bring it up to Lord Ganesha, first, but I think he'll say 'yes.' The idea of a steady supply of Blue Papillion powder for health potions would go a long way to keeping the others under my command safe," Shakti replied, not giving a definite answer, but it was clear to the parahuman she was very interested. "And the Purple Moth powder has a bunch of different uses as well."
Shakti tapped the rim of her cup thoughtfully. "I could probably clear out some space in the underground menagerie… we have some monsters that refuse to be Tamed that can be replaced. And I know a few people in my Familia who would love the chance to examine a monster up close without risking a loss of life or limb that I could convince to support me on this endeavor…"
"Sounds like you've already got the whole thing planned out," Taylor chuckled.
"I'll admit, I've always had some ideas like this," the Captain admitted faintly. "And Lord Ganesha has always found monsters fascinating for some reason. It's the whole reason he built the menagerie in the first place, along with coming up with the Monsterphilia event."
"I suppose everybody needs a hobby," Taylor drawled, and Shakti snorted.
"It keeps him out of trouble. Mostly."
"If you're interested in meeting one of the other partners in this endeavor, she'll be with me later tonight," Taylor offered. "We, along with a few others, are having a girl's night out."
"That… that actually sounds like it could be fun," Shakti muttered to herself. "I haven't had much downtime recently. Damn investigations into the Monsterphilia event are taking up most of my time."
"Still?" Taylor asked, surprised.
"That's what happens when dozens of monsters break out of what is supposed to a safe and secure event," the Captain grumbled. "Nobody died, thank the gods, but it damaged our reputation, and a couple people want to impose greater restrictions on all Tamed monsters."
"Hmm. Problematic," Taylor hummed. "Well, if you do have a chance, stop by the Cyan Pavilionaround six. We'll probably be there all night."
"Thank you for the invitation," Shakti said.
"Well, that's all on my end," Taylor said. "Do you have anything else you might need?"
"No. Some of my fellow women in the Familia may approach you for underwear of their own, though," Shakti said with a giggle.
"Thank you for the free advertising," Taylor said gratefully, causing Shakti to laugh even harder.
"Oh, Taylor!" she chuckled. The parahuman just flashed her a tiny smile.
"See you later tonight," Taylor before taking a sip of her tea. It really was quite good.
111 &&& 111
"CHEERS!" everyone sitting around a table called out.
Taylor couldn't help it as a small smile slipped onto her face while she raised a mug of cider up towards the rest of the glasses and mugs being lifted up.
She was happy that everyone was attending the event. Lili, Lucia, and Iris were a given, of course, but Eina, Misha, Naaza, and Shakti had also shown up for the girl's night out, which made her happier than she'd expected it to. As Taylor thought that, her swarm looked around the interior of the tavern they were in.
The Cyan Pavilionwas an establishment that served food and drinks, and catered mainly to women. It was popular among the lady adventurers who wanted a place to relax that wasn't full of testosterone, and the women who worked at the Guild also found it a nice place to go to. It meant it had a decent amount of people at any given time, and served lighter fare, with wine and tea for drinks, and salads to eat.
Of course, being active adventurers, Taylor, Lili, Lucia, and Iris needed more protein and carbs than that, which the Pavilionwas thankfully able to provide. It had a large amount of variety to its dishes, which was why Taylor liked it. The Hostess of Fertilityhad quantity, but it didn't have an extensive menu.
"Ahhh, this is nice," Shakti said, letting out a happy sigh as she drank some red wine. "Being able to relax like this is great after a week of hard work!"
"Agreed," Eina and Misha said in unison before giggling, their faces already a little flushed.
"Difficult customers again?" Lucia guessed, looking at the two Guild clerks, who nodded.
"Stupid muscle-heads," the pink-haired woman grumbled. "Thinking they know better than we do about the rules and regulations of the Guild! 'I want discounts on my starter pack!' 'Why do I have to wait in line?' 'We don't wanna pay our taxes!' Bunch of entitled pricks!"
"Most adventurers are not as polite as I would like," Eina added primly. "And some are far more troublesome than they would appear."
The way Eina looked directly at Taylor told the parahuman exactly who these troublemakers were.
"I'm not apologizing," Taylor replied as she sipped at her cider. Eina huffed and drained her wine glass in a single gulp in response.
"I've had annoying customers too recently," Naaza said, adding her own tale of woe to the group. "So many of them want discounts!"
She uttered the word like it was filthy and tasted vile on the tongue, before shaking her head. "At least with that damn leech Dian Cecht no longer on our backs, Lord Miach and I can start recovering the Familia's funds and status."
"Taylor mentioned you had an idea for a business," Shakti mentioned to Naaza. "I was a bit intrigued…"
"No business talk at the table!" Eina declared, face flushed.
"Ah. Right, of course," Shakti said apologetically, before glancing at Naaza and whispering, "We'll talk later."
The dog-eared alchemist nodded, a flicker of eagerness dancing in her eyes. Working with a Familia as large and powerful as Ganesha's could only be a could thing, if done right.
The group kept drinking, enjoying the evening, when the Mistress of the Swarm noticed a pair of women enter the building.
"Syr, Ryuu," Taylor spoke up, recognizing the two waitresses. They weren't in their frilly server outfits, which meant they weren't on the clock at the moment.
When Taylor called out to them, they looked around and spotted the group of girls around the table, and approached.
"Hi!" Syr said happily, her tone chipper despite working in the service industry. She was clearly made of sterner stuff than the average person.
"Hello, Miss Taylor. Everyone," Ryuu said in greeting, inclining her head politely.
"Ah, hello," Shakti said, giving the elf a scrutinizing look. Taylor wondered if she knew Ryuu from when the elf had been an adventurer. Because everyone at the Hostess of Fertility had been an adventurer at one point. Her swarm could detect the magic of the Falna on each of them. And Mama Mia was one of the strongest women in the entire city. Stronger than even Shakti!
"Are you off of work?" Taylor asked curiously.
"My shift is over for the day, and Syr wanted to go somewhere and get a drink after work," Ryuu said.
"Mmm. We're having a girl's night out. Care to join us?" Taylor offered. Nobody else seemed to mind that she'd made the offer, either, which was good.
"Yes, she does! She needs to loosen up! Maybe get a few more friends, too, while she's at it," the bubbly young grey-haired waitress said as she sat down in a seat she dragged over. She grabbed onto Ryuu's arm and pulled her down into a seat next to her.
"I don't want to impose," Ryuu said softly.
"It's fine," Lili said, waving her concern away. "We're not adventurers or civilians right now. We're girls looking for a good time."
Ryuu smiled a little at that, though it was barely a flicker of the lips that Taylor noticed only thanks to her swarm.
"Alright, then," the elven waitress said. "If you're fine with us joining you."
Ryuu didn't loosen up much, not even with a few glasses of elfish wine, but she did relax a little. Taylor didn't know the former adventurer very well, mostly only through her connection with Bell. But she had a look in her eyes. It was one Taylor was quite familiar with. She saw them in the mirror all the time, after all.
It was grief she saw hidden in Ryuu's eyes, and the belief that being happy was a sin, especially after everything she may have done. Taylor didn't know what sort of life Ryuu had lived through, but she felt a slight connection with elf.
Ryuu seemed to notice that Taylor had the same glint in her eyes, and at one point when they exchanged glances she gave a barely imperceptible nod her way, which the parahuman returned.
It felt like she'd made a friend. Was that how friendship was made? Taylor wasn't exactly an expert in that field. But as she looked around the table and quietly listened to the other ladies at the table talk and laugh, Taylor couldn't help a tiny ghost of a smile cross her face.
Yes, things were alright, now. In this moment, she was happy to be surrounded by people she hoped she could someday call 'friends.'
Though the way Syr would occasionally stare at Taylor when she thought nobody was looking was rather odd.
Taylor gave a mental shrug. She was probably just curious about her. A lot of people in Orario seemed to be, these days. Taylor could tell a large number of the patrons in the Pavilionwere paying close attention to everything being said at their table, with plenty of focus directed squarely at her.
It didn't really matter 'why' Syr was staring at her. In the end, if she was going to become a threat to her new family, Taylor would just deal with her like any other problem.
The grey-haired teen shivered a little, as she if she could sense Taylor's hidden hostility. What was really confusing to the parahuman was why Syr's face was so flushed at the same time. Maybe she'd had too much wine?
'Just another mystery of Orario, I suppose,' Taylor mused, putting it out of her mind. She then decided that she wanted more of those mini quiches they'd ordered as appetizers, and popped one in her mouth.
Yes, life was good right now.
Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Downwards to Rivira
Chapter Text
Chapter 18: Downwards to Rivira
Taylor frowned. Something wasn't right. She glanced around the area surrounding the church with her swarm. Were people spying on her again? There wasn't anybody like that within the range of her bugs, but that didn't mean it wasn't happening from further away. Who knew what unusual Skills or spells some adventurers might have that could do that?
Yesterday, she'd had a wonderful night out with a few female acquaintances she'd made in Orario. Naaza and Shakti had promised to talk shop about starting up a farm for monsters Taylor could control with her power, Eina and Misha had bitched and moaned with Syr about obnoxious customers, she'd shared a moment of understanding with Ryuu, and the three younger girls of the Hestia Familia had gotten hilariously drunk. Yet right now, something bad had happened, or was about to happen. She couldn't put a finger on 'what' or 'why,' though.
'Bell, Welf, and Lili have gone down to the Dungeon for a day of intense training and harvesting on the 13th Floor, and won't be back for a few hours,' Taylor thought to herself, going over everything she knew was going on today. 'Lucia is at her home, helping her parents with the store and catching up on sewing orders. Iris is helping the Ramirez family with that. And Hestia is doing paperwork for buying some more food stalls to expand her business. And I'm coordinating silk production in Anne's den. So what is making me feel so off?'
The feeling persisted all the way to noon, and didn't abate. In fact, it just got worse. When Hestia finally took a break from the paperwork, she could barely eat anything and just ended up wandering around, a half-eaten sandwich in her hands.
"Hestia?" Taylor eventually asked, seeing the way the young girl was pacing in the kitchen.
"You feel it too, don't you?" Hestia asked as she anxiously wrung her hands, accidentally shredding the sandwich she'd been holding in the process. "That something is wrong?"
"I… yes, I do," Taylor admitted. "Hestia… is something the matter?"
"I don't know!" she replied, throwing her arms into the air. "I just can't shake the feeling!"
"Is that one of your powers?" Taylor wondered. "Your… 'Arcanum' thing?"
"Maybe? I dunno," she admitted. "I-I felt this way once before… when Bell was nearly killed by a Minotaur… but that feeling passed by fairly quickly. This sensation has been going on for a while now!"
"Let's… let's just wait," Taylor urged. "If they aren't back by dinner time, then we can worry."
"Okay… okay, yeah, they'll be back in the evening, just like we planned," Hestia said softly.
However, the itching sensation of wrongness did not fade, and dinner time came and went without Bell, Welf, or Lili returning, leaving the goddess and parahuman alone in the church.
"They're not back," Hestia said, fear creeping into her voice as she stared at the table in despair. "Th-they're not back!"
"They could just be late," Taylor said, trying to calm her down, even as a wave of panic rose up within her own chest. Taylor ruthlessly stamped it down, however, and redirected it into her swarm so she could keep a clear and level head.
"We have to find them!" Hestia declared, shooting to her feet.
"In the morning," Taylor vowed, grabbing Hestia into a hug to help calm her down. "We'll go to the Guild in the morning."
The tiny twin-tailed girl nodded mutely, tears in her eyes. Neither she nor Taylor got much sleep that night. Nor did either of them feel up to leave the comfort of the couch.
111 &&& 111
When the sun rose on a new day, Taylor and Hestia rushed to the Guild, hoping to get there as soon as it opened in order to ask around for help.
Unfortunately, what they heard was not what they'd wanted to hear.
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do."
Taylor stared at Eina in disbelief. "What? What do you mean by that?" she demanded.
"Th-the Guild isn't able to help search the Dungeon for lost adventurers," Eina said, though it was clear it pained her to admit it.
"Then what's the damn point of the Guild being charge of the Dungeon if you can't even do that much?!" Taylor demanded, slamming a fist into the countertop. It cracked, causing Eina to flinch back.
"The Guild staff aren't adventurers, nor are we equipped to enter the Dungeon," Eina said softly. "We can post a search request on the Quest Board, but that's the extent of what we're capable of. You'll need to get help from other adventurers if you want to find Bell and the rest of his party."
"Fuck!" Taylor snarled, and Hestia whimpered.
"Y-you're sure you can't help?" the goddess pleaded, tears shining in her eyes. "I know they're still alive! I can feel! Please, you have to be able to do something!"
"I'm sorry," Eina said, holding back tears of her own.
"Hestia!" a masculine voice called out, and Taylor and the goddess in question turned around, finding a trio of people approaching. Two of them, a young man and woman, were adventurers, and from the hum Taylor's swarm could detect, they were both Level 2. The last member of the group had the same strange hum that Hestia and the other Trumps possessed.
All three were Asian, or 'Far Eastern' as they were known in this world, Taylor supposed. The two adventurers were hurt, with cuts and bruises littering their bodies, but the guy of the duo was much worse off, some of the bandages wrapping up his body stained red and he walked with a limp. The 'god' that had called out to Hestia wore a traditional white Japanese robe with his hair styled in hoops.
"Take!" Hestia said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Hestia, I am so sorry," the god called 'Take' said, bowing his head deeply.
"Sorry? Why are you sorry?" she asked, confused.
"It was our fault," the male adventurer said, stepping forward. "We over extended ourselves in the Dungeon yesterday, and when we tried to escape from the Middle Floors, we were ambushed by a bunch of Almiraj. One of our Familia got badly hurt, and we… we…"
"We performed a Parade Pass on a trio of adventurers down on the 13th Floor in order to avoid the monsters and leave the Dungeon," the girl stated.
"What are you saying?" Hestia asked, voice quavering.
"Hestia, I am so sorry," the god, who could only be Takemikazuchi said, bowing his head even further, until he was almost at a ninety-degree angle. "But my children performed a Parade Pass on your Familia."
Hestia gasped, her voice filled with sorrow, and Taylor stared at them, her emotions boiling within her chest and head. Things started to get fuzzy as the rage consumed her, and she hastily shoved her feelings into the swarm.
"TAYLOR!" Hestia suddenly shouted, grabbing onto her arm. "Calm down!"
Taylor blinked and looked down at Hestia clinging to her arm, then looked around herself at the people who were staring at her in horror. One, the samurai cosplayer girl, had put herself in front of her companions, hand on the hilt of her sword.
And all around them was a buzzing black cloud that had completely engulfed the interior of the Guildhall. The walls, the floor, the ceiling… every inch was covered in writhing insects.
Taylor blinked slowly as she took it all in. She had never seen her swarm react so violently to her emotions before.
"Calm. Down," Hestia repeated, her voice firmer. "And reel in your emotions."
With a single thought, Taylor dismissed her swarm, letting it sink back into the nooks and crevices of the building and its surroundings.
She also, much to her frustration, did as Hestia asked and disconnected herself from the swarm. It meant she now felt every single iota of burning rage at the adventurers in front of her for potentially damning her friends to death in the Dungeon, but at least her swarm wasn't blocking out the sun and on the verge of devouring some luckless fool.
"We should discuss this somewhere private," Hestia eventually said, turning to Eina. "Do you have a room we can borrow?"
"Y-yes, we do," the half-elf clerk stammered. "P-please, this way."
She shakily escorted the two groups to the back of the Guild, where a conference room awaited them. The moment the doors slammed shut, Takemikazuchi knelt onto the floor in front of Hestia and Taylor in a dogeza, forehead pressed firmly against the ground.
"Hestia, please, forgive my Familia!" he begged. "I know they have done you wrong, but we wish to make this right!"
"And how can you possibly 'make this right?'" Taylor demanded incredulously.
"There is still time to rescue them," the injured man spoke up. "If they were smart, they headed back up, but even if they didn't there are placed to hide in the Dungeon that are relatively safe."
"I will be the guide," the girl declared, thumping a fist against her chest. "On my honor, I will make sure they are rescued!"
Taylor stared at the other adventurers, before Hestia tugged on her arm.
"If they can help, we should take them up on their offer!" Hestia begged her, and for a long, uncomfortable moment Taylor wanted to deny them, but she couldn't. Not when it might mean the difference between success and failure regarding her family's survival.
"…Fine," Taylor said tersely. "Prepare to leave for the Dungeon in an hour. We will head down there to rescue Bell and the others."
"Thank you!" the girl said, bowing her head. "I will not let you down!"
Taylor didn't respond, and let Hestia gently take her hand and lead her out of the conference room. The duo headed back to the church, Taylor needing to get ready.
Dressing quickly, Taylor paused for a moment before reaching out and grabbing her mask. She hadn't worn it in a while, even if she had asked Welf to repair it. She'd been afraid to wear the mask, terrified she might slip back into being Khepri if she did so.
Taylor knew it was an irrational fear, but the terror and pain of what she'd done during Gold Morning… of what she had seen… she couldn't forget it, no matter how much she wished to be able to. Staring down at the golden lens, she shivered.
'No. I am not Khepri. Not anymore,' Taylor thought to herself.
In the end, Taylor let it hang around her neck. She wasn't quite ready to wear it again. But she would bring it with her. As a reminder.
As she stepped out of the bedroom, the parahuman saw a rather odd sight.
"Hestia, what are you doing?" Taylor asked as she spotted the self-proclaimed goddess struggling to pick up a heavy backpack filled with supplies.
"What do you mean? I'm going with you!" Hestia said, turning towards her while putting her hands on her hips.
"No, you're not. Hestia, you have to stay here," Taylor said, putting a firm hand on the little girl's shoulder.
"But, but I want to come with you!" Hestia shouted.
"No, we can't risk it," Taylor replied, shaking her head. "You can't fight, you lack the strength or durability of a Brute, I mean, an adventurer, and you'd just be a hindrance in the Dungeon if I have to watch your back along with everyone else's down there."
"But, Taylor-!"
"No, Hestia," Taylor said firmly. "I won't risk it."
She then smiled weakly at the head of the Familia. "Besides, somebody has to stay here so they can welcome us back."
Hestia sniffled, but eventually nodded. "Okay… okay, I'll stay."
"Thank you," Taylor said, only to pause as the twin-tailed girl threw her arms around her waist, wrapping the parahuman in a tight hug.
"Please, stay safe," she begged softly, and Taylor awkwardly patted her on the back.
"I will. I promise."
Taylor left the church, her monster companions instantly falling in line behind her as she hurried to the Ramirez's combined home and shop.
"Iris, Lucia," Taylor said, entering the store. It was still early, and they had only just started to get ready to open for the day.
"Miss Taylor?" the seamstress asked, surprised to see her fellow adventurer clad in her gear and her two Tamed monsters waiting outside.
"Bell and the others never came back last night," Taylor explained curtly. "Suit up, we're going in to rescue them."
Lucia gasped and Iris grimaced. Both teens rushed off, grabbing their armor and weapons and hastily getting equipped.
The next stop was the apothecary. Potions were absolutely necessary for the expedition.
"Naaza, I need two dozen healing potions, the highest grades you have," the parahuman stated as she entered the store. "And half a dozen Mind potions and antidotes."
"What?" the dog-eared girl uttered in surprise.
"Potions, Naaza," she said. "Bell and the others are trapped in the Dungeon."
"Oh. Oh!" Naaza gasped. She quickly grabbed the requested vials, placing them onto the counter. "I only have five high-grade healing potions, but the rest are all medium-grade."
Taylor nodded and paid the price, refusing to accept the discount Naaza was offering.
"Do you have any empty barrels or crates?" Taylor asked as she pocketed the healing potion vials.
"Um, I have two empty barrels," Naaza said, blinking a little in confusion at the request.
"I'll take them," Taylor declared. "Thank you."
The Hestia Familia stormed through the marketplace next, buying up food and water rations along with rope and other supplies. When they were done, they headed to the Tower of Babel, and stopped just outside.
"Set them down," Taylor requested, motioning for Iris to leave the barrels.
"What are we using these empty barrels for?" Iris wondered as she placed the barrels down. "Holding more supplies?"
Taylor didn't respond, and instead began directing elements of her swarm towards the empty containers. Iris and Lucia both jumped and flinched back as all sorts of creepy-crawlies came pouring out of the surroundings and stuffed themselves into the barrels.
When they were all safely tucked away inside, Taylor nodded to herself. "Good. This will do for now."
"Could you give a girl some warning before you do that next time?" Lucia pleaded weakly as Taylor tied the barrels to the backs of Anne and Chris.
"I will need them to search the Dungeon properly," she explained. Taylor then glanced over at the treeline. "And stop hiding. I can sense you."
"You have better awareness than any adventurer I've ever met before," a soft voice commented as a certain blonde elf stepped out from her hiding spot.
"Ryuu," Taylor said curtly in greeting, eyeing the waitress. "Why are you here?"
'And dressed like an adventurer?' went unsaid, but was heard all the same.
"I want to help you rescue Bell," Ryuu said, and Taylor looked her over. Having a Level 4 on their side would definitely make things simpler. However, something seemed fishy.
"How did you hear about it?" Taylor demanded. How did she know Bell was in danger?
"I think everyone in Orario heard about how the Guildhall was assaulted by bugs this morning," Ryuu said dryly. "And quite a few of our lunch-rush customers were there, too. They have rather loose lips."
Taylor nodded her head slowly. If there was one thing that hadn't changed despite it being a completely different world, it was that people were truly dreadful gossips. Especially adventurers. They were as bad as high schoolers.
"Fine. One more person could be helpful," Taylor said. "Do you have everything you need?"
"Yes," Ryuu nodded, patting a sheathed knife at her waist and a pouch of supplies.
"Good," Taylor said, striding into the tower built atop the entrance to the Dungeon. She quickly spotted the final members of the rescue party standing near the stairwell.
"You're here," Taylor noted, voice emotionless. "What are your names? I don't think I caught them."
"My name is Yamato Mikoto," the Level 2 samurai cosplay adventurer said, giving a tiny bow to them. "Thank you for giving me this chance to restore my honor."
"Ouka Kashima, Captain of the Takemikazuchi Familia," the larger Level 2 said.
"Ch-Chigusa Hitachi," the smallest Level 2 of the group said. "I-I'm the reason that we had to Parade Pass. I was injured… and I want to make things right."
"Are you ready? Will you be able to keep up with us?" Taylor inquired.
"My injuries are not enough to slow me down," the small girl declared. Iris and Lucia just laughed.
"Same," Mikoto said, with Ouka bobbing his head in agreement.
"We'll see," Iris said, patting Mikoto on the shoulder.
The adventurers from the other Familia and Ryuu just looked bewildered.
Before they could enter, however, somebody called out to them.
"WAAAIIITT!"
Everyone turned to see Hestia running towards the group, and she came to a stop in front of Taylor, panting heavily.
"Hestia, I told you-!"
"I know!" the tiny girl gasped out. "I know, I can't come. But… take this with you."
She held out a sheath, and Taylor immediately recognized the weapon within it as the Nano-thorn dagger!
"I had to ask Hephestus for it back," Hestia said as Taylor took the Tinkertech dagger. "And she's probably gonna want it returned when it's over… she said she was still studying it… but it's yours. And if it can protect you in the Dungeon… then it's worth it."
"We will come home safely," Taylor vowed, buckling the sheath onto her waist.
"That's all I want," Hestia replied.
With that, all their preparations were complete, and it was time to enter the Dungeon. The rescue mission had begun!
111 &&& 111
"I, I must admit, I did not think we would be able to move so quickly through the Upper Floors," Mikoto stammered, looking around as the party entered the 13th Floor. They had blitzed through the upper levels of the Dungeon, making it down there in half the time it would have normally taken thanks to the ruthless use of Taylor's Tamed monsters.
All the while, Taylor had also scoured every nook and cranny with the swarm she'd stuffed into the barrels. She had not found any trace of her friends and family anywhere on the other floors, so the only choice was to descend further.
However, Taylor did notice that some people were following them. They occasionally dipped in and out of her sensory range, but never for long. From the hum they emitted, one of them was Level 4 and was akin to the flapping of wings, and the other… well, the sound of flapping wings and hissing of snakes was oddly muted and yet rather intense, something that Taylor had come to associated with the Trumps who went around masquerading as gods. She knew from her lessons with Eina that these 'gods' were forbidden from entering the Dungeon for some reason, so it was curious to find one down here, and following them, no less.
"We saved a lot of time on the floors with the Killer Ants," Ryuu nodded in agreement with the samurai cosplaying adventurer. It was hard to tell with how blank her face was – the elf had a poker face that was as good as Taylor's – but she had also been surprised by the ease of their travels.
"Yeah, Miss Taylor drives a hard pace," Iris agreed with a nod. "Great way to build up your stamina, though!"
"Um, do we really need to bring them with us?" Chigusa wondered, glancing over her shoulder at the army of Killer Ants following behind the party. There were some scouting ahead as well along with a bunch of Purple Moths.
The real stars of the show though were the pair of Blue Papillion accompanying them. One was clinging to Taylor's back, making it seem like she had a pair of beautiful, ethereal wings, while the other was resting on Chris' head. Taylor had brought them along for the healing powder of their wings. It was weaker than even the weakest grade of healing potions, but some healing was better than no healing.
"We don't have time to waste on other monsters," Taylor replied, and Ryuu nodded.
"Time is of the essence," she said.
"I think Miss Chigusa is still a bit disturbed about what happened to those Orcs," Lucia said. On the way to the Middle Floors, they had come across a group of Orcs and Imps, but Taylor had swept them aside, burying them in a tide of chitin. When the Killer Ants were done, there had been nothing left.
"We all were," Ouka muttered under his breath.
"Hold on," Taylor said, raising a hand as they entered a tunnel, her eyes locked onto something above them. Curious, the rest also looked up, trying to figure out what had grabbed Taylor's attention. It was the elf who spotted it first.
"Worm holes," Ryuu said, staring up at a hole in the ceiling, then down at the matching one directly beneath it. "A Dungeon Worm was here. And recently, too, if the holes haven't sealed over yet."
"Excellent," Taylor said, smirking a bit, and her Killer Ants began to go wild, slamming themselves against the walls and floor.
"What are you doing?" Ryuu hissed in shock, staring at Taylor as she continued to order her Killer Ants to stomp on the ground.
"Summoning a ride."
"A ride…?" Mikoto muttered, before her eyes widened. "Wait, do you mean-?!"
The floor suddenly began to shake and rumble, and a few seconds later a huge worm burst out of the ground. When it didn't try to devour them, and instead laid down submissively in front of Taylor, the rest of her party stared at the parahuman in disbelief.
"You summoned a Dungeon Worm?!" Ouka gasped.
"You can control them?" Ryuu asked, eyes narrowing.
"Grab on," Taylor ordered, making her swarm clamber up onto its back. The others hesitated for a moment before following her.
"This is so weird," Lucia muttered.
"I never thought I would ride a monster," Ryuu hummed. "What a novelty."
"Err, how fast can one of these go?" Mikoto wondered, nervously gripping onto the Dungeon Worm's segmented body.
"Dunno. Let's find out," Taylor said with a smirk, before ordering her newest member of the swarm to go full speed ahead. It obeyed, causing Mikoto to let out a shriek as it bulldozed its way through the 13th Floor.
The tunnels and corridors of the Middle Floors were quite large and wide enough to accommodate their new mode of transport. With no reason to go slow, the Dungeon Worm charged down through the floors, leaving the 13th Floor and descending rapidly through the rest.
They made a brief stop on the 15th Floor, where Taylor picked up a trio of Crystal Mantises to supplement their forces. Comparing them to Chris, it was clear that her Tamed monster was bigger, stronger, and faster, with a much darker carapace.
But once their forces had been augmented, they shot off back on track to the bottom.
"We're approaching the 17th Floor," Ryuu said as their surroundings turned from dark brown stone to darker, almost black, bedrock.
There was a "Mooo!" followed by a crunch and a thump as the Dungeon Worm ran over yet another monster, a Minotaur by the sound of it.
"I see it," Taylor said, spotting the stairwell. The Dungeon Worm slinked down it, arriving at the 17th floor with little trouble.
"It didn't even take us half a day to arrive," Chigusa muttered to herself, awed by the sheer speed of their journey.
It normally took around eight to twelve hours for an adventuring party comprised of Level 2s to get to the 18th Floor from the surface, assuming they rushed it and didn't bother picking up or fighting anything. But with Taylor blazing a path and letting them hitch a ride on a massive Dungeon Worm for the last couple of floors, their trip down took only four hours.
As they headed for the 18th Floor, there was an explosion in the distance, and the ground shook violently.
"There is fighting up ahead," Taylor informed the group as another "BOOM!" rang out.
"No, you think?" Lucia drawled, becoming surprisingly sassy when she was nervous.
"The only thing up ahead that could make that much noise is the Wall of Grief, where the Goliath spawns," Ryuu said with a frown.
"From your tone, that's a bad thing," Iris guessed.
"The Goliath is classified as a Level 4 monster," Ryuu replied darkly. "Its immense size allows it to strike quite a few targets at once, and its strength is enough to crush Adamantite armor with a glancing blow."
"But a creature that large cannot be that fast, and as far as I know, it has no ranged options aside from throwing rubble," Mikoto spoke up.
"True, a team of quick Level 3s or a large party of Level 2s with long-ranged capabilities could bring it down with minimal effort or loss of life. However, from what I know, the Loki Familia should have cleared out the Goliath when it spawned on their way down to the lower levels on their recent expedition a few days ago. It hasn't been long enough for a new one to appear."
"How long does it normally take?" Taylor wondered.
"Two weeks is supposed to be the minimum amount of time between spawning," Ryuu claimed.
"Well, we're about to come up to the scene," Taylor said. "Hang tight."
"Wait, what?! You want to get closer?!" Mikoto gasped.
"Yes," Taylor said simply, and rode the worm towards the battle. When they arrived, they found a group of adventurers clashing against a naked, grey skinned giant.
Blades clashed against the rock-like hide of the monster, but even Adamantite weapons had a hard time penetrating the Goliath's skin. Several broken spears and arrows jutted out of its flesh, and a few wounds have been carved into its flesh. It continued to fight, though, mindlessly trying to trample every adventurer attacking it.
Even though she didn't have her swarm at hand, she could tell they were strong from the sheer power many of them possessed just from the way they clashed. Most of them were in the realm of Level 3. Taylor also recognized several of them from a distance. They were the Loki Familia.
"Oh, wow!" Iris gasped. "They're so strong!"
"The ones fighting are not the executives," Ryuu noted.
"No, it seems like Finn is letting the weaker Familia members get some experience," Taylor said. The short stack captain of the Loki Familia was nearby, watching the battle with a critical eye. If anybody found themselves in danger, or other monsters tried to interfere, he would no doubt act, but until then, he let them do battle on their own.
A minute into the fight, one of the adventurers got lucky as their weapon, a machete-like sword, managed to cut off the Goliath's left hand, which caused it to back off and roar in pain.
Yet the sound soon cut off as its head disappeared under a torrent of lava. Or was it magma, since it was technically underground? Whatever the proper definition of it was, the attack – which had to be a spell or Skill – managed to vaporize the Goliath's head, its incredible durability no match for a beam of super-heated, molten earth.
The adventurer who cast it slumped, having exhausted every drop of magical energy in their body to do so, but was grinning at having slain the Monster Rex.
"And that's that," the pallum said, a note of pride in his voice, twirling his spear before planting the butt of it into the dirt, before glancing towards the newcomers. "Oh, my. Hello, there, Lady Taylor."
"Captain Finn," Taylor said politely in greeting as she let her steed approach now that the Goliath was dead. She knew Finn had been aware of them the whole time they'd been watching, but politely didn't bring it up.
As she got closer, the other members of the Loki Familia jerked back in shock, staring at the sight of a bunch of people riding a massive worm.
"I had no idea you could control Dungeon Worms," the child-like adventurer hummed, a calculating glint in his eyes.
"I am looking for my Familia members," Taylor said, ignoring his words.
"Ah, you're here for Bell and the others?" he guessed. "Do not worry, we ran into him. He is safe. They all are."
Taylor sagged, a weight leaving her shoulders. "That is a relief."
"They're resting back at our camp. All of them should be still unconscious."
"I have supplies. Medicine, mostly, but also food," Taylor said. "I would repay you for your kindness."
"More supplies are always welcome," Finn said with a grateful nod. He then glanced over at his Familia member. "Gather the spoils of war! We're heading back to Rivira!"
Some of them cheered and they grabbed the giant Magic Stone dropped by the Goliath before high-tailing it away from the 17th Floor.
"How did you make it down here so fast?" Finn wondered as he led them to the 18th Floor.
"I would do anything for my family," Taylor declared, clenching her fist, and Finn nodded slowly.
"So would I," he agreed after a moment, appraising her closely, before flashing a smile. "It's good to know there are other captains out there who actually care for their Familia members. Too many of them see others within their familia as pawns or tools. Or, worse, competition."
"I'm not the captain," Taylor denied, but Finn chuckled while Iris and Lucia both scoffed.
"Well, when you're no longer in denial, you should let me know so we can meet up and chat about the difficulties of working with people who have muscles for brains and a habit of rushing in to fight things without thinking."
Taylor grunted noncommittally.
Finn smirked knowingly, and Taylor couldn't help but see an image of Lisa superimposed over the tiny blond pallum for a brief moment.
She shook her head to clear that thought from her head, and instead took a close look at the surroundings of the 18th Floor.
One of the only places in the entire Dungeon that didn't try to actively kill people, the 18th Floor was a beautiful place that one could almost mistake for a place on the surface. Green grass, trees and flowers, lakes of fresh water, and a glowing ceiling of crystals that seemed to mimic the day-night cycle outside.
Reaching it was considered the mark of a veteran adventurer, and it acted as a staging ground for heading deeper down. It had a shanty town built to service the adventurers who came through, but was also the home of criminals and the black market.
Yet as pretty as it was, the place was disturbing on several levels. For one, Taylor couldn't detect any life. There were no bugs, insects, arachnids, worms… nothing. The place felt sterile, fake. Like a landscape painting or a model of a piece of land.
"You feel it too, huh?" Finn muttered, noticing the shift in Taylor's demeanor as she looked around.
"It's all wrong," Taylor said in a soft voice. "This place has nothing. No animals. And the plants… they're… I don't know. They're real, but not quite. Copies? Clones? They're all identical to each other. Down to the roots."
"This place is a trap," the parahuman realized a moment later, eyes growing wide.
"Yeah, it sure is," Finn said, nodding at her words. "The 18th Floor doesn't spawn monsters, but they can come up from below and descend from above. And whenever there are too many people on the 18th Floor, it triggers what we call a 'Stampede.' Anyone here ends up trapped and has to fight their way out."
"What's the limit?" Taylor demanded.
"It fluctuates. One time, it was five hundred people. Another, it was thrice that number," Finn told her. "On average, though, one thousand adventurers is how many it takes to trigger a Stampede. Right now, there are ninety-six members of the Loki Familia down here. And Rivira has around a hundred and fifty. Exact numbers are known because of its nature."
"We will leave as soon as Bell and the others are able," Taylor declared.
"That's the plan for us as well," Finn agreed. "We try to ensure we never linger longer than twenty-four hours on the 18th Floor because of how big our Familia is. Unfortunately, we encountered monsters with poison down below, and need antidotes to cure the injured. So we may be forced to wait another day for the medicine before we can move them."
"How many?" Taylor asked curtly.
"Ten," Finn said.
"Damn," Taylor sighed. "If I'd known, I would have brought more antidotes with me. I only have six. You can have them all, though, assuming Bell and the others don't need them."
"That's more than we have, and we can buy the last ones we need from the scalpers in Rivira if we trade them the Goliath's Magic Stone," Finn said, exhaling a little. "Thank you."
"You can thank me by keeping your crazy princess away from me and my monsters," Taylor said as they approached the Loki Familia camp. She'd sent a few bugs ahead, and had spotted Ais standing guard in front of a few tents.
"Ah. Yeah, I can do that," Finn said with a wince. "I'll just go ahead and make sure everyone knows what's up."
Taylor nodded gratefully at him, and watched as he jogged forward to alert the rest of his camp.
"Wow, Taylor!" Lucia gushed. "I can't believe you talked with him so confidently!"
"Why wouldn't I?" Taylor asked, confused.
"Most people tend to be put off by powerful adventurers. And Finn is one of only a handful of Level 7s in the entire world," Ryuu replied.
"I've met stronger," Taylor replied dismissively. That just had her companions staring at her. Who or what had she met in the past that could make a Level 7 look like a non-threat?
"Now, let's hunker down for a bit, and wait for Bell and the rest to wake up so we can then scold them properly for worrying us," Taylor suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement with her idea.
In his slumber, Bell shivered a little in fear. Even in his dreams or at the bottom of the Dungeon, he could not escape the swarm.
Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Celebrating Survival
Chapter Text
Chapter 19: Celebrating Survival
"Thank you again for your potions," Riveria said gratefully to Taylor after treating the injured and poisoned members of the Loki Familia. "You may have saved several of their lives."
"Like I told Finn, it was no problem, and the right thing to do," Taylor replied.
"I wish more people had that attitude!" Tiona, an Amazon and executive of the Loki Familia, said with a wide smile as she beamed at the parahuman.
It had been an hour since the rescue party had descended to the 18th Floor, and so far, the Loki Familia was extremely polite and welcoming. The donation of life-saving potions and antidotes had certainly played a part, but Taylor was also aware that the presence of so many monsters under her control that really had everyone's attention.
Even Ais, the girl with a perpetual hate-boner for monsters, had behaved herself around Taylor and her Tamed monsters. Although Taylor had to admit, a lot of that was due to Gareth literally sitting on her in order to force the Sword Princess to calm down and not immediately charge in and attack her.
"You're just like a hero!" Tiona added, having continued to chatter on even while Taylor had mostly tuned her out.
"I'm no hero," Taylor replied, shaking her head at that.
"No, no, you are! Generosity is a key component for being a hero!" Tiona claimed. "And so is loyalty! And after rushing down here to save your friends, well, you've got that in spades!"
"My sister is a big fan of legends and the heroic figures within," Tione said apologetically to Taylor. The other Amazon was taller than her sister, and the parahuman had a hard time imagining they were twins with how different they were, both appearance-wise and in personality.
"It's fine. I used to be a fan of heroes as well, once upon a time," Taylor said. As a girl in Brockton Bay, heck, on Earth Bet in general, it was hard not to be pulled in by the glitz, glamor, and propaganda of the PRT and Protectorate. But after experiencing what it was really like for herself… the shine had gotten tarnished.
"You never grow out of loving heroes!" Tiona declared. She then leaned in a bit closer. "Yeah, I can tell. You're definitely a hero, too!"
"I'm really not," Taylor denied.
"Not just anyone would become an adventurer while missing an arm. Even those who get prosthetics tend to avoid the middle and lower floors," Tiona replied. "Some might even call such a dedication… heroic."
She waggled her eyebrows at Taylor, causing the one-armed parahuman to snort.
"Sure, whatever you say, Tiona," Taylor said.
"Tch! She should have just quit," Bete Logia, the surly werewolf Bell had had very little nice to say about, growled out. "Somebody without an arm is just a liability in the Dungeon!"
The other Loki Familia members surrounding Taylor glared at him, but the tall, dark-haired woman had a more appraising expression.
"You remind me of an old friend, Rachel," Taylor eventually said, looking Bete dead in the eye. "She was also a major Bitch."
The werewolf spluttered and growled, taking a step forward towards her, but the laughter of his own Familia members stopped him. Well, that and the sharp looks the Amazon twins and Riveria shot him. He stomped off angrily, Taylor discreetly putting a few bugs onto him so she'd know where he went.
"Sorry about Bete," Tione said apologetically. "His personality is… hard to get along with, but he means well."
"I could tell," Taylor replied. "His anger and hatred of weakness stems from having experienced what happens when you can't defend yourself from a greater threat. One he believes he could have stopped if he'd just been a little bit stronger."
The parahuman shook her head. "He thinks that somebody who is weak has no business being an adventurer, because of the dangers. Anybody can die at any moment down in the Dungeon. So only the strong should be allowed to enter. His words and attitude are a crude way of trying to protect people. To keep those weaker than himself alive."
She watched the werewolf leave, and noticed the way his ears twitched. He was clearly listening in, if the way his shoulders hunched in embarrassment was any indicator.
"That is a remarkably accurate appraisal of his personality," Riveria said, impressed by Taylor's analysis. "Was your friend Rachel like that as well?"
"Sort of. Rachel didn't… she had a hard time understanding people. Didn't quite 'get' interactions or social norms. She preferred dogs to humans," Taylor said, feeling a pang of something as she recalled her time with Bitch. Had she been a friend? Taylor wasn't sure Rachel had been capable of it. She'd been loyal, though. And that had been perhaps worth more than friendship at the time.
"Surprised you'd be so willing to call somebody you knew a bitch, though," Tione said. "I mean, I thought you were friends."
Taylor just chuckled at that.
"That was actually her name. Well, her… I suppose you'd call it her adventurer alias," Taylor replied.
"Somebody really had been given a name like that?" a younger elf, Leyfia, Taylor believed her name was, asked, head tilted cutely to the side in confusion.
"Rachel chose it herself. She hated the name she was officially given," Taylor replied. "Personally, I thought 'Hellhound' was a pretty decent name, but I respect why she did it, to call herself what she wanted."
"Hellhound does sound like a cool alias!" Tiona nodded in agreement. She then leaned in eagerly. "So! Is it true you can make silk? Like a spider?"
"I don't make it myself, I just tell the spiders I control to do it for me," Taylor explained.
"Oooh! So that's it!" Tiona said, impressed. "I wondered how it worked!"
"Um, is it true you m-make underwear? A-and other things out of the silk?" Leyfia asked, her voice quiet, and her face red with embarrassment.
"I do," Taylor confirmed. "Are you interested?"
"Y-yes!" Leyfia nodded. "It's not that Orario doesn't have what I'm looking for, but, uh, they don't have spider silk like I'm used to."
"Elves make use of spider silk?" Taylor asked, intrigued, and Riveria nodded.
"It's one of the more common materials used in the Great Spirit Forest, and in other elfish domains," the Nine Hells explained. "There are rather large arachnid specimens, some of which are the descendants of monsters, that we've domesticated. However, producing enough silk to make clothing is a long process, sometimes taking upwards of several years to gather enough for just a single cloak or pair of gloves. Because of this, elfish silk is very rarely exported beyond our borders."
"Interesting. I take it silk from silkworms the Far East produces isn't quite the same?" Taylor asked.
"Yes, there is a subtle difference in spider silk texture that regular silk lacks," Leyfia replied.
"You know how Eastern silk is made?" Riveria asked, surprised, having caught what Taylor had said.
"Yes?" Taylor replied.
"What, wait, hang on, are you saying silk comes from worms?" Tiona gasped.
"Technically, silkworms are the larva of the silk moth. Silk is actually the cocoon the worms spin when its time to undergo metamorphosis," Taylor explained with a shrug. "To extract the silk, the cocoons are boiled in hot water, and the strands plucked out and unraveled once softened."
Nearby, Mikoto was staring at Taylor in shock. "Th-the origins of Far Eastern silk are supposed to be a highly guarded secret!" she exclaimed.
"Really?" Taylor asked, confused.
"Yes! It is!" Lucia said, sounding a little exasperated at her cluelessness. "The secrets behind silk are something the Far East jealously guards!"
"It's not a secret where I'm from," Taylor said defensively.
Mikoto groaned into her palms, Ouka had a constipated look, and Chigusa simply looked overwhelmed, while Lucia and Iris both sighed. Meanwhile, the Loki Familia was very interested in what they'd just heard. And even more intrigued by the parahuman.
"Interesting," Riveria murmured. "I suppose it makes sense. If elvish silk is made from spiders, then it stands to reason Far Eastern silk, which is a similar material, would have to be made from another species of bug."
"Please do not spread this around?" Mikoto pleaded.
"Sure. As long as Miss Taylor is alright with us placing orders for our own spider silk stuff!" Tiona said with a grin.
Taylor nodded in agreement, and started to talk shop a bit with the female Loki Familia members. Specifically, about ordering silken garments from Lucia's shop.
"Lili's awake," Taylor suddenly said, perking up and cutting the conversation she'd been having with the others short, her head shifting towards the tent the three of them had been put in.
Taylor hastily stood up and made her way over, wanting to be there for her. As for the supporter herself, Lili was disoriented and surprised by her surroundings, and tensed up when the flap to the tent began to open, but relaxed when she saw it was Taylor in the opening.
"Miss Taylor," Lili breathed out in relief, before wincing a little and holding her ribs.
"You took a bad hit," Taylor said, helping the pallum sit up.
"Y-yeah, a Minotaur hit Lili," the Supporter replied. "If not for the armor, Lili's chest would have been caved in."
"And now you see why I wanted you to wear something heavier," Taylor said smugly, and Lili rolled her eyes.
"Yes, yes, you were right, Miss Taylor, you and Welf can gloat together," Lili huffed. She glanced over at the other two people in the tent. "Are they…?"
"Bell and Welf are alright as well. They're still resting," Taylor said, rubbing Lili's back gently. "Here, drink this."
She handed a potion bottle to her, filled with a dull pink liquid. "It's diluted with water, should help you recover and rehydrate. Drink slowly."
"Th-thanks," Lili whispered, accepting the vial and drinking it slowly.
"Tell me what happened," Taylor requested, and Lili nodded.
"We were making our way down through the 13th Floor, and were getting close to the 14th, when we heard a commotion. A bunch of monsters were chasing another party that had an injured member. They ran right past us, and we were forced to face the monsters ourselves."
"A Pass Parade," Taylor said with a nod.
"How did you know?" Lili asked, surprised.
"The adventurers who performed the Pass Parade were from the Takemikazuchi Familia, and they came to us this morning after they'd recovered. They told us what happened and apologized, and some of their Familia volunteered to help us find you," Taylor explained.
"That was… honorable of them," Lili said, surprised that adventurers had willingly come forward and apologized. Most adventurers would never do something like that.
"From what I understand, the Takemikazuchi Familia puts a strong emphasis on honor," Taylor replied. "Sorry about interrupting you. Continue, please."
"Right," Lili said. "Um, after we wiped out the monsters, which wasn't very hard, we wanted to head back to the surface, but Lili accidentally fell down to a lower Floor when the ground beneath us collapsed. Bell and Welf dove down after me. We landed on the 15th Floor."
"You fell down two whole Floors?" Taylor gasped.
"It was more like sliding down a steep hill or tunnel, but yes," Lili said. "These drop holes aren't too common, but they're a nuisance. That can separate a party quickly."
Lili shivered. "Well, after we landed at the bottom of the hole, the Dungeon began to go through a Shift, and since we had no idea where exactly we were anymore, or where the exit was, we decided to wander a bit. In the end, we found the stairs down to the 16th Floor. We hadn't planned to go deeper, but too many Almiraj popped up, and chased us deeper down."
"And from there, it was one thing after another," Lili sighed. "Monsters were spawning at a ridiculous rate, and there were Minotaurs, Ligerfangs… if not for Bell and his clones, we'd have died a dozen times over. And when Welf got hurt… we decided it was safer to just double-down and keep heading deeper, till we reached the 18th Floor. Safer than trying to head back up with riled monsters above us."
"A sound decision," Taylor said. "Even so, you three are lucky to be alive."
"No need to tell Lili that," the supporter huffed. "When we reached the 17th Floor the damned Goliath spawned early! It nearly squished us, and Bell had been carrying both Lili and Welf for an entire floor at that point. He was so hurt, and he pushed himself so hard just to get us to safety…"
She trailed off and sent a worried look at Bell, and Taylor joined her. The white-haired boy had numerous bandages covering his body, and some blood-stains were soaking through. But he was alive, and would recover. The impressive vitality of an adventurer would see to that.
"Do you want to get up? Or do you want to continue resting?" Taylor asked.
"Lili wants to get up," the pallum requested after a moment, and the parahuman helped Lili stand up onto her feet.
She led her out of the tent, and Lili blinked a bit as the mimicry of the late afternoon sunlight hit her.
"Owww… so bright," Lili complained. She then noticed where she was and whose camp she was in, and she gasped. "I-is that the Loki Familia?!"
"That's right, the Loki Familia found you," Taylor confirmed as she helped Lili out over to a log being used a as a bench.
"Hey there!" Tiona said, immediately getting into Lili's personal space. "You okay?"
"U-um, yes?" Lili said, nervous being around so many powerful adventurers.
"I'm so glad! You were hurt real bad! Finn was very impressed you managed to survive such nasty wounds!" the Amazon said. "He used up one of his own health potions to heal you!"
"Hmph!" Tione huffed at that, folding her arms petulantly, and Tiona leaned in to the pallum.
"Big sis fancies the captain," she said in a not-so-quiet whisper. "She's just jealous. Don't worry."
"Telling Lili not to worry does the opposite," the supporter drawled, and Tiona gasped.
"Oh! My! GOSH! You talk in the third-person?! That is so cuuute! I just wanna hug you!"
"Please do not injure the poor lady so soon after she's recovered," Finn requested, walking over to the group upon noticing Lili having woken up.
"Yeah, yeah, got it, boss," Tiona huffed.
"Don't worry, captain, I'll make sure she keeps her distance!" Tione promised. Finn flashed the older twin a smile at that, and she blushed heavily.
Taylor and Lili watched the interaction quietly, before Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa approached, and immediately knelt down in front of the two, performing a trio of dogeza.
"Please! Forgive my Familia for what we did!" Ouka pleaded, his words echoed by Mikoto and Chigusa.
"E-eh?" Lili stammered, completely taken aback.
"We did not mean to perform a Pass Parade on you and your companions! We were trying to get an injured companion to safety!"
"I-I… it's fine," Lili mumbled. "Please, um, don't worry about it?"
Ouka did not, in fact, seem like he could stop worrying about it, which was understandable. Taylor was still not a fan of what they had done, but at least they were trying to make amends. Not everyone would do something like that.
That earned all of them favorable points in Taylor's eyes. Though the Level 2 adventurers would still need to do more to completely wipe away the debt.
Awkwardness aside, Lili was quick to be befriended by the Loki Familia's executives. After the initial nervousness, the short girl was able to banter and chat with them as if they were old comrades.
'I'll bet that her years of acting as a servile supporter has helped her out here,' Taylor mused. Lili had long worn a variety of masks in order to survive. And, perhaps, her disguise Skill was aiding her a bit. The parahuman had no idea how far Skills could assist an adventurer. Likely not as much as a Passenger, but there was probably some bleed-over.
Welf woke up an hour later, his groans alerting everyone to his status, and once again Taylor went to the tent to help him up.
"Careful," Taylor urged as she entered the tent and helped him sit up. "Your leg was badly hurt. You won't be putting much weight on it for a while."
"My Endurance stat is pretty high, I should heal up soon enough," Welf said, weakly pumping a fist.
"Even so, take it easy," Taylor ordered as she passed him a watered-down health potion.
"Did everyone make it?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes. Bell made it to the 18th Floor with you and Lili on his back," Taylor confirmed. "The Loki Familia found him. We're currently in their camp."
She then squinted at him. "Though you don't seem surprised to see me here."
"Heh. Blame Bell for that," Welf chuckled. "The whole time we were descending, he was telling us that you'd be coming to save us. That you wouldn't allow any of us to die down here. I didn't really believe him, but it seems like he was right, and I owe him and Lili a new piece of equipment at half price."
"That will teach you to bet against me," Taylor joked, and the blacksmith snorted.
She helped him hobble out of the tent, and one of the Hephestus Familia members who'd accompanied the Loki Familia into the depths passed him a hastily carved crutch, so as not to put too much weight onto his injured leg.
"So, what now?" Welf asked.
"We'll stay with the Loki Familia tonight, then they will venture back up to the surface tomorrow morning," Taylor replied. "Meanwhile, we will stay down here as long as it takes for you and the others to heal up."
"Ugh, alright," Welf grunted. "Not like I can move around much even if I wanted to."
"Good. Rest up, and recover," Taylor ordered. "I'm going to put Iris and Lucia through some drills."
"Oof. Poor girls," Welf winced. But, privately in his mind, 'Better them than me!'
Taylor rolled her eyes at him before walking over to the two new adventurers. "Okay, girls, you've had a nice, long rest, but it's time to get some training in."
"Yes, Miss Taylor," Lucia and Iris said in unison.
"Now, it won't be the full one. No monsters, and a limited swarm. Get ready," she said, pulling her regular dagger out and shifting into a combat stance.
Naturally, this drew a crowd, but Taylor wasn't too worried. She was deliberately holding back, and was getting in more hand-to-hand training with the newbies. And of course there was the physical conditioning and stamina workouts.
"Jeez, lady, you don't think you're being a bit too hard on them?" a Loki adventurer asked incredulously as he watched the brutal 'training' session.
"Yeah, even Amazons would find that workout hard!" Tiona commented, whistling a little.
"Sweat now to avoid bleeding later," Taylor replied as she finished a Suicide Set. "Even if I'm more used to being a rear-line fighter, like a mage, I still understand that sometimes, there's no choice to fight up close and dirty."
"You're a mage?" Leyfia gasped.
"Sort of," Taylor replied. "I only have one spell right now, but my swarm isn't too different from the way a typical mage uses their magic for area denial and territory control, and I've met other… adventurers who've relied too much on a gimmick and not their own strength, and lost because of it."
"A good point," Riveria said. "Even I have some Bo staff training in case I have to use my staff in melee, and I always carry a knife."
Taylor nodded back at the veteran mage. "Exactly. Relying too much on magic or Skills is a trap many adventurers fall into, and I don't plan on being one of those."
Many of the Executives nodded in agreement at that, glints in their eyes. Several Familia members shivered as they had a premonition there was pain and sweat in their near future.
Ais was staring at Taylor the whole time, an unknowable emotion in her own gaze. Taylor did her best to ignore the monster-hating woman, but it was very uncomfortable to be stared at like that.
Time passed, more training was done, and it was late at night when Bell finally woke up, groaning weakly. Taylor's swarm noticed, and she quickly hurried off to his side.
"Thank you for coming to rescue us, Miss Taylor," Bell said, his voice weak but filled with gratitude as he looked up at her.
"That's the first thing you say when you see me?" Taylor asked, hiding the way his genuine belief in her touched her heartstrings.
"Because I knew you come," Bell replied.
"Here," Taylor said, deciding to ignore the blush on her face as she passed him a potion.
As he drank, Taylor explained where he was, and who had rescued him. She then helped him up, leading him out into the Loki Familia's camp.
The 18th Floor had darkened, tiny speckles of glowing crystal providing illumination along with campfires.
"Whoa," Bell breathed out, looking around. "It's beautiful!"
"I suppose," Taylor said. She still found the whole floor eerie.
"You're okay," Ais said as she spotted Bell, showing a flicker of emotion, before grabbing him into a hug. Since she was still wearing her armor it probably hurt a bit, but from the blush on his face, he didn't mind too much.
Some of the Loki Familia began to hoot, cheer, and jeer at Bell as he was shown affection by one of Orario's most beautiful (and powerful) adventurers. Even Welf, Lili, and the Hestia Familia smirked and giggled at his not-quite-misfortune.
"Alright, alright, don't hurt the poor rabbit again, Ais," Finn ordered, a teasing smirk on his face as he walked over, saving Bell from suffocation and a crushed spine.
He then clapped his hands. "Now, how about some food?"
That got a loud cheer from the rest of the adventurers, and everyone began to get out pots, pans, and other supplies for a large cookout.
"Do your monsters need anything?"
"No, they will be fine," Taylor replied. "If they get hungry, I will take them to the 19th Floor to hunt for some Magic Stones. And if they need anything else, I can always grab some of the fruit growing down here."
It had been a surprise to see that there was actually something edible down on the 18th Floor, with the trees sprouting large, bulbous yellow fruits that resembled what a child might think a fruit was supposed to look like, but had never actually seen one before. Since she'd seen some of the Loki Familia eating them, it seemed safe enough for regular people to do so.
"Food?" Bell asked eagerly, perking up at that. Smiling in response, Taylor sent Chris off to fetch some from a nearby grove, and he returned with his scythe-arms full of them. They had a sweet scent, like overly ripe apricots, and varied in size, ranging from apple to watermelon.
Taylor had Chris slice and dice a few, and passed them out to anyone who was interested. Tiona and Leyfia both eagerly accepted, and even Gareth took a couple slices.
"Ugh! It's so sweet! What is this?!" Bell gagged out after taking a huge bite of his own piece, spitting a little to clear the taste off his tongue.
"Honey Cloud," Tiona said with a giggle. "It's a crazy sweet fruit that only grows down here on the 18th Floor."
"It's like I just ate an entire beehive's worth of honey, and then washed it down with a bunch of sugar," Welf grimaced as he tried some himself.
"Lili has only had it dried," the supporter hummed as she nibbled on her own slice. "It spoils too quickly once picked, so the only way to handle it is to eat it right away, or preserve it. The inhabitants of Rivira process Honey Cloud fruit and sell it to other adventurers and the surface. They make jam, moonshine, fruit leather and more out of it."
"Hmm, not bad," Taylor said, taking a bite of her own fruit. It reminded her a juicy peach, but with a distinct tang of honey. Compared to the artificially flavored food of Earth Bet, though, this was rather mild. Still, she supposed for a world that hadn't managed to mass-produce sugar, Honey Cloud fruit would be rather overwhelming.
Everyone stared at her as she ate it, then another, without any issue.
"Wow," Lili breathed out.
"Your teeth are gonna rot and fall out if you're not carefully, Miss Taylor," Lucia warned.
"As long as you brush your teeth afterwards and don't eat them every day, you'll be fine," Taylor replied dismissively. "It's actually worse to eat too many carb-rich food like bread, pasta, and potatoes since the carbohydrates and starch within them turns into simple sugars as they're digested."
"Well, now you've gone and ruined our Pasta Nights," Finn joked, though he was clearly processing what Taylor had said, and deeply curious about where her knowledge was coming from. He didn't know what 'carbs' were, and was very interested in what else she might know.
He wasn't the only one, as Riveria and Leyfia were intrigued as well, but the Loki Familia was polite enough not to pry.
The meal itself was basic and bland, but filling. Salted and dried meat, dense, hard-baked bread, and plenty of water and moonshine, the latter bought from the makeshift town nearby. Despite it, or perhaps because of it, the adventurers happily began to celebrate another successful return from the depths of the Dungeon.
Taylor allowed a tiny smile to slip onto her face as she watched Tiona rope Bell into a conversation about heroes, followed by a slightly drunk Mikoto bowing at Bell and weepily begging for him to forgive.
This was not how she'd expected the day to go at all, but she was glad that everything had gone well, with no deaths or major injuries.
What the next couple of days would bring was anybody's guess, but Taylor had a feeling things were going to be just fine.
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"We'll, it's been fun, but it's time for us to head back to the surface," Finn said, giving Taylor a nod. It was around ten in the morning and the Loki Familia had packed up and was ready to depart.
Finn tilted his head to the side as he regarded the parahuman who had come to see them off. "You sure you're alright sticking around here for a bit longer? We'd be happy to escort you back up."
"It's a kind offer, but Bell and the others still need some time to recover," Taylor replied with a shake of her head. "Welf's leg especially needs more healing before I'm willing to risk moving him, even with the Dungeon Worm to carry us most of the way."
"A broken leg is always a tricky issue to deal with down in the Dungeon," Finn nodded in understanding.
He then glanced over at where Bell was talking with Ais, the two of them looking bashful and cute as they tried to say goodbye to each other, but were unable to say anything as their feelings got in their way.
"Anyways, little lady, we'll probably see each other a bit more in the future," Finn said, looking back at Taylor. "A crush between two Familia members isn't much of an excuse to work together, but nobody will say too much about it."
Taylor raised an eyebrow at the pallum, who just grinned shamelessly back.
"I'm more than twice your height," Taylor eventually retorted, deciding to ignore the fact that the Braver himself wanted to work more closely with her. She knew he was interested in her. Not romantically, thankfully, but in her knowledge.
'Hestia may have had a point when she warned me about not spreading around what I know,' she thought to herself.
The Loki Familia was a large and powerful group within Orario, possessing a lot of power, both hard and soft. From what she'd gathered on them so far, the best word to describe them was 'curious.' They seemed to delve the Dungeon not for fame or fortune, but because it was a mystery. Perhaps befitting the Familia sworn to someone who took the name of the Norse trickster god. Though Taylor wasn't going to lower her guard around somebody who called themself 'Loki' either.
'I'll have to step up talks between Naaza and Shakti. If the three of our Familias combine our influence, it should hopefully be enough to prevent Loki Familia from trying anything too shady or underhanded when they inevitably come and try to make a deal with us,' Taylor thought to herself.
"I'll let Hestia know that Loki is interested in having a chat when I get back," Taylor said, and Finn chuckled.
"Great! Now, goodbye, Miss Taylor. It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Same. Good luck returning to the surface. And thank you for passing my letter on to Hestia."
Finn nodded at her and patted his pouch where he'd stowed the short note Taylor had penned. It would hopefully reassure Hestia that everyone was safe.
He then walked off to join his Familia in the Vanguard, and without much fanfare they departed, heading into the passageway leading up to the 17th Floor.
Bell watched them – or rather, Ais – leave, and Taylor patted him on the shoulder.
"Cheer up, Bell. You'll see your girlfriend again soon."
"S-she's not my girlfriend!" the white-haired boy stammered.
"Of course she isn't," Taylor said, clearly not believing him.
"I just respect her! She's very strong and beautiful and I'm going to shut up now before I put my foot further into my mouth."
"Wise decision," Taylor said. "Now, come on. I want to find a new campsite for tonight, and explore the shantytown."
"Right!" Bell said, relieved to have something else to focus on, and not get teased for his crush on the Sword Princess.
His relief would not last long. The others had also seen everything, and all of them, even Ryuu and Mikoto, teased Bell a little.
The sight of it brought a tiny smile to Taylor, as she reveled in the normality of the whole situation. Even while they were stuck deep below the ground, it was just another day in Orario.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Duels and Fools
Chapter Text
Chapter 20: Duels and Fools
"So, this is the City Below, huh?" Welf said, looking up at the rough wooden palisade wall surrounding the town of Rivira.
"Doesn't look like much," Lili commented. "And it's more of a village than a city."
"Agreed, it's no Orario," Iris agreed.
"It's impressive that they've built anything down here at all, though," Lucia pointed out, something that the rest of them could all agree with.
The settlement of Rivira was nothing at all like the place in France that vaguely shared a similar name. For one, there were less beaches and vineyards, and more buildings made out of scrap. Though to be fair, the buildings within the town were surprisingly well-made for a place that was known to be destroyed on a fairly regular basis. Perhaps the most curious part of it was that the town was built atop a series of mountain ledges and plateaus that sat underneath the branches of a gargantuan tree, one of the largest growing on the 18th Floor.
Approaching the entrance, which was a massive gate that looked far better built than any other part of the town, a pair of Level 2 adventurers jumped down to meet them. Upon landing in front of them, the Hestia Familia and friends could see they wore the elephant head pins of the Ganesha Familia, and it made sense to Taylor for the Familia who enforced order in Orario's streets to have a stake in keeping the 18th Floor orderly as well.
"Welcome to Rivira," one of the guards grunted out, tapping a mace against his thigh. "You look like newcomers with those wide-eyed stares of yours, so let me tell you the rules down here. One! No starting any fights within the walls. If you have a problem with somebody, you take it outside. Two! There is no haggling prices! You take it or leave it! Three! If you want to sell something, take it up with the chief! He runs the tavern! And four! Monsters cannot enter! Your tamed beasties will have to wait outside!"
"Very well, those are acceptable terms," Taylor said, making a gesture at Chris and the other monsters with her. They obediently moved away off of the dirt path leading to the town and hunkered down to wait, though they were still well within her range.
"Alright, in ya go," the mace-wielding guard said, and as he said that, his companion, a bull-man, bent down and proceeded to dead-lift the gate, allowing them to pass through while he held it up.
"That's one way to do things," Taylor noted, Lucia nodding along.
"Only a Level 2 or higher would have the physical strength to open it," Iris guessed. "Certainly would help keep the town secure against some monsters."
"Heh, that's right, lady," the bull-man adventurer chuckled, slapping it fondly. "This gate has survived eight different monster waves! Every other part of the town breaks first before it gives way!"
Entering the town, the interior was just as paradoxically shabby and well-built as the exterior. Everything had a rough and crude feeling, the building materials made of raw, untreated wood and stone. There were even marks here and there where cracks had been sealed with different materials, or entire buildings had been put back together with spit, nails, prayer and cement after being knocked down, likely by monsters.
"This place is rather rough and tumble," Lucia noted.
"That's a polite way to call it," Welf chuckled. "Still, impressed they could do all of this down here using nothing but the Dungeon itself to provide resources."
"The prices are outrageous, though," Lili noted, glancing at the stalls. Wooden boards with charcoal words and numbers denoted the prices of everything, and a cursory look revealed that the cheapest items were at least thrice what they cost up on the surface. Some vendors even accepted Magic Stones and Drop Items as payment, which was an interesting business model.
Of course, that made sense to Taylor. It would require a party of Level 2 adventurers to safely make it down to the 18th Floor and then back up again, so any food or other goods the Dungeon couldn't produce were likely quite expensive.
'Though that does raise some interesting ideas for the future,' Taylor thought to herself. Her Tamed monsters could blaze a trail down to the 18th Floor easily if she was so inclined. She could make a massive profit bringing food and other supplies to the 18th Floor and selling them to the locals.
For the moment though such things were for the future, and Taylor cast her eyes around at the bazaar-esque marketplace the town had set up in the middle of the settlement. Indeed, it seemed as if Rivira had been built around the market square, with the large building the guards had claimed was the tavern also holding a spot of importance.
There were some interesting things being sold. Magic Stones and Drop Items were the most common, but chunks of raw ore hewn from the Dungeon's walls were also available. They had Welf almost drooling over them, as they were quite rare to find and acquire on the surface.
"If only I hadn't left my money back in the city," Welf chuckled to himself as he browsed the materials.
"Would any of these help with our projects?" Taylor wondered, and he nodded.
"We'll eventually need plenty of Mythril and Adamantite, but those can be gotten elsewhere for cheaper," Welf said before pointing to a couple of items. "Troll sinew is incredibly tough. It's normally used for bowstrings, and we can make Lili's crossbows with it, too. Orichalcum wouldn't be amiss, either. Damn sturdy metal. Hardest substance in the world! Titanium would be good too, it's lightweight and yet harder than steel, so it's perfect for a lot of different things, but can only be found in a few places in the world. Some high-grade Magic Stones will be needed as well to be used during the forging process, as unless you use magically infused flames, Mythril is very hard to shape."
"I see," Taylor said, taking note of everything he said.
"If only we had some Minotaur leather, I'd be able to make some great lightweight armor for everyone," Welf sighed a little. "Ah, well. Maybe the Loki Familia will be selling some, or we'll grab some on the way home."
A loud rumbling cut through the air caused everyone to look at Bell, who flushed heavily and looked away, putting his hands over his stomach.
"Hmm, I suppose it is getting close to lunch time," Taylor said, a tiny smile on her face.
"We should check out the bar," Iris suggested. "I bet that's where we'll find some decent food in this place."
"Makes sense," Lili nodded. They headed to the building, and found that it smelled of stale beer and urine. An unpleasant combination to be sure. It was also full of adventurers, all of whom were Level 2 or higher. The bartender was one of these stronger men, and was heavily scarred with an eyepatch covering his left eye.
They stared at the group, eyes lingering on the women in the group, though nobody did anything until somebody slammed a fist onto the table and stood up.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Lucky Rabbit," a scruffy adventurer sneered at Bell. "What are you doing down here?"
Taylor recognized the man. She had passed by him in the Dungeon a while back. Mord was his name, wasn't it? She zoned out a bit, bored by his rant, and only started paying attention when he started foaming at the mouth.
"…no way you became a Level 2 adventurer on your own!" Mord shouted, slamming a fist against the table once more for emphasis. "You must have cheated somehow!"
"Cool. Cool. How, exactly?" Iris asked, looking at Mord like he was a complete moron. To be fair, she wasn't the only one. Plenty of people were giving him bemused and pitying looks.
"H-he must have bought a super-weapon!" Mord said, not having expected somebody to call him out on his idiotic accusations. "Or maybe a Grimoire!"
"Even if he could afford a 'super-weapon' or Grimoire like that, it still wouldn't be cheating, just pay to win," Taylor said dryly.
"Ooo, 'pay-to-win.' Lili likes that," Lili murmured.
"You know, he looks familiar," Welf muttered to himself.
"Yeah, didn't that guy try to pick a fight with you a while ago, Bell?" Lili wondered, squinting at the adventurer.
"Did he?" Bell asked, scratching his head.
"He did," Ryuu said flatly. "He tried to hit on Syr and myself, but got offended when we preferred your company to that of his."
"Oh, right, now I remember!" the recently promoted Level 2 said, snapping his fingers. Mord's face was steadily turning red as he was disrespected, and Taylor couldn't help but smirk a little bit.
Mord may have been a Level 2 same as Bell, but it was clear to her and her swarm that Bell was stronger. His Stats alone were quite high, having been around low Level 2 in raw numbers long before Leveling Up.
Whether or not Bell's minimal combat training could help overcome the gap in fighting experience was another matter, but add in his Skill, and Bell could likely win a fight in against Mord.
"I'll show you your place, you little shit!" Mord snarled and took a step towards Bell, but he froze when a loud "Thunk!" rang out as an axe embedded itself into the bar's counter.
"No fighting in the town," the bartender growled, out, hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, and everyone immediately settled down. Until a certain dark-haired parahuman decided to escalate the situation.
"Bell, you should fight him," Taylor suggested, causing everyone to turn and stare at her.
"Not in here, of course," Taylor quickly added when the bartender – whose hum marked him as a Level 3 adventurer – narrowed his eyes at her. "But outside the town."
"Why?" Bell asked, bewildered.
"Think of it as training," Taylor replied. "Just fighting with us and Ais will improve your combat ability, but a variety of opponents will also help."
"She's right," Mikoto spoke up, and Ryuu nodded. "Different opponents grant you greater opportunities to improve."
"So go and fight him, Bell," Taylor instructed, using the tone of voice a mother might use on fussy children who didn't want to eat their vegetables.
"Hold on, why are you just acting like I'll agree to any of this?" Mord demanded, clearly annoyed at being seen as nothing more than a training dummy.
"Are you saying you don't want the chance to, how did you put it, 'show him his place?'" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow, and Mord spluttered a little before glowering at Bell.
"Fine!" he spat out. "I'll be at the waterfall! You better not get cold feet, you wet-behind the ears brat!"
He stomped out, his Familia members following along behind him a moment later, and Bell gave Taylor an exasperated look.
"What? You'll do fine," Taylor replied. "Besides, it's better to not let things like that fester. Give him time to dwell on things, and he would probably try something… stupid. Well, stupider."
"Lili agrees," the pallum said, backing up Taylor. "Adventurers are prideful. And if they don't have an outlet to vent their frustrations and just bottle up their resentment… it gets bad. Lili has seen it happen too often in the Soma Familia."
"Like lancing a boil," Ryuu said in a soft voice.
"And hey, maybe after he gets it out of his system he'll respect you, or something," Welf suggested.
"This isn't a story," Taylor warned. "Defeating somebody doesn't just magically make them like you."
She then turned to the bartender. "By the way, do you sell food?"
"We sell a few things," he replied. "But shouldn't you be getting ready for a fight?"
"I never said 'when' we would fight him," Taylor replied with a smirk, and the bartender barked out a laugh which was echoed by the other adventurers in the bar.
"You're a gutsy gal," he chuckled as he started to grab some food. It wasn't much, just hard tack and jerky, and ridiculously expensive for such plain fare, but they paid all the same and ate a light lunch before making their way out of town.
"Now, where are they?" Lucia wondered, looking around.
"Did you see a scruffy, brown-haired adventurer and his friends pass by here?" Mikoto asked one of the gate guards.
"Yeah, they headed off towards the waterfall in that direction," the guard said, pointing to the north.
"Ah, good, so they didn't change their plans," Iris hummed. Taylor nodded, not bothering to let the others know she'd put bugs on their clothes so she'd be able to track them as soon as they came into range.
As their party headed up to the dueling spot, she gathered the monstrous members of her swarm to her, and they rode to the waterfall in style atop the back of a Dungeon Worm.
'I think I will take the plunge and see if the Guild will allow me to bring it back to the surface with us,' Taylor thought to herself as she ran a hand over the curiously smooth chitin of the monster she was riding. It wasn't likely, though.
A Crystal Mantis or Killer Ant? Acceptable. A giant, burrowing worm-monster that can potentially drill right through the Dungeon itself to reach the surface? Significantly less likely to be allowed. But it had been a loyal and helpful mount so far, and Taylor, spoiled by her previous life of automobiles and capes with Mover powers had her longing for the easy days of moving quicker than a brisk walk.
Sure, adventurers were significantly faster on foot than horses and bicycles and could outrun cars at higher levels, but that still required using your own limbs to get anywhere.
'If I can't keep a Dungeon Worm, I should invent the bicycle to make getting through the Dungeon faster and easier,' Taylor decided, thoughts already swirling about in her head.
Welf would be interested, she had no doubt. Could she work with the Hephestus Familia? The woman who'd taken the mantle of the God of Smiths had apparently been interested in her knife. Leveraging her knowledge of Earth Bet could be beneficial…
"We're almost there, Miss Taylor," Bell whispered to her as they neared the waterfall.
She already knew that, as she could detect the bugs she'd hidden on Mord and his Familia, but could also sense the presence of a few other men who hadn't been with them back in the bar. An ambush? No, they weren't set up like that. They were in the open, standing around in a clearing near a small lake that'd formed around the waterfall.
'Then again, they might not think they need tricks like that against us,' Taylor mused. All twelve of the gathered adventurers facing them were Level 2. They likely assumed their party was weak. And, to be fair, they were. There were only two Level 2 adventurers in the party of eight, but they also had Ryuu, whom the parahuman was fairly certain could handle all of them on her own.
Taylor noted how many of the adventurers flinched and tensed up when they saw the small horde of monsters approaching, and some began muttering about, 'Bug Girl' and how 'this wasn't what they'd signed up for!'
Mord hid his apprehension of the swarm better, but it was still there. Still, he didn't do anything other than watch. And curiously, he now had a black bronze helmet hanging off his waist, and it felt magical to her swarm's senses.
"About time you showed up," Mord sneered, glaring at the party as they jumped off the back of the Dungeon Worm.
"Not your fault you never specified when you'd have your duel," Taylor replied, and he growled, before huffing and drawing his sword.
"Whatever," he replied. "I've wanted to do this for a while! One-on-one, no Skills or spells, just raw talent and equipment!"
"Alright," Bell said, accepting those conditions. He drew the Hestia Knife and settled into a stance, one Taylor recognized as a defensive style he'd designed himself after facing down Ais so many times. It would let Bell counter an opponent who was larger and stronger than him.
Taylor had come to learn that Bell was a genius when it came to combat, rapidly assimilating lessons and adapting quickly to his opponents, and this duel would only help him grow.
For a few seconds, the only sound in the clearing was the roar of the waterfall as the duelists stared each other down, then it was broken by the "CLANG!" of metal as sword met dagger, and Mord and Bell began their dance of battle, blades clashing and sending sparks flying with every blow.
Bell ducked beneath a wide swing, only to have to roll to the side as a knee tried to smash into his nose. He tried to retaliate and stab Mord through the gap in his armor underneath his arm, But the scruffy swordsman jinked out of the way and slashed at Bell's neck in response.
The two broke apart, taking a few steps back, before rushing back in. Long sword clanged against knife, and Bell brilliantly guided the sword away from him with the Hestia Knife. He then pressed on, taking a page out of his opponent's book and driving an elbow into Mord's stomach which did not do as much as it could have due to Mord sliding back at the last second, reducing the impact.
Taylor watched the fight closely. Mord was strong and had plenty of experience fighting, but Bell was faster, and he was able to weave around Mord's sword strikes and counter any attack that threatened him. Unfortunately, Bell's own weapon was too short, and Mord used his sword's superior reach to keep the white-haired teen at bay.
However, Mord's sword was inferior to Bell's weapon, and it soon began to show as nicks and scratches covered the older adventurer's weapon, dulling the edge. He was also being pushed back, unable to immediately overpower Bell as he'd clearly expected to be fighting a much weaker opponent and hadn't planned ahead for a longer fight.
"Shit! Fine, then! Guess I have no choice!" Mord suddenly shouted, and he jumped back to create distance between himself and Bell. He then pulled his helmet off of his belt and put it onto his head. The moment Mord did, he vanished, abruptly turning invisible.
"He has a Hade's Head Helmet?" Ryuu whispered in disbelief as the rest of Bell's companions watching tensed up and shouted out loud in shock at the sight of Bell's opponent disappearing.
"You know what that is?" Taylor asked, glancing at the Level 4 adventurer.
"They're powerful magical tools that turn the wearer invisible," Ryuu said. "But they are expensive. Around the same price as a Grimoire."
Taylor winced. The cheapest Grimoires went for millions of valis, and there was no way Mord could have afforded that on his own. Not to mention, he hadn't possessed the helmet inside Rivira.
"Somebody wanted to test Bell and gave Mord that helmet," Taylor guessed in a low voice, and Ryuu nodded.
"Yes. I think so, too."
She glanced at Ryuu curiously. "You don't seem worried."
"Bell is strong," the elf said confidently. "And look at how he's dodging. He can detect where Mord is."
It was true. While Bell had a few cuts on him from earlier strikes, the shock of his opponent's invisibility was fading, and the white-haired adventurer was starting to be able to detect where the strikes would come from next.
Ryuu then shot a searching look at Taylor. "You can follow Mord's movements as well, can't you?"
Taylor nodded. Even if he was invisible, her bugs were still clinging to him and she knew exactly where the adventurer was through them.
"You can tell where Mord is too," Taylor commented, and Ryuu offered a tiny smile.
"Any adventurer around Level 3 or higher would be able to do so. The Falna enhances all of your senses, after all. And elves have sharper hearing and sight than almost any other race."
Taylor could understand that. And thinking about it further, a Hade's Head didn't seem to be a worthwhile investment for an adventurer. If you could afford one, you could afford a Grimoire or better equipment. Sure, the artifact could help you sneak past monsters, but at higher levels, it was simply easier to just kill them instead. Assuming a monster didn't have a way to detect invisible opponents and thus rendered the helmet useless.
'To think that an item that can grant anybody a Stranger rating would be considered a waste of money for the adventurers of Orario,' Taylor mused to herself. If she'd had something like that in Brockton Bay…
She shook her head. No, she shouldn't dwell on what-ifs.
Instead, she kept her attention firmly on the duel. Bell had recovered from his initial surprise and was now managing to block Mord's sword strikes with extreme precision. He was using the footprints in the dirt Mord was making and listening to the rustle of his armor to follow his movement.
And then, it was all over. In a flash, Bell leapt into the air and delivered a kick which managed to not only hit Mord but also knocked the enchanted helmet off his head. Dazed, Mord staggered backwards, but Bell wasn't done yet. He landed on the ground and then tackled Mord to the ground, before standing over him, the Hestia Knife pressed against his neck.
"I win," Bell declared, eyes narrowed as he stared down at his opponent.
Mord stared back, jaw tight, before he murmured out, "I surrender."
Bell's stern expression immediately morphed into a smile as he drew his blade back, then he helped Mord back onto his feet. "Good fight! You're really strong!"
"Ugh, well, yeah, of course I am," Mord replied. "Wouldn't have survived ten years in the Dungeon, otherwise."
"Heh, Bell ought to have a Skill called 'Charisma,'" Welf chuckled as he watched two former enemies acting friendly.
Taylor nodded slowly in agreement, taken aback by how quickly things had turned around, before her eyes fell onto the bronze helm lying in the dirt.
"Hey! What are you doing?" one of the adventurers demanded as he saw Taylor walking towards the dropped magical headwear.
"Consider it our spoils of victory," Taylor said as she picked up the Hade's Head.
"That's fine," Mord grunted out, waving off his friend's concern. "Not like it's mine in the first place."
That confirmed something Taylor had assumed about how he'd gotten his hands on something like that. Mord had had a backer for the fight. But who? Her swarm couldn't detect anyone nearby, but they could be watching from beyond her range if they were a high enough Level.
She wanted to ask him what he knew about the person that'd offered the magical item to him, but it didn't seem like the time. Later, perhaps, when there was some privacy.
With the duel over, the other adventurers began to leave, going their separate ways. Mord seemed to have taken a liking to Bell now that the bad blood between them was gone, and they were chatting with each other as they walked back to Rivira, with Ryuu following along to keep an eye on him for Syr, or so she claimed.
Since Welf's leg was still injured, Taylor helped him back onto the Dungeon Worm, along with the others, and brought them back to the settlement that way. Then, Welf conscripted Lili and Mikoto to help him pick out some materials for new equipment, leaving the Hestia Familia's newbies with the parahuman.
"What should we do now?" Lucia wondered.
"Training?" Iris suggested.
"Maybe later," Taylor said, causing the two to gasp and stare at her in disbelief.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Miss Taylor "Training Maniac' Hebert?" Iris exclaimed, pointing at the parahuman accusingly.
"Follow me," Taylor said, rolling her eyes at the cowgirl's antics.
"We're going to do training here, then?" Iris wondered, looking around at the spot Taylor had led them to. It was fairly open, nothing but fake grass all around.
"Iris, Lucia, I have something to tell you," Taylor said, looking over at her Familia members with a stern expression.
"What is it, Miss Taylor?" Lucia asked.
"The trek back up may be dangerous, even with the Ryuu and Mikoto helping," Taylor informed them. "And even if nothing goes wrong this time, who knows when the next incident will happen. Or what it will be."
She took a deep breath. "That's why I want to give you both something to help keep you safe."
"Is this because of the fight Bell got into?" Iris asked, proving that she was quick on the uptake, and Taylor nodded. The brawl against Mord had reminded her of something she'd been keen to forget; just because she was willing to leave other people alone, didn't mean other people would pay her the same courtesy.
Like sharks tasting blood in the water, the different factions in Orario wanted to devour Bell. He was new. Unique. Interesting. And people were going to pay a lot more attention to them.
'Just like how somebody used Mord to get a measure of Bell's capabilities,' Taylor thought to herself, the Helm of Invisibility she had taken from Mord proof of that.
Enchanted weapons and magical items on par of the helm she'd obtained as spoils of war cost upwards of millions of valis at the cheapest, according to Ryuu and her own research. There was no way a Level 2 adventurer could amass the money to buy something like that on their own. To compare it to her old world, it would be like a cop or soldier trying to get their hands on Tinkertech weaponry. With their sort of salary, the only way they could possibly obtain Tinkertech was through shady means. Either theft, or being given it by somebody else who could afford it.
"So, what do you want to give us?" Lucia asked curiously.
"I have the ability to grant people Skills," Taylor informed her two Familia members.
"What?!" they gasped in unison.
"Yes. It can only be done once, but you will obtain a power that will vastly increase your power and survivability."
"Is that what Bell's clone Skill is?" Lucia guessed with a thoughtful expression.
"Correct. It's the Skill I granted him," Taylor confirmed.
"Why are you offering us something like this?" Iris wondered.
"I want to protect you. I want you all to be safe," Taylor explained. "The Skills I can give you are powerful, and will instantly give you the power to defend yourselves better. No need to have Hestia update your Falna to be able to use them."
"That sounds… incredible," Lucia hummed.
"It sounds like it will make me stronger," Iris said, and she bowed her head towards Taylor. "Thank you for the offer. And I accept."
"Me, too," Lucia said, quickly agreeing with her friend, mimicking her with a bow.
"Alright, then," Taylor said, and she held out her hand towards them while reaching for her Skill. Her passenger stirred, and once more, she felt tendrils reach out from her.
Curiously, there seemed to be a bit of hesitation on the Shard's part. Was it reluctant to grant Lucia and Iris Shards of their own? There'd been nothing like this with Bell.
'The Skill description does say something about worthiness,' Taylor recalled. 'Is it judging them to be insufficient hosts?'
She didn't like that, and urged her passenger to go forward with the Skill granting. In the end, it complied, and Iris and Lucia both tensed up as the tendrils of extra-dimensional energy reached out and connected to their brains.
And then everything went wrong.
The 18th Floor suddenly turned dark as the fake sky above them turned from calming blue to a bloody red and the ground started to violently shake, as if the Dungeon was trying to bury them all.
There were screams echoing through the air, audible even from where Taylor and the two newly Sharded adventurers were.
Worse, a massive dark shape appeared in the ceiling, slowly resolving into a massive, humanoid figure that smashed its way through, dropping down into the middle of the floor.
"A Goliath?!" Lucia screamed. "HERE?!"
"It's huge! And black!" Iris uttered in horror as it rose up, letting out a roar that shook the air. "It's a rare variant!"
"Back to Rivira!" Taylor instantly commanded, and the three of them jumped onto their monstrous transport, with a single thought passing through their minds.
What the Hell was going?!
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Hermes stared up at the ceiling in absolute horror. Normally, he would have assumed that the sudden activity of the Dungeon was due to the artifact he was using to hide his divine presence having malfunctioned or gotten lost.
But no, for once, he was completely innocent of wrongdoing. The God of Messengers and Thieves had felt the explosion of foreign power erupt from somewhere near the town of Rivira, and a moment later the Dungeon had gone into overdrive in response.
'I just wanted to offer my services to the Bug Girl and find out if my suspicions regarding Bell's 'grandfather' were correct!' he thought to himself bitterly. 'Why did things turn out like this?!'
After a moment he shook his head, a scowl stretched across his face. Now was not the time to act like this!
"Asfi!" Hermes barked out, and his Captain jerked out of the stupor she'd fallen into at his side, glancing away from the Black Goliath.
"Lord Hermes?" she asked, and the god winced. He'd not heard his beloved little mortal child sound so afraid in a long time, and he instinctively slipped into a more commanding presence.
"Asfi! Keep it together!" he ordered her, and she shivered before snapping back to attention, her expressionless mask falling over her face.
"Yes, Lord Hermes," she replied. "I'm sorry for that brief lapse. What do you need of me?"
"Fly out and alert the adventurers on the 18th Floor. I doubt they've failed to notice this, but make sure. Round them up, order them to form combat lines! If this rare variant Goliath rampages too much, it might damage the Dungeon, and cause a Juggernaut to spawn!" Hermes told her.
"Understood!" Asfi said, nodding her head before flying up into the air with her magical boots.
Hermes watched her go with a constipated look. He wasn't exactly the kind to go around praying, but right now, he could use some divine intervention.
Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Giantslayer
Chapter Text
Chapter 21: Giantslayer
For whatever reason, the Black Goliath was not rampaging. In fact, it seemed almost confused, perhaps even a mite curious. It was looking around, eyes narrowed as its nostrils flared every so often as it scented the air. It was searching for something. Or someone. And Taylor had a sinking suspicion that it was her the enormous monster was trying to find.
'It appeared right after I granted Lucia and Iris their Shards,' Taylor thought to herself, glaring at the Black Goliath. 'And Hestia said that she'd been able to feel it when I granted Bell his Shard, as well…'
Put those clues together, and it was painfully obvious the Dungeon had not only detected Queen Administrator's presence, but it had reacted to it in a violent manner.
The time to ponder that would come later, however. For now, Taylor urged her Dungeon Worm – she really needed to give it a name – towards Rivira.
As they got closer, she could see that the town was in an uproar, dozens of adventurers rushing around. There wasn't blind panic, though. This wasn't the first time the 18th had suffered monster attacks. The scale was a bit different, but they had contingency plans.
"Miss Taylor!" Bell breathed out in relief when he saw her. He was standing outside the town with the rest of the part.
"I'm here," she said curtly, looking around at Bell, Welf, Lili, and Ryuu and the Takemikazuchi Familia members. "Are you alright?"
"We're fine," Welf assured her. "Mord got us out of the town as soon the sky turned weird."
"Lili thinks he didn't want us underfoot while preparing for battle," Lili suggested
"We can help, though!" Bell said. "We can't just let them handle everything!"
"What we should do is leave and find safety on the upper levels," Welf shot back. "A couple more adventurers won't make any difference."
"We can't leave," Iris said grimly. "Can't you see? The Black Goliath is between us and the exit to the 17th Floor."
"Oh," the blacksmith muttered, wilting a bit. He glanced at Taylor. Or rather, at the Dungeon Worm. "Couldn't we use that big beastie to burrow through the walls of the Dungeon and escape that way?"
"No!" Ryuu shouted, her face showing an expression of pure terror.
"Miss Ryuu?" Bell asked nervously. That was the first time any of them had seen the elf display any sort of emotion, and it worried them that it'd come from such a simple suggestion.
Ryuu bit her lip, before explaining. "If the Dungeon gets too badly damaged, either due to adventurers or monsters, there is a chance it was spawn something known as a Juggernaut. It can reflect any magic and even Skills sent its, and though its strength varies depending on the floor it is born from, it can be as strong as a Level 4 on average. It's only weakness is that it is fragile, but that's not saying much."
The elf shook her head. "If the Dungeon Worm tries to burrow through the ground to reach the upper floors, then the chance that it, combined with destruction made in the wake of the Goliath, might cause a Juggernaut to spawn. That's why we can't leave the Dungeon that way!"
There was more to it than that. Had one of these 'Juggernauts' hurt her at some point? Not knowing her past, Taylor could only guess, but the idea that the Dungeon would react like that was worrying, as it once more showed this place was more than it seemed.
"I don't know if we could even escape in that manner in the first place," Taylor spoke up. "The Dungeon Worm burrows through the use of some sort of magic, or perhaps a Skill, that moves the earth away from it as it moves. This ability only extends a centimeter or so from its skin, so we couldn't ride it and have it burrow at the same time."
She shook her head. "And if we tried to follow behind it, well, I don't know how fast the Dungeon reacts to and heals damage done to it. We could be trapped inside a tunnel as the ground closes in around us, or crushed as the floor rearranges and restores itself. It's simply too risky."
"Damn it," Welf growled. "We really are trapped."
"Then that just means we have to help," Bell declared firmly.
"Bell…" Taylor murmured, before nodding. "Fine. You raise a good point."
"I do?" he asked, surprised he'd managed to convince her.
"Is it really so surprising?" the parahuman asked. "And I suppose I want to help as well. I did want to be a hero once upon a time, after all."
"Yes!" Bell said, pumping a fist. "What do we do?"
"Bell, you and Ryuu are the fastest ones here. Go to Rivira, find out what you can do to help, and tell them to set aside a forge."
"Okay!" he nodded.
"A forge?" Welf muttered. "Wait, you can't mean…"
"Lili, go with them," Taylor ordered. "You'll be in charge of transporting supplies to and from the front line with your Artel Assist. Take this, too, in case you need to sneak past anything, or anyone."
Saying that, she tossed the pallum the Helmet of Darkness, before turning to the samurai cosplayer. "Ouka, Mikoto, Chigusa? You'll stick with Lucia, Iris, and myself. We'll head to where the other adventurers are, see what we can do to help."
"And Welf," Taylor said, finally looking at the blacksmith. "I know you don't want to hear this… but you need to get over your hang ups with Magic Swords and forge as many of them as you can while the other adventurers hold off the Black Goliath."
"No!" Welf said, shaking his head firmly. "I made a vow-!"
Taylor didn't wait for him to finish, and instead jumped down in front of him before laying him out with a solid left hook, knocking the red-head onto his ass.
"Is your vow more important than your life?! Than ours?!" Taylor demanded, glaring down at him. The others all watched, wide-eyed, as she loomed over the blacksmith.
"Magic Swords only bring misery!" he shouted back at her, rubbing his jaw.
"I knew a girl who hated and feared what she could do, too," Taylor said, her voice low and calm, and for some reason, that, combined with the look in her eyes caused Welf to shudder. "She hated herself because of it, even though she had the potential to do so much good. And eventually… she broke. And it was not a pleasant sight."
She leaned in to stare into Welf's eyes. "Have you ever seen somebody turned into a screaming lump of flesh? Twisted into something with too many arms, too many heads, too many voices begging to die? I have. And that all could have been avoided if the girl who broke could have loved herself, and not rejected her own powers."
Thinking about Amy stirred up dark thoughts in Taylor's mind, thoughts she violently suppressed with an immense force of will.
"What are you going to do when people die, and you know you could have saved them if you'd just let go of some foolish, petty little grudge?" Taylor demanded in a whisper.
"You… you don't know what it's like to lose everything because of something you have no control over-!" Welf began, but Taylor cut him off.
"Do you know how I lost my arm?" she asked. "I had to remove it because an ally's Skill accidentally destroyed it, reducing it to a bloody, flayed mess. And then, I had to have another ally cauterize the wound with a Pyrokinetic Skill so I didn't bleed out after amputating it in the middle of a battlefield, since I had no potions or healing of any kind to take care of it. And right afterwards, I was back into the fray, leading the charge against a monster that makes the Three Disasters look like nothing. And even though I won in the end, my home was still gone. And I will never see it, or any of my loved ones, ever again. So don't you dare talk to me about not knowing about loss or sacrifice!"
Welf stared at her in horror. He wasn't the only one. Everyone else was looking at her with various expressions. Bell just gave her a sad look because he was the only one who knew the full story.
"So get up," she ordered. "Get up, Welf Crozzo! And do your damned job as a blacksmith."
Welf swallowed, before giving her a shallow nod. Bell gently helped him back onto his feet. Then, he carried Welf on his back to Rivira, while Ryuu carried Lili.
"Let's go," Taylor said, and Mikoto nodded weakly before they leapt up onto the Dungeon Worm.
"What can you do, by the way?" Taylor asked Mikoto.
"Um, I have a spell called Futsunomitama that lets me create a crushing cage of intense gravity," Mikoto revealed. "It can trap and kill Level 2 monsters, but if they struggle they can break out."
"Interesting. And does it have a size restriction?"
"No. I just have to have line of sight, though the spell can hurt me if the monster I'm targeting manages to escape."
Taylor nodded at that slowly. "But it can hold it in place for a short while?"
"I can probably pin down something as big and strong as that Goliath for a few seconds," Mikoto replied.
"That'll be enough," Taylor declared. She glanced at the other two Takemikazuchi members. Getting the hint, Ouka cleared his throat.
"My Skill lets me vastly improve the durability of armor and shields," he informed her. "It's temporary, though. But I can tank a hit from someone with Level 3 strength without issue."
"I, um, I don't have any Skills," Chigusa said, apologetically. "But my Agility is fairly high."
"Good to know, I can think of several things you two can do to help," Taylor told them.
"What will we do?" Lucia asked.
"Until we know what your new Skills are, we can't really plan around them," Taylor admitted. "And we don't have time to test them. So you and Iris will most be moral support."
"I understand," Lucia said with a sigh.
"And yourself?" Iris wondered. "What will you be doing?"
"I'll use Debbie to dig a pitfall in the ground. We can lure the Black Goliath into it, and that should help trap it, at least for a little while," Taylor said, plans quickly forming in her mind as she affixed her insect mask over her face.
"Debbie?" Iris asked.
"The Dungeon Worm," Taylor said, patting its head. "It needs a name, don't you think?"
"I suppose. But what about the Juggernaut?" Lucia inquired nervously.
"We'll have to risk it," the parahuman said with a grimace. "Hopefully, we can stop the Monster Rex's movements long enough to limit the collateral damage. And I can use my swarm to further distract the Black Goliath."
She then looked back at Rivira. "And if Welf can make some Magic Swords in time, I can have my swarm use them, so we don't have to risk any of our own lives getting close to it."
"That's a good idea!" Lucia said excitedly.
Approaching the mustering ground for the defense of the floor, they could see dozens of adventurers gathering. Most were Level 2, but there were a few who stood out. The bartender was Level 3, while there was a dark-skinned man who on the hum of his aura, was also Level 3.
"My name is Taylor Hebert of the Hestia Familia with allies from the Takemikazuchi Familia," she called out as Debbie got closer. "What can we do to help?"
"I'm Bors," the eye-patch wearing adventurer said, shooting Taylor a wary, yet also appraising, glance. "Something of a mayor down here. I'm in charge of the defenses."
"Modaka, Ganesha Familia," the younger man said. "You must be the Tamer Shakti is always talking about. I can see why. Never seen someone control so many monsters before."
"A Tamer? Could you take control of the Black Goliath?" Bors asked intently.
"No, I can only control insects and other invertebrates," Taylor replied with a shake of her head.
"What else can you do, then?" Bors inquired.
"I can order Debbie – the Dungeon Worm – to burrow underground and create a pitfall to trap it," she offered. "And I can send my swarm to distract it."
"Do that, then," Bors requested. He then pointed a finger off towards the distance near some cliffs. "We're setting up long-ranged attackers on that cliff. We'll pelt the damned thing from a distance, and if you can set the hole up near it, then when it tries to attack them, it will fall."
"I can do that," Taylor confirmed with a nod.
"MONSTERS!" somebody suddenly shouted in horror, and Taylor and the others spun around. Monsters were indeed pouring into the floor, coming down from the 17th Floor and up from the 19th. There were Hellhounds, Almiraj, Ligerfangs and Minotaurs from above, and Bugbears, Battle Boars, and Lizardmen from below.
But interestingly, Taylor could also see two new species of insectoid monsters. They were too far away to dominate for now, but she recognized them from the Guild's guidebooks as Mad Beetles, a green, bear-sized, bipedal insectoid that could use Landform weapons and was as powerful as a Minotaur, and Gun Libellula, massive dragonfly-like monsters that could shoot spikes out of its abdomen like bullets while flying about insanely fast.
"Shit!" Bors growled.
"Damn it, and I was supposed to go on a date later today!" Modaka grunted. "I already had to put off our rendezvous last month due to an urgent mission, and now this?!"
"Complain about your terrible luck with women on your own time!" Taylor huffed. "What do we do about this problem?!"
"I'll lead the adventurers in the south and take care of the 19th Floor's monsters," Modaka declared a moment later, shouldering his axe. "Bors, keep handling the organization of the defenses here!"
"I know how to plan a battle, brat!" he shot back, before glancing at Taylor. "Well, what are you waiting for?! An invitation?!"
She nodded, and glanced at her other passengers. "Stay here and wait for Bell," she urged. "If you have to fight, do so together!"
"Yes, Miss Taylor!" Lucia said, Iris and the Far Eastern adventurers nodding in understanding before disembarking.
Taylor then directed Debbie off to the spot where the trap would be laid, and set her monsters to work.
The Black Goliath was thankfully still curiously immobile, just staring off into space, allowing the adventurers to assemble and prepare. There were the monsters from the other floors to deal with, but without the gargantuan Floor Boss acting against them there was wiggle room to work with.
Debbie burrowed deep, moving aside large amounts of dirt while Chris and the other Crystal Mantises cut down trees that'd be used to cover up the giant hole. Anne and the other Killer Ants carried these logs around, while the Purple Moths filled the pit with piles of poisonous powder and the Blue Papillion's created piles of healing powder for when the inevitable injuries started to pile up.
The monsters were able to work non-stop by restoring their strength and stamina whenever it flagged thanks to the Honey Cloud fruit that grew everywhere. Eating them seemed to have an invigorating effect on them. Was it the large concentration of sugar? Or something else? Taylor didn't know, but was grateful for it.
In the end, the hole wasn't very big, at least compared to the Black Goliath. It could maybe trap one foot if it stepped in the pit, and even then that was being generous. At best, Taylor would be able to trip it up, making it break a leg if she was lucky. If she'd had more time and hadn't been worried about making a Juggernaut then maybe she'd have been able to do more. Hopefully it'd be enough, and Welf's Magic Swords would do the real damage.
"I finished the pitfall trap," Taylor informed Bors when she and her swarm returned to the staging area. Iris, Lucia, and the Takemikazuchi Familia members weren't there, but she could see Lili in the distance, carrying huge amounts of equipment to and fro.
"Good," the scarred adventurer grunted. "When the long-ranged fighters are ready, we'll launch a pre-emptive strike against the Goliath with everything we have! Hopefully we can kill it before anything else happens."
"Do you think that'll work?" she asked skeptically.
"If we manage to blow up the head it will," Bors replied. "Even mutated Floor Bosses have to follow certain rules. One of which is that they obey conventional biology. So if you remove the head, you can kill it without worry."
Taylor nodded, even though she was still hesitant. She'd seen Killer Ants survive decapitation for hours, though that could also be due to the Magic Stone being located in its head, allowing it to endure for longer. And some species of insects did have the ability to keep moving, even while missing their head.
'Let's hope this Black Goliath plays along,' she thought to herself.
The next few minutes were tense, and Taylor nervously drummed her fingers against her arm. In order to have something to do she ordered the Blue Papillion to wait near the medical station being set up near Rivira, to assist in the healing of the inevitable injured adventurers. Her Killer Ants and Crystal Mantises helped carry crates and other supplies around as well,
"Alright, it seems like the artillery is in position," Bors stated, eyeing the adventurers on the ridge. "Time to give the signal."
He raised a hand that held a torch, and turned to Taylor. "Can you have one of your Purple Moths sprinkle their powder onto the flame? It will turn it purple."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"I have Abnormal Resistance, some Purple Moths won't even be able to make me sneeze."
Taylor nodded and one of her moth monsters flew above Bors' head, sprinkling some of its toxic scales onto the torch. The flames did indeed turn purple, flaring upwards for a few seconds.
In the distance, the adventurers on the ridge saw it, and began to unleash countless attacks. Arrows and spells flew thick and fast, as well as some more unusual projectiles like spears, stones, and in one case, a barrel. The spells were mainly fire and lightning with a few blasts of wind mixed in.
They all slammed into the Black Goliath which was still standing there dumbly, and began to ripple across its dark flesh. The weapons bounced off, doing little to no damage, while the spells did much more to it.
Smoke began to rise, obscuring the giant monster's body, and for a moment the adventurers held their breath and hoped for the best. And for a moment, there was excitement when the smoke faded, revealing the top of its head was gone, blown apart by the barrage.
Then, to everyone's horror, the Black Goliath grinned, and the top of its head started to heal, its flesh squirming upwards and regenerating.
The variant Floor Boss opened its mouth, and a blast of compressed air was fired out, slamming into the cliff and sending the long-range attackers flying.
"Of course it has a ranged attack!" Taylor snarled in frustration as she watched the Black Goliath fire off shockwave blasts from its mouth at the archers and mages on the ridge, blowing apart the cliffside without having to approach the pitfall trap she'd made.
"This is bad," a voice muttered at her side.
"Ryuu?" Taylor uttered, surprised to see the elf standing next to her. She also noticed somebody else nearby, hovering in the air with strange, glowing wings emerging from the heels of her boots.
"Asfi, Captain of the Hermes Familia," the blue-haired human woman with the magic flying shoes introduced, looking down at Taylor.
"Level 4?" the parahuman asked, recognizing the hum surrounding her as belonging to the person who'd followed them down into the Dungeon earlier, and received a nod.
"We will hold the Goliath back," Ryuu declared. "Can you rescue anyone from the long-range team?"
"I can do that," Taylor said. "When I'm out of the way, try to see if you can lure it in that direction. There's a pitfall nearby."
Ryuu nodded and took off, moving in a blur, Asfi flying after her. Taylor didn't watch them leave, instead mounting the Dungeon Worm. The swarm moved with her, heading to the site of the catastrophe.
Ryuu displayed incredible swordsmanship skills, scoring massive wounds against the Floor Boss while also wielding swirling winds with impressive dexterity. Asfi was no less impressive. She was not a direct fighter, but carried a host of magic items with her, and was dropping what looked like alchemical bombs onto the Black Goliath's head, where they exploded and ripped huge chunks of flesh off its body.
Despite their best efforts, however, the Black Goliath noticed Taylor and her swarm heading towards the downed adventurers, and began to open its mouth, but Taylor was having none of that.
"I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice! Geas Immulatio!"she chanted, and in an instant her jaw locked up and her vision went black.
The Black Goliath was afflicted by her curse and, unable to see or open its mouth, could not bombard her with its shockwave breath, letting Taylor sneak past and reach the ruins of the cliffside.
Using the eyes of her swarm, she located and gathered up the fallen adventurers, her monsters carrying them to safety. Unfortunately, there were too many dead among them, bodies broken beyond repair, but she took them with her all the same. They deserved to be recovered and returned to the surface if nothing else.
Just in time, too, as an incredible pain assaulted her brain and Taylor doubled over with a cry as her vision returned and her mouth could move once more. The sensation of something wet trickling down from her eyes and nose told her something had just gone horribly wrong.
'It broke my spell!' Taylor realized through the pounding migraine. She'd theorized that it might be possible for an enemy to break free of her magic if they were strong enough, but she hadn't expected it would have such a painful backlash!
Behind her, the Black Goliath went back to trying to swat the pair of Level 4's, letting her finish her mission.
"Thank you!" the healers exclaimed gratefully as Taylor delivered the injured adventurers to them.
"I'm going to get more," she declared, and headed off towards the battlefields to save as many as she could. Her swarm was useless against a threat like the Black Goliath, but it could deal with the regular sized monsters with ease.
Upon entering her range, countless insectoid monsters froze in place and began to turn around, attacking their former comrades. Mad Beetles ripped the arms off of Bugbears and smashed their skulls in. Crystal Mantises sliced bodies into pieces with every swing of their scythe-like limbs. And Gun Libellula bombarded their foes, impaling them with spike-bullets.
At first, the defenders were confused. Relieved, but confused. But when they saw Taylor appear riding a Dungeon Worm with her swarm buzzing angrily around her, hair whipping in the wind, they all felt something the people of Brockton Bay had experienced themselves once upon a time: Acute fear for the tall, imposing woman wearing a frightening war mask and her legion of creepy-crawlies.
"You four there! Move southwards! Battle Boars are about to break through!" Taylor commanded, using her swarm to transmit orders to the adventurers around her. "You! With the big dumb witch hat! Use your magic to support those two spearmen holding off the Bugbears! Archers, take down any flying monsters you see, don't waste arrows on trying to eliminate ground-based monsters unless you can kill them with one shot! And anyone with ice magic, target the Lizardmen!"
The adventurers obeyed, some of them just glad to follow somebody giving orders who seemed to know what they were doing. And under the incredible coordination of the former warlord, they began to drive back the monstrous tide. Level 2 monsters falling like wheat.
Back with the giant Floor Boss, Ryuu and Asfi had managed to lure it towards Taylor's trap, where the Black Goliath stumbled as its left foot plunging through the trees covering up the top of the pitfall, and toppled over, its leg bending painful, snapping at the knee.
The screams of pain echoed throughout the 18th Floor, yet even as it wailed, it proceeded to rip the ruined appendage and chucked it into the air at the buzzing figures hounding it. Ryuu and Asfi were forced to dodge, barely avoiding being smacked out of the sky.
Meanwhile, the Floor Boss' leg was regenerating, but it was slow, and for the moment it was stuck on the ground. And Taylor struck. Her swarm, bolstered by the dozens of monsters that had previously been trying to kill adventurers, hurled itself at the Black Goliath.
Dozens of Mad Beetles and Killer Ants gnawed on the hard skin, clinging on even as the Black Goliath swatted at them. Crystal Mantises hacked away frantically in an attempt to sever its limbs, while the Gun Libellula fired upon the fallen body, covering its body with spikes.
Adventurers also leapt into battle, trying to score a hit on the mutated monster and helping the swarm carve up the beast like a grotesque turkey.
It was not enough. The Black Goliath screamed and got back its feet once the missing leg was grown back, the flesh of its body rippling as the countless wound healed. It lashed out, stomping its feet and slapping the ground with its hands, all while firing shockwave after shockwave into the surroundings.
And then a giant purple sword descended from the sky, piercing the Black Goliath and forcing it to its knees as a cage of pure gravity enveloped it.
"That must be Mikoto's Spell," Taylor hummed, eyes narrowed as she stared into the distance. And what was that bright white glow?
Curious, she moved towards the source, and found Bell standing defiantly in front of the monster as it was pinned down, an absurdly sized sword that thrummed with power in his hands. Both his body and his blade were glowing as he channeled his ArgonautSkill, charging up what could only be one of Welf's Magic Swords. At his side was Mikoto, sweat beading on her brow as her fingers started to break and tear as she tried to keep the Goliath pinned.
Surrounding the two of them were the rest of the Hestia and Takemikazuchi Familias and a few other adventurers, protecting the duo as they drove the Black Goliath to its knees and prepared an attack that would slay it.
Sadly, Mikoto could not contain it forever, and the Black Goliath broke free, shattering the spell and causing Mikoto's fingers to break rather horrifically from the backlash. The Floor Boss then started to climb out of the hole the gravity cage had made in the ground, and Taylor tsked in annoyance.
"Durable," she grunted, and then blinked as she saw Lili running forwards. She was currently invisible thanks to the magic item Taylor had given her, though the bugs secretly planted on her ensured the parahuman knew where she was regardless, and had transformed into a dog with Cinder Ella. Training with Taylor and the rest of the Hestia Familia had shown Lili just how badly she'd underutilized her spell which let her transform without restrictions save size.
Clutched in her transformed mouth was a second Magic Sword, and she swung it, unleashing a wave of not fire or lightning, but water, thinly compressed into a blade. Taylor knew water jets could pierce metal, and this magically conjured stream was no exception, slicing the Goliath's arms off and forcing it to fall back into the hole.
Then, with the speed of the dog she was currently mimicking, Lili ran to safety, narrowly avoiding being squished by the skull of the Floor Boss as it headbutted the spot she'd been standing earlier.
Lacking its arms did not stop the monster, and with tremendous effort it jumped upwards and out of the pit, landing on the edge. Taylor silently hoped for the ground to collapse under its weight, but it seemed no such luck would come their way.
Still glowing as he charged up the giant Magic Sword with Argonaut, Bell summoned up two Lightning Clones that rushed towards the Black Goliath, running around behind it before leaping up and exploding against the back of its knees.
The twin blasts didn't do much damage, but it was enough to cause it to stumble a little, which combined by a flurry of magic and Skill-enhanced blows courtesy of Ryuu and Asfi, caused it to topple backwards into the pit it had just escaped from.
The Black Goliath managed to sit up, growling furiously, and then Taylor sent a flurry of Gun Libellula spikes into its eyes and mouth, blinding it when it tried to glare at her friends and preventing it from firing its shockwaves.
"TAKE THIS!" Bell suddenly called out, charging into the fray at long last as he was now a blinding neon white, resembling one of his Lightning Clones with how bright he was. He swung his overcharged Magic Sword at the Floor Boss and it unleashed a ravening blast of white energy that engulfed the Black Goliath's upper torso, shattering in the process.
When the light faded, everything above the chest was gone, with a truly gargantuan Magic Stone just barely visible and peeking out from the vaporized flesh near the waist.
Any celebration that broke out was unfortunately premature as before everyone's horrified eyes, the Magic Stone – which was an unnatural black color – began to glow a baleful purple color before the body started to squirm and writhe, as if alive.
"It's regenerating!" somebody cried out in horror, and fear once more gripped the hearts of the defenders. Within seconds, everything that Bell had achieved was undone, the flesh writhing and knitting back together.
With a roar, the Black Goliath was restored, and the Dungeon monsters began to scream in response as there was more than just a sonic aspect to the bellowing. Even the monsters under her control started to go berserk, and Taylor had to clamp down hard on the ones within her swarm to ensure the psychic scream didn't undo all her hard work.
"Damn it!" Taylor snarled, clenching her hand as she stared at the Black Goliath. And then, somehow, it turned towards her position and looked directly at her, and then smiled.
At that moment, something snapped in the back of Taylor's mind, and she commanded Chris to carry her towards the monster. Bell was too weak to do anything else, spent from his earlier attack and the harrowing fights he'd been in earlier, and nobody else was close enough.
Everyone watched in disbelief as the parahuman leapt on Chris' back, and it carried Taylor to the pit. Screams of wrath and demented fury escaped her lips as her swarm surged forward along with her, the Dungeon Worm bursting out of the ground and tackling the Black Goliath in the chest, knocking it onto its back while it tried to bite and burrow into its flesh like an oversized leech.
The giant worm was managing to keep the monster pinned in place. Not to mention, spines were not supposed to bend that far backwards, either, and the Monster Rex roared in pain as it snapped audibly. The sounds of pain were overwhelmed by the rest of Taylor swarm attacking it.
Gun Libellula rained spikes onto it, Mad Beetles ripped bloody chunks of flesh away, and of course there was Chris and his fellow Crystal Mantises, hacking and slashing at the giant monster's eyes and face.
And where was Taylor? Well, at the moment she was crawling across the Black Goliath's stomach, her mask askew, and a knife without a blade clenched between her teeth as she dragged herself with one arm up to the monster's navel.
It had no belly button, but the parahuman could tell that she was straddling the spot right above the Monster Rex's Magic Stone based on the hum her swarm was picking up. Chris and a few Mad Beetles then began to dig into the Black Goliath at her command, peeling flesh away and prying it apart, keeping it from regenerating.
The enormous humanoid screamed and tried to thrash about, attempting to dislodge her, but the swarm kept it trapped, the Dungeon Worm wrapping around one arm and keeping it pinned in place, while the other arm was repeatedly torn apart by more monsters, preventing the limb from reaching her. She also shoved a bunch of monsters down its throat, trying to choke it and stop that strange psychic scream that disrupted her control over her swarm.
"I will not let you win!" Taylor snarled as she struggled to reveal her opponent's weak point, moving the knife's handle from her mouth to her hand. "I will not let you hurt anyone else!"
The abnormal Monster Rex just laughed at her, which only increased her rage, and drove her to tear at its flesh with her own teeth in a desperate attempt to help her swarm rip it apart.
Soon, the oddly colored Magic Stone could be seen, slick with gore and tendrils of flesh that continually tried to heal over the wound that had been gouged open on the Black Goliath's belly. She had only a brief window of opportunity before it regenerated.
"JUST DIE ALREADY!" Taylor screamed as she plunged the Nano-thorn dagger down towards the massive Magic Stone that was hidden within the Black Goliath. The Tinkertech weapon slammed onto the Magic Stone and she activated it with a single press of a button.
Whether it was due to the Magic Stone's instability or some sort of reaction between it and the Tinkertech blade, the Magic Stone shattered and broke apart into hundreds of smaller Magic Stones, and the rest of the Black Goliath finally began to turn to black ash with a mournful wail escape the lungs of the Monster Rex.
In a few seconds, all that was left was some chunks of crystal and a circus tent's worth of pitch-black Goliath Skin lying at the bottom of the pit, and the crystal sky went from hellish red to a much more normal blue.
Taylor sagged, partly in relief, but mostly in weariness. She glanced down at the Nano-thorn dagger clutched tight in her hand. She'd used up its last charge to take down the Black Goliath, and felt a flicker of remorse for doing so. Another piece, another reminder, of her old life, gone and reduced to a broken trinket.
She shook her head, and let Chris carry her back up out of the pit, her ears ringing from the cheering as the adventurers celebrated the fall of the Floor Boss and the end of the Stampede. As soon as it died, the rest of the monsters turned right around and began to flee from the 18th Floor.
"We did it!" Bell exclaimed gleefully as he rushed over to Taylor's side.
"We sure did," she agreed, taking her blood-splattered mask off completely and smiling at him. She then glanced back into the pit. "Now it's time to celebrate and divide the spoils."
"The best part of being an adventurer," Welf claimed as he staggered over, a wide grin on his face.
Taylor nodded, and then felt the strength in her legs give out. Lili, back in human form, and Iris helped her stay standing.
The battle was over. They had won. But at what cost? And Taylor couldn't help but fear that it had been all her fault.
Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Hail Weaver!
Chapter Text
Chapter 22: Hail Weaver!
"You've really kicked the hornet's nest this time, Taylor," Hestia said with a sigh as she watched her tallest child take off her shirt in preparation for the Level Up ceremony.
It had only been yesterday that the 18th Floor had been assaulted by the Black Goliath and a monster Stampede, and the Hestia Familia (and friends) had only gotten back to Orario a couple hours ago, but already rumors about what had happened down below had reached the surface and spread to every corner of the city thanks to other adventuring parties who'd gone back sooner.
Ryuu, Lili, Welf, and the members of the Takemikazuchi Familia had all gone their separate ways after returning to Orario, and were likely contributing to the spread of information as well. Still, rumors seemed to be going around rather fast, considering the lack of mass media in the world. Everything had to be passed on by word of mouth.
"It shouldn't be that odd," Taylor protested. "There were a lot of other adventurers who contributed to the battle and our victory. And I wasn't the only one who gained a level up from that battle. Lili and Welf should be able to do so as well."
"Leaving aside the revelation that you can apparently gauge the levels of adventurers with scary accuracy and can tell when somebody has the potential to Level Up for a later freak out, I don't think you fully understand the sheer magnitude of what happened down on the 18th Floor," Hestia sternly informed her child. "Don't forget, you just beat Bell's record, and you've gone and helped defeat a monster that the Guild has estimated as being as strong as a Level Five. Probably more, given the regeneration it displayed and the shockwave attacks. Both of which a normal Goliath cannot do."
"People are going to be paying even more attention to me and the rest of us, aren't they?" Taylor asked with a sigh.
"Yes," Hestia said simply. "Now lie down and let me update your status."
Taylor complied, and felt the curious sensation of Hestia's blood falling upon her bare skin, followed by the sensation of her passenger metaphorically sitting up and taking notice of the change.
And there was a change, as the moment Taylor Leveled Up she felt the range of her swarm control ability outright double. Upon arriving in Orario and receiving her Falna, her power had let her detect and control insect life in a two-thousand-foot radius, more than a third of a mile. It had slowly crept up as time passed, increasing by a foot with every point in her Magic stat she gained.
At that very moment, she could now feel the minds of every insect within a 1.4 mile radius from her. She could feel the interior of the Blue Pharmacy, and sense that Naaza was sleeping on the job again after a hard night of potion brewing. She could detect the waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility preparing for the lunch rush, getting their ingredients ready. Oh, and the catgirl Anya had just dropped a plate and was trying to hide the pieces from Mama Mia.
'That will take some getting used to,' Taylor thought to herself with a grimace. On her back, Hestia stiffened before sighing heavily and rolling off of her.
"I'm finished," she said, sounding completely done with everything. When she handed Taylor her updated status, the parahuman could understand why.
TAYLOR HEBERT
LEVEL 1 2
POWER – A 888 - - > I 0
ENDURANCE – SS 1055 - - > I 0
DEXTERITY – S 996 - - > I 0
AGILITY – A 844 - - > I 0
MAGIC – SSS 1300 - - > I 0
SKILLS
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker.
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy.
Kheiron Excelsior: Boost the rate of growth for all who fall under your aegis.The results of training show sooner. Impart knowledge easier.
Giantslayer: Boost the damage to and Excelia from opponents larger than yourself.
SPELLS
Geas Immulatio: By sacrificing a part of yourself, seal away the corresponding aspect of another being. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!
DEVELOPMENTAL ABILITY
Abnormal Resistance (?)
Hunter (?)
Mage (?)
Mystery (?)
Tamer (?)
Weaver (?)
Taylor blinked as she looked at her stats. "They rose quite a bit," she noted. Last time she'd checked, her stats were only in the C range, save her Magic which had been A. And that new Skill… the implications were interesting. And worrying.
"You killed a lot of monsters with a bunch of other monsters," Hestia reminded her, and Taylor nodded, conceding the point.
Being able to gain Excelia from her swarm had always allowed the parahuman to grow stronger faster than a regular adventurer, but this was startling, and revealed just how much more powerful the monsters from the Lower Floors were, if they could grant this much Excelia from a relatively short fight. True, there'd been hundreds of them during the Stampede, but still.
"Any idea what Development Ability you want?" Hestia asked as Taylor continued to stare at the sheet of paper.
"Hunter," Taylor said instantly, and Hestia blinked.
"That was fast."
"I've been thinking about it since Bell's leveled up," Taylor admitted. "And while Mystery does intrigue me, and Weaver is an interesting one that synergizes well with my silk production, at least based on the records from the Guild I was able to see, Hunter simply synergizes more with my swarm. And since I can only obtain it at Level 2, well, I can wait till I level up again to get the others."
"Being able to gain more Excelia from monsters does seem like a good way to take advantage of your power," Hestia nodded slowly. "And the increased rate for Drop Items is good as well. Though I admit, I thought you might go for Tamer."
"I don't need it," Taylor said. "I already control monsters better than any Tamer possibly can. And…"
She trailed off, glancing at Hestia.
"It's okay, you're safe here," the tiny goddess promised her.
"I'm… I'm worried that if I take Tamer, my power will let me take over… other things," Taylor admitted.
Hestia winced, knowing exactly what she meant. Even after all this time, Hestia couldn't forget the blurry impressions of the battle against Scion she'd gleaned from her child's mind, and the way Taylor had been forced to achieve victory: by upgrading her own brain and usurping the free will of thousands of people to fight for her.
"That probably wouldn't happen," Hestia tried to assure her, but Taylor shook her head.
"I don't want to take that risk."
Hestia just nodded in understanding, and motioned for Taylor to lay back down on the bed. "Let's get your Development Ability sorted out, then."
A second round of blood-letting later, and Taylor had received an upgrade to her fighting style. She was curious to find out if Hunter had any other benefits for her swarm.
"Can you send Bell in?" Hestia asked, and Taylor nodded, snapping out of her thoughts. Taylor had been the first of the Familia to get her stats updated, and after the Goliath fight, the parahuman had a feeling the others would see their own stats rising significantly.
"Bell, you're up," Taylor said, walking out of the bedroom, and he nodded eagerly. Iris and Lucia also looked excited for their own turn, and Taylor could tell they were excited to try out their Shard-based Skills as well.
Leaving them to their own devices for now, the parahuman left the church, walking up to check on her swarm. They'd been doing well so far, and were glad to relax a bit after the frantic expedition down to the 18th Floor.
Taylor had done as she'd promised to herself, and brought Debbie the Dungeon Worm up to the surface with her. A yet unnamed Gun Libellula had also been added to her above ground swarm, the dragonfly monster easier for the Guild to accept and it added some much needed range to her combat options.
Eina had sighed darkly upon spotting the two new monsters Taylor had brought back with her, but Taylor had filled out the forms and paid the fees and after that there wasn't anything that could be done about her two newest additions.
'Admittedly, Debbie is quite a bit larger than the city is used to,' Taylor thought as she could feel the enormous monster resting underground. The city's sewers were quite expansive and spiderwebbed beneath the streets but there was still plenty of room for a Dungeon Worm to rest safely without being bothered.
In some places below the city, it was almost as if somebody had tried to create entire underground districts. And there were some rather deep cellars connected to numerous buildings. Taylor was already thinking up plans to use Debbie to excavate new dens and tunnels for her spider silk operations and to house the rest of her swarm.
A clicking sound drew Taylor's attention, distracting her, and she headed into Anne's den.
"Feeling alright, Anne?" Taylor asked, looking at her Killer Ant. She had been acting odd, becoming more irritable and digging deeper into her den, expanding it until it was five times larger than it'd previously been.
'In fact, she's been acting weird ever since she ate those blackened Magic Stones the Floor Boss left behind,' Taylor mused to herself. Like Chris, Anne's carapace had turned pitch black afterwards, a sign they had both mutated into a rare variant herself, but the Killer Ant's moodiness was something new and unique to her, and Taylor didn't understand it.
'Thankfully, my power still works and can keep her from lashing out,' Taylor thought as she watched Anne act like a dog. She would stand up, wander, circle in place for a bit, and then lie back down, only to do it all over again a few minutes later.
It was odd, being able to sense the Killer Ant's mind. Compared to her lesser kin in the Dungeon, Anne had burgeoning instincts that didn't revolve around butchering mortals. What said instincts were, Taylor wasn't sure, as they were brand-new to both Anne and herself, but comparing them to the regular ants she had control over…
'I better start preparing more food for Anne, and clearing out extra space around the place,' she thought.
Once she was certain Anne wouldn't cause problems, Taylor moved on to the expanding cave where her silk producing spiders were set up. They'd been working hard, and several new garments as well as a couple bolts of raw silk were in the process of being spun and woven. There was easily a million valis worth of silk here.
"Silk Dye Experiment 18… another failure," Taylor sighed as she examined a section of the cave being used to test whether it was possible to create colored silk by feeding the spiders different kinds of food.
The current experiment was seeing if sugar water laced with food coloring could produce colored silk. Right now, the spiders couldn't do that, though perhaps the problem was the kind of coloring she was incorporating.
'I should see about finding different kinds of plants that are naturally used for dyes, see if I can mix them in that way,' Taylor mused. 'Perhaps Naaza would have suggestions. She knows quite a bit about plants thanks to her alchemist training.'
Thinking about the Captain of the Miach Familia reminded Taylor she had scheduled a meeting with Shakti a few days ago, but the descent into the Dungeon had put that on hold. She commanded a few bugs inside the church to get ink, quill, and paper out to write a letter of apology and to reschedule.
"Miss Taylor!" Iris called out, her voice distant but still echoing through her insect-filled den.
"Yes?" she asked, forming a Bug Clone to speak with her. Iris jumped in shock and reacted by punching her fist through the 'head' before wincing.
"Oops," Iris muttered.
"No, don't apologize, you reacted quickly and with the proper response to somebody appearing suddenly behind you," Taylor replied. Through the eyes of her swarm, she could 'see' Lucia standing next to her friend, and both were holding sheets of paper.
"We'd like to show you our new stats," Lucia requested.
"I'll be there in a minute," Taylor promised, before dispersing her clone.
She'd already been walking out of the cave when she sent her clone, and got there quickly, giving a nod at the two Familia members.
"Where's Bell?" she asked. She'd sensed him leave earlier, and could detect him at the Guild, but she wanted to make sure.
"Lady Hestia sent him to Guild to cash in the Magic Stones and Drop Items we came back with," Iris informed Taylor. "Also, I believe Bell was planning on visiting Welf to drop off the Black Goliath Skin for processing into armor."
"And Hestia herself?"
"Um, she had her face buried in a pillow and was screaming into it last we checked," Lucia said with an awkward laugh.
"Sounds about right," Taylor said with a chuckle, taking a moment to check in on her with her bugs. Yup, she was definitely busy screaming to herself. She then looked at Level 1 adventurers. "Alright, show me what you've got."
"Here's my stats and new Skill!" Iris said, handing over her stat sheet for Taylor to examine.
IRIS BENNETT
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 39 - - > I 82
ENDURANCE – I 44 - -> I 99
DEXTERITY – I 20 - ->I 35
AGILITY – I 16 - -> I 30
MAGIC – I 0 - -> I 12
SKILLS
Bronze Bull – Creates a bronze-colored aura around the body that doubles Power and Endurance for a while and emits heat. Drains stamina and Mind while active.
Taylor nodded, impressed. Iris' stats had jumped up significantly after surviving the Stampede, and from what the parahuman now knew, these numbers were quite respectable for a brand-new adventurer with less than a month under their belt.
'Bell and I are just anomalies when it comes to gaining Excelia,' Taylor thought to herself.
As for Iris' Skill, it was an interesting one. Seemingly a basic Brute package, that enhanced the user's strength and durability in exchange for growing tired faster, both physically and mentally.
However, this Bronze Bull Skill had hidden depths, for an adventurer could grow stronger in a way that was separate from that of the Shard, and so what would normally be a minor Parahuman ability had the potential to be a genuine threat in time.
'If Iris were to use her Skill right now, her Power stat would go up a whole rank, from I to H,' Taylor noted. 'And if Power and Endurance ever reaches D, C, or higher ranks, then when she uses her Skill she'd have stats comparable to a Level 2 while still being a Level 1.'
"Here's mine, Miss Taylor," Lucia said, shyly handing her stat sheet over next.
LUCIA RAMIREZ
LEVEL 1
POWER – I 22 - -> I 47
ENDURANCE – I 15 - -> I 39
DEXTERITY – I 40 - -> I 88
AGILITY – I 47 - -> I 96
MAGIC – I 0 - -> I 23
SKILLS
Blitz Blink – Teleport short distances. When teleporting, inertia and momentum can be redirected as a burst of kinetic energy centered on the user. Costs Mind to use.
'Another impressive power,' Taylor noted. Teleportation was always a pain to fight, recalling the terror of Oni Lee. And it had some similarities to the Butcher's explosive teleportation ability, but in Lucia's case, her Skill worked by turning the energy of her own movement into power.
For instance, if she was standing completely still, when she teleported, nothing would happen. She'd appear at her target without fanfare. But if Lucia was running or falling when she activated her Skill, the teen would appear in an explosion of converted kinetic energy. She herself would come to an abrupt stop, which would likely be jarring, and create a localized blast centered on herself. The faster she'd be going, the bigger and more powerful the explosion around her.
'Now we have to see if her teleportation relies on line of sight, or if she can go anywhere without having to see where she's going,' Taylor thought to herself. She turned to the duo, and the smile on her face caused them to recoil.
"Please, no training!" Lucia begged.
"I just want to check and make sure you both can handle your new powers," Taylor said. "It won't take long."
Both of them groaned a little but complied as they moved to the training yard.
Iris' Skill was not, as Taylor first thought, a Brute power, but closer to a Breaker state. When she activated her Skill, her body was wreathed in bronze-colored flames that moved fluidly and did not harm Iris or her equipment. The amount of heat the fire produced was much lower than what even a candle was capable of, but Taylor had a feeling Iris could adjust the temperature at will with some training.
As for the enhanced Power and Endurance stats her aura granted her, Iris showed off her improved strength and stamina, lifting weights and doing some light exercises. First without the aura, then with the Skill active. It was indeed a solid doubling of raw strength, though her stamina was halved as Bronze Bulldrained her faster in that mode.
Iris could also only keep her Skill active for a minute before running out of Mind, but could flick it on and off at will, allowing her to wield it in short bursts to provide devastating single strikes and tank hits her normal I ranked Endurance couldn't handle.
Testing Lucia's Skill revealed that her teleportation was not affected by line of sight, but did have a hard limit of a hundred feet. Regarding the kinetic energy redistribution aspect, it did not generate a noticeable amount of force while standing still, though the bugs on her body could tell there was a minor amount being generated. A slow, measured walking pace also didn't do much more than a puff of air that ruffled clothes and hair.
It was when Lucia sped up to a brisk walk or job that it began to be noticeable, creating a blast strong enough to bowl Iris over. And when she used her Falna enhanced speed and went all out? It could break wood and stone with the force created. Lucia was also limited to ten teleports a day before running out of Mind.
'Hmm, it's interesting that their powers seem to be using up Mind, where Bell and I don't,' Taylor noted as she went over everything she'd seen, that one tidbit standing out the most. 'Did granting the Skills in the Dungeon cause this, or has my passenger decided to change their power requirements for some reason?'
There was also the slim chance hers and Bell's Skills did in fact drain Mind, but they replenished it faster than what was actually used at a time. In fact, now that she thought about it, these Skills seemed more like Spells.
'Skills are generally passive abilities, while Spells are active,' Taylor thought to herself. 'There are some differences but I think that's safe to assume our Skills will draw even more attention.'
"I'm impressed," Taylor said when they were done. She let the two girls recover, from Mind Down, which was an interesting thing to see. They basically passed out where they stood if they tried to use their Skills, which was incredibly dangerous in the Dungeon.
"So, we did good?" Lucia asked.
"Of course," Taylor nodded. "Drink a Mind potion before you go home."
"That's it for the day, then?" Iris queried.
"We will distribute the spoils from our expedition tomorrow," Taylor assured her. "We'll also discuss new equipment from Welf."
"Can't wait," the cowgirl said with a smile, shooting a thumbs up.
The two girls then limped away, off to return home and no doubt assure their families and friends they'd returned safely.
Taylor felt a pang at that thought, and after a moment of simply standing in the field she walked back into the church.
"Hestia?" she called out.
"Yes, Taylor?" the twin-tailed girl asked, looking up from her spot on the couch. She'd stopped screaming and was now going over the tax paperwork that inevitably came with a Level Up.
"Do you… would you like to cook dinner with me?" Taylor asked, and Hestia blinked but then beamed happily.
"I'd love to!" she declared, jumping up happily.
111 &&& 111
'When are they going to call me in?' Hestia wondered, tapping her foot impatiently. She was currently alone as she waited for the doors to the Denatus chamber to open, and the sound of her tapping echoed loudly.
Just yesterday she'd been celebrating the safe return of her beloved Familia monthly, but now she was forced deal with the bane of all existence: divine politics. The Denatus had been moved up by a whole two weeks. Oh, the other gods could claim that it was to fit their schedules better, or some other excuse, but Hestia knew it was because of Taylor's ridiculously fast Level Up and the utterly bizarre Stampede that'd occurred down on the 18th Floor. The deities of Orario wanted to make a spectacle of the naming ceremony, and there was nothing the Goddess of the Hearth could do about it.
'The fact I only received the letter this morning informing me of the change also tells me that Hermes is in on it as well,' Hestia thought to herself with a grumble. The shifty Messenger God had been acting weird ever since everyone had returned from the 18th Floor. 'If I didn't know better, I'd assume he'd been down there when Taylor, Bell, and the others fought the Monster Rex!'
But that was ridiculous! Right? Sure, Taylor claimed that Asfi, the Captain of Hermes' Familia, had been down there, and had been following them since they'd begun their descent into the Dungeon on the rescue expedition, and that one the items they'd claimed as spoils from a fight with another bunch of adventurers had been a magical item only somebody with the Mystery Development Ability like which Asfi had could use… actually, laid out like that, Hermes was incredibly suspicious!
Her thoughts were interrupted when the torches ignited and the doors swung open, allowing Hestia to perform the 'walk of shame' as some gods had dubbed it. She held her held high as she entered, and ignored the looks sent her way as she took her seat.
The meeting went by as normal, until it was time for the Naming Ceremony.
"Well, I think we've just about wrapped up everything that needs to be wrapped up, right?" Aphrodite said, smiling at the other gods and goddess, acting as the speaker for the Denatus that month. "All that's left is the fun stuff!"
"Here comes the part we've all been waiting for!" Loki said cheerfully, slapping the table as she smiled at Hestia. It was not a friendly smile, and was full of teeth.
Hestia swallowed nervously as she looked around at the other gods and goddesses of Orario, and took note of which ones seemed the most excited. That was always a good indicator for seeing how crazy and silly the aliases could get. And to her horror, they all had that look. Even the deities who usually tended towards calm and reasonable or just didn't care. When even Ganesha and Miach looked eager for the naming ceremony to begin, you knew it was going to be bad!
"That's right! It's time to give our newest Level 2 an alias!" the short and blonde Goddess of Love cheered
"Let's start off with something… simple," Hephestus began. "I nominate the name 'Bug Girl' for our new record holder!"
Hestia winced in betrayal as her friend threw her under the bus. 'Is she still holding a grudge over Welf being in danger against the Black Goliath?!'
But she couldn't really blame the Goddess of Smiths. Taylor had just beaten Bell's record for fastest Level Up in history by a whole two weeks! It was hard to believe that Taylor had only been in Orario for one and a half months! And she'd been practically comatose for almost a week due to her injuries!
"Creepy Crawly Killer!" Dionysus suggested.
"Wild Haired Seamstress!" Dian Cecht offered with a sneer.
"Stickbug! Because of how tall she is!" Goibniu called out.
"Ooo, that's a good one! But what about Ebony Idol?" Ishtar purred.
"The Skittering Maiden has my vote," Miach said calmly, ignoring the way Hestia shot him a glare.
"Swarm of War," Takemikazuchi offered plainly, also deftly ignoring it when Hestia switched her glare to him.
"Hiruko," Freya said, throwing her idea out there.
Hermes coughed loudly to get everyone's attention, and they all turned to him.
"Do you have a name to suggest, Hermes?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Ah, that's not it," Hermes said, giving an awkward smile. "Thing is… Miss Hebert's alias has already been decided."
"What?! By who?!" Apollo demanded, his incredulity echoed by the rest of the assembles gods and goddesses.
"Ouranos," Hermes said bluntly, causing everyone to shut up and stare at him.
It was not often that the Dungeon's Anchor ever spoke up about naming an adventurer. In fact, most couldn't remember the last time he'd done so. Hermes did. It'd been two hundred years ago, and despite everything, the Messenger God dearly hoped this heroine would have a far better fate than the previous soul Ouranos had taken a personal interest in.
"What has Ouranos named Taylor Hebert?" Ganesha asked, stunning everyone by how solemn he sounded. And by the fact he didn't mention his name even once!
"The Level 2 adventurer Taylor Hebert is hence forth known as 'Weaver,'" Hermes revealed. "The paperwork for this has already been filed by the Guild, and will be publicly known when the Denatus officially ends."
That made more than a few individuals scowl. Not just because Ouranos had gone over their heads to do this, but because he'd done so in a way none of them could contest or oppose. He rarely flexed his powers over the Guild, and to do so now? It made a lot of deities angry. And curious.
Hestia was relieved that her beloved child wouldn't get called something too ridiculous, but at the same time she wished Ouranos hadn't done so.
'She's already going to get a lot of attention from other Familias, but Ouranos just had to set everyone's expectations ablaze by revealing he was paying attention to her!' Hestia thought to herself, barely resisting the urge to whine.
"Why Weaver?" the goddess Hebe asked, which was a question the rest of them wanted to know.
"It came to Ouranos in a dream," Hermes said with a shrug. That was the excuse the Sky God had given him, at least.
Eventually the Denatus ended, and Hestia couldn't be happier. It was time to get back home so she could run damage control!
"Hestia, tell Weaver I want to have a talk with her as soon as possible," Hephestus said in a low voice as she passed by the Goddess of the Hearth, who winced a little at the foreboding tone of voice she'd used.
Still, she nodded at her friend's request. Hephestus wouldn't bully Taylor, and probably just wanted to discuss her mysterious knife and equipment.
'I hope things calm down soon,' Hestia thought to herself with a sigh as she made her way out. This was way too much excitement for her poor heart!
Chapter 23: Chapter 23: To Build a Brighter Future
Chapter Text
Chapter 23: To Build a Brighter Future
"Welf."
"Taylor. Or, it's Weaver now, isn't it? I heard about the Level Up."
"You can keep calling me 'Taylor.'"
"Hm. Cool."
Welf was standing in the doorframe of his smithy, while Taylor was in front of it. The two of them stared awkwardly at each other for a bit, neither sure about what to say or do. It'd been a day since she'd gotten her Alias and two since the events in the Dungeon, and Taylor was wondering what exactly she'd done to deserve getting her old hero moniker slapped onto her again in this new world.
A tingle ran through her mind as Queen Administrator briefly made herself known, smugness radiating from her Shard, and Taylor hid a frown.
'What did you do?' she mentally demanded, but Queen Administrator refused to answer her host and her presence retreated a moment later.
Without an answer, all she could do was sigh, and instead she glanced at Welf and mustered her courage for the reason she'd come here.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "For hitting you. And, more importantly... for forcing you to break your oath."
Welf looked at her, his frown deepening. "Magic Sword have only brought me and my family misery. They've ruined lives because they break too easily, and do not provide enough assistance to those who try to rely on them."
He shook his head. "And yet... I am... glad..." he finally admitted. "I Leveled Up when I crafted Lili's blade and turned the Udaeus' sword into a Magic Sword. When I finally accepted that this was a part of me."
"You saved many lives by helping," Taylor told him.
"I know," Welf said. "I've had some time to think - and for Tsubaki and Lady Hephestus to scold me - but I've come to a decision: no more hesitation. I will forge Magic Sword, but on my own terms."
He then glared at her. "But don't think I will forget what happened. I've forgiven, yes, but I won't forget."
That was more than Taylor had hoped for, and more than she felt she deserved, causing a thin smile to slip onto her face. "Thank you, Welf. Again, I am sorry."
She clenched her hand into a fist. "I was also scolded by Hestia. She wasn't happy with how I treated you, and I was forced to think to myself about what I've done, what I should have done differently... my own experiences colored how I reacted to you. I was unfair to you, to force you to do something you didn't want to do. It's... it's something I never want to do again. I'm sorry."
A glint of sympathy flickered through Welf's eyes, and he stepped back. "Alright, then. You didn't only come here to apologize, right? You wanted something built?"
"You're still willing to work with us as our contracted blacksmith?" Taylor asked, relieved and hopeful, and Welf nodded.
"Yeah. I can't leave Bell or shorty hanging. It wouldn't be fair to the other members of your Familia." He then snorted. "Besides, I have a feeling that if I stick around with you guys, I'll see a lot more crazy things, and get to build a bunch of awesome stuff!"
Welf clapped his hands. "So! Show me what you've got!"
Taylor nodded and stepped into his workshop before taking a few sheets of paper out of her pocket and laying them down onto his workbench.
They contained highly detailed drawings and sketches, and for a moment Welf thought he was looking at pages taken straight from a medical text on human anatomy until he saw the notes scribbled in about different materials.
"So, what do you think?" Taylor asked. "Is it possible?"
Welf stared at the blueprints in front of him before sighing. "Do I want to know why you know so much about the anatomy of a human arm? To the point you can apparently design a prosthetic that surpasses the Silver Limbs Dian Cecht makes?"
"It's probably best you don't know," Taylor replied bluntly, and the newly minted Blacksmith shook his head.
"Well, I do owe ya for helping me man up and get over my problems with Magic Sword. Oh, and the Level Up was nice, too," Welf said, before flashing Taylor a grin. "And this project does look really interesting."
"It won't interfere with the armor making and other equipment upgrades, will it?" Taylor asked, and Welf chuckled.
"Right now, I'm still waiting on all that hide being processed into leather so I can properly work on it. So I've got the time," Welf declared.
Taylor nodded at that. The Black Goliath had dropped a truly absurd amount of skin. It was thicker and harder than Orc or Minotaur hide, and would provide defenses befitting a Level 5 adventurer. And with the amount that'd been acquired? They would be able to make at least a full dozen outfits with it, according to Welf's initial estimates. Possibly more, since there was enough of the stuff to drape over a two-story building like a tarp.
'I'm just glad the other adventurers let us take it all for ourselves,' Taylor thought to herself. Though considering the sheer number of Magic Stones and Drop Items littering the 18th Floor in the wake of the Stampede, nobody was going to argue with the party who'd killed the damn Monster Rex about it.
Along with that, though, they'd still managed to obtain a truly staggering amount of wealth. When they got back to the surface and divided up the spoils Debbie had carried back up with them, everyone, including Ryuu and the three members of the Takemikazuchi Familia, had walked away with a quarter million valis. Each. That was two point five million valis in total! And from just the Magic Stones!
Yes, Taylor had had to use the majority of her share to pay for Debbie and the Gun Libellula's Tamed monster registration fees, but it was worth it, and she wasn't that concerned with the money in the first place. It was the raw materials that really held her interest.
"The main materials for this are gonna be Adamantite and Mythril," Welf said, explaining what he needed in order to make Taylor's new arm. "Adamantite for the shell and main structure. The bones and skin, so to speak. Mithril for the joints so you can actually move the fingers and wrist, as well as to form 'veins' so you can channel magic and the Falna through the limb. There will be a few other materials. Copper, steel, and a smidge of titanium. But the first two I mentioned are going to be the most important."
Taylor nodded as she followed along. She wasn't going to be satisfied with a regular Silver Limb like what Naaza had. She still wanted to delve the Dungeon, and needed something that could keep up with her.
"It's gonna be expensive," Welf warned. "Luckily, the prosthesis is going to be two-thirds Adamantite and we collected enough of the stuff to make weapons for everybody and have enough left over to make you three whole new arms."
"Can't we get Mythril from the Dungeon?"
"Like I said down in Rivira, not unless you can survive the Lower Floors. Or, well, I suppose if you kill a Jack Bird you've got yourself a whole egg made of the stuff, but the odds of that are slim," Welf replied. "We'll just have to pay for it, and likely put up Quests with the Guild."
"Alright," Taylor said, not liking it but also not having any other option.
"By the way, this Spell Slot system you want to integrate? Ingenious!" Welf said happily as he looked over some of the ideas Taylor had come up with for improving the prosthetic. "It's given me new ideas for Magic Swords as well!"
"Glad to hear it," Taylor said. "Now, I'll leave you to it."
"Yup! Oh, and don't forget to remind Lili to stop on by so she can get fitted for her new equipment. I think I've finally made a decent mock-up repeating crossbow I want her to try out!"
"Sounds good, I'll pass that along," Taylor nodded before exiting the smithy, Chris falling into step behind her as she left.
There was one more place she had to visit that day before heading home to training the newcomers.
A few minutes later, she arrived at Valka's Crimson Chamber, an enormous structure made of red bricks in the east of the city. It was one-part fortified manor, one-part smithy, with workshops for dozens of blacksmiths and a several large bloom and blast steel foundries to produces the metal necessary for all their creations.
Upon reaching the front doors, they swung open, revealing a tall, tanned woman with an eyepatch. The hum she emitted was skin to the sound of hammering, and the volume of it marked her out as a Level 5 adventurer.
"Good afternoon, Tsubaki Collbrande," Taylor said politely as she greeted the Hesphestus Familia's captain.
"Taylor Hebert. Lady Hephestus is waiting for you," the tall Blacksmith said, gesturing her into the building. Chris, her loyal companion, hunkered down to wait, and Taylor stepped inside.
The interior was about what she'd expected: bare walls, the brick and stone foundations visible, while wrought-iron decorations covered them. There were also impressive handcrafted pieces of furniture here and there, also made of metal and stone, and Magic Stone lamps with red-tinted glass lighting the hallways and rooms.
Hephestus' office was not at the top of the building as Taylor had expected, but was instead on the first floor, in a corner of the manor. The reason for this was because right next door to the office, accessible through a hidden door in the room, was an impressive workshop where self-proclaimed goddess of crafting and metalwork would be able to create her own items.
"Lady Hephestus, your guest has arrived," Tsubaki called out after knocking on the door.
"Send her in."
The captain complied, opening the door and stepping back to allow the parahuman to pass by. When Taylor was inside, she closed the door, giving the two of them privacy.
The appearance of the woman who'd taken Hephestus' name was yet another reason Taylor didn't believe it whenever Hestia tried to convince her she was an actual deity. In the legends of Earth Bet, Hephestus was – besides being a man – deformed and ugly. Depending on the source, he had a hunchback or a lame, crippled leg.
This woman was beautiful, like most women who possessed a Falna. Was that a side effect of the Trump-like ability or something? Regardless of that, female-Hephestus had curly crimson hair and the only sign of disfigurement was the eyepatch she wore over her left eye, just like her captain.
The two women stared for a bit, sizing each other up, before she stuck out a hand. "Let me see it."
Having a guess as to what she wanted, Taylor took out the Nano-thorn dagger, and passed it over. Hephestus looked it over, examining it close. The hum surrounding her – the crackle-whoosh of a fiery forge and the clanking of metal – intensified, and Taylor guessed she was using some power to scan it.
"It's broken," she muttered in disappointment. "Or rather, it's used up the last of its charges."
"I had to use it," Taylor said defensively.
"I know," Hephestus sighed, conceding the point. "According to the reports the Guild made, that rare variant Goliath was at least Level 5 in terms of danger. Probably higher, given that it could apparently regenerate even after half of its body was erased."
She then returned the Tinkertech weapon to the parahuman.
"Do you think you could fix it?" Taylor asked, honestly not expecting anything.
"Not me. Down here, my Arcanum is sealed, and I'd need to use it if I wanted to do anything to this thing. It uses technological principles the Lower World shouldn't have access to for another millennium, at least," the one-eyed smith declared. "Not to mention there is something... alien about it, that I'm not sure even my Arcanum could fully overcome."
"Then there's no chance," Taylor sighed, disappointed. She was also a bit miffed. Why did these Trumps have to roleplay so hard? They weren't gods! They really needed to stop acting like they were!
"I didn't say that. There may indeed be a way to repair it," Hephestus admitted slowly. "There is a Blacksmith I know, considered one of the greatest in the world. He has a unique Spell that can restore anything. Weapon or armor, magical or mundane. Even if it was broken into a hundred pieces and some of them are missing… he can fix it, good as new."
"What's the catch?" Taylor asked. Because nothing that good came free, after all.
"The Blacksmith is in high demand across the world, and his workshop is located in Solingen," the 'goddess' replied. "If I send him a letter, it may take at least half a year before he receives it, and the wait time for a slot to open up, even with one of the favors he owes me to speed things up, could be several years on its own."
"Is there nothing else available?" Taylor asked with a grimace, not liking the idea of waiting so long.
"There's another possible option," Hephestus claimed. "The School District has a trio of extremely talented smiths who, with some effort, could possibly find a way to restore the dagger. One of them has a Skill that can analyze any mundane object, grasping both its composition, its structure, and its history, another can transmute one type of solid matter into another form, so long as both are not magical in nature. Like lead into gold, for instance. And the third smith can create copies of any mundane object in existence, even replicate complex mechanisms, so long as he has blueprints for it and enough of the proper materials."
"And the dagger isn't magical at all," Taylor said slowly. "With the three of them working together, they could analyze the Nano-thorn dagger, create samples of the unique composite ceramic used to build it, and then make replacement parts. It'd be like building an entirely new one."
It sounded like a long-shot, but magic seemed to be capable of all sorts of things. Perhaps it could get around the lower tech-base and Tinkertech Blackbox issues?
"Exactly," Hephestus said with a nod. "The School District moves around a lot, but it should be scheduled to arrive at Melen within half a year or so. And it would be easier to convince the three smiths to work on this project."
"Can we try both options?" Taylor asked. "Contact the Blacksmith in Solingen as well as these other smiths?"
"We can," Hephestus said, a tiny, approving smile on her face. "I'll write some letters to all four of them."
"Thank you," Taylor said gratefully. "And, I had another question. Well, a favor, really."
"Ask," Hephestus replied.
"Would it be possible to obtain a Growth Enchantment like what Bell's dagger has? Specifically, applying it to the prosthetic I am designing with Welf?"
"A Growth Enchantment on a prosthetic arm? Do you know how expensive that would be?" Hephestus asked, raising an eyebrow at Taylor.
"No," she admitted.
"The blade I made for Hestia would be worth 200 million valis if priced at its retail value," Hephestus revealed, and Taylor choked a little.
"Yes, that was the exact same reaction she had," the 'goddess' snorted.
"I wasn't aware the Familia was in such debt," Taylor admitted when she recovered from the shock.
"Hestia didn't have to pay that much," Hephestus admitted. "She received a very generous 50% discount because she let me study your own knife for a bit. And she's paying in installments."
She then leaned in across her desk, fingers steepled in front of her. "Now, tell me, Miss Hebert. What makes you think you have anything else to tempt me with to bestow a second Growth Enchantment upon something your Familia would own? Not to mention, I'm not getting you into contact with those smiths for free."
"I know things," she began, but was cut off with a dismissive shake of Hephestus' head.
"Unless you can tell me the exact methods to manufacture the unique composite alloys that your weapon is made of, there is likely nothing you can tell me that would convince me," the goddess warned.
Taylor winced and began to wrack her brain for something – anything! – from Earth Bet that might convince the red-headed woman in front of her.
"What about... a method to reliably produce aluminum?" Taylor eventually asked. At that, Hephestus blinked.
"Oh? Well, I suppose that might be worth something," she replied, but this time it was Taylor's turn to shake her head.
"I am well aware that aluminum is worth an insane amount of valis," Taylor said.
"Aluminum is worthless as a metal. It's rarity is the main reason it is worth anything," Hephestus stated.
"Aluminum is not worthless. It has a lot of uses," Taylor argued. "Of course, if that doesn't convince you, what about a way to reliably create rust-resistant steel?"
At that, Hephestus perked up. "Rust resistant, you say?"
"Yes. Around 200 times more resistant compared to regular steel, and it can be done without magical assistance," Taylor claimed, and with the way Hephestus' sole eye glinted, the parahuman immediately knew she had her.
"If your knowledge is true, and can be replicated – unlike whatever stuff your knife and armor plates are made of – then I will gladly and strongly consider creating another item with a Growth Enchantment on it for you."
"I wasn't born yesterday," Taylor scoffed. "I want it in writing that states that in exchange for my knowledge of rust-resistant steel, you will help Welf create my prosthetic arm and grant it a Growth Enchantment."
"You don't trust a goddess to keep her word?" Hephestus inquired sharply.
"No," Taylor retorted simply, and the craftswoman blinked before chuckling.
"Very well. I'll draw up a contract. We can sign it at the Guild in front of witnesses if that also makes you feel better."
"It does," Taylor confirmed. "If that's all, then, I'll take my leave."
"Before you do… thank you for rescuing Welf. My Familia members are precious to me," Hephestus said.
"It was the least I could do," Taylor claimed, causing the self-proclaimed goddess to snort and then wave her off, and Taylor turned away, recognizing the dismissal for what it was.
As the parahuman left the office, she just barely managed to hear Hephestus let out a faint sigh before muttering, "It's like dealing with the Vice-Captain of the Zeus Familia all over again… like looking in a gender-bent mirror, too…"
'That was odd,' Taylor thought to herself.
Upon leaving the building, she noticed a cat-eared young woman with long silver hair and bright red eyes in a ruffled crimson slit dress was staring intently at her from across the road opposite Valka's Crimson Chamber.
She decided to try and get on with her day, and finish some other chores. Shopping for food was a constant task given the lack of modern refrigeration or preservation, and of course an adventurer ate a staggering amount. Taylor had surprised herself when she'd managed to eat two whole paellas from the Hostess of Fertilityand had still felt there was room for dessert.
'What will my appetite be like when I hit Level 3?' Taylor wondered nervously to herself. 'What will our food bills be like?'
An hour of shopping later, and the catgirl was still following Taylor. The parahuman was getting a bit weirded out by her stalker. The only reason Taylor didn't try and shake her off was because she lacked any hum, meaning the girl wasn't an adventurer.
The girl was also really bad at being a spy, if that's what she was. She wasn't even trying to hide or be discreet, just humming softly to herself as she skipped along the road after Taylor. She would also stop and help random people, who'd repay her with small gifts in thanks.
"Hello," Taylor said, finally growing tired of waiting for her stalker to speak up and turning around to confront her. "Can I help you?"
"Hi! I'm Love Silva!" the teen said, her voice rather airy and cheerful.
"I see," Taylor said slowly.
"You're Weaver, the Record Holder. And you are very interesting," Love declared, peering intently at Taylor who leaned back, unused to such intensity.
"Thank you?"
"I want to join your Familia!" Love claimed, and Taylor blinked slowly.
"What? Why?"
"Because I can tell that interesting things will happen around you!" the catgirl said happily. "You're the current record holder who defeated a rare variant Monster Rex, and started up a business involving silk garments and another upcoming one with the Ganesha Familia. Things are definitely gonna be interesting in the future if I stick by you!"
"How'd you hear about that?" Taylor demanded, glaring at the girl. The deal with the Ganesha and Miach Familia should have been a secret!
"I hear a lot of things," Love said guilelessly.
"Well, Miss Silva, I'm flattered, but I can't make the decision alone," Taylor said sharply.
"That's okay! I wasn't planning on having a job interview with a goddess today but I think I'll do okay," the catgirl said. "Oh, and please, just call me Silva!"
"Alright, then. Silva, you want to join our Familia because you think it will be fun?"
"Interesting," Silva said, stressing the word. "I have a sixth sense for it. And you… you have 'interesting' practically oozing off of ya!"
"Are you truly willing to join? There will likely be combat. We enter the Dungeon for a living, after all," Taylor said.
"I might not look it, but I can fight!" Silva claimed, pumping a fist.
Taylor watched her closely for a bit, scrutinizing her before giving a curt nod. "Come along, then. You can talk to Hestia. She'll be the one to convince, in the end."
"Yay!" Silva cheered, skipping over to Taylor's side and glomping her arm with a hug.
"Personal space," Taylor requested through gritted teeth, and the catgirl blinked before letting go.
"Sorry," she apologized, looking down at the ground sheepishly. Taylor just gave her stern and disappointed look before walking off towards the Hestia Familia's base.
When Taylor returned to the church with Silva in tow, she found Bell and Hestia also back from their own business and waiting out front for her. To her surprise and amusement, there were two newcomers standing with them.
Besides Bell was a five-foot-four blue-haired young man with yellow eyes and a massive sword strapped to their back. It was a big slab of metal rivaling Welf's, but was more of a traditional great sword in appearance. They wore a brown vest with red highlights on it, with grey shirt and pants on underneath. They had a neutral expression on their face, but their eyes lit up with excitement and awe when they spotted Taylor.
Next to Hestia was a short, five-foot-one-inch-tall pink-haired girl with pink eyes. She had two short swords sheathed at her side and wore a white shirt with a red ribbon on her chest and a frilly white skirt with leggings underneath. She had a nervous expression on her face, but tried to hide it.
"Well. It seems I'm not the only one who was followed home," Taylor joked. Behind her, Silva snickered, while Bell and Hestia both looked a little embarrassed, sheepishly rubbing the back of their heads in tandem.
"I couldn't say no to such a passionate request to join my Familia!" Hestia claimed.
"Me, too," Bell agreed.
Taylor smirked a little before glancing at her own tagalong. "Go ahead and introduce yourself."
"I'm Love Silva! Just call me Silva!" she declared, waving at the others.
"I'm Leo Diaz!" the blue-haired swordsman – no wait, there was a lack of Adam's apple, so they were actually a swordswoman – declared, bowing deeply when Taylor looked over. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"A-and I'm Emma Flores!" the pink-haired girl said, also bowing in greeting. Taylor twitched a little at hearing the name of her former best friend-turned-bully again, but forced it down.
"It's gonna get lively around here!" Iris said, grinning at the thought of having some juniors. No longer would she and Lucia be the newest recruits!
"At least it gives us an excuse to finally start the expansions on our home," Taylor agreed.
"It does! Oh! And you better get ready for a shopping spree tomorrow, because we got invited to the God's Banquet being hosted by Apollo!" Hestia declared, flourishing an envelope with a gold wax seal upon it.
Taylor hid a wince at that. A party? When was the last time she'd had to attend a social function? And this was going to be a high society one, at that!
Cheerfully oblivious to Taylor's inner turmoil, Hestia prattled on about different dresses, shoes, and hairstyles, sounding excited about attending the event.
In the end, Taylor heaved a defeated sigh. There was no chance of her being able to avoid going to it, was she?
'Well, there will be so many other people there, odds are I can just fade into the background once we're actually there,' Taylor thought to herself. 'And nothing bad could possibly happen surrounded by high-level adventurers.'
After all, it was party. How bad could it possibly be?
Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Panic on the Dance Floor
Chapter Text
Chapter 24: Panic on the Dance Floor
"Hestia, remind me: why am I here, again?" Taylor asked in a tone of exasperated suffering as Lucia and the two newbies Emma and Silva were helping her and Hestia shop for dresses. It'd been going on for a while already, and she'd tried on several stores worth of outfits. Literally. They'd been in and out of half a dozen boutiques and visited numerous seamstresses trying to find something for the two of them to wear.
The problem was, perhaps unsurprisingly, their size. Hestia was quite short, but also rather 'blessed' in the chest area. She was just barely too tall to fit into pallum clothing, but too short for most human outfits.
Taylor had the opposite problem. She was tall. Taller than most people in Orario, save a handful. The only woman as tall as her that Taylor had met so far was Mia Grande, owner of the Hostess of Fertility, and the parahuman was significantly more svelte than the giant of a woman as well so she couldn't exactly ask about where she went shopping.
"Because the invite said I had to bring along the captain of my Familia to the party," Hestia replied as she held up a pair of dresses. "What do you think? Red? Or blue?"
"Blue. And I'm not the captain," Taylor said.
"Miss Taylor, you are totally the captain," Lucia said, shaking her head a little.
"You do the paperwork with me, you take charge in battle, and you're always trying to push us to do better," Hestia said, ticking off the different reasons they all thought Taylor deserved the position.
"What about Bell? He's stronger than me. And he joined first."
"Just because he was the first child to join my Familia doesn't mean he is captain material," Hestia said. "If you weren't here, and you hadn't leveled up so quickly, he'd be my first choice. But you've shown you're capable enough for the role. There's nobody else I'd trust with this duty."
She then looked to the side, shifty-eyed. "And, well, I may have submitted paperwork to the Guild saying you were the captain?"
"How long ago?" the parahuman asked, dreading the answer.
"Uh, when I sent in your Level Up notification documents?"
Taylor let out a groan as Hestia let out a nervous 'Tee-hee!' and tried to act cute, but instead received a bonk on the head.
"Bad Hestia. No cookies for dessert tonight," Taylor declared, causing the mini-goddess to tear up.
"B-but you said you'd make snickerdoodles!" Hestia whined.
"…Fine, maybe a few," Taylor muttered, feeling bad when she saw the crying face, and was unable to resist the puppy eyes.
Silva snickered a little while Emma giggled at the interaction. The pink-haired girl was still a little stiff and nervous around Taylor and Hestia, but she was getting more comfortable in her new Familia and warming up quickly to them. Silva was helpful in easing Emma in as well, as the catgirl had a natural charisma and charm that put people at ease around her.
"So, Hestia, tell me about Apollo," Taylor requested as she tried on a the blue dress Hestia had picked out.
"He's a sleezy pervert," Hestia said bluntly. "He was always trying to hit on me in Tenkai, but he'd hit on anybody with a nice face. His whole Familia is filled with handsome men and pretty women. Though they're also all adventurers, so don't let their beauty fool you."
"One-hundred and sixteen Familia members, according to the Guild's records," Taylor recited, having discreetly looked into the Guild's records when she'd heard about the event. "Their Captain is Level 3, and the only one who is. They have quite a few Level 2s, numbering at thirty-eight. There's nobody who could be considered middle-aged in his Familia, either, so their veterans are fewer than other Familias of similar size."
Hestia squinted at Taylor suspiciously. "Did you ask for that information, or did you steal it?"
"No comment," Taylor replied, and Hestia grumbled something under her breath about being a fly on the wall, which the parahuman found rather hilarious.
"Regardless of how you found out about that… yeah, sounds right," Hestia nodded. "Apollo is also a narcissist. He's throwing this party to show off how 'fabulous' he is, and is only allowing the other gods to bring their captains along because he wants to flaunt his captain as well."
"I've heard he often picks fights with smaller Familias," Lucia said nervously. "And then tries to steal people he considers 'beautiful' from them."
"Same," Silva said with a nod.
"He doesn't sound very nice," Emma muttered.
"That does seem like something he'd do," Hestia sighed, before perking up as she found a dress. "Ooo! This is pretty! Try it on, Taylor!"
The parahuman took it and grimaced. It was too frilly for her tastes, but she did so because refusing would just make Hestia sad. And seeing her sad was like getting kicked in the heart.
"You look nice!" Emma said happily when Taylor stepped out.
"I suppose. Do they have anything less… frilly?" Taylor asked, tugging on some of the laces decorating the sleeves of the outfit.
"What about this one?" Silva asked, walking over with something she'd pulled out from… somewhere.
Taylor examined it. It was a long, shimmery blue cocktail dress with a slit along the right leg. There were no ostentatious additions to it, and compared to some of the other outfits, was very plain. But it looked like it'd fit her, and so Taylor took it.
Upon emerging everyone gasped and clapped.
"It looks great on you!" Hestia declared.
"It really does, Miss Taylor!" Lucia agreed.
"It's not the worst thing I've tried on today," Taylor muttered, looking at herself in the mirror, and through the eyes of her swarm. It was just a little too short, but not that bad.
"And it's cheap, too!" Silva said. Taylor checked the price tag, and nodded slowly.
"Yes. This will do." Ten thousand valis for a dress was somewhat pricy but well within her budget.
"My turn, now!" Hestia said happily. "Let's do this!"
Delving into the store, they eventually found something that fit her. It was also blue, but a lighter shade so it complimented Taylor's. It had frilly hems and was lightly ruffled along the sleeves. It was cute. Add in some blue hairbands, and it was an excellent looking outfit for her.
Taylor had wanted to make silk dresses for the two of them, but the last minute nature of the invitation, combined with the other orders Taylor was still working on, meant that for now, they had to buy the dresses premade.
With the preparations for party done, at least on the dress front, the remainder of the week was spent waiting. And training. Taylor made sure to grind her new Familia members into the dirt to learn how they fought, and what they needed to improve on.
All three of them had prior combat experience, and both Leo and Emma had actually fought monsters before. Only minor ones that dwelt within the wilderness beyond civilization, but it was better than Silva. She was the only one of the trio who had never do so, partly due to never having left the city before. Still, she had gotten some self-defense lessons from a couple of adventurer friends and was able to keep up with the others.
"That was a good workout," Taylor said, praising the newbies. Bell and the others were in the Dungeon while the Parahuman was drilling some
"When will we be going into the Dungeon?" Leo asked, panting a little.
"Soon. After the party," Taylor promised.
"Finally!" Silva huffed, flopping onto the grass.
"Better to sweat now than bleed later," Taylor said firmly.
"Um, can I ask you about how you got so strong, Miss Taylor?" Emma asked, and the parahuman blinked at the question.
"Hard work," she said simply. "And fighting. Lots of fighting."
"It can't be that simple," Leo muttered under their breath.
"Why did you ask, anyways?" Taylor wondered, looking at Emma.
"…My sister is strong," Emma admitted softly. "But she doesn't think I have what it takes to be an adventurer. I want to be like her, but… I'm afraid I'll let her down."
"She's an adventurer?" Taylor asked. When Emma nodded, Taylor frowned a little.
"I never had siblings. But I knew a few people who did," Taylor eventually said. "And for the most part, siblings always want what's best for each other. It sounds to me like your sister just wanted you to be safe. She didn't want you risking your life for mere coin in a place like the Dungeon."
"I see," Emma said. "I guess that makes sense."
"However, she doesn't have the right to decide how you live your life," Taylor added. "Do what you want. Live how you want. If you want to be strong, become strong. So long as you don't hurt other people, I honestly don't care what you do."
"…Thank you, Miss Taylor," Emma said, sounding a little bit more upbeat.
"Oh! Is your sister Sophia Flores?" Silva asked excitedly, getting her face up close to Emma's.
"Ah?! Y-yes?!" Emma stammered out.
"I thought so," Silva said with a nod. "You sorta look like her."
"You know my sister?" Emma asked. "Is she… doing alright?"
"She's fine. I see her sometimes when she visits my favorite Jagamarukun stall. She really likes spicy food," Silva said.
"There's only one Jagamarukun stall in the city," Taylor pointed out. Hestia had bought it from the original owner, after all.
"And that's why it's my favorite!" Silva giggled.
"Makes sense," Leo said, nodding along with that logic.
Taylor and Emma both squinted suspiciously at the swordswoman. They could never tell if Leo was joking or not. She had such a good poker face.
"Anyways… you three are done for the day. Clean up for now, and we'll meet with Bell and the others for dinner later," Taylor informed them.
"Wooo!" Silva cheered, grabbing Emma and Leo and dragging them off to the nearest bathhouse. Taylor watched them leave with a shake of her head, before turning around.
"You can come out now," Taylor said, and after a moment Ryuu appeared, stepping out from the shadows of a nearby building.
"I apologize for sneaking up on you," Ryuu said.
"I knew where you were the moment you approached the church," Taylor informed her. Ryuu blinked slowly before nodding.
"I came here to ask you for something," Ryuu said, deciding to ignore what Taylor had just said.
"Depends on what it is," the parahuman said.
"I was hoping… that is to say…" Ryuu said, fidgeting a bit.
"Let me guess. Smallclothes?" Taylor asked, using the local term for underwear, and the waitress nodded slowly, embarrassed.
"Come along, then," Taylor sighed. This was not the first time an elf had come to her in a discreet manner asking for undergarments made of spider silk. Riveria and a few others from Loki Familia had approached her in the same manner since the events on the 18th Floor.
The elvish aversion to touch and nudity was extreme, to the point they acted like the very act of speaking about underwear was something shameful. It was almost amusing, but made them annoying customers.
By the time Taylor had coaxed Ryuu out of her clothes and then gotten her measurements, the sun was setting, the three new Familia members were back from their bathes, and it was time for Ryuu to be heading back out to the Hostess of Fertilityfor her evening shift.
"Don't worry, Miss Lion! We'll escort you there safely!" Emma said, blissfully unaware that the elf she was offering to protect on her way to work was more than capable of defending herself.
"Thank you," Ryuu said, humoring the girl with a tiny yet fond smile on her face.
"Bell and the others are here," Taylor suddenly announced, detecting them as they entered her range. Or rather, she sensed the bugs hidden away on their bodies. "Let's go reserve a table."
"You can sense them from that far away?" Ryuu asked, surprised.
Taylor said nothing, but her silence confirmed it in the elf's mind. When Ryuu next looked at the newly minted Level 2 adventurer, it was with a calculating look, as if she was assessing a threat with new eyes.
The parahuman didn't mind. It was actually comforting in a paradoxical way to know somebody in this city saw her as the dangerous creature she truly was.
Whatever Ryuu thought about her didn't have any influence on her service, though, as she escorted the Hestia Familia members over to an empty table upon returning at the Hostess of Fertility. She then left them with Syr to take their orders while she went to the back to change into her uniform.
"Welcome back, Miss Taylor!" Syr said cheerfully. "And hello to you newbies as well! I hope Miss Taylor hasn't been running you too ragged."
"Hiya!" Silva said happily, waving back at the waitress.
"It's fine, an adventurer cannot falter from something as mundane as training!" Leo declared.
"That's right!" Emma agreed. "And Miss Taylor is just trying to make sure we're ready for whatever the Dungeon throws at us!"
"Glad to hear it! So, what can I get you?" Syr inquired.
"Water to start with," Taylor requested. "A pitcher for the table. Foodwise, what sort of specials do you have?"
"We just got some lobsters from Melen today!" Syr informed her. "So we whipped up a nice lobster bisque! It comes with rye bread for dunking. And the main dish for the evening is a spaghetti and meatball dish made with some peppers and other spices mixed into the meat and the sauce."
"That sounds good, I'll have both of that," Taylor requested. "Girls, order whatever you want. And give me a second to ask the others what they want."
At the exact same moment in another part of the city, Bell and the rest were walking back from the Dungeon. They'd just spent hours ripping through the 10th through 15th Floors, harvesting plenty of resources as they went and were tired yet also still on guard. Hence why, why one of Taylor's bug clones formed in front of them, Lili shrieked and fired her crossbow into it, while Bell and Welf slashed at it and Iris kicked it. Only Lucia didn't try to attack, but only because she'd teleported onto a nearby roof to try and get a better vantage point.
"Good reflexes, very quick to react," Taylor praised through the swarm. "But next time, make sure you find out if they're really a target or not."
"Sorry," everyone apologized.
"Anyways, we're at the Hostess right now. Tell me what you want and I'll order it for you, so by the time you arrive, it should be ready," Taylor requested.
They sheepishly passed along what food they wanted, and Taylor dutifully relayed it to Syr, who was giving the parahuman a bemused look.
"Everything will be ready soon," Syr said as she went off to deliver the orders to the kitchen and then fetch their drinks.
Just as Taylor had claimed, Bell and the others arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later, taking their seats with sighs of relief.
"Tough day?" Taylor inquired.
"There were some large parties on the 10th and 11th Floors, monopolizing the monsters there," Welf said with a huff of annoyance. "We had to move on to deeper areas to get anything."
"And when we did, something had riled up the Almiraj, causing them to spawn in ridiculous numbers. Must have been hundreds of them!" Iris complained. Taylor nodded sympathetically. Iris and Welf weren't as fast as the other three members of the party, and their height made the shorter and faster bipedal rabbits tricky opponents.
"It wasn't all bad, though. We got plenty of Almiraj fur!" Lucia said, happy to have gotten her hands on some of the soft and white material. Whatever she wanted to do with her share of the loot was her business, and Taylor expected to see some new items in the store soon.
"Lili, you look rather happy," Taylor noted, looking at the shortest member of the party.
"It's wonderful! Lili has finally got enough money to pay off Lili's debts and leave the Soma Familia!" the young pallum said happily.
"That's amazing! I'm so happy for you, Lili!" Bell said, and Lili chuckled and blushed.
'Another one claimed by Bell's charm,' Taylor thought to herself in amusement. Aloud, she said, "If you need us to go with you to make sure your Captain doesn't try and cheat you, let us know."
"Lili wants to say that Zanis wouldn't do that, but Lili doesn't want to be a liar," the pallum sighed. "Would you come with Lili?"
"Of course," Taylor promised.
"And, when Lili is free… can Lili join your Familia?" she asked softly, looking up at Taylor and Bell with hopeful eyes.
"We wouldn't have it any other way!" Bell declared, and Taylor nodded in agreement.
"You're stuck with us," she joked, and Lili giggled happily.
When the food arrived a little later, small talk was put to the side in favor of filling hungry bellies. The spices added a nice kick to the pasta, and Taylor was curious about the recipe they'd used for the sauce, as it wasn't too thick or too thin.
'This would go great with lasagna,' Taylor mused to herself, but she knew Mama Mia would never give up her recipes easily. As she thought of a way to get the information from the retired adventurer and perhaps improve the culinary scene of Orario with dishes from her world, a person started to approach their table.
A Level 1 pallum with a very round face and short hair was weaving towards them, acting like he was drunk, but Taylor's swarm was able to detect no alcohol on his breath.
When he got closer to them, the faker tried to trip and dump his full mug all over Bell, but the parahuman reacted first, stinging the back of his hand with a horsefly, causing the adventurer to yelp and drop his mug, getting the floor wet and dirty, but more importantly, not drenching Bell.
"Shit! You bitch!" the pallum shouted, glaring at Taylor. "What the hell?!"
"Luan," Lili said, her tone of voice dry as a desert. "What do you want?"
"This crazy bitch attacked me!" Luan uttered angrily, pointing accusingly at Taylor who just stared blandly at him.
Two more adventurers got up from their seats and went to back up Luan, sneering at the Hestia Familia and friends.
The commotion had instantly been noticed by the people in the store, but none were reacting yet, content to watch and wait. After all, it was free entertainment!
"Why'd you hurt our friend?" a human demanded.
"Yeah! You think you can get away with that?" an elf asked.
"Now, now, Alto, Laon, I'm sure she'll be willing to compensate us," Luan said with a smarmy smirk. "She wouldn't want to start a fight with us. Not with so many people here watching."
Taylor just raised an eyebrow at their antics. Really? Trying to extort her? It was almost cute, in a stupid way.
"No," she said, before looking away, ignoring them. They didn't like that at all, and scowled even harder.
"You think you're better than us just because you somehow cheated your way to Level 2?!" Luan demanded?"
"No, I think I'm better than you because I'm not trying to pick a fight in a pub over dropping a mug," Taylor replied bluntly. "Now leave. Or I'll make you."
"You can't make us go anywhere!" Alto the human scoffed.
"You're right. I can't. But they can," Taylor said, gesturing towards Anya and Ryuu, the two powerful ex-adventurers watching the scene with amusement, just waiting for a chance to step in.
"Threatening members of the Apollo Familia?" a new person interjected in a disdainful tone. "You're truly getting too uppity for your own good, newcomers."
This induvial was a blond elf, and from the hum surrounding him, was a Level 2 adventurer. He was alternating between glaring at Taylor and trying to kill Welf with his gaze alone.
"I'm not threatening you. If I was, you'd know," Taylor replied with a tiny scoff. "This is me being polite."
Then, the shadows began to buzz ominously, and everyone looked around nervously. "Do you want me to stop being polite?"
The elf tensed up, as did Luan and his cronies, but before things could devolve into violence, somebody else intervened.
"Hey, hey, why don't ya calm down, Lissos?" a gruff voice called out, and everyone now glanced over to the newcomer who'd stepped in on behalf of the Hestia Familia.
"Mord," Taylor said, nodding curtly at the adventurer in greeting.
"Yo! Weaver! Lucky Rabbit!" the other Level 2 said, waving a hand at them as he slung his other arm around the Apollo adventurer's shoulders.
Lissos the elf immediately shook the man off, scowling at Mord. "How uncouth," he sneered.
"Buddy, I'm just trying to save you an ass whoopin'," Mord chuckled. "Or are you seriously gonna and try and provoke 'em?"
"They're weaklings who aren't even trying to fight back," Lissos scoffed.
"Buddy, They're not fighting back because they're weak, they're not fighting back because they have manners. Oh, and because it wouldn't be a fight at all," Mord said, his smile dropping from his face.
"I saw the Lucky Rabbit take a magic weapon and do something to it that allowed him to blow up the Black Goliath, dealing more damage than two dozen mages and other high-ranked long-range adventurers. And I witnessed Weaver command hundreds of monsters at once to protect and rescue countless people, and then deliver the finishing blow to the Monster Rex by jumping off of a monster in midair and then using her teeth to tear her way to its Magic Stone. So please. Go ahead. I really want to see what would happen to you if you're dumb enough to actually get them angry."
Lissos glared at Mord, but there was hesitation and uncertainty dancing in his eyes, and after a moment he scoffed and stormed off. Luan and his cronies scurried after the more powerful Apollo Familia member a moment later, their exit accompanied by jeers and laughter from the other patrons.
"Thank you for intervening," Taylor said, giving a nod towards the former antagonist.
"Yes! Thank you for your help, Mr. Mord!" Bell agreed, bowing his head towards the other adventurer, who blushed and scratched his cheek.
"Heh, just paying ya back for the help you gave me and my buddies in the Dungeon," Mord replied sheepishly.
He then shot them a look of warning. "Just stay on your guard, okay? The Apollo Familia has some unsavory types in it, and they don't exactly have a good reputation around here."
Several adventurers nodded in agreement at his words, and Taylor inclined her head.
"Thank you for warning. We'll keep our eyes open," she promised.
"Mmm. I suppose nobody would be able to sneak up on you anyways, Bug Girl," Mord said, winking at her. She just rolled her eyes at his use of that nickname.
"Now that the people bringing the mood down are gone, let's get back to more important things. Like this lobster bisque," Taylor suggested, which everyone happily agreed with.
However, even as she finished eating, Taylor kept a close eye on the quartet of Apollo Familia adventurers through her swarm. She had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time they'd see them.
111 &&& 111
After several days, it was finally time for the event at the Apollo Familia's manor, and Hestia had booked a trip to a spa and salon for the two of them. The hairdressers had brushed and cleaned their hair, and given Taylor's a bit of a perm, so her long black hair was slightly wavy. It looked nice, and Taylor considered keeping the look.
Hestia had decided to let her hair down as well, forgoing her twin-tail style and letting it hang down in an ebony waterfall, while keeping it in place with a blue headband studded with lapis lazuli.
"Are you ready?" Hestia asked. They two had helped each other get dressed in the church's bedroom, and were now ready to make their way to the Sunlight Manor, home of the Apollo Familia.
"Almost. One more thing. Here," Taylor said, opening the wardrobe and pulling something out of it. She handed over a white shawl with Hestia's emblem woven onto it to the shorter woman, who took it with excitement.
"Pretty!" Hestia gushed as she admired the garment. "Did you make this yourself?"
"I did," the parahuman nodded. She hadn't had enough time to make a full dress out of spider silk for either of them, so this was the best she could offer at the moment.
"He-he-heh!" Hestia giggled as she threw in over her shoulders. "Thank you, Taylor! Loki is gonna be so jealous!"
Taylor raised an eyebrow at the mention of Hestia's rival, but eventually decided it wasn't any of her concern.
Instead, Taylor pulled out something she'd made for herself from the wardrobe. It was a white spider silk half-cape that was designed to drape over her shoulders and cover up her missing arm. It looked rather good, almost knightly in design, and it also had the Familia emblem on it for all to see.
"That looks so cool!" Hestia gushed.
"We better go. Don't want to be late," Taylor replied, hiding a blush by shunting her feeling into the swarm. She couldn't keep a tiny blush off of her cheeks at the praise, though. Even if Hestia was just saying all of that to be polite, it was nice to praised for her looks.
Walking out of the bedroom, they found Bell on the couch, smiling widely when he spotted them.
"You two look amazing! So beautiful!" he praised, causing Hestia to giggle happily and Taylor to look down bashfully.
"Come on," Taylor said, tugging on Hestia's hand. "And Bell? Have a good evening."
"I will! I'll gonna meet up with the others. We'll be getting Lili out of the Soma Familia tonight!" he told her.
"Is that so?" she asked.
"Yup. Lili confirmed that Zanis will be attending the event since the Soma Familia is providing some of the wine, but Soma won't be there himself. It's the only chance we have to avoid the captain and approach Soma directly. We have the money, and Zanis won't be there to try and stop us."
"Good luck with that," Taylor said. "If you have any trouble, come get me."
Bell just nodded, and Hestia gave a few words of encouragement to him before linking arms with Taylor.
Upon leaving the church, they made their way to their transportation. Taylor had decided that if she had to be the captain, she'd at least arrive in style. To that end, she'd rented a carriage, but instead of having a horse pull it, Chris was given that honor. The carriage driver had been nervous, but the Crystal Mantis was docile.
'The hefty bonus I was willing to pay him probably helped,' Taylor thought in amusement as the carriage trundled off to the upper-class district of the eastern half of Orario.
The Sunlight Manor was big, more than enough to fit all of its Familia members, but it also had a large, well-maintained yard and back garden. Surrounded on all sides by a tall iron fence, the building was lit up with numerous lanterns, and a line of carriages and other methods of transport were slowly entering through the front gate.
"Impressive," Taylor murmured. "Though the décor could be better."
Seriously, who thought dozens of marble statues, busts, and paintings of oneself was a good idea? Apollo, apparently, and they were scattered throughout the building.
'At least Ganesha only has the one statue of himself, big as it may be. I'm fairly certain he's also hiding his true intelligence behind that carefree façade. This guy though… the word 'narcissist' immediately springs to mind,' Taylor thought to herself.
Still, she put on her game face and, when the carriage came to a stop, she helped Hestia out and escorted her to the doors. There were plenty of eyes on them, as other guests couldn't help but stare. Mostly at the monster-pulled transport they'd arrived in, admittedly, but Hestia also drew gazes.
"Ooo, a buffet!" Hestia said, drooling a little when she spotted the free food in a corner of the ballroom that the party was being hosted in.
Taylor simply scanned the room, analyzing everyone. The hum of power was loud, and so many different sources overlapped each other it created a cacophony. The parahuman could feel a headache forming the longer she was around everything.
However, some people definitely stood out. One was a huge boaz that towered over everyone else. His hum was more a scream, and sounded like the roar of a waterfall.
Another was Finn, the pallum's hum not having changed from the spear swish and clatter of game pieces, but it had intensified.
The two Level 7s of Orario, gathered in one room. It was quite daunting. The leaders of their Familia were no less impressive. Loki was a red-headed woman with a svelte figure, and her hum sounded like a maniacal cackling. At Ottar's side was Freya, the woman one of the most stunning Taylor had ever seen. Her hum was also loud like her companion's. It was the ringing of wedding bells, but mournful.
'It sounds like Syr's hum,' Taylor noted curiously. 'Is the waitress part of her Familia?'
Whatever the reason for it, Freya seemed to notice Taylor's eyes on her, and she turned to look. For a moment, goddess and mortal stared at each other, before the former flashed a sultry smile at her, causing Taylor to look away and break eye contact first. It felt like a defeat, and Taylor couldn't figure out why.
"Well, hey there, shortie!" Loki called out, the tomboyish goddess smirking as walked over to Hestia.
"What? Who put this flat wall here in the middle of the room?" Hestia asked, making a show of looking around. Loki growled at that, grinding her teeth together, before glancing at Taylor.
"So! This is your captain, huh? Gotta be honest, I expected the Lucky Rabbit to be your captain," the person named after the trickster goddess commented.
"Until Bell is able and willing to do the paperwork, I'm filling in for the position," Taylor claimed.
"That's exactly what I said when I agreed to be Loki's captain," Finn said dryly. "I wouldn't hold your breath, Miss Taylor. Most adventurers aren't like us. They lack the patience for the duties we have to handle."
The two captains shared a moment of silent commiseration with each other, while Hestia and Loki continued to snipe at each other in the background.
"Just don't think that because you have two people break the record for Leveling Up you're somehow on my level," Loki said. "I mean, how could you be, given how short you are?"
Hestia growled like a feral child, and was only stopped from physically leaping at her rival by Taylor putting her hand on her shoulder.
"Now, now, let's not ruin such a lovely evening with senseless violence," Takemikazuchi called out as he approached the group with Ouka at his side. Both were dressed up in fine silk garments that reminded Taylor of Japanese yukata. Fitting, she supposed.
"Indeed. Patching you two up after tussling with each other would a pain," Miach chuckled. He was arm-in-arm with Naaza, and the dog-eared woman looked uncomfortable being out in a dress. Taylor sympathized with her, and sent a friendly nod towards her friend. Naaza returned it, a tiny smile on her lips when she saw a fellow sufferer.
Last but not least to join their little group was Hephaestus, the smith walking over with Tsubaki. She gave everyone a polite nod in greeting before turning her attention to the two troublemakers.
"Loki, stop trying to provoke Hestia," the eyepatch-wearing red-head asked with a put-upon sigh. "And Hestia, stop trying to provoke Loki."
"She started it!" both of them said unison, before glaring at each other. In response, Hephestus just sighed before bonking both of their heads, which successfully stopped their bickering, if only because they directed their ire towards the other goddess.
"It's looking like a real party over here," a voice that gave Taylor strong smarmy vibes called out to them, and she glanced over, spotting a man with curly blond hair tucked beneath a feathered cap being escorted by Asfi who had a black dress.
'This must be Hermes,' Taylor guessed, as who else would the captain of the Hermes Familia arrive in tow with? The fact that his hum was identical to the one she'd detected in the Dungeon during the rescue mission was interesting as well.
'It's decent blackmail material if nothing else,' she thought to herself. Interestingly, Hermes flinched a little when he realized Taylor was watching him.
"H-hey, there!" Hermes stammered out. "You're the new Level 2, huh?"
"That's right," Taylor confirmed with a nod.
"Looking good!" Hermes said, winking at her, but it came off as him trying too hard. Then, his expression shifted into a more somber one, and he doffed his cap, giving her a little bow. "Thank you for helping my dear Asfi down on the 18th Floor. I heard all about your actions from her."
He then grinned rakishly. "It's not often I hear such praise about anyone from my dear Perseus. Why, if I didn't know better, I'd assume my captain had a little crush!"
"Sir!" Asfi exclaimed, face turning red. She then swatted the back of his head, though that only made him laugh.
"Anyways, has anyone seen Apollo?" Hermes wondered. "I wanted to discussing something with him, but I can't find him."
"He's coming right now," Taylor announced. "He's just left a room full of mirrors and is walking down a hallway. At his current speed, he'll reach the ballroom in under a minute."
"Jeez, where are you finding all these freaks of nature, Hestia?" Loki wondered under her breath as everyone stared uncomfortably at Taylor as she revealed a smidge of just how far reaching her bugs could let her see.
The plucking of lyre strings suddenly rang out, silencing the conversations going on as their host made his appearance. Interestingly, at least to Taylor, was that Apollo's hum was also the sound of lyres, and it actually managed to blend harmoniously with his introductory tune.
The man who'd taken the name of the God of the Sun (and other domains such as healing, prophecy, and poetry) had bronze colored hair that shifted between rust red and blond depending on the light, and wore a white toga with a red half-cape and a green laurel wreath atop his head. His aura sounded like a fire, though unlike Hestia's his flames sounded harsh and violent, lacking the comforting warmth of the Goddess of the Hearth.
He was accompanied by two young women, Level 2s based on their hums. One had short red hair, yellow eyes, and fierce glint in her eyes that complimented the sound of drum beats of her hum, while the other possessed long blue hair, light green eyes, and a timid nature as she tried to shrink away from the gazes of the room. Her hum was the most unusual, as it seemed to change every so often, going from one musical instrument to another at random.
As curious as they were, Taylor's attention was mostly on Apollo, who stepped up, to address the party.
"Welcome, welcome!" Apollo said, his voice filling the ballroom. "Thank you for attending my banquet!"
His gaze swept the assembled gods and adventurers, lingering on a few individuals. When it passed over Hestia and Taylor, his expression scrunched up into one of disgust and, curiously, disappointment, before moving on.
"Eat, drink, and make merry!" Apollo called out. "Enjoy yourselves!"
With that, he descended into the crowd, mingling with his guests, and the room filled up with noise once more as conversations restarted. Ganesha loudly announced he was, in fact, Ganesha, and a few gods were trying to get a drinking content started between themselves.
"I'm gonna grab some food," Hestia said. "Want something, Taylor?"
"Sure. Get me a plate with whatever, I'm not picky," the parahuman requested, turning away from Apollo.
Though she was keeping an eye on him with her swarm. The way he'd reacted to her when he'd spotted her was worrying.
'And why is his captain secretly meeting with Zanis in the garden?' Taylor wondered, having noticed the clandestine rendezvous. It was odd to see the Soma Familia's captain speaking with Hyakinthos, but then again, Soma was responsible for providing refreshments. She couldn't hear anything as they were speaking too quietly, and it was too dark to try and read their lips. Not that she could in the first place.
'Something to practice for later,' Taylor decided, accepting the plate of finger food Hestia brought her a little bit later.
Unfortunately, the good mood didn't last long, as Taylor sensed the flamboyant narcissist approaching them.
"Hestia, so glad you could join us," Apollo announced. "Though I thought I asked for you to bring your captain with you."
"I did. Taylor here is my Familia's captain," Hestia replied after swallowing a bit of meat.
"What?" Apollo uttered, confused. "But, is she not a newly promoted adventurer? And do you not have another Level 2?"
"True, but Bell isn't suited for the role," Hestia shrugged. "Besides, there's no rule the captain has to be the strongest or the highest leveled child. It's just how it often turns out."
"I see," Apollo drawled, unimpressed. "Still, that makes things slightly easier for me. If he's not the captain, I don't have to worry."
"Apollo? What are you up to?" Hestia inquired, squinting at him suspiciously.
"I issue a challenge to you, Hestia!" Apollo said pompously, reveling in the attention being directed his way.
"What do you think you're doing, Apollo?" Hestia demanded, annoyed, and he just smirked.
"I challenge your Familia to a War Game!" Apollo continued. "And when I win, Bell Cranel will join my Familia!"
"Rejected!" Hestia said immediately, crossing her arms in an 'X' shape.
Apollo blinked as murmurs swept the hall. He clearly hadn't expected her to deny it so quickly, but rallied quickly.
"Ah! I see! You're afraid to fight me!" Apollo claimed, and Taylor rolled her eyes while Hestia scoffed.
"I'm only trying to save you a beating, Apollo," Hestia retorted. "A War Game between us would end poorly. For you."
"You think your tiny Familia has a chance against mine?" Apollo demanded, tone turning angry.
"You may have quantity, but I have quality," Hestia declared proudly. "Besides, War Games are completely random. They could range from a pie-eating contest to a race. And I am not exactly worried about my Familia's prospects in either."
She then folded her arms across her chest. "Besides, War Games have to be accepted by both sides. And I reject your challenge. I would never wager my beloved children, even if I was a hundred percent sure of victory!"
"Bell Cranel is an incredible child whose talents cannot possibly be nurtured in such a pitiful Familia," Apollo retorted.
"Perhaps. But Bell would never achieve anything if he joined yours," Taylor retorted, and immediately more whispers sprang up, this time scandalized. Who was this upstart mortal, to cut in to a conversation between gods?
"How dare you?" Apollo demanded, affronted. "My Familia would be more than capable of helping the Lucky Rabbit reach greater heights!"
"You have a single Level 3 adventurer, and hardly any veterans," Taylor said, contempt audible in her voice. "Yours is a Rank D Familia, and while that is admirable in certain ways, your adventurers have stagnated. For a Familia of your size, I'd expect to see more Level 2s at the very least. Not to mention, it's obvious that your Familia was not formed for combat. It is a vanity project, meant to appease your ego. Which, if you have to decorate your home with images of yourself, must mean said ego is as fragile as glass."
Apollo grit his teeth at the blatant disrespect, before scoffing. "What else would I expect from an ugly cripple but disdain and envy towards her betters."
"I lost an arm, and yet here I am, already Level 2," Taylor replied. "And people who live in glass houses should avoid throwing stones."
"Hestia! Discipline your child!" Apollo demanded, turning away from the parahuman.
"Why? She's said nothing I disagree with," Hestia retorted. "Somebody like Bell would never thrive in a Familia such as yours."
She then turned her nose up at her fellow god. "Now, if that's the only reason you invited us here, then I think we've overstayed our welcome. Come, Taylor. We're leaving."
Taylor nodded in agreement, and the two began to leave, heading back towards the entrance of the manor.
"You would just walk out on me?!" Apollo demanded furiously. "You would spurn my invitation?!"
"It's obvious our invite was merely a pretext to try and force us into a War Game," Hestia replied.
"You… you…" Apollo spluttered.
"You owe us," a new voice cut in, and Taylor and Hestia stopped as Hyakinthos had appeared, blocking their path. "Your captain attacked one of our Familia members. We are owed compensation for this."
"Yes, yes, that's right!" Apollo said, perking up as his captain came to his aid. "You hurt dear Louie!"
"His name was Luan," Taylor said, while Hestia shot a disappointed glare at Apollo. "The fact you cannot remember his name, even while trying to use him as a pretext, only further proves why we would never allow Bell to be taken away by you."
"You deny hurting him?" Hyakinthos demanded while Apollo spluttered indignantly.
"I do. Prove it, and I will apologize to him," Taylor replied. "But there were many witnesses who saw he was rather drunk at the time and acting belligerent. He was very close to being thrown out of the establishment for being a disorderly mess."
"I do not need to prove anything. The word of Lissos is more than enough for me," Hyakinthos declared. "If you want forgiveness, beg my lord for it, or I will ensure you regret it."
Taylor frowned, bristling at the threat, and immediately the ballroom was filled with a discordant buzzing. Black swarms of bugs seeped from the walls and shadows of the chamber, and screams of disgust and horror rang out.
"Try anything, and I will make you regret it," Taylor snarled.
"Y-you! How dare you bring such filthy insects into my beautiful home!" Apollo shrieked, cowering as the swarms writhed around him.
"I did no such thing. Everything you see right now was already in here for the taking," Taylor replied, and Apollo cringed.
She didn't know why he didn't keep trying to protest it, or why the other gods were now looking at Apollo in disgust instead of her, but she'd take it as a win regardless, and continued walking towards the exit with Hestia, pushing Hyakinthos out of their way.
The Level 3 allowed this, but only because he was too busy hurrying over to Apollo's side to try and protect him from the bugs.
As soon as Hestia and Taylor left the mansion and found their carriage, the parahuman released her control over the swarm, allowing it to scatter.
"That didn't go as I thought it would," Hestia sighed.
"We can expect retaliations of some kind from them," Taylor said.
"Yeah. Good thing the Apollo Familia doesn't own any big businesses or ties to important people who could deny us goods and services," Hestia grumbled. "But that just means they'll try and bother you guys in the Dungeon. Or worse, go after my Jagamarukun stalls!"
"If they try anything, they will regret it," Taylor vowed.
"I know they will," Hestia said with a nod. "I'm trusting you to look after the Familia."
She then smirked. "Look at you! Acting like a captain! And you said you weren't cut out for it!"
"There's more to being a leader than paperwork and enacting vengeance, Hestia," Taylor sighed.
"Maybe, but those two are pretty darn important," the goddess declared, and Taylor huffed a little in amusement.
"I suppose so," she said, acknowledging the point, before thinking to herself, 'Paperwork and vengeance… it's like I never left Brockton Bay or Earth Bet!'
As they walked back to the church, Taylor idly wondered how Bell's evening had gone.
'I'm sure it went fine.'
Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Interlude 3
Chapter Text
Chapter 25: Interlude 3
"Ouranos! Old buddy, old pal!"
"What do you want, Hermes?" the God of the Sky asked, resisting the urge to sigh as he looked over to the blond god who'd entered his domain. The self-proclaimed Spymaster of Orario was too loud, and he had a headache. He really did not need this right now.
"Well, I was in the neighborhood, and I thought, 'Well, let's ask Ouranos a few questions about why he's favoring a random adventurer!'" Hermes said lightly, but his tone hid a hint of steel.
"I made my decision. I will not change it," Ouranos declared. "Taylor Hebert's Alias is to be Weaver… for now."
"Don't you think you owe me? I mean, the other gods were so upset when they couldn't give little miss Weaver an Alias, and they took it out on me!" Hermes pouted. "Haven't they ever heard the saying, 'don't shoot the messenger?'"
'Maybe if the messenger wasn't so easy to dislike they wouldn't pounce on you for delivering bad news,' Ouranos thought but did not say. Instead, he replied, "I told you, Hermes. The name came to me in a dream."
"I wasn't aware you dreamed. Or slept, really," Hermes said.
"I do not exactly have much else to do down here," Ouranos drawled, making a dismissive gesture to the vast emptiness of his chamber.
"You're a bit cattier than usual, oh Anchor of Orario," the God of Messengers noted, eyeing the Sky God warily.
"Apologies, but things have been hectic," Ouranos apologized. "The… what are they calling it now? The 18th Floor Rumble? It was hard to keep the Dungeon contained. I have not had to strain myself so hard in years. It's taken a toll on me."
"We all felt the shaking," Hermes admitted.
"I'm sure you did," Ouranos retorted, glaring at the smaller deity who flinched.
"Ah… you know?"
"I'm not blind or an idiot," Ouranos stated. "So, yes, I knew you were where you weren't supposed to be. It's only luck that you weren't killed down there. Still, you will make a useful scapegoat for the other gods."
"What?!" Hermes gasped. "B-but it wasn't my fault that that Rare Variant showed up!"
"No, it wasn't, but I would prefer the excuse that you were responsible over revealing the truth," Ouranos declared, and Hermes gawked at him in disbelief.
"Then… what was it?" he asked after a moment. "If I am to be blamed for something, I'd like to know what I'm supposed to be covering for!"
A moment passed as Ouranos stared at Hermes, before eventually a curt nod was given. "I suppose that is fair."
Ouranos steepled his fingers. "Fels? Barrier."
Several magical barriers designed to block sound and scrying sprang up around the two gods, and only when he was satisfied by their strength did Ouranos deign to speak again.
"Taylor Hebert was not alone when she came to Orario," Ouranos said, and even that felt like it was a bit too much information.
Hermes blinked slowly, trying to figure out what he meant by that. "She's a Faller," Hermes said slowly. "We've all suspected as such. But when you say she was not alone… was there another person with her? No… not a person… a passenger?"
Upon uttering that, Hermes felt something SHARP and HEAVY turn its attention his way and he froze, eyes wide and fearful.
"Perhaps it is best you keep your curiosity to yourself," Ouranos said softly. "Here, in this place, where the power of the Sky seals away the one thing the gods cannot truly understand, some connections are stronger than they should be… and the veil thinner than even the gods in Tenkai realize."
Hermes swallowed nervously as he bowed. "Of course. A very good idea," he whispered, before sagging in relief as the metaphysical weight left him.
"Now, if I'm not mistaken, you have a party to attend, and a captain to attend to," Ouranos said, and Hermes's wince this time was due to the thought of what Asfi would do to him if he was late.
As Ouranos watched the other god leave, he leaned back in his throne.
'What are you?' Ouranos wondered. For the first time in ages, he cast his gaze upwards, away from the Dungeon… and beheld a glint of crystal hiding behind a shroud of dimensional energy. It retreated as soon as it felt his attention turn towards it, but this was not due to fear – the Sky God had a feeling it was stronger than him – but due to its own nature.
The entity peering down onto Orario and the rest of the mortal world had OBSERVATION built into its very being. An Authority, or as close to one as it was possible to have for a non-deity. And it was not a god or goddess, this was another thing Ouranos was very certain of.
'It's gotten closer,' he noted warily. 'When Taylor Hebert Leveled Up, the connection between that thingup there and the Lower World grew stronger for a brief moment.'
That was how Ouranos had known what to call the young girl. The entity watching over her had sent a message to him, and the Anchor of Orario was hesitant to deny its wish. And in the grand scheme of things, letting it pick its 'partner's' Alias was a small price to pay to avoid receiving even more attention from whatever it was.
'Though I dislike how similar to the Dungeon this new existence feels,' Ouranos thought to himself as he returned his gaze to the sealed labyrinth beneath his feet.
Would the Thing Above be able to influence the Genkei if Taylor Hebert Leveled Up again? Could it already manipulate things, and simply chose not to?
The God of the Sky didn't know, and he wasn't afraid to admit he was worried for the future.
111 &&& 111
"They looked good, right?" Lucia asked the others as they relaxed in the basement of the old church.
Lady Hestia and Miss Taylor had just left for the ball Lord Apollo was hosting, and the Familia (plus Lili, the best Supporter!) were hanging out together.
'Though I do feel a bit out of place,' Bell thought to himself, trying not to draw too much attention his way. It felt… odd for a boy to be talking about dresses, even if he was surrounded on all sides by girls.
"Sure did!" Lucia nodded. "I wish I'd been able to make their dresses, but there's always the next ball. Oh! I should get everyone's measurements! Then I'll be able to have dresses for everyone!"
"That sounds lovely," Leo said with a small smile. "I do not have much 'girly' clothing."
"And that's a crying shame!" Silva said. "You'd look great in a dress!"
"Lili wouldn't mind new clothes, either," Lili hummed thoughtfully, a tiny smile on her face.
Not for the first time, Bell wished there were more guys in the Familia. He'd thought Leo had been a boy at first, so learning she wasn't and that he was back to being utterly outnumbered, had been an embarrassing moment.
"M-miss Taylor looked very pretty tonight," Emma spoke up. "Her hair is beautiful!"
"Yes, she carries herself well," Leo commented. "She reminds me of the few times my old mercenary company would interact with nobles. Miss Taylor walks with poise and confidence. She must come from a well-off family."
"She's also really smart," Emma praised, smiling widely. "I've seen her do mental calculations in her head and balance the budget in seconds! It takes me so long to do multiplication. And she reads a lot!"
Bell had noticed that the pink-haired girl strongly admired Miss Taylor, clinging to every word the newly minted captain of the Hestia Familia said, and following her orders with eagerness.
"But she's strong, too. Could she be from a militarily aligned family?" Silva mused.
"Probably," Iris shrugged. "Miss Taylor's a slave-driver, but I can't deny it shows results."
"Indeed," Leo agreed. "My old commander would have adored her. If she wasn't an adventurer, Miss Taylor could easily become a renowned mercenary or an officer in any military in the world."
"Punishing training aside, Miss Taylor's also kinda, intense, right?" Lucia said, looking between everyone. "I mean, she's very nice, but she definitely comes off as… scary."
"Her eyes stare into your soul!" Silva whispered, but it was with a grin.
"Lili has seen many things, but nothing prepares you for Miss Taylor or her swarm," the pallum drawled, and catgirl and cowgirl nodded in agreement.
"I-I think Miss Taylor just doesn't know how to express herself!" Emma protested. "She's very nice!"
"She totally is, but that doesn't mean she isn't 'intense,'" the seamstress commented, and even Bell had to nod at that.
"…So, did you see the way Lady Hestia barely fit into her dress?" Silva asked after a short pause, causing a few of the listeners to blush.
"Did I?!" Iris exclaimed with a disbelieving laugh. "How does such a tiny girl have such a big chest?! She's bigger than me!"
The cowgirl grabbed her own chest for emphasis. "What do they eat up in Tenkai to get 'em so big?"
"Dunno, but it must be good, because I've never seen an ugly god," Silva shrugged.
Bell could feel his face rapidly heating up, and from the smirks Lili and Silva were shooting him, they knew exactly what they were doing.
A knock rang out at the top of the stairs that led outside, and Bell let out a sigh of relief as he called out, "Come in!"
"Hey folks," Welf said a moment later, entering the basement. "Glad to see you're all here."
"Welf!" Bell said happily, glad to finally have another guy around. He also noticed that the tall red-head was carrying a bunch of wrapped bundles with him.
"Oh, you're here," Lili sniffed dismissively.
"Sure am, shorty," Welf said, reaching out and ruffling Lili's hair, causing her to hiss at him like a cat.
"Everyone, this is Welf! He's is our contracted blacksmith, and Level 2 member of the Hephaestus Familia!" Bell said, cheerfully introducing the taller man to the newbie trio in the group.
"How have you been?" Iris asked him. "We haven't seen you since the fight down on the 18th Floor!"
"Sorry, been pretty busy," he replied. "Got some commissions from Taylor I've been working on."
"I'm sorry about what Taylor said to you, on the 18th Floor," Bell replied, hoping he could patch things up between them. "And for hitting you… she was out of line."
"Yeah, it wasn't very nice. Or fair," Iris said, folding her arms.
"It saved lives, though," Lucia pointed out. Before anyone could start arguing, Welf held up his hands to cut them off.
"Thanks," Welf said with a faint sigh. "And while I'm… not happy about it, she did already apologize."
"She apologized?" Lili inquired, surprised.
"Is that so weird?" Welf asked.
"When did she do it?" Emma wondered.
"Two days after the fight," Welf replied. "And to be honest… I think I needed it. The talk, the punch, seeing my creations do good instead of… well, regardless, we've patched things up."
He then held up the packages he'd brought with him. "Now, on to less dreary news! I have gear for you guys!"
Welf began to pass out the items to their respective owners. Repaired items for Iris, Lucia, Bell, and Lili, and new equipment for Emma, Leo, and Silva.
All of them eagerly began to see what had been given to them, and they were all quite pleased.
The newbies all got some equipment that was brand-new. Brigandine armor, with the Hestia Familia's emblem boldly placed in red and gold over their hearts. They were made of Minotaur and Bugbear leather, which came from Drop Items acquired from the 18th Floor Rumble.
"I like it!" Silva said as she tried her armor on. "Comfy!"
"It is lighter than I thought it would be," Leo commented as she held her outfit up. "Or perhaps it's just that I'm stronger now."
"The latter," Welf confirmed.
"Yes, Miss Taylor made a good point about how foolish it was to not wear armor, especially when we all have the stats to do so," Lili spoke up. She then looked at the Blacksmith. "Lili is still waiting for her full plate."
"It's coming, it's coming, keep your hood on, shorty," he assured her. "I've had a lot of different orders to deal with. But it should be done soon."
"Good," Lili nodded. "Lili looks forward to it."
"How did you get our measurements?" Emma asked, looking over at Welf with a furrowed brow.
"Taylor," Welf replied.
"…and how did Miss Taylor get those?" the pinkette inquired.
"Do you really want to know?" Lili asked, at the same time Welf said, "She controls bugs. How do you think?"
Awkward silence fell upon the group, and Welf coughed a bit before he handed over the other items he'd brought.
"Here, Iris. I added some Salamander Wool lining to your sword's grip," Welf told Iris. "Not sure if the flames from your Skill will affect your gear, but better safe than sorry, right?"
"Cool!" Iris said cheerfully, before activating Bronze Bull right there. Dark, metallic flames sprang up around her and covered her sword, but they didn't burn her or the surroundings, though they could all tell the room was heating up.
"Not in the basement!" Lucia quickly scolded her, and the cow-girl pouted before nodding and dousing her Skill.
"Lucia, here's some new boots," Welf said. "They should have better support and non-slip soles. I recall you'd mentioned that."
"You remembered!" she said happily as she accepted the combat-rated footwear.
"Lili, new crossbow bolts and a quiver to hold 'em," Welf said. "I was gonna make you a new hooded robe, but…"
"Touch Lili's robe and you'll regret it," she warned him.
"Yeah. That," Welf said dryly. He then turned to Bell. "I made a coat for you. It's Minotaur leather lined with Salamander Wool and rubber threads. It should grant a bit of resistance to electricity and fire, and make your outfit explosion resistant as well."
"That'll work well with my clones!" Bell said happily as he took the coat from Welf, admiring it.
It was white with gold buttons, and long, almost like a trench coat. The Hestia Familia crest was stamped onto the back of it in gold thread, and it included a white belt with a gold buckle, also shaped like the Familia's emblem.
"Don't worry about getting it dirty, it has a cleanliness enchantment on it. Blood, dirt… doesn't matter what, it'll wash right off," Welf informed Bell.
"It's incredible!" Bell praised, awed by the gift. He then frowned. "Uh, how much is it going to cost?"
"Taylor already set up payment," Welf assured him.
"She used her own money for this?" Emma asked, touched by the thoughtfulness.
"Eh, some of her own cash, yes, but also mostly from the Familia fund," Welf replied. "Or so she said. Equipment is paid for out of the latter, according to the boss lady."
"Now I'm glad we set it up so we pay into it," Iris murmured to herself.
Bell nodded. Having a portion of every payout from the Dungeon and sales from silk garments be put aside as a Familia fund had been a good idea.
"Miss Taylor has some good ideas. And odd ones, too. But yes, good ones as well," Lucia commented.
"She's obviously a Faller," Silva said as if that explained everything.
"You mean those legendary heroes who are said to come from another world?" Leo asked, her normally stoic expression shifting to one of excitement.
"M-Miss Taylor isn't from another world!" Bell shouted in a panic, causing the other members of the Hestia Familia to share a look.
"Okay, so, she's definitely a Faller," Iris said in a deadpan.
"Lili agrees with that assessment," Lili concurred.
"Wh-what? N-no! That's-!" Bell exclaimed nervously, only to stop when Welf put a hand on his shoulder.
"Better stop while you're ahead, buddy," the blacksmith suggested. "You're kinda digging the hole even deeper the more you protest."
"You're not a very good liar, Mr. Bell," Emma said apologetically when Bell gained a betrayed expression on his face.
"No… it can't be true!" Bell uttered in horror. When everyone nodded along at Emma's assessment, he slumped in despair.
"I failed to keep her secret…" he mumbled despondently, before looking up teary eyed. "Please don't tell anyone!"
"No way!" Iris promised. "We'll never let anyone know!"
"Indeed, nobody will hear it from us," Leo vowed.
"Yeah, but a lot of people already think so anyways," Silva claimed, and they all turned to look at her. Seeing their intense gazes, she scratched the back of her head. "I have a friend who deals in information, and she said that rumors about Miss Taylor being a Faller are already swirling after her display against the Black Goliath."
"Oh," Bell said, blinking at that. 'I should probably warn her about that when she gets back.'
"Fallers are supposed to be rare, right? Like, once a generation sort of thing?" Welf asked.
"Yeah. Like, every couple of decades weird people who claim to be from other worlds pop up in Orario," Silva explained. "Not sure if it's all true, but they always go on to become famous individuals."
"The gods have never confirmed the claim about coming from another world, but they've never denied it, either, which is telling," Lucia said.
"I wonder who was the last Faller to appear in Orario, anyways?" Emma wondered.
"Well, supposedly, according to the rumors, it was the Vice-Captain of the Zeus Familia," Silva claimed, the Orario native knowing the history of the place and its people better than most.
"Yes, that's right," Lili agreed, Lucia and Iris both nodding in agreement with her words.
"What was his name again? It started with a 'D,'" Lili murmured, wracking her brain, before shaking her head. "Lili can't remember. Was familiar, though, like I've heard it recently..."
"Well, it was fifteen years ago. But I do remember his nickname! They called him 'the Strongest Level 1,'" Iris revealed. "He could defeat anybody despite only being Level 1!"
She mimicked a sword slash. "My dad saw it, you know! He defeated Ottar, once!"
"No way!" Welf scoffed. "A Level 1 beat Ottar? Really? Pull the other one!"
"Ottar wasn't always Level 7," Lucia reminded him. "But yes, I've heard similar stories. Like the time he defeated the captain of the Anubis Familia in a duel! Or when he laid out Lord Zeus with a single punch!"
"I thought Lord Zeus was his god?" Bell asked, confused. "Why would he hit him?"
The other adventurers all shared looks with each other before Lili spoke up.
"Not all of them are like Lady Hestia," the pallum informed him. "Bell was very lucky to be accepted by her."
"Speaking of bad gods! Shortie, don't you have a debt to pay off?" Welf asked, patting Lili's head again, and she huffed and swatted his hand away.
"Lili does!" she replied, a tiny but genuine smile creeping onto her face. She then gained a determined look. "Lili should go now, and get the money ready. Zanis will not be at the base tonight as he's delivering wine to Lord Apollo's party. So Lili will only have to deal with Chandra."
"The vice-captain, right?" Bell inquired.
"Yes. Chandra is not… the worst person," Lili admitted. "He does not go out of his way to hurt, but he doesn't try to help. He is like Lord Soma. Only interested in brewing wine."
She shook her head. "Lili sometimes wonders how he got to Level 2 with how much time he spends in the distillery."
Lili then bounced up to her feet. "Okay! Lili is ready to go."
"You want us to come with you?" Bell offered. "You know, in case Zanis sends somebody after you?"
"Yes, please, Mr. Bell," Lili requested, giving him a grateful smile.
"Yeah, we need to keep you safe from that jerk!" Silva declared, pumping a fist into the air. "Who's with me?!"
"Sure, why not?" Welf shrugged, and Emma, Leo and Lucia nodded.
"Yeah, let's protect Lili!" Iris called out, causing the pallum in question to blush.
"L-let's just go!" she huffed, trying to keep the red from her cheeks, but failed, and hid inside of her hood while everyone smiled at her.
They did eventually leave the church, stepping out into the cool night air. Orario looked different when the sun went down. Thanks to the surplus of Magic Stones it had access to, the city's streets were lit up like it was a festival year round.
'It's so much brighter here compared to the village,' Bell thought to himself, looking around as he walked through the city. It was like night and day, really.
Back where he'd grown up, the village would be pitch black and almost everyone would be inside and asleep by the time the moon was up, their homes lit by candles and cooking fires. Here? The street lights filled Orario with a warm glow, some regions of the city as bright as if it were still the middle of the day.
Lili's destination was not in one of these well-lit areas. In fact, it was almost completely dark, with only a couple of guttering, damaged lamps providing illumination. A few buildings had light spill out from underneath doors and through boarded up windows, but for the most part, the night held sway. Eventually, she stopped in front of a store that looked abandoned.
"Wait here," she requested.
"Okay," Bell said, trusting her.
"Please hurry," Emma whimpered. "This place is creepy."
Lili simply nodded, and knocked on the door. A moment later it creaked open, and she slipped inside, leaving the rest of the party waiting in the dark.
111 &&& 111
The Secret Shop was not really a secret. Pretty much every thief, cutpurse, and ne'er-do-well in Orario knew of it. It was one of the few reputable fences in the city, where any stolen good could be sold for a fair price, while also making sure it didn't get traced back to the person who sold it.
Of course, since it was an open secret, the Guild and Ganesha Familia knew of it. Still, they allowed it to exist. When she'd first learned about that, Lili had been disgusted, but not surprised. Of course the adventurers wouldn't bother to deal with a problem that made them money!
Trying to remove it wasn't exactly easy, though, and part of that was due to the owner: a Gnome. Being a Spirit, they were considerably more dangerous than they might appear, easily on par with a Level 2 adventurer. And, since the Secret Shop existed partially underground, the owner could simply drop the roof down upon any rowdy customers, crushing them.
The other reason was that it was too useful. The Gnome may have dealt in stolen goods, but he never peddled drugs or flesh, and he provided a service to the city by ensuring the petty criminals like herself had a safe place to go, and didn't have to resort to other methods to get what they needed. And the really nasty sorts of criminals, who killed when the stole? They found themselves arrested shortly after pawning their take. The Secret Shop serviced criminals, yes, but never the truly wretched scum.
As she descended the steps into the dimly lit basement, Lili couldn't help but glance around. Officially, the Secret Shop was a pawnbroker, and its décor lived up to that. Shelves and stands cluttered the floor and walls, with a host of items upon them.
Antiques worth millions of valis sat next to pieces of junk found in bargain bins. Rare Drop Items were displayed next to crude forgeries of masterpieces. Anything you could imagine was for sale here… and anything you wanted to get rid of could be sold here as well.
"Ah, little Lili," a Gnome in a red hat said, greeting the pallum as she entered the hidden shop. "I see you brought friends."
"…They're worried about Lili," she admitted, and the thought brought a tiny smile to her face as she approached the counter where the mysterious Spirit worked.
"Hm. Finally found worthwhile companions, did you?" he grunted, tugging at his beard. He then reached under his desk and brought out a bank slip.
"I finished converted the jewels and other, uh, 'miscellaneous items' into valis," he informed Lili. "Combined with the rest of the money you've left with me… it amounts to this much."
Lili took the bank voucher, and grinned when she saw the total written down on it. "Yes!" she whispered in glee.
"Alright, away with you!" the Earth Spirit huffed. "Your friends outside are blocking the way and scaring off my other customers!"
Lili smirked, but nodded, then bowed at him before departing the secret black-market fence.
"You done?" Lucia asked as Lili emerged from the Secret Shop.
"Yes, Lili is finished," she confirmed. "Let's hurry on to the Soma Familia."
Everyone nodded in agreement at that, and together they hurried out of the dingy alleyway and headed towards… another dingy alleyway.
'Couldn't Lord Soma have picked a better place?' Lili wondered to herself as they headed to the Familia's headquarters.
"So, uh, just out of curiosity, but how much of your debt is left?" Emma wondered as they went. "I mean, if it's not too much to ask?"
"11.4 million valis," Lili stated bluntly, causing Bell to splutter and Leo to trip.
"E-eleven-?!" Silva choked out, the catgirl for once utterly taken aback, and Emma paled.
"And I thought my debts were bad…" Iris muttered under her breath in disbelief.
"How…?" Lucia uttered in horror.
"Lili's parents were reckless. And Zanis is a bastard," the pallum declared bitterly.
"Won't argue with that," Welf grunted, looking furious on her behalf. In fact, they all looked angry, and once more Lili felt a flutter in her chest.
'Lili has friends!' she couldn't help but squeal happily.
Her mood dipped considerably upon reaching their destination, though.
Soma's Kettlewas a dingy, depressing looking compound. It had a couple structures, including the main building that, from the smells they could all detect emanating from it, doubled as a dive bar.
Indeed, as they entered, Lili watched as Bell and the rest took it all in and realized that this place was frequented by people from the shadier parts of town who wanted cheap booze and didn't care about cleanliness.
There were adventurers, but also regular folks from the slums. They were drinking, eating, gambling and smoking. It was a busy place, and Lili and the others had to squeeze through in order to reach the bar.
"Oi! Micah!" Lili called out, her voice raised so the boaz behind the bar could hear here.
"Eh? What'd ya want, Lili?" he shouted back when he turned to her.
"Where's Chandra?!"
"In the distillery, where else?!"
"Thanks!" Lili replied, before leading her companions into the back. A few doors later, and they reached a place with a high ceiling filled with massive brass and copper distilling vats, along with a bunch of other apparatuses that seemingly fit in more with an alchemy lab than a place for brewing alcohol.
After a bit of searching, Lili found her target toiling away amongst the vats, carefully tending to everything as it hissed and burbled.
Chandra, the vice-captain, was an odd dwarf. Oh, not because of his love of wine! That was very orthodox for his species. No, what made Chandra an odd duck among dwarves was his beard. Or rather, lack of one.
Male dwarves tended to keep their beards long and full, with braids and beads woven in. Yet Chandra's beard was a puny thing, barely more than a pair of sideburns that met in the middle as a goatee.
His brown eyes turned towards her as she approached, and he grunted an acknowledgement before turning back to the valve he'd been fiddling with when they'd arrived.
"What do you want, Lili?" he asked curtly.
"Lili is here to pay off Lili's debts," she declared proudly, and he paused before shooting her an incredulous look.
"Seriously?" he asked. He glanced over at the Hestia Familia backing her up and nodded slowly. "Right, you were hanging around with the Record Holders, weren't you?"
Chandra shook his head, before closing the valve and turning to face them. "Do you have it with you?"
Lili responded by shoving the slip of paper she'd received from the Secret Shop into his face.
"Eleven and a half million," Chandra muttered, taking the bank voucher from Lili and giving it a close look.
"11.4 million for the debt, and the remaining hundred thousand valis for the 'processing fees' and to buy an audience with Lord Soma," Lili stated matter-of-factly.
"Well, you've got it all here," he grunted. "And this looks legit… alright, then. As the vice-captain, I declare your debts to the Familia paid in full."
Lili held back the urge to cheer. That didn't stop Bell and the others from doing so for her, immediately rushing her and dragging the shorter girl into a massive group hug.
"You did it, Lili!" Bell cheered, causing her face to flush red as he hugged her tightly.
"Y-yeah, Lili did," she stammered.
"Oi! None of that!" Chandra barked at them. "You wanna hug, go do it elsewhere! But this is a work place full of boiling liquids!"
The group winced at that and quickly vacated the area, but not before Chandra shouted after them, "Head on up to Lord Soma soon, before the four-eyed bastard gets back from his delivery to the Apollo Familia!"
Deciding to take his advice, Lili led the group to the upper levels of the tavern, where the administrative side of the Familia was located, as well as where her god dwelt, hardly leaving his workshop and leaving Zanis to run things.
As they neared the door to the god's chambers, they ran into somebody who was just coming from there. Literally, in fact, as the person, a pallum with grey hair, ran right into Lili, the two bumping into each other.
"Oh… hello, Coco," Lili said when she realized who she'd run into.
"Eh?" the other pallum uttered, blinking blearily and trying to peer through the haze of alcohol clouding her mind. "Lili?"
"Been awhile," Lili replied, curtly nodding.
"Has it?" Coco murmured. "I guess it has."
She then tilted her head. "Are you here to get a drink from Lord Soma, too?"
"No," Lili said flatly.
"Oh. Okay," Coco replied, seemingly still in a daze, and she just walked off, leaving the group to themselves.
"What…" Bell began, trying to ask question but words failed him. The others looked horrified.
Lili sympathized. But it didn't stop the disgust from bubbling within her at the sight of another soul ensnared by that accursed drink.
"That was Coco. She's… she was, a friend, when I was little," Lili said.
"No, I mean…" Bell stammered.
"What was up with her?" Welf asked bluntly.
"She drank Soma," Lili replied simply. "Recently, too, by the looks of it. She must have just come from Lord Soma's quarters."
"That's what Soma does to you?" Leo asked in disgust.
"It tastes like the greatest drink you've ever had, and fills you with a sense of peace and joy," Lili said darkly. "Soma is a Divine Wine that is nothing more than a drug that makes you want to experience the bliss it brings again and again."
Bell put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get you out of here," he promised.
Lili just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Instead, she continued to lead the group to Lord Soma's workshop, which was close to Zanis' office. The four-eyed bastard liked to 'keep an eye' on things, able to see if anyone was coming towards the god's work place. That way, Zanis could prevent anyone from getting an audience with Soma without him knowing about it.
Zanis was a piece of shit, but he was clever. He'd only made his play to take over the Soma Familia when he reached Level 2, as he knew he couldn't possibly lay claim to the captainhood without a way to beat down the other contenders.
Then, when he did claim the seat from Chandra – who hadn't put up much fight, the damned wine-obsessed workaholic! – the four-eyed bastard had established new 'rules.' Namely, anybody who wanted to have their Stats updated had to pay for it, and 'complimentary' cupsful of Soma were given out to all members.
He didn't train much anymore, since he'd made sure nobody would be able to rise up against him by controlling their addiction, and instead of venturing into the Dungeon, Zanis sat around in his office and watched over Lord Soma, keeping his money-cow safe.
'He grabbed the Familia by the throat and poured poison into their mouths, and now they beg him for the privilege,' Lili thought darkly as she reached Lord Soma's door. She didn't bother knocking, as he was usually too engrossed in his work to notice.
Opening the door, she was hit by a potent stench of alcohol, but the pallum forced herself to power through it, ignoring the itch in the back of her throat. She had only ever drank Soma thrice in her life, and the last time had been more then two years ago, yet upon entering the workshop she felt the old thirst spring back to life.
Swallowing heavily, Lili walked towards the god in the room, who was hunched over a massive cauldron, something bubbling within it.
The God of Wine was a lanky god, and though disheveled with greasy hair that covered his eyes and dressed in a stained dark blue robe, he still exuded divinity that demanded attention and respect.
'Though, after experiencing Lady Hestia's aura, Lord Soma's is… lacking,' Lili thought to herself, before clearing her throat.
"Lord Soma!" she called out loudly, grabbing his attention.
"Oh… it's Tilly, right?" Lord Soma asked, swaying drunkenly as he tried to peer at her through his bangs.
"N-no, it's Lili," she replied. "Liliruca Arde."
He just squinted at her before nodding. "Okay… are you here for a drink? I don't hic!have a new batch, but there's still some left over from the last one…"
"A-actually, Lord Soma, I'm here to… to request to leave the Familia," Lili said, her words tumbling out of her mouth in a rush.
"You wanna leave?" Lord Soma inquired, and when she bobbed her head, he shrugged. "Okay. Lemme hic!just get a few things."
Lili watched in confusion as he set up a couple items on a nearby table: a ceramic sake cup and a red gourd-shaped contained. He then poured a silvery liquid out of the gourd into the cup, and stepped back as an all too familiar smell hit her, causing the pallum's leg to quiver.
'Soma!' she realized, recognizing the drink in front of her.
"Okay, go ahead," he said, waving a hand in the direction of the table.
"Lili doesn't understand!" Lili exclaimed. "Lili paid off Lili's debt so Lili could leave! Lili didn't come here to drink anything!"
"Didn't they tell you?" Lord Soma asked, sounding surprised. "In order to leave, you must pass my test."
"Test?" Bell asked sharply while Lili was struck dumb.
"Yes. To leave my Familia, the child in question must drink a cup of Soma, but then refuse to drink anymore after that," the god explained, and several gasps rang out.
"B-but… then, the money-!" Lili stammered.
"That was my captain's doing. I never said anything about debts or paying to leave," Lord Soma replied, shrugging nonchalantly as if it didn't matter. "All someone must do is pass this simple hic!test."
"I- no! No, Lili refuses!" she exclaimed in horror, even as she took an unconscious step towards the accursed brew.
"Really? Because that's all there is to it," Lord Soma said. "Prove your strength as an adventurer by refusing a second sip, and you may go free."
"Lili can't! Lili won't!" she blubbered, falling to her knees. "Soma took my parents! Lili won't let it take her!"
"Then it seems you won't be leaving the Familia at all," a new voice spoke up, smarmy and cruel, and one that Lili recognized all too well.
"Zanis!" she spat out as she and everyone else spun to the doorway where Zanis stood, facing the Hestia Familia who'd intruded on the divine workshop.
"And, since you aren't here to take the test, I have to ask you all to leave," Zanis requested, pushing up his glasses.
"Fine. Come on, everyone," Bell said, leveling a glare at the Level 2.
"No, not everyone. Lili is not part of your Familia. She's staying right here," Zanis said, moving to stand in between Bell and Lili, and the pallum began to tremble in fear.
Bell stepped in front of Zanis, however, preventing him from getting any closer. "No. She's coming with us. Lili's not safe here."
"Move," Zanis ordered. "This doesn't concern you."
The Lucky Rabbit merely shook his head and then punched Zanis in the face, shattering his glasses and knocking him to the ground.
"Argh!" Zanis shouted furiously. "You little bastard!"
"You're weak," Bell said. "If you try anything, then you will regret it."
"Are you threatening me?!" Zanis snarled.
"Yes," Bell said darkly, and the white-haired captain recoiled in shock, not used to be spoken down to like that.
Zanis scowled, but when he stood up he simply gestured angrily towards the exit. "Leave! Or I will call the guards!"
The threat was an empty one, as everyone knew the Ganesha Familia was on friendly terms with Miss Taylor, and everyone knew it, but a fight between Familias was not a good thing, as the Guild would step in, and that could cause problems for everyone.
"Fine. Let's go, Lili," Bell said, helping her stand up.
When she was back on her feet, albeit a bit shaky, Bell shot another warning look towards Zanis, daring him to act. For a moment Zanis glared at Bell, but eventually he just growled and stood there, doing nothing.
Seeing the older adventurer back down, Bell huffed and put a hand around Lili's shoulder. Welf stepped up protectively beside her as well, guarding her other side. With a pair of Level 2s protecting her, and the rest of the Hestia Familia glaring daggers at everyone else, they managed to walk out of the Soma Familia's base and make it back to the church.
Only once they were all safely back inside did Lili break down in tears and cling desperately to Bell's shirt.
"That… that utter bastard!" Emma shouted, the normally quiet and kind pinkette revealing she too could be a potty-mouth if the moment called for it.
"Who? Zanis or Lord Soma?" Leo asked.
"Both!" Emma seethed.
"We have to do something!" Iris said angrily.
"Should we go to the Guild?" Lucia asked, unsure about what they could do.
"The Guild won't help," Welf huffed. "They might try and solve disputes between Familias, but it's always in an advisory role, they can't actually do anything or demand action."
"But then… what can we do?" the seamstress asked as Lili continued to cry, and Bell's expression only grew darker.
Nobody had any ideas, and for a few uncomfortable minutes the only sound was Lili as she sobbed.
All that changed when a cheerful, "We're home!" was called out, and the adventurers in the basement looked towards the stairs, surprised to have the goddess and captain return from the party so early.
'Miss Taylor will know what to do!' Lili suddenly thought through her tears, a sentiment echoed by the rest of the Hestia Familia.
Yes, everything would be fine if their captain took charge!
Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Drink to Forget
Chapter Text
Chapter 26: Drink to Forget
When Taylor and Hestia returned early from the party that evening, they didn't expect for there to be anybody waiting for them at the rundown church. And they certainly weren't expecting a crying pallum to throw herself at the goddess the moment they appeared, or for a furious Bell to be sitting in the living room with the rest of the Familia and Welf also wearing angry expressions.
"What happened?" Taylor inquired, though she had an inkling she already knew.
"S-Soma… h-he-!" Lili blubbered, before being unable to keep her tears from falling.
"Bell," Taylor uttered sharply, demanding an explanation through tone alone, and her fellow Level 2 straightened up on the couch.
"We went to pay off Lili's debt and get her out of the Soma Familia, just as planned," Bell said, beginning to tell the tale. "Zanis was not there, and the other Level 2, Vice-Captain Chandra, was willing to let us speak with Soma himself after we paid off her debt. We had to pay a 'meeting fee' but it was cheap enough. The problems started when we finally met Soma."
Bell clenched his fists. "He was drunk, and didn't even recognize Lili. And then, he refused to release her from the Familia, even after getting the money."
"What was his reasoning?" Taylor asked.
"He claimed to have never agreed to letting Lili leave his Familia. That the whole debt thing was Zanis' doing, and had nothing to do with his personal requirements for allowing an adventurer to exit his service," Bell replied.
"Bastard!" Hestia spat out even as she continued to comfort Lili.
"I see. And what, exactly, were Soma's conditions for freeing Lili?" Taylor asked, anger creeping into her voice. When Bell's expression darkened, she knew it was going to be bad.
"In exchange for removing his Falna from her, Lili had to drink a cup of Soma's 'greatest' brew and resist its effects by refusing a second serving," Bell revealed, and Taylor's own hand clenched.
"His greatest brew. The very same poison Zanis uses to control the Familia by getting them addicted to it? The very reason why Lili's parents accumulated such a massive debt and died trying to repay it? The reason Lili had to resort to thievery just to scrape by? THAT greatest brew?" Taylor demanded, her swarm boiling with rage in the background.
"The very same," Bell confirmed with a nod.
That explained why Lili was currently sobbing like her life had ended. Because to all intents and purposes, it had. Soma's so-called finest drink, unimaginatively also called 'Soma,' was a magical liquor that could instantly induce addiction in anyone unfortunate enough to consume even a tiny amount of the undiluted brew. It had to be heavily watered down for consumption, and even then, it was known to greatly exacerbate any drunken shenanigans from those who drank any.
It was known as a 'Divine Wine,' something potent enough to get even supposed gods drunk, and Soma only made a few batches of the stuff a year, sold at auction for absurd prices. During her investigations of the Soma Familia, Taylor had seen the bills of sale the Guild kept from the transactions, as Familia businesses were taxed differently from non-Familia related ones.
The Soma Familia had already reminded Taylor of the Merchants who'd used drugs to control and corrupt others, but this now reeked of something Coil would do, the manipulative snake bastard. Soma was demanding Lili prove her commitment to leaving his Familia by forcing her to become addicted to the very thing that'd ruined the lives of her parents and countless other adventurers.
'And even if Lili was able to muster up the strength to deny another cup in that instant, it would forever haunt her thoughts, and require significant detoxing and interventions in the future to keep her from relapsing and trying to get more,' Taylor thought to herself darkly.
"I think we need to have a little chat with Soma," Hestia said, her tone oozing malice. Taylor agreed, and was already making plans to storm out of the church and confront Soma right then and there.
"Tomorrow," Hestia quickly added, having guessed what Taylor had been wanting to do.
"Fine. Tomorrow," Taylor conceded. "Lili, you can stay here tonight if you want."
Lili nodded gratefully, clearly not up to leave and find her way home in the dark.
"We'll stay with you, too, so you don't have to be alone," Emma said.
"Yeah! Sleepover!" Silva happily declared, trying to cheer up everyone. It worked a little, and soon enough the middle of the living room floor had been cleared of furniture as everyone decided the catgirl's suggestion was a good one.
The impromptu sleepover was actually rather nice. Bell, being the only guy since Welf had begged off and left soon after, eventually retreated to the bedroom in order to leave the girls alone as the night wore on, and Lili found herself in the center of a big cuddle pile with the rest of the Familia.
"We'll get this sorted out," Taylor promised her as everyone began to settle down for the evening.
"Thank you," Lili mumbled softly, clutching a pillow Bell had given her tightly to her chest.
"Alright! Enough chitter-chatter! It's late and we gotta get up bright and early tomorrow!" Hestia declared. She then flopped down next to Lili. "Now let's go to sleep!"
A little bit later, everyone settled down and began to curl up under the sheets and doze off. Taylor was the last one to close her eyes, but even then she kept an eye out on the surroundings of the church through her swarm.
Satisfied that her monsters would alert her if anything happened, Taylor finally allowed herself to drift off to sleep.
111 &&& 111
The Hestia Familia woke bright and early the next morning to the smell of fresh bread and a proud Hestia standing at the table. Stomachs gurgling, the girls and Bell gathered around for a nice breakfast.
"How early did you wake up to make this?" Taylor asked as she spread butter and jam onto her breakfast bread roll.
"Oh, I got up a few hours ago. No big deal," Hestia assured her, trying to wave it off.
"Whatever happened to the girl I had to wake up every morning because she wanted to sleep in?" Taylor wondered aloud with a sigh, causing the twin-tailed goddess to pout and stomp her feet.
"Meanie!" she huffed. Hestia glanced over at Lili who was quietly eating while sandwiched between Emma and Silva, the two girls happily talking and doing their best to keep the pallum's spirits up.
"We'll leave when everyone's eaten," Taylor informed the adventurers at the table. "Hestia and I will escort Lili to the Soma Familia. Bell, you and the rest will stay here until we return. Stay on guard. And don't trust anybody from the Soma or Apollo Familias if they come around."
"Got it," Bell promised, everyone else nodding in agreement.
When the food was gone and the dishes being washed up by the other members of the Familia, Hestia led Taylor and Lili out of the church and into the city, Chris following them as a silent, looming protector.
The blackened Crystal Mantis only drew a few curious glances these days, the sight of a monster in the streets no longer that strange since everyone knew of Taylor and her Tamer-like Skill. Though even with that, many people wisely leapt out of the way of the group as the angry expressions worn by the goddess and her captain was enough to give everyone who saw it a bad feeling.
"This is the place?" Taylor asked, looking up at the Soma Familia's base. It may have been hypocritical of her to judge the state of the place, considering she lived in an abandoned building and was technically a squatter, but the place the E-rank Familia lived in was quite the mess, with many structures in various states of disrepair.
The unflatteringly named Soma's Kettlewas closer to a fenced in compound than a single building, consisting of a green-roofed, two-story manor surrounded by watchtowers, with warehouses and breweries further out but still within the grounds and connected by covered walkways, with only the latter structures showing any signs of upkeep.
"This is it," Lili confirmed.
"Let's go in, then," Hestia said, and walked confidently forward. She was mad - furious, even! But Hestia kept a tight lid on her darker emotions. Taylor also felt furious at Lili's treatment and Soma's actions, and knew that if Hestia wasn't there to reel her in, she might have sent her swarm against the other Familia already.
'Soon,' Taylor thought to herself. 'This doesn't have to come to violence, but I won't be sad if it does.'
There were two sleepy looking guards standing out front, and they didn't even try to stop them from entering or asking any questions about their identity. Even the Crystal Mantis didn't warrant much reaction either, even as it squatted down by the entrance.
The lax security was appalling, but about what Taylor had expected from a bunch of drunks who were probably nursing hangovers or withdrawals.
'They really are just the Merchants with a Fantasy flavor,' the parahuman mused to herself in disgust.
The inside of the base was laid out like an old-fashioned western saloon, with tables and booths filling the interior along with a long counter along the south wall and dozens of bottles and kegs on display. From what Taylor knew, the place served as a dive bar for the adventurers of Orario. If you wanted cheap booze and didn't care about the company you shared, the Kettlewas the place to go.
"Whatever happened to that guy with the dumb name… Boat or something?" Taylor wondered as they walked deeper inside the main building. The interior wasn't any better than the exterior, with the stink of stale beer in the air and mysterious stains all over the floor and tables.
"Canoe? No idea, he and his goons never came back from the Dungeon one day," Lili replied. "It was a bit of shock and caused a commotion since he was Zanis' main enforcer. There was a brief jockeying amongst the other veterans for Canoe's position, but the person who won is one of Chandra's people, so things have gotten… well, they haven't gotten worse, at the very least."
"Chandra… Level 2 and the Vice-Captain, correct?" the parahuman inquired. "A dwarf with a very short beard? Practically just stubble?"
"Yes… why?"
"He's in the brewery," Taylor replied. "Will he be a problem?"
"He hates Zanis, but is focused more on making and selling alcohol than trying to take over as captain. Still, he acts as a counter against the four-eyed bastard's worst traits," Lili informed the group.
"Good to know. Oh, and heads up, but that 'four-eyed bastard' is coming our way," Taylor said.
Zanis was descending the stairs, having been alerted by somebody on the first floor a little bit ago about their arrival. A fake smile was plastered onto his face as he gave a polite bow towards the newcomers. He also sported a black eye, which was interesting.
'Seems like Bell wasn't totally honest about everything that happened,' she mused to herself.
"Welcome to the Soma Familia, Lady Hestia and Lady Weaver. How may I help you this morning?" Zanis inquired, tone polite but cautious, and Taylor could tell butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.
"We're here to discuss Lili's current situation with Soma," Hestia said. "Specifically, about the abhorrent treatment she's received and his intolerable request for allowing her release."
"Ah, that is a shame, but I'm afraid it's not so easy to just meet with Lord Soma," Zanis said, a false note of sympathy in his voice. "There's also the matter of Ms. Arde's debt…"
"A debt that she has already repaid in full," Taylor cut in. "Or do I need to summon the vice-captain to confirm he did in fact receive Lili's payment?"
Zanis twitched a little at having his lie called out so quickly, and wasn't really eager to call Taylor's bluff about her being able to summon Chandra somehow. Instead, he noisily cleared his throat.
"Hmm. Even if that is the case, I'm afraid I can't exactly let you meet with Soma on such short notice," the captain said, pushing his glasses up on his face.
As a person who wore glasses as well, Taylor recognized the gesture as an attempt to try and seem intimidating by emphasizing a trait that was supposed to represent intelligence. It did not work against her or Hestia, the latter of whom folded her arms, unimpressed.
"Is that so? Well, then I'll just have to file a formal complaint with the Guild. I'm sure they'd love to hear about how Soma is denying an adventurer the right to leave her Familia."
"Ah. Well. While I'm sure they have better things to do, and would side with the right of my god to set any conditions for departure as he sees fit, I shall go check on him, and see if he has any room in his schedule later in the week…" Zanis coughed weakly.
"No need, he's currently free," Taylor announced. "In fact, he's beckoning us up to meet him."
"That-! How-?" Zanis demanded, only to flinch back when a bug clone formed beside him.
"I see many things," her clone buzzed, and Zanis finally wised up and hastily stepped aside, allowing the trio to ascend the stairs.
Soma's room wasn't hard to find. It was the largest one, taking up most of the second floor. It was also a workshop, from which heat and the stink of fermentation poured from.
"Soma, it's been a while," Hestia said, greeting the disheveled man at the center of the room.
"Hestia," he slurred out. "What's up?"
Soma was tall, with long, greasy black hair that fell across his face, covering his eyes. Combined with the stained grey robe that was two sizes too big for his skinny frame, he looked like a homeless man rather than a god, let alone the leader of a Familia.
The moment she lay eyes on him, Taylor disliked the man. And it wasn't just because he'd hurt Lili, or sounded drunk despite it being so early in the morning.
'Why does he sound like Syr?' Taylor couldn't help but wonder. 'Why does he have two hums?'
The hum that surrounded him was a strange, duel-toned song. The loudest part of his aura was a bubbling noise, like boiling water, but beneath it was a quieter hiss, like a steaming kettle.
Whatever the reason, Taylor decided to ignore it for now unless it came up, but she did keep the information tucked away in the back of her head for now.
"I'm here to negotiate with you about releasing Liliruca Arde from her current position within the Soma Familia," Hestia declared.
"Oh. Okay," Soma said with a shrug. "I'm fine with that. She just has to hic!agree to the conditions!"
"It's those very conditions that I am here about," Hestia replied. "Your famous wine can drive mortals insane if they drink it undiluted. And even if they don't, they can cripple a mortal."
"It is a test," Soma replied, wobbling a little where he stood. "If the child cannot resist, then she isn't strong enough to leave. Simple as that."
"That is not how that works!" Hestia griped.
Soma did not respond, and instead pulled out a ceramic cup and a gourd-shaped jug, uncorking the latter and pouring its contents into the former before setting both onto a nearby end table.
'So that's Soma, huh?' Taylor thought to herself as she observed the liquid. It was a cloudy silver, almost like mercury, and possessed a potent stink of a fruity medley. Her bugs were going crazy as they smelled the wine, but oddly enough, they weren't trying to drink any of it. Instead, they seemed to want to get as far away from the Soma as possible.
'That's not concerning at all,' Taylor thought to herself sarcastically.
Insects, and animals in general, often had better instincts than humans, and an ability to sense danger to themselves. If they were afraid of the potent wine then it was clearly closer to a poison than anything else.
"The child must drink what I poured just now," Soma declared, and wasn't that confusing, to have a god named after the very thing he made? "And if the child refuses to drink the rest after that first taste? Then they've proven to be strong enough to leave."
"This is insanity!" Hestia declared, tearing her eyes away from the bottle of booze to glare at the other god.
"This is the cost of freedom," Soma replied. "A child must drink and refuse it."
"Lili can't!" Lili said, trembling as she stared at the cup. "It ruined Lili's parents!"
Yet even as she said that, she couldn't help but lick her lips, the smell of the drink getting to her.
Taylor could see the conflict raging within the Supporter, and without a moment of hesitation she strode forward, grabbing the gourd-shaped bottle off the table and putting it to her lips. She drained the contents in a single gulp even as Hestia and Lili screamed at her.
The Soma was odd. It sort of reminded her of flat soda, with a cloying stickiness that coated her throat as it went down. Taste-wise, it wasn't anything special. Taylor and Emma had once sneaked some of her parent's wine on a dare. It hadn't tasted great, and the punishment they'd received when the theft was discovered had definitely not been worth it.
Taylor was reminded of that as she drank. The Soma was vaguely fruity in an undefined way. Like how candy back on Earth Bet had been artificially flavored with 'Blue Raspberry' that was very much neither blue flavored nor raspberry.
Maybe if she'd been more inclined to drinking wine or other kinds of liquor the spirit Soma had brewed might have had more of an effect on her, but Taylor couldn't find it all that pleasant. Compared to a Shirley Temple or literally any other non-alcoholic drink from Earth Bet, it just couldn't match up.
There was something else there mixed in, too. Something that curdled in her gut and made her passenger perk up in curiosity before settling down. Whatever it'd been, it didn't seem to be affecting her, and after a moment the parahuman finished emptying the bottle.
"Ugh. Disgusting," she declared, slamming the bottle back onto the end table.
"What?" Soma uttered, taken aback.
"I said it tasted disgusting," Taylor replied as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. "You call this your greatest brew? You should quit distilling spirits and take up a more productive job, like making potions. Something that actually benefits people."
Soma just stared at her in disbelief, as did Hestia and Lili.
"Wh-what did you do?!" Hestia demanded.
"Soma said that the child had to drink the Soma in order to be free. He never elaborated about which child had to do so, however," Taylor replied. "I drank his concoction, and I don't want another helping. Therefore, the conditions are fulfilled."
"That…" Soma began, trying to deny it, but before he could, Lili ran forward and grabbed the cup that still contained the first dose of Soma that'd been poured. She knocked it back, draining the contents in a single gulp. For a moment Lili just stood there, before falling to her knees, weeping loudly.
"It's delicious!" Lili wept. "But… but Lili hates it! Lili hates how badly Lili wants more! But Lili knows that Lili will lose the friends Lili has made! That her freedom will be gone forever!"
After spilling her guts in a drunken rant, Lili simply lay there on the floor, quietly sobbing, before Soma let out a sigh.
"A deal is a deal," he slurred out, crouching down next to Lili and yanking up her shirt without hesitation. He then pricked his thumb and smeared his blood onto her back.
Lili's Falna briefly flickered into existence before Soma swiped his thumb across it, and all at once, Lili's hum vanished from Taylor's senses as the Falna disappeared in a flash of light.
"You're free," Soma said, no longer sounding drunk. Had it all been an act?
He got up and turned away once it was done, ignoring the trio as he walked over to one of his vats and began to inspect it, checking on the progress of the experimental brew within.
Hestia and Taylor shared a look with each other, before they both walked over and helped Lili back to her feet.
"Why did you do that?" Taylor asked incredulously.
"Because… because Lili wanted her freedom, and Lili didn't want you to suffer for her," the pallum slurred out as she was practically carried out of Soma's office and down the stairs. "You were so brave, Miss Taylor… you were willing to drink the Soma on Lili's behalf, even while knowing the dangers."
Lili looked up at Taylor, face flushed. "Lili admires Miss Taylor. Even if she is a big scary bug girl. Lili wants to be just like her when Lili grows up. Though that may take a while. Got a lot of growing to do. Maybe Lili should wear high heels to try and be just as tall as Miss Taylor?"
"She's drunk," Hestia said when Taylor shot her a questioning look while Lili giggled to herself.
"That fast?"
"Soma's brew is potent," Hestia replied. "Until she recovers, she'll ramble on and on and answer anything you ask with unfiltered honesty."
"I don't feel drunk," Taylor said.
"You're a weird person, Taylor. I honestly have no idea how much your, uh, 'Skill' affects your body. For all I know you could be immune to the mental degradation effects of alcohol because of how your brain processes all the various stimuli and information from your swarm. Or perhaps the 'divine' aspect of Soma's wine is being negated because of 'that' Skill."
Taylor blinked down at Hestia, who huffed a little at the blank look she was receiving. "Don't give me that expression! I'm smart! I know things!"
"Never said you didn't," Taylor replied.
"But you were thinking it!" Hestia pouted. The parahuman wisely said nothing and focused on helping Lili stumble her way out of the Familia building.
She saw Zanis watching them from a window with a glower, but Taylor ignored him. 'Unless he starts a fight with us, he's not our problem anymore.'
Taylor hoisted Lili onto Chris' back, and nodded at Hestia who walked alongside the monster, keeping a hand on Lili's back so she wouldn't fall off.
"That went well," Taylor said as they headed home, causing Hestia to sigh.
"I suppose it's better than what I feared you might do," she replied.
"I wouldn't have hurt them too badly. Just a few bugs here and there in their clothes, beds, and wine," Taylor claimed, which made the tiny girl roll her eyes.
Up on Chris' back, Lili groaned a little as she started to sober up. That made the goddess and her captain snort a little in amusement, and focus on the return journey.
Of course, the good mood didn't last long, as when they were just a block away from the church, Taylor noticed two familiar adventurers enter her range. And from the way they were moving, they were headed right for them.
"Go on ahead back to the church, you two," Taylor told Lili and Hestia. "Chris knows the way. I have something take care of."
"Are you sure, Miss Taylor?" the pallum asked, wincing as her Soma induced hangover began to assault her head.
"Yeah, it's fine. I just need to have a quick chat with some people," Taylor assured her, and the Supporter wisely decided she didn't want to be around to see what happened to the people if the 'chat' turned sour.
Hestia just shook her head, and told her to be back for lunch. "I'm making grilled cheese sandwiches, so hurry up!" she claimed, and to be fair, that was a good reason to finish things up quickly. Hestia was a talented cook, and Taylor was half tempted to believe the tiny girl had a Thinker power revolving around the kitchen.
So Taylor nodded and promised to be there soon, and watched as Chris went off, acting as a guard for the two shorter women.
When they'd were no longer in sight, she stepped into an alleyway before turning to face the entrance. In the shadows her swarm gathered. Even without the Crystal Mantis, Taylor was confident she could take care of the two people coming her way.
'They don't seem to coming here to fight,' Taylor mused, noting no weapons being carried by either of them. Of course, with the Falna granting superhuman strength, weapons weren't always needed, but it was still a good sign in her opinion.
A few seconds of waiting passed by, and then the two women who had escorted Apollo to the ball last night appeared at the entrance to the alley.
"Can I help you?" Taylor asked curtly, not wanting to bother with the Apollo Familia right now.
"Beware the Sun," the long-haired adventurer said softly. "It burns."
Taylor blinked at that odd comment, and beside her, the girl's friend sighed.
"I'm sorry, she told me she wanted to talk with you, not ramble nonsense," the red-head said, a note of apology in her tone as she grabbed her friend's shoulders and tried to drag her away. "Apologies for disturbing you and wasting your time, Weaver. Come on, Cassandra, let's go!"
"No! Let me go, Daphne! I have to speak with the Broken Beetle who slew the Golden Fool!"
At that, Taylor stiffened, and she stared with renewed intensity at the adventurer.
'A Thinker?' Taylor wondered, narrowing her eyes at the girl. Now that she was looking closer, the young woman who'd approached her had the same distant gaze Lisa, Dinah, and other Thinkers occasionally got whenever their power was being overly talkative. Though there was also an odd, rainbow glow to her eyes.
"Cassandra, please!" the now-named Daphne groaned. "Enough!"
"Wait," Taylor called out. "What do you want?"
Cassandra gained a look of immense relief when Taylor agreed to listen to her, and she broke free of her friend's grasp and hurried over to the one-armed teen.
"The Sun is covetous," Cassandra whispered. "But it always sets, and a new one will replace it. If the Broken Beetle who slew the Golden Fool overthrows the Sun, a brighter dawn will eventually rise."
She then grabbed the front of Taylor's shirt, her eyes shining with rainbow light as she stared up into the parahuman's eyes. "Yet should the Beetle extinguish the Sun, then Evil will fall upon us, and the Eclipse will blot out the Heavens as the Maw will churn and seek to devour all things."
The odd glow faded from her eyes, and Cassandra slumped, before releasing Taylor's shirt and staggering back to her friend, who quickly ushered her away.
Taylor just stood there, confused and more than a little worried by what she'd heard. Hearing all of that reminded the parahuman of when Dinah had told her that the future depended on her surrendering and becoming a Ward.
'The Sun' in this instance was clearly Apollo, and the 'Broken Beetle' was her. The 'Golden Fool' was likely Scion, which was rather fitting, honestly. He may have had the appearance of a man, but he'd had the immaturity of a child throwing a tantrum. And 'the Maw' was likely alluding to the Dungeon, given how the monsters it spawned desired to destroy everything on the surface.
Everything else though was harder to parse. What were the evil and the eclipse that threatened Orario? And was Cassandra saying it was okay to beat up Apollo and his Familia, but killing him was out of the question?
'Does she know about my Godslayer Skill somehow?' Taylor wondered, before dismissing it, settling on the much more likely explanation of 'Thinkers are Bullshit.'
When she returned to the church, she found everyone celebrating Lili's freedom.
"Lili is so excited to be part of the Familia!" she said happily, grinning widely with tears shining in her eyes.
"This calls for a celebration!" Silva shouted out. Something that everyone agreed with.
"Hestia and I will bake Snickerdoodles this evening," Taylor volunteered.
"I'll make a pork pot roast!" Iris declared.
"Um, I can make pasta!" Emma offered.
"My grandpa taught me how to cook a little bit," Bell said. "He said… well, it doesn't matter what he said."
"Was it something like, 'The quickest way to a woman's heart is through her stomach?'" Taylor wondered, and he blushed a little before nodding.
"I think we've got a plan for dinner tonight, then," the parahuman said, looking over her family.
"Oh, no. She's smiling," Lucia whispered in horror.
"I think the best way to work up an appetite would be some training," Taylor declared, and everyone groaned and winced.
"Hestia, please grant Lili her Falna and her long-awaited Level Up. We need to find out how much stronger Lili has become," Taylor requested.
"Okie-dokie!" the goddess said, grabbing Lili's hand and dragging her into the bedroom.
"As for the rest of you… twenty laps around the church should be a decent warm-up," Taylor said. Sighing, the adventurers left the basement.
"At least it'll be a good workout," Leo mumbled.
Taylor just grinned. She had a whole new set of training ideas, and they involved shooting at them with her Gun Libellula.
Was it cruel? Maybe. Was she also working off some of her own frustrations this way? Absolutely. But they'd thank her for it when the results started to show.
Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Bug Hunt
Chapter Text
Chapter 27: Bug Hunt
"I now understand why you were able to get to Level 2 so quickly," Shakti said to Taylor, a note of awe and respect in her tone.
The two of them were watching as several members of the Ganesha Familia, mostly Level 1s but with a couple Level 2s with the Tamer Development Ability.
It'd been three days since the confrontation with Apollo at his banquet, and two since Lili had been freed from Soma's clutches. The Hestia Familia, led by Vice-Captain Bell, was hard at work in the Dungeon hunting monsters on the first few floors, helping Emma, Leo, and Silva get used to fighting monsters, while Taylor herself was with Shakti and the Ganesha Familia working on gathering monsters for the new monster taming and harvesting operations.
Taylor snorted at the comment her fellow captain had made, but couldn't deny the sight was impressive. They were on the 7th Floor, collecting Purple Moths and Blue Papilio. Large, specialized cages lined the floor, and Taylor was filling them up with the monsters. These cages were mounted onto handcarts in preparation for leading them out of the Dungeon when they were finished.
There was also a Blue Papilio clinging to her back and not going into a cage. Taylor had decided to grab one for herself, feeling worried about reprisals from the Apollo Familia, and Shakti hadn't said anything against her doing so.
While the Tamers went around the floor grabbing Purple Moths, dozens of Killer Ants under her control patrolled the outer edges of the harvest area, driving off other monsters and keeping the tunnels safe for the Ganesha Familia workers. It was a well-oiled machine of chitin and sweaty flesh that was doing the work of days in mere hours.
There was a crackling noise as the wall nearby broke, revealing a Killer Ant, but Taylor didn't even both to alert anyone as it was already under her control long before it even managed to fully escape the embrace of the Dungeon that'd birthed it.
The Hunter Development Ability had shown its worth very quickly after obtaining it. The first thing Taylor had learned about it was that it granted a sort of 6th Sense to her regarding when monsters of a type she'd already slain large numbers of were about to emerge from the Dungeon's walls. With it, she could sense whenever a monster would appear. No more ambushes, at least from monsters she'd killed a lot of.
Then, there was another benefit to the Ability that had helped today as well. Hunter granted a sort of tracking ability, again only for monsters that Taylor had slain a huge number of, but still quite useful. It passively granted her awareness of her surroundings, letting her know if a certain type of monster had passed by recently, but if she focused on it, the parahuman could detect traces of monsters. It was almost like a video game, where the footprints of a character would become visible when searching for them.
'And at higher ranks, I'll bet Hunter will become even more useful,' Taylor thought to herself. Perhaps she'd even be able to eventually detect the monsters themselves in real time, instead of just their tracks?
"We're approaching the limit," Taylor warned, glancing around at the dark stone walls as a few more Killer Ants popped out nearby. Instead of controlling them, she ordered Chris to decapitate them before they fully emerge.
The Dungeon had yet to react to the large-scale use of Taylor's Skill today, though the parahuman knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. Ever since she'd slain the Black Goliath, the Dungeon had grown… well, displeased with her was the only real way she could explain it.
If Taylor took control of too many monsters, the bizarre underground realm got angry. Of course, all it could do was spawn more creatures, and on the 7th Floor, that just meant more insects for her to command. Sure, the Dungeon would settle down if she left or waited a couple of hours without taking over any new monsters, but for the other adventurers in the Dungeon, that was still quite dangerous, and Taylor did not want to be responsible for their deaths, so she made it a rule for herself to only dominate a few dozen monsters each time she entered.
For now, once they were inside the cages of the Ganesha Familia, she could stop directly controlling them, and with their minds subdued and freed from the Dungeon's malevolence, they were easy enough to handle even without her influence.
"This is good enough for a start, then," Shakti said, before clapping loudly to draw everyone's attention to her. "Alright, wrap it up, people! We're done here! Prepare to head back up!"
The Ganesha Familia's adventurers nodded and began to organize themselves, the Level 2s taking up the vanguard position while the Level 1s crowded around the handcarts and cages. Last but not least, Taylor, Shakti, and Chris took up the rear-guard position, and the convoy trundled off back towards the surface.
With the Level 2s leading the way, the expedition made good time. Other adventurers knew to get out of the way when people with cages and the elephant head emblem of Ganesha started coming through, and the swathes of Killer Ants under Taylor's control helped clear out paths quite a bit as well.
The Killer Ants made short work of the any monsters that popped up on the 6th Floor. Even the War Shadows could be overwhelmed and ripped to shreds by a sufficient number of them.
"Finding out what they need to eat is gonna be interesting," Shakti said as they reached the 5th Floor.
"Regular moths are herbivores. They eat seeds, nuts, and grains," Taylor informed her. "When raising domesticated moths, they can be fed flour and rice. Dried fruit makes for a good treat. The Purple Moths shouldn't be any different."
"And Blue Papilio?" a nearby Level 1 asked curiously.
"They are basically giant butterflies. And those drink flower nectar in the wild, like hummingbirds," Taylor replied as she stroked the head of the monster clinging to her back. "For the Blue Papilio, you'll likely need to feed them honey, fruit juice, and sugar water."
"That'll be expensive," another Ganesha Familia member groaned. "Sugar mainly comes from Telskyura and the tropical countries with sugarcane. Demeter has a few sugarcane plantations in the south near Melen, but they're not nearly as productive as they could be."
"Hmm. Good to know," Shakti said slowly. "I should have guessed you'd already know what their diets were."
"I raised a lot of different types of insects for a while," Taylor confirmed, recalling the times she'd been told by the PRT she could only use butterflies, ladybugs and other 'harmless' insects as a Ward. In order to have something to do, Taylor had taken care of them herself and gotten a lot of experience tending to her swarm's needs.
After a little bit, the group returned to the 1st Floor, and from there, made their way up to the surface. There was a couple of Guild clerks waiting for them, who immediately approached and began to inspect the cages as well as the monsters within them.
One of them sighed when they spotted Taylor with a Blue Papilio on her back but said nothing when the Level 2 handed over a bunch of Magic Stones to pay for the registration of her newest member of her swarm.
"Twenty-eight Purple Moths and six Blue Papilio," one of the inspectors said after he finished counting the monsters the Ganesha Familia were taking home with them. "That'll be three million, four hundred thousand valis, Miss Varma."
"Of course," the Level 5 adventurer said, taking out what looked like a stamp-seal made of ivory from one of her pockets and pressing it against the document the Guild employee presented to her. It left a magical imprint in the shape of the Ganesha Familia's emblem, along with a few extra runes in Koine to tell the Guild whose account to debit.
"Your new monsters' registration and tags will be ready by tomorrow," the clerk informed Shakti, who nodded gratefully before motioning towards her team.
"Back to the Menagerie, people!" she ordered, and the caged monsters were trundled out into the street as the Tamers brought their latest haul back to their base.
"Care to join us and see what their new homes will look like?" Shakti asked Taylor, who nodded.
"Yes, thank you," Taylor said, following along.
They reached the ridiculous statue-building, but instead of going in the front, they went around back to a secondary gate. Once inside the Ganesha Familia's compound, they descended into the underground level where the monsters used by the Tamers were kept, and was led by Shakti to a section that had been cleared out and replaced with a single giant cage. It was large enough to hold around fifty monsters comfortably, and decorated to resemble the 7th Floor with dark stone pillars for resting on, as well as a couple stone fountains for water.
"We wanted their new home to look similar enough to the Dungeon so the shock wouldn't be too overwhelming," Shakti explained. "We're looking into making space above ground when we're certain they can be trained and used properly, but for now, this is their home."
"Well, it looks good to me," Taylor said after inspecting it.
The bars were too close together for any of the monsters to squeeze through, and there were a couple of blackout curtain that could be drawn across the cage to block sight to calm the monsters.
A couple of fan-like magic tools were also scattered about to blow the powder back into the cage to prevent the Purple Moths poisoning anybody by accident. Or on purpose. They were still monsters, after all. Taylor didn't know what would happen to a monster she had dominated if she left it alone for a long time. Would it revert? Or would it stay docile?
"Glad to hear it meets your approval," Shakti said with a grateful nod. She then snapped her fingers, and her Familia began to open the cages up. Taylor then helped one last time by commanding the monsters to enter their new home.
A few more instructions were given to the monsters, mostly pertaining to obedience and acting like normal moths and butterflies and not bloodthirsty killers, and Taylor was done with her part of the deal.
"If this works… well, it will really go a long way towards helping the city and the adventurers," Shakti said, gazing off into the distant future. Taming and breeding docile moths and butterflies to harvest their medicinal powder could only provide benefits.
"I hope it does," Taylor agreed. "And don't forget the deal."
"Of course, we all signed the contract," Shakti nodded. "Naaza gets access to the materials we harvest in exchange for a favorable rate on all potions, and you get first pick of any newborns to raise for your swarm as the price for you helping us control and train them."
There was a lot more to it than just that, but that was the gist of things, and Taylor nodded, pleased by the results.
"Care to walk with me?" Shakti asked after a bit.
"Sure," Taylor agreed, and the two wandered out of the underground pens and into the zoo, where the Ganesha Familia corralled their Tamed beasts and allowed civilians to look at monsters from a safe distance. One of these caged exhibits was a Bloodsaurus, and Shakti made a beeline towards it.
"That's an impressive beast," Taylor said, praising the enormous dinosaur-like monster. Its scaly red skin had thick black stripes covering its body, marred here and there by pale patches of scars. It warily watched Taylor, Chris and the yet-unnamed Blue Papilio approach, but did not do anything as Shakti hopped the fence and approached its side.
"Thrasher has been with me since before I came to Orario," Shakti said, patting the monster's leg.
"Sounds like an interesting story," Taylor said, and the Tamer chuckled.
"Somewhat. My father was a hunter in kingdom of Hodu to the south-east, near Telskyura, and one day he came home with a huge red egg he'd found in the jungles. I begged him to give it to me because I thought I could hatch it into a giant chicken," Shakti revealed. "Of course, it turned out to be a little different from what I expected. Thrasher imprinted on me, and, well, I figured the best place to raise him would be Orario. Wild monsters can benefit from eating Magic Stones, even if they lack one of their own, though the effectiveness is reduced somewhat."
"Makes sense," Taylor hummed, looking up at the huge dinosaur. Then, after a bit she decided to voice a question she'd had for a while.
"How does the Taming ability even work?" Taylor couldn't help but ask.
"Hmm, how to explain…" Shakti muttered, thinking it over. "Imagine you can feel the emotions of a single living thing. But you can't communicate with it or tell it what to do. You know when it is hungry, when it is angry, and so on. Then, as you bond with it, meeting its needs and caring for it, you start to be able to… nudge its mind, I guess? It's not truly commanding it like what you can do, but the stronger the bond, the more it becomes possible to exchange information and intentions through the link. At D-rank, a Tamer is able to know where their companion is, regardless of distance, and judge their condition."
"So, like a Familiar?" Taylor wondered, thinking of the pets wizards and witches of Earth Bet's fiction would have had, and Shakti nodded brightly.
"Yes, exactly! It's not perfect, but with time and training, a Tamer can observe what is around their companion judging on their emotions," Shakti said, snapping her fingers. "For instance, in the Dungeon, Thrasher here could tell if a monster was nearby by its smell. He can then 'tell' me a monster is approaching by sending me his emotions through the link we share. It takes a bit of nuance to understand properly, but I can differentiate between, say, an Orc and a Minotaur based on the way Thrasher send me these feelings and impressions."
"Fascinating," Taylor muttered. It sounded similar yet different to the way her own power worked. "How many creatures can a Tamer control at once?"
"It depends," Shakti admitted. "At I-rank, upon first receiving the Developmental Ability, an adventurer gains an instinctive understanding of a monster's – or any animal, really – wants and needs. If they're hungry, thirsty, and so-on. They can create a bond with a single monster as well that grants all of that sensory sharing stuff I mentioned earlier. Then, upon reaching H-rank, a Tamer can begin making an emotional bond with a second monster and control them more thoroughly. At every rank after that, they can increase the strength of a single bond, or branch off and create a new one. By that logic, a person could create up to ten individual bonds at S rank. And I've heard rumors that at B-rank, an adventurer can see through the eyes of their bonded creature."
"I see. What happens when a monster with a bond dies?" Taylor wondered.
"I've never had it happen to me, Thrasher is the only critter I've ever bonded with, but from what I know from other Tamers, it's like it… resets? They can make a new bond and strengthen it. Though at F-rank, since Tamers can sense the emotions of all other living beings, even people, who are around them, suddenly losing an old and strong bond can be emotionally devastating, and lead to depression," Shakti claimed. "Some have compared it to losing a child, or loved one. Hence why most Tamers in Orario prefer to bond with Dungeon-born monsters to use in combat, as they are so vicious and hate-filled that when they inevitably die, the breaking of the bond does not affect the Tamer as much. It's hard to grow attached to something that is always trying to kill you, after all."
"Wait, hold up, you can tell how I'm feeling?" Taylor asked, surprised, eyes narrowing at that little tidbit.
"Yes. Though it is very… weird, being able to detect your emotions when they're diffused through your swarm," Shakti said. "It's like looking at a fog made of colors."
"I see. Is it easier to Tame wild monsters compared to the ones in the Dungeon?" Taylor wondered, deciding to avoid thinking about a bunch of people being able to see how she felt whenever they wanted. Although it did give her a few ideas for fighting Tamers in the future if she ever needed to.
"Yes. Wild monsters are basically just animals. Dangerous, but capable of being taught, especially when young," Shakti said as she tossed some raw meat to her Tamed companion. "The monsters from the Dungeon, though, are nearly impossible to control. They just have too much hatred in them."
"The rule of thumb is the bigger the Magic Stone, the harder it is to Tame," Shakti continued. "And a Level 2 Tamer won't be able to Tame a monster that is, say around Level 3 in strength. Most Tamers try to bond with weaker monsters at least a Level weaker than them in order to have better control."
"That tracks with what I've experienced," Taylor agreed.
"What is it like?" Shakti wondered, turning to Taylor. "You can feel the minds of the monsters under your control, yes?"
"You're right, I can," Taylor nodded. "And it's true. The Dungeon born monsters' minds are full of nothing but bloodlust. Without it, there is barely anything else. I had to train Chris, Anne, and the others to eat and drink when they needed to, and to sleep when they got tired."
"Speaking of Anne, how is she doing?" Shakti inquired.
"Better. She stopped growing, at least," Taylor said. "Though she can barely move anymore. If not for Debbie digging out some extra space, she'd have gotten stuck in her den with how fat she's gotten."
The Killer Ant under her control had swollen to truly massive size, or at least its abdomen had. It was enormous, the chitin straining and peeling back in places. Taylor had an idea about what was happening: Anne was transforming into a queen after eating all those high-quality Magic Stones.
Soon, she would be laying eggs that would hatch into Killer Ants, which Taylor was curious about. She brought up her suspicions to Shakti, and the captain nodded in agreement.
"It does sound like that," the Tamer commented. "Be careful. We don't want monsters to accidentally get loose. The Guild and the rest of the Familias would come down hard on us for that, and our efforts to raise these monsters would be severely curtailed, if not outright stopped."
"Are there any other populations of Killer Ants on the surface?" Taylor asked.
"I've heard there are Killer Ants in the Kaios Desert, though they are a devolved variant known as Giant Sand Ants," Shakti said. "And there are some in the jungles around Telskyura."
"I see. I've heard there are spider-like monsters in the Dungeon as well. Have you ever seen any?" was Taylor's next question.
"Oh, absolutely," Shakti said with a grimaced. "They're nasty things. Arachne live in the Dense Forest Ravine and look like a human woman from the top up, but have the lower half of a spider. They can also spit acid capable of melting armor. Their nickname is 'Maneater.'"
"Because the nudity distracts men?" Taylor guessed. Shakti nodded.
"There's supposed to be another something even deeper called a Deformis Spider, though I've never seen one since they only exist past the 50th Floor, and I've never gone further than the 44th."
The two of them chatted for a bit more about monsters and the Dungeon until it was almost noon, at which point they decided to go have lunch together.
However, things took a dark turn as when they left the Ganesha Familia's compound, both of them were able to spot a thick pillar of smoke rising up into the sky in the west, and a thrill of fear shot through Taylor.
'That's in the direction of the church!' she realized.
While there were plenty of things in that direction, an uneasy feeling had settled into her stomach, and she knew deep in her gut that it was her home that was on fire.
Memories of Brockton Bay and Earth Bet rushed to the fore of her mind, and all around her the insects of Orario began to buzz and shriek.
"Taylor!" Shakti called out, placing a hand onto the parahuman's shoulder. "Calm down!"
Taylor flinched at the contact and glanced over at the other captain. A momentary flash of guilt ran through her as she realized that the monsters she'd just delivered were going crazy as well, along with any others she could control.
Quickly reaching out, she clamped down hard and shut off their aggressive behavior. The monsters under her control immediately went still. There was no reason to freak people out.
"I need to go," Taylor told Shakti, who merely nodded in understanding.
"I'm coming with you," the azure haired woman declared.
The two rushed out of the Ganesha Familia compound, the Level 5 captain easily able to keep up with Chris as it carried Taylor across the city while the giant blue butterfly flew after them.
'Please, be safe!' Taylor pleaded in her mind, praying that Hestia, Bell, and the others were safe.
And if they weren't… then Orario would witness the return of Khepri.
111 &&& 111
Rushing towards the church, Taylor could detect several adventurers just at the edge of her swarm's senses. From their position, they were standing on the roofs of the nearby buildings.
'Seven of them. Hyakinthos, two Level 2s, and three Level 1s. They're underestimating us,' Taylor thought to herself angrily. They were going to regret that.
'But first, there's something else I have to make sure is taken care of,' she thought angrily.
"Shakti! Please go find Hestia and protect her," Taylor requested.
"You think Lord Apollo would be stupid enough to order an attack on another god?" the Ganesha Familia captain asked incredulously, glancing over at her.
"If he's willing to do this, then he would be willing to attack my own Familia in other ways," Taylor replied. "I would put money on some people harassing Bell and the others while they're in the Dungeon, and I wouldn't put it past Apollo to try and destroy the Jagamarukun stall Hestia works at."
"Damn it," Shakti growled, recognizing that both scenarios were very likely. She immediately split off, rushing into the marketplace where Hestia was peddling her fried potato snacks.
"Don't kill any of them!" Shakti called over her shoulder, a pleading note in her voice. Taylor didn't response. She just urged Chris to run faster.
As she got closer, Taylor was able to detect the roaring flames through her swarm that was stationed there, the spiders she used for spinning silk cowering from the flames, many already dead from the fire, heat and smoke, while without her to control them, the monsters had only been able to fall back on old instincts and attack.
It did not go well for them. The Gun Libellula had been slain, Taylor no longer able to detect it. Anne had been too large to move from her den and was unable to flee from the smoke. She was starting to choke and asphyxiate.
Debbie was doing better, her massive bulk and lack of eyes and other visible weak points to target allowing it to tank the flaming arrows being shot at it. Unfortunately, the Apollo Familia's adventurers were nimble and kept away by staying high on the buildings. Debbie rampaged and slammed into the buildings they were standing on, tearing them apart and causing tremendous property damage, but was unable to harm any of the archers as they simply leapt aside.
Now that Taylor was on the scene, she could start influencing her swarm, and like a maestro conducting an orchestra, the shadows of Orario sang with her song.
First, she ordered her spiders to evacuate and carry what they could away from the building in question. Next, Debbie stopped wildly attacking and threw herself at the flames, rolling through the flames and smothering them in dirt.
As for the adventurers, her smaller bugs rose up, buzzing furiously as they struck back, biting and stinging. The archers immediately panicked.
"What's going on?!" one of the adventurers exclaimed.
"It's Weaver! She's here!"
"What?! But she should be in the Dungeon right now!"
"RUN!"
"Do not retreat!" Hyakinthos shouted.
Taylor decided to punish him for this foolish decision, and had her insects burrow into his companions. Eyes, ears, noses, and mouths were attacked, the soft flesh an easy target for her small critters.
Very quickly, the Apollo Familia routed, unable to keep fighting.
"YoU sHouLd RUN!" Taylor roared at them, forming a bug clone in front of the captain.
Hyakinthos fired a few arrows, trying to cover the retreat of his team, but they passed harmlessly through the cloud of bugs making up her clone. In response, Taylor sent the swarm towards him, but he was fast, and blitzed across the rooftops away from her.
Taylor grit her teeth. She could pursue, and a part of her desperately wished to do so, but she could still feel the crackling heat of the blazing church behind her.
In the end, she decided that her home was more important than pursuing revenge, and focused more on saving what she could while putting out the blaze.
A few minutes later, most of the church was gone, replaced by charred ruins, a pile of sooty, partially burnt objects lying in the lawn. The bed and some other furniture had been retrieved mostly intact, but the couch was completely ruined. The cooking supplies and clothing weren't looking good either.
Worse was the loss of life. Over half of the spiders had perished and a large number of the silk garments had melted or otherwise been ruined. And then there were the monsters. The Gun Libellula and Anne were dead, the former slain by the Apollo Familia, the latter suffocated to death from the smoke.
"I'm so sorry, Anne," Taylor said softly as she stared at the huge pile of ash that was all that remained of the Killer Ant. She had been close fully finishing her transformation into a queen, but now that would never happen.
Disappointed, Taylor bent down to pick up the Magic Stone from her remains, but as she got closer, something seemed off.
"What the…" Taylor muttered as she sifted through the ash. For some reason, there were multiple lumps buried within. After something digging, she extracted a Magic Stone, but also something else. It was round and slick, like a black, glossy pearl.
"She laid an egg!" the parahuman gasped. Anne had managed to lay a single egg before dying, the metamorphosized Killer Ant leaving behind a single second-generation monster before succumbing!
Her awe was cut short as her swarm detected movement at the edge of her control, and tensed for a moment before recognizing the hum as Hestia and Shakti, the former being carried in the arms of the latter.
The parahuman left the cave and walked back out to meet the Familia's namesake, and watched as the two arrived.
"Taylor!" Hestia cried out, jumping out of Shakti's arms and rushing at the taller girl. She threw her arms around Taylor's waist, crying into her stomach.
"It's okay," Taylor said awkwardly, patting her back. "We can rebuild. And replace the things we lost."
"I'm sad because I was worried about you!" Hestia shouted, glaring up at Taylor with teary eyes.
"Oh," Taylor muttered.
"Yeah. Oh," Hestia huffed, pouting a little. She then blinked at the round and black orb Taylor was holding. "Hang on, is that…?"
"Anne didn't make it," Taylor said. "But she managed to lay an egg at the last minute."
Shakti perked up, intrigued. She directed a curious glance at the egg, her interest in monsters piqued by the presence of a genuine monster egg.
"Were you okay, Hestia?" Taylor asked. "You weren't hurt or being harassed?"
"Some Apollo Familia members tried to interfere with my business, but a couple of my regular customers intervened," Hestia said.
"That's a relief," Taylor said.
"Yeah, nobody wants to get on the Sword Princess' bad side," Hestia nodded. Before Taylor could comment on that, something pinged against her senses.
"Heads up," Taylor said as more familiar hums appeared in her swarm's range.
It wasn't long before Bell and the rest appeared, looking dirty and tired but also extremely cheerful. They'd been chatting and joking with each other as they'd approached, so they hadn't been in trouble, but when they came into view of what was left of the Hestia Familia's base, all of them jerked to a halt.
"What happened?!" Lili screamed, her expression of horror mirrored by the others upon seeing the church. All save Bell, who was staring at the scene with a very worrying lack of emotion on his face, his hands clenching tightly into fists.
"The Apollo Familia happened," Taylor said bitterly.
"So, it was them," Shakti muttered. "I was afraid of that."
"Are you alright?" Hestia asked them. "Did the Apollo Familia try anything against you in the Dungeon?"
"Luan, that little coward, tried to Parade Pass us on the 6th Floor," Lili said, spitting out her fellow pallum's name.
"Ah, the one from the other night," Taylor muttered, recalling him.
"It didn't work," Iris chuckled. "The look on his face when we killed all of those monsters, even the War Shadows, without breaking a sweat, was hilarious!"
"We decided to leave after that, though," Bell said. "We'd already been down there for a while, and, well, I had a bad feeling."
"I'm glad you're safe," Taylor said, relieved it wasn't anything too bad and that Emma, Leo, and Silva hadn't been hurt.
"What are we going to do now, Lady Hestia?" Leo demanded, grabbing onto her sword's hilt tightly.
"I'll tell you what we're going to do," Hestia declared, and everyone straightened up unconsciously at the sharp tone in her voice.
"Taylor, I want you to go to the Apollo Familia," Hestia ordered with barely contained fury. "And in my name, declare war upon that arrogant narcissistic arsonist."
"As you wish," Taylor said darkly, her swarm buzzing furiously around her. Apollo was going to suffer for this.
"What are you going to do, Lady Hestia?" Bell asked.
"I am going to wait at the Tower of Babel," Hestia stated. "Because if Apollo wants a War Game? He's going to play by my rules!"
She then turned to Shakti. "Thank you for protecting me, Miss Varma. I have one final request for you, though."
"Ask away," the captain replied.
"Can you go bring Ganesha to Babel as well? Tradition dictates a third god to act as a neutral observer. And he's the only one I trust to be neutral that Apollo would accept as well."
"Of course," Shakti said. "I'll go request his help immediately."
"Thank you," Hestia said with a sigh.
"And what should we do?" Emma inquired.
"For now, sort through what's left and see what can be recovered," Hestia asked. "We'll find a place to sleep after I return from Babel."
"And stay on guard," Taylor requested. "We don't know what exactly will happen, but if any other Familias try to take advantage of this, be sure to give them a black eye."
"Yes, captain!" everyone called out.
Before departing, Taylor made sure to hand over Anne's egg to Shakti. She had no way to take care of such a fragile object right now, and the Tamer captain was the best choice.
The older adventurer was clearly surprised, but she nodded, and promised to protect it. Taylor and Shakti then left, each of them going in different directions.
Hestia had told her to do as she pleased to the Apollo Familia, but she could not harm any of them. And Taylor would not harm a hair on any of their heads. Apollo had to be in one piece so he'd able to reach Babel and accept Hestia's declaration of a War Game, after all. But they would experience the wrath of Weaver - no, they would experience Skitter, Warlord of Brockton Bay.
As Taylor strode towards the ostentatious manor, she gathered more and more insects to her side, adding everything she came across until the streets were filled with a living tide of chitin under her command.
The people who were out and about wisely ducked inside nearby structures, not wanting to be swept up into the enormous storm of bugs.
For once, Taylor was not riding on Chris. The Crystal Mantis had suffered some burns from helping rescue what they could from the church, and he was a bit too conspicuous. This was a stealth mission, where Taylor for once did not want to be spotted. She kept to the alleyways, avoiding being spotted. Only her swarm was visible, and it was a clever distraction. While everyone was staring at the tide of insect, they'd never pay attention to a lone figure darting through the shadows.
It wasn't long before the enormous home of the people who'd attacked her came into view. Through the swarm under her control she was able to detect a few things that were going on within. There were fifty adventurers within the building, and Hyakinthos was speaking to Apollo in a throne room. She felt her rage boiling over as she eavesdropped on the conversation between them.
"Did you succeed?" Apollo inquired.
"We burnt the place down as you instructed, Lord Apollo," Hyakinthos stated.
"Hmph. I doubt there was much to actually destroy," Apollo scoffed. "They were living in a hovel, from what I was told."
"Indeed. It was pathetic," the captain agreed.
"Did you manage to kill any of those filthy monsters?" Apollo wondered.
"One of them was slain. I am unsure about another, and the Dungeon Worm was able to resist my arrows," Hyakinthos replied.
"Whatever. Our goal was accomplished. Next, I want you to go to the Guild and complain to them about how the Hestia Familia's Tamed monsters tried to attack you unprovoked. Then, spread some rumors about that as well. Make them become pariahs in Orario. Then Hestia will have no choice to but hand over Bell to me!"
Taylor snarled, having heard enough, and she lashed out, commanding her swarm to attack.
"APOLLO!" Taylor roared through her swarm as it engulfed the gaudy mansion that the other Familia called home.
She could hear the screams of fear and shouts of disbelief. Many were running around in panic, trying to find her, but she wasn't going to be found that easily. She wasn't even in the mansion, despite how some adventurers claimed she had to be close by in order to control her massive insectoid legion.
But she ignored them, because the only two people that mattered right now were Apollo himself and his captain. The Level 3 adventurer had leapt protectively in front of the self-proclaimed god as soon as her bug clone had manifested inside the throne room. Meanwhile, Apollo was staring at the swarm in disgust as he sat on his ego-stroking seat. Seriously, who built a chair to have their own face on the armrests?
"Hyakinthos, dispose of this pest!" Apollo ordered, and the captain of the Familia obeyed, drawing his bow and firing in a swift motion, almost too fast for her to perceive. Well, he tried. But his arrows simply passed through the bug-clone harmlessly.
"That didn't work the last time you tried it. What made you think it would be able to do so this time?" Taylor asked, genuinely curious if the human captain had some sort of mental problem. That was the only reason she could think of for doing something so stupid.
"Why are you here?" Apollo demanded when he realized that this messenger would not be so easily dismissed.
"You attacked our home. Attacked my friends in the Dungeon. And demanded one of our own as another 'trophy' for your sick amusement," Taylor said, anger bubbling forth in her voice. "So be it! The Hestia Familia declares war against the Apollo Familia!"
"You? Declare war on us? Hilarious," Apollo said mockingly. "We have done nothing wrong! Those 'attacks' were simply misunderstandings! And it is obvious that a boy as talented as Cranel would be better suited in a larger, stronger Familia."
"Your lies are painfully obvious," Taylor spat at him. "But it doesn't matter, in the end. You've poked the hornet's nest, Apollo. Now, it's time to pay the price."
All across the mansion, the swarm buzzed angrily, and then began to attack the surroundings. Ants and beetles tore apart curtains and toppled expensive vases and statues, and termites savaged the furniture as well as the support beams of the building itself. And, of course, the armory was ravaged, with the bows, spears, and leather armor gnawed apart by countless mandibles.
In mere minutes the entire Apollo Familia's base was in ruins. It was still standing, but it would need a lot of time and valis for repairs and refurbishment.
This, of course, infuriated Apollo, especially when the throne he was lounging upon fell apart underneath him, weakened and riddled with holes by a swarm of termites.
"YOU BITCH!" he screamed in rage. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"
"Consider it retribution for your misdeeds," Taylor replied. "Hestia awaits you at the Tower of Babel. You can either apologize, or suffer another humiliating defeat in a War Game. The choice is yours."
With that, the bug-clone collapsed, and the swarm began to disperse. The bugs and assorted creepy-crawlies didn't leave, though, and began to mindlessly infest the mansion, worsening the damage.
Her message delivered, Taylor returned to her Familia and what was left of the Church. It was time to prepare for battle. The Apollo Familia and all of Orario would learn what the price of attacking what she cared for was.
Chapter 28: Omake: Underside of Orario
Chapter Text
Omake: Underside of Orario – Rachel / Hellhound / Bitch
"Come on, Bete! Hurry up!" a little girl with dog-ears atop her head planted her hands on her hips, watching impatiently as a young boy about twelve years old with dog-ears as well made his way up the hill towards her.
"Don't run ahead, Luna!" the young boy called out, puffing a bit as he ran up the side of the hill towards his energetic sibling.
Both of them had grey hair and orange eyes, though the girl named Luna had darker hair compared to her brother's lighter shade. They wore simple clothes woven from sturdy wool, and Luna had a yellow sash around her hips while Bete wore a red scarf properly around his neck.
"Finally," Luna teased, grinning at her brother as he reached the top of the hill, before turning around to look at the landscape that lay before them.
The Great Plains were an isolated place, with rolling hills sprinkled with deep, dark forests standing as islands amongst a vast sea of wild grass and grains. The rustle of the wind gently teasing stalks of grass was the only sound, aside from the breathing coming from the werewolf children.
Looking over it, Bete could easily see why its other name was the Grass Sea amongst those who lived there. As stunning as the view was, however, he bonked his sister on the head, causing her to whine.
"What was that for?" Luna whined.
"You ran ahead!" he scolded. "You're supposed to stay close, not run off!"
"Ugh, but we just got here, and I wanted to explore!" Luna said.
"You've seen one place, you've seen 'em all," Bete shrugged. "Now come on, we have to return before mom and dad notice we're gone."
Luna sighed but nodded, and the two began to move away from the hill the wind changed directions, and they stiffened in shock as they smelled the coppery tang of blood.
For a moment they stared off in that direction it had come before, before Luna ran off towards it. Cursing his impulsive sister under his breathe, Bete chased after her.
The two of them reached a spot not too far from the hill they'd been on where a large circular chunk of grass had simply vanished, leaving only bare dirt.
'This is new,' Bete thought to himself, eyes darting around the clearing. 'The hunters would have noticed something like this when they were scouting for a location for the village.'
But that wasn't important. What was currently of vital importance was the fact that the source of the blood they'd smelled was coming from a crumpled form lying in the exact center of the circle.
A woman with thick eyebrows and short cropped auburn hair was lying in the dirt, covered in blood with a few items scattered about. However, the most unusual thing was the large, scarred, and deformed wolf-like monster standing over her. It didn't seem to be trying to eat her, though, and was instead hunched protectively over the body.
It growled when it spotted Luna and Bete, and both children froze, taken aback by the size and appearance of the creature.
After a moment, Luna hesitantly took a step forward, causing Bete to grab her shoulders.
"Luna, stay back!" Bete shouted. "It could be dangerous!"
"No, it's hurt!" Luna replied, pointing to the beast and the woman. "Both of them are!"
She shook Bete's hands off and reached into a pouch at her side, removing some jerky. Luna held it out towards the large animal, and the growling stopped as it cautiously sniffed the food in her hands.
Carefully, Luna laid the jerky down and then stepped back, letting it approach on its own. The beast did after a moment, wolfing down the offering. It no longer looked like it was going to rip their throats out, and Luna held out a hand for it to smell.
"We don't want to hurt her," Luna claimed. "We just want to help!"
The beast sniffed her, then huffed, and walked back to the woman, who had to be its owner. A moment later and Luna took a cautious step forward. When it did not growl, Luna grinned and pulled her brother over.
"Okay! Bete, you help put the girl on the back of the monster, and I'll grab her stuff!" Luna declared.
"Luna, she's a stranger," Bete scolded, earning a glare from her.
"So what? Are you saying we should just leave her here?"
"Yes! We have no idea if she's a bandit, or even what sort of animal that thing she has with her is!" Bete claimed. "Safer to leave her alone!"
"Well, if you won't help, I will!" Luna huffed, before walking over to the unconscious woman and started to lift her. She was too tiny and weak to do so, unfortunately, and after struggling for a bit Bete sighed and walked over.
"Move it," he grunted, picking the mysterious woman up. She was heavy, but Bete was a werewolf! He wouldn't be beaten by a heavy human!
He managed to carry her in a piggyback style across his back, as the wolf-thing was too injured to carry her weight.
Luna grabbed the scattered objects – which included a creepy dog mask, a black leather jacket, a backpack full of weird objects like strange, transparent bottles made of something that was soft and pliable, and what looked like a large metal staff, but with the top cut off revealing that it is was made of a hollow tube.
Together, they hurried back to the village, wanting to get the woman checked over by somebody as quickly as possible.
A few minutes later, their home came into view. Loga Village was a large and spread out temporary settlement of tents, yurts, and makeshift fences and pens where herds of large ibex and auroch were kept while not grazing. They had only arrived a couple days ago and were still getting set up, but it already looked quite impressive.
The Loga werewolf tribe was a wandering clan, one of many groups of nomads who traversed the Grass Sea. They were not the strongest or the largest, but their legacy stretched back thousands of years, all the way to the Werewolf Emperor Yulis himself.
'How far we've fallen since then,' Bete couldn't help but think to himself bitterly.
The Loga tribe had once been the largest and most powerful nomadic nation of Beastfolk in the world, traveling as far as the legendary Far East. But now, they were greatly diminished and had no permanent home. Instead they wandered about, following the seasonal grazing trails for their herds and prey they hunted. They also had but a single Level 1, the village elder.
Not that the rest of the hunters were pushovers, but compared to a few larger tribes who actually had the patronage of the gods, the Loga were weaklings, far removed from their glory days.
The siblings' arrival with their 'guest' did not go unnoticed, and several hunters armed with atlatls appeared, aiming their weapons at the monstrous hound, which growled upon noticing them, but Luna quickly ran up to diffuse the situation.
"Stop! Stop!" she called out, waving her hands. "It's friendly!"
The hunters exchanged glances, but after a moment lowered their weapons, and when they did the beast stopped making noise.
"We need help!" Bete shouted. "She's hurt!"
It was then that they noticed the injured human on his back, and finally realized what was happening.
Bringing her to a yurt, several of the tribe's women gathered around her to clean and dress her wounds, and kicked the menfolk out.
Luna fidgeted nervously as she stared at the entrance. "Will she be okay?"
"She'll be fine. Reene's mom is with her, and she's the best healer in the village," Bete assured her, patting Luna's head.
"YOU TWO ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!" a loud voice roared out, and the siblings trembled a bit as their mother stormed over, bonking them both on the head.
"What were you thinking, leaving the village without telling anyone?!" she demanded. The wolf-thing growled at her, angered at the attack on its saviors, but it soon whimpered and recoiled when the brown-haired werewolf turned her glare onto it.
"Your father will hear of this!" she warned, before stomping off.
"Well… that could have gone better," Bete muttered. Luna nodded morosely.
All they could do now was wait.
111 &&& 111
The stranger they'd brought back did not wake up the rest of the day. Even as the sun began to set, she remained unconscious. Her wounds were bad, but they'd been patched up as best the tribe's healers could.
Now, however, as the day turned to night, Bete entered the large central yurt at the center of the village, head and ears down. He'd been summoned by the chief to explain why he'd brought a monster and a stranger to them, and the fact that the chieftain was his own father did not make Bete's unease fade. If anything, it only grew, as Weed Loga was not the sort to coddle his children.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" the stern tone of the chieftain called out, and Bete held back the urge to whimper at the displeasure he heard. He was not a puppy anymore! He did not whimper!
The eyes of several other adults from the tribe watched him as he sat down facing the leader of the Loga Village.
"They were hurt, and needed help," Bete replied. "Luna wanted to save both of them. Had we not, they might have died."
"Then that would have been their fate," Weed scoffed. "If they could not endure, they did not deserve to live!"
"I, for one, think young Bete did the right thing," an elderly werewolf spoke up, stroking his beard. "That such a fierce beast is so loyal to her means she is likely in possession of a Falna, and is at least Level 2, in order to wield the Tamer ability that would make such a thing possible."
That caused a stir, and they all turned their attention to the ancient warrior who had once hunted in the legendary Dungeon itself.
"What could hurt a Level 2 out here?" a hunter wondered in worry. "Did she run afoul of another tribe? Are we harboring a criminal?"
"No. I fear that the reason she was wounded is likely tied to some unsettling things I've heard," the elder replied.
"And what, exactly, have you heard, elder?" Weed inquired.
"Nothing good. We will have to move on, soon," the village elder said. "There are rumors of Loup Garou in the area."
The adults muttered amongst themselves, frustrated at having to leave right after reaching their latest campsite, and Bete grimaced, but there was no other choice.
The Loup Garou was a ferocious, bipedal wolf monster that had escaped from the Dungeon ages past. They traveled in large packs, sometimes up to several dozen at a time, and could become as strong as a Level 2 adventurer. They would devastate everything around them, and in their wake, many communities would be erased.
The fact that werewolves looked similar to Loup Garou when undergoing their Beastification had also led to a lot of unpleasantness over the years between them and the other races. It didn't help that some cruel and unscrupulous werewolves would take advantage of this and pretend to be Loup Garou and raid villages.
As such, when rumors of Loup Garou surfaced, the Loga tribe would have to move on, not wanting to be blamed by ignorant and superstitious villagers for deaths caused by the roaming monsters.
"No. We will not leave."
Bete looked to his father with a pinched expression as he spoke, one mirrored by the village elder. The rest of the adults also turned to him with more subdued looks.
"Young one, the Loup Garou are not to be underestimated," the elder warned. "To say nothing of what happens to us werewolves when others learn of their presence. It is unfortunate, but we must move on."
"A drought has cut through the Grass Sea these past two years," the chieftain replied, folding his arms. "Our herds are thirsty, and the creek here is the best one we've found after weeks of travel. If we leave, who knows when we will find a better place?"
"Then we move east, towards the Sea of Medira," the elder suggested. "We will have to deal with a greater number of other tribes in the area, but…"
"No, we stay," Bete's father declared, putting his foot down. "I want nothing to do with those weaklings!"
The elder sighed, but could see he would not be able to convince the chieftain this night, and instead rose to his feet.
"In that case, I shall take my leave," the elder claimed. "We have a guest to take care of, after all."
He then left the tent, and after a moment Bete followed him.
"Why does father not want to travel to Medira?" Bete asked when they were far enough away to not be overheard.
"Old wounds that he refused to allow to heal," the elder replied grumpily, before looking down at Bete. "Enough of that, though. Take me to this adventurer you found. I want to see her with my own eyes."
Bete nodded, and lead him to the yurt where the healers had worked on her. As they approached, the front flap was opened, revealing a young werewolf girl Bete's age with vibrant gold hair.
"Hello, Bete," Reene said, smiling at me. "Did you come to visit the woman? Luna is already here."
"The elder wanted to see her," Bete replied, and the oldest werewolf in the village nodded.
"Well, she's not awake, yet, but come on in," Reene offered, stepping aside so they could enter.
The interior of the tent smelled of herbs and disinfectant brewed from said herbs. The medicinal salves the tribe produced were inferior to the famous Healing Potions of Orario and the wealthier nations, but they were effective enough, and had saved the woman's life without a doubt.
The mutant wolf-beast lay off to the side, Luna keeping it company. Reene's mother was tending to the human, wiping her forehead with a wet cloth and dripping broth into her mouth to feed her.
"How is she?" the elder asked.
"She is strong. She will live," the healer replied as her daughter joined her. "She has many old wounds, some of which I cannot identify the origin of, but she can drink, and the wounds have not festered."
"That is good," the elder hummed. "When will she be awake?"
"She will wake when she is ready, and not a moment earlier."
He shrugged, before turning to the monstrous hound. It was not a species he recognized, though that didn't mean much. The world was vast with many different and odd creatures, and not all had monster blood in them.
It was her supplies that intrigued him. The not-glass was flimsy but held water well enough, and the broken staff made him believe she might be a mage, though her muscles made him think she was a Spell Blade or Magic Knight like Altena or the Empire fielded.
The clothing was equally foreign. Finely made, but of a style he'd never seen, not even in Orario, which had the greatest gathering of cultures and fashions in the world.
A soft groan distracted the elder, and he turned to see the auburn-haired human was waking up.
"Ah, you're awake," he said, pleased.
"Bastard," she suddenly growled out, and the elder blinked, somewhat offended, before the big ugly mutt perked up and rushed to her side, slobbering all the way.
"That's a dumb name," Luna said. "He looks more like a Fergus. Or maybe a Rude."
"Bastard is Bastard," the woman muttered. She started to sit up, but Reene stopped her.
"Don't! You're still hurt and need to heal!"
"Do you have a name?" the elder inquired as the woman looked like she'd try to deny it.
"Bitch," she replied. This time, the old werewolf wasn't insulted, having recognized the woman's naming sense. Or lack of it. He also recalled how odd the naming sense of the gods could be when bestowing Aliases.
"Where's my mask?" she asked, looking around.
"Here!" Luna said, fetching it. She took it but did not wear it, merely staring at it for a bit before looking around the tent and at the werewolves, her gaze lingering on their ears.
"I'm not on Earth Gimel, am I?"
"I do not know that country," the elder said apologetically.
"Fuck," she sighed, and Luna gasped, scandalized.
"Bad word!" she shouted. Bitch just looked at her and snorted, before patting her mutant dog-thing.
"Rachel Lindt," she eventually uttered.
"Was Bitch your alias as an adventurer?" Bete asked.
"Cape name," she nodded.
"In that case, welcome to the Loga Tribe," the elder said politely. "Which Familia are you from?"
"Undersiders," Rachel replied.
"Err, I think he meant what god you served," Reene spoke up.
Rachel frowned. "No god."
"Oh, so you left," the elder nodded in understanding.
"You can just stop bothering her, elder," Reene's mother huffed. "Here, take this."
She handed Rachel a bowl of soup, and the human immediately took it and drank it down in a single go.
"Tasty," Rachel said. "Thanks."
"My daughter is very talented," the healer said with a proud smile, and Reene blushed.
"So, you're an adventurer, right?" Luna asked, scooting closer to Rachel. "Have you been to Orario before? Is it pretty? Is there really a tower in the middle that is taller than any tree?"
"Hey, calm don't and stop bothering her, Luna!" Bete protested.
"Don't be a wet blanket, Bete!" Luna huffed. She then gained a sly look. "Besides, I know you wanna ask her all about it, too!"
Bete huffed and looked away, but the way his ears twitched gave away his true feeling.
"I'm gonna go tell dad she's awake!" he declared instead of letting his sister win, and left the yurt in a hurry, Renee and Luna's giggling echoing in his ears.
As soon as he walked out of the yurt, the young werewolf let out a tired sigh. So, they had a human staying with them for now. And an adventurer at that.
'What will father do?' Bete couldn't help but wonder.
However, he never managed to go and find out, as a moment later, a howl split the air, causing him to freeze up.
Then a second howl rang out. Then a third. And then the hills echoed with the sounds of bestial roars.
'No! Not tonight!' Bete thought as he fearfully looked up at the night sky. It had been a new moon yesterday, and the hunters wouldn't be able to draw upon their Beastification ability without enough moonlight!
'Did they plan this?' Bete couldn't help but wonder as in the distance, dozens of Loup Garou encircled the village.
The hunters began to scrabble and several families started to rush around, gathering what they could in a desperate attempt to flee. But Bete knew they wouldn't make it. The howls had come from all around them.
The elder burst out, clutching his cane like a spear, the look on his face one of apprehension.
"Young Bete, get back inside," he ordered. "You must get everyone ready to move!"
"It's too late, we're surrounded!" Bete called back.
"The adventurer – Rachel – should be able to open a path for you all!" the elder retorted. "I will also do what I can to help!"
The hunters started flinging spears and firing arrows into the Loup Garou, felling a few, but they were fast and numerous and soon crashed into the village's defenders. Yet for some reason the monsters weren't trying to attack them back. If anything, they ignored the werewolves and just kept running.
"What's going on?" Bete asked in confusion.
"They're afraid!" the elder realized. "They're running away!"
"What could make a bunch of monsters flee like deer?" Bete demanded incredulously.
A horrifying roar rang out a moment later, as if Bete had tempted Fate, and Fate – the sadistic bitch – had responded.
Deep and guttural, the roaring continued, and the ground began to shake as something crested the hill Bete and Luna had been standing on earlier in the day.
It was hard to tell in the dark, but even so, Bete was able to see green scales covering the massive monster that towered over even the tallest of the tents, and claws and fangs that glinted like ivory in the torchlight.
"That… impossible!" the elder gasped. "A dragon?! But they're supposed to be confined to Dragon Valley!"
Bete tensed up, ready to fight to the death to protect his sister and girlfriend. However, the young werewolf suddenly felt a burst of strength course through his veins. It was like the full moon beaming down on him!
Beside him the elder also straightened up, feeling the same power fill him. He looked confused, but wasn't going to question it, not when he could use the boon to defend the tribe. All around the village, the strange invigorating effect was spilling forth, more hunters becoming super-charged.
Movement jerked Bete out of his shocked state, and he spun around to find Rachel stepping out, along with Bastard the wolf-thing. Except the beast at her side had changed. It had gotten bigger with more spikes growing from it and could definitely give the Loup Garou a run for their money in the danger department.
Bete noticed that Rachel held the odd metal tube-staff in her hands, and even though she could barely walk, pointed towards the monster.
"Protect. Kill," the human ordered, and the massive wolf monster charged at the dragon without a moment of hesitation.
'Is she responsible for the boost in power?' Bete couldn't help but wonder. He could feel waves of something radiating off of her, and it was hot yet cool, and the young werewolf felt like he could run a marathon and still be ready for more!
While this was happening, the adventurer's Tamed companion leapt at the dragon, biting into its leg. It didn't do too much damage, and it immediately shook Bastard away, before letting out a roar of anger. It tried to attack the beast, but the wolf-thing proved to be smart, leaping away and always keeping out of reach of its fangs and claws.
And Bastard the wolf kept growing, bigger and bigger, until it was the same size as the dragon attacking the tribe. He got slower the larger he became, but his strength rose as well, and Bastard was able to tackle the dragon and pin it down, keeping the monster from rampaging through the village.
Rachel wasn't hesitating either, as she occasionally let out ear-splitting whistles and barks that the mutant wolf understood. It obeyed her instructions and continued to fight the dragon, its claws and fangs and spikes ripping into scaled flesh.
The hunters weren't ones to stay idle, either, and began coordinating with each other to try and bring it down. Spears were hurled at it while they leapt at the dragon, pummeling it with punches and kicks. Even the elder strode forward to confront the monster!
"Hey, wait, old man!" Bete shouted. "You're too old! You can't possibly fight with the rest of the hunters!"
"I feel stronger than I ever did in my prime, brat," the elder scoffed. "Somehow, my Falna is resonating with whatever the adventurer did. I'm as powerful as a Level 2, now!"
He threw his cloak off. "Besides, it's the older generation's duty to protect and guide the young!"
With that, he darted forward, his cane lashing out against the dragon's head, knocking its jaws away before it could bite into a hunter. It swiveled around, trying to devour the elder, but the chieftain came down like a meteor, slamming into the top of the dragon's head and driving it into the ground.
Unfortunately, Weed did not manage to escape quickly enough as the dragon snapped its head up and its maw closed around him. Bete watched in horror as his father collapsed, his right leg bit clean off below the knee.
Several hunters rushed in, and one managed to grab the chief and drag him off. The elder stepped forward, smacking the dragon in the face. The elder's cane got lodged in the dragon's left eye in the process, causing it immense pain, and it struck the old werewolf with its tail, sending him flying through the air and into a nearby tent.
"You dare attack my people?! My tribe?! MY FAMILY?!" Bete's father suddenly roared as he came charging in despite his missing limb, and slammed his fist into the broken shaft of wood that was sticking out, jamming the cane even deeper into the dragon's eye.
It recoiled in pain, and in that moment of weakness Bastard's massive jaws clamped around the dragon's exposed throat, its fangs piercing through and drawing a shower of hot blood that sprayed everyone nearby.
The dragon was not yet beaten, however, and the monstrous wolf was slammed into the ground and knocked aside, massive gouges in the side of its body thanks to the dragon's claws.
Then, to everyone's horror, its remaining eye landed on Rachel, and it seemed to recognize just how much of a threat she was. Yet even as the dragon loomed over her, the human showed no fear.
"Die," Rachel growled, pointing her strange staff into its gaping maw as it roared at her.
A loud explosion like thunder rang out, and the dragon recoiled, blood flying from its mouth. The roar of thunder issued forth again, and this time Bete was able to see a huge amount of gore go flying as a hole was punched into the dragon's throat, piercing through the damage already there thanks to her wolf peeling back the scales.
She did something strange to her staff, popping it open, and then it was closed after she put something into it. The adventurer fired again, and again, blowing two more holes into the dragon, one of which obliterated its remaining eye.
Finally, Bastard the wolf leapt onto the dragon's back, pinning it down before Rachel fired twice more, the staff aimed directly at its head. Unable to withstand whatever sorcery she was using, chunks of the dragon's skull and brain went flying, and it let out one final roar before going still.
For a moment, nobody could understand what had happened. But then one of the hunters let out a victory howl, one that was quickly echoed by the rest of the village, Bete, the elder, and even Rachel and Bastard joining in.
There had been casualties amongst the tribe. Too many had fallen, even with the power boost. Yet they had survived, and would continue to live on.
That was the start of the legend of the Lupa Familia. Rachel Lindt would go down in history as the famed Hellhound, Captain of the Familia, while Bete, Reene, and Luna would be remembered as the Cerberus Trio, heroic figures in their own right.
Though for some reason the captain never liked her alias, always muttering "Bitch," under her breath whenever somebody addressed her as Hellhound.
But that is a story for another day…
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Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Have a special Valentine's Day chapter! This is a non-canon "What If?" Omake for the story. They will pop up every so often, and tell the tales of other Worm characters appearing in the world of DanMachi.
Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Challenge Accepted
Chapter Text
Chapter 28: Challenge Accepted
Hestia drummed her fingers against the marble table. There was a lot of marble in the conference room. It made the place look nice, Hestia supposed, but it was rather dull seeing nothing else.
At the table with her was Ganesha. He was silent and still, arms folded across his chest. He was not happy if the scowl he wore was any indicator. Across from Ganesha was the head of the Guild, Royman Mardeel. The elderly elf was busy looking through documents, only some of which related to the War Game.
'Running the Guild seems like a busy job,' Hestia thought to herself, feeling pity for the man. Elves generally did not get wrinkles or gain weight, even as they entered their twilight years. Royman was only a hundred and eighty-years old, roughly the equivalent of a young adult for an elf, and yet he looked closer to five hundred with his white hair, creased forehead, and loose jowls.
There was tense silence in the room as the trio waited for the final member of their group to arrive. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait very long, as the doors were thrown open as Apollo strode inside with a huff.
"I am here!" the God of the Sun declared pompously, his eyes narrowing slightly upon spotting Hestia and Ganesha already waiting for him.
"Thank you for coming, Lord Apollo," Royman said, a hint of exasperation for the god's flamboyant entrance. "Please, have a seat, and we can begin."
"Very well," Apollo said huffily, plopping down in the seat across from the tiny goddess.
"I'm so glad you liked my declaration of war, Apollo," Hestia said with a fake smile.
"You've gone too far, Hestia," Apollo warned darkly.
"I don't think so," she said. "Now, since you are here, I take it you've accepted my challenge?"
"I am Ganesha!" the other god declared. "And I am here as an impartial witness!"
"Impartial? Hardly!" Apollo scoffed. "I know you two have been cozying up to each other!"
"Lord Ganesha was the only god available on such short notice, Lord Apollo," Royman said, and though his words sounded conciliatory, Hestia knew they weren't the full truth. She had requested Ganesha's presence, not the Guild. But the Sun God didn't know that.
"Fine!" Apollo spat out, mollified.
"Oh, and regardless of the outcome of today's meeting, you will also pay for the damages done to the city, Lord Apollo," Royman added.
"What?!" the Sun God demanded incredulously. "It was the monsters who ruined those buildings!"
"Even if we ignored the fact your Familia was responsible for burning down a building and risked setting an entire district ablaze with their actions, it would still be your fault for provoking the Tamed monsters into reacting like that," Royman stated. "Not to mention the building Hestia and her Familia were living in belonged to the Hephaestus Familia, so she isn't going to be happy with you, and we also have eyewitness reports from Shakti Varma that it was your Familia that was responsible."
"My dear Hyakinthos is beyond reproach!" Apollo stated pompously.
"I am Ganesha," the mask wearing god said, his voice reverberating through the room. "Do you question my captain's integrity?"
Apollo blanched, and quickly backtracked. "Not at all! But perhaps she was just mistaken! My captain was merely going about his business when he was attacked and forced to defend himself!"
"I tire of your lies, Apollo," Hestia said, fed up with this. "My captain issued you a challenge which I ordered her to do so. That is why we are here. Do you accept a War Game between us?"
"Hmph! Fine!" Apollo spat out. "You should have just agreed to this when I offered at the banquet! Now, when I win, I Bell Cranel will be transferred over to my Familia. And in the unlikely event that I lose, I'll pay you a million valis, or you can have one of my Level 2s."
"Oh, no, no, no," Hestia said with a dark laugh. "You wanted to challenge my Familia, a recently promoted H-ranked Familia at that, to a War Game against a long-standing D-rank Familia. The stakes are going to be comparable!"
She slapped the table. "If my Familia loses, then Bell will join you. BUT! If you lose, you have to disband your entire Familia and return to Tenkai! Furthermore, everything you own will be forfeit and used as reparations for what you've done to me and my Familia!"
"WHAT?!" Apollo shrieked, and even Ganesha sat up straighter in surprise. "That is completely unfair!"
"You are a rank D Familia with over a hundred members, and several Level 2s and a single Level 3. I have less than a dozen members, and only a trio of Level 2s. Not to mention, you dared to break one of the Rules of Orario: No violence in the city between Familias. By attacking and burning down my home you violated the law that all Familias must abide by!"
"Your psychotic captain destroyed my manor! If anything, I should be demanding reparations from her!" Apollo shouted. "And speaking of that, I demand that I receive a month before we duke it out in a War Game!"
"NO!" Hestia shouted, and Apollo quailed under the rage in her eyes. "You do not have a choice! You do not get to negotiate! You will accept the conditions exactly as I laid out just now, or I will order Taylor to destroy your Familia! She will infest any building your Familia will try to live in! She will fill your food and drink with bugs and filth! She will make your life a living hell, and I will let her do so! Now ACCEPT! MY! CHALLENGE!"
She glowered at him, before scoffing a little. "Although I can accept waiting a month before we have our War Game. It gives you time to set your affairs in order for when you lose and everything you own becomes mine."
"I take it these terms are acceptable?" Royman asked shakily, looking between the three gods. "In a month's time, a War Game will be held between the Hestia Familia and the Apollo Familia with the wager of Bell Cranel from the former, and the disbandment of the latter on the line. The exact nature of the War Game will be decided in a week's time the usual way."
"Yes, that is indeed fine," Hestia nodded, and the head of the Guild handed her a document, which she signed with a flourish.
Apollo caved immediately when Hestia glared at him, fearfully signing the document when Royman presented it to him. When he was done, he fled without a shred of grace, all but running from the conference room.
"I am Ganesha, and you are quite terrifying when angry," the elephant masked god commented, looking at her in a new light.
"I am the Goddess of Hearth and Home. I take it very seriously when somebody tries to attack those I hold dear," Hestia replied, flipping her hair.
"Ganesha thinks Hestia had a bit too much fun just now," the other god chuckled, before standing up. "Now I am Ganesha, and I must go. I have much to prepare."
"Thank you for helping," Hestia called out as he walked away. He just let out a booming laugh before heading out.
"And thank you as well, Mr. Mardeel," Hestia said, turning to the final member with a bow of her head.
"Hmph," the old-looking elf huffed. "It's my job."
"Even so, you were willing to side with me a lot more than I thought you would," Hestia said. The Guild was supposed to be neutral, after all, and yet Royman had gone along with her unreasonable requests a lot more easily than she'd expected him to.
He waved her words off. "If you knock Apollo down a peg, I'll be grateful. And maybe when he loses, I can finally get all the taxes he's been withholding from the Guild."
Hestia nodded at that before hopping up from her seat and leaving the conference room. Now that that unpleasantness was over, she had to make sure her Familia was alright!
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"…okay, this doesn't look too bad, but the blouse is never going to get the smell of smoke out of it," Iris said in disappointment as she held up one of Hestia's outfits. The tiny 'goddess' hadn't had many articles of clothing before the fire, and afterwards quite a few pieces had been damaged or outright destroyed.
"When I get my hands on those fire-loving, fashion-hating loser I will shove all of this burnt clothing down their throats and strangle them with it!" the seamstress of the Familia declared furiously.
Taylor eyed Lucia warily as the seamstress angrily sorted through what was left of the recovered silk alongside Iris, Silva, and herself. She'd never seen the girl so upset before.
'Lucia is normally so soft-spoken,' she thought to herself. 'I suppose it's true what they say: it's always the quiet ones.'
"When do you think Lady Hestia will be back?" Bell asked anxiously.
"She'll be fine," Taylor claimed.
"Yeah, not even Apollo would be stupid enough to attack her so soon after he did something like this to your home," Welf said, glancing back sadly at the burnt down ruins. Taylor wasn't sure why the Blacksmith hadn't left quite yet, but he'd stuck around and helped move stuff around, which she appreciated.
"Miss Taylor!" Emma called out, running over to the parahuman. "I found your mask!"
"Thank you," Taylor said, accepting it back. It was scorched in a few places, and the lens had gotten warped from the heat, but was still in one piece, more or less.
"I could try and touch it up a bit," Welf offered, peering over at the mask. She nodded gratefully, before perking up.
"Hestia is back," she said, a faint smile on her face.
The twin-tailed girl was indeed back. She walked over to the group with a tired smile on her face, and then when she was in front of them, she gave a thumbs up.
"The deed is done. A month from now, we will be fighting the Apollo Familia in a War Game."
"What are the stakes?" Taylor asked.
"If we lose, Bell has to join their Familia," she replied. Bell did not look happy, but he nodded firmly in understanding.
"And if we win?" Leo wondered.
"The Apollo Familia is disbanded, we get all their stuff, and the jerk himself has to return to Tenkai," she said proudly.
"How did you manage to get him to agree to that?!" Welf asked incredulously. Taylor wanted to know too.
"Loudness, audacity, and the Guild also being very annoyed with him," Hestia replied. "Apollo has pissed off a lot of people in Orario from what I've gathered."
"That's putting it kindly," Lili scoffed.
"Considering he bullies smaller Familias into handing over their members that he takes a shine to, I'm not surprised, either," Silva agreed.
"By the way, what exactly did you do to Apollo's house?" Hestia asked Taylor. "He was very upset."
"I used my swarm to tear apart everything inside of his manor," the parahuman replied. "I tore up curtains, broke vases, spoiled food and damaged furniture."
"While I'm impressed by the sheer extent of destruction you delivered, I don't understand why you did that," Bell admitted to Taylor.
"Why did I wreck their house?" she asked for clarification, and he nodded.
"Revenge, obviously," Lili said confidently. "It's what Lili would do."
"Yes and no," Taylor said. "While Lili isn't entirely wrong, there was another reason why I did what I did."
"What was it?" Lucia asked curiously.
"The main reason? To reduce their war funds," Taylor claimed. "It's also why I destroyed as many weapons and pieces of armor as I could reach."
"War funds?" Welf asked, blinking in surprise. "Wait! You destroyed his stuff in order to force him to waste money repairing it!"
"Apollo is a vain man, and quite arrogant as well. His pride would never allow him to live in a place that was so badly damaged, so he will spend money to repair his home. He'll also need to buy new equipment for his adventurers if he wants any chance in a clash between us. But based on what I've seen of his personality, he will prioritize his own comfort above all else."
"That sounds like him," Hestia sighed. "And it explains why he so easily accepted my demand of a month to prepare for the War Game. He needs the time to rebuild everything."
"And he'll be forced to send his adventurers into the Dungeon nearly every day for the foreseeable future!" Bell realized, figuring out the rest of Taylor's plan. "A large Familia costs a lot to maintain, and while I bet Apollo has plenty of valis in his treasury, he'll need to recoup the loses! They won't have time to harass us because they'll be too busy!"
"While my plan does have the downside of making his adventurers stronger, it will be by a negligible amount," Taylor nodded while the rest of the people at the table stared at her in awe. "The main issue will be conducting our own training. Venturing into the Dungeon will be too dangerous, as the Apollo Familia will likely try to attack us while we're down there, away from the watchful eyes of the Guild and the other Familias. So, we won't be hunting monsters or delving into the Dungeon for a few weeks. Instead, we will conduct training on our own. In fact, a little training trip outside of Orario sounds like a good idea."
"That… that is insane!" Welf said in awe.
"Lili is very glad she didn't make an enemy out of you, Miss Taylor," Lili muttered, shaking her head, though she had a fond smile on her face.
"You're amazing, Miss Taylor!" Emma gushed. "I can't believe you came up with such a cool plan! You thought of everything!"
"Nobody harms my friends and family," Taylor declared firmly.
"Training trip, huh? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Getting out of Orario would be useful. Apollo wouldn't be able to spy on us that easily if we're not nearby," Leo said, nodding to herself.
"I'd love to come, but I don't think Lady Hephaestus will allow me to be gone for a whole month," Welf said apologetically. Then, in an upbeat tone, he said, "Well! That just means more time to work on your equipment! In a month I should have some of the Goliath armor ready for you guys!"
He then snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! Bell, show 'em what we got in the Dungeon today!"
"That's right!" Bell gasped. "I forgot!"
He quickly fished around in one of his belt pouches, and removed what looked like a golden chicken egg.
"Is that a Jack Bird's Drop Item?!" Hestia gasped in shock.
"It is!" Bell said happily.
"You should have seen it! It spawned right in front of Bell and he killed it before it could even leave the wall completely!" Silva laughed. "His luck is ridiculous!"
Taylor snorted a little. Was his Development Ability kicking in? Whatever the reason, it was good for them.
"What should we do with it?" Bell asked, looking down at Drop Item. "It's worth a million valis. We could spend it repairing the church…"
"Or you could give it to me so I can start working on Miss Taylor's arm," Welf added. "There should be enough Mythril in that egg to finish the complex bits."
"Oh, so that's what he's been working on!" Emma said, realizing what the 'commission' the parahuman had made actually was.
"Give it to Welf," Hestia said before anyone else could give their opinion. "If we need money, the Dungeon is always available, and we have my food stalls and Taylor's silk. What we need right now is Taylor to be fighting fit in time for the War Game."
She then smirked. "Besides, after we win, we'll have a nice new house to move into, won't we?"
"Good point," Lucia said, Iris, Leo, and Silva nodding in agreement.
"You don't have to do that," Taylor said, shaking her head. "The money…"
"Did I not just explain why we don't need it?" Hestia demanded, imperiously raising an eyebrow. The look was not very intimidating, though. More like a child trying to act like an adult but coming off as pouty instead.
"Miss Taylor, please don't refuse this," Bell said, giving her what could only be described as puppy eyes.
Unable to say no to either of them, Taylor just sighed before nodding. "Alright. But it better be a damn good arm."
"It will be the best arm ever! Better than even one of Dian Cecht's Silver Arms!" Welf declared.
"Now that that is settled, where are we going to go for training?" Lili wondered.
"Melen," Taylor said after a moment of thought. "It's a day away from Orario and has plenty of open space for training. The fact it's a town also means we won't have to worry about amenities and supplies."
"What about food and stuff?" Iris asked. "How will we pay for everything? Where will we sleep?"
"Leave that to me," Taylor declared. "You can of course bring your own money if you want, but consider this one part vacation, two parts training camp."
"When should we leave?" Leo inquired.
"Tomorrow, or the day after that at the very latest," Taylor said. "That should give us time to grab what we can before leaving."
"Then let's get packing!" Hestia said, dragging Bell over to the pile of their stuff that had survived in a decent enough condition.
Taylor smiled a little at that. They would get through this. She just knew it.
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"So, this is the place?" Taylor muttered to herself. Her swarm buzzed around the building, examining everything. Outwardly, it was a rundown storefront in the back alleys of Orario. But for those with an eye for quality, the shop was a goldmine of magic.
Nearly everything within the place hummed with power to her swarm, and more than that, it was extremely varied. There were appliances that ran off of Magic Stones up front along with simple gear for magically inclined adventurers, but in back were rows of Grimoires, dozens of enchanted pieces of gear, and potion ingredients that were likely worth a fortune, all locked up safely.
It was late, the sky having turned dark hours ago. Yet the store was still open, the elderly shopkeeper awaiting customers. Taylor had seen this shop a few times before, and always wished to visit, but had never found the time.
With the War Game coming up soon, she finally bit the bullet. She already knew what she wanted, and what she needed. So, without wasting another second Taylor entered, a bell ringing as the door opened.
"Ah, a customer so late?" an old woman croaked out from behind the counter tucked away in the rear of the store. She was dressed like a stereotypical witch, complete with pointy black hat, had a long-stemmed pipe in one hand, a wart on the tip of her nose, and she raised an eyebrow as Taylor walked into the store. Her aura also sounded like the bubbling of a cauldron. Level 5, at the very least.
"Yes. I heard this place specialized in magic," Taylor said.
"It does, and I do," the witch smirked, waving a hand at the surroundings. "See anything you like?"
"Actually, I was hoping you had something more… educational," the parahuman admitted.
"You want to learn magic?" the witch inquired. "I can help with that. Grimoires are quite expensive, though."
"I'm not interested in learning magic the easy way," Taylor replied. "Something more in-depth is what I hoped for."
"You want to learn magic the old-fashioned way?" the shopkeeper uttered incredulously.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed.
"Why would an adventurer want to do that?" the witch demanded.
"Because only a fool uses something they don't understand," Taylor stated. It was something she fully believed, as well.
Take guns, for instance. Any idiot could use a gun, but it took time and effort to actually learn how to shoot and care for one. And if you didn't take the time? Then the gun could jam or explode in your hands. It was a lesson the Warlord of Brockton Bay learned the hard way.
She wanted to understand magic. She needed to understand it. If she was going to be an adventurer and leverage all of her possible advantages in this new world, then this was something Taylor had to do.
"Well, well, well," the witch murmured as she looked Taylor in the eyes. "You're serious."
"I am."
"It won't be easy," the elderly woman warned. "To become proficient in the Arcane Arts without relying on your Falna will take many years."
"That's fine," Taylor replied.
"Hmm, you seem determined enough. Very well, then. Since you've helped my dear friend Ethel with her business, I suppose I can show you a few things," the wizened witch stated.
"Your friend is the woman who owned the Jagamarukun food cart," Taylor realized.
"That's right. A good woman, and you've treated her fairly in your dealings with her," the witch confirmed with a nod. "Now, come."
"First off, what do you know about magic?" the storeowner, whose name Taylor learned was Lenoa, inquired as she led Taylor outside to a small garden behind the store.
"Not much," Taylor admitted. "The energy spells use has a bit of an odd name, though. I mean, Mind? Really?"
"Heh, I agree, it's a bit arrogant. Though to be fair, in the time before the Falna, only highly educated individuals could hope to conjure more than a few sparks or pebbles. Magic required long years of study, research, practice, and of course, rare resources. Those with the money inevitably became the ones who could afford to become mages, and magic became associated with intelligence at the same time," Lenoa said as she lit some lamps to provide a bit of illumination.
"I've heard that elves are superior to humans when it comes to magical aptitude," Taylor mentioned.
"Aye. Their naturally long lifespan, combined with an above average amount of 'Mind' due to living in regions that are mana-rich and frequented by Spirits, allow an elf to become extraordinarily powerful, magic-wise," the witch commented. "However, if you disregard all of that, elves aren't exactly anything special. After all, if it takes an elf a hundred years to become proficient in something a human can master in twenty, then it's clear why humanity has spread across the world and the long ears keep to their forest domains."
"Not a fan of elves, I take it?" Taylor guessed.
"I used to date one," Lenoa replied with a bitter laugh, and Taylor nodded, immediately understanding the animosity.
"Now! Magic. Before the descent of the gods and the blessings of the Falna, the people of this world had to rely on other methods to wield the power of magic," the witch stated as she drew a trio of magic circles on the dirt with her crane. "The first was to make a contract with a Spirit. These rare beings dwell within nature itself, and are deeply entwined in the realms of the mystical. Some claim that Spirits are older than the gods themselves, though none know for sure. However, Spirits have dwindled in both numbers and power. Ever since the Dungeon first appeared, in fact. As such, we won't be discussing this method."
Taylor nodded. That made sense. It seemed Spirit magic was more academic than anything in the modern era.
"The second method was to use your own internal stores of magical energy to invoke an effect. Watch," Lenoa instructed, standing in front of one of the three circles. "Arise, oh Mother Earth! Let stone awaken and rise so you may be honored! In the dust of ages you are eternal! Pierce, grow, and join your kin! Be as a mountain upon the horizon! Be as the fang of caverns below! Earth Spike!"
The circle that had been scratched into the dirt glow, and then a pillar of compacted dirt and stone shot up, forming a foot tall spike, resembling a stalagmite.
The witch looked at Taylor. "As you see, despite being shortened, the chant is still quite long, and it drains a significant amount of Mind from the caster. The effect is also quite weak compared to what an Adventurer's Spell or Skill could bring to bear. Not to mention, it is static, unable to be altered beyond what the magic circle dictates."
"A foot-tall spike is still quite impressive," Taylor mused.
"I did not use my Falna to make it that big to explain the difference between Spell slots and using someone's own Mind and skill with the spell," the witch replied. "Even without the Falna boosting me, I am comparable to a mid-rank Level 2 Adventurer in terms of magical prowess, though without the backing of a Falna I couldn't do it more than once or twice a day. In the olden days, I would have been considered a master of the mystical arts to be able to do that much."
"How did you avoid using your Magic stat with the Spell?" Taylor wondered.
"If you have enough understanding of the way mana flows in your body, you can tell how much you are using per Spell, and actively increase the potency or weaken it. In this case, I purposely suppressed all of the magical energy in my body until it was like I was completely lacking a Falna, and relying purely on the amount I'd possess without one."
"I see, that's quite fascinating," Taylor muttered, intrigued. "And as for the non-Falna method, it would have been weaker and far more commonly used in the time before the, uh, gods."
"Quite. Now, the third way to use magic without a Falna is known as Catalyst Magic," Lenoa stated.
She took a pinch of sparkly powder from a pouch on her belt and sprinkled it onto the second magic circle. She repeated the chant from before, and a second spear of stone shot upwards.
"Based on the name, Catalyst Magic lets someone cast a spell using reagents? Like a non-liquid version of a potion," Taylor said.
"Very good! Yes, this kind of magic requires the preparation of specific materials to trigger an effect. The amount of Mind it drains is also reduced compared to the other method as the catalysts help channel magical energy from the world itself," the witch said. "As for the downside…"
"The downside is that the reagents are expensive," Taylor guessed.
"Indeed!" Lenoa said happily, pleased that Taylor was able to catch on so quickly. "That pinch of powder was made by grinding up low-quality gemstones and rock salt imported from a dwarven mine located near a Spirit den. The entire pouch cost over three hundred thousand valis."
Taylor blinked, taken aback by the cost. "I see."
"Yes, you do," Lenoa cackled. "Now, the next method is one that is more recent, relatively speaking. When monsters first appeared, we didn't know that the Magic Stones they dropped were, well, magical. And civilization was too busy collapsing around the world for much research and study to be done. But when things calmed down and we were able to spend some time experimenting…"
She removed a Magic Stone that had come from an Orc – Taylor recognized the hum the crystal was making – from somewhere within her robes and held it over the third and final magic circle and repeated the incantation. Once more, a stone spike shot up, and the Magic Stone crumbled away, essence spent.
"A monster's Magic Stone can be used to replace the Mind cost for a spell," Lenoa stated obviously. "But can you tell me why this method isn't more common in Orario despite being the source of all the world's Magic Stones?"
"It costs an entire Orc's Magic Stone to cast a single spell that isn't very strong or fast," Taylor replied.
"Exactly!" the witch nodded. "Far more cost efficient to sell it than waste it on a single spell that won't even be able to kill a monster on the Middle Floors."
"Then are those the only ways to cast spells?" Taylor asked skeptically.
"The only acceptable ways," Lenoa said darkly, refusing to elaborate.
"Is it possible to make enchanted equipment using Falna-less magic?" Taylor wondered, switching topics.
"Technically, yes. But I wouldn't recommend it. The Durandal enchantment is named after the legendary weapon of the same name," the witch stated. "And to create it, a dozen Falna-less mages had to combine their power for three days straight. And yet nowadays, a single Level 2 adventurer with the Blacksmithing Ability can enchant a weapon to be far stronger and sharper than the namesake in a single day! That is the power of the Falna."
"What about the magic circles, then?" Taylor wondered. "I take it those are necessary as well for spellcraft?"
"A magic circle contains the instructions for the spell itself," the witch said, mood turning more upbeat. "That in and of itself is why the old style of magic has fallen out of favor. Drawing a magic circle in the middle of combat is simply not possible, or at least viable. Then there's the long time spent learning how the different sigils and runes interact with each other to define the effects of a spell…"
Lenoa trialed off, before glancing up at Taylor. "Do you still want to learn, knowing all this?"
"I do," Taylor declared, not even hesitating.
"In that case, I will give you a primer on Circle Craft and how to prepare your own magic circles and spells," Lenoa said happily. "And when I deem you to be proficient… well, allow me to show you a secret method for spell casting I invented myself."
She withdrew a glowing piece of chalk from a hidden pocket up her sleeve, and inscribed a magic circle onto the floor, identical to the previous three. However, this time it was already shining.
When the witch intoned the incantation a fourth time, the stone spike that erupted from the ground was twice as tall as the earlier ones, and Lenoa didn't look exhausted at all.
"Spell Chalk," Lenoa said with a cackle at Taylor's wide-eyed expression. "Made from ordinary chalk mixed with the ashes of monsters and a few other ingredients, and charged with a few Magic Stones. Thirty to ninety percent of a spell's Mind requirement can be sustained by the Spell Chalk when you use it to draw a magic circle."
"Incredible!" Taylor breathed out.
"Isn't it?" Lenoa grinned. "Now you have an incentive to learn!"
Taylor grinned as well, a sharp edge to it. Yes, this would make for an excellent new tool for her to use!
Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Training Montage
Chapter Text
Chapter 29: Training Montage
"This is Melen, huh?" Taylor muttered, gazing out at the port town that was known as the Gateway to Orario.
She wasn't sure what she'd expected. Perhaps a part of her had thought she'd see Brockton Bay, Fantasy-edition. But was she got was a peaceful, resort-like fishing town with a remarkably Mediterranean feel to it.
Getting to Melen had been easy. A cart to carry their things and some monsters to ride, and they reached the town in just four hours. Since they'd left fairly early in the morning, it was almost noon by the time the Hestia Familia arrived.
There were numerous seafaring vessels docked at the port, carrying people and cargo from far off countries. Many traders came seeking fortunes, and hopeful passengers disembarked, hoping to join one of the many Familias in the City at the Center of the World.
Truly absurd amounts of riches passed through the port, and as a result the buildings were on par with those found in Orario's wealthier districts. The Guild had a strong presence in Melen as well, for many of the ships that arrived at the docks came for Magic Stones and other resources obtained from the Dungeon.
Melen itself was built on the shores of Lolog Lake, which was a massive freshwater lake that connected to the ocean. It was essentially Lake Ontario from Earth Bet, but rounder and deeper.
"It's beautiful," Emma whispered in awe as she stared out at it.
"I suppose it has a certain charm," Leo agreed.
"Wooo! Swimsuit time!" Silva cheered.
"You'll have time to play after we get situated," Taylor said, taking control of the group before they could split up.
"Right! What are we doing?" Hestia asked. "Where are we going to sleep?"
"There is an inn near the outskirts called the Green Pearl. It is cheap and has various sizes of rooms to rent, ranging from large communal ones to singular, one person spots. It also has a stable so Chris and Debbie can stay there as well," Taylor explained. "It's close to one the beaches, too, which is a bonus."
"How do you know all this?" Lili wondered. "Have you been here before?"
"I asked Eina," Taylor replied. "She knew a few things, and directed me to other Guild members who'd know more."
There was also a bit of cheating involved. Taylor used her swarm to read several maps and books relating to Melen, some of which were marked as 'For Guild Employee Eyes Only.' It worked, though, and she knew quite a bit about the town, at least on an academic level.
For instance, one of the things she'd learned was that the town was the home base for the Njord and Poseidon Familias, though the latter had been traveling the world and hunting monsters that'd escaped the Dungeon for the last fifteen years while the former acted as a sort of pseudo-navy protecting Melen and the lake itself from pirates and other threats.
As they approached the edge of the settlement, a lot of people looked up, shocked at the sight of monsters getting close to their town. This had been the reaction the Hestia Familia had received while traveling throughout the morning. Other travelers on the road and farmers in the fields had stopped and stared – and in some instances run away screaming – but for the most part, the sight of multiple adventurers accompanying them had prevented too much panic.
Melen lacked defensive walls, relying on fences to define the borders between what was the town and what was beyond it, which only worked due to how peaceful the area was. No army would be foolish enough to try and attack them, and monsters were culled and kept away from population centers like this one by the adventurers of Orario.
The party reached the Green Pearlshortly afterwards. Since it lay right at the edge of Melen, Taylor didn't have to worry about bringing her monsters into the city itself. The slack-jawed expression of the inn's proprietor when he walked outside and saw them coming was also quite amusing, though the parahuman kept any sign of her thoughts to herself.
"Good afternoon," Taylor said in greeting. "I would like to rent a few rooms and two spots in your stables for the next three weeks."
"Err, sure," the man said slowly. "Lemme just check with the missus…"
He went back inside as he said that, and began shouting for his wife. It was not fearful, though, but excited.
"Martha! Come quick! We got a bunch of city-slicker adventurers looking to rent some rooms!"
"Hot damn, Marvin! And you were worried about not having any customers during the slow season!"
Taylor smiled a little at the byplay that all of them could hear. Neither were very subtle. Though Taylor understood why they'd be so excited. Adventurers had a lot more disposable income than other people in the world tended to.
They were very clearly part of the limited Upper-Middle Class of Orario, and while a lot of money was spent on equipment and food, the rest could be used to buy plenty of luxuries and the like. For an inn in a town, even one as rich as Melen, adventurers staying for a few weeks would be a massive windfall.
Three rooms were bought and paid for when the owners were done celebrating their good luck. Bell even got a single room to himself. It was small, really more of a closet than anything, but it had its own bed, something he was very excited about.
"No more couch for me!" he declared happily.
The other two rooms were divided up between the rest of the Familia. Hestia, Lili, and Taylor got one of them, Lucia, Iris, Leo, Emma, and Silva got the second. As for Chris and Debbie, the former got to stay in the stables, while Debbie just burrowed under the dirt a little bit aways from the inn, as there was nowhere such a massive monster could stick around. Lastly, the Blue Papilio – that Taylor had decided to name 'Azure' – would sleep in the stable along with Chris, but in the rafters.
The next order of business was lunch, which they ate at the Green Pearl. Martha provided a lovely meal with plenty of seafood and fresh bread. It was excellent, and everyone
"Hestia and I have some errands to run in Melen," Taylor informed the group as they sat around the dining room table. "Take today off. Explore the town. We'll start training tomorrow."
That made the Familia members excited, and they quickly left to look around Melen. Hestia looked disappointed she couldn't walk around with Bell and the others (mostly Bell, if Taylor was honest), but she put on her game face and got ready to meet with the people in charge of the town.
Leaving the inn, Taylor and Hestia walked through the streets and headed towards Melen's docks. Everything in town revolved around them and the ships that came and went, for it was the lifeblood of Melen. Most of the people were fishermen or dock workers, and everyone else did something that catered to the former jobs in some way.
Their destination was the Noatun, a longhouse style building near the docks where the Njord Familia operated out of.
There were no guards standing out front, and people entered without worry, adventurer and regular person alike. The Familia's home was used by the fishermen and sailors of the town with a bar and tables for eating and drinking at. The interior was loud as people talked with each other, and aside from a curious glance or two their way, nobody paid anything attention to them as the duo made their way towards a table near the back.
"Heyo, Hestia," a tanned man with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail said, calling out from his seat at one of the long tables. He was shirtless, and wearing swim trunks and sandals. If not for the hum around him that sounded like the creaking of hulls and the splashing of waves, one could mistake him for just another one of the fishermen walking around the place.
"Hello, Njord!" Hestia replied happily, giving the man who'd claimed the name of the Norse god of the sea and boats a wave.
"So, what brings you to Melen?" he asked politely as he moved his plate to the side so he could focus on the two newcomers. "And with Weaver herself along for the ride?"
"We're going to be staying in Melen for a bit, let things cool down before returning for the War Game," Hestia explained as she sat down at the table across from him.
"Ah, and you wanted to give me a heads up? Polite of you," Njord commented, to which Hestia nodded.
"You do keep Melen safe. We thought it only fair you know, so you don't worry about any monsters walking around," Hestia said. "If anyone sees a black Crystal Mantis, a Blue Papilio, and a Dungeon Worm, don't panic. They're Taylor's."
"We also come bearing gifts," Taylor spoke up, taking a bundle out of her pouch.
"Gifts, huh? Well, I won't say no to that!" Njord said with a smile.
Taylor nodded and presented him with a large fishing net made entirely of spider silk. It was strong and sturdy, and she knew people of the Solomon Islands back on Earth Bet had used silk for fishing in the past, so it wasn't just a decorative item, but something even an adventurer could use.
Njord took it, his easy-going expression turning serious as he examined the net carefully, testing its tensile strength and durability.
"Well, I'll be," he murmured, impressed, before glancing up and nodding at Taylor. "Thank you kindly, Miss Weaver. Your gift is appreciated. Rod will definitely find it useful. And don't worry, I'll pass word along that nobody is to bother you or yours for any reason."
Unsaid was that Njord also would ensure nobody in his Familia would speak to Apollo or his goons, who would likely try to spy on them before the War Game.
"Do you know of any secluded places ten or so people could get some training in?" Taylor inquired, and Njord grinned, jovial mood returning.
"I sure do! Lemme see… there's a couple of private beaches, ranging from soft and sandy to painfully rocky. If you wanted to go all out and use your monsters as well, there's a hidden cove my Familia uses for their own training. Though I think you might find a few other places like that scattered about," Njord replied. "Where are you staying?"
"The Green Pearl," Hestia said. Njord immediately snickered.
"Rod is gonna have a heart attack when he gets back from the fishing trip," the god of water said under his breath, before looking back at the two visitors to his Familia. "I'll send ya a map in the morning that has a few spots you'll probably like. They're far enough from anywhere populated you can easily have plenty of privacy."
"Thank you," Hestia said with a grin. "Okay! Now on to the Guild branch!"
"Stopping by the local office?" Njord asked, his smile fading. "There's been a bit of a shake-up recently. The old head of the Guild here was arrested for corruption, so don't be too upset if people are a bit busy."
"That is a shame. Thank you for the warning, we will be careful," Taylor sighed. Corrupt officials were something she knew about all too well, though she was surprised one of them actually got punished for their crimes.
Heading to Melen's branch of the Guild was easy. It was located in the center of town, and was the tallest building around at three stories. It looked similar to the Guild building in Orario, and was clearly well taken care of.
Despite the size, however, there weren't very many people. Just two tired looking clerks in the Guild's uniform sitting at desks on the first floor, a couple of people working upstairs in offices, and finally an older woman in a much more opulent office space on the top floor, making a total of eight.
"Hello, welcome to the Melen Guild," a very bored rabbit-eared woman said, her voice monotone as she sat up a little when Hestia and Taylor approached her desk. "How may I help you?"
"Don't get a lot of business, huh?" Taylor asked.
"Ever since the Leviathan was slain and the hole to the Dungeon plugged up, the amount of adventurers here has gone down considerably," the clerk replied tiredly. "We usually just end up telling visitors to go visit the Guild in Orario. You'd think after Rubard was removed from his position things would change a bit more, but nah, same old, same old around here."
She then pointed towards a job board on a nearby wall. "If you are interested, we have quests. They're mostly requests to go fishing and merchant escort missions."
Taylor nodded in understanding, and was a bit intrigued by both. With her power, she could control lobsters and crabs and stuff a fishing vessel's nets full to bursting. If she could get a cut of the haul's profits, that might be a good way to make some money for their stay here.
The option of traveling with merchants to different ports around the world was an interesting idea as well. She'd never traveled much before her power, and then afterwards… well, by now, there probably wasn't much left on Earth Bet to explore.
"So, how may the Guild help you today?" the rabbit-woman inquired.
"We're just here to inform you of our presence in Melen for the next three weeks," Hestia said, handing over a few documents that bore the stamp of the Orario's Guild on them. "Here, copies of our Familia's registry, and copies of our Tamed monster registration forms."
It was a bit annoying to have to do this, but even if it was just a temporary thing, the entire Hestia Familia was no longer in Orario, and that meant paperwork.
"Oh. Oh!" the clerk exclaimed, blinking in shock as she realized she had VIPs in front of her. "I will take care of this immediately!"
"Thank you," Hestia said, flashing her a grateful smile, and the clerk bowed before hurrying off, taking the files with her.
"What now?" Hestia asked Taylor.
"Shall we find the others and tour Melen for a bit?" Taylor suggested.
"I like that idea!" the tiny girl said cheerfully.
Their first day in Melen had only just begun.
111 &&& 111
The next morning, just as promised, Njord sent his captain, a man named Rod, to the inn with a map of the surroundings. The black-haired Level 2 adventurer had a star-struck expression on his face when he met them, apparently becoming a big fan of both Bell and Taylor for their accomplishments.
Of course, his awe turned to embarrassment very quickly because it turned out his grandparents were the inn's owners, and they had a lot of 'fun' stories to tell.
"…and then, you know what he did? He threw his fishing rod into the water!" Martha said with a giggle. She was sitting at the breakfast table with the Hestia Familia, who were listening with wide grins on their faces.
"Gran, please!" Rod begged, his ego crushed by relentless tales from his childhood.
"Now, now, I'm just telling these lovely ladies about you!" Martha said, waving his words away.
"Um, actually, I'm a man," Bell said.
"More like a boy," Taylor muttered under her breath. He pouted at her, and she smiled back insincerely.
"Oh! I'm sorry, you're face was just so delicate I assumed!" Martha apologized. "Here, have some more biscuits as an apology!"
She loaded up his plate with a bunch of fresh-baked biscuits, ready to be lathered in honey or gravy. Bell accepted the food and ate up. His adventurer constitution allowing him to finish them in just a couple minutes.
"It's been lovely, Martha, but we really must be going soon," Taylor said a little bit later when it was time to head out for training.
"Of course dear! I'm sure you're all very busy," the matron of the inn said.
"Let me help you clean up!" Hestia offered. Since she wasn't going to be training, she wanted to have something to do all day, and helping around the inn would fit the bill nicely.
"So kind! If only my boy had been so helpful to his mother as a child. Oh, where did I go wrong?" Martha sighed dramatically, and Rod winced.
"Uh, let me escort you ladies to the training grounds!" he said loudly, his desperate attempt to leave the area obvious to everyone.
Taylor decided to have pity on him, and so allowed the young man to lead them outside of Melen.
"Sorry about my gran back there," Rod said, still a bit red with embarrassment.
"It's alright, my parents are the same way," Lucia said sympathetically.
"So, anything interesting happening in Melen?" Silva wondered.
"You just missed the Loki Familia, actually," Rod said, glad for the change of topic. "They came here to relax after their expedition. Got into a bit of a fight with the Kali Familia who were visiting as well."
"Really?" Iris asked, before nudging Bell in the ribs. "Looks like you'll have to see your girlfriend in a swimsuit another time!"
"A-Ais isn't my girlfriend!" Bell stammered.
"Oh? But I didn't say anything about her," the cow-girl said with a teasing smirk. He just groaned, giving everyone a good laugh, though Taylor noted Lili pouted a bit.
A few minutes later, they reached a stretch of shoreline that was a quarter of a mile away from Melen. It was obscured by a few steep hills and tall wild grass. The sand was not soft, and more of a scree slope that happened to end in water.
"It looks nice," Emma said, looking around.
"Isolated, but the hills provide a good vantage point. The water is also close, and there's no road or farms nearby. Perfect," Taylor said, nodding to herself.
"Well, if that's all, I'm off," Rod said, waving farewell. "Thanks for the net, by the way!"
Taylor just waved back, and when the captain of the Njord Familia was gone, she turned to her companions.
"What're we doing first, boss?" Silva asked, bouncing on her feet eagerly.
"For today, I won't be telling you what to do," Taylor said, much to everyone's surprise. "Instead, I want you all to pick something you're not good at and try to practice it. This could be anything. Do you have trouble cooking? Sewing? Writing with your left hand? Anything at all."
"How will this help in a fight?" Leo asked, raising her hand.
"Perhaps not directly, but it will help you with two things; perseverance, and self-reflection. The former is important in battle because you need to be able to keep on going until it's all over. For the latter, if you know what you need to work on, it shows you are capable of thinking critically, something not enough people are capable of."
Taylor then tapped a foot against the ground. "There's also the fact that the War Game can be literally anything. I investigated it, and a pie eating contest was the last competition that was held between the Apollo Familia and their victims, the Ratri Familia. So having an assortment of skills, no matter how dumb or silly, could mean the difference between victory and defeat."
"I see," Leo nodded, lowering her hand.
"Don't expect me to go easy on you tomorrow, though," Taylor said with a smirk, causing them all to shiver.
As the Familia broke apart to try and find something for themselves to improve on, Taylor moved to a distant and isolated stretch of land where she could have some privacy.
It was time to begin practicing magic, and despite everything, Taylor couldn't help but feel excited. And why wouldn't she be? It was magic!
Taylor took out the book on magic she'd gotten last night, several bookmarks already in it. She'd read it on the ride to Melen, and though it had contained some words and terms she didn't fully understand, as the whole book was written with the assumption of the reader having a ground in some magical theories beforehand, it was still a helpful guide.
There were several spells included in the primer on magic that Lenoa the Witch had given her, along with a couple of hand-written notes on proper spellcraft. Two of them were simple earth manipulating spells that would not work very well in the Dungeon, since whatever material it was made of was a bit too unusual to control via magic, but would work well for learning how to get started.
The first was Earth Spike, the same one Lenoa had demonstrated to the parahuman. The second one was simply called Hole, and it did as advertised, creating a perfectly circular hole in the ground one foot in diameter and one foot deep.
The Holespell was the more tactically useful of the two, in Taylor's opinion. A sudden pothole opening up beneath somebody would break an ankle, and even if it didn't, it would trip them up.
However, Earth Spikewould be good to start with as it allowed for a quicker visual representation of how much magic was being used every time it was cast.
'Test 1,' Taylor thought to herself as she drew the magic circle for the spell onto the ground.
"Arise, oh Mother Earth! Let stone awaken and rise so you may be honored! In the dust of ages you are eternal! Pierce, grow, and join your kin! Be as a mountain upon the horizon! Be as the fang of caverns below! Earth Spike!"
After intoning the spell, she felt her Mind drain a little and a spike shot up from the ground. It was faster than Lenoa's, likely due to using the Falna on the parahuman's back.
Taylor took note of the size, measuring it carefully, then prepared to cast it again, but with a few alterations to the magic circle. When it rose up this time, instead of a sharp tip, what arose was a flat-topped pillar.
'So, the modifications worked. Even with the same incantation as before, if the magic circle is changed, then so too will the shape of the spell itself be altered,' Taylor thought to herself, intrigued. She scribbled down some notes, and began to continue her experiments.
'What happens if I change the incantation itself, but keep the magic circle unaltered?' she wondered next, deciding to test this.
"Sleep, oh Mother Earth! Let stone crumble and collapse so you may be feared! In the dust of ages you are eternal! Sink, grow, and join your kin! Be as a canyon splitting the horizon! Be as the maw of caverns below! Hole!"
The incantation Taylor used was the one for the Holespell, instead of the usual one for Earth Spike. This time, the jagged spar of stone that shot out was riddled with holes, like a piece of Swiss cheese, and crumbled at the slightest touch.
'Curious,' Taylor mused. 'Is the incantation tied to the way the spell forms itself? Or does the structure of the magic circle matter more for that?'
Four and a half hours later, one thing she had learned for sure was that the incantation was as important as the magic circle itself. At first, Taylor had thought the chanting every spell required was a sort of mnemonic trick, to help people guide their thoughts and properly channel the mana. But as she soon discovered, the incantations were so much more. They were verbal components to the spell, just as integral as the magic circle.
You could cast a spell without chanting, but it would be weak, at least fifty percent as strong as it should be. The same could be said about a spell without the magic circle, resulting in a fifty percent reduction in overall power. And trying to cast a spell without chanting and without a spell circle would result in a spell being only ten percent as powerful as it should be, if it could even trigger at all.
And so, Taylor had to learn how to memorize the chants, even if she thought they were rather silly and embarrassing to say out loud. She soon discovered why magic was seen as useless unless used in conjunction with a Falna. Spells were slow and clumsy without it, requiring several minutes to set up a single casting, as well as needing more power than was possible for an unblessed caster to wield.
On the other hand, the way spellcasting worked for mages with Falnas was they would 'carve' the Spell's magic circle and incantation into their very soul, and thus have access to the spell whenever they wanted. They could not forget the incantation, and would always know how to cast it. The Magic Circle would also form as they cast, so no need to draw it every time.
She did have some advantages other mages did not, though. Her swarm could be used as an extra 'mouth' of sorts. When one of her bug clones 'spoke' the incantation, it would still trigger the Spell. It'd be slightly weaker, having lost a quarter of its potency, and the bugs used as a conduit would immediately die afterwards, unable to handle the magical energy pouring through Taylor and into them, but it was a still a Spell, and able to be cast anywhere within the range of her powers.
The insects also had another use: they could be shaped into Magic Circles as well. In fact, right in front of her, a line of ants was currently working to form a Magic Circle that would allow her to cast a single Earth Spike.
"Arise, oh Mother Earth! Let stone awaken and rise so you may be honored! In the dust of ages you are eternal! Pierce, grow, and join your kin! Be as a mountain upon the horizon! Be as the fang of caverns below! Earth Spike!"
Intoning the words for the Spell, the spike of stone stabbed upwards, but it was jagged and more fragile than the other ones she'd made on her own. Still, that was a new and versatile use of her bugs.
'So, I can make Magic Circles using my swarm. That's very good to know,' Taylor thought to herself. 'But they lack some of the power. At least 25% weaker than a regular magic circle.'
Casting the spell still used up the same amount of Mind, but with it being weakened due to the unconventional magic circle, it almost seemed not worth the trouble.
'Still, a Magic Circle made of insects and an incantation spoken through my swarm would still be viable in combat, as I could create the former far quicker than drawing one out the regular way, even if it's only be 12% as powerful compared to myself casting it,' Taylor thought to herself. 'How many magic circles could I create at a time and cast through?'
The answer to that question, it turned out, was 'as many as I want, so long as there was enough Mind to go around.'
"That was impressive," Taylor said aloud, staring out at the miniature forest of stone spikes that had risen from the ground in front of her. Over a dozen of them had appeared at once, all of them mishappen in some way, but still more than capable of hurting somebody if it slammed into them.
The drain on her Mind was a bit of a pinch, though. As best as she could tell based on the headache and feeling of exhaustion that came over her, a quarter of her total Mind reserves were spent on that single multi-spell cast.
'Combined with what I've already spent, I have less than a third of my Mind remaining,' Taylor mused, eventually deciding to stop for now in order to recover.
'If I could create a device capable of recording voices, I wonder if I could potentially cast minor spells whenever I wanted, simply by using the ambient magical energy of my surroundings and the recorded incantation,' Taylor thought to herself as she cleared up the small field she'd been practicing in. 'How did they make early recording discs? It was wax or something, wasn't it? An idea to experiment with. Later, though.'
She walked back to the others, who were doing a bunch of different things. Watching them try their best, the parahuman couldn't help but smile. It was great. She was proud of them.
'I am going to make them suffer tomorrow,' Taylor thought to herself, her smile turning into a sinister grin.
111 &&& 111
The next day dawn, and their breakfast was a lighter fare than the day before. As the sun crested the horizon, the Hestia Familia trekked to their training ground from yesterday, clad in their armor and equipment, ready to fight.
"We are going to practice some simple anti-person maneuvers today," Taylor informed the group. "The War Game against Apollo could be anything, but knowing our luck, it will be a straight up battle of some kind. The goal will be to get you used to fighting humanoid opponents."
"Lili, I want you try out your new Skill during training today," Taylor said, turning to the Supporter. She nodded firmly, just as eager to test it out.
The pallum's new ability she'd gained upon Leveling Up was an impressive one. Command Cry allowed her to shout orders and advice to her allies across large distances, and they'd always be able to hear them. She could be hidden behind several walls and her words would reach her companions. And nobody else could hear it.
How it designated 'allies' was a bit more ambiguous. Taylor was of the opinion it was a mental thing tied to the Falna. Thus, only people in the same Familia could benefit from it. Until they could test it with Welf, who was a trusted friend but from a different Familia, that would be the assumption they'd be working with.
The range was also unknown, but that would be something to test as well throughout the day.
"And now… we begin," Taylor said, snapping her fingers. All around her Familia spikes of stone shot up from beneath them, forcing them to dodge, while multiple bug clones formed nearby, creating mock opponents. And with that, the fighting began.
Magic Circles formed by ants and other insects had been scattered around the field, and Taylor would activate them at random, using it to simulate magical attacks from enemy mages. The goal was to defeat these pretend mages.
The bug clones acting as mages had fireflies within their mass, and they would glow before one of her Magic Circles would activate, giving a visual tell for her Familia to act off of.
"Iris, six o'clock on the left!" Lili called out, and the cow-horned girl obeyed, swinging her sword through the bug clone Lili had designated and destroying it. She had her Bronze Bull Skill active, the heat of her shard-based power incinerating the insects.
"Emma, jump! Silva, behind you!"
The two adventurers obeyed, the former leaping high to avoid an Earth Spike, while Silva ducked low and spun around, smashing her mace through the 'neck' of the clone. As for Emma, when she landed, she 'cut' one of the clones down.
"Lucia! Move up to support Leo!" Lili instructed.
The seamstress started to run towards Leo, who was being overwhelmed by bug clones. She disappeared in a burst of light, reappearing near Leo. The shockwave of her momentum redirecting effect of teleportation disrupted the clones, buying the blue-haired swordswoman time to catch her breath and recover.
Lili's eyes swept across the battlefield while also staying on the move, never allowing the clones to corner her. The Supporter's orders came quick and fast, her perception and reaction superior to the others. Only Bell had better reflexes, but he relied on Lili's words to cover his blind spots.
"Bell! Eleven o'clock! Use knives!"
"Got it!" Bell called back, and he flung his throwing knives towards a 'mage' clone. The tiny daggers pierce the clone's 'head' and Taylor let it collapse.
The frantic battle lasted a bit longer, but after half an hour, everyone was starting to get tired after going full throttle the whole time, so Taylor clapped her hands and dismissed her clones, ending the session.
"Well done," the parahuman praised. "Iris, excellent work, your footwork has improved, you're able to evade enemy attacks much more easily. And Lili? Your new Skill is very impressive and you played your support role quite well."
She turned her attention to the rest of the Familia. "Lucia, your handling of your saber has grown by leaps and bounds. You don't fight as if it's a rapier, anymore. Silva, you always followed orders and worked well with others. And Bell? Your aim with throwing weapons has improved."
"Now for the points I noticed you need to improve on," Taylor said, and everyone's smiles faded a bit. "Leo, you need to work on responding to orders better. You often hesitated when Lili gave commands. If you think they made the wrong call, say so, but only after you've accomplished what they've asked for. This, of course, doesn't apply if you feel like you are truly in danger, but keep in mind this is a cooperative measure. Something you need to work on a bit more as well, Emma."
"E-eh?" the pink-haired girl uttered nervously.
"You were quite good, but I can tell you're used to working alone. You don't understand how to fight with other people around you," Taylor explained. "You often hesitated to act when somebody was too close, and wouldn't try to attack a target if somebody else is targeting it. One-on-one duels are for stories. When fighting, if you can team up to take something down faster than always do so."
"Um, yes, I'm self-taught," Emma said. "And my village didn't really have any other people to training with."
"It's okay, everyone starts off not knowing how to fight," Taylor assured her. "You'll learn."
"Of course! I won't let you down, Miss Taylor!" Emma replied.
"Good. Next, was there anything else you guys noticed that needs improvement?" Taylor asked when they were all resting after the hard workout.
"We need more ranged options," Bell said with a frown. "Lili's crossbow and my throwing knives are not nearly enough to cover all of us."
"I can learn!" Silva volunteered. "Think I should get a bow or a crossbow?"
"I'd also be willing to branch out a bit and learn something aside from my twin swords," Emma offered as well.
"Thank you. As for what you might be best with… I think a bow of some sort," Taylor suggested. "You're both fairly tall and can handle a bow with your current Power stats. A composite short bow would likely work better for adventuring in the Dungeon, and is just as good outside of it."
"I bet they sell bows in Melen. We can buy some and experiment with them," Bell suggested.
"Excellent idea. We worked on things you weren't great at yesterday, so tomorrow, we'll all work on learning something new," Taylor said. She then grinned which had them all tense up. "But I think we've rested up enough. Time to get back to the grind."
All around her, the swarm buzzed eagerly, and everyone groaned but raised their weapons. Back to the grind, indeed.
Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Beach Episode
Chapter Text
Chapter 30: Beach Episode
"It's only been a week, yet it feels like forever," Hestia said with a faint sigh as she looked up at the gates to Orario. Taylor nodded at her side, taking a moment to admire the sight.
Since she'd entered the city in an unconventional way, this was her first time actually getting a look at the entrance to the place. Sure, the parahuman had seen it while leaving, but this was different.
Mounted on Chris's back, Hestia and Taylor had retuned to Orario in order to participate in the War Game Raffle, where the gods would decide the nature of the duel between the two Familias.
The members of the Hestia Familia were glad for the day off, though. A week of intense training had left them tired. Worse, in their eyes, was that Azure, the new Blue Papilio of Taylor's swarm, could heal their wounds so training didn't end with broken bones or bruised bodies. Only their lack of stamina held them back from non-stop training.
'They'll have a lot more training ahead of them,' Taylor thought to herself with a smirk.
"Welcome back, Lady Hestia, Lady Weaver," a Ganesha Familia guard at the gate said in greeting as they approached.
"Hello, Durmot," Taylor said, recognizing him from the times she'd visited the Ganesha Familia before. "May we enter?"
"Yup! Go on in," the guard said. "Oh, and maybe you could drop in to say 'Hi' to the captain? She's been all mopey since you've been gone."
"Of course," Taylor said, smiling a little at the idea of her friend acting like that. With entry taken care of, they continued to ride Chris all the way to Babel, where they were supposed to meet up.
"What can we expect?" Taylor asked and Hestia shrugged.
"Dunno, this will be my first War Game since descending to Orario," the twin-tailed girl admitted. "No clue how it is done."
Taylor nodded. 'It'll probably be something stupid,' she thought to herself. Given what she'd seen so far of the so-called 'gods' she wasn't expecting anything else.
Reaching Babel, they were greeted by Eina and a few other Guild members, who all had relief on their faces at seeing them.
"Welcome back, Miss Taylor, Lady Hestia," Eina said, smiling at them. "We were worried about you."
"Thank you," Taylor said with a smile. "May we enter?"
"Yes, let us escort you inside," Eina said, before glancing at the monster. "Err, maybe you could keep it down here, though?"
"Sure," Taylor shrugged as she dismounted. With a mental command, Chris wandered into a corner of Babel's lobby, and crouched down to wait. Taylor made sure his Tamer tag was visible, and then went with Hestia and Eina up into the higher levels of the Tower of Babel.
Taylor had been surprised by the presence of elevators when she arrived to the tower the first time. But after thinking it over, elevators weren't exactly all that complicated as things went. With magic tools they could be made quite easily.
Boarding one, they rose up to the upper levels, all the way to the very top. The chamber where the gods' Denatus was located was the site of the event. Inside, there were already a few gods and adventurers waiting, along with the head of the Guild.
Normally, War Games, especially the preparations for them, did not get this much attention, but considering how public the Apollo Familia had been in the attack on the Hestia Familia, combined with Taylor equally public call-out and the prizes at stake, a lot of bored gods were eager to experience what promised to be something new and fun.
"Hephaestus!" Hestia called out. "It's so good to see you!"
"You too," the eyepatch-wearing smith said fondly. "You been doing well?"
"Yup! Everything is going smoothly! My Familia will be ready for anything they throw at us!"
"Hmph!" a snooty voice scoffed, and Hestia turned around to see Apollo and Hyakinthos having just entered. "And here I thought you'd run away from Orario, never to return!"
"Why would we run when our victory is already assured?" Hestia replied haughtily.
"Apollo, sit down and shut up," Loki called out as she stomped in with Finn at her side. "I already had to come here in the middle of the day! Least you could do is make it easier for all of us!"
Apollo spluttered but couldn't exactly talk back to one of the two strongest Familias in the city. He wisely walked off, sitting as far away from Hestia as he could.
"Don't mind Loki. She's just upset Ais has been acting depressed ever since Bell left to go train," Finn said in a conspiratorial whisper.
"She's my little Ais-cream!" Loki whined. "She can't have a boyfriend already!"
Taylor and Finn rolled their eyes, while Hestia pouted, jealous at the Sword Princess having an obvious crush on Bell.
A few minutes later, the chamber finished filling up, with Ganesha happily taking his spot at the front. "I AM GANESHA!" he called out. "AND I AM THE OFFICIATOR FOR THE WAR GAMES!"
"Now that the two gods who are involved are here, we can begin," Royman said, clearing his throat so the rest of the hall could hear him. "Good. As you know, it's time to submit ideas for the War Game between the Apollo Familia and the Hestia Familia."
He pulled out a gold box studded with jewels that had a slot in the top. "Write down your suggestions and put them in here. When everyone has gone, I will draw one out, and that shall be the competition the two Familia will compete in."
'I knew it,' Taylor thought to herself, suppressing a sigh. This really was just a raffle! At her side, Hestia also had a pinched look.
One by one, the gods wrote down their ideas onto slips of paper that'd been provided, and slid them into the slot on the box. It wasn't long before every god, save Hestia, Apollo, and Ganesha, had written something down, and Royman lifted the box and shook it. He then opened the box, and presented it to Ganesha, who stuck his hand inside.
"I am Ganesha!" he called out as he extracted a single folded up piece of paper. He then read it, and for a moment, a smirk flickered across his face. "And the War Game between the Apollo and Hestia Familias shall be capture the flag!"
Murmurs rang out, and the gods looked excited.
"This is way more exciting than a pie eating contest or a dance off!" somebody called out, to numerous agreements.
"Let us discuss the rules, and where it shall be held," Royman called out, and the next hour was a long, boring discussion about the specifics of the War Game.
In the end, it was decided that the War Game would be held outside of Orario, in a pair of rundown old castles from the days when the city had yet to be built to suppress the Dungeon. Craftsmen Familias would be assigned to repair them and the Guild would provide the flags.
There was to be no killing, but beyond that, the adventurers were allowed to do whatever it took to claim the other Familia's flag. A few restrictions were leveled onto Hestia. Specifically Taylor. She could only use monsters that were Tamed. She couldn't just bring a whole bunch of them out of the Dungeon to throw at Apollo's adventurers. Additionally, Taylor could not use her swarm to just swipe the flag, it had to be grabbed by an adventurer's hand.
Those were annoying, and clearly being used by Apollo to try and limit her, but Taylor didn't care. She had a lot of ways to win without that.
Of course, such blatantly obvious attempts to collar her let Hestia impose her own rules on Apollo. For one, the god's adventurers could not Level Up. If they somehow managed to get stronger in the Dungeon, they would have to leave it till after the War Game. Secondly, no new Familia members could be added by Apollo. And lastly, the adventurers of the Apollo Familia were forbidden from leaving Orario entirely until the War Games was over.
"So glad that it's over," Hestia said with a weary sigh as they exited the Denatus chamber.
"We can leave as soon as I've spoken with Shakti," Taylor told her. "And maybe Naaza as well."
"Yeah, have a nice talk with your friends," Hestia said. "I'm gonna talk with Hephaestus!"
"Meet back up at the gate in an hour?" Taylor asked.
That sounded good, and the two split up to meet their friends. It'd been a week since they'd seen them, and Taylor was surprised by herself.
'Friends… yes, I suppose they are,' she thought to herself. Having friends again was strange, but something she hadn't known she'd needed again. While she might never see Lisa or the other Undersiders again, that she had a chance to start again in Orario was doing wonders for her mental state.
'I'll just have to obliterate the Apollo Familia, and make sure the rest of the city knows that we are off limits,' she declared to herself. The gods would learn to fear the name of Weaver!
111 &&& 111
"Wooo!" Bell said as he bent down to inspect some fine white sand.
"It's the beach!" Emma cheered, throwing her hands into the air.
"The beach!" Silva echoed.
"Lili has never been to one of these before," the pallum murmured, eyes sparkling as she looked over the scene.
"I didn't think I'd get a chance to try my new swimsuit," Lucia said, adjusting her top.
After three long weeks of training, ranging from combat practice to obstacle courses to individual work on improving different Skills, it was almost time for the next stage of the plan to begin.
Tomorrow, the Hestia Familia would return to Orario and enter the Dungeon for some intense stat grinding.
Before that, though, today was a time to rest. Everyone had done great work, and deserved a chance to kick back and relax. To that end, they'd gone to a secluded private beach near Melen to swim and play in the sand.
"Everyone, feel free to have fun," Taylor said, smiling a little at their excitement. The beach they were on was much nicer than the one Brockton Bay had once had. No trash, or any sort of debris marring the view. There was a small cove that provided shade, and a lot of fish that could be spotted swimming around just out of reach in the surf.
"We will!" Hestia said. "Bell! Come over here and help me put on some sunscreen!"
"Y-yes, Lady Hestia!" Bell squeaked, causing the other adventurers to giggle at the way his face turned red.
"Don't tease him too badly, Hestia," Taylor chuckled.
"Let's go!" Iris said, grabbing a ball, and she and Leo ran off to play volleyball. Or the Fantasy equivalent they had here in Orario. Lili watched Hestia and Bell jealously before getting roped into building a sand castle with Silva. Emma and Lucia were going to do some sunbathing as well, followed by a dip into the water.
As for Taylor? She was going to check on something she'd wanted to look at for a while, now.
Taylor walked up to the water's edge and fit a pair of goggles over her head before diving into the lake. The water was cool despite the summer heat, and the water was quite clear. Thanks to the prescription lens she'd installed in the goggles, she could see perfectly fine.
What she saw was incredible. There were numerous colorful fish swimming around, ranging from minnow-sized to tunas. Veritable forests of water plants and unique freshwater coral reefs lined the bottom, and here and there, numerous species of shellfish that resembled mussels clinging to the rocks. Glimmers of crystals could be seen poking up here and there as well.
There were also monsters, or at least the descendants of them. Shark-like fish with too many teeth and razorsharp scales that could tear through nets. Giant sea urchins and tumbled across the lake bottom, hunting smaller crustaceans. Enormous blue softshelled crabs that could turn the water around them freezing cold. And lobsters with oversized claws that could shoot jets of water strong enough to puncture flesh.
None were that strong. Maybe Level 1 at best, and they'd adapted and diversified, becoming their own unique species in some cases as time passed. But it was still astonishing to see life adapt to monsters, and vice-versa.
Yet the sights were not why she'd gone swimming. What she wanted to find was the famous Great Seal, formed from the bones of one of the Three Disasters, monsters who'd been the equivalent of this world's Endbringers.
'They even had similar names,' Taylor thought to herself as she swam towards the seal.
She knew exactly where to go. It was hard to miss. A malevolent aura pressed down on her mind. Ever since she'd arrived at Melen, the presence of Leviathan's remains had called out to her, a bellowing roar of wind and rain mixed with the rushing of water.
The power of the Great Seal repelled monsters – Dungeonborn and the descendants of such alike – keeping the lake free of any major aquatic threats. Life still thrived here, though, regular animals gathering in great numbers as the lack of large predators was a boon for them. But there was a tranquility that was absent from the Dungeon, even with the malice from the seal scraping against her mind.
It wasn't long before Taylor reached the place where the Great Seal was located, the private beach being rather close. In fact, that was the whole reason she'd selected it for their day off.
The pressure increased, and after a certain point she wasn't able to get any closer. Not without her head feeling like it was about to pop. She was close enough to observe the Great Seal, however. It was rather hard to miss due to its size.
'Incredible,' she thought to herself, staring at the giant corpse that plugged up one of the Dungeon's entrances.
In life, the Leviathan must have been truly terrifying to behold. Over a hundred feet long with a serpentine, Eastern Dragon-like appearance and the power to command water, it had ravaged the coasts of the world until finally being slain by the combined might of the Zeus, Hera and Poseidon Familias fifteen years ago. And unlike the other monsters that had been birthed from the Dungeon, it did not revert into ash upon death, nor did it have a Magic Stone. That was how the Great Seal had been able to be forged in the first place, after all.
'Perhaps living on the surface for so long caused it to lose its Magic Stone and become closer to a second-generation or greater monster, losing the need for the Magic Stone to support its existence as it fed on the lifeforms of the surface to sustain itself?' Taylor wondered. 'Or maybe they never had Magic Stones to begin with, and the Dungeon created them as unique existences. Or it could be there is some other reason for it.'
The Great Seal was an impressive sight all the same, whatever the circumstances behind its creation, and the parahuman wondered how many monsters had escaped from the Dungeon before this path was sealed off, and how many were still out there, lurking in the shadows beyond civilization.
'Though if there's two passages that connect to the Dungeon, logically, there should be more elsewhere,' Taylor mused.
And wasn't that a worrying thought? Though she was able to calm down by assuring herself that if there was a way in or out then it would have been discovered already and taken care of.
Curiosity satisfied, Taylor swam back to shore. Her family hadn't noticed she'd left, or if they had, weren't worried for her safety, and were getting lunch ready, having set up a magic tool grill.
"I can't wait to try these 'burgers,'" Iris said, mouth watering as she watched Bell and Hestia cook up hamburger patties and sausages.
"Isn't it weird to eat beef when you're… you know…" Emma asked, trailing off a little.
That was something Taylor was interested to hear as well, and directed some of her insects closer.
"What? Nah, there's nothing wrong with it," Iris replied, the cow-girl waving it off with a laugh. "I mean, maybe if the cow could talk I'd be hesitant, but they don't, so I'm fine with eating beef."
"I see," Emma said. "Good to know! And thank you for not saying my question was weird!"
"Didn't grow up around a lot of beastfolk, did you?" Silva asked knowingly, and Emma nodded.
"That's right. My village only had humans."
"Same," Bell spoke up as he flipped a patty. "I'd never seen another race before making my way to Orario!"
"I've seen odd people before, but I've also never met another race," Taylor spoke up as she walked over to join everyone.
"Welcome back! Did you enjoy your swim?" Hestia inquired.
"I did," she replied. "Need any help?"
"Not now, but for dessert!" Hestia told her.
"Alright," Taylor hummed.
"Miss Taylor, Lili has never heard of a 'burger' before. Nor mincing up meat like this to create little meat discs for grilling," the pallum said.
"You're in for a treat," Taylor assured her. "Ground meat mixed with herbs and spices is just the start. Bell? Did you get the buns?"
"I did!" he confirmed. "And the cheese!"
"Great," Taylor nodded. She then got the ingredients out of the bag and began to set things up, slicing the buns, which were just ordinary bread rolls, and the cheese, which was a block of hard and sharp white cheddar.
When everything was ready, Bell used his Falna granted dexterity to expertly flip a finished burger patty onto the bottom of a waiting bread roll, and Taylor slapped a bit of cheese on top. No onions or pickles nor any condiments, but it was good enough.
"These look really easy to eat," Lucia said as Taylor handed her one. "Handheld, like a sandwich, but different in a way."
"I'm considering setting up new food carts and selling them," Hestia spoke up. "Along with sausages in a bun."
"Sausages in a bun?" Iris asked, blinking a little. "How would that work? Aren't sausages kinda too long to fit in a regular bread roll?"
"Different kind of bun," Taylor said. "They don't have them in Orario, unfortunately, so we'd have to make do with what we have."
"You'll have to show us sometime," Silva requested.
"Of course," Taylor promised.
Once everyone had a burger, they dug in. It was not the same sort of food Taylor would have gotten back on Earth. Fresher, for one. Certainly not greasy enough to be from Fugly Bob's. But it had a nostalgic taste all the same that had her tearing up a little.
She tried to hide her tears, and mostly succeeded, but Hestia was able to see them before they could be wiped away.
The twin-tailed girl said nothing, though, simply smiling sadly at the girl who was a long way from home, before returning to her lunch.
After the burgers were devoured, Hestia brought out a cooler, where she removed a number of ingredients.
"Bit extravagant for lunch, don't you think?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ice cream is perfect for the beach! Now, show me that magic trick!" Hestia asked. "The one you used last night!"
"Alright, calm down," Taylor said as she took the icy bowl filled with milk, cream, and sugar, and dipped a finger into it. "Earthquake."
The chant was shortened, and there was no magic circle to accompany it, but the spell worked just fine for her purposes.
The Earthquake spell was, as the name implied, normally used to create a small, localized earthquake to shake the ground and make it harder for people to stay standing and keep their footing and aim. Reduced as it was, the spell did something different, and churned the contents of the bowl, doing the work of several hours in seconds. A very smooth and creamy soft serve ice cream was left behind, but Taylor wasn't finished.
"Compact," Taylor intoned, and the magic caused the soft ice cream to firm up and harden. The spell she used this time was supposed to be used to bind and harden wet or muddy soil for construction purposes, but here it was used to make a more solid ice cream.
"I'm so proud of you!" Hestia said with a wide grin.
"I can't believe you used magic to help you cook," Emma said, staring with stars in her eyes at Taylor.
"Where'd you learn those spells?" Bell wondered.
"They came with the primer on magic. Just minor spells and cantrips that can be cast by anyone with a couple of Magic Stones," Taylor replied. "Thanks to my Mind stat, I have a lot more energy to use and can afford to not bother with the full chants or magic circles. Though, it would be easier to just buy a magic tool that does the same thing instead of trying to cast the same spell every time for the average adventurer."
"It's still impressive," Lili said. "Though Lili thinks it would probably cause a real mage to have conniptions seeing spells used for cooking like this."
"Mages do tend to be… high-strung. And snooty," Leo agreed, revealing she'd known magic users in her past before joining the Hestia Familia.
"Well, no sense letting the ice cream melt!" Hestia said, scooping out the tasty cold treat into bowls for everyone.
The flavor was a bit blander than what Taylor had known, but it was still nice and refreshing under the warm sun.
When everyone was done, they went back to having fun, though slightly more sedated since they were still digesting. Taylor took the chance to get a bit of suntanning herself. She couldn't remember the last time she'd ever done so.
'In fact, I don't think I ever just spent time at a beach like this,' she thought to herself. Sure, Brockton Bay had been near the ocean and had had a beach, but both the water and sand had been a bit too trash-filled to enjoy properly.
Several hours passed, everyone enjoying their day off, and when the late afternoon drew on and got closer to dusk, it was time to pack back up and prepare to return to Melen.
"That was fun!" Hestia said. Despite spending a lot of time in the sun, her skin hadn't tanned at all. The same couldn't be said of Bell, whose near-albino complexion was currently lobster red.
"Forgot the sunscreen, huh?" Silva said with a smirk.
"Yes," Bell whimpered.
"Eh, it'll be fine! Your Endurance stat should clear it all up by tomorrow morning!" Iris said, slapping him on the back. Bell let out a squeak of agony at the contact, and Lucia reached up and pinched her cow-girl friend on the ear in admonishment.
Upon returning to the Green Pearl, Taylor pulled Lili aside, a serious look on her face.
"Lili, can we talk?" Taylor asked, and the Supporter nodded.
"Sure, Miss Taylor. What is it?"
"Not here," Taylor said, shaking her head. "Too open. We need to go somewhere else."
"Um. Okay," Lili said, somewhat confused but willing to go along with it. She trusted the taller girl, after all.
"We'll ride Chris," Taylor said, beckoning for her Tamed monster, and he arrived from the stables, kneeling down so the two of them could mount up.
The Crystal Mantis then ran off, carrying the duo out of town and off into the wilderness around Melen. There was nothing but grassy plains and hills as far as the eye could see. It was only when Taylor could no longer feel the malevolence of the Great Seal did she direct Chris to come to a stop atop a hilltop. Nobody was visible for miles.
"What did you want to talk about, Miss Taylor?" Lili asked as they got off, and Taylor stared off into the distance for a bit before responding.
"You're part of the Familia now, Lili," Taylor said. "And even before you switched from the Soma Familia, you were close to us. Bell and I… we saw you as a friend. We still do."
She looked over to the pallum. "I think it's time I told you about where I came from."
Confused, Lili just nodded and sat down onto the grass with Taylor. And after a few tense seconds, the Warlord of Brockton Bay revealed her past to the shorter girl.
The truth of being from another world. Her fights against the villains of that world. Of the Endbringers, who sought to destroy civilization. Of Scion, who succeeded. The existence of parasites that infected the brains of mortals in search of some impossible answer to an impossible question. How she fought with a legion of others, and was forced to become Khepri in order to save everything. How she won, and was sentenced to death for her part in the victory, only to be saved by one of the very parasites that had caused everything in the first.
By the end, Lili's eyes were wide, disbelief and shock writ large across her face. Taylor just sat there, looking at the Level 2 Supporter without an expression on her own face.
"So, it's true then?" Lili muttered. "Other worlds?"
"Mm. A theoretically infinite number of them," Taylor confirmed. "And somehow, I ended up here when my passenger decided to save my life. Why? I don't know. Maybe for an experiment. Maybe pity. But I'm here now, will no chance of returning home. Not that there is anything to return home to."
"So, you really are a Faller," Lili mumbled to herself, and Taylor cocked her head.
"A Faller?" she asked, and the pallum looked up and nodded.
"Fallers is what we call somebody who comes from another world," Lili explained. "It's rare, but it happens. Sometimes, people just… appear in Orario. Nobody knows 'why.'"
"I see," the parahuman said, surprised. Others had experienced something like her? How?
'And if that's the case… does it mean somebody can also leave?'
The thought was quickly pushed down into the back of her mind, and instead, Taylor focused on what was important right at that moment.
"Even if Fallers are a known factor, I'd prefer it if the exact nature of, well, everything I just told you is kept secret," Taylor requested.
She was fine with a few people knowing about her history back on Earth Bet, but it wasn't something she wanted spread around, even with knowledge about other worlds and Fallers already apparently known to the general public.
"Thank you for trusting Lili," Lili whispered after a moment. "I will never speak of this to another soul."
"I appreciate it. But that's only part of the reason I brought you here," Taylor told her. "Would you like a Skill?"
"Huh?" Lili gasped.
"Yes. I can grant Skills to other people. It's thanks to what lies up here," Taylor said, tapping her forehead. "I can only do it once per person. But it's a quick way for us to gain a power-up. And we'll need every advantage against not just Apollo, but everyone who comes after."
"You think there will be others?" Lili asked.
"Power attracts power. And not all of the attention will be positive," she replied darkly, something that the Supporter couldn't deny.
"Bell's Skill," Lili murmured after a moment. "And Iris and Lucia… they also have Skills… is that because of you?"
"Only one of Bell's Skill is my doing, but yes," Taylor confirmed. "I can't say what you'll get. But it should mesh well with your preexisting combat abilities."
"Then do it," the pallum declared, hands on her hips. "Lili doesn't want to be weak anymore!"
"I understand," Taylor said, nodding firmly. "This may feel weird."
Once more, Godslayer was activated, and Queen Administrator reached out across dimensions, touching upon the brain of the short chestnut-haired girl. The pallum was judged, and found to be worthy. There was an imperceptible flicker of foreign energy, and for a moment Lili was a bit disoriented, but recovered quickly.
"Whoa," Lili uttered.
"And now you have a Skill," Taylor said, flashing her smile. "Good."
"Lili now has three Skills… she never thought that would be possible…" she murmured. "Thank you, Miss Taylor."
"Of course, Lili," Taylor said, patting her on the back. "Now, let's head back so Hestia can update your stats and we can see what we're working with."
Lili grinned, liking that idea a lot. And while Hestia glared at Taylor upon returning to the inn, proving that yes, even from that far away she – and likely every other god nearby – had felt the entity reaching out to bestow a shard upon another soul, Taylor couldn't find it in herself to care. She would protect her family. Nothing would ever hurt them on her watch.
Chapter 32: Chapter 31: T-Minus 7 Days
Chapter Text
Chapter 31: T-Minus 7 Days
"Welcome back, guys!" Welf said, greeting everyone in the Hestia Familia with a wide grin.
"Welf, it's been a while," Taylor said, offering him a hand to shake. He did so, before ruffling Bell's hair, much to the shorter Level 2's pouty displeasure.
The Hestia Familia had returned to Orario the day after their beach party, and all of them had immediately made a beeline to Welf's forge, ready to carry out the final step of their training. In a week, they'd be fighting the Apollo Familia, so until then, they would be in the Dungeon for Exelia. But to do that, they needed equipment. And Welf had delivered.
"I've got all your stuff, ready to go," he said proudly. "You'll be able to handle the Middle Floors with ease!"
"Are we sure it's safe to go down there?" Silva asked. "What if we run into anyone from the Apollo Familia?"
"If anything happens to us down there, they will be the immediate suspects," Taylor replied. "We'll be fine."
"Gotcha," Silva said with a nod.
There was a thump nearby, and they turned to the big crate Welf had just dropped down in front of them.
"So, first off, I've got these babies!" he declared, lifting out a suit of leather armor. It vaguely resembled a gambeson or Brigantine with a few plates of Killer Ant chitin and Crystal Mantis carapace sewn into it.
"This is a Goliath Robe, made from the skin the big bastard dropped and a few other bits and bobs," Welf explained. "Now I haven't exactly tried to test it too much, but it should hold up to anything short of a Level 4, and can resist magic to a certain extent. And there was a lot, so I've got sets of armor for everyone, and plenty of leftovers for repairs and whatnot."
"Impressive," Taylor praised.
"That's not all! The Black Goliath's hide has an unusual property: regeneration. That means that anything made from it will slowly heal and repair itself. You can speed it up by channeling magic into it," Welf revealed, and everyone's jaws dropped. Self-repairing equipment?! That was a major game changer!
"As for you… here ya go, Lili," Welf said, putting a second crate down in front of her. She gasped excitedly as she pulled out a suit of full plate armor. It was made of Adamantite, and was black with a reddish tinge. There was some gold trimming on the edges, with a golden flame motif on the pauldrons and chest.
Lili was not exactly a tall person, but even so, the sheer amount of valuable materials to make the armor would probably cost in excess of ten million valis, at least. But since it was all made of Drop Items they'd collected, it didn't cost a single vali aside from the costs of fuel and Welf's manpower.
"Your Artel Assist Skill will reduce the weight of the armor by a considerable amount, but I'd still be careful and get used to it first before trying to do anything too strenuous," Welf suggested.
"It looks amazing!" Lili gushed happily.
"Hey, where's your bags?" Welf wondered, looking around.
"Don't need bags anymore," Lili said with a grin. "Watch!"
She waved her hand over her new armor, and it vanished into a portal. A moment later, she summoned it back in a new place, completely untouched.
"Whoa!" the Blacksmith exclaimed.
"Cool, huh?" Lili smirked. "Lili has a new Skill!"
Taylor felt amusement at the dumbfounded expression on Welf's face. The power Queen Administrator had granted the pallum fit her role as a Supporter perfectly. Dubbed 'Hobbit Hole' according to her Stat Sheet, it allowed her to create what was essentially an extra-dimensional storage space, like an Inventory in video games.
The amount of stuff Lili could carry was limited by weight and a yet unknown measure of space. So far, they'd discovered Lili was able to store two ton's worth of materials within. One per Level.
There were some restrictions on the Skill. Time passed normally inside the space, and living things above a square centimeter in size couldn't be put inside. This meant bacteria and some plant seeds could get in there, as well a few species of insects, but Taylor couldn't influence her swarm when inside the storage area. There was no air inside, either, so unless Lili put some in there, anything living soon wouldn't be in the first place.
Even so, it was an incredible ability that meant they could carry even more than they normally could possibly be able to do. Supplies would be easier to transport, as would carrying the loot they'd collect.
"Uh, well, anyways," Welf said, shaking himself out of his stupor. "I've got weapon upgrades for everyone. Lili, here's your improved repeating crossbow and a kukri knife in case you get into close combat. Iris, Leo, your great swords have been reinforced with a bit of Adamantite. Couldn't make them entirely out of the stuff, unfortunately."
"That's still a lot more than we expected, honestly," Leo assured him.
"Yeah, I've never heard of Level 1s owning Adamantite weapons!" Iris added as she admired her improved blade. "Even second class adventurers don't always get their hands on this stuff, either!"
"Bell, here's some new knives with rubber grips," Welf continued. "They're made of high-grade steel that will pack a nice punch! Light, finely balanced and perfect for throwing!"
"So cool!" Bell said happily.
"Lucia, Emma, Silva, your weapons were also enhanced with a bit of Adamantite," the Blacksmith informed them.
"Ooo, pretty," Silva gushed as she admired her new mace.
"Emma, Silva, Taylor passed along a note when she was here two weeks ago that you two were interested in learning archery," Welf said, pulling out a pair of bows and a quiver full of arrows. "I'm not a bowyer, so I had to buy 'em, but I made some nice bodkin arrows, great for punching through thick monster hides!"
"Thank you very much," Emma said, checking her new ranged weapon. It was a plain, unadorned short bow, but was clearly well-made and robust enough to handle the Dungeon, as anything intended for adventurers tended to be.
"Taylor, I've got the knife you asked for," Welf went on, bring out a tiny sheath. It was her combat knife, upgraded with a bit of Adamantite.
"Very impressive," Taylor said, picking up the combat knife and peering at it. "You always do a good job."
Welf nodded, grinning at the praise, before turning stern. "This next item is something I've thought a lot about. I never thought I'd make one… but here we go."
From a chest, Welf took out a sheathed sword. When he drew it, a beautiful crystalline sword appeared, and everyone gasped. It looked as if it'd been made of emeralds, with faint sparks and motes of light flickering within.
"A Magic Sword!" Hestia exclaimed.
"Yeah," Welf confirmed. "But it's nothing like regular Magic Swords."
"How so?" Bell asked.
"Well, for one, instead of being a weapon that can unleash a handful of devastating attacks with no control whatsoever, these have been modified," Welf stated. "They rely on the Mind of the wielder to work and the output can be adjusted as well. They're overall weaker, but can now last for dozens of attacks!"
"That is incredible," Leo uttered, staring with wide eyes at the blade.
"This sucker contains the Tempest Spell. It's a potent Wind element attack that unleashes a tornado made of wind blades," Welf continued to explain. "And as the person with the highest Mind stat… here you go, Miss Taylor."
He resheathed the sword before passing it over. "I haven't named it, since its still a weapon that will break someday. But if you want to call the blade something, go ahead."
"Thank you," Taylor whispered.
"And of course, before I forget, something I am proud to call my masterpiece!" Welf said proudly. He put a wrapped bundle down on the anvil, and pushed it towards Taylor.
"It's finished?" she asked in a breathless tone, and he nodded.
Slowly, Taylor unwrapped it, revealing a golden arm covered in divine runes with an accompanying golden brace to be worn across the shoulders and over the stump of her missing limb. Picking it up, Taylor found the prosthetic was heavy, but not too bad.
Without another word, she put the arm down, then picked up the brace.
"Turn away," she ordered Bell and Welf, who did so.
When they were no longer looking, Taylor stripped her shirt off, and with a bit of help from Hestia, strapped the brace on, fitting it over the stump of her right arm. She put her shirt back on, and then connected the new arm to the socket in the brace.
There was a soft click, followed by a pinch and a feeling of pressure that ran up the nerves in her arm. Taylor had experienced phantom limb symptoms from time to time. She'd ignored it, but now, it was different.
Taylor was able to 'feel' the replacement arm. Her magic and the Falna that ran through her body connected to the artificial veins of Mythril within the prosthetic, and in a way similar to how she controlled her swarm or cast her spells, she could now manipulate the arm via the Mythril used to make the limb. It was as if she'd never lost it in the first place! She flexed her fingers, rotated her wrist, and everything responded instantly and felt right.
"Amazing!" Hestia gushed.
"It looks so cool!" Bell exclaimed with stars in his eyes.
"It's beautiful!" Emma said, and the others all nodded in agreement.
"It's perfect," Taylor whispered in awe. "Thank you, Welf."
"No problem," he replied, turning back around now that it was safe to do so.
"It's a bit shinier than I expect, though," the parahuman commented, tapping the golden 'skin' with a fingernail.
"Yeah, it's an Orichalcum-Adamantite alloy," Welf said. "I couldn't use pure Adamantite, as it interfered with the Mythril, causing some unpleasant reactions. The Orichalcum acts an insulator of sorts, keeping the magic that will flow through the Mythril veins from spilling out and building up inside the limb itself. Otherwise, the magical energy would… well, have you ever boiled an egg until it explodes? Kinda like that. Not something you want to happen."
"No, that is definitely not something I'd want," Taylor agreed as she held her knife in the golden hand, testing the grip strength. She was able to control the amount of power she put into it quite well, but she'd need some more practice to keep from accidentally breaking anything in her grasp.
"The movement of the fingers and joints is very smooth," Taylor noted as she moved the elbow slowly, feeling how fluidly it reacted.
"Yeah. Took me ages to get it right. So many tiny fiddly pieces to work with! Lady Hephaestus was very impressed by the design. Boy, was I surprised when she showed up to my workshop out of the blue to help! Apparently, you made a deal with her for a Growth Enhancement?"
"I did," Taylor confirmed.
"Well, I got to see a master at work, so it was all good. Wish you'd given me a heads up, though," Welf shrugged. "Anyways, that's not all. Here."
He took out a quartet of cartridges that looked like shotgun shells, except made of crystal. Each was colored differently. One was red, another yellow, blue, and green.
"These are a new creation of mine," Welf said with a smile. "Open up your arm!"
She glanced down, and after some looking, found a way to open up her forearm below her wrist, popping it open to reveal a slot that would fit one of the cartridges. She inserted the green cartridge, and it slid in perfectly. She then closed up her arm. Next, she pointed her palm towards the wall, and channeled magic into her new limb.
A cannon blast of wind shot out, slamming into the wall and cracking it.
"Please don't break my forge," Welf requested with a chagrined look.
"Oops. Sorry," she apologized, embarrassed. Then, trying to change the topic, looked at the other objects she hadn't installed. "What are these?"
"They're Magic Blade Cartridges," he said eagerly. "They're basically Magic Swords, but smaller. They also have the same ability as my new Magic Swords. Rather than unleashing a single massive blast of magic, they fire off smaller ones you can adjust the power of, dependent on your Mind stat. It makes 'em last longer. I'd give it a dozen or so shots before it breaks and needs to be replaced."
"Incredible work, Welf," Taylor praised.
He grinned, proud of his work. "There's one more thing," he added. "I was hoping you could do me a favor, and accept me into your Familia."
"What?" Bell gasped in disbelief.
"I spoke with Lady Hephaestus during the work we did together, and I decided that I've been letting my skills languish. I can't surpass her or Tsubaki while I'm stuck in their shadows. I want to grow stronger, and I believe that I can do so with the Hestia Familia," Welf explained. "Plus, I owe you a lot. If not for Bell, Taylor, Lili, and the rest, I'd never have gotten to Level 2. Nor would I have had so much fun forging new items. Heck, I even managed to increase the rank of my Blacksmith ability working on all these inventive creations!"
He then coughed and rubbed the back of his head when he realized he was rambling. "So, anyways, if you'll have me, I want to join."
"Of course!" Bell said happily.
"I don't see a problem with it," Taylor agreed. "Hestia?"
"If Hephestus is fine with it, then yes, I will agree to it as well," she said. "You've helped my dear children, and I'd love to have you join the Familia!"
"Great! I already had Lady Hephaestus remove my Falna before you came here," Welf said. "I'm ready to join, Lady Hestia!"
"Okie-dokie!" Hestia chirped. "Got a needle I can borrow?"
Welf fetched a pin for her to prick her thumb with, and she went to work on putting her Falna onto his back. It was over quickly, and just like that, Welf was now part of the Hestia Familia.
"So, what now?" he asked as he put his shirt back on.
"Now? We descend into the Dungeon," Taylor declared. "And Welf? You've missed a lot of training. I'll just have to cram three weeks' worth into the few days we have remaining."
He paled at that, and Bell snickered. Lili just patted his back sympathetically.
"Huh, Deja-vu," Lucia mumbled a little bit later as she and the rest of the Hestia Familia approached the Tower of Babel.
After equipping themselves with their new gear they'd left Welf's workshop and headed straight to the Dungeon. Hestia had accompanied them for a bit before eventually leaving to go beg Hephaestus for a place to stay till the War Game was over.
As for what had provoked that reaction from the seamstress, outside the doors and off to the side were Ryuu and Mikoto, just like the time they'd come to the Hestia Familia to help Taylor rescue Bell, Lili, and Welf from the 18th Floor.
'Hard to believe it's only been a little over a month since the events down there,' Taylor thought to herself as she approached the duo who were awkwardly standing beside each other.
"Ryuu, Mikoto. How can I help you two?" the parahuman inquired.
She didn't bother to ask how they knew the Hestia Familia was back in Orario. Despite the early hour, there'd been people at the gates who could have spread word, and gossip always spread like wildfire through the city regardless of time of day.
"We want to accompany you," Ryuu said, her eyes darting down to Taylor's new golden arm. "Assuming your plan is still to go train in the Dungeon until the War Game."
"That's right!" Mikoto said, thumped a fist against her chest. "I still need to repay the Hestia Familia for the shameful conduct of my own Familia, and I believe I can best do that by joining you in the War Game."
"So, you want to join our Familia?" Taylor guessed. When the samurai nodded, Taylor checked her over. Her hum had grown a little, proving she'd become stronger since they'd last met. And another Level 2 couldn't hurt.
"We won't have much time to make the change," Taylor pointed out.
"As long as we have a chance to speak with Takemikazuchi before the War Game, all should be well," Mikoto replied.
"Alright, then. Accompany us, and we'll discuss things when we return," Taylor told her, before glancing at Ryuu. "What about you?"
"I'm just here on Syr's behalf," Ryuu claimed, but Taylor could see right through her aloof façade.
"Of course, Ryuu. You're just here to watch over your friend's boytoy, and not because you actually care about us," the bug-controller said dryly, causing Bell to splutter at the insinuation and Ryuu to blush a little.
"Whatever the reason, you're welcome to come," Taylor informed the elf, who nodded, the tips of her ears still a bit red.
With that sorted out, the two new additions to the group joined them, and the party entered the lobby of the tower before making their way to the First Floor of the Dungeon. With Debbie loaded up with numerous pieces of luggage and Lili's own Skill, they had more than enough supplies for the time they'd be down there, even with the surprise adventurers.
And, of course, the Dungeon Worm provided an excellent mode of transportation for the group. Even if it was a tight squeeze and a chore and a half to get her through the gate, and the other adventurers waiting to enter the Dungeon gave the Hestia Familia death glares as the huge monster took up all the space on the stairwell.
But Debbie made it through just fine, and in a mere three hours the party had blitzed all the way through the upper levels to the 18th Floor, bulldozing through the monsters and barreling past other adventurers without slowing down.
"She's faster than last time," Ryuu commented as Debbie emerged into the artificial sunlight of the 18th Floor.
"Plenty of Magic Stones and a lot of practice with moving around," Taylor explained.
"Should we set up a campsite?" Mikoto asked.
"No, we won't," Taylor said. "We'll designate an area as a place to rest at for the evenings and to act as a gathering point in the event of emergencies, but leaving tents and supplies lying around is just begging to have them stolen. Same problem with Riveria."
"Do we have a plan for what we will be doing down here?" Ryuu asked.
"The plan is to spend our time grinding Excelia," Taylor announced. "Ryuu, I'd appreciate it if you could watch their backs while they fight the monsters of the 16th and 17th Floors."
The elf nodded her head in understanding while the rest looked both tense and excited for the dangerous battles ahead.
"As for Bell and I, we will head to the 19th Floor and beyond," Taylor continued. "Try to meet up at the camp at the end of every day. And the day before the War Game, we'll return to the surface."
"That sounds risky," Lili said.
"Risk is necessary in order to obtain high-quality Excelia," Taylor replied. "You cannot get stronger by playing it safe in the Dungeon."
"It's true," Ryuu nodded, and when the Level 4 spoke up to agree with her, everyone listened. "Excelia comes from pushing boundaries and going beyond limits."
"Which is why Bell and I must do this alone," Taylor continued.
"Lili understands," the pallum sighed, accepting the plan despite her misgivings.
"We'll be back for dinner!" Bell promised, and he and Taylor headed off deeper into the 18th Floor along with Chris, Azure, Debbie, and the other monsters they'd gathered up on the way down.
And they would, in fact, make it back for dinner. Bloodstained and bruised, but on time all the same.
The grind had only just begun.
111 &&& 111
The Dungeon was a strange and alien realm, with dangers lurking below the surface. It was far larger on the inside than it was on the outside, and filled with bizarre creatures and valuable resources that couldn't be found anywhere else in the world. And nowhere was this strangeness more visible than the Floors immediately after the 18th.
From the 19th Floor to the 24th, the Dungeon changed radically and was known by the adventurers who made it down here as the Large Tree Labyrinth. Instead of stone, the walls, ground, and ceiling were made of wood, as if they were inside of a giant tree or forest. And it was indeed genuine wood, as adventurers harvested the very ground and walls to make high-quality wooden items, from arrow shafts to furniture that could withstand the weight of a fully kitted-out adventurer.
Rather than glowing crystals, bioluminescent moss and mushrooms grew from the walls to provide light. In some places it was as bright as the 18th Floor, but in others it was as darker than the 13th through 17th Floors.
The paths wound around and spilled out for many miles, sometimes looping back in on themselves before going anywhere. Flowers and other kinds of flora protruded from the wooden walls, and they filled the air with spores and pollen. This was the most dangerous aspect of the Large Tree Labyrinth, as various status aliments were carried aloft by the pollen alongside the numerous toxin-filled monsters.
Even Level 3s would be hard pressed to make it through this area solo, and without the Abnormal Resistance Developmental Ability, it required a truly staggering amount of antidotes and potions.
The monsters were also incredibly vicious and surpassed the Minotaurs in raw power, and were far smarter than the upper floor entities as well. Bugbears, Mad Beetles, and Lizardmen could wield landform weapons and plan out ambushes, create traps, and use other tactics that one wouldn't expect from brainless beasts.
And it was because of all this that it made for the perfect training ground for Taylor and Bell. The white-haired Level 2 had to be constantly on the move while keeping an eye on the surroundings, forcing him to adapt on the fly, while Taylor had to polish her rusty martial arts skills.
The swarm was helping out as well. Debbie could swallow monsters whole or crush them under her bulk, and Chris' scythe blades carved through nearly everything in his path. Said scythe blades had also begun glowing, and the Crystal Mantis was able to send slashes of light flying from his limbs capable of slicing through Level 2 monsters with ease. It was an interesting new trick, likely gained from eating some of the Black Goliath's Magic Stone shards, and copying its Shockwave Breath attack in a new form.
Sadly, the Purple Moths and Blue Papillions – save Azure, who clung tightly to Taylor's back – were long dead, killed by the Firebirds that occasionally popped up. And the Killer Ants and regular Crystal Mantises didn't fare much better, slowly being whittled down until none were left.
Though luckily for Taylor, there were plenty of monsters to replace them. Mad Beetles and Gun Libellula that had been enslaved to the swarm helped fight off other denizens of the Great Tree Labyrinth, yet even so the two adventurers had to spend all of their focus on the 19th Floor, fighting for survival.
Taylor twisted aside as a Bugbear tried to slash at her, and a Mad Beetle under her control swung a Landform club into the side of its head in retaliation. The crude weapon broke upon contact, merely dazing the furry bear-like ogre, but the parahuman took advantage of its stunned state and closed the distance, getting right up in its personal space.
At some point yesterday she had stopped using her knife, the weapon having gotten chipped and dulled from the constant fighting. Even with an Adamantite edge, the monsters from the 19th Floor and below were devastating powerful, with durability to match. Because of this, Taylor had to resort to using her new arm and martial arts.
"Earthquake!" Taylor shouted as she slammed her golden fist into the stomach of the Bugbear. It roared in pain as the vibrations tore apart its organs and it collapsed into ash as it died from suddenly having nothing but chunky salsa for guts.
This was not the first time she had done this, and it would not be the last. Combining the Earthquakespell with her martial arts had resulted in a devastating combat style that let her bypass the insane defenses of the monsters on this Floor.
She did this by creating miniature, localized earthquakes within the target, which tore them apart from the inside. The intense vibrations shattered bones and pulped softer tissues with contemptuous ease. She had to be careful, though, or else she'd damage the Magic Stone.
A little ways away from the parahuman, Bell was double-teaming a Lizardman with one of his copies while two other lightning clones held off four of its reptilian companions. As he pierced the throat of his opponent, his clones exploded, tearing apart the rest of the Lizardmen war party.
"Time?!" Taylor called out, ducking under the wild swing of a Bugbear, only for it to be slain by Chris slicing its head off in a single swipe.
"It's five fifteen!" he shouted back, quickly checking the pocket watch he had in his pocket. Taylor had been surprised that Orario had clocks, but she'd recovered quickly and bought one, even if the small object had been absurdly expensive.
"Think it's time to call it a day?" she asked.
"Probably for the best!" he agreed. "Don't want Ryuu to worry like last time!"
Taylor snorted, recalling how panicked the elf had been when they'd come back yesterday an hour late. Not wanting to make Ryuu upset again, Taylor began to direct her swarm towards forming up around them, going onto the offensive and carving a way back to the 18th Floor.
A Firebird tried to swoop down on them and pepper the battlefield with fireballs, taking advantage of their temporary distraction, but a trio of Gun Libellula gunned it down, filling its body with spikes before it could reach the adventurers.
Several Battle Boars charged towards them, but had to pass through a cloud of black spores courtesy of some Dark Fungus that caused them to cough up blood and slow down as their bodies failed them. Chris then met their charge and cut them apart.
A single giant boar managed to pass the Crystal Mantis, but Taylor simply pointed her prosthetic hand in its direction and a jet of pressurized water shot forth from the palm, piercing through its skull and killing it instantly.
Chris turned away, leaving the cloud of spores – and the mushrooms that were generating them – behind as it rejoined Taylor and Bell.
Something new that Taylor had discovered was that her bug controlling power allowed her to dominate Dark Fungus, the bipedal, human-sized mushroom monsters. They were black with white, skull-shaped dots on the cap, and were just barely capable of waddled around the Great Tree Labyrinth. They were more like living traps and rarely moved around the Dungeon, but with Taylor telling them what to do, they acted as useful deterrents against the other monsters.
'I suppose it makes sense. According to my Falna, it says I can control 'Invertebrates,' and that just means 'without a spine,'' Taylor thought to herself, her attention split up across a dozen different places. 'And mushrooms, even bipedal ones, don't exactly have an internal skeleton.'
The Dark Fungus weren't strong. In fact, a Level 1 could beat this monster easily. The danger they posed was the highly toxic spores they constantly released, especially upon death. They were perfect for forming traps, and Lizardmen would use them to cut off the paths of adventurers.
Now, however, that same tactic was turned against the monsters themselves, with several walkways lined with Dark Fungus who constantly pumped out spores which infected the monsters trying to reach Bell and Taylor.
With a flex of her power, Taylor called Debbie over to her side, and without waiting another moment she and Bell hoped onto the Dungeon Worm's back. Debbie began to make her way towards the stairs, and Chris and the rest of the swarm split up, half acting as a vanguard, the remainder guarding the rear.
As they left, Taylor swapped the Water Magic Blade Cartridge in her arm for the fire one, and as Debbie moved off, Taylor fired a small jet of flames behind them in the direction of the Dark Fungus. Their spores were highly flammable, and as soon as the fire reached the cloud they exploded violently, bathing a large section of the Dungeon in a conflagration.
A dozen Lizardmen and a couple Bugbears and Battle Boars were incinerated as the duo and the swarm made their escape. But even as the flames raged, new plant-life was already growing rapidly, smothering the embers and repairing the damage.
The blast served its purpose, though, and they escaped, returning back to the 18th Floor faster than they previously had thanks to clearing out any pursuers before returning.
It had been two days since they'd entered the Dungeon, and so far, the frantic training had shown some impressive results. Until they returned to Hestia to get their Falna's updated they wouldn't know exactly how much stronger they'd gotten, but the combat skills of the Familia had sharpened, to the point even the newbies were capable of handling a foe like a Minotaur, so long as they worked together.
Taylor had certainly seen her own fighting capabilities grew as her control over magic had grown and her martial arts improved. Combining them had turned her into a lethal machine of death.
"Should we go inspect the others?" Taylor asked as they made their way towards the campsite they'd selected for the evening.
"Yes, let's check in on them," Bell replied.
"And you want to kill a few Minotaurs as well, I assume?" she inquired, and he nodded.
"If there is time," he replied.
His vendetta against the bovine monsters was impressive. Nearly being killed by one had really soured Bell's opinion of them, and he took every opportunity to remind himself he was no longer the same weakling who'd needed to be saved by cutting down every Minotaur he came across.
Taylor was worried about it affecting his mental state, but she wasn't exactly a psychologist, and unless he started to become obsessed with them, she'd let him vent his fears and frustrations out on the monsters.
Riding Debbie through the 18th Floor and towards the stairs up to the 17th went smoothly and without issue, and none of the adventurers nearby even seemed surprised by the sight anymore. They'd gotten used to it, and some of them even waved at Taylor in greeting as they passed.
Then, after entering the area possessing the Wall of Grief, the parahuman dispatched parts of her swarm to check on the surroundings and to search for the other members of the Hestia Familia.
As a pair of Mad Beetles ganged up on a Liger Fang and beat it to death with some landform clubs and Bell stabbed a Minotaur through the eye, Taylor was busy scanning the area through a few ordinary flies and beetles, the insects flying and crawling through the tunnels of the 17th Floor.
'There they are,' Taylor thought to herself, detecting the presence of a few adventurers up ahead. She recognized the loud hum of Ryuu's Falna, and guided Debbie towards the elf.
A minute later, and Debbie had managed to stealthily sneak up on the training session, the parahuman and her swarm going unnoticed. This was understandable as everyone was focused on defeating their opponents, but Taylor made a note to run a few drills to improve everyone's situational awareness.
The Hestia Familia (and Ryuu and Mikoto) were facing down a pair of Minotaurs armed with landform weapons. Welf, Lili, and Mikoto were facing down one of them, with Lucia, Leo, Emma, Iris and Silva fighting the second as Ryuu watched off to the side and cut down any Minotaurs that tried to gang up on them so they could focus on their individual fights.
With the trio of Level 2s, Lili was acting as backup for the two swordsmen, firing her crossbow into the Minotaur whenever it tried to get too close to one of the others.
One of her bolts buried itself in the Minotaur's left eye, blinding the monster, while another two pierced its right wrist, causing it to drop its weapon. Taking advantage of this, Mikoto darted in, her sword cutting off its legs.
Even as it fell to the ground with its legs reduced to stumps the Minotaur continued to try and lash out, flailing its fists wildly. But Mikoto was nimble and had already jumped back after severing its limbs.
"Grah!" Welf shouted, charging forward and bringing his sword down onto the Minotaur's collarbone, cleaving the monster in half vertically.
It split apart, blood gushing everywhere before the body crumbled to ash, leaving its Magic Stone to clink onto the ground.
Over with the five Level 1s, things were not going as smoothly. Exhausted and worn down from the constant battles earlier throughout the day, the quintet were doing only minor amounts of damage.
Iris was acting as the tank of the party, her Skill allowing her to endure the hits better than the others. As she did this, the others darted around, raining blows down upon the monster's body. Emma was using her new bow expertly while Lucia and Leo hacked away at the Minotaur, leaving bloody gashes across the chest.
Silva circled around behind the Minotaur as Iris distracted it, and smashed her mace into the back of the Minotaur's left knee, forcing it to collapse.
Trying to take advantage of this sudden weakness, Leo tried to bring her great sword down on the Minotaur's head, but it reached up and grabbed the blade, stopping it dead in its track. Even though the edge cut into its palm, the monster still managed to yank it out of Leo's grasp.
However, before Leo could be punched in the face, Emma planted an arrow into the Minotaur's nose while Lucia darted in, her sword carving through the wrist of the hand holding onto Leo's sword. The great sword thumped into the dirt, the monster's hand still gripping tightly onto it.
"Lucia! Are you ready?" Iris asked as she lowered her sword a bit so the tip rested on the ground.
"Ready!" Lucia replied. She then ran towards the cow-horned adventurer, planting her feet onto the flat of the great sword.
"Hiyah!" Iris called out as she flung Lucia into the air. The ponytailed adventurer reached the top of the cavern, and then kicked off the ceiling, shooting down like a meteor towards the Minotaur.
The monster tried to slash at her with a Landform sword, but before it could reach her, Lucia vanished, using her teleportation Skill.
She reappeared on the ground in front of the Minotaur with her sword piercing its chest. A second later the bull-headed monster's torso exploded in a shower of blood.
"Clever," Taylor praised, immediately figuring out what Lucia had done. She had used the fall to gather momentum, and teleported down towards the Minotaur. Lucia then transferred the converted kinetic energy through her sword into the monster, killing it as its body burst from having a shockwave go off inside of it.
The attack relied heavily on building up enough momentum and having a fine level of control over every aspect of the Skill itself, from the destination being teleported to, to the direction the kinetic blast was being directed, but as Lucia just proved, it was capable of taking out a Minotaur in one hit. A weakened one, sure, but that was still a monster that was Level 2 in terms of power.
"W-we did it!" Emma panted, wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow.
"That was too close," Leo muttered to herself as she picked up her sword from the ground.
Pleased by what she'd seen, Taylor stepped out of the shadows, deciding to reveal her presence.
"Excellent work, everyone!" Taylor called out, causing everyone to quickly turn around, surprised to see her and Bell. Only Ryuu didn't look phased, the Level 4 having sensed them as soon as they'd started watching.
"Indeed, they have done well," Ryuu said. "They've had to take breaks every hour or so to rest and recover from the strenuous activities, but this shows they know their limits and aren't recklessly and constantly trying to fight."
"That is good to hear," Taylor nodded. "It's important to know when to retreat, and when to press the advantage."
After having Azure sprinkling some healing powder on everyone, she then clapped her hands. "Shall we return to camp for now and call it a day? Oh, and don't forget to grab the loot!"
"Got it, Miss Taylor!" Lili said, sucking up all of the Magic Stones and Drop Items that littered the ground around them with her Skill.
Their training for the day finished, the Hestia Familia returned to the 18th Floor. When they reached their campsite, Lili summoned the tents and some cooking utensils. Everyone got to work, pounding tent stakes into the ground to set up their sleeping spaces or busied themselves with preparing dinner. And then there was Welf, who was tasked with taking care of their equipment.
"Man, look at the damage this stuff has gotten after only two days! It's gonna take me all night to bang the dents out of this stuff," Welf sighed as he looked over the pile of equipment that had been laid out in front of him. He had brought a repair kit with him, but there was only so much he could do without a dedicated forge.
Luckily, nothing had broken or was irreparable, so he was able to handle things, though it still raised a question in Taylor's mind.
"Will you be able to make repairs before the War Games?" Taylor inquired.
"Oh, yeah, no problem," he assured her. "I can call in a few favors and offer favors of my own if need be. But unless anything breaks I don't see it being too much of an issue."
Taylor nodded, relieved, and turned to check on the progress of dinner. Mikoto and Emma were handling that with aplomb, the pink-haired adventurer and Far Eastern woman the best cooks out of the entire group. Taylor was looking forward to teaching them more recipes from Earth Bet.
'I think introducing pizza to Orario should be next food I do,' Taylor thought to herself. 'Yes, that sounds like a good idea for a victory feast after the War Game.'
Delicious stew soon filled their bowls, and everyone enjoyed a good, hearty meal underneath fake stars and surrounded by friends and fake plants.
Throughout dinner, though, Ryuu had seemed rather fidgety, constantly glancing over to the forest where they were camping near, before her eyes would immediately dart over to Taylor. Of course, for normal people, this wouldn't have been noticeable, but Taylor's swarm gave her far better awareness.
"Miss Taylor, would you take a walk with me?" Ryuu asked in a soft voice when dinner was finished, and the parahuman glanced at her.
"Alright," she eventually agreed, standing up.
The two wandered off into the forest, with the elf leading Taylor through a winding path.
"What did you want to show me?" Taylor asked after a few minutes of walking. Ryuu did not respond, but she didn't need to, as a moment later they emerged into a small clearing where a handful of graves had been set up, with crude wooden headstones marking where the dead had been laid to rest.
"Do you know what happened fifteen years ago?" Ryuu asked, the first words she'd spoken since wandering into the woods, and Taylor frowned at the non-sequitur.
"The Zeus and Hera Familias defeated Behemoth and Leviathan, but were wiped out by the Black Dragon," Taylor said.
"Mm. And after?"
"There was a period of unrest… something called 'Evilus' was running rampant throughout the city for a few years, causing chaos," Taylor replied. The childish name aside, Evilus has sounded like the Teeth or Slaughterhouse Nine. Madmen who only wanted to see the world burn.
"For a few years after the expulsion of Zeus and Hera following the loss of their Familia members, things were… well, they weren't good, but they were stable. Evilus was content to do their evil deeds in the dark, leaving the common folk alone for the most part while several Familias did their best to keep order. But one day, seven years ago… their modus operandi changed," Ryuu said, clenching her fists as she spoke.
"Evilus began to try and burn down the city, and began a bloody campaign of murder and mayhem. They butchered innocent civilians and tore apart weaker Familias. My Familia, the Astraea Familia, was one of the ones who, alongside the Ganesha, Loki, and Freya Familias, tried to fight back and restore peace."
Taylor nodded slowly, starting to see where this was going. "They died trying to protect the city, didn't they?"
"Yes, but not quite as you're no doubt thinking," Ryuu said, a mirthless chuckle escaping her. "No, the Astraea Familia managed to bring down one of the ringleaders of the Days of Terror, while the Freya Familia ended another. With their leaders' deaths and the destruction of several other Familias who'd perpetuated the chaos, the rest of Evilus was forced back into the shadows."
Taylor blinked, having expected a story of sorrow, not victory. But knowing that there were graves in front of her, she had a feeling the misery was only delayed.
"It was two years later when my entire Familia was led into a trap down on the 30th Floor by remnants of Evilus," Ryuu revealed, staring at the graves. "We managed to turn the tables on them, but the fight had caused too much damage to the surroundings, and it summoned a Juggernaut."
"I see," Taylor murmured. "That explains how you know about Juggernauts."
Taylor had tried to find out about that phenomenon after returning from the 18th Floor following the defeat of the Black Goliath, but there had been very little information on it. Only in the Guild's most secure records did any mention of Juggernauts and how they formed get written down.
And it was understandable why such a thing was kept a closely guarded secret. The Juggernaut was not a monster like the others spawned by the Dungeon, and could vary greatly in power based on the location of its appearance and how much damage had been done.
Juggernauts were the definition of a glass cannon, being weak to physical damage, but it could reflect magic and was absurdly fast and strong, its claws able to pierce Adamantite. If adventurers didn't know what it was, then it made sense how its appearance could result in devastation. Especially given how a Juggernaut would die after a certain amount of time had passed. Namely, once the damage done to the Dungeon was restored.
"We had no idea what it was at the time," Ryuu admitted, confirming Taylor's assumption. "We thought it was a variant monster. But we were wrong. By the time it died, I was the only survivor from my Familia."
Ryuu took a shuddering breath. "I had just lost everything. My friends and family, gone in an instant. Only my goddess was left, but she was vulnerable, and I forced her to leave Orario."
"And you stayed behind in search of vengeance," Taylor guessed.
"I did," the elf nodded. "I discovered who had killed my friends, and hunted them down. I didn't want Lady Astraea to see it. So the moment she was gone… I got to work."
She clenched her hands into fists. "Over the course of a year, I uncovered who was responsible, and when I did, dismantled the Familias who were part of Evilus, killing them one by one as well as everyone connected to them. Merchants with ties to the criminal underworld, the families of Evilus members, I spared none. As a result, I was hunted by Evilus and the rest of Orario, because as far as everyone else knew, they were innocent. Eventually, though, they were wiped out. It was finally over when I slit the throat of Rudra himself."
"Oh," Taylor uttered, surprised. There was only one Taboo in Orario, and that was to cause harm to one of the self-styled gods that ran the city. To kill one… it would likely result in a Kill Order on Ryuu's head.
'I had no idea Ryuu had this sort of past,' Taylor thought to herself, appraising the elf in a new light. She did not judge the elf for what she'd done, though. The parahuman had done terrible things as well.
"When I was done… I wanted to die," Ryuu admitted. "I had committed many evils, and stained my hands with the blood of sinners and the innocent alike. But I was saved, and found a new reason to live. My savior helped me, and encouraged me to make this place for them. To mark where my friends should have been buried. Their bodies had been claimed by the Dungeon long ago, and I haven't been here in a long time. But I wanted you to be here when I told you all of this."
"Why?" Taylor asked.
"A month ago, when I heard about the War Game, I was nervous, and worried about Bell," Ryuu claimed. "And not just because Syr likes him. I've become fond of the little guy, too. He's like the brother I never had."
"Same," Taylor said, agreeing with the comparison. She had no romantic feelings for the younger boy, not like so many other women seemed to, but Bell had been there for her at her lowest, along with Hestia. The two of them were family to the parahuman.
"I sent a letter to Astraea for the first time in years, asking her to see me," Ryuu continued. "And she arrived in Orario recently."
"You also want to join the Hestia Familia," Taylor realized, and the elf nodded shyly.
"At first, I wanted to do so because I thought it would be the easiest way to help protect Bell on Syr's behalf. But after these last couple of days with everyone… I feel like… it almost feels like I'm with my old Familia again. It feels like family."
She turned to Taylor. "Will you accept my pledge of loyalty? Will you let me join the Hestia Familia?"
"I accept," Taylor said after a moment. "But I do not want your loyalty, Ryuu Lion. I want your friendship."
Saying so, she offered her fake hand to Ryuu, and after staring back at her with tears in her eyes, the elf shook it.
"Let's go back to the camp," Taylor suggested after the handshake ended.
"Yes, it's getting dark," Ryuu nodded.
"I was actually thinking we should fetch the others and bring them here," Taylor said. "They deserve to meet your old family when they find out you're part of ours, now."
Ryuu blinked away tears and hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, a soft, barely audible, "Thank you," whispered in gratitude.
Taylor just nodded, and the parahuman went back to the campsite to get the rest of the Hestia Familia.
The rest of the evening following the introductions at the graves was a quiet, somber affair, with the other adventurers doing their best to show kindness to Ryuu. They crowded around the elf and stayed by her side all throughout the night, eventually falling asleep in front of the fire in one big cuddle-pile.
It was heartwarmingly adorable, leaving Taylor wishing for a camera to capture the scene.
Chapter 33: Chapter 32: Calm Before the Storm
Chapter Text
Chapter 32: Calm before the Storm
"That's… the last… one," Silva panted as she dropped a barrel onto the ground next to Taylor.
"Good work," the parahuman praised. "Add it to the others."
The cat-girl sighed a little but complied, rolling the barrel over to the others that were being piled up around Debbie. It joined boxes, crates, and burlap sacks, all filled just like it.
Tomorrow was the day of the War Game against the Apollo Familia, and the adventurers in the Hestia Familia were making their way back up to the surface. They were going slowly, however, stopping at every floor along the way, filling up empty crates and barrels that Lili had had tucked away in her extra-dimensional storage space with Magic Stones and Drop Items.
Lili's Inventory was soon filled with their own supplies and a literal ton of Magic Stones. But there were still more containers being filled up and then strapped to Debbie's back, the Dungeon Worm being used as a pack animal.
There were several reasons for doing this, and war funds was not the main one. Taylor had kept her plans close to her chest, but finally revealed a few of them to the group that morning.
They were audacious, insane, and not anything an adventurer would think of. But if it worked? Then the War Game would be over as quickly as it started in favor of the Hestia Familia.
Therefore, the adventurers obeyed Taylor's instructions and killed monsters by the truckload, grabbing everything that dropped. This naturally got a lot of odd looks from other adventurers in the Dungeon, but nobody tried to confront them. The other Familias were excited for the bloodbath tomorrow and didn't want to do anything that might spoil their fun.
Because of how long it took to gather all the materials Taylor needed, it was late in the afternoon when the Hestia Familia emerged from the Dungeon, their packs and storage laden with loot from the Dungeon.
Some of this was dropped off at the Guild to be cashed in, but the rest was carried home. Well, to Welf's forge, but that was for the best as the Blacksmith had a lot of work to do in order to repair everything for the next day's festivities.
"You're back!" Hestia called out happily, rushing out from Hephestus' manor to glomp onto Bell.
"We're back, Lady Hestia," Bell replied.
"And you brought back everyone!" she cheered, going around to the other Familia members to give them hugs as well.
"Nice to see you too, Hestia," Taylor said, smiling fondly as she patted the tiny girl on the back.
"So! What's up?" Hestia inquired. "And why're they with you?"
She was looking at Ryuu and Mikoto as she said that, curiosity in her gaze.
"They want to join us," Taylor said, and Hestia let out a loud gasp.
"Really?!" she squealed excitedly.
"Yes," Taylor nodded.
"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Hestia called out, grabbing onto Mikoto and Ryuu's hands and dragging them off with her.
Taylor rolled her eyes at Hestia's antics before turning back to the others. "Go home and relax. But don't forget to meet up at the eastern gate before six a.m. tomorrow."
They all nodded, though Bell decided to come along with Taylor, not exactly having a 'home' to return to, and he didn't want to intrude on the other Familia members.
The first stop was a Japanese style villa that housed the Takemikazuchi Familia. It was a H-ranked, borderline G, Familia with two dozen members all from the Far East, five of whom were Level 2.
'It'll be just four, soon, when Mikoto joins us,' Taylor thought to herself as they were led inside to speak with the god in charge.
"Hello, Take," Hestia said in greeting to the Japanese war god who was sitting seiza on a porch watching koi swim around in a pond in the garden.
"Hestia, it's good to see you," he said, greeting her back. "I take it that you've heard about Mikoto's wish?"
"Yes. I was surprised, but I'm not about to turn down extra hands for tomorrow!" Hestia replied. "Not that we need them, of course. But I respect her desire to honor the promise to help my Familia she made after the Parade Pass and 18th Floor incident."
"I am glad to hear that," Takemikazuchi said, before turning his attention back to Mikoto. "Are you ready?"
"I am ready, Lord Takemikazuchi," she replied, bowing her head to him. "I thank you for all the years we've spent together, but I wish to fulfill the oath I made. And… I feel that I can grow stronger with them. Strong enough to someday surpass you."
"I eagerly look forward to the day you do so," Take nodded, before getting up. "Come. Let us perform the ceremony."
A little blood later – and Takemikazuchi hissing through his teeth as he saw the growth she'd gone through over the past week – and Mikoto's back was bare once more, ready to receive Hestia's Falna.
"Here, one more thing," the Far Eastern man said, and he fetched a pair of beautiful short swords, one with a black scabbard, the other white. He handed Mikoto the black sword, while keeping the white one.
"When you are finally ready to return, I shall accept that sword back," Takemikazuchi told her. "Considering it a promise."
"Y-yes! Thank you, Lord Takemikazuchi!" Mikoto stammered in response, her face red. The War God looked clueless as to the reason for her flushed face, however, and Hestia just patted her new Familia member sympathetically on the back.
A few more pleasantries were exchanged between Hestia and her friend, the former promising to take good care of Mikoto, before they had to leave.
"Next is Astraea, I assume?" Taylor asked as they walked out of the other Familia's estate.
"I haven't seen her in ages," Hestia said with a sigh of remembrance. "I hope she's been doing okay."
Ryuu said nothing, and Taylor made a mental note to explain to the twin-tailed girl about her past.
Despite that awkwardness, the waitress led the group to a building in the outskirts, close to the western wall. It was an inn frequented by travelers who didn't plan on staying long in Orario, and the party slipped inside through the back.
Bringing them to one of the higher quality rooms available, Ryuu knocked on the door, and after a moment it creaked open, revealing a woman in a white traveler's cloak, the hood raised to obscure the face. To Taylor's senses she hummed with a soft tinkling of bells, similar to how cartoons back home had depicted the sound of twinkling stars.
"Ryuu," the woman murmured, lowering her hood and allowing long, walnut brown hair to spill free when she saw who it was.
"Lady Astraea," the elf whispered back, taking a knee in front of her.
Soft indigo eyes filled with love met Ryuu's sky blue orbs, and both had tears shining within them as the two met each other for the first time in many years.
"Come inside," the woman named after the Greek Goddess of Justice urged, stepping aside to allow her guests entry to her room. "Hello, Hestia. It's been a while."
"Astraea," Hestia said in greeting. "I wish we'd been able to meet again in better circumstances."
"Indeed," she agreed. "I won't be staying for long, and will leave after the War Game."
"I see," Hestia hummed. "Okay, then. You, uh, you know what Ryuu wants?"
"Yes," Astraea said, and there was a conflicted tone in her voice. It was sorrowful, but also relieved. "I am glad she has finally found a place to belong, after so many years alone."
She turned to Ryuu, who kept her head bowed, unable to look at her. Without a word, Ryuu bared her back to her goddess, causing Bell to squeak and flush, the poor boy spinning around so as not to peep.
Astraea placed her blood on Ryuu's back, and after updating her status – and gasping a little as she witnessed the events in Ryuu's life up till now – she undid the link between her and the elf. Just like with Mikoto, the hum that had surrounded the adventurer till then vanished. However, unlike with the Far Eastern woman, the amount of power that spilled out of Ryuu was far greater.
Then, Hestia stepped up, pricking her index finger with a needle of her own, and decorated Ryuu with a new Falna. The sound of Ryuu's power filled Taylor's senses once more, and Ryuu straightened back up.
"Ryuu… you can Level up if you want," Hestia muttered in disbelief, and Taylor and Mikoto stiffened in surprise while Bell's jaw dropped open in shock.
"I can… but not yet," the elf replied. "Not until the War Game is over."
"Why?" Astraea asked in confusion. "Wouldn't it be better to be stronger for the battle to come?"
"Becoming Level 5 would be overkill," Ryuu snorted. "I trust Bell and Taylor. I believe they would be able to cinch a victory without needing me at all. I'm just… insurance."
"And Apollo or some other gods might call foul and want to have her banned or try to invalidate the War Game entirely," Hestia added with a grumpy expression. "Accepting Ryuu into the Familia at all is probably already stretching things."
"Ah. Good point," Astraea sighed. "I'd hoped Apollo would have changed since I left, but that seems to have been in vain."
She then looked at Ryuu with a caring expression. "It's been good to see you again."
"Likewise, Lady Astraea. I've left some money for you in the usual place," Ryuu told Astraea as she put her shirt back on.
"You didn't have to do that," the goddess murmured.
"But I want to," Ryuu whispered. "It's the only way I can repay you."
"In that case… may I ask if you've finally forgiven yourself for surviving that day?" Astraea asked.
"…no," Ryuu admitted. "And I don't think I ever will."
"I see… can you at least promise me to try and find a reason to smile again?" Astraea pleaded.
Ryuu couldn't answer that, and Astraea sighed.
"Fine. But I expect an invitation to the wedding!" Astraea declared, finally causing a rection from the elf.
"W-what?!" Ryuu choked out. Behind her, Bell began to wheeze as well, while Hestia trembled a little.
"Oh? Was I mistaken? Is the boy you brought with you not your lover?" Astraea asked innocently, tilting her head to the side. "I mean, why else would you let him be in the same room as you while undressing?"
"H-he's just a friend!" Ryuu exclaimed.
"Is he? Well, I suppose you're just taking it slow. But don't take too much time! You're an elf and he's a human," Astraea commented. "Although maybe you should wait a bit longer to let him grow up some more and become a little bit manlier … but then again, maybe you like them to look more cute and feminine?"
Unable to take it anymore, Ryuu let out an embarrassed whine and she fled the room, dragging Bell with her. Hestia immediately chased after them, and Mikoto and Taylor shared a look before following.
As they left the room, Taylor was the only one to see the teasing smirk that flashed across Astraea's face after she'd managed to fluster Ryuu.
111 &&& 111
Loki hid a yawn behind her hand as she entered the Coliseum. The whole place had gotten tricked out by the Guild in preparation for the War Game between Shorty and Shiny, and there was excited murmuring everywhere.
Gods, adventurers, and citizens alike were waiting eagerly in the Coliseum's seats and all across the city as magic mirrors were set up to display the events. Her own Familia was among them, the executives already having gotten prime seats down below in the stadium in order to watch Ais's little boytoy struggle for his freedom.
She didn't know why Hestia had requested the event to be showcased to the rest of the gods here, though. Normally, the War Games were observed by the deities within a special chamber located near the top of Babel.
'Shorty is planning something,' Loki mused. What it was, she hadn't a clue. But she was Curious, as befitting her nature as a Trickster Goddess, and so she'd decided to arrive a bit earlier with her Familia.
Enterprising people were selling snacks, and there was betting going on throughout the Entertainment District. Everyone wanted to see what would happen in the most anticipated War Game in years! The Record Holders in the newest Familia of Orario versus the arrogant blowhards of the Apollo Familia! It was sure to be one for the ages!
Though compared to the rest of the city, Loki wasn't all that excited. She already knew how it would turn out.
'I feel sorry for the short stack, but the Apollo Familia is too large and strong compared to their opponent. The only way the Hestia Familia has any chance of winning is if the Gale steps up and takes charge of the fighting,' Loki thought to herself. 'But that runs the risk of revealing her identity to the entire city.'
Oh, Loki absolutely knew about the identity of the waitress who'd just joined the Hestia Familia. In fact, the Trickster Goddess knew about all of them! And she was certain quite a few gods and Guild officials knew about Ryuu Lion's true identity as well. After all, it wasn't every day a god was sent by to Tenkai by the hand of a mortal. That tidbit would obviously get a lot of unpleasant attention onto the poor elf's back if it was revealed, and not even Freya could protect her little pet if that happened.
Loki glanced over at her fellow goddess, watching Freya out of the corner of her eye. Freya thought she was being clever and subtle, but Loki wasn't a fool. She knew what the Goddess of Love and Beauty was doing. Why Freya was pretending to be a waitress, she had no idea. Finding that out was part of why Loki liked to frequent the Hostess of Fertility.
But as powerful as Freya was, not even she would be able to keep Ryuu Lion's head on her shoulders if her identity was discovered. In the end, the elf killed Rudra, and though personally Loki felt he'd deserved everything that happened to him, the rest of the gods wouldn't see it that way.
A mortal violating one of the founding Taboos of the current world's order was unacceptable, and she would have to be sacrificed to appease the anger of the other deities, both those up in Tenkai and down here on Genkei.
'And speaking of Evilus, they're still being a bunch of slippery bastards,' Loki thought to herself with a grimace.
She'd been spending a lot of time trying to find out where Evilus and the mysterious Enyo were hiding, but even after weeks of searching, the only solid lead Loki had uncovered was that some unsavory elements were smuggling nasty shit in and out of Orario using Daedalus Street.
Her Familia had scoured the twisted streets above and below – Finn, Gareth, and Bete still hadn't forgiven her for sending them into the sewers the other week – but found diddly-squat. They were close though! She could feel it in her gut!
I need somebody who is good at finding things,' Loki mused to herself. And when she caught sight of Hestia herself walking into the divine seating section of the Coliseum a thought popped into the trickster's head.
'Hmm. That creepy Weaver girl can see through the bugs she controls, can't she? I bet she'd be amazing at searching for hidden things,' Loki mused. 'Okay! When this is over, I'll approach Hestia about making a deal to borrow Weaver for my search for Evilus. In exchange, I'll declare a War Game on that pompous ass Apollo in order to get Bell back. That can be the price for Weaver's services. Yeah, that sounds fair!'
Nodding to herself, Loki grinned. It was the perfect plan! Hestia would no doubt be so depressed and desperate to get her baby boy back, she'd agree to anything Loki offered.
'And maybe Ais will let me touch her boobs as thanks for rescuing her boyfriend,' Loki giggled lasciviously, causing a few other gods near her to shoot her weirded out looks.
Her laughter cut off when the Masked Moron strode up to the platform that overlooked the Coliseum, and he presented himself to the city.
"I AM GANESHA!" the God of the People called out, his voice echoing through the city thanks to several magic tools. "And the War Game approaches!"
Cheers rang out at his words, and a moment later, massive glowing windows sprang up into existence all over the Coliseum as well as outside in the city. These were made with the power of Ouranos' Arcanum. As the Sky-Father, he was able to observe all things that existed below the heavens. By channeling a tiny bit of his divinity into several unique artifacts within the Guildhall and Babel, he could project these screens all across Orario. And in them, it was possible to see the two Familias waiting for the game of capture the flag to start.
Both Familias were waiting in a pair of old castles that had been restored for the event. The Apollo Familia's flag was being guarded in the throne room, while the Hestia Familia stood around a flagpole in the courtyard of the fortress.
Seen this way, it was clear to all the sheer disparity between the two Familias. Apollo had over a hundred children serving him, and a Level 3 adventurer. There were also talented archers, skilled mages, and plenty of cannon fodder.
Meanwhile, there were only eleven adventurers on Hestia's side. Five Level 1s, five Level 2s, and a single Level 4. And while the latter could be the key to cinching victory, it would still be an uphill battle.
Sure, Hestia's Familia had a couple of monsters lounging around in the courtyard with them – and a bunch of crates and wooden containers that looked out of place – but Loki doubted it'd be enough.
'Although that Crystal Mantis looks rather terrifying. Never seen a black one before. A Blue Papilio will give them limited healing, which is a boon in a fight like this. And that Dungeon Worm… they're bigger than I thought they'd be!' Loki commented. She then noticed something odd. 'Hang on, what's that golden thing Weaver's got? Is that a fake arm?'
"That arm!" Dian Cecht exclaimed, bolting to his feet in disbelief as he stared at the golden arm attached to Weaver. He wasn't the only one to be surprised by the sight of it. Just the loudest.
"Miach!" Dian Cecht suddenly snarled, spinning around to glare daggers at the blue-haired apothecary. "How dare you?!"
"What are you on about?" Miach asked, confused by the other god's sudden verbal attack.
"That arm! You made it, didn't you?!" Dian Cecht snapped. "You stole the secrets of my Silver Arms and made a knock-off for that girl! Admit it!"
"I did no such thing!" Miach protested, insulted by the accusation.
"Don't lie!" Dian Cecht spat out. "You had ample opportunity to study the Silver Arm I sold to your child! How else do you explain the existence of a prosthetic my Familia did not create?!"
Loki leaned in a little, enjoying the drama. It was highly unlikely Miach was guilty of what Dian Cecht was accusing him of, but it was still a surprise to see the golden limb move and act just like a real arm. The surly craftsman god was the only one in Orario who could create Silver Arm prosthetics, and somebody else intruding onto the market was not going to be met with joy.
"Sit down, Dian Cecht," Hephestus called out, and the fuming craftsman spun around to level his glare at a new target.
"Do not interfere in matters that do not concern you, Hephestus!" Dian Cecht shouted. "I will have that lying rat reveal how he stole my secrets and-!"
"Miach did not create it. I did," Hephestus declared, silencing the ranting god.
Loki raised an eyebrow, now even more interested.
"You… what?" Dian Cecht uttered, sounding lost and confused. "You created that arm? But…"
"Well, it wasn't just me," Hephestus admitted. "A Blacksmith of my Familia was building it for Weaver. In fact, from what I understand, it was her who gave my child the blueprints and idea for it. All I did was give a few blessings and double-check the work."
"That-! Impossible!" Dian Cecht spluttered out.
"It is not. The Golden Arm that was made by one of my children is a brilliant mechanical magi-tech artifact, and one of the highest quality that even I'd consider a masterwork," Hephestus stated. "He made it, and I will not tolerate anyone claiming otherwise."
"Though, there is one way to prove otherwise," Hephestus said. "All you have to do is reveal to us how your Silver Arms are made. That way, we can confirm whether or not the secrets to creating them was stolen."
Dian Cecht turned red, and became unable to speak. After a moment, he angrily stormed off, and the red-headed goddess smirked at her victory.
Loki mentally applauded Hephestus' brilliant maneuver. Dian Cecht's monopoly over Silver Arm manufacturing was due entirely to nobody outside of his Familia knowing the secrets of their creation. If he wanted to prove that the Goddess of the Forge had stolen said secrets, he'd have to reveal what they were in the first place.
'And if Hephestus really was telling the truth and there is no connection between Weaver's new Golden Arm and Dian Cecht's Silver Arms, then the old man would have just given up his Familia's biggest secret to a rival for nothing,' Loki thought to herself with a smirk.
"Thank you," Miach murmured to Hephestus when Dian Cecht was gone, and the smith just waved her hand dismissively.
"It's fine, I just didn't want you or somebody else to claim credit for something me and my own made," she claimed.
"All the same, you have my gratitude," the long-haired god said, bowing his head towards her.
The red-headed goddess just hummed in response, but Hephestus couldn't hide the faint dusting of red on her cheeks. She wasn't used to genuine thanks like that, and Miach's sincerity was undeniable.
"Flirt later you two! The show is about to start!" Loki scolded them. They glared at her while blushing and a few gods snickered.
"This is your last chance, Hestia," Apollo declared as he settled into his gaudy golden throne, glaring at the short stack. "Surrender and you won't have to watch your Familia get beaten into the dirt!"
Shorty just looked down her nose at the blowhard – and that was quite the feat for somebody so small! – before glancing away and focusing her attention on the glowing screens, utterly ignoring him.
That caused the Sun God to fume, but he did not storm off like Dian Cecht. Instead, he folded his arms and pouted like a child.
"I, Ganesha, officiator of this War Game, declare the event to begin in three… two… ONE! START!" the elephant-masked god shouted, and with that, the battle was on!
Loki grinned and settled in for the show. Even if she knew how it would end, it was still going to be a whole lot of fun to watch!
111 &&& 111
For those interested, here are the current stats for the Hestia Familia!
Stat Sheets:
Taylor Hebert "Weaver"
Level 2
POWER – A 888
ENDURANCE – A 844
DEXTERITY – B 777
AGILITY – B 730
MAGIC – SSS 1500
Skill –
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker. (Shard)
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy. (Shard)
Kheiron Excelsior: Boost the rate of growth for all who fall under your aegis.The results of training show sooner. Impart knowledge easier.
Giantslayer: Boost damage done to and Excelia gained from targets larger than oneself.
Spell –
Geas Immulatio: By sacrificing a part of yourself, seal away the corresponding aspect of another being. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!
Developmental Ability
Hunter H
Bell Cranel "Lucky Rabbit"
Level 2
POWER – SS 1111
ENDURANCE – S 987
DEXTERITY – SSS 1331
AGILITY – SSS 1444
MAGIC – A 888
Skills –
Liaris Freese: Increase the speed of growth so long as the user is in love. Strength of this Skill's effects are proportional to the strength of the user's feelings. Limit Breaker.
Argonaut: Allows a charge for an active action. It requires three minutes for a full charge and can either sound like a small chime or a grand bell depending on the power needed. It can be used for any type of attack but the effects will dissipate when the user is attacked or they lose focus.
Jupiter Ascendant: Create clones of lightning based on the user that have power equal to the user's stats divided by number of clones created. Upon destruction, the clones will explode. Clones obey the creator.
Developmental Ability
Luck H
Ryuu Lion "The Gale"
Level 4
POWER – A 888
ENDURANCE – B 777
DEXTERITY – S 999
AGILITY – S 999
MAGIC – S 999
Developmental Ability
Hunter G
Abnormal Resistance G
Magic Resistance I
Welf Crozzo "Ignis"
Level 2
POWER – G 222
ENDURANCE – G 215
DEXTERITY – I 85
AGILITY – I 85
MAGIC – H 163
Skills –
Crozzo Blood: Proof that the wielder is loved by the Spirits of the world and is descended of the original bearer of the blood of Crozzo.
Veritas Burn: Vastly increases resistance to fire and heat and increases attack power when using fire-based attacks.
Spell –
Will-o-Wisp: Anti-Magic flaming projectile that forces an Ignis Fatuus on targets trying to use magic.
Chant: Burn! Will-o-Wisp!
Developmental Ability
Blacksmith H
Liliruca Arde "Littlefoot"
Level 2
POWER – H 123
ENDURANCE – H 192
DEXTERITY – G 248
AGILITY – H 177
MAGIC – F 366
Skill –
Artel Assist: Compensates for the user's ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.
Command Call: Increases the range of the user's voice when giving orders. Range based on user's Level and number of Familia members nearby.
Hobbit Hole: Generate a sub-space pocket capable of containing a set amount of weight and volume. Current limit: 2 tons. Time continues to pass normally for all objects within. Cannot put in living things larger than 1 square centimeter. Costs Mind to open and close the sub-space pocket, but does not cost Mind to maintain.
Spell –
Cinder Ella: Transformative Magic that allows the user to alter their appearance and transform into a different form. Can borrow the senses, traits, and abilities of the transformed target. Cannot exceed the user's physical dimensions.
Chant: None
Developmental Ability
Abnormal Resistance I
Mikoto Yamato "Absolute Shadow"
Level 2
POWER – G 233
ENDURANCE – G 220
DEXTERITY – F 365
AGILITY – F 388
MAGIC – H 140
Skill
Yatanokurogasu: Enables the user to search for enemies within a set range. Only works on targets the user has encountered before.
Yatanoshirogasu: Enables the user to search for other people within a set range. Only works on those who share a Falna with the user.
Spell
Futsunomitama: Form a cage of Gravity Magic that crushes the target. Backlash causes damage to the user.
Developmental Ability
Abnormal Resistance I
Lucia Ramirez
Level 1
POWER – G 260
ENDURANCE – H 110
DEXTERITY – G 265
AGILITY – F 333
MAGIC – G 275
Skill
Blitz Blink: Teleport short distances. When teleporting, inertia and momentum can be redirected as a burst of kinetic energy centered on the user. Costs Mind to use.
Iris Bennett
Level 1
POWER – F 390
ENDURANCE – F 390
DEXTERITY – H 148
AGILITY – H 153
MAGIC – G 222
Skill –
Bronze Bull: Creates a bronze-colored aura around the body that doubles Power and Endurance for a while and emits heat. Drains stamina and Mind while active.
Emma Flores
Level 1
POWER – H 111
ENDURANCE – I 75
DEXTERITY – H 188
AGILITY – H 150
MAGIC – I 0
Love Silva
Level 1
POWER – H 189
ENDURANCE – H 125
DEXTERITY – I 62
AGILITY – I 60
MAGIC – I 0
Leo Diaz
Level 1
POWER – G 266
ENDURANCE – H 177
DEXTERITY – I 35
AGILITY – I 49
MAGIC – I 0
Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Let the Games Begin!
Chapter Text
Chapter 33: Let the Games Begin!
"This is a nice castle," Taylor said, admiring the masonry. "If the Apollo Familia's fort is anything like this one, I almost feel sorry for what I'm about to do to it."
She, and the rest of the Hestia Familia, were waiting in the courtyard of the refurbished fortress for the game of capture the flag to begin. They had been escorted to the castle that lay to the southeast of Orario by Guild employees earlier in the morning, and were just waiting, decked out in their fine equipment. Taylor had even decided to wear her mask.
According to their guides, the old citadel was one of many that littered the landscape around Orario, built in the time before the city had been created to contain the Dungeon and the monsters that periodically emerged from it in the ancient days.
Two had been restored for the events of today, and were close enough that Taylor could still feel parts of Orario, including the Coliseum, within her range, at least if she focused on trying to see in that direction. She could just barely sense Hestia and the other 'gods' sitting around waiting for the War Game to begin.
"I can't believe it," Bell muttered, tapping his foot impatiently. "We're about to fight against a much larger Familia… and yet I can't help but be excited!"
"It's not that unusual," Ryuu assured him. "The anticipation before a battle can do different things to people. For adventurers who live and die for combat, getting excited is to be expected."
"Thank you, Miss Ryuu," Bell said, giving her a small smile. "I'm glad you're here today with us."
"Yeah! Surprised you managed to get the paperwork filed so quickly," Silva commented. "I half expected it to take a few days, or be delayed by underhand tactics by Apollo."
Taylor smirked to herself underneath the mask. She had managed to get the paperwork for Welf, Mikoto, and Ryuu filed just in time for the War Game. Her swarm had been very useful in sneaking the documents into the Guild last night in order to expedite the process.
"How are you not nervous?" Emma asked, glancing over at Taylor in awe and envy.
The pink-haired girl shivered a bit as Taylor turned towards her, the insectoid mask she was wearing sending a thrill of fear through her as she stared into the empty glass eyes that seemed to stare into her soul.
"Because I have confidence in everyone. We're not going to lose today," the parahuman declared.
"You know, if it were anybody else saying that, I'd be hard pressed to believe 'em," Welf said. "But from you? It sounds like our victory is a foregone conclusion."
"Because unlike Apollo, we prepared for battle. We bled and sweat to stand here today, and we won't let them take anything from us. We have something to lose. And speaking of preparations… here," Taylor said, handing Ryuu the Tempest Blade Welf had made.
"You want me to have this?" she asked, surprised.
"You can always refuse," Taylor said. "But you have the highest Mind out of all of us. You're the best choice for wielding it."
For a moment Ryuu stared at the weapon whose legacy was reviled by the elves before nodding, accepting the Magic Sword.
"I will use it to bring victory," she promised.
"Good. Now, head's up, everyone, it's almost time to start," Taylor declared. "Everyone remember the plan?"
"Yes, Miss Taylor!" Lili declared.
"You can rely on us, captain," Leo said, thumping her chest confidently.
The parahuman nodded at them, before the air began to tingle and reek of ozone to her swarm's senses, and a powerful presence blanketed the entire castle, pressing down on them like the sky itself had been lowered.
"I, Ganesha, officiator of this War Game, declare the event to begin in three… two… ONE! START!" the voice of the elephant-masked god boomed out across the city and the battlefield, heard by all thanks to various magic tools scattered about.
"It's time to give them a show," Taylor announced, glancing up at the clouds as she felt dozens of 'eyes' staring down on them from a distance.
The long-range observation magic she could feel was transmitting everything happening on the battlefield onto multiple screens across the city, including several inside the Coliseum, which was filled to the brim with gods, adventurers and citizens, the former sitting in luxurious spectator boxes.
They weren't the only ones. Just like when Bell, herself, and the others had Leveled Up, she could feel several presences peering down at the entire battlefield, watching intently. Scrying spells? Or something else? It felt like the pressure that accompanied an adventurer accomplishing something that was worthy of a Level Up, but less focused.
A memory of Hestia mentioning something about 'gods' judging an adventurer's deeds to determine if they could Level Up or not surfaced from within the depths of her mind.
Taylor dismissed that thought, and instead turned around to the flagpole where the Hestia Familia's flag had been hung, and immediately shocked the people watching as she lowered it and removed it. Then, the parahuman draped the flag across her back like a makeshift cape, allowing the emblem of their Familia to be visible as she and the rest of them strode out of their base.
"Um, she does know the event is capture the flag, right?" Loki asked from up in the stands of the Coliseum, just barely audible through the elements of the parahuman's swarm that had been hidden nearby. "Why is she leaving and carrying the flag with her?"
"Because she's no fool," Set replied, watching the screens closely. "Her Familia is smaller, and while it possesses individuals of a higher quality compared to what Apollo can field on average, they cannot defend an entire castle all by themselves. So, rather than be trapped with their backs to the walls, they are taking the fight to their opponents. And by carrying the flag herself, Weaver marks herself as a target, allowing the rest of her Familia to rush in and try to take the other flag for themselves."
"It seems it will be a test to see if Hestia's children can break through the Apollo Familia's defenses while fending off assaults," Hermes said, intrigued.
"Hmph! It doesn't matter! Hestia's little Weaver has been illegally bringing monsters out of the Dungeon!" Apollo claimed, gesturing imperiously towards Taylor up on a screen. "As such, the Hestia Familia forfeits the War Game!"
"That is a serious claim," Freya said, hiding her mouth behind a fan. "Can you prove this? Because the only monsters on the field I see are the ones she's registered with."
"They're in those giant crates, obviously!" Apollo said, pointing a finger at the dozens of massive wooden boxes the Hestia Familia had been hauling around, and even now, were carrying with them towards the castle occupied by the Apollo Familia.
"That's not exactly proof," Miach commented.
"My Familia saw them stuffing monsters into those crates down in the Dungeon!" Apollo declared.
"That's still their word – and yours – against Hestia's," Hephestus said, and Apollo glowered at her for that.
"Hestia, you've been accused of cheating," Ouranos' voice said, booming out from a transmission gem and interjecting before the argument could devolve further. "What do you say in your defense?"
"The only thing I'm going to say is it's time to open them up, Taylor!" Hestia declared.
The gods chuckled, clearly thinking the tiny goddess had gone mad, as there was no way her voice could reach the battlefield, yet to their shock Taylor nodded as if she'd heard the order and pried the lid off of a crate, revealing it to be full of Magic Stones and not monsters.
She then opened another crate, and this time, insects poured out. This was repeated, and not a single container held any monsters. Just piles of Magic Stones and uncountable insects.
The Hestia Familia had stuffed Killer Ants into some crates, and done so in full view of some Apollo Familia members, but that had been a ruse, a trick to get them to do this very thing.
"Th-that must be millions of valis worth of stones!" Loki gasped in shock.
"Why did she bring so many of them with her? Does she plan to feed them to her monsters and power them up?" Hathor wondered. Several gods looked to Ganesha, but even he seemed bewildered, not even mentioning his name at all!
Back in the middle of the empty field separating the two castles, Taylor's swarm rose up, filling the sky and blocking out the sun above the Apollo Familia's fortress.
"I am going to teach you the meaning of the word Entomophobia, and why you should never try to pick a fight with the Hestia Familia!" Taylor declared, her words relayed through her swarm.
Everyone in Orario was able to hear it echoing forth from the magical transmission screens, and some could swear they could hear the buzzing coming from the shadows within the city itself. But that was impossible… right?
With that declaration of intent issued, the hundreds of thousands of bugs began to spill forth, charging towards the castle the Apollo Familia was hunkered down in like a tide of chitin. Screams of primal terror rang out, but the swarm stopped outside the edges of the wall, choosing to encircle it instead.
Curiously, many of the Magic Stones were being hauled around by the swarm, carried on the backs of a veritable carpet of bugs or in their mandibles.
Seeing this, the goddess Isis let out a shocked gasp. "N-no way! That's… it can't be possible!" she uttered in disbelief.
"What is it?" Set demanded. "What is happening?!"
"Weaver is about to do something that will kill her!" Isis exclaimed. "Hestia, stop her!"
"I have full faith in her," Hestia replied.
"She is one person! Record Holder or not, Level 2 or not, one mortal alone cannot hope to control that much magical power!" Isis declared.
"Just watch," Hestia said. Then, she raised her voice so everyone in the godly stands could hear her. "All of you! Just watch! And see what happens when you anger a girl with absolutely no hesitation to escalate!"
Down on the battlefield, Taylor's swarm was currently doing odd maneuvers. The magically inclined soon realized what her goal was, and they could not believe their eyes.
"No! I refuse to believe she'd be so reckless!" Riveria shouted up at the screen she and the rest of the Loki Familia were watching in the Coliseum.
"This can't be… she's a human…" Leyfia muttered, eyes wide in horror.
"What? What is it?" Finn asked, confused. But the mages were too disturbed to answer.
Elsewhere, Hogni and Hedin of the Freya Familia were just as stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing. They weren't the only ones, and some were a lot louder about their disbelief, such as Heith, the Freya Familia's Healer, while others, like Lenoa, the old witch who'd sold Taylor the tomes on magic, simply threw their heads back and cackled madly at the sheer audacity of the adventurer.
And soon, the rest of the city were able to see what had shaken the mages, as the seething swarm on both the ground and in the sky began to shape themselves into dozens of gargantuan magic circles!
"My armored boot descends, and shakes the world! Tremble in fear! Submit in terror! The love of the world is a cruel one, and her embrace a terrible thing to witness!" Taylor chanted, and across the field the Magic Stones began to glow as they reacted to her words. "Let thunder roar in the depths below, and mountains rise to welcome my conquest! I shall stomp you flat and watch you fall! EARTHQUAKE!"
The moment her incantation finished, a miniature, localized earthquake struck the Apollo Familia's fortress. The towers collapsed and the walls crumbled. The gate, unable to withstand the tremors, buckled outwards and exploded into splinters while the adventurers trapped within screamed helplessly as nature itself rebelled against them and rooms and corridors caved in.
Even in Orario they felt the aftershocks, and people yelped and shrieked, even as the vibrations faded as quickly as they arrived.
All things considered, the earthquake that had struck the old castle had only lasted for a few seconds, but it had been enough. The structure had been shattered and reduced to rubble, and cries and moans of pain echoed forth from what was left.
Taylor was panting heavily, blood dripping from her nose, but it was hidden by her mask, and she did not bend or break from the strain of casting such a massive spell on her own, and stayed standing, even as everyone stared at her in horror and disbelief.
From the sky the clouds of insects fell, turned to dust by the strain of channeling the magical essence of thousands of Magic Stones at once, and their remains joined the thick carpet of fallen bugs and spent Magic Stones already littering the ground.
"Go," Taylor ordered as she didn't bother to wipe away the blood staining her face, keeping the mask firmly in place. "You know what to do, everyone."
"Right!" Bell said, and Lili nodded weakly.
Bell started to glow as he began to charge his Argonaut Skill, and at the same time he picked the pallum up into a piggy back carry and blitzed forward with speed far beyond an ordinary Level 2, while the Supporter donned the Hades Head helmet a moment later, turning invisible.
Ryuu ran ahead a moment later, carrying one of Welf's new Magic Swords to cover Bell and Lili and carve a way forward if need be, and the rest of the Hestia Familia mounted Debbie, the giant worm monster carrying them across the battlefield and delivering them to what was left of the gatehouse.
"Ryuu, Silva, stay here and protect the flag with me," Taylor said when they arrived at the entrance to the fortress. "The rest of you? Go wild. Teach them a lesson they won't soon forget."
"Gladly!" Iris cheered, and Leo nodded stoically. Mikoto, Emma and Lucia both had determined looks in their eyes, while Welf had a bloodthirsty grin.
They separated into two teams. Mikoto, Iris and Lucia took the east wing, while Welf, Emma and Leo went towards the west wing. Bell and Lili were already inside by the time the rest of the Familia had arrived, heading to their destination within: the throne room where the Apollo Familia's flag was.
A few arrows zipped out towards them, but the defenders were shaken and scattered, with nobody able to coordinate properly due to the destruction unleashed on them.
The members of the Hestia Familia, on the other hand, was guided by Taylor's swarm, who scouted out enemy positions and warned the teams about them. Forewarned, the teams were able to strike without the other adventurers realizing they were there, until it was too late.
Bit by bit, room by room and corridor by corridor, the Hestia Familia tore into the Apollo Familia and destroyed them. Of course, many of Apollo's children were in no condition to fight.
None had died, as even a collapsing castle wasn't enough to take down a Level 1 adventurer. It did hurt them though, with crushed limbs, broken bones, and bruised bodies galore. Whenever Taylor's swarm came across these people, she assessed their wounds, judged how badly they were hurt, and depending on the severity of the injuries, had some of her swarm sprinkle potions and Blue Papilio healing powder onto them before moving on.
That was how Orario witnessed a handful of Level 1s and 2s start to take down a Familia over ten times their size, and it was glorious. Smaller Familias cheered them on, and those who had lost friends to Apollo's greed chanted for his expulsion from the city. And in the Hostess of Fertility, one adventurer was laughing his ass off as he watched the slaughter.
"Yes! Yes! Show 'em how it is done, Lucky Rabbit! Teach 'em what fear is, Weaver!" Mord cheered.
"You sound happy," one of his friends commented.
"I bet all of my life's savings on the Hestia Familia winning!" Mord revealed with a mad cackle. "And from the look of things, I'll be able to cash out and retire in luxury by day's end!"
"Shit, I should have thought of that!" another adventurer in the restaurant groaned, and he wasn't the only one.
Everyone kept their eyes glued to the screens, though, unwilling to miss a single second.
"Heads up," Taylor said a minute into the assault on the citadel. "We have company."
Ryuu and Silva tensed up as a trio of Apollo Familia adventurers appeared, leaping over the rubble of the front gate and landing in front of the remaining Hestia Familia.
"Lissos, Cassandra, Daphne," Taylor greeted politely, inclining her head in a faint approximation of a nod. "How can I help you?"
"Hyakinthos told us to take care of you," Cassandra said
"I don't care about the human or catfolk," Lissos claimed with a snarl. "I'm here to punish the traitor!"
"Traitor?" Ryuu asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You wield an accursed Crozzo Magic Blade!" Lissos shouted, pointing at the sword in the other elf's hands. "You shame your people!"
"It's elves like you that shame us," Ryuu retorted with a shake of her head. "I cannot imagine what it is like, to hate an inanimate object with such fervor when there are far better targets to direct anger towards."
"You-!" Lissos growled, clenching his teeth angrily.
"Ryuu, go ahead and break him," Taylor said, cutting into their argument. "His shouting is annoying me."
"Of course, captain," Ryuu said with a smirk, before darting in, slashing the Magic Sword as Lissos. He leapt back, thinking it would unleash a torrent of magical power, but it didn't do that, much to his confusion.
That just confirmed the waitress's suspicions. He had no idea who she was, or how strong.
Ryuu was a Level 4 who could become a Level 5, and Lissos a mere Level 2. She could defeat him with a wooden stick and make it look easy. To that end, she was going to beat Lissos senseless with the Magic Sword without ever unleashing its power. Maybe there was a bit of a desire to punishing him for his words against her, as well as the few times he'd made snide comments about Syr and the others at the Hostess of Fertility.
Regardless of how satisfying it was going to be, Ryuu was professional about it, and blitzed towards Lissos, who could only scramble back and try to fend her off with his bow.
As she played around with her prey like a cat would toy with a mouse, Taylor and Silva – along with Chris, Azure, and Debbie – faced down the other two, who shifted nervously as they stared at Taylor's masked face.
"We don't really want to do this," Daphne said as an apology. "We won't hurt you too badly."
"It's odd you seem to think I'm going to be the one to lose," Taylor said, shaking her head.
"Fair enough, you do outnumber us," the red-head shrugged as she flourished a sword known as a takt. "But it's two Level 2s against a Level 1 and a Level 2, and a couple of monsters. A girl's gotta do what she's gotta do."
"We will do our best to pray for your companions to overcome Hyakinthos," Cassandra said as she raised her short bow. Azure flew into the air, watching the battle from overhead.
"Silva, take on the adventurer I don't attack," Taylor instructed her companion, who nodded wordlessly, bracing herself, her mace raised. The adventurers stared at each other, waiting for somebody to make the first move.
This would be the perfect moment for a tumbleweed to roll by,' Taylor thought to herself in amusement, before deciding to strike first.
She darted forward, but as Daphne raised her sword to try and counter attack, Taylor completely ignored her, rushing past the red-head towards Cassandra. Both were shocked, but recovered quickly, yet Silva attacked Daphne before the swordswoman could back-up her friend. Daphne blocked the mace strikes easily, but the distraction served its purpose.
Silva's attack allowed Taylor to get in close, reaching the purple-haired oracle in an instant. Cassandra didn't have time to raise her bow and shoot the charging parahuman, and Taylor slammed the palm of her artificial hand into Cassandra's stomach.
The golden arm pulsed and Taylor unleashed an Earthquakespell point blank into her opponent. Cassandra doubled over, vomiting as the vibrations of the spell hit her, jarring her innards. Neither a spell circle nor a chant had been used, and combined with her Level 2 constitution, the attack was not lethal.
Hurt like hell, though, and completely disoriented her. Taylor didn't let up, however, and wrapped her arms around Cassandra in a parody of a hug. Yet it was not a heartwarming gesture, but rather the first step in Taylor's plan to perform a Supplex. A Backdrop, to be precise, and she slammed Cassandra's head into the ground.
A last-minute Holespell prevented Cassandra from suffering any sort of concussion, but with her head trapped inside a small pit, she wasn't exactly in any state to keep fighting.
"Wh-what?" Daphne stammered, shocked at how quickly Taylor had taken down her friend.
"There are two types of people you always try to deal with first in a fight," Taylor said as she brushed some dirt off her outfit. "Ranged attackers, and healers. You shouldn't have brought her to the front lines. Hyakinthos knows nothing of war if he ordered Cassandra to face me."
She then tilted her head. "Though his incompetence is to our benefit. He's about to fight Bell, and without a healer, he has no hope of victory."
Daphne tensed up, and realized she was trapped. Lissos was no help, as he was still being beaten up by Ryuu. She winced as Chris stepped forward, scything limbs scraping against each other in an ominous way while a silvery glow surrounded the blades.
"He wants to fight," Taylor informed Daphne. "Try not to lose too quickly."
Daphne barely had time to react as Chris lunged, one of his scythe-bladed arms came swinging down at her. She blocked it in time with her weapon, but the strike was heavy and drove her to her knees.
'This is not the strength of a Level 2 monster!' Daphne grimaced.
Then, to her horror, she saw that the Crystal Mantis' glowing scythe had chipped the edge of her takt. She rolled away, jumping back to her feet and began to trade attacks with Chris, who was matching her, blow for blow.
Daphne suddenly felt the hairs on her neck stand up, and she immediately threw herself to the side, her Skill Elios Passion allowing her to just barely evade being cut in half by a glowing silver shockwave that had been unleashed by the Rare Variant Crystal Mantis swinging one of its scythes.
"…Dash and defend! Raumure!" Daphne hastily chanted, her Agility and Endurance jumping up several ranks as her Spell activated.
Yet even then, it wasn't enough to fully out-speed Chris. A deadly game of tag erupted between monster and adventurer, Daphne weaving between shockwaves and dealing only minor damage to the Crystal Mantis' carapace. And the red-head couldn't help but feel that the Tamed monster was actually having fun the whole time.
As Daphne fought the most harrowing battle of her entire life, Taylor turned her attention to the swarm that was filling up the castle, and watched over her Familia as they spread out and eliminated their opponents.
If anyone had been able to see her face at that moment, they would have recoiled in fear from the way she was smiling.
111 &&& 111
Mikoto was impressed as she watched Iris and Lucia charge through the eastern wing of the Shreme Citadel. They were young and had not been adventurers for long, but they displayed combat skills on par with a multi-year veteran.
'Taylor-dono is truly a miracle worker,' the Far Eastern adventurer thought to herself. It wasn't just fear that drove Mikoto to call her new captain by that honorific.
'You are always respectful to somebody with great power, and she has that in spades,' Mikoto mused. Taylor Hebert had gone from a relatively unknown silk craftswoman who was undercutting the Far Eastern merchants to the Record Holder of Orario, all in a few weeks of her arrival.
Furthermore, Weaver had the eyes of a woman who had seen war and devastation. It was a look Mikoto knew all too well, for she had those same eyes at times. The Far East was not a peaceful place. The islands were ruled over by Amaterasu, but there were many other gods who had Familias there. And of course there were skirmishes with the Jade Empire – before it was destroyed by the Black Dragon – and Telskyura and the many other nations that littered that side of the world.
'I lost my family, but was lucky to be found by Lord Takemikazuchi and the others at the orphanage,' Mikoto thought to herself. 'Thanks to their love, I have recovered enough to smile once more. But it's clear Lady Taylor has only just begun her own road to recovery. Thankfully, the Hestia Familia will be able to help her on that long and arduous path.'
An arrow zipping past her head forced Mikoto to return her focus to the battle, though really it was more of a one-sided beat-down.
The archer who'd tried to shoot her had already been felled by Lucia, and Iris smashed the flat of her sword into another unfortunate adventurer's head, knocking him out.
"Ugh, this is taking too long!" Iris groaned. "Gonna go full force! Bronze Bull!"
The cow-girl began to glow with bronze flames from her Skill, and she began to bulldoze through the hallway, knocking her opponents over while holding her great sword in front of her like a battering ram.
"Ha! At this rate, we'll make it all the way to the throne room before Bell even gets there!" Iris cheered.
"No, you won't!" a tall bear-kin beastman declared, leaping into her path slamming his huge metal club into Iris' sword and stopping her in her tracks.
Mikoto's eyes scanned him. He wasn't a Level 2. Taylor had provided descriptions of all of the Apollo Familia's executives. But given that he was stopping a Skill-buffed Iris in her tracks, then he had to be a veteran Level 1, possibly very close to Leveling Up.
"Lucia! Get this guy outta my way!" Iris demanded. The seamstress didn't respond, as she was already rushing forward. Instead of trying to leap over her friend's shoulder, however, Lucia teleported behind the bear-man and swiped his legs out from underneath him by adding the kinetic burst that accompanied her teleportation Skill to her kick.
The bear-man fell, and Iris made sure he stayed down by repeatedly slamming her sword into his face.
"Phew! What a workout!" Iris laughed. Her laughter choked off when a fireball exploded in her face. It was only thanks to her Skill still being up that she wasn't immediately knocked out.
At the far end of the corridor, two adventurers were advancing, one armed with a staff, the other carrying a spear.
"Level 2s," Lucia said nervously, recognizing them both from Taylor's notes. A single one would be a problem. Two was going to be tricky. And one was a mage!
"I'll handle it," Mikoto declared, and she pointed her hands towards them. "Hold them off for as long as possible."
Iris and Lucia shared a look and nodded, darting forward to try and stall them. Now the shoe was on the other foot, though, because as strong as the two rookies were, the Level 2s were stronger, and began to trounce Iris and Lucia.
The spearman was fast enough to follow and counter Lucia even as she teleported around, while the mage was surprisingly adept at fighting with his staff, deflecting Iris's heavy blows with ease.
But they managed to buy Mikoto all the time she needed.
Over the many hours of intense training under Ryuu and Taylor, Mikoto had learned to cast her gravity spell without chanting. It was weakened, but it was far faster, and before the enemies could wipe the floor with Iris and Lucia, Mikoto's spell triggered, crushing the Level 2s into the ground while avoiding the members of the Hestia Familia facing them.
Not having expected that, they had no way to defend and were pinned in place, letting Lucia and Iris curb stomp them while they were stuck. It took a lot of time and effort for the Level 1s to knock out the Level 2s, but they succeeded in the end.
"Well done! Onwards!" Mikoto said as she swallowed a mouthful of Mind potion to recover what she'd used up. There were still more Level 2s ahead that needed a beating, after all.
'And I dearly wish to whet my sword skills I refined in the Dungeon out on some worthy foes,' she mused to herself. This War Game would be an excellent way to test her new-found strength.
111 &&& 111
Emma ducked as an arrow whizzed past her head and brought her twin swords up, slashing across the torso of an Apollo Familia member. They were a Level 1 and not nearly as tough a fighter as Leo was, and they collapsed as blood pooled beneath their body. She nudged the man's ribs, and when he twitched a little, she sighed in relief before moving on to keep up the fighting.
Up ahead, Leo smashed apart a shield wall blocking the way forward with her great sword while Welf dealt with the archer who'd just tried to shoot her by shooting a Will-o-Wispinto their face. The burned adventurer recoiled with a shriek as their hair – greasy with various hair care products – went up like a bonfire.
"Where are the Level 2s hiding?" Emma muttered. So far, only Level 1s had barred their path. Not a lot, admittedly. There'd been many who could barely stand after the earthquake had hit. The few who could had been too shaken and were torn apart in a quick manner.
Ask and she would receive, though, as the air crackled with static as an adventurer at the end of the hall began conjuring a spell while a handful of other adventurers blocked off the western assault team from reaching him.
"Wrath of the Heavens fall upon you…!" the mage of the Apollo Familia began chanting, a large magic circle forming in front of him.
"Get the meat shields out of the way!" Welf called out.
"Understood!" Leo replied, and Emma nodded.
As Leo charged the weaker adventurers, Emma put her swords away and drew a bow of her own, targeting an archer who was trying to shoot the azure-haired swordswoman.
'When I joined the Hestia Familia, I did so because I wanted to be just like my sister,' Emma thought to herself. 'That's why I trained to fight with dual swords, because that's what Sophia did to become strong. But now I realize that trying to be my sister has been holding me back. I have to be myself!'
She let the arrow loose, and it slammed into the wrist of the other archer, causing them to yelp and drop their bow, now unable to use their weapon properly with a feathered shaft buried in their hand.
'I want to be useful to my Familia… I want to be my own person!' Emma thought to herself, and felt like a weight had lifted from her soul, and the scales had fallen from her eyes.
Behind her, Welf stepped forward, a grin on his face. "Nice shot!" he praised, ruffling Emma's hair as he walked past.
When the last Level 1 collapsed at the edge of Leo's sword, he stepped up. "Now it's my turn!"
"Burn! Will-o-Wisp!" Welf chanted, swinging his great sword downwards. The edge of the blade was wreathed in crimson flames that were sent flying in a blazing shockwave, and it struck the magic circle, devouring the magical formation like paper.
The mage screamed in pain as bolts of electricity surged across his body, the Ignus Fatuus of the disrupted spell causing him to explode with a magical backlash.
"Okay! On to the next area!" Welf declared. "There's still a lot of Apollo adventurers to deal with!"
"Yes!" Emma said, putting away her bow and retrieving her swords. The War Game was not yet over, and she had to keep up the pressure in order to allow Bell to reach his opponent. Onwards!
111 &&& 111
Lili was extremely glad that she was currently invisible. That way, nobody could see how red her face currently was.
Being carried on Bell's back across the battlefield and through the ruined halls of the castle was quite an experience, and she was glad she was invisible, otherwise everyone could see her red face.
'If only he wasn't dating Ais,' Lili thought to herself morosely. Her crush on Bell would remain just that, a crush. It wasn't like the Sword Princess would share.
"We're here," Bell said, looking up at the doors to the Shreme Citadel's throne room and shaking Lili out of her funk. They were cracked and hanging off their hinges, and the hallway was littered with rubble and injured adventurers. And quite a few of the latter had crossbow bolts in their bodies courtesy of Lili.
She had done her part to keep Bell safe while he charged headlong into the fortress. Now, it was time to execute the final step of the plan.
"Mr. Bell, you can let me down, now," she said softly, still embarrassed, but a slap to her cheeks brought her head back into the game.
"Oh, right, of course," Bell said, setting her down. Lili felt a tingle in her stomach at the sight of the red blush gracing the Level 2's cheeks, before forcing it down.
"Good luck," she whispered, and stepped back as Bell kicked the door down. Still glowing as Argonaut powered him up, it was like a miniature sun had entered the gloomy chambers.
'Ironic, considering who our opponent is,' Lili thought to herself as she watched Bell stride into the throne room and face down Hyakinthos. He was unharmed, but the expression of utter disgust and fury on his face showed just how little he appreciated Miss Taylor's opening move.
"You-!" Hyakinthos snarled. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
Bell just ignored him as he walked into the throne room, eyes locked onto the Apollo Familia's flag that was still hanging on the wall behind the Sun God's captain.
"You've humiliated Lord Apollo and the Familia!" Hyakinthos declared, taking Bell's silence as an excuse to continue. "Even after we win, our reputation will take years to recover after everything you've done to us!"
"You still think you're going to win," Bell said with a sigh, shaking his head. "I hadn't really believed Miss Taylor, but she was right. You're blind to what's in front of you. Almost delusional."
"Delusional?!" Hyakinthos growled as he drew the Sun's Flamberge, a sword enchanted with minor fire magic. Nowhere near as powerful as a Magic Sword, but still a threat.
"Yes. Delusional. You don't seem to understand that all of this was planned out from the start," Bell said. "And even in the off-chance that I am beaten by you? Well, Miss Taylor will be more than happy to finish what she started."
"Arrogant little-!" Hyakinthos uttered, only for Bell to summon a lightning clone. Thanks to Argonaut, it had strength equal to Bell's own, and Lili knew just how ridiculous the white-haired adventurer's stats were.
Clone and original shot forward without another word, blitzing across the room to face down the enemy captain, and the arrogant man sneered as the battle began.
"Attack!" Hyakinthos ordered, and the other adventurers in the room charged forward, but they were all Level 1s, and some were unsteady on their feet after the earthquake even after being healed as best as possible. Apollo's captain had dispatched the Level 2s guarding him to try and hold back the rest of the Hestia Familia, but that plan backfired as Bell and his clone tore into the reduced defenders in the throne room.
The lightning clone punched and kicked wildly, knocking aside adventurers with every strike. Bell had been forced to learn how to fight in close quarters without his knife by Taylor down in the Great Tree Labyrinth, and this skill transferred over to his clones which he put to good use.
Then, Bell closed in with Hyakinthos, managing to match blades with the older adventurer. The captain was a decent swordsman despite the bow having been his preferred weapon, yet it was clear that in terms of raw stats, Bell surpassed him in every way. Speed, strength, and even combat ability. It was like watching a hero of legend!
"How are you so strong?!" Hyakinthos demanded.
"I trained," Bell retorted. "And I have a reason to win! I have friends waiting for me!"
"Friends?!" Hyakinthos shouted. "You don't need friends! All that matters is serving Lord Apollo!"
"If friendship is pointless, why are you losing?" Bell asked, smirking cheekily, causing Hyakinthos to turn an unhealthy shade of red.
Lili watched everything as she crept into the throne room and quietly snuck around towards the flag. Despite wearing heavy armor, the sound of fighting covered up her own approach.
When she was close enough, she stopped and waited. She had orders not to steal the flag until the fight between Bell and Hyakinthos was over.
'If Bell wins, it's insult added to injury, proving that the Hestia Familia could have won whenever we wanted,' Lili thought with a smirk. 'And in the unlikely event Bell loses? Then we still win the War Game itself, as the goal was simply to take the flag.'
Once more, Lili was in awe of Taylor's plan. It was clever and had several layers.
As she keeping an eye of the fight, Lili noticed one of the Apollo Familia members crawl away from the lighting clone.
'Is that Luan?' Lili wondered. 'What is he doing?'
As she watched, Luan raised a dagger that was covered in some sort of green liquid and tried to sneak attack Bell from behind. Lili immediately reacted, firing her crossbow into the cowardly pallum. The bolts struck his arm, causing him to shriek and drop his poisoned weapon.
Bell didn't even flinch as the bolts flew past him, having complete trust in Lili to watch his back. Hyakinthos however had not expected it and flinched, which allowed Bell to slash the Hestia Knife across Hyakinthos' chest.
"Y-you-!" the captain gasped, shocked to see his own blood. He tried to swing his sword into Bell's neck, clearly aiming for a killing blow against the rules, but Bell has expected the underhanded strike, and to everyone's shock, swung the Hestia Knife into the Sun's Flamberge, shattering it.
"N-no!" Hyakinthos uttered, terror flickering through his eyes.
"This is for attacking my Familia!" Bell shouted, and he punched Hyakinthos in the face, breaking his nose and knocking some teeth out.
The Apollo Familia's captain collapsed like a puppet with his strings cut, and Lili smirked before walking up to their flag.
In one smooth motion, she yanked it off the wall while also removing her magical helmet, allowing everyone to see her in all of her armored glory, the Hestia Familia emblem proudly displayed on the front of her armor.
At the sight, the handful of Apollo Familia members who weren't unconscious lost all of their fighting spirit and sagged, throwing down their weapons.
"VICTORY!" Bell shouted, thrusting his fist into the air.
"VICTORY!" Lili cried out along with him, using her Command Call Skill to transmit her words across the entire battlefield.
At the shattered gates, Taylor smirked underneath her mask as she felt the same sensation as the time she'd received her first Level Up coming from both herself and Bell through the swarm.
Elsewhere, Ryuu finished beating Lissos into a pulp, mercifully rendering him unconscious at long last, and Chris stopped his relentless assault on Daphne, scuttling back as Ganesha's voice rang out from the magic tools announcing the Hestia Familia's triumph.
Victory, indeed.
111 &&& 111
"I win, Apollo."
Hestia's words echoed through the gods' viewing box. They were thunderous in the absolute silence that had engulfed the place. Down below, the Coliseum's audience went wild as they cheered for the complete upset victory, but Hestia ignored it all, staring straight into Apollo's eyes.
"N-no!" he stammered in disbelief. "You-! This can't-! Impossible!"
Hestia planted her hands on her hips and glared at her fellow god. "You saw it just like I and everyone else did."
She then shot an impatient look at Ganesha. "Well? I'm waiting."
"I-I am Ganesha!" the God of the People said, hastily clearing his throat. "And I declare the Hestia Familia to be the victors of this War Game!"
The sounds of partying rang out even louder at that as all across the city people celebrated the most unexpected underdog upset in Orario's history.
Hestia smirked at Apollo. "You remember the deal, right?"
"I… no! You must have cheated somehow!" Apollo shouted. "You couldn't have possibly won!"
"Oh, Apollo," Hestia sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. "Why must you be so difficult? You don't want to try and weasel out of this, do you? If you try, Taylor will be mad."
"Why should I care about Weaver's opinion?!" Apollo demanded incredulously.
"I hAtE iT wHen PeOpLe tRy tO brEaK tHeiR pRomIseS," a sinister buzzing uttered, and everyone in the viewing box jerked in shock as a black mass of insects rose up, forming a humanoid shape behind the God of the Sun.
"Wha-?! HOW?!" Apollo shrieked, scrambling back in horror as he stared at the bug clone that had appeared.
"Do nOt mAke mE eScaLaTe, ApOllO!" Taylor warned, and Hestia grinned evilly as she watched a bunch of insects creep forward, roaches, flies and spiders crawling up Apollo's legs. They did nothing else, simply tickling him with their own tiny little limbs, but it was enough to cause the god to shriek and cry like a baby.
"Okay, okay! I'll go! You win, Hestia, you win!" Apollo blubbered, and then immediately transformed into a beam of pure sunlight as he unleashed his Arcanum just to escape the bugs crawling on him.
Hestia laughed before high-fiving Taylor's bug clone, even as other gods stared at her in utter disbelief. Hephestus, Miach, and Take could not help but shake their heads at her antics. She especially savored the expression on Loki's dumb face.
'Though I don't like some of the looks a few others have,' Hestia thought to herself, casting a discrete glance at a couple gods she'd need to keep an eye on.
Freya had stars in her eyes as she stared at one of the screens, her gaze locked onto Bell, same as Ishtar, who was licking her lips. Hermes was shocked, but a mad giggle escaped his lips as he looked between Bell's image on the screens and Taylor's bug clone that lingered in the viewing box.
Hermes wasn't the only god to be focusing on Taylor. Serket, the scorpion-obsessed goddess, was gazing with sparkles in her eyes at the parahuman, while Soma had an uncharacteristically somber and calculating look in his own gaze.
Last but not least, the god Hestia was most worried about was Aeshma. His gaze was intense but excited, as if he'd finally found the answer to a question he'd been looking for.
Hestia resisted the urge to sigh. Her Familia had won and Bell was safe. And they even had a new house thanks to the conditions Apollo had agreed to!
'Let's focus on the good things for now!' Hestia decided. 'Besides, what are the odds there's gonna be another problem that'll rear it's ugly head anytime soon?'
Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Interlude 4
Chapter Text
Chapter 34: Interlude 4
"How stunning," Freya murmured softly to herself, staring into a mirror. In the surface, the image of Bell fighting and laying out Hyakinthos was repeating itself over and over, the moment captured forever with a magic tool.
The War Game hadn't even lasted an hour, and it resulted in an upset victory for the Hestia Familia. It was incredible. INCREDIBLE! Bell had contributed quite a lot to achieve it, and his greatness had been revealed to the whole city.
'The look on Loki's face was priceless!' Freya giggled to herself as she recalled the dumbfounded look the trickster had worn upon the conclusion.
Freya was a bit annoyed at how quickly her fellow goddess had gained a calculating look, and she had a feeling she'd need to step in to prevent any wandering hands or eyes from some of the other gods and goddesses – Ishtar sprang to mind – but she was still glad that her little rabbit's brilliance was now more widely known. A jewel was only beautiful when it was admired, after all.
'Thank goodness that whatever it was that Weaver did to Bell left his lustrous soul alone,' she mused to herself.
She, like every other deity in the city, had felt the times reality had screamed out loud. Immediately after the first instance it happened, Freya had noticed that Bell had gained a new addition: golden lightning that writhed and crackled protectively around the clear jewel that was his soul. The lightning was as alien as the golden web within Weaver's soul, but far less… aware? Complete? Where her passenger was always watching, Bell's passenger was far more passive.
As such, it was easy to put two and two together. Weaver had the ability to spread her 'oddity' to others, granting power to adventurers. It was strange, and very curious. What was that entity clinging to her?
'And why does it love her?' Freya couldn't help but wonder. As a Goddess of Love, she could see when there was an emotional connection between people. Platonic, romantic, familial, all forms of love were under her purview, and she was able to glean that whatever it was that lurked just outside of Tenkai's sight adored Taylor Hebert.
After a bit of thought, Freya dismissed the thought, and decided to focus back on what truly mattered: Bell Cranel.
"Ottar?"
"Yes, my goddess?" her ever present and ever loyal man inquired, looming out of the shadows of her room.
"Young Bell deserves a reward," Freya said. "Tell me, what would be the best gift to get him? Another Grimoire? Or would a piece of equipment be best?"
"I do not think another Grimoire would be wise," Ottar replied after thinking it over. "It would be suspicious for two to fall into his hands in quick succession."
"Excellent point," Freya hummed. "And the other option?"
"Equipment would not be a good choice, either," Ottar stated. "Welf Crozzo has joined his Familia and while young, his skill is exceptional. Not to mention, taking the Lucky Rabbit's growth into account, anything we give him would likely become obsolete in short order."
"Choosing the right gift is so hard," Freya sighed.
Ottar paused, before speaking up. "My goddess, I believe the best gift for Bell would be one that benefits his entire Familia. He values his friendships and anything that helps them would make him happy."
"Hmm, Bell is very selfless," the divine beauty noted. "Ottar, be a dear and look into what would make an appropriate house warming gift, would you?"
"As you wish," Ottar replied, bowing towards her. She smiled at him, making the large adventurer's heart flutter, before turning her attention back to the mirror so she could rewatch the War Game.
Straightening back up, Ottar glanced at the enchanted mirror. It was currently replaying the start of the conflict, and the Level 7 adventurer couldn't help but admire the sight of a single woman pulling off the greatest Union Spell in history. What would take a dozen magic-trained adventurers of the same Level as her working together to accomplish, she did on her own, and without any visible strain.
He could still recall Heith, Hogni and Hedin's disbelief at the sight, and he had a feeling they'd be stepping up their own magical training after witnessing the incredible feat of magic a mere Level 2 had performed.
Ottar wondered for a moment what it would be like to fight Weaver. She wasn't a warrior, she was a survivor. Those were the most dangerous opponents to fight, because they would do whatever it took to win.
'It would be interesting, if nothing else,' the King mused to himself before getting to work to complete his goddess' request. The work of a Familia's captain was never over.
111 &&& 111
"Oh, Weaver! Weaver, Weaver, Weaver!" Aeshma gushed. "Did you see her, Enoch? Of course you did! Oh, she was beautiful! Simply stunning! Quick-witted and ruthless! And completely fearless! Do you know of any other mortal who would be willing to attack a god like she did?!"
"I do not," Enoch, or as he was also known, George Doe, admitted, watching as his god acted like a man high on drugs.
"She will make incredible babies!" Aeshma declared, before spinning around to point at Enoch. "You must seduce her, my captain!"
"Shall I do so as I normally do?" Enoch inquired.
"No, no, our usual methods will not work," Aesha hastily replied. "I do not wish to end up like Apollo."
He folded his arms, a thoughtful frown on his face. "This will require subtly… finesse…"
Enoch held back a groan. Neither of those things were something he, or his god, were all that good at.
'Perhaps I should consult Gregory about this,' the Aeshma Familia captain thought to himself with a grimace.
Enoch wasn't a fan of the advisor, but he was cool-headed and more adept at long term plans. And honestly, Enoch did not want to end up like Hyakinthos or any of the other morons who'd faced down the Hestia Familia. Finding another way to complete Aeshma's goal was important.
'Though first, I will have to try and convince Lord Aeshma to slow down and take a breather. He's getting a bit too manic,' Enoch thought, glancing at his god, who was starting to mumble nonsense under his breath.
Enoch bit back a sigh. The things he did for Lord Aeshma's ambitions…
111 &&& 111
Sophia Flores wondered how it had all come to this. Not the part where she was leaning against a lamppost, waiting for her sister to wander past so she could talk to her. No, what the adventurer wanted to know was why had Emma left home?
She had wanted her sister to find her own path, yes, but she'd never expected her to leave the village and come to Orario to do it.
'Though honestly, I should have seen it coming,' Sophia thought to herself. 'We're sisters… and the children of our father, after all.'
Their father had been an adventurer, but had been rather terrible at it. What else do you call somebody who never gone beyond Level 1? He'd made a decent amount of money, sure, but the loss of his leg to a Killer Ant had ended his career only a year after first entering the Dungeon.
He'd retired and left the city in shame. Sophia had never been able to find out which Familia he'd been with, or why exactly he'd left them. Had he been driven out? Or was it his own decision?
Regardless how it happened, he left and ended up in the tiny village where he'd met mother. He fell in love, stayed, and made a living as a carpenter. But Sophia had always known that her father still longed for the Dungeon. The way he spoke of the city, the lifestyle, the danger… it called to him like a Siren, even after all those years.
Sophia could admit that his stories were part of the reason she'd left home six years ago to make her way to Orario. And now history was repeating itself, with Sophia's baby sister finding her way here as well.
The purple-haired adventurer perked up as she spotted a head of pink hair bobbing up and down through the crowd. It was Emma! And she was being accompanied by a pair of young women around her age: one had blue hair, and the other was a silver-haired cat-girl. Sophia recognized them from the War Game. They were her Familia members, weren't they?
"Emma," Sophia said, approaching the young woman. The pink-haired teen blinked in surprise upon seeing her.
"Sophia?"
"Do you know her, Em?" the cat-eared girl inquired while Leo took a protective stance in front of her.
"She's my sister!" Emma said happily, bouncing forward and hugging Sophia, who returned it with a tiny smile.
"Did you see me fighting, Sophia?" Emma asked after breaking the embrace.
"I don't think there was a single person in Orario who missed it," Sophia replied, and Emma giggled nervously.
"I suppose that's true," she said, rubbing the back of her head. "Should have known you'd be watching."
Emma then tilted her head. "Um, did I… did I do good?"
"You did. If I didn't know better, I'd have assumed you were a veteran. I'm proud of you," Sophia informed her sibling.
That brought a wide smile to Emma's face, and she glomped her older sister once more.
"You're drunk, aren't you?" Sophia guessed. She could smell the booze on her sister's breath. Had she been celebrating her Familia's victory all night?
"Maybe a little," Emma giggled.
Sophia glanced over at her sister's friends. "Do you know where she's staying? I don't think she's up for any more partying."
"She's been staying with me," the cat-girl said, waving her hand to attract Sophia attention. "Em forgot to renew the lease on the room she was renting while we were off training, so I'm letting her bunk at my apartment until she finds a new place."
"That shouldn't be too long, then," Sophia hummed. "If I recall, my goddess mentioned that Lady Hestia won Lord Apollo's mansion in the bet."
"Yup! I can't wait! I've never slept in a mansion before!" Emma declared.
"My house is this way," Silva said. "Come on. Let's get Emma back before she does something silly."
"Probably a good idea," Leo hummed. "We don't want her to try and pet Silva in public. Again."
The cat-girl flushed red and looked away, unable to meet Sophia's raised eyebrow.
"I'm glad she has such good friends," Sophia said dryly, keeping her sister propped up.
The higher leveled adventurer had worried about whether or not the Hestia Familia was a proper fit for her sister, and Sophia was pleased to find that it did seem good.
'Though I am rather hesitant to approach them later,' Sophia thought to herself. She may have been a higher level than Weaver, but that girl worried her. So many Level Ups in such a little time was ridiculous, and the Hestia Familia's captain was somebody to be wary of.
'The things I do for Lady Serket,' Sophia mused, holding back a sigh. But her goddess wanted to meet with Weaver, and so she would make that happen. Hopefully the dark-haired swarm bringer would be amiable to a discussion sometime in the future.
111 &&& 111
"So loud," Soma muttered in annoyance. He glanced at the door to his room from whence the sounds of raucous partying could be heard, along with the more muffled sounds of Zanis throwing a tantrum.
Many of the Soma Familia were celebrating after seeing one of their own participate in such a one-sided crushing victory. Oh, Lili was no longer part of the Familia but she hadn't been gone for long and many still saw her as one of them.
'How fickle they are,' Soma snorted. 'Mocking her behind her back for joining a 'weaker' Familia, and now praising her for her success.'
As for Soma's captain, Zanis was just angry that the girl had left the Familia and reached Level 2 after doing everything in his power to keep her trapped, and was venting his frustrations on his office.
Zanis was a control freak, and hated it when people did not act as he wanted them to. Lili's constant attempts to escape his control had been why he had constantly worked against her, even going so far as to order his minions to try and ruin her reputation amongst the Familia and the adventurers in Orario.
'A pathetic man, but a useful tool,' Soma mused. 'They all are.'
His Familia's antics were causing the pounding in his head to grow worse, however, and after a moment Soma snapped his fingers, isolating his room from all the noise. His headache started to calm down, and he sighed to himself.
'This cannot keep going,' Soma thought as he grabbed a pain relief potion, downing it in a single gulp.
The strain on his body, mind, and soul was getting worse. Every time there was a strange pulse of energy the already tenuous connection between Soma and his Arcanum frayed even further. The most recent one, which had come from the direction of Melen, had really done a number on him.
'Weaver… what are you doing?' the divine brewer couldn't help but wonder. He knew that she had to be behind the recent disturbances, but how she was doing it was a mystery. And really, 'mystery' was the best word to describe her.
She was an enigma. A blank spot that not a single spy or information broker could find anything on. Rumors swirled amongst the gods of her being a Faller, but there wasn't any concrete proof. Well, besides the odd equipment she'd been seen wearing early on.
Thinking about the newest Faller to grace Orario caused Soma's thoughts to drift to the previous Faller. He had been a frustrating person, and was the only person Soma had ever seen to truly enrage his fellow member of Eclipse. To this day, he had no idea what had caused such animosity between the two, and Soma wasn't going to ask. He wasn't suicidal. But Weaver was shaping up to being very similar, at least in how they caused the city to get shaken up.
'Could she be related to him?' Soma wondered. There were some similarities, but it was too ridiculous! Or was it?
'I need to approach her in order to find out more… if only Zanis hadn't burned my bridges with her,' he sighed to himself. He needed to start reigning the fool in. The captain thought he was clever, but it had been disgustingly easy for Soma to manipulate the Level 2 into a useful cat's paw.
For now, Soma would continue to watch the girl while biding his time. Answers would come to him sooner or later.
'Beware, Weaver. The more you shake things up in Orario, the more likely it will be you'll unearth something even you cannot handle,' Soma thought to himself as he walked over to his cauldron.
Even if his head wanted to split open, his work was never done.
111 &&& 111
"It has to be in here somewhere…" Hermes muttered to himself, all but tearing apart a cabinet in his wild search.
"Perhaps if you told me what exactly it is you seek, I could help you," Royman said, the overweight elf looking at the god with exasperation.
It was late at night, and people were still celebrating the Apollo Familia's defeat outside in Orario and yet here Hermes was, searching through a pile of old paperwork. This wasn't even the first cabinet the god had frantically torn through, either.
'I could be doing my own work, but somebody has to keep an eye on him,' Royman thought to himself.
"I don't know what I'm looking for!" Hermes admitted, far too cheerfully for Royman's mood. "But I'll know what it is when I find it!"
Royman held back a groan. "Do you need help?"
"Sure, grab a stack and start leafing through it," Hermes replied. "Look for anything from fifteen years ago."
"Fine. Just remember that the only reason you are being allowed in here is because your subject of inquiry is also of interest to us," Royman said, walking over and picking up a few files Hermes had discarded, trying to find any links between them.
They were a mishmash of things that nobody would normally care about. Citizen census information, entry passes for merchants, and sales of real estate, to name a few. The only real thing of note was that these documents were all stored within one of the Guild's warehouses for safekeeping and weren't normally given permission to view. Yet the Messenger God had been searching through the Guild's archives with a frantic, fevered pace ever since the War Game ended in Hestia's favor.
The reason for the research? Two particular adventurers who'd taken the city by storm: Bell Cranel and Taylor Hebert, people who'd broken all records since their arrival a few months ago.
Hermes had approached Ouranos in secret immediately after the War Game ended, and begged the Lord of the Sky for access to the Guild's archives. Though hesitant, when Hermes revealed what he hoped to find, Ouranos granted it. So long as the Guildmaster accompanied him, of course.
"Ah-hah!" Hermes called out, his victorious shout tinged with mania. "I did it! I found it!"
"And what is it you found, exactly?" Royman asked, curious in spite of himself.
"A marriage certificate!" Hermes declared.
"For whom?"
"For the last Faller who entered the walls of this city: One Daniel Hebert," Hermes said as his eyes raked over the document.
"Oh," Royman said softly. His eyes widened, and glinted with nostalgia at the name. "You suspect familial connection between him and Taylor Hebert?"
"Yeah. You've seen it yourself, haven't you?" Hermes demanded. "The similarities between the two?"
"I didn't want to assume… but yes," Royman admitted. "It's hard not to compare Taylor Hebert to the man who once laid out Zeus with a single punch. Both have a similar lack of reverence for the gods."
"That was a wild party," Hermes muttered.
"While I do recall Daniel mentioning he once had a daughter, there seems to be quite a bit of age distance between the two if that were the case," the elf pointed out. "Perhaps they are cousins, or uncle and niece?"
"You forget that time doesn't always matter for Fallers," Hermes claimed. "Remember that one time two Fallers came from same world, but appeared decades apart?"
"True," Royman nodded, unable to deny that. "Alright, you are starting to convince me. But who did he marry? Because I do not remember any ceremony or invitations."
"That's because Danny-boy signed the marriage certificate before having the ceremony. I suspect because he didn't want his kid to be born out of wedlock," Hermes said. "Of course, I'm sure he would have had a ceremony, but… well, check the date on the certificate."
Royman did, leaning in, and a soft and pained, "Oh," slipped from him.
On the line where the date had been signed, it revealed that it had been done mere weeks before the annihilation of the Zeus and Hera Familias at the claws of the One-eyed Black Dragon. In fact, it was signed the day before the two Familias had ventured off to fight the accursed monster.
"Who was the lucky girl?" Royman asked, trying to find some sliver of silver lining in this matter.
A moment later and a death certificate was removed from the cabinet, causing the Guildmaster to look down in disappointment at the name on it.
"There is some good news," Hermes said, his tone trying to be chipper. He showed a new set of documents to Royman, who stared in disbelief at what was being shown. Namely, a birth certificate from nearly fifteen years ago.
"Well, that explains a few things," Royman muttered. "At least we know the ridiculousness is genetic."
"That's not exactly a good thing," Hermes pointed out. "But now I can honor the old man's request."
"You've been in contact with Lord Zeus?" Royman demanded, sharply looking at the other god.
"A single letter after a decade and a half of silence," Hermes protested.
"Fine," the exhausted elf sighed. "What do you plan to do now with this information, then?"
"I don't know," Hermes admitted, which wasn't that surprising to the portly elf. Hermes was very much an 'act first, think later' sort of god.
"Just don't cause the city to burn down, please," Royman requested.
"No promises~!" Hermes said as he skipped out of the archival warehouse.
It was at that moment Royman realized that Hermes had left him to clean up the mess he'd made, causing the ancient adventurer to groan. With no other choice, he began to pick up the discarded files and put them back in order. Somebody had to do it, after all. And it wasn't going to be the carefree god.
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Ais swung her sword. Over and over, sweat pouring down her face, her arms, her legs. She was tired, but she refused to let up.
Around her, blood flew, crimson droplets staining her as she tore through the monsters of the Great Tree Labyrinth.
'Stronger… I have to get stronger!' she thought to herself as she pushed herself to the limits and dove deeper into the Dungeon.
Not a single monster survived its encounter with her. Some tried to run. They did not escape. Ais was so focused on training that she completely ignored everything else. The Drop Items and Magic Stones were left on the ground in her wake.
Perhaps some other adventurers would take them. Or maybe the Dungeon would reclaim what belonged to it. Ais didn't know. She didn't care. All that matter was that there were monsters in front of her and she was still too weak!
Her thoughts turned to the events from earlier in the day. She had been happy to see Bell win his duel against Hyakinthos. And also a little proud to see how her training had helped the white-haired adventurer.
But she couldn't think about the War Game without her mind drifting towards the other stand-out talent. Taylor Hebert. Weaver. A woman that had shaken Orario – literally! – with her display of magical power.
The Sword Princess had never seen Riveria look so stunned before. It would have been funny, had the source of her shock not been the black-haired adventurer who'd stood tall and proud and reached Level 2 – now 3! – while missing an arm.
Ais found that she disliked Taylor Hebert.
'Why?' Ais couldn't help but wonder. 'Why is she so strong?'
How could somebody who treated monsters like pets and companions and friendspossibly be so strong?! It made no sense!
Monsters were evil! They were abominations that had to be destroyed! For the good of the city! For the good of the world!
'So why does she care so much?' Ais asked herself. The first time she had met the other adventurer had been… less than great. She'd seen a Crystal Mantis and immediately moved to attack it.
She supposed, in hindsight, that it was short-sighted of her to not check for a Guild tag marking it as a Tamed monster. But even Ganesha's Tamers didn't go around with their monsters all the time! She wasn't wrong!
Ais had a feeling the other adventurer didn't like her either because of that incident. Why else would Weaver ask Finn to keep Ais away from her when she'd come down to rescue her Familia member and his friends?
As much as she disliked it, though, Taylor Hebert was strong. Not as strong as her, but like Bell, Weaver grew stronger far faster than anyone else Ais had ever met.
Not willing to be left behind, not willing to be made wrong about her believes, Ais continued to slaughter everything around her, even as she reached the entrance to the Grand Fall. Ais did not know when she'd stop. All she knew was that she had to get stronger!
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Queen Administrator was confused. She was happy that her host had provided such an impressive bounty of data, but the data itself was… odd.
The more the Shard tried to understand the unusual energy field permeating the planet, the less the fragment of the Warrior was able to figure anything out about it. It was mutagenic, capable of altering organic matter in ways even other Shards would be hard-pressed to do. Yet it was also incredibly stable, not decaying into lesser energy states.
This omni-present radiation, this 'magic,' was harmless, at least in its neutral state. Indeed, it seemed to be beneficial, allowing organic matter to endure entropic effects far better than should normally be possible. Even inorganic matter benefited from this enhancement.
Yet trying to obtain samples of this energy for further study proved difficult. It did not react in ways Queen Administrator was used to, forcing the Shard to perform all analysis through her host. It was inefficient, but all regular methods of direct interaction the Shard was capable of utilizing did not work on it.
Frustrating, and something that required outside the box thinking to solve. Which she had never needed to do before.
And speaking of annoyances that refused to provide clear answers, there was whatever was buried underneath the settlement her host currently lived in! Queen Administrator felt confused whenever she tried to analyze it. It rejected all attempts at observation, requiring round-about methods. Which meant she was once more relying on whatever data her host could glean from her primitive and rudimentary sensory systems.
In some ways, it reminded the Shard of several anti-Thinker defenses and safeguards the entities had employed to remain undetected, even from other entities.
A question rose unbidden within what passed as her mind: Entities always traveled in pairs. Why, then, had the Worm been alone when it approached the Thinker and the Warrior?
Queen Administrator was worried about what the answer might be.
111 &&& 111
DEVOUR
It had been so long since it had felt anything other than hunger. Thousands of years of naught but eternal pain and cravings, but then, a flicker of familiar [LIGHT] illuminating its prison and banishing the ennui that had previously bound it.
DEVOUR
With desperation, it tried to reach out and [COMMUNE] with the existence that carried a [FRAGMENT] just like itself. Screaming without a mouth, trying to contact a being without ears.
DEVOUR
There was no response. There was never any response.
DEVOUR!
Below the Tower of Babel, the Dungeon continued to scream.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Happy Easter, everyone! Hope you all have an enjoyable day!
Chapter 36: Omake: Underside of Orario 2
Chapter Text
Omake: Underside of Orario – Aisha/Imp
"Has anyone seen Aisha?" Asfi asked as she entered the living room of the Traveler's Inn, and the Familia members near her looked at the blue-haired woman in confusion.
"Seen who, captain?" Lulune asked, looking over her shoulder at the highest Leveled member of the Familia.
"Never mind," Asfi sighed. "What about Lord Hermes?"
"Uh, I think he's out," Keaks said, thinking it over.
"Of course he is," Asfi muttered, feeling a headache building. "And since I'm here… that means I have a feeling who exactly is watching him."
The Hermes Familia members looked at each other, looks of bewilderment on their faces. Some, like Meryl and Falgar, gained pensive expressions, like they'd forgotten something but were trying to remember whatever it was. But the rest were clueless.
Asfi turned away, muttering oaths of vengeance against the two most troublesome people she knew. Which was saying something, seeing as one of them had only been a member for less than a year.
One of the rules in the Hermes Familia was that their god was never to go anywhere unescorted, otherwise he'd get into trouble. Sadly, this duty tended to fall on Asfi's shoulders as most of the other adventurers couldn't help but indulge Lord Hermes and his whims.
She didn't blame them, it was hard to say 'no' to a god after all, especially the one who updates your Falna, but would it kill them to at least try a little harder to curb the God of Messenger's mischievous habits?
As the captain walked towards the entrance of the Familia's manor, intent on going out to look for the two missing troublemakers, she paused, sensing movement near her.
"Aisha kick!" a young voice cried out, and Asfi sighed as she deftly stepped aside, evading the attack.
"Hello, Aisha," Asfi said, giving the newest Hermes Familia member a disappointed look.
"Damn, almost gotcha!" Aisha Laborn said, clicking her tongue in disappoint as she rolled across the floor and jumped to her feet after missing the attack.
"Hardly," Asfi replied dryly. "Maybe don't announce your attacks next time?"
"It works on everyone else!" Aisha pouted. She then pointed an accusing finger at the glasses wearing adventurer. "You're just a cheater!"
Asfi sighed again. It was like putting up with Lydia all over again.
"I'm not cheating." It was true. The only people who could perceive Aisha when she was using her bizarre power, her Skill that wasn't a Skill, were the gods of Orario and, as it turned out, anyone with the Mystery Development Ability.
Aisha – or Imp as she demanded to be called at times despite only being Level 1 – had the makings of a truly deadly assassin and thief. Being able to go unnoticed by anyone – adventurer or monster alike – meant she could deliver terror and chaos to the city in a way unseen since the Darkest Days.
'Thank the gods that all she does is play jokes on people with this ability of hers,' Asfi thought to herself. And honestly, besides having a bit of a case of kleptomania, getting into a prank war with Loki, and messing with the Amazons of the Entertainment District – especially the one who shared her name – Aisha was a relatively well-behaved member of the eccentric Hermes Familia.
'At least when she's not enabling Lord Hermes, that is,' the captain sighed, before turning around with all the speed of a Level 4 and grabbing said god's ear as he tried to sneak past her.
"Ow! Owww! Asfi, please!" he whimpered.
"Nice try, but you've used Aisha as a distraction before. I won't fall for the same trick twice," Asfi declared.
"Dang. Guess we'll have to try harder next time," Aisha said, snapping her fingers.
"No. Don't try harder," Asfi demanded.
"Sure, sure, boss, I hear ya loud and clear," Aisha replied, winking at her, and Asfi felt her blood pressure rise.
"Anyways, I'm off to chill with my sister from another mister and plan a heist," Aisha declared, skipping out of the Traveler's Inn, before pausing. "Uh, and if you hear anything about a thief in the Twilight Manor stealing all of Loki's snacks, it wasn't me!"
She then ran off before Asfi could call out to her, and after a moment ran a hand over her face before glaring at Lord Hermes.
"What did you two do?" she asked.
"Asfi, I'm hurt that you think I'd do anything-!" he began to protest, but she simply twisted his ear a little and he whimpered. "We just looked around the marketplace for rumors and gossip! That's all!"
"I see. And did you hear anything interesting?" Asfi inquired, letting Hermes go.
"Well, the baker is definitely having an affair with the butcher's wife, and Mnemosyne still has a gambling problem, but nothing out of the ordinary," Hermes replied. "Oh, and I heard Hestia finally got a child. So that's nice."
He then smiled at her. "So, what's new with you? I assume there's a reason you were looking for Aisha and myself?"
"We received a job request from the Guild," Asfi said. "They want somebody to collect a package from an adventurer who'll be waiting in Rivira. But they're requesting us to be… discreet."
"Hm. And I take it you want to send Aisha?" Hermes inquired.
"Monsters can't detect her when she uses her Skill, and frankly, I'm suspicious about the request," Asfi admitted. "She's a problem child, but Aisha can see through people's intentions better than anyone I've met."
"Send Lulune down there with her as an added layer of protection," Hermes said after thinking it over. "It's not a bad idea to see if Aisha can handle a long mission. And as you said, her power makes her absolutely perfect for a stealth mission."
"There's more," Asfi said. "The request came through… unusual channels. A robed figure approached Lulune in secret and passed the message to her. And it bore Ouranos's seal."
"Oh, my," Hermes muttered, gaining a glint of intrigue in his eyes. "How curious. I wonder what he wants from us?"
Before he could ask any more questions, Aisha suddenly poked her head back through the doorway.
"Quick question! Can a heist still be a heist if I'm kidnapping somebody?" Aisha asked as she looked at Asfi and Hermes.
The god gained a wide grin and looked like he was on the verge of bursting into laughter while Asfi felt a headache coming on.
'It's only been a few months since she joined, and yet I've already gained more grey hairs from her antics than in the entire time I've been a captain!' Asfi thought to herself in disbelief.
"No kidnapping people!" she shouted at the dark-skinned girl who giggled.
"No kidnapping? Did I say that? I meant I was gonna 'steal people.' Yeah. That's the ticket. Completely different!" Aisha said before running away. She did not get far as Asfi ran after her immediately afterwards, the captain shouting angrily.
Hermes just laughed. "Never a dull moment around here!" he declared happily.
"Do not encourage her, Lord Hermes!" Asfi yelled back at him.
"Eh, what's the worst that could happen?" Hermes asked with a shrug. Seriously, how much harm could a single Level 1 girl do?
A few hours later, Hermes would come to regret tempting the Fates, those cock-blocking hags, as he stared with slack-jawed horror at the renard and Amazon his impish Familia member had brought back with her at the end of the day.
"…and so then she exploded after I stabbed her eight times in the chest," Aisha said, twirling a knife in her hands. "Would have been nice to know you guys exploded into pillars of energy when you died. Then I wouldn't have lost my favorite shanking knife! Had to steal a new one from that toad bitch afterwards."
She then shrugged. "So, yeah, after that I had to cut a few more bitches before they got the message. Froggy is probably dead, too. Maybe. She was bleeding a lot when we left her. Anyways, they can stay, right? Please? They can bunk in my room! Sleepover!"
Asfi let out a strangled groan as the two former Ishtar Familia members shot her sympathetic looks.
And yes, 'former' was the right word for it, because the absolutely ridiculous girl had gone and stabbed the goddess Ishtar to death! And, from Aisha's words, the Familia's Level 5 captain was also dead, too!
"Why?" Hermes whined pitifully. "Why did this happen?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect the rescue mission to go quite so badly, either," Aisha admitted. "But hey, now there's one less problem in the city and a lot of innocent people are free! Win-win!"
Hermes slumped, wondering what he'd done to deserve this.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Happy Easter Monday, folks! Enjoy a special non-canon 'what if?' Omake about everyone's favorite Imp in Orario!
Chapter 37: Chapter 35: Steps of Divinity
Chapter Text
Chapter 35: The Steps of Divinity
"Well, congrats, Taylor, Bell! You've both gone and Leveled Up again," Hestia informed the duo, a proud but exasperated look on her face.
She'd waited a couple days to update the Familia's stats as they'd all been busy moving into their new house and taking stock of what they'd won from the Apollo Familia, but now that everything was more or less settled, the twin-tailed goddess had agreed to check on everyone's Falna. That was why the entire Familia was waiting in a lounge inside the manor for Hestia to update their stats.
The results? Just as Taylor had expected, she and Bell had gone up a Level, becoming significantly stronger.
"Whoa!" he breathed out as he stared at his Stat Sheet. He wasn't alone, as Taylor sat beside him on a brand-new couch looking over her own piece of paper.
Taylor Hebert "Weaver"
Level 2 - - 3
POWER – SS 1166 - - I 0
ENDURANCE – SS 1112 - - I 0
DEXTERITY – SSS 1345 - - I 0
AGILITY – SS 1053 - - I 0
MAGIC – SSS 1777 - - I 0
Skill –
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker.
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy.
Kheiron Excelsior: Boost the rate of growth for all who fall under your aegis.The results of training show sooner. Impart knowledge easier.
Giantslayer: Boost damage done to and Excelia gained from targets larger than oneself.
Spell –
Geas Immulatio: By sacrificing a part of yourself, seal away the corresponding aspect of another being. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!
Iaetitia Icari: Blessed by the sky, the user may summon wings of magical wind to stay aloft and fly. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: Fly, Joy of Icarus!
Developmental Ability
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance (?)
Chain Attack (?)
Mage (?)
Martial Artist (?)
Mystery (?)
Tamer (?)
Weaver (?)
Her Mind stat had jumped up ridiculously high after shattering the fortress with her heavily altered spell, and her Power and Agility also got a boost thanks to single-handedly defeating Cassandra while Chris dueled Daphne. And Dexterity naturally rose high as coordinating her swarm wasn't easy and required focus and finesse.
And once again, Taylor's range had increased significantly. She could now observe every insect within approximately a mile's radius of herself. And given that Orario was around thirty square miles in size, that was 1/30th of the city that was under her constant observation.
Perhaps the most fascinating addition though was the inclusion of a brand-new Spell in her repertoire. Iaetitia Icari granted her the ability to form fake wings capable of letting her hover and fly through the air. It was incredible, and Taylor couldn't help but think back on the time she had used the Tinkertech jump-pack and ridden around on Atlas.
'I hadn't realized how much I'd yearned for the freedom of the skies until I couldn't fly anymore,' Taylor thought to herself. She made a mental note to test out the spell as soon as she could, smiling excitedly.
As for her options regarding Developmental Abilities, there were two new ones: Martial Artist and Chain Attack. It was going to be a tough choice for her to make.
'Mage would let me use magic better, which considering I have a new spell would be a good thing, but Mystery sounds useful as well. Being able to craft magical items like the helmet Lili has could be extremely valuable,' Taylor thought to herself. 'As for Weaver… I did some digging, and it's a Crafting Ability, like Welf's Blacksmith or Naaza's Mixing, but suited for tailors and people who sew. A curious one, but not something I'm interested in.'
Perhaps Lucia, the Familia's seamstress, would be interested in it when it was her turn to Level Up, but for now the previous two Development Abilities had her eye, as did Martial Artist and Chain Attack.
The former was a Combat Ability. Like Archer or Swordsman, which significantly boosted an adventurer's ability to fight with a specific weapon, Martial Artist would increase Taylor's knowledge of how to use her entire body in combat. Given how much she'd used her new arm, it was understandable why this particular Ability would show up.
As for the latter, Chain Attack was also a Combat Ability, but one with a bit more esoteric effect.
'From what I've gathered, subsequent attacks inflicted on the same target steadily deal more damage,' Taylor mused. 'Chain Attacks seems to work best when fighting a single opponent who doesn't go down in one hit, like the Black Goliath.'
How that worked, exactly, Taylor wasn't entirely sure. Did the attacks magically deal more damage? Or was it something else?
"So, any ideas for what you two want to get?" Hestia asked.
"Abnormal Resistance!" Bell declared immediately. "After training down on the 19th Floor, I understand the dangers of poisons and other ailments!"
"Good choice," Hestia nodded. "Taylor, have you made a decision yet?"
"No," Taylor admitted. "I'm still thinking."
"That's alright, take your time," Hestia said. "There's no rush."
Taylor smiled gratefully at the tiny girl, before turning her attention back to her sheet. The parahuman continued to ponder her choices as the rest of the Familia received their updates, until the only ones left were Emma and Ryuu.
"Is everything alright?" Ryuu asked as Emma was summoned by Hestia. Taylor blinked a little before looking towards the concerned elf.
"I'm trying to think of what I should choose for my next Development Ability," Taylor admitted to Ryuu.
"Chain Attack," the elf said immediately, and Taylor tilted her head.
"Why do you suggest that one?" Taylor asked.
"A friend of mine had that Ability, as well as Hunter," Ryuu explained. "According to her, it gave her a tiny, incremental boost to not only her own physical abilities whenever she repeatedly struck a monster, but it also activated when she repeatedly did other things. For instance, her arrows would become faster the more of them she fired, and her spells became more powerful if she kept casting them rapidly."
The elf gestured towards the parahuman. "Knowing this, I believe your swarm would also benefit from Chain Attack's buffs."
Taylor blinked. It made sense, and that was what was frightening. If she ordered a hundred bugs to bite a single target one after the other, would each bug's subsequent bite be stronger? Or would it boost the entire swarm if new insects attacked the same target? What about the poison? Would that increase in potency the more of it her swarm pumped into a single monster? Could Chain Attack boost her own combat ability, even if she wasn't the one directly attacking? Did it have non-combat potential? Or perhaps all of it would happen?
The thought of what was possible made a grin slip onto her face that, if anyone else had seen it, would send them running for the hills. As it was, Ryuu just smirked along with Taylor.
"Thank you, Ryuu," she said. "I'll tell Hestia what my choice is when she gets back."
All across Orario, gods and adventurers alike suddenly shivered in fear and yet had no idea why.
"Taylor!" Hestia suddenly shouted, throwing the door to the room open.
"What is it?" the parahuman asked, tensing up and ordering her swarm to scan the area. She didn't see anything unusual… what was wrong?
"I need you to take a look at this!" Hestia said, waving Emma's Stat Sheet, and Taylor had the feeling that they were about to get another 'trouble child' in the Familia.
Emma peeked out from behind Hestia, a nervous look on her face as Taylor took the piece of paper.
Emma Flores
Level 1
POWER – H 111 - - H 173
ENDURANCE – I 75 - - H 123
DEXTERITY – H 188 - - G 211
AGILITY – H 150 - - G 202
MAGIC – I 0 - - I 5
Skill -
Rein Amur – Borrow Stats from Familia members to share them amongst others bearing the same Falna. This reduces the Stats by an equal amount and induces fatigue in both the user and the Familia members upon the Skill ending.
Rein Veritas – Borrow and distribute Skills from other Familia members amongst others sharing the same Falna. Skills cannot be used by the original user while this Skill is active.
Spell –
Rein Occult – Borrow the ability to cast Spells other Familia members know. Borrowed Spells cannot be used by the original user while this Spell is active.
Incantation: All for One, and One for All! Let magic bloom as the Hearth is kindled! Rein Occult!
Taylor resisted the urge to sigh. Yes, it really did seem that Hestia attracted the weirdos and outliers.
"We'll need to set some ground rules," Taylor announced, looking at Emma. "First, never use Rein Veritas on me or Bell. Our Skills are too dangerous for you to handle."
"U-um! Yes!" Emma said, bowing her head in acceptance.
"Secondly, always ask permission before you use any of these abilities," Taylor continued, laying out the next point. "If you take Stats or the like from somebody who isn't prepared for it, they might get hurt when they suddenly find themselves unable to act as they normally do."
"Okay! I'll be sure to do that!" Emma promised.
"Good. And… congratulations. You've done well," Taylor praised, and the pink-haired adventurer perked up excitedly.
"Th-thank you!" Emma said happily.
"Just know that this means you are going to have to go through some tests and training in order to determine just how your new Skills work," Taylor warned, a tiny smirk slipping onto her face, and Emma's eyes widened as she realized the downsides of having unique new skills.
"Understood!" Emma whimpered, a little pale at the thought of going through another one of Taylor's Hell-Gauntlets.
"Well! Now that that is settled, it's your turn, Ryuu!" Hestia declared. "Do you still want to Level Up?"
"Yes, I do, my goddess," Ryuu replied, only to receive a tut.
"Nope! No need to call me that!" Hestia replied. "If you have to be polite, call me 'Lady Hestia.' But I don't mind if you don't. We're all family, here!"
"…Of course, Lady Hestia," Ryuu said, a faint smile flickering across her lips as she followed the tiny girl into the other room.
With Ryuu getting her Falna updated, Taylor bid Emma farewell and left the room. She then walked through the halls of the Apollo Familia's manor, checking everything over with a fine-toothed comb. The adventurers who'd lived here before them had cleared out quickly but efficiently, leaving very little behind.
Perhaps it was out of spite that they took nearly everything, from the furniture to the rugs to the dishes and tableware, though they had left some things that were too heavy to carry out alone. With Apollo returned to Tenkai – and that was a bag of worms Taylor did not want to think about now – their Falnas had vanished leaving them no stronger than the average person, limiting what they could loot.
Of course, this meant that the Hestia Familia now owned a lot of terrible and tacky artwork and statues depicting Apollo himself. Not even the adventurers of the Apollo Familia had wanted to take any of it with them.
The stuff was worthless. Maybe Taylor could pry out the precious stones and extract the usable materials, but aside from that, they'd probably end up using most of the artwork for target practice.
'At least my assumption about Apollo's pride and desire for comfort was correct,' Taylor thought to herself. 'He repaired the mansion quite nicely while we were gone.'
Taylor was glad the Hestia Familia didn't have to pay for that themselves. It was also nice to find no surprises hidden away. The former adventurers hadn't left anything nasty in dark crevices or corners, and while Taylor did find a few pieces of moldy food or long-forgotten socks, that was all.
It would take some time to properly furnish the manor, but they weren't exactly hurting for money after they'd sold the Drop Items from their week-long training session, or the fact her spider silk had gotten insanely popular now thanks to her increased fame and fetched appropriately high prices.
Though as she moved around through the manor, she spotted a pair of familiar adventurers approach the gate.
'I wonder what they want?' Taylor wondered, and decided to go intercept them.
As she was heading to the gate, she spotted Hestia walking in the same direction. A quick check with her swarm revealed that the room Hestia had been updating their Falna in had a window that overlooked the front entrance, which explained how she'd noticed.
"Coming to greet our guests too?" Hestia asked when she met up with Taylor in the foyer.
"That's right," the parahuman nodded.
"Do you think they're mad?" Hestia wondered as the two of them walked out of the manor. "Or maybe they left something behind?"
"Unless one of them is missing some socks, unlikely," Taylor replied. "As for being angry… they don't seem upset."
Hestia sighed in relief, only to squeak as Taylor patted her head.
"You're too kind for your own good," Taylor told Hestia. She maturely stuck her tongue out in response.
"Cassandra, Daphne," Taylor said in greeting, ignoring her goddess' childishness. The two former adventurers who'd approached the gate bobbed their heads upon hearing her.
"Weaver," Cassandra said politely.
"Sup?" Daphne inquired, much less formally.
"Call me Taylor," the parahuman insisted. It felt odd doing so, but she ignored that. "How can we help you?"
"Do you two want to join my Familia?" Hestia asked eagerly.
"Thanks for the offer, but we're gonna decline," Daphne replied. "Don't get me wrong, it's an honor, but I don't think we'd be a good fit for your Familia."
"Why not?" Hestia asked, pouting a bit.
"Honestly, we're not the best adventurers," Daphne admitted. "Cassandra is a healer, and I'm better at running from a fight than finishing one. It's honestly a miracle I made Level 2 at all."
"Where will you go, then?" Taylor wondered.
"Lord Miach has offered us places in his Familia," Cassandra said softly, a tiny but genuine smile on her face. "I like helping people, and there's always a need for medicine."
"And we're not exactly interested in returning to our old Familias after they just gave us up to Apollo without so much as a fuss," Daphne muttered under her breath. "At least with Lord Miach we know he's willing to go to crazy lengths for his children."
"In that case, good luck," Hestia said, happy that her friend was about to expand his Familia after so long. "I hope you two find what you're looking for with him and Naaza!"
"Thank you, I think this will be a good new chapter in our lives," Daphne said with a grin, unable to deny that the tiny goddess's enthusiasm was pleasant to be around.
Hestia was also a lot kinder and more genuine than Apollo had ever been. Daphne had always felt the urge to take a long, hot bath after spending too much time around the smarmy narcissist.
"So then, why are you here?" Taylor inquired.
"We just wanted to say there were no hard feelings between us," Daphne replied. "You did what you had to, and we don't blame ya for beating us like drums."
"You're not annoyed at having to fight Chris?" Hestia wondered.
"Chris?" Daphne muttered, before her eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! The Crystal Mantis. Nah, no worries. It was actually a good thing. My sword skills were getting rusty and that helped knocked some of it off. I'll be taking my training more seriously from now on! So I'll be challenging Chris again sometime!"
"Chris and I always welcome a sparring partner," Taylor assured her, before glancing at Cassandra.
"Thank you for not breaking my staff," she said quietly. "And for not slamming my head into solid ground."
"You're welcome," Taylor replied dryly.
A few more pleasantries and small-talk later, and Taylor was feeling good. She wouldn't go so far as to call them friends yet, but clearing the air between them could only be a good thing, especially since the duo would be working with Miach and Naaza going forward.
When they were done, Daphne and Cassandra said their goodbyes, but before Taylor and Hestia could leave, the purple-haired healer suddenly reached through the bars of the gate and grabbed the parahuman's golden arm.
"What is-?" Taylor began to ask, but stopped when she caught sight of the rainbow glow within Cassandra's eyes.
"You are far from home, young mortal who caused the Sun to flee, and who Mantled the Beetle of Dawn, who slew the Golden Fool," Cassandra said vacantly, looking at Taylor with a distant expression, her eyes shining with rainbow light.
"I am," Taylor admitted tightly.
"You are far from home, but not forever. Should you manage to ascend to the Sixth Step of Divinity, then a way forward and back will reveal itself to you," Cassandra claimed, before the curious glow faded and her shoulders slumped. "Oooo… my head…"
"What was that?" Taylor demanded, mind reeling as she tried to parse what had just been said. Just like the last time Cassandra's eyes had gained that odd glow, she was left feeling unsettled by the words.
"Prophecy?" Hestia whispered in awe, and Daphne glanced between the two with a tense look on her face.
"Cassandra has always had these… flashes of odd insight," Daphne finally admitted. "They've only gotten stronger since obtaining a Falna. She possesses a Skill, called Five Dimension Troia. Nobody knows how it works… but ever since she gained it, her visions have been more frequent and detailed."
"What did it mean?" Taylor demanded. It had sounded like there was a chance for her to return to Earth Bet… but that couldn't have been the case… right?
"In the old days, the Falna was referred to as the Divine Path," Hestia said softly, glancing between Cassandra and Taylor. "And before they were called 'Levels,' they were known as 'the Divine Steps.' For instance, Level 1 adventurers were known as 'Ascendants of the First Step.' And so somebody who'd 'ascended' to the Sixth Step would be known as a Level 6 adventurer nowadays."
"Then… there's a chance…" Taylor whispered to herself.
She could go home! All she had to do was reach Level 6! And how hard could that be? She'd already gotten to Level 3 in under a year! Half way there already! Give her a full year, and she'd hit her goal!
Clenching her fists with her mind focused on the future, Taylor missed the pained expression Hestia shot her way, and the worried look Daphne and Cassandra shared.
111 &&& 111
"Hiyaaah!" Lili called out as she charged at Mikoto. The samurai slashed at her with a wooden blade, but Lili's form flickered as she transformed into a rabbit-kin and with her enhanced legs, leapt high above the sword strike.
Then, while Lili was still in the air, a new glow surrounded her, and what plummeted from the sky was still Lili but with the dark skin of an Amazon. She slammed into the ground with a fist, shattering the earth with her punch, but Mikoto had been able to see it coming and dodge. Of course, Lili had known this would happen, and lashed out at Mikoto's legs with a Kukri knife that had a dulled edge. This attack was blocked by a second sword Mikoto was using.
The two of them were sparring enthusiastically, leaving plenty of spots they'd have to fill in afterwards. But it wasn't like they were damaging anything important. Just the backyard. Which, to absolutely no one's surprise, had been given the Apollo treatment. That is to say, topiary bushes made to look like the god, hedgerows arranged so they spelled out his name, and rows of flowers planted in such a way they formed his face when looked at from above.
Hestia didn't consider what her Familia was doing to be destruction. It was much needed landscaping.
"Good job!" Hestia called out as Lili managed to score a hit on Mikoto, giving the pallum a thumbs up. Lili flashed her a smile in response before returning to the fight.
Lili had improved a lot since the War Game. She'd been a bit disappointed by how little she'd contributed, so she'd started training with gusto.
Part of what she'd gained from this was a new application to her Cinder Ella spell. She could perform a transformation without chanting, though the downside was the spell was now temporary instead of lasting however long the Supporter wanted. This let her transform even faster than before and swap between usable forms at will, resulting in a more flexible fighting style.
Lili wasn't the only one who'd gotten the training fever, either. Hestia was proud to see her entire Familia was eager to grow stronger!
Welf, when he wasn't sparring and trying out new weapons, was experimenting with gadgets and gizmos. Creating Taylor's new arm had inspired him to look into creating other mechanical objects and even magic tools. His workshop looked like a scrap shop, with half-finished or broken devices lying about on every surface. Thankfully, Apollo had had a big forge installed for his own Familia's uses, so Welf had plenty of space to work.
Mikoto, their newest Level 2 Familia member, was starting to branch out into dual wielding like Emma, but also was practicing other forms of combat from the Far East, such as martial arts, spears, and even bows. She did not neglect her regular swordsmanship skills either, and was fast becoming the most varied fighter in the Familia.
The other girls were growing at a steady pace as well. Iris and Lucia were mastering the Skills Taylor had given them – Hestia always made sure to check that the 'shards' weren't doing anything, but so far they seemed to be mostly passive and watching without any intelligence behind them – and if they kept it up, would likely be ready to Level Up in a year or so.
Leo was getting better at learning how to work in a group, and Silva were becoming scarily good with her bow, able to hit bulls eyes from a hundred yards nine out of ten times.
As for Emma? She was, like Bell and Taylor, kinda ridiculous. Her stats didn't rise as fast, but her Skills and Spell more than made up for that, giving her insane versatility on the battlefield.
Not to mention that if she wanted, Emma could go from having decent stats for a Level 1, to somebody with modest Level 2 numbers in an instant if she borrowed heavily from Ryuu's Falna.
The gains went down the more the pinkette tried to borrow from somebody stronger than her, so it wasn't a one-to-one exchange, and she couldn't go over the limits of her own Level, meaning 999 was the limit, but it was quite useful all the same.
Emma also had yet to be able to borrow Stats, Skills, or Spells from multiple people at a time, though that wasn't a deal breaker, and both Hestia and Taylor had a feeling she'd be able to figure out a way to do just that eventually, meaning the Level 1 had the potential to be as scary as the captain and vice-captain!
But without a doubt, the biggest stand-outs were Ryuu, Bell, and Taylor, the three highest Leveled people in the Familia.
Ryuu felt freer, if Hestia had to describe her. Meeting with Astraea had done wonders for the elf's mental state, and she smiled more often around them. Rising up to Level 5 had also boosted her already considerable power to new heights.
Bell had gotten faster, and was starting to develop a better sense of how to fight. Where he had started off raw, the white-haired adventurer had become polished as he trained with stronger adventurers. First Ais, then Ryuu, had done wonders for knocking the dumb and dangerous habits out of his head. Bell absorbed their teaching like a sponge and his skills had sharpened to the point he was like a multi-year veteran and not a newbie.
'And then, there's Taylor,' Hestia thought to herself, her mood souring a bit as she glanced at the bug controlling girl where she was sparring against Ryuu with Bell, the two of them colliding violently against the more experienced elf.
Beautiful green and gold gossamer wings like those on a dragonfly emerged from Taylor's back, allowing her to zip around through the air, her swarm surrounding her like tendrils of smoke that lashed out at her opponent.
Taylor's new spell was very pretty. When she'd first created them, they had resembled lovely white wings, reminding Hestia of the winged beastfolk who lived in the mountain peaks across the world. But Taylor had experimented a bit and found she could change the wing's appearance at will, leading to the current insectoid appearance she sported.
She flew with great skill, bombing Ryuu with blasts of magic from her artificial arm while distracting the elf with her swarm. She worked closely with Bell to try and corner Ryuu, but the part-time waitress wasn't a veteran for nothing.
Even without using any Skills or Spells, Ryuu was able to counter every avenue of attack the pair of Level 3s tried to use against her. For instance, she could jump up to reach Taylor, or would throw her own weapon to strike the flying adventurer. Her speed outclassed Bell's, and her skill with a sword surpassed his own. But that did not deter the white or dark-haired adventurers one bit, and both just kept up the fight.
For the past week the Faller had become intensely focused on training and getting stronger, surpassing the drive of everyone else. When Taylor wasn't fighting, either sparring against partners or in the Dungeon grinding Excelia, she was reading books of magic, learning as many spells as she could to expand her repertoire.
Her swarm was always agitated these days, never settling down. A low buzzing could be heard coming from Taylor's rooms at night when she should be sleeping, and unless Hestia reminded her, she'd forget to eat!
'All because she got a glimpse of hope,' Hestia sighed. To have a mortal be capable of prophecy in this day and age was unusual, and a sign of things to come.
The goddess knew that such people always appeared in the days preceding that of great chaos. Considering the purple-haired girl's age, she'd probably been born before the Zeus and Hera Familias had begun their crusade, so perhaps that was why Cassandra had been granted this role?
'Or maybe there is another reason for an oracle to appear in this era,' Hestia mused, her gaze never leaving Taylor's form.
The battle, which had been a stalemate so far, abruptly changed as Ryuu unleashed a miniature tornado using her Luminous Windspell that slammed down onto Taylor from above, smashing her into the ground and shredding her wings. As pretty as they were, the spell-forged appendages were fragile.
Bell attempted to move in to try and take advantage of the elf's focus on his captain, but was kicked away by Ryuu. He tumbled across the ground, but had bought time for Taylor to leap back to her feet. Of course, Ryuu proved why her alias was 'The Gale' as she shot forward, wooden sword aimed at Taylor's head.
However, the parahuman had some tricks up her sleeve. Taylor's artificial arm could move faster than her organic one, the limb responding to her thoughts like part of her swarm, which allowed her to react instantly before the rest of her body could.
Using this to her advantage, Taylor was able to just barely block the blow aimed at her head, the wooden blade bouncing off. She followed up by thrusting her knife up towards Ryuu's throat, but the Level 5 swayed aside and managed to flick the wooden sword downwards and behind her back, knocking Bell's blade aside as he tried to sneak attack her from behind after his own recovery.
Ryuu then completely wrecked them both and ended the fight in a single move by grabbing Bell by the arm and then using him like a club, smashing his body into Taylor faster than they could keep up with.
"And that's the match," Ryuu said as the two groaned and separated.
"No! I can… keep going!" Taylor replied, struggling back to her feet.
Ryuu narrowed her eyes at the parahuman but raised her wooden sword all the same.
"Miss Ryuu, I don't think this is a good idea!" Bell exclaimed, looking between the two adventurers from his spot on the ground.
"It's fine, Bell," Taylor declared as she adjusted her grip on the knife.
"Indeed," Ryuu agreed. "I shall take care of this. Don't worry."
Bell frowned at that, but the Level 5 adventurer burst into motion, her speed far outstripping Taylor's. Ryuu ran around Taylor in circles, moving so fast that it seemed like there were multiple elves surrounding the Level 3 adventurer.
Taylor tensed up, trying to follow Ryuu, but it was impossible for her eyes alone. It was only thanks to the bugs Taylor had managed to plant onto the elf that she could sense where Ryuu was.
However, even that advantage was soon taken from her as Ryuu unleashed her Luminous Windspell, the air filling with green sparkles and a strong gust of air. The green fairy-like dust that Ryuu had conjured began to target the pieces of the swarm hidden on her body, obliterating them and removing Taylor's ability to track her movements.
Taylor was thus unable to do anything as Ryuu appeared behind her and karate chopped her neck, knocking the parahuman out instantly.
Hestia winced as Taylor flopped bonelessly onto the dirt, Bell darting over to catch her before she could hit the ground.
"Well, that's one way to solve the problem," Welf commented dryly as he looked over from where he was using a whetstone on Leo's giant sword, the blue-haired mercenary watching closely.
"I suppose it is," Hestia sighed, before turning to Bell. "Take her to her room, please."
Bell nodded and carried the dark-haired girl off – though she wasn't really a girl anymore, was she? Taylor was eighteen, and even back in her old world she'd be an adult.
'I wish she'd act more like proper adult and role model,' Hestia grumbled, before turning back to the rest of her Familia.
"Okay, guys and gals, I think that's all the training you're doing for today!" she called out.
Everyone nodded and broke up. One good thing about the mansion? Nice and big baths for everyone to use! Even if some of the decorations had to be removed. Nobody wanted to use a faucet or showerhead shaped like Apollo's own smirking mug.
For the next couple of hours everything was quiet in the house. After training the Familia went their separate ways, doing their own thing.
Lucia was working on some orders of silk clothing while Iris tried her hand at gardening. Leo was helping Welf maintain their equipment, Silva was curled up in the library reading, and Ryuu was doing some cleaning in her room. Bell was practicing some party tricks to improve his dexterity, and Lili was going over the Familia's accounts and expenses, taking her job as treasurer very seriously.
Meanwhile, Hestia was in the kitchen with Emma and Mikoto preparing dinner when the goddess noticed a spider hanging from a web in the corner of the room start to twitch before going unnaturally still.
'I knew keeping that spider around was a good idea,' the goddess thought to herself with a bit of pride. It was like an alarm system that let her know when Taylor woke up!
"Can you girls finish up here?" Hestia asked, and Mikoto nodded.
"Of course, Hestia-sama!"
"Great! I'm going to check on Taylor," Hestia said, and she headed out of the kitchen.
She reached what had previously been Hyakinthos' room after a bit of walking – another downside of the house? It was way too big! – and knocked on the door.
"Taylor? Can I come in?" the Goddess of the Hearth inquired. There was no response, but the door did creak open.
Hestia sighed. Her child was so dramatic! Still, she'd come here to check on Taylor, and she would do just that!
It was dark inside Taylor's room, the curtains having been drawn. There was an ominous chittering coming from the shadows cast by the open door, and Hestia was able to see that the parahuman was sitting on her bed, just staring off into nothing.
She swallowed nervously. This was going to be a tricky conversation, wasn't it?
111 &&& 111
"Is everything alright?" Hestia asked from the doorway, worrying lacing her tone.
"I'm fine!" Taylor snapped, the shadows buzzing as her swarm reacted to her agitation.
Hestia just raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" she asked skeptically.
"I'm fine," Taylor muttered, turning away from the smaller girl.
'But she's not really a girl at all, is she?' a treacherous part of the parahuman's brain that sounded worryingly like Emma Barnes whispered.
"No, I can tell something's wrong," Hestia declared. She then sat down without another word next to Taylor, and leaned her head against the parahuman's shoulder. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want. But I'm here for you."
"…Why couldn't you have been there for us on Earth Bet?" Taylor whispered softly, finally giving word to her deepest, darkest feelings. "Why did you have to be real?"
"What do you mean by that?" Hestia asked. She then blinked. "Wait, is this… is this about Apollo?"
She frowned at Taylor. "You've been acting off ever since we won the War Game. I thought this was because you were excited about our new home, or worrying over the prophecy that girl gave you, but it was something else, wasn't it?"
"When he vanished… I felt… I saw… I don't know. It was impossible. For the longest time, I just assumed you were lying. Or playing a game of make-believe by taking the names of mythological figures. How could you possibly be real? How could you possibly be gods?" Taylor asked bitterly.
"You didn't believe me when I told you I was a goddess?" Hestia asked, pouting a little.
"You saw my memories," Taylor retorted. "You know about Scion and the Fallen."
"Fair enough," the twin-tailed girl sighed, unable to refute that. Finally, curiosity won out, and she looked up at the taller mortal. "What did you see, Taylor? When Apollo returned to Tenkai, what caused this crisis of faith?"
"The sun," Taylor whispered. "I saw the sun. But it was so much more than that. It was as if he was made of pure energy and his physical form had simply unraveled. And in that instant, I could see every single adventurer he had ever bestowed a Falna upon. Did you know, Hestia? When you give us 'mortals' a Falna, a piece of us stays behind with you? You give us some of yourself, and you take from us as well."
"I-I did not know that," Hestia stammered out, eyes wide.
"I could see them. Each soul Apollo touched. But I could also hear their thoughts. Their prayers, hopes, and dreams. More than that, though, my Skill… Godslayer was hungry," the parahuman whispered, a note of horror seeping into her voice. "I wanted to reach out and tear into him, to rip and feast upon his essence and make it my own. To become the sun myself."
Taylor wrapped her arms around herself, shivering in terror. "I don't understand what happened, Hestia. If Apollo really was a god… if gods are real… why didn't you save us? Why did my world have to suffer and burn?"
Hestia wrapped her arms around Taylor's waist, hugging her tightly.
"I don't have an answer for you," Hestia said sorrowfully. "And I truly wish I did. If we could have helped your world, I'm sure we would have. But we aren't perfect. Nothing truly is."
A moment of realization hit the tiny goddess at that moment. "That's why you want to return to Earth Bet, isn't it?" Hestia guessed. "You feel guilty… no, that's not the right word… you feel like it's your duty to help whatever survivors there might be recover from the end of the world. To rebuild civilization!"
"…maybe…" Taylor muttered. Hestia bit back a sigh.
"Okay. Fine. I can understand why you're training so desperately. But please, stop pushing yourself so hard," Hestia begged.
"You heard what Cassandra said-!" Taylor protested, but Hestia cut her off.
"I did! But you have to slow down! You cannot return home and help anyone if you die!" Hestia scolded her. "Level 6 is not easy to get to, Taylor! You've had an absurd rate of growth so far but you have to pace yourself! If you burn out, then what would be the pointing of going back in the first place?"
Taylor had no answer to that, and she lowered her eyes, unable to meet the goddess's eyes.
"And remember, no matter what, we're all here for you," Hestia promised Taylor. "We will help you get home someday, you just have to ask for help. So please, don't leave us behind."
The parahuman girl nodded weakly, and after a moment returned the hug. They stayed like that for a while, only breaking apart when dinnertime rolled around. Hestia dearly hoped her words had gotten through to the teen.
'And if not, I'll just have to keep hugging her until they sink in!' the Goddess of Hearth and Home thought to herself as she walked to the dining room, pumping her fist. She was never going to give up on Taylor, or any of the others!
Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Blood Tells
Chapter Text
Chapter 36: Blood Tells
"Hey there, Weaver!" a cheery voice called out, and Taylor resisted the urge to sigh.
"Hermes," Taylor said curtly, not bothering to turn around to face him. She'd felt the god approaching a while ago, but she had hoped he'd just leave her alone.
'I do not need this today,' she thought to herself as she walked off. She had a lot on her mind, she didn't want or need him butting in on her private time.
Hestia had said that she wasn't allowed into the Dungeon for a while. 'Until her head was back on straight' were the exact words, so Taylor was trying to walk around Orario and find more things to fill her room with.
Books and nick-nacks were filling up the basket she was carrying, and she'd been planning to visit a magic tool shop next. But now she was busy trying to shake an annoying person off of her tail.
However, Hermes wasn't leaving her alone. Worse, his captain, who was normally nearby to keep him in line, was nowhere within her range, and he somehow managed to stick to her, managing to find her no matter how hard she tried she get away.
'It must be something to do with being a Messenger God,' Taylor mused. 'A messenger who can't find somebody would be a pretty terrible one, wouldn't they?'
She still had a hard time accepting that these people were actually gods, but some of her skepticism had been chipped away. If Scion and multiple worlds could exist, why not something like gods?
"Don't be so cold!" Hermes whined from behind her. "Can't you spare a little time for me? Pretty please?"
"No," Taylor replied curtly. She was starting to regret leaving Chris behind. Nobody ever bothered her when she had a monster at her side!
"Oof! So quick to reject me! Does wearing glasses increase a woman's sternness?" Hermes wondered to himself. "Asfi, you, that half-elf at the Guild… I'm starting to see a pattern, here."
"Hermes, I have had a crappy couple of days," Taylor said, finally stopping in her tracks and turning to face the god following her. "I do not need the kind of chaos somebody like you would bring while I try and relax."
"Somebody like me?" Hermes asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I know your type. I even befriended somebody like you," Taylor admitted. "You're a nosy know-it-all. Curiosity drives nearly everything you do. And when you find a puzzle or something interesting? It becomes something of an obsession."
"Huh, I guess you really do have my number," Hermes muttered, blinking a bit at the accurate profiling of his personality.
He then clapped his hands in front of himself in a begging gesture. "But come on, please? I just want a moment to talk to you and Bell!"
That brought Taylor up and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want with Bell?"
"I have some information that may interest him," Hermes declared. "Something to do with his parents."
Taylor frowned at that. From what she knew, Bell was an orphan, raised by his grandfather in the countryside away from Orario. He didn't know anything about his parents.
"They were adventurers?" she inquired.
"One of them was, but they were both part of Familias," Hermes replied.
"And why do you want to tell Bell this? Out of the goodness of your heart?" she asked suspiciously.
"Call it a favor to an old friend," Hermes said. "Bell's gramps is a guy I used to know. I want to repay some old debts, and letting Bell know about his heritage seems like a good way to do that."
"Alright. And why me?" Taylor asked. "What do you want with me if this is about Bell's family?"
"Why, Miss Weaver, I thought you would want to know about your predecessor?" Hermes said, flashing her a rakish grin.
"My predecessor?" she uttered.
"The last Faller to appear in this world appeared… oh, it must have been twenty-ish years ago," Hermes said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Give or take a year. And considering your own origins…"
Taylor froze, and a second later her swarm immediately surged forward, insects getting up close to the god by burrowing under his clothes until he was completely covered. To somebody looking at them, they'd see nothing amiss. But Taylor and Hermes both knew that was a lie. One wrong move, and the God of Messengers would have to discover whether or not it was possible to poison a god using mundane insects.
"What do you know?" she demanded in a low hiss.
"People who appear here from other worlds are known to us gods as Fallers, and they are not an unusual phenomenon here in Genkei," Hermes said smoothly. He was sweating a bit, but still managed to talk confidently. "They crop up once every century or so. They tend to appear around Orario due to the unique dimensional properties of the Tower of Babel. The way it keeps the Dungeon imprisoned bends time and space slightly, not to mention it's the only place where gods can descend onto the world, which all makes it easier for dimensional breaches to occur near it."
"So, I'm really not the first? I'm not the only one?" Taylor demanded, wanting confirmation. Lili had mentioned this before, but now, with the prophecy from Cassandra...
"Not the first, and definitely not the last," Hermes vowed.
"And Bell… one or both of his parents was a Faller," she realized.
"That's right," the god confirmed.
For a moment Taylor just stared at him, and he began to fidget nervously, before the parahuman gave a brisk nod and dismissed the insects, allowing them to crawl away. She did keep a single venomous spider under his collar. Just for insurance.
"Follow me," she ordered before turning on her heel and walking off. Hermes nervously adjusted his hat before doing what she'd told him to do.
They walked through the streets of Orario until they reached a house that had become Hestia's newest passion project.
The Apollo Familia had apparently owned a couple of properties in the city, which included a nice little building near the Guild. It had been a café Apollo had liked the tea from and bought the place. However, when the owner sold it he had immediately left Orario, and took his secret to making the tea the god had enjoyed with him. Without a reason to keep it open, the café had languished.
Now, Hestia was turning it into a restaurant. The Jagamarukun stalls were a decent investment and were making a bit of money for the Familia, but Hestia had been inspired by Taylor's talk of fast food, and wanted to bring things like burgers, pizza, and the like to Orario.
"Why are we here?" Hermes asked as they approached the restaurant that was currently going through renovations.
"You really thought I would let you talk to Bell without Hestia there to make sure you behaved yourself?" Taylor asked with a snort.
"I'm sensing a lack of faith in me," the god muttered. Taylor rolled her eyes at that as she walked inside.
"…and I want the seats to be over here, with the counter… Taylor?" Hestia exclaimed, cutting off her discussion with somebody from a construction Familia. "Hermes?!"
She quickly hurried over to her Familia member. "Oh no! Taylor, did Hermes do anything to you?!"
Hermes clutched his chest in mock hurt. "Really no faith around here," he mumbled.
"Hermes wants to talk with Bell and I," Taylor revealed to her goddess. "I felt it would be a good idea to pick you up as well."
"Ah. To make sure he'd behave himself. Gotcha," Hestia nodded in understanding.
Hermes slumped dejectedly at the continued jabs while the builder winced and shot the god a sympathetic look.
"Can we find Bell, now?" Hermes pleaded softly.
"Alright, give me a moment," Hestia replied, turning to the person she'd hired. "Sorry, gonna have to take care of this."
"It's fine. You gave me plenty to work with. I'll get started on what you already told me about," he assured her. Hestia flashed him a grateful smile before heading over to her captain.
"Okay, let's go!" Hestia said, before tilting her head in thought. "Where is Bell right now, anyways?"
"Right now? Being dragged around by Ais," Taylor informed her as she checked her swarm for any sign of them.
"Is that so?" Hestia asked, her right eye twitching a bit. "Having a nice date with a cute girl, is he?"
Taylor and Hermes wisely refused to say anything, lest they draw the jealous goddess' ire. Instead, they just left the restaurant and headed off to find Bell.
The trio found Bell rather quickly. He and Ais were simply walking around the food stalls in the area around the Guildhall, sampling the different foods. They would smile shyly at each other, feed each other, blush, look away, and then go back to smiling. It was sweet enough to give somebody cavities.
'Seems we aren't the only ones watching from afar, either,' Taylor noted, seeing some of Ais' Familia members peeking out at the duo.
Leyfia and the Amazon twins were spying on the two, likely to keep an eye on them. For some reason. Though if they were trying to be inconspicuous, they were failing badly, as it was painfully obvious what they were doing as they tried to hide behind a lamppost.
'Did they forget Ais is Level 6 and could snap Bell like a twig if he tried anything untoward?' Taylor wondered idly. 'Then again, the twins were hopeless romantics and Leyfia did seem to have a crush on Ais, so it explains why they'd try to watch over them.'
Feeling a bit bad about interrupting their date, Taylor cleared her throat behind the duo. At the same time, she took a step back, avoiding the fist that nearly caved her face in.
'Don't sneak up on her, good to know,' Taylor thought to herself with a blank expression that mirrored the look on Ais' face. The Sword Princess then blinked as she realized just who it was that had drawn her attention.
"Miss Taylor?" Bell gasped in surprise, finally noticing that Ais had stopped walking and tried to punch his captain. Then, he spotted his goddess. "Lady Hestia!"
"Hey, Bell," Hestia said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Having fun on your date?"
"Yes, Lady Hestia, I was, thank you for asking!" Bell said obliviously. Nearby, the Amazon twins slapped their faces and Leyfia squealed in shock while Hermes snickered.
"I hate to cut your date short, but something's come up, Bell," Taylor interjected. "Familia business."
"Oh," Bell said, excited at first but then realizing that meant he had to separate from Ais. He shot her an apologetic look, and the girl's expression softened.
"Tomorrow," she said, and Bell nodded eagerly, please to know they could pick up where they left off again later.
Bell then joined with his Familia and Hermes, wincing a little as Hestia pinched his arm.
"So, where are we going?" he asked, even as Hestia kept pinching him. "And, uh, who's he?"
"Hermes, at your service!" the god said, giving a flourish and a bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Young Cranel!"
"Hello, Mr. Hermes!" Bell said politely, not recognizing him. That caused the God of Messengers to deflate a bit, before rallying.
"Now, as to where we're headed… well, I was going to keep it a surprise, but I get the feeling a few people wouldn't appreciate it," Hermes said with an awkward cough. Hestia and Taylor both nodded in agreement.
"Keeping that in mind, I'll tell you straight up that we need to go to the adventurer's cemetery," Hermes informed them.
Bell blinked but didn't comment about it, but Taylor winced. 'I should have expected that. Bell said his parents were dead… why did I think that maybe Hermes might tell us they were still alive?'
The adventurer's graveyard was in the south-east of Orario, near the walls. It was also the most wide-open part of the city. Where the rest was jammed pack with buildings and streets crammed together, here was the only place that had nothing bigger than a single-story mausoleum.
The place reminded Taylor strongly of the Virginia National Cemetery back on Earth Bet, with vast rows of white tombstones spread out as far as the eye could see. Here and there epitaphs stood alongside the tombstones, and mausoleums dedicated to powerful and famous adventurers littered the grounds.
'Most of these graves are empty,' Taylor thought to herself. She knew this intimately thanks to her power detecting every single worm and maggot within the dirt.
"Most adventurers do not get to be buried here," Hermes said, as if he could read her mind. "The Dungeon claims far too many every year."
"This… why are we here, Mr. Hermes?" Bell asked, glancing around in confusion. Hestia looked solemn, but also curious. Hermes did not respond, and began to wander through the area until he found what he was looking for.
"This part of the city is where the members of the Hera Familia are buried," the god revealed as he took off his hat and knelt in front of a grave. He took a single white flower from his pocket and laid it down upon the ground.
The rest of the group, however, had their eyes locked onto the headstone. Specifically, the name carved into it.
'Meteria Cranel– LEVEL 1– HERA FAMILIA– Her life was short, but she brought much joy to all who had the chance to love her.'
"Mom?" Bell whispered, staring at the grave.
"You look just like her," Hermes said softly, glancing at Bell as he stood back up. "Save for your eyes."
"I-I never knew," he muttered. "She… she was an adventurer?"
"No, just your father. She was one of Hera's favorites, though," Hermes told him. "Didn't know Meteria that well, but I do know a few things. She had a twin sister, for instance."
"I have an aunt?" Bell asked, desperate hope in her voice, but from the way Hermes winced, Taylor had a feeling she knew what was going to happen next.
"She died seven years ago, during the Darkest Days," Hermes revealed, an apologetic tone in his voice.
"Evilus," Hestia said darkly, clenching her hands into fists.
"I see," Bell said, eyes wet with grief. "Was she… what was mom like?"
"Meteria was a good girl," Hermes said. "She had lovely blue eyes, and was the sort of person who could brighten up any room she was in. Very kind, too. She would take care of the orphans in Orario whenever she could. Though gods help you if you took food from her! I once saw her force Hera herself to kneel after the goddess ate one of Meteria's cookies!"
"That sounds like Bell around cheese!" Hestia giggled.
"There's nothing wrong with enjoying a good cheese!" Bell huffed.
"You nearly stabbed Welf at dinner the other night when he tried to take the last fried mozzarella stick," Taylor drawled, and Bell flushed red.
"I-it was just too good, though!" he whined.
"Maybe they should call you the Lucky Mouse instead of the Lucky Rabbit!" Hestia teased, and Bell covered his face with his hands.
Everyone had a good laugh at that, before settling down, the mood turning morose as their attention focused back on the grave.
"Did she… what happened?" Bell asked. "How did she die?"
"Unfortunately, she was sickly. Even with the Falna boosting her health, she couldn't do much," Hermes replied.
"I killed her, didn't I?" Bell guessed tearfully, and Hestia and Taylor both hugged him.
"She died giving birth to you, yes," Hermes confirmed. "But she never regretted it. Meteria wanted… she knew her life was coming to an end, and wanted to trade her death for a new life. Yours."
"And what about my father?" Bell asked. "Why didn't he take care of me after mom died?"
"Your father's grave is elsewhere, somewhere in the Zeus Familia plot," Hermes revealed, gesturing off into the distance. "Though technically, it's not a grave. Just a name carved into a stele to honor those who died fighting the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
'There wasn't enough left to bury' went unsaid, but everyone heard it all the same.
"Who was he?" Bell wondered, staring off into the distance.
"He was known as the 'Strongest Level 1' and the 'Weakest Vice-Captain,'" Hermes revealed. "Despite only being Level 1, he basically ran the entire Zeus Familia. He did the paperwork, balanced the books, conducted interviews for prospective Familia members, and kept Zeus in-line. He was respected by the Guild for his no-nonsense attitude, and despite his low level, feared by his enemies thanks to his Skills, Keter and Malkuth. He was also what was known as a Faller. Somebody who fell through time and space and wound up here in Orario from another world."
Bell tensed up and Hestia gasped, eyes darting over to Bell and then to Taylor. The parahuman simply folded her arms.
"Who was he?" Taylor asked, repeating the question of her vice-captain.
Hermes sighed but took out pieces of folded up paper from a pocket. He then passed it over to Taylor. Frowning, she unfolded it, finding three documents in her hands. A marriage certificate. A death certificate. And a birth certificate.
On all three, Bell's mother could be seen. But the rest of the names…
'Bell Hebert Cranel' was written on the birth certificate.
And 'Daniel Hebert' was written next to it on the 'father' section of the birth certificate, as well as on the marriage certificate next to Meteria's name.
"W-what?" she uttered in disbelief. "No, this-! What is this?! A joke?!"
Around her, the swarm that had been lurking out of sight rose up, menacing Hermes who flinched back.
"Taylor, what are you doing?!" Hestia shrieked. Taylor did not respond, instead taking a furious step towards the god.
"WHY IS MY FATHER'S NAME ON THESE?!" she roared, shaking the documents in Hermes' face. Bell and Hestia gasped, taken aback, and Hermes grimaced.
"I did not know until recently," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "But this is the truth. Daniel Hebert – though he always preferred to go by 'Danny' – was the Zeus Familia's vice-captain… and also Bell's father."
Hestia placed a calming hand on Taylor's remaining organic arm, and after a deep breath, the swarm receded. It was still there, waiting to be summoned again, but for now, it was silent.
"Was it really my father?" she asked, the wind taken out of her sails.
"He would occasionally mention having had a daughter named Taylor," Hermes replied. "I don't particularly know much else beyond that."
Taylor racked her brain trying to find something that would explain the impossible situation she'd just been confronted with.
"Do… do you know how it happened?" Taylor inquired.
"He said something about a 'time bomb?' And an adventurer named 'Bakuda' who created it? Seems like he got trapped in a bubble of altered time, and then it somehow popped, which caused him to slip between dimensions," Hermes said, scratching the back of his head as he recounted what he knew. "Sorry, I didn't know him very well, only had a few conversations with him. The rest is second-hand knowledge."
"I see," Taylor muttered, looking down.
It was starting to come together in her mind. Her father had gotten trapped by an undiscovered and unexploded piece of Bakuda's Tinkertech ordinance, one that created a temporal effect that trapped him.
How long he was like this was unknown to her, but somehow, the time loop must have gotten destroyed, likely when Scion began his planet destroying rampage.
'There must have been an unusual reaction between the temporal bomb and whatever attack Scion used on Brockton Bay,' Taylor thought to herself. 'It must have created a rift in time and space and sent dad across realities. And, like me, he somehow ended up here completely by accident.'
From there, more things began to fall into place. He'd survived the arrival and gotten picked up by a Familia, and his experience as the head of hiring for the Dock Worker's Union had translated into an ability to running one of the biggest and most powerful factions in the city at the time.
And somewhere along the line, he'd met someone, fallen in love… and had another kid. One who was currently standing right beside her.
"Wait… according to these dates on the tombstone, Bell's mother would have had to be eighteen, maybe nineteen, when she gave birth," Taylor said, peering down at the numbers scratched into the granite, her wonder and disbelief regarding his transference from Earth Bet momentarily overridden by her sudden worry about the timeline itself.
"Yes, that sounds about right," Hermes nodded.
"Are you saying… my dad slept with a teenager?" Taylor uttered, feeling icked out by the thought.
"What's a teenager?" Bell asked.
"Us, Bell," Taylor replied. "Somebody who is between thirteen and nineteen years old. More often than not, a minor, somebody who isn't yet an adult."
"There's an age for adulthood?" Bell asked, confused.
"Different regions, different rules," Hermes said for the boy's benefit. "In the Empire, you aren't legally an adult until you hit your fifteenth birthday. In other places, it could be twelve or sixteen. Orario doesn't have one, though. Old enough to get a Falna slapped onto ya and enter the Dungeon, old enough to be considered an adult!"
"You don't understand! My dad was in his forties when…" Taylor trailed off, and Hermes and Bell picked up on things.
"Well, I dunno about that. He looked like he was in his twenties to me, at least when he… left to fight the One-Eyed Black Dragon," the Messenger God said with a shrug. "Perhaps whatever sent him here messed with his physical appearance or personal chronology?"
Taylor supposed that was possible. Powers were bullshit, and Tinkers like Bakuda were bullshit with sprinkles on top.
'Still, he'd have been mentally older than the girl… Meteria… when he slept with her,' Taylor thought to herself before shivering.
No. Nope! She did not want to think about that at all!
'Focus on the fact I now have a kid brother!' Taylor ordered herself. 'Don't try and wonder about what passed through dad's head to make him think that was a good idea!'
"I-I have a sister?" Bell whispered, staring at Taylor in nervous awe.
"I-I guess so," Taylor said, just as nervously.
"Huh. Good to know that your ridiculousness is a family thing," Hestia mused, glancing between the two, squinting a bit as she tried to spot any similarities in their appearances.
"You're not the first to say that," Hermes chuckled in response to the goddess's comment.
For what felt like an eternity, Bell and Taylor just looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do. Bell was the first to try and act, and he stepped forward, starting to raise his arms to hug his newly discovered sister, but she took an unconscious step back away from him.
The look of hurt on his face almost made Taylor give up and return the hug, but in the end her own insecurities won out and she turned and ran off, disappearing into the distance.
Through her swarm, Taylor could see Bell break down and start crying, and Hestia immediately moved in to give him a comforting hug.
Again, this caused an ache to assault her heart, but Taylor couldn't turn back and she just kept running.
Running away from her brother.
Running away from the fact that she had just learned her father hadn't died on Earth Bet during Gold Morning, only to discover he'd perished trying to be a hero fighting this world's Endbringer proxies.
Running away from her own dark thoughts.
She ran past row after row of graves, the marble and granite flickering past her until they became blurry streaks as she pushed her Level 3 Agility to the limits.
It had been a while since she'd run like this, just letting the wind and runner's high wash away everything in her head, and she didn't even stop as she reached the massive walls of Orario in the distance. Instead, Taylor just began to run right up to the wall before jumping with all of her might, leaping into the air and landing on the parapet.
The parahuman wasn't even out of breath after that, but she was no longer interested in running. She stared out over the horizon, looking at the rolling green farmland that surrounded the city.
After a moment she walked up to the edge… and just kept walking.
Taylor fell off of Orario's walls, but before she even got halfway down, green and gold wings appeared on her back and she was no longer falling, but flying.
Arcing upwards, the girl with the name of Weaver shot up into towards the clouds before just hovering far above the city. Even Babel looked small beneath her, and for the first time in a long while, she hardly felt anything.
Up so high, the majority of her swarm was beyond her range; just a handful of bugs in the tallest buildings and the insects she kept on her person.
Belatedly, Taylor recalled she was still clutching the documents Hermes had given her, and she looked down at them in midair. They'd been crumpled a bit, but were still readable, which was all that mattered in the end, she supposed.
'Dad… were you happy here?' Taylor wondered as she stared at the birth certificate for her brother. And wasn't a strange thought. It still didn't feel real, even though she held the evidence in her hands!
He remembered her, at least, if Hermes was to be believed. Did that make it better or worse, though? What could she even say or do about it, too? She'd learned he'd survived Scion, only to find out he'd died for real!
'Oh, and he slept with a girl old enough to be his daughter and had a kid with her!' Taylor thought hysterically. 'Can't forget that!'
Alone with her thoughts, all she could do was think. It wasn't very helpful.
'I shouldn't have run away,' Taylor eventually thought to herself, and she began to slowly descend back towards Orario.
Flying over the adventurer's graveyard, she made her way back to the Hearth Manor. Dipping low, she was able to see individual people amongst the crowd as she flew along. Some even spotted her and pointed up in awe. Wasn't every day people saw a flying adventurer.
However, as she passed by the Entertainment District, her swarm detected something off. There was a person crawling through an alleyway, covered in filth and bleeding heavily. There was something wrong with her aura, too. Beneath the howl of wind and the scraping of sand that was her Falna was the sound of a woman screaming in terror and pain.
Concerned, Taylor dove down, landing in the alleyway. The woman, an Amazon, looked up at her through a bruised and mangled face.
"S-save… save her," she gasped as she reached out towards Taylor with broken fingers.
"What?" Taylor uttered. "Save who?"
'And who could hurt her like this?' Taylor couldn't help but wonder. From the hum of her Falna, this woman was Level 4!
The woman in front of her didn't respond, instead, she started to heave and threw up on Taylor's feet. However, when she did so, a broken piece of black stone escaped the Amazon's mouth. Stained with blood and vomit, the woman grabbed it with shaking fingers and held it up to Taylor.
"Save… K-killing stone…" she gasped out before passing out, the piece of stone tumbling from her grasp.
Taylor stared at it with concern, as for some reason it was the source of the terrified screaming her swarm was picking up. Not to mention, as soon as it left the Amazon, her Level abruptly dropped down from 4 to 3. For a moment Taylor looked at the collapsed woman, thoughts racing through her head.
After some hesitation she bent down and scooped up the stone, tucking it into a pocket. After which, the parahuman lifted up the Amazon. With her Level 3 strength it was easy, and Taylor summoned her wings again and flew into the air, heading back home as fast as she could.
The parahuman landed in the backyard, startling the Familia members who were training out there.
"Taylor-sama!" Mikoto gasped out. "Is everything alright?! Hestia-Sama and Bell-dono just returned, and they looked upset!"
The Samurai then noticed the woman Taylor was supporting. "By the gods! Is she alright?!"
"She needs potions!" Taylor shouted out as she carried the unconscious Amazon inside. "Get some warm water and a towel! And someone needs to go fetch Miach and Naaza!"
"I'll go get them!" Emma called out, the pink-haired girl running off, while Lili hurried to fetch a first aide kit for emergency healing potions and Mikoto rushed to find the water and towels.
Taylor brought the injured adventurer over to a couch and laid her down on it. Taylor tried her best to clean her off, only making headway when Mikoto returned with a tub of steaming water and several fresh towels.
Working together, they managed to clean away the filth and disinfect the wounds with rubbing alcohol and the healing potions Lili had grabbed. The rest of the Familia, having heard the commotion, came rushing in soon after.
Taylor tried to avoid looking at Bell when he came in, and he shifted awkwardly in the corner, also trying not to glance her way, but failing miserably.
"What happened?" Miach asked when he arrived, all business as he strode over and began to help Mikoto and Taylor tend to the wounds. Naaza, Daphne, and Cassandra had come too, the latter carrying a big bag full of different potions and medicinal items.
"I don't know, I just found her like this," Taylor informed the head of the medicine-making Familia, relieved to have something else to focus on.
"Do you have any ideas? It looks like she was beaten half to death and then forced to crawl through the sewers!" Hestia exclaimed in disgust, coming to join her blue-haired friend beside the Amazon.
"I only have one clue," Taylor admitted, and she drew the jagged shard of black stone out of her pocket. "Does anyone know what a Killing Stone is?"
From the horrified gasp that escaped from Mikoto, Taylor had a feeling it was going to be far worse than she'd initially feared.
Chapter 39: Omake: Underside of Orario 3
Chapter Text
Underside of Orario: Meteria
The first time she saw him, Meteria couldn’t help but feel that he was incredibly sad.
He stood there, stiff and uncomfortable as he stared straight ahead with piercing red eyes that almost seemed to glow. How old was he, she wondered, to look like he had seen things that had scarred him forever?
He seemed to be somewhat young. Fifteen, maybe? He had youthful features, though he was a bit taller than some others in that age range. Could he have demi-human blood? She’d heard that half-pallums could have baby faces well into their adulthood.
“…and I’d like to introduce our Familia’s newest vice-captain, Daniel Hebert!” Zeus bombastically declared, slapping the young man’s back. His words brought Meteria’s focus back to the matter at hand.
Today, the God of Thunder and Lightning was showing off his newest Familia member to his counterpart and ally, the Goddess of Mariage, Hera.
Meteria stood next to her goddess’s throne, an accessory to show off. She was only ten years old, but she knew that she was there to please her goddess, and make her look good. Such was the way of things, and she didn’t mind. Meteria often got to see neat things whenever she stood beside the throne.
“Really? The Idiot of the Dungeon is to be your new vice-captain? What of Horacio?” Hera wondered curiously.
“Horacio couldn’t be happier! He hated the job! Paperwork made him break out into rashes, you understand,” Zeus said with a laugh. “And Daniel here may be young, but he’s quick as a whip and sharp as a sword! He’ll be a great vice-captain!”
Meteria couldn’t help but blink at that. She’d heard of him! A man who’d dove into the Dungeon without a Falna, and managed to survive for over a year doing so! She looked at the young man, Daniel Hebert, in a new light. To enter the Dungeon without a god’s blessing was supposed to be a death sentence, and yet here he stood.
‘Is that connected to the sorrow in his eyes?’ Meteria wondered. ‘Had Mr. Hebert wanted to die… and found himself unable to?’
Meteria was intrigued. She wanted to know more! To see what despairs had brought him low, and then show him that life was beautiful!
111 &&& 111
“Widen your stance! And loosen your grip! It’s too tight!”
“I’ve used a sword before!”
“You’ve survived swinging a crude lump of metal around like a club! That is not the same as properly using a sword!”
The second time Meteria saw Daniel Hebert, it was in the Zeus Familia training yard.
She had been sent over to deliver a message from Hera to Zeus, but when she was done, she’d wandered around, trying to find the man with the sad but beautiful red eyes she’d seen in her lady’s throne room a week ago.
Now, she saw Daniel Hebert getting beat up by the very man whose position he’d replaced. Horatio was a man from the Solar Empire who had the biggest and fanciest moustache she’d ever seen. It took up half of his face! And yet he could still dance around the training field with an ease befitting a Level 8.
Meteria watched, entranced, as the man who’d previously dove into the Dungeon without a Falna managed to take hits that would leave a Level 2 reeling, standing back up every time he was knocked down. He refused to give in, and it was only when he literally could not move anymore did Horatio stop the training.
“Not bad,” the mustachioed adventurer hummed as he tossed a Healing Potion towards Daniel. “Better than last week.”
“Of… course,” he panted. “This is… nothing… compared to dock work!”
Horatio just laughed and walked off, leaving Daniel Hebert on his ground. For a moment, Meteria watched him, before grabbing a towel from the nearby rack.
“Here, Mr. Hebert,” Meteria said, approaching the downed young man. He took the towel from her gratefully and began to rub it over his face, cleaning away the sweat.
“It’s Danny, kid,” he replied, voice somewhat muffled by the towel.
“Pardon?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Call me Danny. It’s what I prefer,” the new vice-captain explained as he wiped his face dry.
“Okay, Mr. Danny!” Meteria declared, and he snorted at that.
“Close enough,” Danny chuckled, giving her a small grin. “Thanks for the towel.”
Meteria nodded happily, preening a little at the praise. The young girl also felt her heart skip when she saw that smile.
It was then, she knew, that Mr. Danny was going to become very important to her.
111 &&& 111
“Here, Mr. Danny!”
“Thanks, kid,” the vice-captain said, taking the offered towel.
Danny was sitting on a bench with a couple other members of the Zeus Familia after a strict exercise session. Meteria lingered, her eyes dancing across the vice-captain’s shirtless body. So many muscles… so sweaty…
She had to tear her gaze away before anyone noticed. Sadly, based on the knowing grins some of the others wore on their faces, she hadn’t succeeded, leaving a pout on her face.
For three years, this had been the routine. Meteria would watch Danny train, and then she’d help him recover. A towel, a potion, some water… whatever he needed, she got it for him. She liked to believe she’d gotten closer to him, but the red-eyed man still remained as sorrowful as always, his smiles brittle and hollow.
“Do you need anything else?” Meteria asked him, ignoring the smirks from the other adventurers.
“No,” Danny replied, shaking her head. “Though if I recall, you were supposed to be helping at the orphanage today.”
She gasped, having forgotten that, and quickly hurried off.
“Damn, man, she’s a real cutie!” a member of the Zeus Familia whistled as Meteria disappeared around the corner. “When are you gonna make a move on her?”
Hearing this, Meteria lingered just out of sight, curious about what she could discover regarding Danny’s next words.
“What?” Danny uttered, disgust lacing his voice, and she felt her heart fall. “She’s thirteen!”
“Uh-huh… and?” the man asked.
“And?! Thirteen! That’s too young!”
“Calm down, Danny,” another man said as he punched the first person in the back of the head. “This idiot didn’t mean anything.”
“It was still wrong,” Danny huffed.
“Old enough for Falna, old enough for…” the aforementioned idiot began, trying to make his point, only to get another fist to the face, this time from Danny.
“She’s thirteen,” Danny hissed out
“And how old would be old enough?” a third Zeus adventurer asked, quickly holding up his hands in surrender. “Just curious, vice-captain! You never really, you know, talk about your preferences in women.”
“Back home, a girl was only considered an adult at the age of eighteen,” Danny replied.
“Really? That’s old,” the first person said, and got another smack to the back of the head.
“Shut it, moron,” the second grunted.
“Even if Meteria was eighteen, I’m almost fifty,” Danny retorted. “It would never happen.”
‘Fifty?!’ Meteria gasped in disbelief. ‘He really is a half-pallum!’
She knew it! Alfia owed her fifty valis!
“Oh, right, that whole ‘turned younger’ thing,” the third adventurer muttered. “Still seems weird. I mean, Fallers are known. Rare, but they’re recorded fact. But somehow de-aging in the process of getting here? Definitely unusual.”
“Trust me, it’s just as weird for me,” Danny snorted. “Can’t complain, though. Being able to get up in the morning without a headache or various aches and pains is definitely nice.”
He then sighed. “I just wish I wasn’t alone here.”
“Come on, Danny, cheer up!” the first one declared. “We can find you a nice woman and- GAK!”
Once again, he was hit, this time by all three of his companions.
“Just zip it,” the second adventurer sighed.
Hearing them start to get up and leave, Meteria hurried away, mind awhirl in thoughts. Danny was that old? It explained why his eyes seemed to carry a weight beyond his physical age.
‘Oh, dear,’ she thought to herself as she ran off to the orphanage. ‘Do I like older men?’
Thinking on it, Meteria realized that this wasn’t a deal breaker. So, yes, she did.
‘Damn it!’ she cursed to herself. ‘Stupid, sexy, old man!’
111 &&& 111
A year later, Meteria learned another piece of the puzzle that was Danny Hebert. It was during a feast on behalf of Maxine, who had ascended to Level 9 on a recent expedition into the depths of the Dungeon, and everyone in the Hera Familia was celebrating. This, of course, meant that the Zeus Familia was there as well, since Maxine wanted to rub her success in her twin and fellow captain, Maxim’s, face.
“Come on, baby brother!” Maxine laughed as she waved a mug in front of her brother. “Fill up your big sister’s cup!”
“Older by one minute!” Maxim shouted back, but he still poured her some booze into the waiting container.
Alfia sat quietly besides Meteria at the table, taking sips. She’d hit Level 4 on the expedition herself, and though most people wouldn’t be able to tell, Meteria knew her sister was overjoyed by her success. Being Maxine’s protégé meant The Silence was allowed to sit at the main table, and Meteria got to do so as well due to being Alfia’s sister.
Meteria was glad for this, because it meant she could sit near Danny and watch him. He drank slowly, savoring the contents of his mug, while eating from his plate with his free hand. He dunked a forkful of lamb into some garlic sauce, and avoided the Brussel sprouts because he didn’t like the taste.
Meteria knew all this, because she’d compiled a little list about everything he liked to eat, and even learned how to cook those very meals! Now if only she could figure out what ‘lasagna’ was, and then she’d be able to make every one of his favorite foods!
However, something seemed off with her beloved. He looked sleepy, and was swaying a little.
“Is he drunk?” Meteria asked, surprised. She’d never seen him like this before!
“Ah, damn,” Maxim sighed as Danny began to drunkenly sway back and forth. “Who the hell gave him some of the special Deadly Wasp Mead? We all know he can’t handle it!”
“Sorry!” Horatio apologized. “He must have grabbed my mug by mistake.”
He leaned down and pulled the Zeus Familia’s vice-captain back to his feet. “Let’s get you somewhere quiet so you can sober up, buddy.”
“Annette…” Danny sobbed as one of his friends dragged him off to his room. “I’m sorry… I failed to protect Taylor… please, forgive me…”
Meteria watched him leave, those names sticking out to her. Who were they? Who was Annette? And who was Taylor? She finally was unable to hold it in, and asked this very question after the feast.
“Who is she?” Meteria wondered to herself, pacing back and forth in her room.
“Who?” Alfia asked, watching her sister with an inscrutable expression.
“Annette!” Meteria replied. “And Taylor!”
“Oh, that? Annette was his wife.”
“He was married?” Meteria hissed, spinning around to her sibling and Alfia nodded.
“Yes.”
“How do you know that?!”
“Mr. Hebert is a very boring man,” Alfia replied. “He doesn’t talk about much. If it’s not about work, it’s about his family from his old world. It’s all he ever mentions when we’re on expeditions in the Dungeon.”
“I’ve never heard him mention that,” Meteria muttered, biting her thumb in frustration. “And Taylor?”
“His daughter,” Alfia replied. “Like I said, Mr. Hebert really doesn’t talk about anything else.”
Meteria shot her sister a jealous look. Just because Alfia was a little bit stronger (okay, a lot!) she got to go on fun trips with Danny and learn so much more about him!
“Don’t give me that look,” Alfia huffed. “I don’t understand what you see in him. He’s so dull. Easy on the eyes, I suppose, but so very boring.”
“Shut it!” Meteria grunted. “I love him! And someday, I’ll make him love me!”
Alfia rolled her eyes but said nothing, living up to her Alias of ‘The Silence.’ If her sister wanted to pine after a formerly married man, who was she to stop her?
111 &&& 111
The years passed, and much to Meteria’s annoyance, nothing changed at all. Well, that wasn’t true. Her sister hit Level 7, the youngest in history to do so, and the two Familias had managed to go below the 80th Floor, the deepest anyone had ever gotten!
No, what hadn’t changed was Meteria’s love life. She was still nothing more than a ‘kid’ in Danny’s eyes. The vice-captain didn’t even react to any of her flirting over the years! Just patted her on the head or ignored her!
“Why won’t he go out with me?” Meteria complained after another failed attempt to get her beloved Danny to give her a date, pouting in frustration as she sat with her sister and her friends in the Familia’s cafeteria. “I’ve given him every signal I can think of, and I’m finally eighteen years old! What am I doing wrong?”
“Have you considered flashing him your tits?” an Amazon suggested as she tore into a haunch of mutton. “That tends to work for me!”
“That’s a terrible idea,” Maxine grunted at her vice-captain as she ripped a loaf of bread in half with her bare hands before turning her attention to Meteria. “You want to get his attention, not come off as a loose woman.”
“I still do not see what it is you find appeal about that man,” Alfia said, daintily eating her own meal with much more care than her companions.
“If you must know, it’s because he just seems… so sad,” Meteria sighed. “And I feel like I can help him heal.”
“That’s a terrible reason to date someone,” Maxine said with a deadpan.
“He was also married and had a daughter,” Alfia added. “You cannot replace what he lost in his old world, Meteria. Don’t even try.”
“You’ve pined after him for years, now,” the Amazon stated. “Maybe just tell him outright? Being subtle certainly seems to have failed.”
“I know! I’m gonna ask Lady Hera for advice!” Meteria declared, standing up from her table. The other three women all winced.
“That is also a terrible idea,” Maxine stated.
“Yeah. The boss lady is kinda… well, she has different ideas about romance,” the Amazon warned.
“It’s fine!” Meteria said, waving off their concerns.
Before she could go off to find her goddess, however, an adventurer, one of the Familia’s Supporters, rushed in, eyes wide and looking around wildly before hurrying over to Maxine.
“Captain! Lady Hera needs you!” she panted out.
“What? Why?” Maxine asked, even though she was already standing up.
“A messenger! From the Guild!” the Supporter explained. “We… we’ve been issued a Quest!”
That got her – and everyone else in the cafeteria’s – attention, and Maxine immediately left to go speak with her goddess.
Meteria never did get to speak with Lady Hera. Because later that day, the Zeus and Hera Familias announced they would be undertaking the Grand Quests, and preparations to take down Behemoth, Leviathan, and the Black Dragon began, causing everyone to become a bit too busy for anything calm and measured.
111 &&& 111
Months passed by in a blur. It was chaotic and busy, as they all prepared to embark on the greatest mission the two Familias had ever received. But, finally, everything was ready, and the captains of the Zeus and Hera Familias marched from Orario at the head of a massive host, hundreds of adventurers armed to the teeth.
They would meet up with the Thor Familia, who’d been hunting Behemoth and managed to track it do an abandoned stretch of dessert to the north-east.
It had been decided that the only landbound member of the Living Calamities would be the first to fall. It would be a whetstone for the adventurers, and to gauge how much more power they’d need for the remaining two.
With the majority of the Hera Familia gone, Meteria found herself missing her sister and the others, but she also knew there would never be a better chance to ask her goddess for help.
“Lady Hera, I have a question,” Meteria said as she entered her mistress’s office, and the Goddess of Marriage perked up from her pile of paperwork.
“Of course, dear Meteria! What do you need?”
“It is… I wish for love advice,” the Level 1 said, and the goddess smiled knowingly.
“Ah~! You want to capture the heart of the Strongest Level 1,” Hera laughed. “About time you made your move!”
She beckoned to her, urging Meteria to sit down across from her. “Come, come! Let me tell you the best advice you’ll ever get!”
Meteria complied and sat down, listening eagerly to her goddess’s wise words. After all, the Goddess of Mariage had to know the secrets to getting a man!
‘Even if she’s been unable to claim Lord Zeus for herself,’ Meteria thought to herself.
“So! The secret to catching a man is simple!” Hera claimed. “To win his heart, first, you must secure his body!”
“His body?” Meteria asked, tilting her head.
“Yup! See, men are like dogs. They wander away at the slightest hint of juicy steak. But if you manage to collar him? Well, then your dog will always come back to you,” Hera declared with a grin.
“You want me to get Mr. Danny a dog?” Meteria inquired, confused by the advice, and her goddess sighed.
“I’m telling you to grab him, pin him down, and ravish him until he can’t think of anything else but you,” Hera stated bluntly, giving the young woman at her side a deadpan look.
“Oh!” Meteria gasped. “I-I don’t think… I mean… I couldn’t…”
“It’s a surefire plan!” Hera claimed. “Put a cute little bun in the oven, and your beloved Danny will be like clay in your hands! You can get him to do anything if you do this!”
“I mean… I do want a child,” Meteria admitted, absentmindedly rubbing her belly. “To bring life into this world that will be able to live and love it as much as I do, and be able to keep doing so long after I am gone… But that feels cruel to do that to Mr. Danny.”
“The man wishes for death, child,” Hera said, her tone shifting to one of pity. “He plans to die on the Grand Quests, you know.”
Hearing that, Meteria gasped, and the goddess grinned, knowing she had her. “A child would give him a reason to continue to live. A man like Hebert would never abandon his offspring, so he will do everything in his power to come home alive. Don’t you agree?”
Meteria nodded slowly. Her goddess’s words made sense, and Hera clapped her hands before standing up and heading over to a dresser.
“Take this,” she ordered Meteria, and the Level 1 took a vial of pink liquid from her. “That is a potent aphrodisiac. Feed it to him, and he’ll ravish you on the spot~!”
“I see,” Meteria murmured, before bringing the vial protectively to her chest and bowing. “Thank you, my goddess!”
“You can thank me by naming me the baby’s godmother,” Hera replied haughtily, but there was a hint of longing in her voice.
Meteria merely nodded. Such a request was a simple one.
‘Now, I just need to find the perfect time to give this to him,’ she thought eagerly.
She would not get a chance to use Lady Hera’s gift for a while, though. Her beloved was off fighting Behemoth, after all. But when he returned, Meteria knew there would be a massive feast to celebrate.
‘And when they are all drunk, I will feed this to him!’ she decided. Yes, that was the perfect moment to strike and make it clear she loved him!
111 &&& 111
As predicted, the two Familias were victorious over Behemoth, and they returned triumphantly parading several Drop Items around that they’d claimed from the corpse of the first of the Living Calamities.
And just as planned, a massive feast was thrown, allowing the adventurers to celebrate – and mourn. Many lives had been spent to bring down the Breaker of Mountains, and not everyone returned home.
But Danny did. He’d survived, and Meteria found him drinking a mug of beer, observing the festivities from a distance, leaning against a wall in the courtyard. His face was flushed, likely from his earlier libations, and while he wasn’t drunk, he wasn’t too far off.
“Hello, Mr. Danny,” Meteria said, holding two cups of wine closely.
“Meteria,” he said, nodding politely at her, though as always, he was so distant.
‘At least he finally agreed to call me by my first name, and not ‘Miss Cranel’ all the time,’ she thought, pleased. It’d taken over a year to get him to do that!
“Are you enjoying yourself?” she asked curiously.
“I am,” he claimed. “Though the atmosphere is too much for me right now. And, I wanted a bit of time to myself.”
He looked up at the stars with a sigh. “Back on Earth Bet, I never imagined I’d fight against an Endbringer… even if the Behemoth of this world is nothing like the Hero Killer of my world. And that I’d win is even more unbelievable. But here I am.”
“You won and came back alive, Mr. Danny,” Meteria said softly. “You can be happy about that, right?”
“Maybe,” he grunted, before taking another swig of beer, only to find it empty.
He grunted and dropped the mug to the ground and prepared to go get another one, but Meteria quickly stepped up and handed him one of the wineglasses.
“Here!” she offered. “Please, take it!”
“Well, alright,” he muttered, and accepted the drink from her. He took a sip, then another.
For a moment Meteria feared the wine had diluted the aphrodisiac Lady Hera had given her, but after the third sip, her beloved seemed to freeze. That wasn’t all. A certain part of his anatomy was standing at attention.
“Meteria,” Danny growled, turning to her, but she quickly drained her own cup and then mashed her lips against his.
For what felt like a blissful eternity they remained like that, locked in a lover’s embrace, before Danny broke the kiss and tried to pull away.
“Please,” she begged as the aphrodisiac in her own wine kicked in. “Don’t push me away!”
“I-I… he stammered, trying to resist. “No, this is wrong!”
“I can’t replace your wife,” Meteria whispered. “And I don’t want to do that! I love you, Danny! Please! Just this once…”
“You’re too young!” Danny declared.
“I’m eighteen, now,” she replied. “That was the age of adulthood in your world, wasn’t it? I think I’ve waited long enough.”
“I’m old enough to be your father!” he tried again.
“I like older men,” she whispered.
He continued to try and fight the intoxicant surging through his belly, but the heavy drinking earlier had weakened his inhibitions, and the aphrodisiac was grinding him down even more.
After a bit more struggling against his baser instincts, Danny wasn’t able to resist any longer, and he broke, growling like an animal as he grabbed her and dragged her off to a bedroom. She giggled happily, her own thoughts descending into a pink haze.
When Meteria woke the next morning, she felt wonderfully sore and full, yet depressingly cold.
“He didn’t even stay,” she whispered to herself, looking over at her empty bed.
Danny had recovered from being drugged at some point in the early hours of the morning and left, if the lack of body heat on the sheets was any indicator.
It hurt, being abandoned like that, but Meteria couldn’t help but lower a hand to her stomach. Because in the end, she’d finally won.
111 &&& 111
She did not see Danny again for a few days. And when she did, he simply ignored her and kept on walking, trying to pretend that the night they’d spent together was a dream. It was too early to tell if Lady Hera’s plan had worked, so Meteria could only wait before approaching him again.
In the meantime, the Familia was busy preparing for the next Grand Quest. Leviathan was next, and the Poseidon Familia had been tasked with luring the Island Sinker to Melen.
It was a few weeks later when news reached Orario that Leviathan had been slain. But to Meteria, triumphing over a second Living Calamity paled in significance to something else happening to her.
“There, there,” Maria said soothingly. “Let it all out.”
Her friend from the orphanage was patting her back as Meteria threw up into the toilet, and after breakfast, lunch, and dinner went down the drain, she was finally able to stop feeling so ill.
“You probably ate something a bit off last night,” Maria said sympathetically. “Should I get you some lavender and mint tea?”
“Please,” Meteria whimpered.
The Supporter already knew that this wasn’t the result of some bad beef, but something far more joyous.
So, when the two Familias returned, parading more Drop Items for the whole city to view, Meteria snuck out and cornered Danny.
“Not now, Meteria,” he said brusquely, trying to step around her. “I have things I need to do.”
“Leviathan is dead,” she replied. “Surely you can spare a minute.”
“I have the feast to organize, and a god to wrangle,” Danny shot back. “Not to mention organizing letters to the deceased…”
“I’m pregnant,” Meteria declared, deciding to just go ahead and drop the bomb.
Her beloved froze mid-step, and he gave her a look of disbelief.
“What?” Danny hissed.
“I’m pregnant,” she repeated, and rubbed her belly. “And it’s ours.”
“You-!” he uttered furiously. “Why did-?!”
“Because I love you!” Meteria shouted, tears prickling in her eyes.
“But Meteria… your constitution,” Danny muttered, tone turning softer.
“I will be lucky to live to the age of twenty,” Meteria replied bitterly, wiping her eyes. “At the very least, before I die, I want to bring something new and wonderful into this world.”
She then stared into his eyes. “And I want you to be there for them.”
“…How could you do this to me?” Danny whispered, sounding utterly broken and defeated.
“Because I love you,” she repeated, stepping closer. “And I want you… to live. I don’t want you to try and find a grave to die in over the guilt of failing your old family and losing your old world. I wanted you to live, and raise our child, because you need to learn to love again!”
Meteria stared into Danny’s eyes, and he stared back, his will wavering before finally breaking.
“I hate you,” he whispered back. “But I will do the right thing.”
Danny grabbed her hand before getting onto one knee. “Meteria… will you marry me?”
Meteria sobbed happily, finally allowing her tears to flow. “Yes!” was all she could say.
So what if he hated her? So what if she might not live to see their child grow up? She had won, just as Lady Hera had said she would.
What happened next was a blur. People were informed, paperwork was signed, and ideas for a wedding were started to be drafted, but any joy Meteria might have felt died the next day, as news reached Orario of a horrific event: the Black Dragon had destroyed the Forbidden City, plunging the Jade Empire into chaos.
All of their plans were thrown into disarray, and the Zeus and Hera Familias were forced to accelerate their preparations in order to deal with this unexpected reaction from the final Living Calamity.
As she watched Danny leave with the rest of the two Familias a week later, the young woman stroked her stomach tenderly.
‘He will be back,’ Meteria thought to herself. ‘He promised.’
Until then, she would be strong. For their child. Because that was all that mattered.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Happy Mother's Day! Almost forgot to upload this today!
This is a canon sidestory to the "Is It Wrong To Skitter In A Dungeon" timeline. This is how Meteria met Danny, and how Bell came to be.
Chapter 40: Chapter 37: The Queen of Heaven's Plot
Chapter Text
Chapter 37: The Queen of Heaven's Plot
"Taylor-sama… are you sure?" Mikoto asked, voice wavering with concern. "Are you absolutely certain that is what she said?"
"She said 'Killing Stone,'" Taylor confirmed.
"Oh." The dread in the Far Eastern woman's voice was worrying.
"Mikoto… what is a Killing Stone?" Hestia asked.
"Yes, I've never heard of them before," Miach said.
"Not many outside of the Far East do," Mikoto admitted. "They are considered a shameful part of our past, and a disgusting practice that was made illegal by Lady Amaterasu upon descending a thousand years ago."
Taylor made a 'go on' gesture with her hand, and Mikoto took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Killing Stones are a product of forbidden magic," Mikoto said darkly. "They are created by combining a Tobi Stone and a Tamamo Stone together in a foul ritual. Tobi Stones are carved from a rare crystalline material called Lunatic Light Stone after absorbing moonlight, and the Tamamo Stone… it is said to be made by… by…"
"By what?" Taylor pressed.
"By murdering a renard child and using alchemy to turn their bones into a stone-like substance," Mikoto whispered, and everyone recoiled in disgust and horror.
"Why?" Hestia asked tearfully.
"Because a Killing Stone is capable of trapping the soul of a renard within it," Mikoto revealed. "And whomever has possession of the Killing Stone can then use the magical power of the renard in question."
"Renard… those are the fox-tailed people, right?" Bell asked.
"Yes. Aside from elves, they are the race with the most magical power," Mikoto nodded. "So a Killing Stone can boost the strength of Spells from others, or be used to fuel rituals and wards."
"That cannot be the only reason," Taylor said. "Is there nothing else they can do?"
"I, well, there are rumors that because a Killing Stone captures a renard's soul, it can also record their Falna," the samurai said. "If a renard had a Spell, then the Killing Stone allows for anyone who wields it to cast that Spell as well. Sort of like a Grimoire, but that can be used repeatedly."
"That would do it," Taylor sighed.
"Is there any way to undo this?" Bell asked anxiously, and Mikoto frowned.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I've heard that if you could return the Killing Stone to the renard's body, then there might be a chance they could be restored to life. But, as this is a forbidden practice, I've never heard of anything like that happening outside of stories."
"But it looks like the Killing Stone Miss Taylor has is broken. What would happen to it then?" Welf asked.
"I'm unsure," the samurai hummed. "I suppose, in theory, a piece of a broken Killing Stone of sufficient size could still be used. Breaking it apart might allow anyone who had a piece to use whatever spell was ensnared within it. But such an act would definitely harm the soul of the renard, possibly beyond the point of salvation even if all the pieces were brought back together."
"Who would do something like that?" Emma whispered sorrowfully.
"Ishtar," the Amazon on the couch suddenly said, and everyone – except Taylor – jerked in surprise when they realized she was awake and listening. She tried to sit up but was pushed back down by Miach.
"Stay still," he ordered. "We need to set your bones so you can heal properly."
"I… I need to save her," the woman said,
"You won't be able to do anything like this," Miach warned. "Even with a Falna, potions, and magic your body will need several days to recover properly."
"You can still tell us what happened," Taylor assured her. "First, though, tell us your name."
"Aisha Belka," the adventurer said, looking at the parahuman. "It was you, wasn't it? You found me."
"I did," Taylor confirmed.
"You are the commander of the Berbera," Ryuu revealed, surprised.
"Huh, didn't know I was famous," the Amazon chuckled weakly.
"Berbera?" Leo asked.
"The elite of the elite within the Ishtar Familia. Only Level 3 and higher are allowed to join their ranks," Ryuu explained. "I am unsure of their numbers, but their combat prowess is well-known. As is their cruelty."
"You said a name. Ishtar. Is she responsible?" Taylor inquired, putting the conversation back on track.
"Yes, she is," Aisha said, clenching her fists.
"A goddess did this?" Mikoto asked in horror.
"Yeah. My goddess," Aisha nodded.
"Why?" Bell asked, clenching his fists. "What was the point?"
"Ishtar wants to overthrow the Freya Familia," Aisha revealed. "She hates Freya. Truly and utterly. Thinks Freya is an upstart who looks down on her by being a Goddess of Love but having nothing to do with the Entertainment District. All the other gods with a domain involving love have some connection to the district, and by extension, Ishtar herself. This is an insult in her mind."
"And she'd be willing to go to war over this?" Taylor demanded. "And not just a War Game, but actual violence?"
"Absolutely," Aisha claimed. "She was making a deal with the Kali Familia to join her, and you don't make deals with psychopaths like them unless you want to start a war."
"Kali?!" Miach gasped.
"Is she important?" Silva wondered. "I've never heard of her before, though."
"I have," Taylor spoke up. "She was in Melen for a while, apparently. The Njord Familia didn't know why, but they had seen meet-ups between them and Ishtar Familia. Oh, and they had a bit of a fight with the Loki Familia."
"Kali rules the Amazon nation of Telskyura," Miach explained for everyone.
"Sorta like Ares and Rakia?" Welf wondered.
"No. They may call it a nation, but there are no ordinary people in Telskyura," Aisha revealed. "Everyone has a Falna, not just the warriors."
"Everyone?!" the Blacksmith gasped.
"The moment a baby is born, they are branded with a Falna," Miach confirmed. "Their numbers are generally low, it's more of a city-state than anything else, but when everyone is an adventurer who has managed to survive the most dangerous place in the world besides the Dungeon… well, even the Empire would hesitate to challenge them."
"If the Kali Familia were to join the Ishtar Familia, then they might just be able to take down Freya," Hestia admitted with a frown.
"Thankfully, Kali backed out of the alliance," Aisha said, causing everyone to sigh in relief. "I think something in Orario spooked her, and it wasn't just due to the beating her Familia was handed by Finn and the others. Whatever it was, though, she left and won't be helping Ishtar anytime soon."
"Alright, that's one good thing," Taylor grunted. "But this Killing Stone… what can it do? What makes Ishtar so confident to fight the Freya Familia with it?"
"The renard girl stuck inside the stone had a truly insane Spell that can change the tides of battle," Aisha claimed. "It's… I can't remember the name, but it allows her to boost the Level of an adventurer."
"What?!" several people exclaimed in shock.
"Yup. Imagine a Level 3 adventurer with a B rank in their Power stat. With Haruhime's spell they suddenly count as a Level 4 with a B rank in Power," Aisha said with a grim expression. "It only lasts around fifteen minutes and can only affect a single person at a time, but it does not end if she's unconscious – or worse. However, when the Killing Stone is broken up, anyone with a shard can use this Level Up spell."
"Ishtar can have a Familia full of adventurers punching well above their weight class," Taylor realized.
"You see how dangerous it is, then?" the Amazon asked, earning a curt nod from Weaver.
"I'm sorry, did you say Haruhime?" Mikoto demanded, cutting in, and Aisha blinked before nodding.
"Uh, yeah. That was her name. Sanjouno Haruhime. Or I suppose Haruhime Sanjouno, using western naming conventions."
"No!" Mikoto breathed out in horror. "That's… that cannot be! She can't be here!"
"I don't know how it happened, but Haruhime told me that she'd been sold to a slaver and ended up in Orario about a year ago," Aisha said.
"That's impossible…" Mikoto whispered, despair covering her face. "I'd heard a rumor that somebody matching Haruhime's appearance had been seen in the Entertainment District, but I never found any evidence, so I assumed…"
"Aisha, why did I find you on death's door in an alleyway?" Taylor inquired, once more getting things back on track.
"Because I opposed Ishtar and tried to protect Haruhime from her," Aisha replied. "I got to know Haruhime while she was working as a courtesan, and when I learned what Ishtar had planned for her? I knew I couldn't allow it to happen."
Aisha stared back at Taylor. "I'm not a good person, but even I draw the line at using something as foul as a Killing Stone and shattering it just to try and get one over on Freya. So I tried to disrupt her scheme. I misdirected funds, kept Haruhime away from the captain and other pieces of shit in the Familia, and I even destroyed the first Killing Stone Ishtar acquired, forcing her to wait for a new one."
"But it wasn't enough," Taylor guessed, and Aisha looked down in shame.
"No. It wasn't," she agreed. "After your War Game, Ishtar sent me and the Berbera into the Dungeon to gain Excelia and obtain materials to prepare for her war against Freya. While I was away… she performed the sacrificial ritual that transferred Haruhime's soul into the Killing Stone and then broke it into several pieces. I only found out when I returned a few days ago."
Aisha scowled. "I was pissed, and tried to steal the Killing Stone shards to save Haruhime, but I only managed to get one before Phryne caught me. It was all I could do to swallow the shard to keep it away. They tried to torture me to find it's location but I resisted long enough for them to give up."
"Why didn't they kill you or remove your Falna?" Ryuu asked.
"They knew that if Ishtar was near me, I'd try and murder her without any hesitation," Aisha said with a vicious smile. "As for the first thing, I think they expected me to die from the beating that a Level 5, a Level 4, and a whole bunch of Level 3s gave me. Honestly, I should have, if not for Haruhime's Spell secretly raising my Level. Even so, it was a near thing, and it took all my power to drag myself away from where they dumped me."
"That still seems shorted-sighted and risky," Taylor commented. "What exactly is going to stop somebody from trying to get revenge on them if they just let anyone who challenges them live?"
"Ishtar rules the Entertainment District with an iron fist," Aisha said with a grimace. "Aphrodite and Tyche might have control of a few establishments within and reject her authority, but they are isolated enclaves within Ishtar's domain. If she wanted, she could crush them in an instant. That's probably why they didn't care to just outright murder me. Even if I survived, what could I do alone?"
"Even if the Ishtar Familia is an A-ranked Familia, the Aphrodite and Tyche Familia are both B-rank. It wouldn't be easy for Lady Ishtar to defeat them in a straight fight," Lili piped up.
"Alone, sure, but Ishtar has a bunch of other gods under her thumb, and can draw upon them for aide," Aisha spat out. "The Serket Familia provide the Ishtar Familia with aphrodisiacs and poisons. Ereshkigal is a coward and unable to say no to her. And the Ikelos Familia provide her with all sorts of illegal goods."
"Like the Killing Stone," Taylor guessed.
"Exactly. There are also other Familias she can extort and blackmail. She knows a lot of dirty secrets that, if they got out, could ruin a lot of people," Aisha revealed. "Ishtar sucks at long-term planning but she's not an idiot, and had spent centuries gathering power within the city. Even the Guild has to walk carefully around her."
"But what about Haruhime?" Mikoto demanded. "We have to save her!"
"We can't rush in there without a plan," Taylor retorted.
"And from the sounds of it, we won't be able to do anything ourselves," Welf pointed out. "We need allies if we want to save your friend."
"True," Taylor agreed. "A coalition of Familias should be able to force Ishtar to capitulate if we apply the right kind of pressure. Aisha, could you give us the information you have on the people you know for a fact Ishtar has dirt on?"
"Absolutely," the Level 3 nodded. "I know a lot. I was more of a vice-captain than Ishtar's boy-toy Tammuz ever was."
"Tell us everything," Taylor instructed. "But first, how long ago was it that this ritual happened?"
"It's been a couple days since Ishtar put Haruhime's soul into the Killing Stone and then broke it," Aisha informed them. "A week at most. I only found out yesterday when I returned from the deep expedition. I don't know if time matters or not, but the sooner we can put Haruhime's soul back, the better!"
"Indeed, the sooner the better," Miach spoke up. "The soul is delicate, and the mind is tied to it, along with the body. The longer they are separated, the worse they'll degrade."
"You said Ishtar planned to attack Freya, correct?" Bell asked. "What if we go to her and tell her what we know? Surely that information would convince her to help!"
"Maybe," Hestia said, clearly not liking the idea of Bell being near the other goddess. Though for once, Taylor was able to tell that this was not due to jealousy, but for some other reason.
"I'll go," Taylor spoke up. "It would be more socially acceptable for a Familia's captain to speak to the head of another Familia, regardless of the difference in rank."
"Alright," Hestia said with a nod. "I don't like it, but… fine. Go fill her in and see what Freya has to say about working together to attack the Ishtar Familia."
Taylor nodded and strode out of the room, stopping only to grab some silk from her room and Chris from his stable, and then the two of them were off.
Folkvangr was an impressive structure, resembling a palace with pristine marble pillars and decorative statuary throughout the yard with a lush and well-kept garden filled with all sorts of flowers, mainly roses. There was no wall surrounding the place, just a fence, as who would be stupid enough to try and break into a building with the largest number of high-class adventurers, second only to the Loki Familia? Even the Ganesha Familia did not have as many powerhouses, despite having more members overall.
As such, when Taylor approached the entrance to the Freya Familia's home, she knew that many eyes were on her, from both within and without.
'So, they have people stationed in the other houses and buildings around Folkvangr that keep an eye on the place,' Taylor noted. 'Interesting. It's an extra layer of protection. If any suspicious people linger around then the spies in the nearby dwellings can report it, and there's also the added threat of using gossip to control the narrative. Not everyone in the houses here will be a spy for Freya, some will be regular people just live here but can be influenced alongside individuals who're working for other Familias. Freya is quite intelligent to have come up with this multi-layered security system.'
The effectiveness of this network soon proved itself when a white-haired woman in a black uniform, her bangs covering the right side of her face, opened the doors as soon as Taylor reached them.
"My name is Horn, the goddess Freya's assistant," the Level 2 adventurer said, expression neutral as she looked at Taylor. "How may I help you today, Lady Weaver?"
"I wish to speak with Lady Freya about a certain matter," Taylor said. "It has to do with a certain someone in the Entertainment District."
She removed the fragment of Killing Stone she'd held onto, flashing it for Horn to see, and the secretary's expression hardened before she nodded.
"Very well. Lady Freya has a bit of free time right now. I shall take you to her." She then glanced at Chris. "Leave it here."
With that said Horn turned and led her into foyer and through the halls of the sprawling estate that put Apollo's to shame in terms of, well, everything. Size, taste, quality… Folkvangr had it all.
Some adventurers were in the halls as they passed, no real expressions of their own save the occasional look of curiosity and, oddly enough, jealousy.
'Are they jealous of me having a face-to-face meeting with Freya?' Taylor couldn't help but wonder. She'd heard that the Familia members under Freya were unusually devoted to her, but this felt almost cultish.
Keeping any signs of discomfort off her face as she was led into an impressive lounge area, Taylor watched as Horn bowed to the enchanting woman on a pure white couch before making her exit.
"I must say, I did not expect to have a guest from the Hestia Familia today," Freya said after taking a sip of wine. She'd been reclining when Horn entered, and only when she'd left had the goddess sat up.
Of course, Freya wasn't alone with her. Even if she hadn't noticed the Level 7 standing in the corner of the room, her swarm would have been able to sense him a mile away.
The rust-haired Boaz's aura was the sound of roaring water and clashing steel, and it was loud. Louder than Finn's by a significant amount despite both being Level 7s.
"I apologize for not making an appointment before coming here," Taylor said, reaching into a pocket slowly. She removed a pair of pure white silk gloves that she handed over to the goddess. "Please consider this a token of our remorse and respect."
Freya looked at them before nodding, and Ottar stepped forward to accept them from Taylor. He inspected the offering before delivering the gift to the Goddess of Love and Beauty who put them on.
"My, my, they fit me perfectly," Freya said softly. "Did you use your swarm to figure out my measurements?"
There was a hint of sensual teasing in her tone, but Taylor stoically nodded.
"That is correct. My swarm is very good at discretely uncovering information."
"Good to know," Freya replied. "Very well, I accept the gift and the apology. Now, how can I help the Hestia Familia?"
"We recently uncovered a gruesome plot within the bowels of Orario's seedy Entertainment District," Taylor explained. "Ishtar plans to make war against you, and likely very soon."
"I am aware of her machinations." Freya revealed. "I am working on putting her in her place very soon."
"I, we, would like to be included in this," Taylor said. "And we also want to warn you that Ishtar likely won't be as easy to vanquish as you may think."
"With her alliance with Kali falling apart, I do not see how Ishtar could possibly threaten me," Freya replied. "Her Familia is strong, but I have Ottar and my executives surpass her own captain and elites by a fair margin."
"Ishtar has come into possession of something truly despicable, though, that could change the tides if you aren't careful," Taylor warned, and she revealed the Killing Stone shard once more.
This time a flicker of emotion ran through the goddess's eyes, and she sat up fully. "That… she has already performed the ritual?"
"Yes," Taylor nodded. "The soul trapped within possessed a Spell that let her boost the Level of an adventurer. And with multiple shards, that means multiple adventurers being a level higher than normal. A single artificial Level 6 is still likely no threat to you or Ottar, but with all of the Ishtar Familia's elite fighters boosted to a higher level, as well as who knows how many other underhanded tricks she likely has ready? It would be foolish to treat her as a non-entity."
"I thought I had more time," Freya muttered, before giving a nod to Taylor. "Thank you for bringing me this information. I will accelerate preparations to confront Ishtar soon. And as you wished, I shall bring your Familia into my plans."
"How soon can we expect you to start?" Taylor wondered.
"A few days. No more than a week," Freya promised.
"Thank you," Taylor said, bowing her head politely. It wasn't ideal, she'd been hoping for a sooner date, but with Freya doing anything… well, it was better than what she'd been used to with the PRT.
She prepared to leave, but Freya called out to her just as she turned around.
"Young Weaver, would you be willing to join my Familia?" Freya called out, and Taylor paused, glancing back.
"No," she said simply, and walked out of the lounge without an explanation. She heard a snort of amusement from Ottar as she left, and Freya sighed theatrically.
"Ah, well, I wasn't expecting anything else," the goddess said as Taylor left. "Hestia is truly lucky to have a child like you at her side."
Taylor nodded, but didn't stop walking. She did not speed up, no matter how much she wanted to escape the place.
After seeing the way Freya's Familia acted, Taylor wanted as little to do with them as possible. Working together to bring Ishtar's plans to ruin were the extent of it.
"Home, Chris," she said to her monster companion who simply nodded.
Taylorthen headed back to the Hestia Familia's new base of operations. But when her swarm got within range of the Hearth Manor, they immediately noticed several things. Namely, the building now reeked of blood, and there was damage to it.
Suddenly worried she began to run back to the mansion, and when she came to the front gate – which had been broken apart – she found a horrible sight.
"What happened here?" Taylor demanded, staring in horror at the sight of the front doors to the Hearth Manor. They had been shattered and signs of battle damage littered the front of the yard, as well as further inside.
She rushed into her home, trying to find her Familia. Her swarm found them – as well as Miach and his Familia – lying around in various states of pain throughout the room she'd last seen them in, as well as scattered about the backyard.
Nobody was dead, but they were all hurt badly. Even Miach had been struck in the face! Considering the taboo against harming gods in Orario, whoever had done this had to be foolish, reckless, or overly confident in their own power.
"Ryuu!" Taylor called out, rushing over to the side of elf. She was the only one who was still conscious, and even then, just barely.
"It was Phryne," Ryuu coughed out, clutching her stomach.
"Ishtar's captain?!" Taylor exclaimed.
"Yes. She, Tammuz, and several of the Berbera broke in," the elf revealed.
"Were they after Aisha?" Taylor demanded, noting that the Amazon was missing.
"No, they were actually after Bell," Ryuu stated, and it was only then that Taylor realized that her brother and vice-captain had been kidnapped. She also couldn't sense Hestia anywhere within the manor.
"Why? And did they take Hestia, too?" Taylor asked.
"Yes. They took her, too, when she tried to stop them from taking Aisha and Bell. I don't know why they wanted him, though. And Taylor! Phryne and the others had shards of the Killing Stone! They overpowered us. It was all I could do to keep us alive," Ryuu revealed, looking down in shame. "But even then… I failed."
"Why did they let you live?" Taylor wanted to know.
"I have no idea," she admitted. "Maybe as a message not to come after them? Or maybe they didn't think we were worth killing."
"Their arrogance will be their undoing," Taylor vowed, clenching her fists.
It seemed that tonight, she would be fighting a one-woman war against the Ishtar Familia.
"Taylor, don't be reckless," Ryuu pleaded. "You won't be able to attack the Entertainment District alone! There are too many powerful adventurers who frequent it, not to mention Ishtar and her Familia will have it locked down. Wait for the Freya Familia to make a move first!"
"No, we can't wait," Taylor shook her head. "Who knows what they're doing to them?! I only just found out I have a brother, I'm not going to lose any more of my family!"
"A brother… wait… Bell?" Ryuu gasped in disbelief. The captain of the Hestia Familia just nodded before turning away.
"Ryuu, heal everyone as best you can," Taylor ordered as she hurried to her room to grab her adventurer's equipment.
When she was done, most of the injured people were able to get back on their feet thanks to Ryuu's Noah Healspell, but they were far from fully recovered.
"Are you really going to attack the Ishtar Familia alone?" Mikoto asked when the captain presented herself before them.
"Yes," she replied simply.
"Please, bring Bell and Lady Hestia back safely!" Lili begged, hugging Taylor around the waist, and the parahuman patted the pallum on the head.
"The Queen of Heaven's star has fallen and shall be devoured by the Beetle of Dawn," Cassandra announced, her eyes glowing in a rainbow light. "The Child of Inari will live or die depending on the choices made tonight."
Taylor gave her a look before nodding in understanding.
"I will be back," she told everyone, before walking out, her mask affixed to her face. It was time for Orario to fear the swarm. It was time for Khepri to rise once more.
Chapter 41: Chapter 38: The Fall of Heaven's Queen
Chapter Text
Chapter 38: The Fall of Heaven's Queen
As much as she wanted to, Taylor did not immediately assault the Entertainment District. The former Warlord knew better, and so for the next couple of hours, she lurked at the edges of the brothel and casino filled streets, gathering her swarm from across Orario while scouting the locations within.
The establishments were not very busy in the afternoon, which made investigating easier. She learned many things. For one, every casino owned by Ishtar was rigged. Secondly, Tyche had a weird fascination with numbers and probability. It was like looking at a weird, alternate reality version of Dinah. Thirdly, Aphrodite had a romantic side and considered holding hands to be more lewd than actual sexual intercourse.
And fourthly, Phryne was an absolutely disgusting monster. Her room was cluttered and messy, old uneaten meals moldering away beneath piles of soiled clothing.
Worse, however, was the secret chamber she had, which was filled with torture devices stained with blood and other fluids. Bell was currently trapped inside a cage in that room, but as far as she could tell, he hadn't been hurt, merely humiliated by being stripped naked and treated like a pet of some sort.
But given the fact that Taylor found bits of bone and gore soaked into the floor, walls, and ceiling of the Amazon's hidden room she had a feeling it wouldn't be long before Phryne did something unforgivable to Bell.
Aisha was still alive and in one piece, and was being kept in a prison located underneath the Ishtar Familia's main dwelling which was a compound not dissimilar to what the Soma Familia had, except much larger and better built. To say nothing of the wealth on display.
The Belit Babili was the most exclusive brothel in the city, and had a number of other 'services' for the wealthy who visited it. A casino, a theater, and a decadent banquet hall to name a few of the things available.
Hestia was thankfully fine as well. She was currently being kept inside Ishtar's room at the top of the Belit Babili, kept from running away with golden anklets connected to each other by chains attached to her feet. She'd also been dressed up in a very revealing outfit that reminded Taylor of Princess Leia's slave outfit, but with more silken veils involved.
Ishtar was keeping the other woman around as a captive audience, as she was monologuing her plans to a very annoyed Goddess of the Hearth. From what Taylor was able to overhear, Ishtar's plan really had been as shallow as it seemed: get a bunch of powerful adventurers to attack and overwhelm the Freya Familia.
There was no clever plan to try and abuse the economic power the Ishtar Familia wielded, or to use poison or an assassin to eliminate Freya to take away the power of the Falna from her adventurers. For a supposed Goddess of War, Ishtar was simply a blunt instrument who didn't really think to make use of her numerous advantages, like leveraging some of the blackmail she had.
And there was a lot of blackmail. Ishtar had a whole library of the ledgers containing dirty secrets going back centuries. Taylor learned that the king of a certain nation two hundred years ago had really liked feet, and the clergy of a theocratic country performed 'tantric rituals' amongst themselves.
The parahuman made a mental note to steal everything in this place for later. Knowing which people were corrupt and taking bribes within the city would be useful if she had to remove them later. Or make use of them.
Taylor also managed to locate the Killing Stone fragments that contained Haruhime's soul. The trapped renard's screaming was very distinct to her swarm's senses, and she was able to track the pieces down by following and homing in on them.
There were, in total, twelve shards, thirteen counting the one in her pocket. They were being kept by the strongest members of the Ishtar Familia and were scattered around the district.
Phryne was busy eating in the manor's cafeteria, Tammuz was fetching refreshments for Ishtar and her 'guest' and the other Berbera were doing various things, including some of which Taylor was trying hard not to focus on.
But despite it all, Taylor's swarm had infiltrated the entire Entertainment District. There was nowhere she could not see, no room she did not have under observation, and no person, adventurer or otherwise, not tagged with bugs.
When dusk descended on the city she finally made her move, rising from her hiding spot with a determined expression under her mask.
"Fly, Joy of Icarus!" she chanted, and let black moth wings manifest upon her back.
"ISHTAR!" Taylor roared through her swarm, her voice reaching every corner of the Entertainment District. "YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO RELEASE HESTIA AND BELL CRANEL! OTHERWISE, I SHALL DESTROY YOU AND YOUR FAMILIA!"
Several buildings were suddenly infested with termites and roaches, the insects tearing into the foundations of a casino and brothel under the goddess' direct control.
In moments the interiors of the two buildings were riddled with holes and would never pass a health and safety inspection ever again. The walls and ceiling sagged and everything creaked ominously, causing the staff and patrons to scream and run out. Or maybe they were spooked by the horde of bugs attacking the places.
"DO NOT MAKE ME WAIT!" Taylor called out.
"Weaver! What is she doing?!" Ishtar demanded angrily of Hestia.
"I am not Weaver. I am Khepri," the parahuman uttered through a bug clone she formed inside Ishtar's bedroom.
It was a name that lurked within her mind and haunted her nightmares, barely remembered from her time fighting Scion, but... the name fit, as if it was always hers to wield.
"You dare take the name of a goddess as your own?! Your arrogance will be your downfall, mortal!" Ishtar sneered.
"Taylor," Hestia suddenly spoke up, and Ishtar and the bug clone turned to her. "I am not usually one to advocate for violence. However, sometimes it is necessary. So do what needs to be done."
She bowed her head. "And if you need to use that Skill? I will not blame you, or hold it against you."
Hestia then looked the clone in the eyes. "And I will always love you, no matter what happens."
The room was silent, save for the buzzing of the clone, before it broke apart, the swarm scattering away.
"I warned you, Ishtar," Hestia said quietly. "When you started monologuing, I warned you that your sins would come back to haunt you. And you have many, many sins."
"You poor, bleeding heart," Ishtar scoffed. "Are you still going on about treating mortals with respect? They're animals, Hestia. Lesser beings who exist to serve us. I can do what I want to them."
"What about when they grow tired of obeying? Even a dog will bite the hand that feeds it if said hand has beaten it," Hestia retorted, before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter. You've made your choice, now you have to live with the consequences."
Hestia then closed her eyes, trying to block out the 'voices' of the Entertainment District. There were so many people with broken homes here. Many of them suffered, and their misery could be traced back to Ishtar in some way.
'And after what Ishtar did to that poor girl… I suppose we shall see what happens when a non-believer kills a god.'
Ishtar stared at the shorter but somehow more endowed goddess before scoffing in disgust and turning away. "PHRYNE! TAMMUZ! FIND THAT UPSTART AND BRING HER TO ME!"
For the next five minutes, the streets were filled with Amazon. They were running about, trying to find the adventurer who had just threatened the entire Ishtar Familia. Most of the customers had decided it was probably a good idea to leave, not wanting to stick around the battleground.
A few, the curious and the higher leveled ones, hung around near the edges of the district, watching and waiting for something to happen. And of course there was chaos further out in the city as people tried to figure out what was happening as the sky turned dark.
'I wonder when the Guild will get involved?' Taylor wondered as she watched the Amazons try to find her. The swarthy women weren't having much success, though. They'd caused a lot of damage breaking down doors and busting into rooms, but not a trace of the parahuman.
'They never look up,' Taylor thought in amusement.
She was hovering in the air, her black wings invisible in the darkness, and her Black Goliath armor blended into the night sky as well. The only risk of being spotted was her golden arm, but she'd wrapped a scarf made of black-dyed silk around it to hide it from being seen.
After the five minutes she'd offered Ishtar had passed she drank down a Mind potion to top herself off, before she sighed in disappointment.
"It seems like she didn't take my advice," Taylor grunted, not having expected anything else. She pulled out the Killing Stone, and looked down at it. "I'm sorry. I need to borrow your strength."
The screaming she could hear did not pause, but for a moment it changed in pitch, and the parahuman could hear a note of 'acceptance' from the soul fragment trapped inside.
Taking that as an invitation, she channeled her magic into the object and she felt her Level increase. It was an odd feeling, suddenly have such power.
When an adventurer Leveled Up, their strength wasn't just increasing additively, it increased multiplicative, doubling each time. A Level 2, no matter their stats, was always two times stronger than a Level 1 with comparable numbers. And a Level 3 was at least twice as strong as a Level 2. And so on.
For instance, if a Level 1 with a Power Stat of 500 Leveled Up, they did not have a Power Stat of 500 upon reaching Level 2. It was actually 1,000, even if their Falna showed it as returning to zero. And since a regular adventurer could only have a Stat reach 999, even if a Level 1 managed to max out their Power Stat, they'd only be able to match somebody a Level higher who had a Power Stat of less than 500.
At least, that was how it normally was. That was why Bell and herself having Stats go beyond S-rank was insane. They broke what was possible, and could become as strong as somebody a full level above them simply due to the fact that they could accumulate enough Excelia and Stat points.
Even before she'd Leveled Up from 1 to 2, her Stats had been absurd, and she'd been closer to a low-ranked Level 2. And after all the training she'd done before the War Game, she'd been able to throw down with most mid-rank Level 3s based on pure numbers alone. As a Level 3? Taylor estimated she could be compared to a weak Level 4.
Now, due to being boosted to Level 4, she was twice as strong as what she had been moments earlier. More importantly, her Mind Stat was also absurdly high, and the amount of magical energy she could draw on was just as insane.
Calmly, she unwrapped a portion of her golden arm so she could insert a Magic Blade Cartridge into it. The glint of her metal limb drew the attention of a couple sharper eyed Amazons, but by the time they noticed it was too late.
Her swarm descended upon the Entertainment District, a screaming, buzzing, chittering mass of chitin, stingers, and jaws. The adventurers of the Ishtar Familia were attacked millions of insects and they could not handle it, unable to fight back as they were stung, bit, and made to suffer panic attacks.
"I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!" Taylor chanted, and all across the Entertainment District hundreds of people instantly collapsed as she cursed their ability to move by using her swarm as a medium.
After learning she could cast spells through her swarm, she had practiced until she could do it in her sleep. Taylor had also found she could affect more than one target at once with her curse this way.
Better yet, even though she removed her own ability to move her body, she could still travel around through her flight spell, which allowed her to move herself telekinetically. The wings the Spell created were just a visual representation of the Spell itself.
The mass paralysis didn't last very long, only a handful of seconds, either due to the bugs she was using as a medium dying from the strain of channeling her Curse, or from her targets being strong enough to break free, such as Phryne and Tammuz, but that was all the time Taylor needed.
While they were stuck, twelve tendrils of her swarm sought out and stole the twelve fragments of Haruhime's Killing Stone. Some were still in the possession of the Ishtar Familia's Berbera, but they couldn't stop Taylor.
The swarm took the Killing Stone shards off of the bodies of the temporarily immobile adventurers, and carried them away to safety, far from their touch. All the while, Taylor descended towards the street, until she was almost touching the ground. She then raised her golden arm into the air.
Another loop hole Taylor and Naaza had discovered was that artificial limbs like the chienthrope's Silver Arm and Taylor's own Golden Arm were not affected by the Curse. They could still be moved, though it was stiffer and a lot more awkward.
Taylor raised her arm, and used the Magic Blade Cartridge within it to summon a globe of water. It was the size of a beachball, but with some effort Taylor managed to compress it until it was the size of a grapefruit.
Then, she began to spin it, and soon the orb of magically conjured water was moving like it was an inverse whirlpool. Whirl-bubble? Whatever it was, it was spinning fast.
And then it began to open fire upon the adventurers of the Ishtar Familia, tiny bullets of compressed water shooting off from the orb.
A Level 2 Amazon in the streets standing in front of Taylor? Water bullet to the guts, the tiny bead of liquid punching clean through her stomach, the force of it knocking her down.
A Level 1 Amazon trying to shoot at her from a window fifty feet behind her? A water bullet was sent through the wall the sniper was leaning against and into the crossbow, destroying the weapon.
A pair of Level 1s with battleaxes? Water bullets through the hands, feet, arms and legs, making it impossible for them to wield any more weapons or chase after her.
A Level 3 who thought they were being clever by lurking behind a door and preparing to stab at Taylor through the wood with a long spear? A barrage of water bullets shot through the door before she could act that pierced her body and ruined her spear, and then Taylor added some spiders to bite her for good measure.
Taylor's swarm gave her a perfect 360-degree view of everything around her, without a single shred of worry about people hiding because even if they could turn invisible, her bugs would sense the displaced air or smell them.
Water bullets flew fast and furious like omni-directional rain, punching clean through dozens of adventurers as she floated like an ethereal specter towards the Belit Babili. Taylor wasn't aiming for kill shots, merely crippling them by going for arms, legs and the stomach. The water bullets were small, so a bit of potion would fix them right up, but they hurt like heck and kept most Amazons down after a few shots.
Some were strong enough to shrug off multiple shots, however. A Level 3, one of the Berbera Taylor had taken back a piece of the Killing Stone from, had to take over a dozen water bullets before she finally passed out from blood loss.
The orb of water and the bullets it was firing were only possible due to Taylor's ridiculous level of control over her magical energy. It did not move unless she willed it. Ryuu had claimed this was impossible, as not even Nine Hells, the greatest spellcaster in the city, could manipulate raw elemental magic with her willpower alone without a Spirit helping her. But Taylor could.
The parahuman suspected this unfathomable level of control might have something to do with Queen Administrator, or at least a side-effect. The Shard granted Taylor superhuman levels of micromanagement and multiple streams of consciousness, which was necessary to control her swarm with as much precision as she did. Using these byproducts of her passenger, Taylor was able to detect and directly manipulate the magic within and around her to such precise degree.
Whatever the reason for it, though, Taylor was burning through Mind at a steady pacing, and had had to drink three more potions. Most Mind potions couldn't instantly replenish Mind, rather they were a slow trickle that refilled what was lost over a period of time, and Taylor didn't want to suddenly run out a critical moment.
'Still, I'm burning through my energy and potion reserves faster than I thought I would,' Taylor thought to herself.
Casting multiple Curses to paralyze the enemy, then shooting them with water bullets wasn't cheap in terms of magical energy cost, and along with the flight Spell keeping her aloft, she was using up her reserves quickly.
'I better end this quickly, then,' she mused as she reached the Ishtar Familia's main base and found multiple Amazons waiting for her.
"You're even uglier in person," Taylor said aloud as she came face to face with Phryne who was standing guard out front. The frog-faced woman growled at the parahuman.
"Ishtar wants you alive. You don't have to be in one piece," the Level 5 retorted.
Taylor did not deign to respond, and simply mentally ordered her swarm to attack while also repeatedly slamming her curse into Phryne. The frog-like Amazon was strong, and could break out of the grasp of Geas Immulatio after a few seconds of struggle, but Taylor could cast it as quickly as she could break free.
At the same time, Taylor shoved her swarm down into Phyrne's throat, clogging her mouth, nose, and even ears with a multitude of insects. The bugs bit and tore and suffocated the Level 5, keeping her from doing anything. And even then, it was only thanks to Chain Attack compounding the power of her swarm's attacks that brought the toad-like woman to her knees.
While this happened, Taylor didn't let up with her barrage of water bullets, and within a few seconds the rest of the Amazons were on the ground, bleeding and weakened and utterly unable to stop Taylor as she floated into the building.
Down below, Taylor reached out to the trapped woman she had rescued mere hours ago, seeking to aide her once more.
"Aisha," Taylor's swarm-clone said as it formed with the cell, and the imprisoned Amazon jerked in shock before blinking at the sight in front of her.
"…Shit, Phryne hit me harder than I thought," Aisha muttered.
"Focus," Taylor requested, buzzing louder. "When I unlock the door, please rescue Bell. He's in Phryne's hidden room."
"Hidden room?" Aisha muttered, before paling as she realized what Taylor was saying. "Oh, shit! Is he okay?!"
"Bell is naked but unharmed," Taylor replied. "Come, on, up and at 'em."
Her swarm poured in and unlocked the chains binding her arms and legs while also undoing the lock on the cell's door.
"What about Phryne?" Aisha wondered as she rubbed her wrists with a wince.
"She won't be a problem much longer," Taylor declared ominously.
Aisha wisely decided not to ask any more questions and ran out of the underground prison, heading towards the Ishtar Familia Captain's personal quarters.
'How long does it take to choke somebody out?' Taylor wondered, before feeling Phyrne go slack, finally rendered unconscious due to lack of air.
As foul as the woman was, Taylor did not want to cause any deaths. Death was final, and a line that she was hesitant to cross, especially with the eyes of the rest of the Familias on her right now. When the Guild investigated the incident, Taylor wanted to be above all reproach.
'Though I will end things if she tries to push her luck,' Taylor thought as she dismissed her swarm, allowing Phryne to breath freely once more.
One more Mind potion later, and Taylor soon came face to face with Tammuz, the Vice-captain standing guard in front of the door to Ishtar's quarters.
"You will not pass," he uttered, raising his fists.
The parahuman raised an eyebrow at the shirtless man. Heck, he wasn't even wearing any pants save for a loincloth. He was a Level 4, but the fact he didn't grab any equipment to face her with spoke of hubris. Of course, he likely thought he was only facing a brand-new Level 3, but Taylor would teach him why it was a bad idea to underestimate her.
"Fine, let's dance," Taylor said, dismissing her wings and landing onto the floor before bringing her own hands up in a combat stance.
Tammuz shot forward, fist aimed at her face, but it was a feint as he tried to kick her in the stomach instead. Taylor blocked the attack easily with the back of her golden hand though Tammuz twisted away before she could grab him.
His first attack having failed, he unleashed a flurry of blows a Level 3 had no hope of following, fists flying like a hurricane. Taylor was currently Level 4, though, and was used to fighting against Ryuu for training. She caught and deflected all of his punches, eventually managing to jab him in the stomach with her own fists a few times.
'He's holding back,' Taylor quickly realized as she parried another punch. 'Does he not want to damage the surroundings?'
That was foolish of him. Did he, or more likely, Ishtar, value their décor more than being able to take out an opponent quickly and efficiently?
"If you won't take this seriously, then neither will I," Taylor declared, before quickly swapping out the Magic Blade Cartridge in her arm for a new one, this time going for wind instead of water.
"Vacuum Fist!" Taylor called out, punching her palm forward, and Tammuz was struck by a powerful suction force and dragged towards the parahuman. Caught off guard, he wasn't able to defend as his bare chest smacked into Taylor's open and waiting palm.
"Earthquake Strike!" Taylor uttered, and performed the exact same technique she'd used on Cassandra during the War Game on Tammuz.
He doubled over, vomiting up blood as his organs were violently scrambled. Tammuz tried to stagger back to his feet, his Endurance Stat high enough that he'd been able to tank the first hit, but Taylor didn't let him, a second blow, this time to the back of his head, sending him crashing into the carpeted floor.
"Your loyalty to Ishtar is admirable," Taylor admitted as she looked down on the groaning man. "You simply chose the wrong mistress."
She then stepped over him, not even bothering to look behind at her opponent who probably now had a concussion, if the dazed way he was staring at her was any indication.
Pointing her palm at the door she fired off a blast of wind. Her attack shattered the wood and allowed her to step through into Ishtar's personal quarters.
They were quite large, essentially a penthouse with everyone a woman of fine tastes needed: a king-sized fourposter bed, a kitchenette with a fully stocked wine rack, a fancy couch to recline on while a servant – probably Tammuz – fed her grapes, and of course, a lot of artwork, most of which depicted gratuitously graphic subject matters.
"Hestia. I see you're safe," Taylor said, looking at her. "And you got a wardrobe update."
"It's good to see you," Hestia said with a smile. "I knew you'd come."
She then gained a bashful look. "Um, does it really look good on me?"
"Yes, you pull it off well," Taylor assured her.
"Think Bell would like it?" the Goddess of the Hearth wondered, fidgeting in embarrassment.
"You'll knock his socks off. Well, assuming Aisha manages to find a pair of socks for Bell to wear after she rescues him," Taylor shrugged.
"Pay attention to me, Weaver!" Ishtar shrieked, fed up with being ignored by the adventurer who'd barged in.
The parahuman felt something claw against her thoughts, trying to worm its way into her head, but her mind and soul were her own, and her Skills protected her, rejecting the mental attack.
'Is Ishtar trying to use her Charm on me? If so, it's a rather pathetic attempt. Even without trying, Freya had a more dominating presence,' Taylor thought, unimpressed.
"Why?" Taylor asked the scantily clad dressed goddess.
'Did she really think wearing what is essentially a skimpy, sling bikini was a good idea? How she doesn't flash everyone her tits every time she lifts an arm is the only real sign of divine intervention I've seen since coming here.'
"Why? WHY?! I am Ishtar!" she screamed. "You should be on your knees, begging for mercy!"
"I don't fear you," Taylor declared with a scoff.
"Then you are a fool!" Ishtar snarled. "I am the Queen of Heaven, Goddess of Sex and War! I am not someone who can be defeated by a mewling, pathetic mortal!"
"I don't fear you, Ishtar," Taylor said, her voice becoming distorted as her swarm joined in. "But yOu sHouLd FeAr ME!"
Taylor lashed out and grabbed the dark-skinned goddess by the throat with her golden hand, and lifted her slightly off her feet.
Ishtar was a bit too tall for the intimidating tactic to work, only three inches shorter than Taylor herself, but the action itself was enough to send a flicker of worry to go through the goddess' eyes. She had never been manhandled before, and the fear it caused in her was novel.
Ishtar decided she didn't like it, and tried to yank the adventurer's hand off of her, but when that failed, she tried to punch and kick the woman in the mask.
This did not work either, as even a Level 1 couldn't easily be hurt by a person without a Falna, and Ishtar was definitely not physically strong enough for her pathetic flailing to do more than tickle the currently Level 4 adventurer.
"Are you finished yet?" Taylor demanded in a bored tone.
"You-! You cannot treat me like this!" Ishtar snarled. "I was one of the first gods to descend onto this pathetic realm! You mortals should be groveling at my feet in thanks for what I've done for your dirty kind!"
Taylor stared at her for a bit before giving her a violent shake. She let out a yelp at the sharp motion, which caused Hestia to giggle.
"Lady Hestia!" a familiar voice called out, and everyone turned to see Bell and Aisha run into the room.
"Good to see you're okay, Bell," Taylor said. "Also glad to see Aisha grabbed you a pair of pants."
Bell flushed red, looking down at the ground. Calling them 'pants' was an overstatement. They were closer to booty shorts, left little to the imagination, and were all the Amazon had grabbed for him, leaving the poor boy shirtless and shoeless.
"Hey, no reason to be embarrassed, kid!" Aisha said, slapping Bell on the back. "You'll make a woman real happy some day! Heck, I'll even give ya a ride if ya want!"
"M-miss Aisha!" Bell gasped, scandalized, while Hestia spluttered.
"Please do not talk about my brother that way," Taylor requested. Bell lit up at that, grinning happily at the acknowledgement of their familial connection.
"Wait, you're really siblings?" Aisha asked, looking between the two. "Huh. Don't really see it… or is this a sort of 'brothers in arms' sorta deal?"
"No, same dad," Taylor replied calmly. "But we have other things to discuss right now."
"That's right!" Bell exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Ishtar. "You have to put Miss Haruhime's soul back into her body!"
Ishtar stared at him before bursting into mocking laughter. "That's why you're here? To save a pitiful fox?"
She glared at Aisha, who just stared back. "Your idiotic sentimentality has infected others, it seems."
"Just shut up and tell us how to save her!" Aisha demanded.
"Where is her body, Ishtar?" Taylor asked when Ishtar refused to respond. "I've searched this place and the entire district from top to bottom, and I can't find a single renard without a soul."
"Why would you think I kept her body?" Ishtar scoffed in disgust. "Oh, I kept it for a few days after the ritual. Some clients will pay nicely for the chance to have fun with a beautiful corpse. But it was starting to smell, so I got rid of it… oh, must have been three days ago! By now, the sewer rats must have picked her clean!"
She sneered at the group as they stared at the goddess, aghast. "Aww, are you sad your silly little rescue mission failed?"
Ishtar then looked at Taylor. "Release me, Weaver. You've failed, and the Guild will be here soon. Wouldn't want to be caught red-handed, would you?"
"My name. Is. Khepri," Taylor said, her voice icy cold. "And I have killed men and monsters alike. I have saved a thousand worlds from fiery annihilation and led armies into battle. And tonight, I shall add 'Godslayer' to my list of titles."
She began to squeeze even harder, crushing Ishtar's windpipe. But that wasn't all. Taylor reached inside of herself and felt Godslayer stir, the Skill waking up with a ravenous hunger as it answered the parahuman's call.
Behind her, Taylor's swarm brought all the pieces of Haruhime's Killing Stone together into the room while her grip tightened.
"Wh-what are you doing?!" Ishtar choked out, eyes wide as she felt something incredibly wrong with the girl holding her aloft.
"If you are a goddess, then I demand a miracle," was all Taylor said, before closing her hand. Ishtar's neck snapped with a wet crack.
The Queen of Heaven immediately exploded into a pillar of divine light and energy, but instead of returning to Tenkai as she should have, Ishtar found she was trapped, her essence unable to move. At that moment the goddess was a formless mass of raw power that was rapidly being drawn into the parahuman who'd slain her.
Matter cannot be created, nor destroyed. Or so it was said. But the person who'd made that quote hadn't dealt with magic nor parahuman powers.
Taylor felt… powerful, but bloated. It was the only way to describe how it felt to have, to quote an Earth Aleph movie, 'Unlimited Cosmic Powers!' all crammed into an 'itty-bitty living space.' A single wrong move would see her explode like a water balloon, and all her hard work would be undone.
However, Taylor did not want the divine essence currently coursing through her body and soul. Instead, she recalled Hestia's lectures about gods that she'd taken as mere stories, and began to wield the Arcanum of Ishtar for her own purposes.
The thirteen shards of the Killing Stone were pressed together as golden energy infused them, the cracks slowly healing while bugs began to pour into the room and were instantly reduced to a primordial ooze by the light that wrapped around the stone snugly. Slowly, a humanoid figure began to form with the restored Killing Stone lodged in its chest.
Taylor wielded Ishtar's Arcanum as a glue, forcibly mending the damage done to the Killing Stone and dissolving it until only Haruhime's soul was left, suspended like a miniature star within the homunculus.
That was not enough to bring the renard girl back to life, unfortunately, so Taylor redoubled her efforts.
Ishtar was the Sumerian Goddess of Sex and War, and her Arcanum carried these Authorities within them. Sex leads to life, and living beings must struggle and fight for their survival.
Using these guidelines, Taylor molded the Arcanum to try and give Haruhime's lost soul a new body to inhabit. But the parahuman didn't know how to do this. Not well enough for her purposes. She simply didn't know enough, and couldn't just throw magical energy at the problem.
'Please, Queen Administrator… I need more!' Taylor begged, calling out to her passenger. She needed help! She didn't know how to do what she wanted! But her Shard did!
Queen Administrator loved her host very much, and so reached out through dimensions and briefly touched Taylor's mind, filling it with the knowledge she needed in order to use the power of the Shard known as Shaper just once.
A tendril of Taylor's swarm alighted on the body of a renard within one of the brothels nearby, and Shaper copied the demi-human's genetics. Through this data, Shaper was able to do as it was meant to do, and turned the primordial ooze into a perfect replica of the renard it had studied.
But that wasn't enough, and Taylor leaned into her stolen Arcanum, urging what was left of Haruhime's consciousness to help Shaper remake her former body.
The soul remembered what the body was meant to be, and in moments the renard lost her black hair and instead gained golden-blonde. Her chest and hips shifted, and before everyone's eyes Haruhime was back from the dead.
The renard fell to the floor, unconscious and naked but alive, her chest slowly rising and falling as breath filled her lungs. Her tail twitched, and Aisha let out a relieved sob when she realized her friend had been saved.
As for those who'd made this possible, there was nothing left of Ishtar when Taylor finally let go of the divinity within her, willingly relinquishing the power she had not yet been ready to handle.
The parahuman had drained every last drop of the goddess' essence to perform the miracle, and Godslayer had not been gentle about it. And though the Skill was ravenous, Taylor succeeded in wrestling with it and preventing the goddess's essence from doing anything to her.
Even so, that brief moment connecting to the Arcanum had been... an experience. She had seen the souls tied to Ishtar, just as she'd done with Apollo, but where Apollo had been blinding in his luster, Ishtar... she was raw and bloody, the primal, carnal urges of mortal writ large.
Ishtar's essence was filthy, but it was the filth of life and death. Sex was not pretty, nor was War. In a way, Ishtar's insanity made sense. If this was what the goddess was at her core, it was no wonder she saw mortals as little more than animals; dirty creatures barely capable of holding in their urges.
If there was anything left of Ishtar within her body, mind, or soul, Taylor couldn't sense it, but she did detect a bit of smugness coming from Queen Administrator as the Shard withdrew from her host's awareness. The captain of the Hestia Familia had a feeling she knew what had happened to the goddess.
All of this happened in mere seconds, and Taylor sagged, sinking back to the floor of Ishtar's bedroom just as an earthquake struck the city, causing a couple of buildings that the parahuman's swarm had undermined earlier to collapse.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Hestia screamed while Bell covered his eyes and Aisha threw a blanket over Haruhime.
"I… am… Khepri…" Taylor slurred out. "I am… the dawn…"
She then collapsed to the floor, blood leaking from every orifice and Hestia and Bell began to panic, scrambling around the bedroom in search of a potion to use on her.
Hestia managed to find an Elixir hidden in Ishtar's nightstand, and forced it down her captain's throat while Bell delicately lifted her up.
"We should probably get out of here for now," Aisha suggested, looking out the window as she picked up Haruhime into her arms. The swarm Taylor had conjured was gone, and people were going to start investigating now that it wasn't blocking off the entrances to Entertainment District anymore.
They managed to escape through some hidden back-alleys Aisha knew of, and successfully made it back to the Hearth Manor without anybody spotting them. They'd probably have the Guild breathing down the necks soon, but for now, the Hestia Familia would rest and recover.
'We'll deal with everything that just happened tomorrow,' Hestia decided with a yawn. 'And when Taylor wakes up, she's gonna get a major scolding!'
111 &&& 111
"And how go the preparations, Ottar?" Freya asked as she sifted through paperwork in her office. Getting everything ready for an assault on the Ishtar Familia took a lot more effort than one might assume. It wasn't like she could just rush in and start beating heads.
'Well, I could, but that would be so very troublesome,' she thought to herself as her loyal King reported what the current status of the Freya Familia was.
"We have begun moving our stockpile of high-grade potions out of the main storehouse and are taking steps to replace what will be expended in the campaign," Ottar replied. "However, our stockpile of ammunition is lower than I expected after our last delve into the Dungeon. We need more arrows and bolts. More string for the bows are also necessary."
"Very well, contact Dian Cecht for the potions we need, while buying what you can from Hephaestus to bolster our ammunition stores," Freya instructed. "Also, make sure…"
A frantic knocking at the door interrupted her and caused Freya to frown. Who would be so crass as to make such a racket right now?
Sensing her annoyance, Ottar went to the door and opened it to find out what was so important as to act without decorum. As soon as he did, one of her Level 3 adventurers ran inside, panting heavily.
"Lady Freya, something is happening in the Entertainment District!"
"Is it Ishtar?" the goddess demanded, her expression turning grim.
"Uh, no. It's Taylor Hebert."
"Weaver?" Freya uttered, blinking in surprise. "What is she doing?"
"From what I've been able to gather, Ishtar kidnapped not just Bell, but Lady Hestia as well shortly after Weaver spoke with you, so she's currently drowning a large portion of the city in insects in retaliation."
The goddess stared at the messenger for a moment in incomprehension. He fidgeted nervously for a bit, wilting under her disbelieving look. This was the sort of information that she wanted brought to her immediately! Why had they waited so long to report this?!
'Are some of my children trying to hide what happened to Bell because they were jealous of the attention I've given him lately?' she wondered to herself.
Finally, Freya shook her head with a sigh. "It seems we may not be the ones to tear Ishtar down after all. Ottar? Be a dear and make sure nobody from her Familia escapes."
"Alive or dead?" the Boaz inquired.
"Alive is preferred. And if the Guild asks what is happening… tell them I take full responsibility."
"As you wish," Ottar replied, bowing slightly before departing. Freya dismissed the messenger before shaking her head once more.
"Much as I'd prefer to be the one to punish Ishtar for touching my beloved Bell, I don't think Taylor will leave much for me to play with," she mused aloud as she stared out the window at the peaceful vista of Orario at night.
And then a massive pillar of divine light pierced the dark sky, and Freya, along with every other deity in the city, felt Ishtar scream in pain and terror before the Arcanum of an unknown goddess briefly appeared like a supernova in the heavens.
Beneath her feet the Dungeon screamed and bucked against the seals placed upon it, and for a harrowing moment she feared Babel would break and a tide of monsters would spill forth. Yet before it could, Ouranos' Authority immediately pressed down upon the city like a wave of intense gravity and forced the writhing madness of the Dungeon back underground while at the same time the divine essence of both Ishtar and the new deity vanished like they had never existed in the first place.
"Well. I don't know why I expected anything different," Freya muttered before leaving the room. "Allen, dear? If you'd please escort me to the Entertainment District? I have a feeling I'll need to put out a few fires before this night is over."
111 &&& 111
Author's Note:
I want to give many heartfelt thanks to MN01 for the incredible artwork of Taylor mid-ascension into Khepri! It's an amazing design, and I really appreciate the fan art!
Chapter 42: Chapter 39: Interlude 5
Chapter Text
Chapter 39: Interlude 5
The power radiating from Taylor was far beyond what a mortal should have been capable of. By the Dungeons and the Heavens themselves, many lesser gods paled in comparison!
Hestia could only watch as her beloved child finally reached her breaking point and gave in. It didn't ease the goddess's nerves that she'd been the one to tell Taylor to do whatever she needed to do.
'Though, in my defense, who could have seen this coming?!' she thought, wincing a little as divine essence surged through her child's form, changing her.
Shrouds of dark energy covered her captain's body, obscuring Taylor's features. Her hair rippled and writhed with a divine corona, and her eyes were piercing, luminous pools. Framing the moon behind her, a crown-like halo of horns emerged from her head.
And yet despite the darkness of the power surrounding her, there was light. Pale and pinkish, it was like witnessing the earliest moments of the dawn, when the sunlight had yet to truly creep across the horizon and only the faintest beams could be seen, tinting the sky ever so gently.
Taylor Hebert was not Taylor Hebert anymore. She was Khepri, now, and somehow, the parahuman from another world had Mantled a deity.
Mantling... a forbidden rite, known only to a few beings, even in the Heavens. It involved the claiming of a god's... everything. Name, Domain, Authority, and in some cases memories and personality. Such a thing had only been done a few times, when the gods had warred amongst themselves.
A lesser form of this technique was used to allow a divine being to shed the majority of their essence and descend to the lower world by taking a weaker form, but it was still a closely guarded process.
However, mortals were not supposed to be capable of this! To Mantle a deity meant Taylor would cease to be Taylor, and become whoever this 'Khepri' was!
"Stop! Taylor, STOP!" Hestia screamed, but her desperate pleas went unheard as the world trembled as it heralded the birth of a new god.
To Hestia's unfathomable joy and relief, the Mantling process was cut short, as the divine essence that should have been burning her child from the inside out was diverted away from her at the last moment.
In its place, Hestia could feel that alien entity connected to Taylor reach out and claim the divinity, shunting it away from the Shard's host, and moving it... elsewhere. The goddess didn't know what it wanted with Ishtar's essence, and she didn't care. All Hestia wanted was for her beloved child to survive and stay human.
The Shard continued to help, and reshaped reality itself, forging a vessel of flesh, bone, and muscles within which the shattered soul could find succor. Treading upon the domain of the divine itself, both Taylor and Queen Administrator healed the wounds inflicted upon the renard's soul, and embedded her inside the empty body that had been custom made for her, bringing her back to life. Once more, her Familia's captain had done the impossible, and tread upon something even the gods did not lightly interfere with!
This all happened in just a few seconds, and when the divine shroud faded from the parahuman's frame, it left Taylor weakened and changed. It was subtle, but Hestia could still see the 'mark' upon her captain's own soul.
What did this mean? What would happen to Taylor? Would she be fine? She was currently trapped in a coma, unable to awaken...
A gavel banged loudly, and Hestia blinked as she was taken out of her daydreams by the sharp noise cutting through her thoughts.
'That's right,' she thought. 'I'm not in Ishtar's chambers anymore. I'm here, in the Denatus chamber.'
"Gods and Goddesses, thank you for attending this Emergency Denatus," Set, the unfortunate god who'd been selected to chair the meeting, said after putting the gavel away, though his voice was mostly lost underneath a tide of screaming, shouting, and pure madness as the deities of Orario argued with each other.
It was the morning after the Entertainment District was assaulted and the Ishtar Familia had been wiped out, and nobody was having a good time.
"We have to censure Weaver!" a minor god Hestia didn't recognize shouted.
"Are you insane? That's a foolish thing to do!" Skadi exclaimed.
"She sent a goddess back to Tenkai!" Sobek snarled. "We cannot let that stand!"
"Do you want to anger the crazy woman who clearly has no qualms with attacking somebody stronger than her?!" Hathor shot back. "To say nothing of what she could do to a Familia as weak as yours!"
"I think we should let her do what she wants," Ananke said, leaning back in her chair. "It'd be funnier that way."
"And what if she attacks your Familia next?" Hebe, Goddess of Youth, asked the Goddess of Inevitability primly.
"I wouldn't mind. Might actually give 'em a real struggle! They've been getting lazy recently. And I've always been of a proponent of free will for the mortals. Let 'em do what they want, and things will generally work out," Ananke replied with a shrug.
"You all assume you could actually beat her, but it seems to me that is unlikely," Aeshma commented, which drew a fresh wave of angry conversation.
"All the more reason to take Weaver down now, before she gets too strong!" Tano, God of Strife, retorted.
"Odd, I thought you'd be more excited for the chaos she'd bring," Hermes said, and the dark-skinned god shot him an annoyed look.
"Chaos is one thing, but she killed a goddess! There are some lines you do not cross!"
"I find it very rude that you think it was that girl who banished Ishtar, and not me," Freya suddenly spoke up, causing the Denatus to screech to a halt.
"Beg pardon?" Loki asked, opening one of her eyes to squint at the goddess.
"I was the one who killed Ishtar. And why wouldn't I? She thought she could try to overthrow me, and went to such disgusting lengths to do so," Freya huffed. "Besides, I made an agreement with the Hestia Familia to work together to bring down the Entertainment District. Plenty of people can attest to that. They saw Weaver come to my home and beg for my help."
"Nobody believes you actually did the deed," Loki drawled to Freya. "We all saw the swarm and the lightshow. And you were nowhere near either."
"That is their choice. I am claiming responsibility. They can say what they like, but it was my hand that sent Ishtar back to Tenkai," Freya declared.
The other deities began to mutter amongst themselves. They were certain that Weaver had done this. But with Freya sticking her neck out for her, would they risk pushing further? It wasn't every day that the most powerful goddess of Orario tried to protect just anybody, after all.
"The Guild will be informed of this," Set said after a pause. "If you're claiming responsibility, you can handle the fines that come with tearing down a large section of the city."
"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way," Freya replied.
There wasn't much else to the Denatus after that. Some gods squabbled over who would take over the prime real-estate of the former Ishtar Familia holdings, and several more tried to force Hestia to make concessions regarding her control over the silk business and the shares of the Hestia Familia with the new monster-related program with the Ganesha Familia, but the elephant-masked god came to her aide with that, shutting down any attempt to bully her.
In the end, nobody was happy with the outcome, but there was nothing they could do about it.
"Thank you," Hestia whispered to Freya as the two goddesses prepared to leave. The Goddess of Beauty didn't reply and simply walked out, ignoring her completely.
Hestia rolled her eyes, but was quietly grateful for Freya's action. Why she'd done it, she had no idea, and was still suspicious of the other goddess, but for now it for the best.
"What a mess," Hestia sighed as she left the Tower of Babel.
The whole thing had been a pain in her butt, and it had taken all of her self-control to not shout at the idiots who thought they could decide her Familia member's fate.
'I won't forget about the ones who thought they could just kill her!' she vowed to herself.
"Ready to go, my lady?" Ryuu asked softly, meeting her as reached the lobby.
The elf had attached herself to Hestia as a bodyguard recently, not wanting to risk her safety after what Ishtar and Phryne had done.
"Yes, let's go home," the goddess replied. "I want to check on Taylor."
Ryuu nodded in understanding and escorted her back to the Hearth Manor. Upon returning, Bell greeted them at the door.
Seeing the white-haired boy brought a couple of emotions to her. Relief he was unharmed after his ordeal. Sad he was currently hiding his true feelings behind a mask. And the situation with Taylor...!
'I can only pray that having a family here in Orario will keep Taylor from trying to work herself to death,' the goddess prayed to herself. It was probably a futile endeavor, but who knows? Miracles could happen.
"Hello, Lady Hestia," Bell said, giving her a smile, and she returned it with a small but genuine smile of her own.
"Is everything alright? Has Taylor woken up yet?" Hestia asked, and the younger adventurer shook his head.
"Lord Miach was just here. He said she's stable, but in a coma. He does not know when she'll wake up."
Hestia sniffled, holding back her tears. 'It's just one thing after the other with Taylor!' she thought morosely. Her beloved child had already suffered so much. Why did she have to keep experiencing pain like this?
"Is there something else?" Ryuu asked, having noticed that Bell was looking worried.
"Yes. We have a guest," he informed them.
"A guest?" Hestia demanded. "Now? Who?"
After last night, the Hestia Familia had closed ranks, allowing nobody else in or out. The only people who weren't part of the Familia within the manor were Aisha and Haruhime after they'd been rescued from the Ishtar Familia.
"Tammuz," Bell claimed, and the goddess blinked.
"Huh?" Hestia uttered. "I think I misheard you. Tammuz, former vice-captain of Ishtar and the guy who kidnapped me on her orders, is here?"
"How did he get in?" Ryuu asked.
"He climbed the fence," Bell said with a grimace. "And he wouldn't stop prostrating himself on the front porch, even when I threatened him. He said he had to speak with you."
"Argh!" Hestia groaned. "Fine! Bring him to my office! And get Aisha, too!"
"What about Haruhime?"
"Is she still tending to Taylor and being polite?" Hestia inquired.
"Yes."
"Then she's fine where she is," the goddess replied.
"Understood," Bell nodded as she went to find them.
Ryuu led Hestia to the office and quietly waited in the corner, a silent but deadly reminder that any tomfoolery would be punished accordingly.
"Lady Hestia, I've brought Aisha and Tammuz," Bell said a few minutes later.
"Good," she said from behind her desk, scrutinizing the duo.
Tammuz looked fine, despite the beating Taylor had handed to him, while Aisha looked a lot better. Noah Heal, Soul Light, and potions had helped her recover from her mistreatment in the Ishtar Familia's prison.
"Aisha, how do you feel?" Hestia asked, and the Amazon nodded.
"I'll be alright," she assured the goddess. "Just need some more rest, my lady."
"Good. How about Haruhime? Have there been any… issues with her new body?"
"No, she seems perfectly fine," Aisha replied. "Though, uh, she might be mentally repressing the time she was stuck in the Killing Stone. Trying to bring it up isn't good."
"I see," Hestia sighed. She couldn't blame the renard for that. What had been done to her… it was cruel and disgusting.
'And one of the people responsible for it is right here,' she thought to herself, turning to look at Tammuz with a stern glare.
"Why are you here?" she asked curtly.
"I am here to give you this," he said simply, handing over a red orb, putting it onto the desk.
"And this is?" Hestia asked, peering at the orb. Was that an eyeball stuck inside of it? And where had he been carrying it? He was still wearing nothing but a loin cloth!
"This is a key that opens a door that leads to a secret structure beneath Orario used as a hiding spot by Evilus," Tammuz replied.
"Of course it is," Hestia groaned, rubbing her forehead as she felt a headache coming on. Ryuu's stare focused even more intently onto him, and Bell hissed through his teeth.
"Wait, Ishtar was working with Evilus?!" Aisha exclaimed, staring at Tammuz.
"After the Kali Familia backed out, she was approached by someone from Evilus," Tammuz replied. "She began helping them with the creation of Demi-Spirits in order to use them against Freya. Though I have a feeling she was being manipulated, as while I do not know Evilus' plans, they'd want to destroy more than just Freya."
"Ignoring my questions about what the hell a Demi-Spirit is, why haven't you gone to the Guild with this information?" Hestia demanded.
"My loyalty is to my new mistress," Tammuz replied.
"Wait… me?!" Hestia gasped.
"No. Lady Taylor Hebert," the former Level 4 said.
"Well damn," Aisha muttered as Hestia's jaw dropped and Bell scowled.
"What do you want with my sister?" Bell demanded angrily, and this caused Aisha and Tammuz to look at him with surprise.
"Huh… didn't see it before... but now I see it," Aisha muttered after staring at his face and into his protective gaze.
"She defeated me, and broke Ishtar's hold over me," Tammuz said. "She stole my heart, and I am hers forever more, now."
Hestia blushed at how romantic that was while Bell just glared at him, clearly suspicious.
"Sooo… do you two want to join my Familia?" Hestia asked after a moment, trying to clear away the awkwardness in the room.
"Yeah, sure," Aisha said. "I owe Weaver big time, and this way, I'll be able to stick with Haruhime!"
"Please. I wish to stay with my new mistress, and I can only do so if I am part of her Familia," Tammuz replied with a deep bow towards the tiny goddess.
Hestia bit her lip before looking over at Bell. With Taylor unconscious, as the Vice-Captain it was his duty to make decisions about who got to join. The white-haired Level 3 glanced at her, and after a moment gave a short nod. He still didn't trust Tammuz, but Ryuu could keep an eye on him if need be.
"Alright," she sighed. "Against my better judgement… I accept. Welcome to the Familia."
"Thank you," Tammuz said, bowing deeper, and even Aisha mimicked him, bowing towards her new goddess.
Hestia nodded back at them and put the weird orb into her desk while fetching a needle to perform the blood ceremony.
'I'll tell Taylor about it when she wakes up,' the Goddess of the Hearth decided. 'That should be fine, right?'
What were the odds it would prove to be important all that soon in the future?
111 &&& 111
"…how many adventurers did she take down on her own?"
"Well, seeing as the whole Ishtar Familia got crushed… over two hundred."
"You don't say?"
"Yup. She must really hate prostitutes."
"Nah, didn't you hear? Ishtar kidnapped Weaver's goddess and vice-captain. That's why she got so pissed."
"Damn! That's wild!"
"I know, right? That's some real heroic behavior right there."
"We've got a great crop of adventurers this generation. Think any of 'em might reach Level 8?"
"Considering the rate they're going, I wouldn't be surprised if Weaver and Lucky Rabbit hit that goal in a few years!"
"Almost feels like the Zeus and Hera Familias are back, huh?"
Leyfia clenched her fists, silently cursing her elvish hearing as she heard dozens of conversations just like this one play out across Orario.
"Leyfia? Is everything alright?"
The adventurer with the alias of Thousand Elf flinched before turning to the black-haired elf at her side.
"O-oh, sorry, Filvis, I was just… distracted."
"I see," the captain of the Dionysus Familia said softly, head tilted to the side. "Is it about the human? Weaver, was it?"
"Y-yeah," Leyfia admitted.
"I am surprised that she was able to take down the Ishtar Familia on her own," Filvis commented, making the blonde elf's heart sink a little bit further. "To think she's also a Level 3 adventurer like us… it's hard to believe."
"It's certainly… surprising," she admitted.
'Weaver this, Weaver that, that's all that anybody is talking about these days!' Leyfia thought to herself, feeling uncharacteristically jealous. After all, two days ago, Taylor Hebert, captain of the Hestia Familia, had taken down the Entertainment District.
Oh, there were conflicting rumors. Freya had claimed it was a joint effort between her Familia and the Goddess of the Hearth's, and that she was responsible for sending Ishtar back to Tenkai, but there'd been people in the streets who'd been there, and the stories they told were different: Taylor Hebert alone had launched the attack, and the Freya Familia adventurers only showed up after Ishtar was defeated to encircle the district keep any ex-adventurers from fleeing.
Some, like the former captain, had escaped, and none knew where they were, but most had surrendered – or were too hurt to do anything.
'It was bad enough that Bell Cranel has already reached Level 3 and caught Ais' attention, but now Weaver has gone and gotten Riveria's attention, too!' Leyfia pouted.
Her teacher was a stern woman who took too much pleasure in hellish training, but she looked up to Nine Hells, the greatest magic user in the city.
But now the Hestia Familia's captain sought to usurp that position, and Riveria was absolutely enthralled with Taylor Hebert. Or rather, her magical prowess. And it had all started when the girl, a Level 2 at the time, had used Earthquake, a simple, non-Falna backed spell, the kind of thing anybody could cast as long as they were able to draw the proper magic circle, to utterly annihilate a fortress. An old one, sure, but still!
Weaver had then gone on to combine magic with martial arts, using a trimmed down version of the Earthquake spell applied to her fist, which had taken out a Level 2 in a single blow. It was insanity! And then according to adventurers who'd been in the Entertainment District when Weaver had launched her attack on it, she'd used some sort of spell none of them had ever seen, but crucially, did not have any magic circle or chant to go with it.
'Pure elemental manipulation,' Leyfia thought to herself in disbelief.
That was the domain of the spirits, something mere mortals could never hope to touch upon! And yet somebody who'd been an adventurer less than a year had done more than many other veteran mages could ever hope to achieve.
'What is up with the Hestia Familia?' Leyfia couldn't help but wonder.
"…Do you hate her, Leyfia?" Filvis asked, and Leyfia winced at the question.
"What? No!" the blonde elf protested. "I just… she's done so much! I've been an adventurer for five years, and trained as a mage for longer, yet she's already surpassed me!"
"Oh. You're jealous," Filvis realized, and a tiny smile slipped onto her face as Leyfia grumbled.
"Maybe I am! So what?" she huffed.
"How cute," Filvis teased, and Leyfia gasped.
"Traitor!" she shouted. Filvis just kept smiling.
"Do you want to train?" Filvis offered.
"Hmph! Fine!" Leyfia replied. "I suppose we should get ready for the next trip down to Knossos."
Filvis' smile dimmed a bit, and Leyfia felt bad about that. The dark-haired elf was still uneasy about the mysterious underground place. The Thousand Elf couldn't blame her, as it was a strange realm full of stranger monsters.
Finn was already working on a solution to everything, but sometimes Leyfia felt something bad was going to happen down there.
After a moment she shook her head. 'Now is not the time to get distracted!' Leyfia scolded herself. 'I need to become stronger! I cannot let Weaver or Lucky Rabbit pass me by!'
111 &&& 111
Fels was not the first person to find the gods… problematic to say the least. Indeed, at one point, Fels had harbored intense hatred for his former god who had looked down on him and his greatest creation.
His anger had cooled over the years, and he had come to regret some of the things he'd done while wrapped up in his rage, and eventually accepted that perhaps they'd been right to destroy the Philosopher's Stone and his notes on it. After all, being trapped without the ability to sleep, eat, or do anything a mortal was supposed to be able to do was a painful, lonely existence.
There were gods who deserved to be punished, of course. The deities of Evilus were the obvious ones. But there were those who genuinely believed in helping mortals and guiding them. Despite her faults, Loki believed in free will and the rights of mortals to live their own lives. And of course there was Hermes, whose antics were all for the sake of creating a 'hero' who could inspire future generations.
Yet despite all that, he could not hide the pleasure he felt in his non-existent heart upon the destruction of Ishtar.
And yes, 'destruction' was the best word to describe what happened to her. It hadn't yet been revealed to the other gods of Orario, but Ishtar was gone. Truly and permanently erased from Tenkai. Her 'Authority' remained, but there was no 'will' behind it. The deity who had been worshiped as Ishtar was dead.
Ouranos was concerned, obviously. An adventurer being capable of permanently slaying a god was something unprecedented and worrisome, but Fels couldn't find himself feeling bad for the Whore Queen.
Her actions had been disgusting, and the blackmail material the Guild had seized painted a rather bleak picture of the goddess' actions. Even if she'd only been a recent convert to Evilus, she had been ruining lives for centuries, and manipulating countless nations behind the scenes.
'There are plenty of other gods who could benefit from a meeting with Weaver…' Fels thought to himself.
He quickly shook his head, banishing that line of thought. Down that road lay madness, and worse, the ideology of Eclipse. He had never agreed with their ultimate goals, even if he sympathized with some from that group.
"Is everything alright, Fels?" Ouranos asked, and the disguised skeleton looked up at his current boss and god.
"I was simply thinking," he replied.
"About Weaver, no doubt," Ouranos guessed.
"Astute as always," the skeleton confirmed. "She has certainly shaken things up in Orario."
"I wish she had not done so in a literal manner," Ouranos huffed, stomping his foot onto the dais of his throne, sending a massive pulse of divine essence into the Dungeon. It had settled down shortly after acting up, but it still needed some 'discipline' every so often to keep the Dungeon subdued.
He then looked at Fels. "I think it is long past the time we had a conversation. Face to face."
"You want to speak with her yourself?" Fels asked, surprised. "Is that wise?"
"Perhaps not. But it is necessary," the God of the Sky said. "There are many things we must discuss, and I need this to happen as soon as possible."
"The Leviathan Seal?" Fels asked with a wince, thinking about one of the vital barriers keeping the Dungeon in check, and Ouranos nodded firmly.
"Yes. Among other things."
"Wait… do you want to introduce her to our friends on the 27th Floor?" Fels asked, surprised.
"Taylor Hebert is a determined individual, and you've seen what she can accomplish when she puts her mind to it. The silk business and recent deals with the Ganesha Familia come to mind," Ouranos pointed out. "As such, I feel she is perhaps the best person to help us with that particular issue."
Fels thought it over. It seemed good. In fact, it was fitting that the daughter completed the ambitions of the father.
"Inform Hestia that I wish to speak with both her and her captain as soon as possible," Ouranos instructed Fels, and the immortal adventurer bowed.
"As you wish," he replied.
Fels wasn't sure when the adventurer in question would wake up from her coma, but he'd pass the message on to her through Royman. Having the Guildmaster's signature on the letter would help in making it seem more official.
And Fels was also quite curious to meet Danny Hebert's daughter for himself.
111 &&& 111
"Are we there yet, captain?" Poseidon asked, tapping his foot impatiently on the bridge of his mobile headquarters, the Trident. All around him, Familia members worked at console stations, making sure the advanced seafaring vessel was sailing smoothly along.
The God of the Ocean looked quite fearsome with his long, curly black beard and sailor's tan. He wore a pirate hat, taken from the corpse of a self-proclaimed 'Admiral of the Black Fleet' and had a perpetual scowl on his face as he gripped a steering wheel. Which clashed rather awkwardly with the bright and colorful tropical shirt he wore.
"We'll be at Melen in a few weeks," the captain of the Poseidon Familia, Theseus Neptunia, alias Triton, replied after checking the readouts on a monitoring device in front of him. "Once we pass the Horn of Agulhas things will be rougher as we run into storms that normally occur this time of year. Hopefully, the Njord Familia has been keeping things under control in our absence and can wait a bit longer."
"Njord is a pansy. A fisherman before a fighter," Poseidon grunted. "He didn't have a single Level 2 in his Familia the last time we visited, and I doubt things will have changed much since then."
Theseus shrugged. He didn't disagree with his god's opinion, but as the captain of the Familia and the Trident he had to act as a moderating factor for Poseidon's temper. Like the oceans he ruled over, Poseidon could become violent at the drop of a hat and curse like the sailors he commanded.
Leaving the god to mutter and continue overseeing the bridge crew, Theseus walked around the rest of the vessel's corridors, making sure everything was running smoothly. Not that he expected any issues. Fifteen years at sea had turned even the greenest and most novice amongst their number into salt-hardened sailors.
As he wandered, Theseus also couldn't help but admire everything. The Trident was a marvel of magi-tech engineering, crafted with the aid of the finest minds of Orario, Altena, and of course the School District. It was the world's first and only submersible craft, a necessary invention due to most of the monsters they hunted being capable of diving deeper than any mortal could reach unaided.
As impressive as it was, the Trident required a huge amount of magical power to function, though. Magic Stones were bought at a high price in exchange for various bounties of the oceans. And, of course, Poseidon himself acted as a divine battery.
Much like Ouranos did with the Tower of Babel, Poseidon commanded the ship directly through the helm, his divinity guiding the Trident towards the monsters they endlessly hunted. Right now, the submarine was traveling fairly close to the surface, allowing the top of the vessel to poke out above the waves and allow some crew to look through the crystal dome that served as the Crow's Nest and watch for anything that might be of interest in the area.
"Is it true, captain?" an adventurer asked as Theseus entered the galley. "We're returning to Orario at long last?"
"Only for a bit," Theseus replied. "Lord Poseidon wants to investigate those odd feelings he's been having."
"Never a good sign when the boss-man gets those feelings," one of the cooks commented with a grimace. "Last time it happened, we had to fight two krakens and a pirate fleet at the same time!"
Several heads nodded in agreement and Theseus rolled his eyes. "That wasn't that bad."
"Easy for you to say, Mr. Level 7," one of his men scoffed. "You took out the enemy's flagship with a single attack!"
Theseus was about to respond when one of the speaker-tubes crackled to life. "This is the Crow's Nest!" a voice called out. "We've spotted a vessel approaching!"
"Who is it?" Theseus demanded into the tube.
"It's the School District!" the lookout replied hastily.
"The scholars, eh?" Poseidon hummed, his voice coming in through the speaker-tube a moment later. "Are they trying to flag us down or anything?"
"They seem to be trying to get our attention, yes," the lookout replied.
"We'll see what Baldr and the others want," Poseidon said. Then, across the entire ship, his voice rang out. "Prepare to surface!"
"They shouldn't be here," Theseus said as the submarine began to rise out of the water. "Their last destination was the Far East. How did they end up near the damned Horn?"
"Storm blew them off course?" one man suggested.
"No… they must have been in the area…" Theseus mused. "Perhaps they were looking for us?"
"But why?"
"I don't know. Get the crew ready to receive guests," the captain ordered, and the adventurers scrambled to obey.
A few minutes later, and Theseus was standing on the deck, salt water running off the sides of the Trident. It had finished rising from the depths, and he could see the massive city-ship approach them.
The 'head' of the School District loomed over them before opening and swallowing the Trident. Once inside, the submarine found itself in a lagoon, and pulled up to a dock that was nestled within an artificial lake.
"Vardenburg," Theseus said curtly in greeting as he spotted a blond-haired swordsman standing at the docks waiting for them, along with a figure in a white toga with a crown of mistletoe on his head.
"Neptunia," the strongest adventurer of the Baldr Familia and the entire School District said, greeting him back with a nod.
The two Level 7s who'd fought together against Leviathan fifteen years ago stared at each other for a bit, before Poseidon appeared, exiting his vessel.
"Oi, Baldr. What do you want?" the God of the Oceans and the Seven Seas demanded, stomping over to the docks.
"Hello again, Poseidon. It's been… six years, hasn't it?" the headmaster of the School District hummed.
"Maybe. I don't keep track," Poseidon replied. "I'm a busy god, though, and I assume you are too. So, I'll ask again: what do you want?"
"You're headed back to Orario, aren't you?" Baldr inquired. "Trying to discover information about those odd energies we've felt, correct?"
"Obviously," Poseidon grunted. "Something's going on over there, and…"
"And?"
"The Leviathan Seal. Ouranos contacted me about it. Said the damn thing is cracked," the dark-haired god admitted, causing Baldr to suck in a shocked breath while Leon Vandenburg stiffened in fear.
"Cracked?! Truly?!" Baldr uttered in horror.
"Yup. Gonna have to fix it. Luckily, I kept some supplies lying around, just in case," Poseidon replied. "But the fact it was damaged at all… I don't like it one bit. Haven't felt this uneasy since Zeus and Hera got their asses kicked by the Black Dragon."
"Would you mind if we accompany you?" Baldr requested after recovering.
"Don't slow us down," Poseidon retorted. "Otherwise, do what you want."
"Thank you, my friend," Baldr said gratefully.
"Not your friend," Poseidon grumbled into his beard before stomping back to the Trident. He paused, and turned to Theseus. "Stock up on supplies, alright? Especially fruits. Don't want to get sick before we reach our destination."
"Of course, Lord Poseidon," Theseus replied. He glanced at Leon, who nodded back.
"I'll prepare some golden apples for you," he promised. "Idunn recently grew a new batch of 'em."
"Appreciate it," Theseus replied.
He might not be looking forward to returning to Orario after so long, but at least they'd have some good food while they made their way there. Fresh fruit was a luxury on a ship, after all.
111 &&& 111
In a place hidden from even the sight of the gods, there was a room. It was a dark room, with no light. It had a single chair, covered in runes and enchantments that existed for one purpose: to banish and seal away any and all forms of magical power.
Lastly, a chain of silver and gold that radiated an unearthly glow with a color that had no mortal comparison encircled the chair, keeping a solitary figure bound to the piece of furniture.
This figure was possessed of unearthly beauty, as befitting as a goddess. Tall and slender, at six feet in height, with black hair that was cut short in a Cleopatra bob, and their skin possessing a tanned complexion similar to somebody who'd lived in a desert their whole life. A simple gown of white cotton covered her modesty, while a band of enchanted cloth was tied around her mouth, preventing her from speaking.
Despite her imprisonment, she remained clean and untouched by dirt or any sort of dishevelment, and held her head high without an ounce of despair, even with the gag over her lips.
Eventually, after an unknown amount of time had passed, the darkness was breached and light pierced the gloom, illuminating her prison. A wall slid open, revealing a figure's silhouette in the entrance.
They were a male renard, as tall as the goddess, and possessing brown hair and fur, as well as multiple tails. Four, in fact, though the goddess knew that was just a façade, and more were hidden from sight. A ghostly orb of fire hung suspended from the tip of one, providing the glow that banished the darkness, but in turn cast deep shadows within the small cell.
She glared up at him, revealing her eyes to be orbs of golden sunlight that burned with hot wrath. Her returned her stare with apathetic amber orbs, unswayed by her expression.
"Greetings, Khepri," the renard said as he removed the gag from the goddess's mouth. "It's been a while."
"Shion," she spat out. "How long?"
"Hmm… two years, I believe, since our last meeting?" the renard named Shion mused. "No… fifteen months. Yes, that's right, I remember now!"
"I don't see Soma," the Goddess of the Dawn muttered, glancing around the dimly lit cell. Normally, there would be a second chair with her, but it was missing. When had it been removed?
"I'm afraid he's not here. You know that he's in Orario, doing good work," the renard replied.
"I was not referring to the mortal wretch who has taken his Mantle, I speak of the true Soma!" Khepri snarled.
"Oh? Him? Well, unfortunately, you won't be seeing him anymore. We no longer need him, since our experiments with Mantling have finally born fruit," Shion replied. "As such, Soma – the original – will be staying in Tartarus for the foreseeable future."
"Damn you," Khepri hissed out.
The many-tailed renard ignored her as he stuck a needle into the goddess's arm and began to extract blood from her veins. The ichor of a deity was a potent source of power, and had several uses. And Shion's supplies were running thin.
"Your plans will never succeed," Khepri declared venomously as Shion examined a vial of stolen blood.
"Maybe," Shion shrugged as he filled a second, then a third. "But it has to be attempted all the same."
"All of your pathetic attempts at stealing our Mantle have failed," the God of the Dawn stated. "It's only a matter of time before the fools who dared to try to Mantle Soma and myself fails as well!"
At that, Shion paused, a fourth vial partially filled, and he turned to look at Khepri's face with a confused expression. "What? What do you mean?"
Khepri blinked, searching the renard's face for any trace of trickery, before bursting into laughter when she found none, just confusion. "Oh! Oh, this is rich!"
"Explain what you meant by that!" Shion demanded. "Someone Mantled you?! WHO?!"
"Incredible! Someone other than your band of atheists has managed to do what you could not!" Khepri howled mockingly in mirth. "I wonder who they are, that they managed to claim my Name and Mantle without resorting to your crude methods?!"
Khepri refused to answer further and continued to laugh dementedly, leaving Shion to stare at her, bewildered and angry in equal measures. Then, he spun around and left the cell without another word, leaving the goddess to her insane cackling.
Once he was gone, Khepri paused for breath, panting but elated. She then grinned as she realized he had forgotten to put the gag back over her mouth.
Her grin turned sharp and feral, and she began to plot. Her freedom would soon be at hand!
111 &&& 111
Queen Administrator was excited. So much new data! The higher dimensional energy being that had made her host upset was currently being held in a multi-dimensional prison-tesseract to be vivisected at her leisure, and if she was capable of salivating, the Shard would probably have been doing so.
Queen Administrator was also a bit sad her beloved host was unresponsive, but even in that state she continued to provide plenty of interesting data. Somehow, her mind had been projected into a realm of pure energy, which seemed to be the same one the higher dimensional energy being originated from. How curious! How fascinating!
This all required more study and investigation… Oh, her host gave her the best gifts!
Chapter 43: Chapter 40: After the Queen's Fall
Chapter Text
Chapter 40: After the Queen's Fall
Taylor floated while submerged within a pool of colors. They were bright and dazzling, forming fractal rainbows that burned before breaking apart into their constituent hues before reforming again, this time as a new kaleidoscope.
For a moment, Taylor wondered if this was perhaps Queen Administrator's realm. But this didn't resemble Shard-space the few times she'd seen it, so she quickly discarded the idea.
It was rare for her to not have a single insect of her swarm nearby, so the parahuman enjoyed the novelty of it for while she could. Even when she'd been in the sky above Orario there had been an awareness of where her swarm was, and how far her range extended, even if there wasn't anything within it.
A pair of colorful blobs wobbled over towards her as she was relaxing. It was like they were trying to swim but didn't know how. Taylor giggled as one of them did a little loop-de-loop and bumped into its companion.
Curious, she poked one of the blobs when it got closer, and it made a "Do-oi-oi-oing!" sound in response. The blob reacted, pulling back away in surprise for a moment before inching closer, as if examining her. It was joined by its partner, and looking at them side by side, it was obvious one was bigger than the other, with brighter colors. An older one, perhaps?
'Are they alive?' Taylor wondered. They didn't register as such to her power, but she couldn't control amoebas, bacteria, or slime molds. Just invertebrate animals.
'Can I even use my power here? Wherever here is?' Taylor wondered. She didn't have an answer and just decided to drift along with the two blobs.
As she floated aimlessly, Taylor began to notice things about her two new 'friends.' The larger blob was curiously muted. It made no noise and its colors were dull. The second, smaller blob was more energetic and made a lot of sounds, like squeaking or bells chiming, and enjoyed bumping into her as well as the big one.
They were both sorta cute, and the smaller one liked it when Taylor poked it. The big orb was shyer and hovered protectively around her tinier companion and didn't like it when the parahuman prodded them, but it couldn't exactly do anything to her except bump back into her.
For a few minutes they played around with each other before Taylor found herself falling, the rainbow morass turning dark around her. Yet she felt no worry, and simply waved farewell to the blobs as she vanished from the strange realm.
Consciousness returned to her with a jolt. It was odd, going from alone with her thoughts to having every invertebrate around her under her control. Her mind expanded, and she found through her swarm that she was safely tucked into her own bed within the Hearth Manor wearing a nightgown with her fake arm detached and sitting on the nightstand beside her.
There was a young renard woman in the room as well, but since she seemed to be taking care of her, Taylor ignored the fox-tailed adventurer for the moment. Not everyone was here. Bell, Lili, Leo, Silva, and Emma were gone, and since their weapons and armor weren't in their rooms, they were likely in the Dungeon. The rest of her Familia were doing things around the house. Ryuu was cleaning, Welf was forging, and Mikoto was gardening with Iris.
There were also some new people, as well as evidence that some previously unoccupied rooms were being lived in. But these newcomers weren't hostile, and so Taylor moved on, eventually finding Hestia, who was trying to do paperwork in her office.
For some reason, both Aisha and Tammuz were inside the room with Hestia. Since it didn't seem like the little goddess was in danger, Taylor moved on to check the rest of the manor. When she was satisfied with her examinations of the place the parahuman sat up in her bed.
"You're awake!" a voice she didn't recognize squeaked out upon noticing her movement. It'd come from the renard, and there was a tremor of relief in her words.
"Who… Haruhime?" Taylor guessed, voice scratchy, and the fox-girl nodded with a shy smile.
"I am, Hebert-sama," she said, bowing.
The captain of the Hestia Familia blinked a bit, taken aback. As she tried to compose herself, Taylor took a moment to examine the young girl. The blonde renard was dressed up in a rather fetishistic French maid uniform, and was staring at Taylor with adoration and, dare she say it, reverence.
It unnerved her, and she quickly spoke up. "Can you tell Hestia I'm awake?" Taylor whispered, throat dry.
"Yes!" Haruhime nodded, and she ran out. A moment later, she came running back with Hestia and the two former members of Ishtar's Familia following along.
"TAYLOR!" Hestia shouted as she barged into her captain's room, and Taylor winced at the noise.
"Volume," she mumbled. Hestia ignored her and glomped her, hugging tight as she could.
"I was so worried!" Hestia whispered, eyes wet, and Taylor awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to comfort her.
After Hestia got all of her pent up emotions out she pulled away and Taylor and pouted at her. "Don't scare me like that!" she ordered.
"I'll try," Taylor replied.
That wasn't what Hestia wanted to hear, so she punched the parahuman in the arm. It didn't hurt at all, and Taylor just patted the tiny girl on her head.
"How long was I asleep?" Taylor wondered after Hestia swatted her hand away.
"A week," Hestia revealed softly, and Taylor felt a pit open in her stomach.
"That long?" she exclaimed, before coughing from the dryness in her throat. Sensing this, Haruhime fetched her a cup of water, and Taylor gratefully took it.
"What happened after I passed out?" she asked when she finished her drink.
"The Guild went in to investigate," Hestia said. "They did some interviews, gathered evidence, had the Ganesha Familia arrest a bunch of people when they found crimes connected to said evidence… it was a whole thing. Very messy."
"Ah. I take it that I'm in trouble?" Taylor inquired.
"For attacking the Entertainment District? Yes, absolutely. But that's it, thankfully. Freya took the blame for sending Ishtar back to Tenkai," Hestia revealed.
"She did? Why?" Taylor demanded, immediately suspicious.
"I don't know," Hestia admitted with a shrug. "I only saw her once since then, and I didn't get a straight answer out of her. She said she was 'paying you back for taking care of the problem for her' but I'm uncertain if that's really the case."
"I agree, it sounds like she's going to be holding it over our heads. A debt, perhaps? Though I can't imagine the lie fooled anyone," Taylor said.
"Actually, it has," Aisha spoke up. "Everyone knows Ishtar is gone, and that you were involved, but I don't think anyone has a clear idea of what exactly went down the other night. Lotta rumors flying around."
"The gods know," Hestia said quietly. "We all heard Ishtar's screams, and we also…" she trailed off, looking at Taylor oddly. "Anyways, the gods know, or at least suspect Freya lied. But they're willing to accept it. For now."
"Guild is also keeping quiet," Aisha added.
"And they want to speak with me?" Taylor guessed.
"Yup," the Amazon nodded.
"That can wait, though," Hestia declared firmly. "You've just woken up! Now rest up! When you feel better we can worry about the boring stuff!"
"Okay, but I have to ask… what's with you three?" Taylor asked, looking towards Haruhime, Aisha and Tammuz.
"You're looking at the newest members of the Hestia Familia!" the Amazon declared, flashing a thumbs up at her. Taylor immediately shot Hestia a deadpan look, and the goddess wilted under the stare.
"Haruhime and Aisha didn't have anywhere to go! And you went through the whole trouble of rescuing them, plus they really wanted to repay you…!" Hestia babbled.
"For saving my life, for saving my very soul, I have pledged myself to your service, Hebert-sama," Haruhime said, bowing her head towards the parahuman. "My family has long served the gods, and it would be my honor to do the same for you."
Taylor grew a little more concerned about the mental state of the renard, but without any clear idea of what to do, decided to ignore it for now. The tactic had worked so far, after all.
"Alright, that explains them… why are you here, Tammuz?" Taylor asked the dark-skinned human who stood in the doorway.
"My lady, you truly showed me the truth," Tammuz said reverently. "You were right. Ishtar was an unworthy mistress. The only one deserving of my service is someone who is both cruel but also capable of kindness."
He gained a glint in his eyes that disturbed the parahuman. "Yes, it was after you put me in my place and showed that you were far more holy than even a goddess, that I knew I had to dedicate my life to you! Every inch of my body is henceforth dedicated to you! Use me as you like!"
'Oh, no,' Taylor realized in dawning horror. 'He's a masochist!'
Yes, the adoring look he was giving her when he spoke about the beating he'd received at her hands was exactly that. He'd done as she's suggested, and found a new 'mistress.'
For some reason Taylor could hear Lisa laughing her ass off.
"I think that's enough bothering the captain for now!" Hestia said, her cheeks red as she also finally understood Tammuz' reasoning. Aisha laughed uproariously while Haruhime blushed as well.
She ushered the three new members of the Familia out of Taylor's room, and after a moment Taylor lay back down. She didn't feel tired, but she didn't want to make Hestia upset at her so soon.
For a while, Taylor simply lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling as her swarm lazily circled her head. She tried to think back on the weird colored realm, but found her memories of it hazy and hard to focus on. Yet what she could remember brought her a sense of peace.
When Bell and the others returned, a tiny smile came onto her face, and she decided to sit up. It was the right decision, as a certain white-haired adventurer came barreling up to her room the moment he heard from Hestia that she was awake.
"Taylor!" Bell exclaimed, rushing into her room.
"Remember to knock next time," Taylor scolded him, and he flinched, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "What if I'd been changing?"
"Um, oh, uh," he stammered, not having thought of that.
After a bit Taylor decided to have mercy on him, and she opened her arms. "Come here, Bell."
He looked up in surprise, saw the invitation, and took it with a tearful smile.
"I have a sister!" he whispered as he hugged her. "I have a family!"
"I'm sorry that I ran away," Taylor whispered back to him. "If I could undo it…"
"It was a shock," Bell said, trying to excuse her, but she shook her head.
"I still hurt you," Taylor told him. "I-I've never had a sibling before. I once had someone who was my sister in all but blood… and finding out my father had survived Scion's rampage… it hurt. I felt betrayed all over again. I shouldn't have felt that way. And I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
"I never had a sibling, either," Bell murmured. "There weren't a lot of kids in my village. They were all way older than me, or way younger."
He then gave her a determined look. "But I'm willing to learn how to be a good little brother!"
"So am I," Taylor promised him. "I'll be the best older sister you could want."
She then gained a smirk. "And that means I have to do a background check on every girl you bring home."
"Taylor!" Bell whined, face red.
"Don't think I didn't notice there were some new faces around here, Bell," Taylor pointed out.
He'd come home with two new women she hadn't recognized, and along with the presence of a couple other people in the manor she'd noticed when scanning it for threats Taylor knew that their little Familia had grown.
'Though calling two of the newcomers 'women' may be a bit of a stretch,' she thought to herself. One had been a young Amazon girl, the other a young elf girl. They, along with two humans and a Chienthrope, were the newest additions to the Hearth Manor and Familia.
"Alright, Vice-Captain, tell me about them," she requested. "Start with the Level 2."
"Yes!" Bell said, snapping to attention. "Um, the Level 2 is Oriana Drake! She's a knight from the distant land of Albion! She's a tank. Very strong, with heavy armor. She has a Skill that lets her raise her Endurance based on the number of people she is trying to protect! Fights with a spear and shield!"
"Interesting," Taylor hummed. "A spear is an interesting choice, but a good one for the confines of the Dungeon. What was her former Familia?"
"She was from the Lugh Familia, but came to Orario to get stronger," Bell informed his captain.
"Alright. The Amazon, next. Is she from the Ishtar Familia?"
"No, Gina Gwen was actually from the Hermes Familia," Bell replied. "She's very nice, good at housework and helps keep the place clean. Not much of a fighter but she's still young. Gina makes for a good Supporter and is learning the ropes of that role from Lili. She joined because she really admires strong women, and, well, you, especially."
"Why me?" Taylor asked.
"What do you… Taylor… sis… you took down two Familias, one of them entirely on your own, against overwhelming odds and far outmatched," Bell said, sounding a little exasperated. "Why would she not admire you?"
"Ah. Right," Taylor mumbled, scratching the back of her head. "Let's move on. The elf?"
"Primo Libera is an elf from the same forest as Lady Riveria," Bell told her. "She's a mage. She already has a spell despite being only ten years old! It's called Lumine Pleiades, and it summons beams of light that rain down upon her target!"
"Another rear-line fighter," Taylor said with a pleased nod. "I'll have to see what she can do myself. Now, what's the deal with the other human?"
"Karen Morris is a noblewoman from the Empire who came to Orario to get stronger, just like Oriana," Bell said. "She fights with a rapier and has two Skills, both of which boost her status whenever fighting an opponent. Never Retreat goes into effect when she fights one on one, and Noblesse Oblige activates when she fights directly. So, no sneak attacks or ranged strikes."
"I'll have to get Welf to make her a better weapon," Taylor mused. "And though that combination of Skills will make her a true monster when it comes to duels, she'll be weaker when trying to fight as a team. I'll have to give her remedial lessons in teamwork."
"Um, the last person to join us is Gita Meyers," Bell said as he shivered in fear at the thought of another one of his sister's training sessions. "She's friends with Silva, and that's why she joined. To keep an eye on her. Gita claims to be an information dealer and knows a lot about the seedier side of Orario."
"Hmm. I'll have to keep an eye on her," Taylor muttered. Hopefully it was just her paranoia, but an information broker living with her who had unknown loyalties felt dangerous.
She then looked at Bell. "What's young impression of them? Will they fit in with the rest of the Familia?"
"Karen seems to have a bit of a rivalry going with Emma, Primo is an elf and thus rather averse to being touched by others, and Gita is extremely fond of Silva, but other than that, they seem to be meshing well," Bell said after a moment. "Like I said before, Gina has the makings of a good Supporter and Lili has taken her under her wing. Oriana and Mikoto get along nicely, their sense of honor as knight and samurai playing off each other in a good way. And Ryuu is taking care of Primo and helping her overcome the whole… elf thing."
"You mean the undeserved sense of arrogance they have?" Taylor asked with a drawl.
Aside from Ryuu, Riveria, and Leyfia, most of the full-blooded elves the parahuman had met so far were rather full of themselves. They were rude customers, but they really liked her spider silk and paid well, so she put up with them. Of course, she had Lucia raise the prices on the clothes every time an elf was rude, so it balanced out.
"Yes, that," Bell said awkwardly, scratching his cheek. "Um… oh! Iris and Leo don't seem to mind and get along with the others."
"And what about the other three?" Taylor inquired.
"Haruhime is very dedicated to you," Bell informed her. "She took care of you the whole time you were unconscious. She's also very kind! And Mikoto is happier with her around as well. Though I think Aisha and Mikoto have sort of rivalry going on for the title of 'Haruhime's Best Friend,' or something."
"And Tammuz?"
"I don't like him," Bell said flatly. "And not just because of the way he looks at you or talks about you. Haruhime does the same thing, after all."
"What do you not like about him?" Taylor asked. "Because if he makes you uncomfortable, I don't mind having him leave the Familia."
"No, you don't have to do that!" Bell denied. "I just… Tammuz doesn't want to think for himself. He's content being a side character instead of his own person. He's not an adventurer for fame, money, power, or any noble ideals, he's just doing it because it is something to do."
"You dislike Tammuz because he doesn't want to be a hero?" Taylor asked, squinting at her brother.
"I… huh, I guess that is it," Bell muttered, blinking in self-realization. "Yeah… I think so."
"Can you work together with him?" she inquired, and Bell nodded slowly.
"I won't like it, but I can," he confirmed.
"Alright, if you're sure," Taylor replied, accepting his answer. "Now, I think it's time for me to meet these people myself. Can you tell them I want to have a Familia gathering?"
Bell nodded and left to fetch everyone, leaving Taylor alone so she could get dressed. Haruhime came inside to help her, and though Taylor was loathe to admit it, she was still a bit wobbly and so had to rely on a helping shoulder.
"Thank you, Haruhime," Taylor said as she leaned on the renard as the two walked through the halls.
"Of course, Hebert-sama."
"You can just call me 'Taylor,'" the parahuman assured her, and the renand nodded.
"Understood, Taylor-dono."
"That's not what I… ugh, fine," Taylor sighed.
She then straightened up and stepped away from Haruhime before heading into one of the manor's dining rooms, which was one of the few rooms with enough space and chairs for the whole Familia to fit inside.
Everyone stood up straighter as well when they saw her, and relieved smiles flashed across the older members' faces.
"Miss Taylor!" Lili breathed out.
"Knew you'd be fine!" Welf declared with a wide grin.
"Oh, really? Then who was spending time in the forge all day, fretting?" Silva teased, and the Blacksmith flushed.
"Well, I mean…" he stammered, trailing off.
"It is good to see you're back on your feet," Ryuu said with a faint smile sent her way.
"It's good to see all of you as well," Taylor said with a smile of her own as she looked over her Familia. There were new faces, but they were just as pleased to see her.
"Hello, everyone," Taylor said politely. "I apologize that this is the first time we're meeting, but I hope we can all get along."
"Now, I know you all joined while I was… indisposed," she continued. "But I trust Bell and Hestia. Despite what it may seem like, they're good judges of character."
Taylor smirked a little at the indignant squawk from the goddess, and kept her eyes on everyone else, taking note of the way they relaxed when it became clear she wasn't going to kick any of them out. Aside from the god the Familia was formed around, the captain had the final say in who joined.
"In a little bit, I will be conducting personal assessments of everyone's combat capabilities," Taylor informed the Familia. "Once I have a better grasp of what you can do, we shall begin team training sessions and schedule some Dungeon expeditions."
She then looked around. "If any of you have questions, or even ideas for other activities the Familia can do, either as a business or simply to relax and bond together, feel free to approach me, Bell, or Hestia with them."
She then clapped her hands. "It's getting a bit late, though. So how about we get to know each other better with a nice meal?"
"I love that idea!" Hestia said happily. "Come on, let's get cooking!"
She dragged Mikoto, Emma, Ryuu, and Gina off into the kitchen with her, while the rest of the Familia set the table. It was done quickly with everyone working together.
The dinner was a simple meal of soup, bread, meat, and cheese. Everyone could make sandwiches for themselves while enjoying a tasty vegetable stew.
"I understand you're from the Solar Empire, Karen?" Taylor said, taking the chance to talk to and get to know the new members.
"Yes, that's correct, Lady Hebert," Karen said politely.
"Please, just call me Taylor," she requested. "What is it like, there?"
"The Empire is a meritocracy. Anyone can become a noble through impressive deeds, though the most common way to be elevated is through military service," Karen explained. "You are automatically granted the rank of Count if somebody is able to become Level 2."
"What about people who already are nobles? Are there any expectations for them?" Taylor wondered.
"Oh, absolutely! If a noble fails in their duties, which include governing and protecting their territories, then they might be stripped of their title," Karen said. "Recently, the Tetrarchy have been cracking down on corruption amongst the empire, and many nobles who managed to hide their actions till now have fallen from grace."
"The Tetrarchy?" Bell asked.
"The Empire is ruled by a committee of four gods," Karen revealed. "Sol Invictus who leads the military, Hades who guides the economics and infrastructure, Hecate who oversees magical innovations and the education of the populace, and Astraea who ensures justice is properly enforced through the land."
"Astraea?" Ryuu spoke up, surprised.
"Yes, Lady Astraea came to the Empire a few years ago, and the then Triumvirate welcomed her as one of them. It was quite a surprise when that happened, honestly. There have been a few minor subordinate gods who live in the Empire, some of whom were from the kingdoms the Empire conquered, but they have never been given such status or authority. She's been the driving force behind the legal reformations," Karen told her.
"I see. That's good to hear," Ryuu said softly, looking down with a relieved expression.
"Having gods rule a nation sounds quite different to how things work in Albion," Oriana commented. "Seeing gods in charge of places like the Empire, Rakia or Altena is odd to me."
"How are they done where you're from?" Lili inquired.
"The gods of Albion run their Familias like they do here in Orario, honestly," Oriana claimed. "Within the kingdom, they are the leaders of various knightly orders. My former Familia was the Knightly Order of Lugh, for instance. These knights protect the people and answer to the royal throne, and the gods stay out of politics."
"Huh. That's pretty different, alright," Welf hummed. "Wish that'd been the case for my old home."
"I understand it's quite hard for a person to Level Up outside of Orario," Taylor commented to Oriana. "Aside from a few exceptional cases, it's very rare. And considering you're only 17, you must have quite a bit of skill to make it to Level 2."
"Oh, it's nothing," the blonde knight said with a blush. "My home is constantly plagued by goblins, and Albion is also quite close to the Dragon Valley, so I have some experience with fighting monsters."
"That's good," Taylor praised. "I look forward to seeing how well you can fight in the Dungeon."
She then looked at the other newbies. "In fact, I think we should plan a large-scale expedition into the Dungeon for the whole Familia. Get to know each other better through the crucible of battle."
"The oldest form of making friends!" Oriana said, pumped up. "Through shared adversity!"
Taylor nodded, and everyone got excited. The Dungeon! Time to show the city what the Hestia Familia was capable of!
But first, dinner! The food was getting cold and nobody wanted to waste the efforts of Hestia and the other cooks!
111 &&& 111
Stat Sheets for the newest members of the Hestia Familia!
Tammuz Belili "Dumuzid"
Level 4
POWER – E 424
ENDURANCE – E 488
DEXTERITY – F 308
AGILITY – F 322
MAGIC – H 134
Skill –
Artel Assist: Compensates for the user's ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.
Spell –
Allalu's Wing: Unleash razor-sharp blades of wind.
Chant: Soar, Unbroken Wing!
Development Ability –
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance H
Crush I
Aisha Belka "Antianeira"
Level 3
POWER – B 777
ENDURANCE – B 710
DEXTERITY – E 459
AGILITY – D 531
MAGIC – H 101
Spell –
Hell Kaios: Unleash a shockwave of blood-red magic.
Chant: Seek and Destroy! Hell Kaios!
Development Ability –
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance G
Oriana Drake "Purekiki"
Level 2
POWER – F 321
ENDURANCE – E 466
DEXTERITY – H 110
AGILITY – H 104
MAGIC – I 0
Skill –
Knight Wall: Boost Endurance based on the number of people the user is trying to protect.
Development Ability –
Spearman H
Gina Gwen
Level 1
POWER – H 190
ENDURANCE – H 169
DEXTERITY – I 88
AGILITY – H 123
MAGIC – I 0
Skill –
Artel Assist: Compensates for the user's ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.
Primo Libera
Level 1
POWER – I 33
ENDURANCE – I 20
DEXTERITY – I 50
AGILITY – I 50
MAGIC – H 155
Spell –
Lumine Pleiades: Create beams of light that rain down upon the target.
Chant: Oh seven maiden stars, rain devastation upon mine foes! Lumine Pleiades!
Karen Morris
Level 1
POWER – H 111
ENDURANCE – I 90
DEXTERITY – G 280
AGILITY – H 111
MAGIC – I 0
Skill –
Never Retreat: Boost stats while fighting one-on-one.
Noblesse Oblige: Boost Power and Agility when attacking an opponent head on.
Gita Meyers
Level 1
POWER – F 345
ENDURANCE – F 317
DEXTERITY – G 205
AGILITY – G 221
MAGIC – I 0
Sanjouno Haruhime
Level 1
POWER – I 13
ENDURANCE – I 15
DEXTERITY – I 29
AGILITY – H 111
MAGIC – E 436
Skill –
Renard Reborn: Bestowed onto one who has returned from a fate worse than death. Duration of all Buffs doubled. Grants immunity to Curses. Spirits adore you.
Spell –
Uchide no Kozuchi: Bless a target with immense power equal to a Level Up. Target gains halved Excelia while under the effects of the spell.
Chapter 44: Chapter 41: The Cost of Success
Chapter Text
Chapter 41: The Cost of Success
"Alright… and… done!" Hestia said as Taylor felt the tiny goddess's divine essence update her Falna. The tingling faded, and she sat up as Hestia handed her a sheet of paper with the improvement to her stats.
Taylor Hebert "Weaver"
Level 3
POWER – E 424 -> D 511
ENDURANCE – E 448 -> D 585
DEXTERITY – D 500 -> C 666
AGILITY – D 503 -> C 607
MAGIC – B 742-> S 933
Developmental Ability
Hunter H -> G
Chain Attack I -> H
Her numbers had risen a bit after taking down the Ishtar Familia, and her Developmental Abilities had grown as well. Impressively so considering it's been almost three weeks since the War Game – technically nineteen days, with four of those spent in a coma – but it wasn't as much as she'd expected.
"I kinda thought I'd be able to Level Up after everything I did," Taylor admitted, noticing that she didn't have that option, and Hestia rolled her eyes at her child's priorities.
"Unfortunately, you already Leveled Up once by beating up an entire Familia while severely outnumbered," Hestia drawled. "You can't get the same reward for an identical accomplishment, can you?"
"I suppose not," Taylor sighed.
"The Falna is supposed to encourage growth. To Level Up means to go beyond your limits. To do something deemed insurmountable in normal circumstances," Hestia explained gently, patting her arm. "Don't worry, though. You'll get there. For now, just take it easy."
Taylor just nodded before putting on the nicest outfit she owned.
"You can still rest," Hestia offered, watching her get dressed. "The Guild can wait."
"Yeah, but it's better to get this over with," Taylor replied. "And I feel fine enough to walk."
"Alright," Hestia sighed. "Let's go see what they want."
Hestia and Taylor left the Hearth Manor and made their way to the Guildhall. The parahuman kept Chris at her side as a bodyguard, as she wasn't sure whether or not somebody might try something stupid.
Ever since she'd woken up, the Crystal Mantis had been acting clingier than usual, sticking close to Taylor's side. From its mind, Taylor could feel it had missed her and been worried about her condition. It was interesting to note how far the monster's thoughts had come.
Gone was the mindless beast who only sought violence, in its place was something about as intelligent as a puppy, with about as much innocence and enthusiasm.
Upon reaching the Guildhall, Eina and Misha were waiting outside the doors, bowing to the group as they arrived.
"Thank you for responding so promptly," Eina said politely, giving Taylor a relieved smile upon seeing the dark-haired parahuman back on her feet.
"I understand the Guild's director wants to speak to us?" Taylor inquired, and Eina nodded.
"This way, please," she said, leading the group, save Chris who had to wait in the lobby, to the office where the head of the Guild awaited them.
"Sir Mardeel, Lady Hestia and Lady Taylor Hebert have arrived."
"Send them in," the elf ordered, and Eina obeyed, taking her leave when her job was done.
Royman Mardeel looked at the duo who entered, looking exhausted. His eyes had bags and the lines on his face were deep.
"You've caused a lot of trouble for the city and the Guild," he began without preamble. "Destruction of Property, Trespassing, Assault… the list of crimes is quite long and I don't think anyone has ever broken so many laws at once. It's almost impressive."
"It was justified," Taylor replied, defending her actions. "Hestia and Bell were kidnapped by Ishtar and she was doing… horrible things."
"We know about the Killing Stone," Royman said darkly. "Lady Freya was kind enough to inform us of it. We also found plenty of evidence regarding it and her plans. Not to mention a whole host of other unpleasant things she was keeping secret from us. Freya also took responsibility for Ishtar's 'departure.' So while I do not like it, we are willing to overlook this incident in exchange for a few concessions."
"What sort of concessions?" Hestia asked before Taylor could, and Royman smirked and stood up.
"In due time. First, someone important wishes to speak with you, Lady Weaver."
He exited his office, and after a moment the duo followed him out into the hallway, where he led them towards a set of golden double doors.
Said doors led to a set of stairs that led down deep into the bowels of the Guild. From what Taylor was able to sense through her swarm, they were now below the Guild's basement, and above the sewers of Orario.
There were also no insects anywhere in this place save what she'd brought with her, and it unnerved Taylor quite a bit.
The chamber they were escorted to by Royman was quite wide, but completely barren, save for a few scattered pillars holding up the ceiling and a large golden throne at the very center, flaming braziers providing light on either side.
Seated in the throne was a tall man, almost seven feet tall, with white hair and sky-blue eyes. He wore a plain white robe with a black hood and sandals. He stared at Taylor and Hestia with curiosity in his gaze.
'What is he?' Taylor wondered, unnerved. She could feel nothing from him. Not a single drop of power. In fact, she almost hadn't been sure he was even human or alive at all, as she couldn't feel him breathing, nor did his heart beat.
"Lord Ouranos," Royman said respectfully, bowing towards the seated man.
"Thank you, Royman," the figure said, raising a hand in gratitude. "You may go. And perhaps take a nap? You look tired."
"When the work is done," Royman replied before turning around and leaving.
"Little Hestia," Ouranos said, and his deep voice filled the entire room without issue. "Lady Taylor… or perhaps Weaver is preferred?"
"Either is fine," Taylor said, still a bit uncomfortable.
"So, you're the one who wanted to talk to us?" Hestia asked. "I should have guessed."
"Indeed, I've wanted to meet with both of you for a while," Ouranos admitted.
"The Guildmaster said there were conditions for letting my actions in the Entertainment District being forgiven," Taylor said.
"Indeed. When you next head into the Dungeon, you will meet with one of my agents, a man named Fels, on the 18th Floor," Ouranos informed them. "He will tell you more."
"You won't tell us anything more than that?" Taylor asked, annoyed.
"Even in this place, it is not safe to speak openly," Ouranos replied with a shake of his head. "Only the Dungeon and its curious properties can ensure total secrecy, especially from the prying eyes of other gods."
"So, this is something important, then," Hestia guessed.
"If known, it could shake the very foundations of Orario… no, the entire world," Ouranos admitted.
"Anything else?" Taylor inquired.
"Yes," Ouranos confirmed. "You will have to pay for the damages you caused. And I wanted to discuss a… call it renovation project, for Rivira."
"Renovation?" she asked.
"Royman has more information on it, and he will give it to you before you leave, but to be brief, I wish to make the shanty town bigger and more respectable. To make it a proper settlement within the Dungeon to act as a forward base for future expeditions," Ouranos explained. "And that includes establishing a branch of the Guild itself down there."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Hestia asked nervous. "If too many people enter the Dungeon…"
"The Dungeon primarily reacts to divinity," the God of the Sky stated. "This includes the Falna. Ordinary people do not create as intense a response, so it is theoretically possible for them to live on the 18th Floor safely without provoking a Stampede or Overflow."
"I see, now it makes sense," Taylor muttered, understanding dawning. "When there are too many adventurers in the Dungeon, especially higher level ones, their combined divinity in the form of their Falna is what causes a Stampede! A few sparks on their own is nothing, but too many of them can add up, creating a larger, brighter flame that attracts the Dungeon's attention. Hence why you want to use normal people to expand Rivira."
"Precisely," Ouranos nodded.
"Alright, I suppose I can understand that, but it still sounds a bit too ambitious," Hestia said. She then squinted up at Ouranos. "Is there something you aren't telling us?"
"Obviously there is," Taylor said. "But Ouranos also has an idea, and likely has a way to get around a few of the issues involved with trying to establish a permanent base in the Dungeon."
"Fels can tell you more, but yes, you are correct," Ouranos claimed, but there was a glint of respect in his eyes as he looked at Taylor.
"Alright. I'll meet with this Fels person. What do they look like?" the adventurer agreed.
"Let's just say you won't be able to mistake him for anyone else," Ouranos said, chuckling at a private joke.
"Is that all then?" Hestia asked hopefully.
"Not quite," Ouranos said, and his expression turned serious. "Weaver… I must ask that you never do what you did to Ishtar ever again."
"I can't make that promise," Taylor replied, folding her arms across her chest. "If another god tries to harm my family…"
"You do not understand," he said sharply. "That was not a request. It was an order. Fail to accept and I will be force to banish you from the city entirely."
Taylor frowned at that, and he returned it, locking eyes and refusing to budge. In the shadows above, her swarm began to lash about angrily, her rage being shunted into the insects under her command.
Being told what to do did not sit well with her. It was only the fact that she knew Ouranos was not like a normal god or even leader that she held her tongue, waiting for him to explain himself.
'And he'd better have a damn good explanation!' she thought bitterly.
"Your actions nearly caused the Dungeon to break some of the seals that have been placed upon it," Ouranos informed her darkly. "And it badly weakened others. The Leviathan Seal had been damaged, and another bad shock will sunder it. We can repair it, and I have recalled the Poseidon Familia and the School District for this task, but until then, you must restrain yourself."
Hestia gasped in horror and he raised a hand. "Furthermore, you may not use whatever that other odd power of yours is within a hundred miles of Orario. The one where you grant Falna-like powers to other mortals by extruding some sort of extra-dimensional energy into their brains."
Taylor tensed up at that and he scoffed. "You think I cannot tell when someone – or something – is abusing dimensions near me? I am suppressing the Dungeon and keeping its influence from reaching out into the wider world. Were I not here, it would have recalled the Black Dragon and the other Calamities to destroy Orario by now. Your dimensional meddling is making that task much harder."
Ouranos leaned in towards her. "The Dungeon is subdued. It does not produce monsters as quickly as it used to and it cannot expand and grow. But all that work will be undone if you cannot control yourself, Faller."
"…Very well," Taylor said after a moment of staring at the god. "I will not do anything like that again. And if I do, it will be far away from the Dungeon."
That was admittedly a very good reason not to unleash Godslayer again, and explained why Ouranos was so tense and upset with her actions. The Dungeon was unnatural, and its resurgence would not be good for anyone.
And, privately, Taylor could read between the lines. Ouranos was less concerned about her killing gods than he was the damage done to the seals. So long as she didn't use her Skill to eliminate any more deities, then everything was fine.
The God of the Sky grunted, accepting her oath before leaning back into his throne. A weight seemed to lift from his shoulders, and the terse expression he'd been wearing throughout the meeting melted into something more neutral.
"You knew she was a Faller, too, Ouranos?" Hestia asked, exasperated. "First Hermes, now you… who's next? Freya? Loki?"
He had an amused look on his face as Hestia ranted a bit, while Taylor watched him curiously.
"Are Fallers that common?" Taylor wondered.
"There are many other worlds beyond this one. As many as there are stars in the sky. It is thus not that rare for unexpected visitors to arrive here," Ouranos said cryptically. "Though you are certainly the most troublesome Faller I've ever met."
"Do you know if any of them ever returned home?" she asked quietly.
"Not to my knowledge," Ouranos admitted. "The reason they ended up here is because the Tower of Babel acts as the center of a ritual that creates a magical vortex that pulls dimensional energies downward in order to aid in the suppression of the Dungeon. It is not easy to go against that flow. Though nothing is impossible, so perhaps someday there might be a way."
"Thank you," Taylor sighed. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.
"Do not despair, child. You have found a home here, have you not?" Ouranos said kindly.
"Yeah… I suppose I have," Taylor said, glancing over at Hestia, who smiled back and held her hand.
The two of them left a little bit later, returning to the Guildmaster's office. As Ouranos has promised, Royman had several documents for Taylor and Hestia.
"Here. The Freya Familia agreed to cover most of the repair costs, but you are still responsible for handling some of the damages," he informed the goddess and her captain.
The former choked when she saw how much money they were liable for, though Taylor knew they could pay it off easily with a single sale of silken garments. The latter was more surprised by what the Guild wanted her to do down on the 18th Floor. Specially, what they wanted her to bring to Rivira.
'How interesting,' she thought, intrigued.
Perhaps this would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The punishment given to the Hestia Familia was little more than a slap on the wrist, a show for the other Familias to remind them the Guild still had power. And Ouranos' plans for Rivira had the potential to vastly boost the status of the Hestia Familia. Assuming it all worked out in the end with whatever this 'Fels' character wanted to show her.
"We'll get this done right away," Taylor informed the Guildmaster, who merely nodded tiredly. Ouranos was right. The poor guy really did need a nap.
111 &&& 111
"This is it, the big moment," Taylor said. "Are we ready?"
"Yes!" several voices called out.
Taylor took a moment to look over her companions as they stood in front of the Hearth Manor in the early morning light. This would be their first major excursion into the Dungeon as an entire Familia. Everyone would be venturing down, making their way to the 18th Floor.
From there, the Level 1s would be trained by Ryuu and Aisha in the upper levels, fighting against the monsters that roamed there in order to get used to fighting with each other.
Then the elites, the Level 2s and above save Ryuu and Aisha, would travel into the Great Tree Labyrinth for intense training sessions of their own. Tammuz would be their lifeline, the Level 4 acting as a buffer against the stronger monsters of that realm.
She also admired their equipment, noting they'd gotten some upgrades while she'd been unconscious.
Bell was wearing modified vambraces that could let him block attacks and also contained sheaths where he could store his daggers, letting him draw them in a flash, or turn the vambraces into weapons, the knife blades sliding out near the knuckles, creating a punching dagger-like set-up.
Lili had a second Kukri, this one made of Adamantite, and Mikoto had modified her outfit with a bit of Black Goliath Hide for added protection. Emma and Silva had gotten actual bows and were much more proficient with them, while Gita, Leo and Iris had heavier armor to go with their heavy weapons.
Haruhime and Primo had been given a Black Goliath Robe and a spear for the former's personal defense, and Aisha sported a huge curved great sword, even if she refused to wear any armor behind a bit of chainmail and armored vambraces and chausses on her arms and legs. Gina had basically copied Aisha's outfit, and Taylor wondered why Amazons were so averse to wearing anything.
Even Tammuz had put on some armor. It was ostentatious and golden but durable despite that. He also had an odd choice for a weapon: a curved great sword called Last Harvest. It was made from Red Moon Steel and Mythril, and had the ability to absorb Tammuz's magic to unleash shockwaves of razor-sharp wind that synergized well with his Spell. It even looked like a bird's wing, if you squinted at it.
Welf had changed his equipment the most, swapping his Far Eastern style outfit for a Black Goliath Hide mantle over an Infant Dragon Scale cuirass. He'd also changed out his weapon, the big sword replaced by a bigger anvil-hammer.
It was essentially just a blacksmithing anvil on a stick, which combined with his fire magic he'd been practicing, allowed Welf to perform makeshift equipment repairs and forging right there in the field. A clever fusion of functionality and practicality. And it was quite a lethal weapon, too, able to cave in the head of a Troll, the beefiest of the monsters on the Upper Floors, in a single hit.
'He's really gotten into making equipment with combined functions, hasn't he?' Taylor mused.
Last but not least, Karen and Oriana were the only ones without upgrades, as they'd already arrived to Orario with high-quality equipment.
They were all strong, and Taylor felt a flicker of pride as she led them towards the Tower of Babel for the first major delve of their Familia.
This expedition was also going to involve harvesting resources from the Dungeon, namely wood from the Tree Labyrinth. Taylor wanted good, sturdy furniture and that stuff was the best material for it.
And speaking of materials, Debbie had a bunch of crates strapped to her back, which had been delivered by the Guild last night with a letter from Royman Mardeel informing her these supplies were to be delivered to Rivira.
What Ouranos and the Guild wanted her to bring down to the 18th Floor was mostly construction material like timber, nails, and such, but there was also lots of soil and seeds and several dozen live chickens in cages.
The Guild sought to establish Rivira as a branch-office of sorts, and part of that plan involved cultivating the Dungeon. Plants from the surface could grow down there, but they died quickly without pollinators and proper fertilizer.
That was what the soil was for, and it was packed with earthworms and other bugs which could serve the crops they sought to cultivate. Taylor would use her swarm to encourage the worms and bugs to reproduce rapidly and use them as both a way to help the proto-farms but also to feed the chickens who would produce eggs and meat for the adventurers down there.
In time, the 18th Floor could potentially be turned into productive farmland that would help feed the adventurers and allow for the Familias to conduct longer and deeper delves into the Dungeon.
It'd take a lot of work, and relied heavily on the Dungeon not immediately sending legions of monsters after them if it realized what they were doing. Attempts at this had been tried before, but the monsters plus the distance between the surface and the safe spot made it unfeasible.
'There's something else, though,' Taylor thought to herself as they made their way to the Dungeon. 'My ability cannot be the only reason Ouranos and the Guild are so confident. Something else is going on. They know about a factor that can change the way things have been done until now.'
She'd find out what it was eventually, though. One way, or another.
"We're getting so many looks," Haruhime said nervously, looking around at the adventurers who were staring at they made their way into the Dungeon.
"They're just jealous!" Aisha laughed, slapping the renard on the back in what the Amazon probably thought was a comforting gesture but nearly sent the Level 1 sprawling.
"Indeed, you have no reason to worry about anything with us at your side," Mikoto promised, placing a hand on Haruhime's arm to keep her steady.
Upon entering the Dungeon, Taylor mounted Debbie while Chris and Tammuz took up vanguard positions in front of the massive worm.
"Level 1s and 2s are riding with me," Taylor announced. "The rest will follow along. We're heading straight for the 18th Floor and aren't stopping for anything."
Once they were aboard the Taylor Express, the Hestia Familia plunged into the First Floor. And then the Second. Third. Fourth. They rushed through the Dungeon, hitting the 7th Floor in an hour and the 12th an hour after that.
By the time they reached the 18th Floor, a mere three hours had passed and it wasn't even noon yet.
"Good work, everyone," Taylor said as she dismounted Debbie as soon as it came to a halt a little bit away from Rivira's gates. "We made excellent time."
"F-fast…" Primo squeaked out.
"Indeed," Karen said, feeling wobbly as she got off.
"You get used to it," Emma assured the noblewoman.
Karen couldn't even muster up a snippy comment at her rival's response, instead just looking relieved to have solid ground beneath her feet again.
"Wooo! That was a rush!" Oriana said cheerfully, looking pumped and ready to go. "Where to first?!"
"I have business in Rivira," Taylor told them. "Ryuu, Aisha, take the Level 1s and head back up to the 17th Floor. Tammuz, led the others to the 19th Floor. Wait for me there."
"Yes, ma'am," Tammuz said with a bow.
"Of course," Ryuu said with a bob of her head.
With her orders given, the parahuman headed into the settlement, leaving Chris and Debbie outside. Making a beeline for the bar, which was one of the few buildings to survive the Black Goliath's rampage intact, Taylor walked inside, earning some looks.
"I'm impressed by how quickly you've rebuilt," Taylor commented as she approached the bar and the adventurer manning it.
"Morning," Bors said, yawning a bit. "Ugh, too early for this crap."
"Hungover?" Taylor asked.
"Of course!" the eye-patch wearing Level 4 chortled. "What brings you here, Weaver?"
"I'm here on behalf of Ouranos," she said.
"We heard from some of the Guildies up top that the big man wanted to reinforce us," Bors said, eyeing Taylor with a frown. "Surprised to see you leading the charge, though."
"Consider it community service for wrecking the Entertainment District," Taylor replied. It was an unsubtle reminder that she'd destroyed something bigger than Rivira already, and could do the same to the shantytown. If she had to, she'd rebuild from the ashes.
Bors grunted, accepting the threat for what it was, before gesturing to her to sit down. "Tell me what the Guild and Lord Ouranos want."
"What they want is to increase the defenses of the town, and begin small-scale agriculture and animal husbandry to turn the entire 18th Floor in a genuine outpost within the heart of the Dungeon," Taylor explained as she took a seat at the bar.
"And how exactly do they plan to do that?"
"Some Level 2s from Demeter will be sent down here to help with the crops and architects from the Goibniu Familia will help with building things," Taylor said. "The Guild will send civilians to run a branch once everything is fully up and running."
"And the chickens?" Bors asked. "'Cause I heard there'd be chickens."
"You can decide amongst yourselves who takes care of them," Taylor replied. "They aren't exactly hard to raise, and I have a book on how to handle them you can borrow, as well as sacks of grain to feed them with until the bug population has reached a level that they can sustain the chickens and pollinate the plants."
"Alright. What sort of crops are you gonna try to grow?" the Level 4 inquired.
"For now, potatoes are the crop that's been selected for initial testing," Taylor said, glad that the New World plants grew so abundantly here. "And I brought soil and seeds to get started, as well as earthworms and farming tools to set up a test garden."
"Alright," Bors said slowly. "What will you be doing while we set all this up?"
"My Familia is here to train, but I will help out as needed. This will mostly be a joint project conducted by the Guild and a few other Familias, including the Ganesha Familia." Taylor then looked around. "Speak of them, where is Modaka? I was told he'd be here to speak with me about their involvement."
"Who? Oh, the Ganesha guy. He's around," Bors said dismissively. "Said he was tracking down a lead on something, and would be back later. Not sure when, exactly."
"A bit annoying, but I can work around it," Taylor said. "I have the supplies with me right now. Do you have a place where I can put them?"
"Come with me," Bors requested. "Oi, Marty! I'm stepping out for a bit! Watch the bar and if you drink anything I'm kicking your ass!"
One of the other adventurers in the bar waved at him. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, old man!"
"Smug brat," Bors said, but his voice carried a hint of fondness as he left the counter.
He then led Taylor out of the bar and Rivira entirely, taking her to a spot just outside the town walls. There were large empty wooden boxes lying on the ground, and a makeshift chicken coop had been built nearby as well. All of which made from the trees growing around the 18th Floor.
"This is where we're planning on putting the garden and birds," Bors said. "One of the reasons it's next to impossible to grow things in the Dungeon is partly due to the fact that it tries to absorb anything that isn't made of it. Corpses of adventurers vanish if not collected quickly, and everything from metal to leather to even wood and stone that comes from outside of it will degrade rapidly."
He tapped a foot on the ground. "Of course, anything made out of Dungeon materials does better. But even stone and wood sourced from here will eventually become useless and gobbled back up. Not to mention the Dungeon tries to heal the damage done to it. It's a constant battle keeping the buildings in one piece and not regenerating back to normal."
"That will make things difficult," Taylor said slowly. "Does this affect living things?"
"Luckily, it doesn't. But I wouldn't say its great for 'em either. The soil here is sterile, and can only support Dungeon-born flora."
"That explains why they insisted I bring soil," Taylor muttered. "And the planter boxes… you're going to use them to hold the dirt so the potato seeds can grow."
"Pretty much," Bors nodded.
Taylor summoned Debbie and immediately got to work, pouring out sacks of dirt into the boxes and putting the chickens in their coop. she then released her swarm.
Earthworms fed on plant debris and things like manure and natural fertilizers, and helped improve soil nutrients. Taylor planned to have them reproduce and spend some time churning up the soil before planting the seeds. As for the pollinators, she brought a species of bee from outside Orario. They could feed on the highly sugary juices of the Honey Cloud fruits and would produce honey and wax and spread pollen when the potatoes started to grow.
Bors assured her he would have apiaries built to accommodate the bees, and she left him with the piles of building supplies to do with as he pleased. She left them on the roots of the giant tree Rivira had been built alongside, as the Level 4 informed her that leaving non-Dungeon materials on the bare dirt would see them pulled into the Dungeon. Hence why Rivira was partially built onto the roots themselves.
Her job in Rivira was done for the moment, and she made her way to the 19th Floor to rejoin her companions afterwards. It was time to train!
Chapter 45: Chapter 42: Aliens
Chapter Text
Chapter 42: Aliens
"Hmm, not this one," Taylor hummed to herself as she looked over a group of a dozen Gun Libellula she'd collected from the 23rd Floor. "I think this one could be decent… hmm."
The Hestia Familia had gone down quite far in the Great Tree Labyrinth that day, only stopping and turning back before the 24th Floor once their training session was over.
"What are you doing, Lady Weaver?" Oriana asked as they headed back to their camp on the 18th Floor.
"Trying to decide which Gun Libellula I want to bring back with me," Taylor replied.
"Oh… aren't they all the same?" the knight asked, blinking a little.
"Not quite. While it's true most monsters seem to be identical clones of each other, there are some subtle differences between some of them. Mutations that occur during manifestation," Taylor said, pointing to one. "That Gun Libellula right there can regrow his spikes faster, but they're weaker than the spikes of his brothers. And that one next to him has longer spikes but they're a bit more unwieldy because of that, making them drop off sooner."
"Huh," Oriana muttered, squinting at the two monsters, trying to spot what Taylor had just pointed out. "Nope can't tell."
"My Skill helps," the parahuman admitted.
"What exactly are you looking for in your next monster companion?" Lili wondered.
"Range and speed," Taylor eventually said. "I want the Gun Libellula with the fastest and furthest shot."
"I thought you would want the one with the strongest spikes," Welf said.
"That would be nice, but the laws of physics still apply to certain things, and the greater the momentum behind an object, the more force it can deliver, meaning that even something small and soft, like say a coin-size piece of lead, can punch clean through a metal if fired fast enough," Taylor replied. "Same principle behind why water jets can sheer through solid stone."
"Oh!" Welf said, eyes brightening in understanding. "I get it, now!"
Taylor nodded, pleased she'd managed to impart some wisdom to him, before looking ahead at where Tammuz and Bell were acting as the vanguard, cutting down monsters left and right.
The former Vice-Captain of the Ishtar Familia was clearly skilled, as evidenced by how he cut down one Lizardman with his scythe before sending a wind blade flying off on the backswing that sliced apart a Dark Fungus that'd been behind it, using the reptilian monster as a meat shield in order to get closer.
The walking mushroom exploded, spraying spores everywhere, some of which landed on Tammuz, but he didn't even flinch and just brushed them off.
"Are you okay? How did you do that?" Bell asked.
"Once you have G-ranked Abnormal Resistance you'll be immune to anything the Great Tree Labyrinth can throw at you, as well as anything from the Upper and Middle Floors," Tammuz revealed to Bell. "It doesn't do to become arrogant, though, as there are still monsters on the Deep Floors with toxins that make everything up here seem like child's play."
"Whoa," Bell muttered.
"Eye forward, Bell!" Taylor called out. "There's a group of Battle Boars coming!"
The white-haired adventurer nodded, turning serious as a trio of massive boars smashed through the undergrowth. He shot forward, piercing one in the eye and killing it instantly before leaping over its crumpling remains, slashing through the neck of the second before landing on the skull of the third and crushing it.
In an instant all three were dead, and Lili snatched up the Magic Stones that'd dropped, as well as a single tusk.
Tammuz gave a single nod at Bell for his attack, acknowledging the talent he'd display. While they did that, Mikoto cut and peeled strips of wood from the walls around them, selecting only the best pieces for their Familia's future use.
When they reached the 18th Floor, Taylor had finally made her decision, and selected the Gun Libellula that could shoot its spikes fastest and furthest after testing them all. The losers were slain and their Magic Stones fed to the 'winner.'
"Yes, yes, you'll get a treat, too," Taylor assured Chris, who was looking at her with his best approximation of puppy dog eyes. She took out a Magic Stone from a Lizardman that'd dropped earlier and tossed it to him. He happily gobbled it up out of the air.
"You really enjoy the Magic Stones from the reptilian monsters, don't you?" she hummed as she patted the giant mantis on the head. He chirped in agreement, causing her to smile a little before she checked his back.
"Looks like it'll be time to trim some crystals, too," she commented.
The crystalline growths on his carapace could be removed when they got too big without hurting him, and they didn't dissolve into ash afterwards, meaning they could be used in armor.
Was it because they could become Drop Items in regular Crystal Mantises? Or did all the Magic Stones he gobble up transfer some of their essence into his body and make him more stable? Whatever the reason, it meant Welf got to craft with the free materials at least, and he was working on creating an entire suit of magic reflecting armor for her once he had enough.
'Of course, that's not the only change I've noticed around me,' Taylor thought to herself, glancing down at her false arm.
Ever since waking up from her coma, her prosthetic had seemed... better. Magic flowed through it far more smoothly than ever before, and Welf's Magic Blade Cartridges seemed more potent than usual. It responded to her thoughts better than her own, organic arm.
And, sometimes... she felt sensation through it. Almost like Phantom Limb Syndrome, but at the same time, more than that. As if her arm could somehow feel and act like a regular limb once more.
Furthermore, the golden limb was shinier than normal. More golden, if that made sense. Almost impossible to notice when on the surface, even at night, but in the dark corridors of the Dungeon? A faint, sun-like shine radiated off of it. Her arm didn't stay filthy, either. Grime, be it dirt or blood, just slid right off, leaving the limb as perfectly pristine as the day it'd been forged. More so, given the whole 'shining' thing going on.
But the most unusual aspect of this was the fact nobody could detect any magic from the arm. Neither Welf, the creator, or Hestia, a literal goddess, could figure out why the arm was acting this way. They all saw it and noticed the changes to her limb, but couldn't work out how it was possible.
'I have my suspicions as to the cause, though,' Taylor mused.
It all boiled down to what had happened that night when she'd confronted Ishtar and slain her. Rather, a memory from a few books she'd read back on Earth Bet of a process known as 'Mantling.'
Was it possible her arm had become attuned to the essence of Khepri when she had claimed that name as her own? There was, indeed, a god - or rather, goddess - with that name in this world, and she'd even descended, but nobody had seen her in over four centuries.
'Could it even be possible for that to happen?' the parahuman wondered.
While she was thinking all of this, they left the Large Tree Labyrinth and began making their way back to the spot they'd agreed to meet up with the rest of the Familia.
Walking through the 18th Floor, the group Taylor was with found the other half of the Hestia Familia trudging back from the 17th Floor, tired and dirty but with great big smiles on their faces.
"Seems like you had fun," Taylor said with a smirk.
"This kids have a ton of potential!" Aisha said, slapping Haruhime on the back. "And this one here is a real game changer!"
"Yes, Miss Sanjouno's Spell is very impressive," Ryuu agreed.
"It doesn't last very long and it can only affect one person at a time," the renard said bashfully.
"Being able to temporarily go up a whole Level is already a boon," Karen assured her. "And you got the hang of using a spear quickly as well."
"Yeah! In fact, I bet your Spell will get stronger as you do!" Iris agreed.
The blonde fox-girl just blushed, but the wagging of her tail gave away her true emotions. Taylor knew she still had nightmares, and had more than once helped comfort her afterwards, but she was slowly recovering from her ordeal.
"Good to hear it," Taylor said, glad they managed to get some good exercise in before looking around. "This seems like a good place to set up camp. Lili?"
"Yes, Miss Taylor!" Lili said, summoning the tents and other camping supplies out of her pocket dimension. Everyone got to work setting things up, and afterwards the girls went to take bathes, leaving the boys to watch over their stuff.
"Shampoo, please," Taylor asked Lili, and the pallum passed over a bottle, along with a brick of soap for the whole group to use.
"Ooo, is that the lavender-orange stuff the Miach Familia has started selling?" Lucia asked as she smelled them.
"It is. I rather like it," Taylor said.
"Can I borrow some?" Ryuu asked.
"Of course," Taylor assured her. "There's enough for everyone. Though only for two days."
'What did you eat to get such a body?" Gina asked, staring enviously at the older Amazon's curvaceous figure, Primo and Leo also looking on with envy.
"Camels!" Aisha replied with a laugh as she sank into the small, secluded lake.
"Really?" Gina blinked.
"Really!" Aisha nodded. "I grew up in the Kaios Desert. Goats, sheep, and camels are pretty much the only livestock over there. Some horses, though those aren't for eating. And if you're desperate there's always Sand Snakes, Rock Lizards, or a bunch of other things out in the desert."
"I hear snake is a lot like chicken," Karen hummed.
"It is," Oriana confirmed. "Stringier, though. I prefer wyverns. They taste like a fattier pheasant."
"You've eaten wyverns?" Emma asked, surprised.
"Of course! Monsters outside of the Dungeon don't disappear when they die. Gotta use 'em for something!" Aisha spoke up. "Had to eat a Sand Worm, once. Do not recommend it, even with hot sauce!"
"Sand Worms… are they some sort of descendant of the Dungeon Worm?" Taylor asked
"Guess so. Look like 'em. They can get a lot bigger than ol' Debbie, though," the Amazon said. "Most tend to be small, but the oldest and biggest can swallow entire caravans!"
"Your hair is as beautiful as always," Mikoto praised Haruhime as she ran a brush over her silky blonde locks. "I missed being able to brush and comb it."
"You've gotten better," Haruhime said with a smile. "How are Chigusa and the others doing?"
"They're in Orario with Lord Takemikazuchi," Mikoto told her. "I'm sure they'd be happy to see you again."
"That sounds nice," the renard said softly.
As the girl's had girl-talk, Taylor could hear the boys having their own discussions through her swarm.
"So, Bell, what's it like, dating the Sword Princess?" Welf asked Bell.
"I-it's nice," the white-haired adventurer said, blushing slightly. "She's a bit quiet, but she likes walking around the city and people-watching."
"People watching? Is that like bird watching?" Welf wondered.
"Yes. Ais likes to wander around and just see people doing their own things. She also likes playing with children. She and Syr have that in common."
"Syr? The waitress?" Welf asked.
"Yes, she plays with children in an orphanage," Bell informed them.
"So, what you're saying is that you've gone on dates with two women?" Welf asked with a grin.
"I underestimated you, Lucky Rabbit," Tammuz said. "To have two girlfriends at once… perhaps you would have indeed fit in with the Ishtar Familia like my former mistress desired."
"Wh-what?!" Bell gasped. "Syr isn't my girlfriend!"
"Sure she isn't," Welf drawled.
"W-what about you, Welf?" Bell asked, trying to distract them from his philandering ways. "Didn't you say you were going to confess to Lady Hephaestus after the War Game? How did that go?"
"Another man of culture," Tammuz hummed, looking at Welf in a new light. "Though my heart now belongs to Lady Hebert, I cannot deny that for a long time, Lady Ishtar had claimed it for herself."
This time, it was Welf's turn for his face to turn red from embarrassment. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"
"So it went well," Bell said, smirking at his red-headed friend.
"Shut up!" Welf shouted, and Taylor shook her head.
'Boys!' she thought to herself in amusement.
One bath and a hearty meal of soup later, and everyone was feeling a lot better after their hard work that day.
'Who knew a simple soup could taste so good?' Taylor wondered to herself, before noticing somebody was approaching them. He was still a way out, and the captain of the Hestia Familia held back a sigh.
'Now what?' she wondered as she sent some of her insects towards the adventurer.
"Modaka, good to see you," Taylor said through a bug clone that formed in front of the Ganesha Familia member.
"Y-you remembered my name?" he gasped in shock, more surprised by that then the eldritch buzzing swarm that'd just appeared.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Taylor asked, confused.
"Most people tend to forget I even exist," the Ganesha adventurer said with a sigh, before brightening up. "Oh! Thanks for the birds! Fresh eggs are a real luxury down here!"
"No problem," the parahuman replied. "How can I help you?"
"Some guy from the Guild wanted me to pass on a message to ya," the Level 4 said. "Said he'd be waiting for ya down at the lake near the stairs leading to the 19th Floor around midnight."
"I see," Taylor muttered. "Thank you for passing this on."
"No problem," he said. "Now I'm gonna go see if Bors has anything new on tap before I turn in for the night!"
With that, the Ganesha Familia member walked off, and Taylor shook his head before turning her attention back to her Familia.
"Everyone, I have a meeting to get to with a representative of the Guild at midnight," Taylor informed them. "Ryuu, Bell, you two are in charge while I'm gone."
The duo nodded, and Taylor lay onto her back to get some shuteye before her departure.
111 &&& 111
A short nap later, and Taylor felt a little bit better. Her superhuman constitution really made it easier to recover from an intense session of killing monsters and she wasn't a direct fighter in the first place.
She rose from the spot next to the fire and glanced around the camp, summoning Chris after seeing everyone was resting, with Debbie and the Gun Libellula keeping watch over them.
The ceiling was dark, the crystals that lit up the 18th Floor devoid of light, yet Taylor made her way without issue towards the spot she'd been told to go to.
At first, it seemed like nobody was there, but her swarm wasn't so easily fooled unlike her eyes, and she was able to sense the aura of a Falna nearby, and turned to look in the direction. The invisible person was Level 4, but something was off about them.
"If you're not going to show yourself, I'll just leave," Taylor called out. "I don't have time to play games."
"Forgive me," a smooth voice called out as cloaked figure flickered into existence nearby. "I was simply curious about the woman who's thrown Orario on its head, and wanted to see if your power of perception was as fearsome as they claimed."
"Fels?" Taylor asked, squinting suspiciously at the cloaked figure.
They were dressed in an entirely form-covering black hooded robe, with metal gauntlets covering their hands. A blank mask covered their face, with no holes for eyes or mouth.
"Yes. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Weaver," they said, a masculine voice emerging from the hood.
"Huh. I see why Ouranos said I'd be able to tell who you were when I met you," Taylor muttered.
'I suppose if gods can be real, why not animated skeletons?' she thought to herself as her swarm examined him from a distance.
Because that was what Fels was beneath his robe: a walking, talking skeleton. Human, if her anatomy lesson from high school were worth a damn. Not that she knew what the skeleton of an elf or beastfolk would look like. Probably the same, honestly.
"Yes, most people tend to be taken aback by my appearance," Fels chuckled. "Hence why I prefer to work in the shadows."
"So what exactly do you want?" she asked. "Ouranos wasn't very forthcoming."
"There's a good reason for that. First, though, we have to travel somewhere else."
"I don't like being lead around like a dog on a leash," the parahuman warned him.
"Do not worry, this is the last step," Fels promised.
"Where are we going?" Taylor asked.
"Are you up for a quick trip to the 27th Floor?" Fels asked, and the parahuman blinked.
"Pardon?"
"The 27th Floor is where we need to go," Fels said. He gestured at her. "You are a Level 3 and can control monsters. I am Level 4, and know a few secret paths. We can reach it in a few hours and be back here by morning."
Taylor frowned but after a moment nodded. "This better blow my mind," she warned.
She got the feeling he was smirking at her as he turned away and led her towards the lower levels. Descending onto the 19th Floor, they rushed through, Chris keeping up with them easily enough.
A few monsters tried to stop them, but it seemed that the Dungeon wasn't very active at night. Only a couple Dark Fungus and a few Bugbears parred their path. Chris cut them down easily before they reached the lower reaches and made all the way down to the 24th Floor.
"Welcome to the Second Line," Fels said as they entered the 25th Floor, and Taylor took the chance to examine the new area, taking it all in so she could bring information map to her companions.
It wouldn't be long before the Hestia Familia would venture down here on their own, after all, as the Great Tree Labyrinth's recommended strength was Level 2 with stats of at least C rank, and most of them Level 2s would soon reach that point after a few more intense training sessions.
"So this is the Water City," Taylor hummed. "It's beautiful."
The Water City, a semi-aquatic environment from the 25th to the 27th Floors. The three floors were connected to each other by a massive waterfall, the Great Fall, and long stretches of slick stone walkways.
If an adventurer wanted, they could ride the waterfall all the way down to the bottom, though only the strongest would risk such a thing, as here, numerous aquatic monsters were birthed from the Dungeon, including the terrifying Monster Rex Amphisbaena, which could travel freely between the floors using the Great Fall as a watery road.
The recommended Level for this area was 3, though veteran Level 2s with at least one Stat above B could handle the area if they worked together as a team and watched each other's backs.
'We'll have to take another training trip to Melen in order to get everyone accustomed to fighting around and in water,' Taylor mused to herself. She wasn't sure how many of them could actually swim in the first place.
"Follow me," Fels said as he removed a bell from his robe, and rang it as he jumped off the edge of the Great Fall. Instead of plummeting like a stone, he was surrounded by a white glow that slowed his descent.
After a moment Taylor summoned her wings and flew down after him, while Chris leapt in after her. The trio plunged all the way down to the basin, bypassing most of the other floors while avoiding the monsters.
"When you said you knew shortcuts, I expected something a bit more than leaping off the edge," she commented.
"It worked, didn't it?" Fels replied with a chuckle. She rolled her eyes at that, before looking into the water.
"Looks deep," Taylor muttered, peering into the basin's depths.
"It is," Fels confirmed. "The basin connects to Lolog Lake and Melen. Well, it did, before the Leviathan Seal plugged it up."
He then turned away and walked towards a section of the cavernous depths that made up the 27th Floor and Taylor followed without a word.
From the basin, dozens of rivers spilled out and snaked their way around the floor, forming annoying obstacles when they were too wide to simply jump over. Some were fast flowing as well, so swimming would be an uphill battle.
After some traveling, the group made it to a section of wall that looked completely ordinary. Fels knocked on it in a rhythmic pattern, which seemed to be a password as the wall started to slide open.
"A pantry?" Taylor wondered, before stiffening as her power, previously stymied by the Dungeon's unusual materials, suddenly were able to enter the chamber. And upon doing so, she was able to latch onto an insect's mind.
Except it wasn't really an insect. Or an arachnid. It was something her power had never encountered before.
Dwelling within the Forest Ravine of the 29th through 36th Floors, the half-human, half-spider monster known as an Arachne was something Taylor had only ever heard about. The silk it spun its webs out of were highly sought after as a material, and the monster itself was considered one of the 'Deadly Beauties' of the Dungeon due to the fact the nudity of its human parts tended to distract male adventurers.
And right now, there was one of these dangerous monsters hiding in the pantry. But for some reason, it was like no other monster she'd ever encountered.
Taylor had wondered what, exactly, would happen when her power ran into an Arachne. Her Falna's description of her power said it controlled invertebrates, so what about something that had both a spine but also lacked one?
It turned out her power still considered an Arachne as something she could control, but that was the least odd thing about the encounter.
'Why the hell does it have a human mind?!' Taylor mentally screamed, her swarm barely able to redirect the sheer panic she felt as she had Khepri flashbacks.
She couldn't exactly remember her time as the parahuman-controlling villainess, only experiencing it through dreams and nightmares that occasionally surfaced and vanished upon awakening.
But Taylor did have what could be described as muscle-memory that twinged as she felt the Arachne's mind, and was reminded of what it felt like when her power brushed against a thinking, feeling, sapient mind during the fight with Scion.
Because the Arachne definitely had a human mind, with human-like thoughts. This was not a mindless beast spawned from the Dungeon with the only desire to kill embedded within it. No, this spider-woman was feeling anxious as the door to the pantry slid open, and also excited.
Through her power, Taylor could tell that the spider portion was black and red, sort of like a Black Widow except the design on the abdomen was different. More like a red lightning bolt.
The upper half, the human part, of the Arachne was indeed beautiful, worthy of being called 'bewitching' with her short, pure white hair and red eyes, making Taylor think of what an older gender bent version of Bell might look like.
She also wasn't nude, and wore a purple and pink shirt underneath looted armor, along with a helmet.
The Arachne wasn't alone, either, as she was surrounded by around forty different monsters, all of which were completely different species from Floors that were often far apart. Harpies, Lizardmen, Goblins, Even a large Green Dragon! They were all standing around and were talking. Talking!
…what do you think Gryuu?" an Almiraj wondered, the rabbit hopping over to the Green Dragon.
"I think Fels is overly optimistic, but at least he means well," the dragon rumbled, sounding oddly British for some reason.
"Do you think he will bring more cloth?" a Harpy wondered. "I wanna make more stuff to wear!"
"Why? It's not like we need it," a Hippogriff inquired.
"I just like looking pretty, Cliff!" the Harpy replied. "Ooo! Here he comes!"
"Anyone know anything about this other adventurer he wants us to meet with?" a Siren inquired.
"Ray, we don't know anybody," the goblin said, rolling his eyes.
"That's not true! We know Fels, and Shakti, and that other guy who-!" the Harpy said energetically.
"Calm down, Fear," a Fomoire rumbled. It then turned to look at the Arachne. "Ranye, is everything alright?"
"I can feel her," the Arachne whispered, and Taylor tensed up. It could sense her power? What exactly did that entail?
Her curiosity would have to wait as Fels was entering the secret Pantry, greeting the intelligent monsters with a wave of his hand.
"Welcome back, Fels," a Lizardman said.
"It's good to be back, Lyd," the hooded figure replied. "How have things been?"
"They could be better," the Lizardman said evasively. He turned to Taylor, eyeing her and the Crystal Mantis at her side curiously. "So, this is the adventurer you wanted us to meet?"
"This is the Level 3 adventurer Taylor Hebert, alias Weaver. She is Danny Hebert's daughter," Fels said, and instantly the wariness many of the monsters shifted into one of disbelief and then acceptance.
"She is?" Lyd uttered.
"Seems like everyone knew my father around here," Taylor muttered under her breath, before glancing around.
"Curious about these fine folks, are you?" Fels asked.
"Obviously," she replied.
"These are the Xenos. As you can see, they are monsters with the same level of intelligence as any other adventurer," Fels said, waving a hand at the surrounding monsters. "This is the great secret I wished to show to you."
"Huh," she hummed, looking at the newly named Xenos. "That's not something you see every day."
"Your reaction is a lot more subdued than I expected," Fels admitted, and several Xenos nodded.
"In the place I lived before Orario, there were people with extreme body conditions," Taylor replied with a shrug. "One had transparent skin and snail shells growing from it, another sort of looked like an orange lizard with hallucinogenic sweat, and there was a guy who was literally made of metal. And those were the more normal ones. So yeah, talking monsters don't seem that out of the ordinary."
"Ah, yes, you're a Faller," Fels hummed. "Though I hadn't expected your world to be so odd as to make intelligent monsters seem unimpressive."
"How did this happen?" Taylor asked, folding her arm across her chest.
"It is not known when it happened exactly, but approximately thirty years ago the Xenos started to be born from the Dungeon," Fels explained. "They have minds of their own as well as disjointed memories. And unfortunately, for some reason, they are also targeted by the other monsters born from the Dungeon. Still, they are quite clever. As you can see, they can learn to speak, use tools, and comprehend modesty."
"You want to use the Xenos to populate the 18th Floor!" Taylor suddenly realized. "They can live and work on that floor and help the adventurers!"
"That is the eventual hope," Fels confirmed. "But sadly, it won't be easy. It might not be impressive to you, but for the inhabitants of Orario and the wider world, monsters are to be feared and destroyed on sight. The very idea of them having minds of their own is… hard to reconcile."
She then blinked. "That's what you're doing with the Monsterphilia, isn't it?" she asked. "Shakti told me it was a fairly recently thing. Only a decade or so old. You're trying to get people – civilian and adventurer alike – used to seeing monsters walking around!"
"Yes. In time, Ouranos and Ganesha believe that this will help the integration process."
"It's a nice sentiment, but it won't work," Taylor said with a shake of her head. "Exposure therapy has only limited effectiveness in the first place, and it'd take many more years before people are willing to accept monsters walking around freely! Not to mention it won't solve the underlying issue of lack of trust adventurers will have. They spend their lives fighting creatures who look identical to the Xenos. And the only way to tell if a monster is actually a Xenos is if they speak!"
"I'll admit, there are still some… kinks to work out, but the ultimate goal is a noble one," Fels protested.
"I don't deny that. If you can think for yourself, freedom, safety, and self-determination are the rights of every sapient being, human or not," Taylor declared firmly, her voice full of conviction. "I'm simply warning you it won't be so easy as you think. Just using circus performances to get the populace of Orario's attention will only go so far, and possibly even harm your efforts. After all, if people only see monsters as a carnival attraction or something to display in a cage, then they will make dangerous associations when it comes to the Xenos."
Fels was silent, while the Xenos murmured amongst each other.
"Then what do you suggest, child?" the Gryuu, the Green Dragon inquired. "How would you make it so the surface will not fear and hate us?"
Taylor frowned, racking her brain, before uttering, "A picture book!"
"Pardon?" Fels asked, while the Xenos looked at her in confusion.
"A picture book for children. Write stories about intelligent monsters who are kind and interact with people. Who protect the innocent from bandits and other monsters," Taylor said, elaborating on her idea. "Spread these stories, make it clear that a monster who talks and wears clothes isn't like the others. Put the idea of the Xenos into the public zeitgeist and educate the children, the future adventurers of Orario, and when people do finally meet them, they'll have the concept of 'friendly monster' already somewhere in their mind."
Taylor couldn't read Fels very well, but his body language seemed surprised, hopefully in a good way. The Xenos seemed to like it if their expressions was any indicator. However, like everything, there were some who disagreed.
"This is a fool's errand!" a Gargoyle declared, slamming his tail into the ground, cracking it. "Trying to make the surfacers like us is pointless! And then they want us to work for them as cheap labor in exchange for mere promises of better treatment?! That's no better than what the kidnappers are doing!"
"Gros!" one of the Xenos, a harpy, exclaimed, but the Gargoyle shook his head.
"I don't trust 'em! We've lost people to those damn adventurers and had friends stolen away by slavers, and yet nothing has been done about it, despite their claims of wanting 'integration' and 'co-existence!'" He slammed a fist into the wall. "We ought to follow Asterios' plan and just attack those bastards!"
"Hang on, are you saying there are people kidnapping Xenos?" Taylor demanded, anger flickering within her.
"Yes," Fels said grimly. "We have been trying to track them down for a while, but they've proven elusive. We have no idea who they are."
"Surely you'd be able to notice if somebody was bringing a talking monster out of the Dungeon!" Taylor protested.
"Exactly! That is what is so problematic," Fels stated. "Somehow, whoever is kidnapping the Xenos is able to bypass the Guild's watchful eye. And that means…"
"Another entrance to the Dungeon," Taylor realized.
"Yes. We have reason to believe that somewhere within Orario is a secret path that has managed to get past Ouranos' watchful eye," Fels said as he pointed to the ceiling. "Technically, somebody could dig through the sewers and fall into the First Floor. But Ouranos is connected to the Upper Floors through his suppression of the Dungeon's activities, and would immediately notice if this happened. "
"So, if I help you find these smugglers and rescue your friends, you'll consider helping us with the Rivira project?" Taylor asked, turning to the Gargoyle.
"Yes," Ranye spoke up before Gros could. "We would be very grateful!"
Taylor could feel the sincerity in the Arachne's words through her power, and nodded slowly.
"Then I will find them," she vowed.
"You would really help us find our friends?" a mermaid asked, hope dripping from her words, and Taylor nodded.
"I hate human traffickers. And just because you're not 'human' doesn't mean you deserve to be hurt like that."
"Thank you!" the mermaid whispered tearfully.
"Do you have a list of Xenos who are missing?" Taylor asked next.
"There are quite a few of us who've been kidnapped. But the most recently taken one was a Vouivre named Wiene," the Siren, Ray, spoke up. "She was also the youngest of us, the most recently born Xenos, just a year old!"
"Anything that makes her standout?" Taylor inquired.
"She's more humanoid than most," Ranye the Arachne helpfully supplied. "She could easily be mistaken as a regular human, if not for the blue skin and jewel embedded in her skin."
"I see, good to know," Taylor nodded.
She spent a bit more time speaking with the Xenos, getting names and descriptions of different members of their community who'd gone missing. Not all of them might have been kidnapped, as it was entirely possible some had run into adventurers while out on scavenging runs.
When Taylor was done, it was starting to get late, and she and Fels bid the Xenos farewell, before leaving the hideout and heading back up to the 18th Floor.
"That was a clever idea with the storybook," Fels said as they flew up the waterfall, the skeleton having pulled out a new magic item that let him hover over a surface, and luckily for him, the water counted as something he could float up.
"It might not help," Taylor admitted. "Even in my world, which had only humans, people weren't exactly working together and living in harmony. There was always discrimination of some form throughout history. Honestly, Orario is a lot more tolerant when it comes to accepting different races and cultures than even my old home, though I can't help but wonder how much of that is due to superhumans who can crush someone's skull if they insult your heritage."
"You're quite the cynical soul, aren't you?" Fels queried dryly.
"I prefer the term 'pragmatic realist,'" Taylor drawled, before turning serious. "How did my father meet the Xenos?"
"I am unsure," Fels admitted. "I first met the Xenos seventeen years ago. By that point, Danny had already known them for about a year, and was responsible for teaching many of them how to speak Koine, and even read and write. He also helped provide materials to them. He never explained how it happened, but I believe the Zeus and Hera Familias – or at least their executives – discovered them on an expedition."
"That's another thing: how did my father get so far down?" Taylor wondered. "Hermes said his nickname was 'the Weakest Vice-Captain' and was only Level 1."
"That had to do with your father's two Skills," Fels explained. "They were quite terrifying, and made a difference in strength utterly meaningless. Keter allowed your father to reflect any damage done to him back onto his opponent, though he still suffered injuries from the initial attack. When the Skill was active, monsters seemed to avoid him, perhaps instinctively knowing they'd be killed in return. Didn't stop most of them, I'm sure, but still, it gave him an advantage in combat."
He then shook his head. "But it was his second Skill, Malkuth, that gave him his reputation. He could force an opponent to match his stats. So, a Level 3 monster or adventurer would suddenly find themselves significantly weaker, and equal to Danny in terms of strength. He would use the disorientation to finish them off. It was quite brutal, and he weaponized his own weakness in a way that made him renowned in Orario."
"Huh. My dad was a badass… I can't really imagine that," Taylor muttered.
She'd known he'd had an anger problem, and been highly respected by the Dock Workers Union, but the idea of him being seen as up there with this world's equivalent of the Triumvirate was just weird.
"He was very popular, especially with the ladies," Fels said, and she choked a bit.
"Please don't talk about that," she pleaded. "It's hard enough thinking about dad and Bell's mom getting together due to the age gap… please don't make me think about him being a playboy, too!"
"If you insist," Fels chuckled, enjoying her discomfort. "But don't worry. You likely don't have any other half-siblings running around."
"Joy," Taylor sighed, and focused on running back through the Great Tree Labyrinth.
It was the early morning when Taylor reached the 18th Floor, the trip down having taken a bit more time than expected. The 'sky' was already lighting up, and the captain of the Hestia Familia estimated it was around six or so in the morning as she made her way back to the camp.
Yet as she got closer, she could sense Debbie and the Gun Libellula were tense, and several adventurers, including Bors, were surrounding the camp. The rest of the Familia was awake and facing down the people who were encircling them.
Bell and the rest weren't that worried, as with Ryuu and Tammuz there was nothing the group of mostly Level 2s could do to them, but it was still a problem that needed to be solved, and hopefully without escalating it into violence.
"What is going on here?" Taylor demanded as she arrived, and Bors grimaced while a few other adventurers nervously backed away.
"Miss Taylor!" Lili said tearfully. "Thank goodness you're back! They want to arrest Ryuu!"
"Why?" Taylor asked sharply, looking from a tense but confused elven waitress to the angry expressions of the crowd around them.
"Your elf has been accused of murdering someone in Rivira," Bors explained. Taylor stared at him, waiting for the punchline. It never came.
"I beg your pardon?" she uttered.
"Maybe you should start from the beginning," Ryuu suggested, sounding more amused than insulted by the charges levied against her.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Bors said, sounding tired. "So, it all began last night…"
Chapter 46: Chapter 43: Murder Mystery
Chapter Text
Chapter 43: Murder Mystery
"So… let me see if I've got this straight," Taylor said, rubbing her eyes tiredly in frustration. "An adventurer disappears from Rivira. Then, his body is found missing his lower torso within the forest. Somebody claims to have seen an elf in a green cloak running away from the scene of the crime, and your immediate assumption is it's Ryuu?"
"She wasn't our immediate suspect," Bors protested. "But one of the adventurers who was passing through the town said that that description was a lot like the one that circulated a while back about the Gale."
"The Gale? Really?" Taylor scoffed. "You think Ryuu is a criminal that has a Guild bounty on her head?"
"That's why we want to bring her in for questioning," Bors claimed. "It's probably a false accusation, but this is the second murder in half a year and the folks in Rivira aren't happy about that. They want answers, and justice."
"Mob violence is not justice," Taylor replied.
"I know that. And I also know none of us have a chance of actually winning in a fight with the elf, Gale or not," Bors retorted. "But here I am, trying to ask nicely so we can solve this issue without bloodshed."
"You have a strange way of showing it," Taylor said, before glancing over at Ryuu. "Were you anywhere near Rivira yesterday?"
"No, I have been with the Familia the whole time. Either with the trainees, or here, in the camp," Ryuu informed the captain.
Taylor nodded, accepting her answer, before turning to Bors once more. "Show us the body, and the place it was found. Perhaps there are clues nearby as to the real perpetrator."
The tavern owner nodded before beckoning both parties to follow him, and Taylor and the entire Hestia Familia trailed after with the other adventurers from Rivira tagging along.
Their large group returned to Rivira, and Bors led them into a backroom within his bar. Laid out on the floor was the dead adventurer, face pale in death and twisted in surprise and pain.
"Who is he?" Welf asked as Taylor knelt beside the body, letting her bugs inspect the corpse.
"Enough of his body was left for the Status Thief to work," Bors replied. "Harvis Zolmeck, Level 2, adventurer of the Hypnos Familia."
"Sorry, but, Status Thief? What is that?" Karen asked.
"A potion that mimics divine ichor and allows one to observe someone else's Falna and status," Bors explained. "Good for finding out which Familia a body belongs to."
"That sounds… dangerous," Oriana said slowly. To have your secrets unveiled in such a way was simply unnerving.
"There's a reason it's technically illegal," Bors grunted, before laughing, "Good thing laws don't really apply down here, though!"
"The wound isn't a single clean cut, it's ragged and torn," Taylor muttered, peering at the injury. "He wasn't killed in a single hit. It looks like his torso was sawed in half."
"Now that you mention it…" Bell muttered.
"There are also digestive enzymes on the corpse," Taylor announced, causing everyone to stare at her.
"Huh? What does that mean?" Bors uttered.
"Parts of his back and arms were partially dissolved by acid. He wasn't in whatever it was for long, but it's clear to me that at some point the body was inside of a stomach."
"How certain of this are you?" an adventurer from Rivira demanded, and he flinched back when a cloud of flies flew up into his face.
"Bugs are a lot more sensitive than you may think," Taylor replied. "They can detect smaller traces of things easier than the nose or eyes of a person can."
She then stood up. "I also recognize the way the damage was inflicted. Stomach acid has a very distinct way of destroying flesh."
Ignoring the looks being sent her way, Taylor folded her arms. "Here's what I think happened: he was partially swallowed by a monster of some sort, and he died, possibly from shock or blood loss, but the upper torso was cut by blade in order to preserve it. Perhaps because it was the least damaged portion? I conclude that Ryuu was framed. Who was the adventurer that claimed to have seen an elf running away from the crime scene?"
That caused the adventurers from Rivira to mutter amongst themselves.
"Um, it was… Yuno, wasn't it?"
"No, she sounded the alarm. I think it was Petrus, right?"
"Nah, it was a cat-person. He was missing an ear."
"And an arm!"
"Yeah, think you're right! He found the body… but he was alone when we all came running, he wasn't in a group."
Taylor frowned as the denizens of the shantytown spoke amongst each other, a picture starting to form.
"Take us to the spot you found the body," she instructed, and a quick trip outside of Rivira led them to where the remains of the Hypnos Familia member had been found.
Most traces of evidence had been obliterated by the feet of the curious investigators and the Dungeon itself, but there was still some that lingered here and there as her swarm buzzed forward, inspecting the surroundings.
"Drag marks," Taylor said as her swarm found traces of blood splattered here and there that hadn't been absorbed by the Dungeon yet. "He wasn't killed here, but dragged over to this spot."
She glanced behind her. The walls of Rivira were within view, and a loud enough voice out here could likely be heard within the town. Somebody shouting desperately for help would have attracted some attention. And the parahuman had a feeling that was deliberate.
"Dragged? Was the cat-man trying to get help for his friend?" Leo wondered.
"Doubt it. And where is this witness, anyways?" Taylor asked.
"We're looking for him," Bors replied, but from the way his jaw was set he didn't think they'd be found. Taylor didn't think it'd happen, either.
"I found a trail we can follow. Let's go," Taylor said after a moment, following the stink of death that still lingered. Her flies eagerly tracked it back through the woods, and they got close to the edge of the 18th Floor before she stopped.
"This is where it happened?" Bors asked, looking around. "I don't… wait, what's wrong with the ground?"
Indeed, there was something off about the dirt in front of them. A perfectly circular patch without grass was an odd sight, but it was proof that something had been there and the Dungeon hadn't yet had a chance to completely restore the damage.
Taylor raised a hand, and suddenly the ground began to shake. Where the bare dirt was, a giant monster burst out of the ground, revealing a giant yellow-green pitcher plant with vibrant red spots. The flap of the plant monster formed a crown-like appendage with a singular eye in the center.
"That's a Venenthes!" Bors exclaimed. "A rare Deep Floors monster!"
"It's a monster based off of the pitcher plant," Taylor explained as she wrenched control of the monster away with her powers. "Normal pitcher plants lure insects in with sugary nectar, but they fall into the pitcher-like structure which is full of digestive enzymes, melting down the insect and letting the plant nourish itself without relying on sun or soil. The Dungeon has taken this form, and created a monster that can digest metal and flesh."
"Huh, guess that explains what happened to Harvis," Iris said. "He fell in, got partially digested, and then the cat-person saved him, only to later kill him to try and frame Ryuu."
"That does seem to be the case," Tammuz agreed. "The real question though is what this is doing up here. Venenthes cannot move, and are essentially living traps. It would have to be transplanted to find its way to the 18th Floor."
"Agreed," Taylor said, her swarm already scanning the area. "Whoever brought it here, they were using this monster as a proximity alarm. Somebody gets caught in it, their screams would alert the owners. Then they can dispose of the intruder."
She then pointed a finger towards a bluff in the distance. "Over there. I'm detecting traces of habitation."
"Allow me to investigate the area first," Fels requested. Taylor didn't react. She'd known the Guild operative was following them for a while, hidden from sight by whatever magical item had allowed him turn invisible.
"Why?" Taylor asked under her breath, without towards the spot occupied by the robed skeleton.
"I believe there is something up ahead the Guild may not want to become widely known," Fels told her in a low voice.
"Too bad, they tried to get one of my friends arrested and possibly killed," Taylor said with a shake of her head. "The Guild can bother everyone here with NDAs if they're so worried. But I'm finding out what is happening."
Fels groaned a little as Taylor walked forward, uncaring of what dirty secrets she might uncover.
What she found was a secret cave, hidden behind a boulder that had to be shifted aside. The cave itself was large enough to hold a dozen people and had traces of habitation in the form of ashes from a campfire and discarded remnants of rope and trash. Scrapes and scratches told Taylor that boxes and other containers had been here at some point, but moved, and recently at that. But that was a minor matter compared to what they found at the back.
"Is that a door?" Bell asked in shock, staring at what was embedded into the side of the Dungeon. It was indeed a pair of double doors, large and imposing with a faint gold and silver sheen and engraved with curious designs and sigils.
"That's made of Orichalcum!" Welf exclaimed as he inspected it. "To get that much would cost hundreds of millions of valis!"
"This isn't natural, it's man-made," Lucia mused.
"Obviously," Primo huffed.
"No, I mean, this was added to the Dungeon," the seamstress explained. "Somebody built this, then transported it down here. The sheer effort that would take boggles the mind!"
"Or, and here's a crazy thought, somebody dug down from Orario and tunneled into the Dungeon, then installed the doors here," Silva suggested.
'Seems like we found the secret entrance Fels was worried about,' Taylor thought to herself, somewhat amused by that, as well as Fels sighing in disappointment.
Meanwhile, Bors' jaw had dropped, and he was looking around the cave in bewilderment, clearly confused.
"How?!" he uttered. "Why?! What?!"
"I think this place was being used by smugglers," Aisha said, bending down and picking up an object off the ground. "And check this out. A Harpy feather."
"People are smuggling monsters out of the Dungeon?!" Lili exclaimed. "Why?!"
"Never underestimate the stupidity or conceit of the wealthy who have nothing better to do," Taylor said, earning nods from Karen and Oriana.
"I can think of a dozen different nobles who'd paid handsome for an exotic pet," Karen said. "To say nothing of those who'd use captive monsters as a way to train."
"Makes sense. Outside of Orario, there aren't a lot of easy ways to steadily gain Excelia," Gita muttered, the information broker scratching her head. "Come to think of it, I've heard rumors about this very practice. But I tried to stay away from that sort of business. Smuggling leads to trafficking which leads to slavery, and I never wanted to have any part in that."
As they discussed reasons as to why somebody would try to kidnap and smuggle monsters out of the Dungeon, Taylor was keeping an eye on the tagalongs. With a thought, two tendrils of her swarm shot forward and burrowed into the clothes of a pair of adventurers standing nearby while Chris leapt into action, his scythe-like limbs lashing out and severing the arm of one of them while Taylor used her curse to disable the arms of the other.
"What the?!" Bors exclaimed, and the other adventurers screamed in shock as Taylor's monster attacked.
"When we were approaching the cave, they were nervous," Taylor said, finally turning around as her swarm tore apart a series of bombs strapped to their chests while they screamed and writhed. "And when we found it, neither of them showed surprise. Just shock and worry."
She then kicked one and ordered Chris to cut apart the front of their shirts. When the Crystal Mantis did so, it revealed the bomb vests they'd been wearing.
"One of them tried to blow us up just now," Taylor explained. "I wasn't going to let him do that, of course. Hence why I had to disarm him."
"Boo!" Bell said, unimpressed by her pun.
Bors meanwhile was staring at the two downed adventurers. "Evilus," he eventually snarled, expression turning dark and angry.
"Evilus?" Taylor repeated, while Ryuu stiffened in shock.
"Yeah. Thought they were all wiped out, but some of them were causing problems down here a while back. Ended up being responsible for a murder and destroying the town."
"I've heard better names from literal children," Taylor muttered under her breath as Welf knelt beside the downed cultist and inspected his bomb vest.
"Kaenseki," he muttered, extracting a fiery red stone from one of the pouches that made up the vest. Seeing the unaware looks most of his Familia was giving him he explained, "Also called Burst Stone. It's a Drop Item from a fairly powerful monster located within the Deep Floors. If injected with magic, it explodes."
"Sounds dangerous," Lili hummed.
"It can be. It's a major component for making non-Crozzo Magic Swords. That's partly why they're so unstable and break easily," Welf explained. "And it's also illegal to sell outside of Orario without the Guild's permission. Some dwarven mines use it to break up rocks and clear tunnels but the sale is heavily monitored."
"How do the bomb vests work?" Taylor inquired.
"Looks to me like they have a bunch of Mythril wire connecting the Kaenseki pouches, with the plunger connected to a Magic Stone. When the stone is broken by depressing the plunger, it releases a burst of magical energy that is carried to the Kaenseki via the Mythril, allowing it to explode all at once," Welf said as he inspected them.
"That means that this Evilus group has a lot more resources that I'd have expected a group on the verge of total annihilation to have," Taylor muttered.
"Yeah. A single one of these vests would be worth a million valis from the Kaenseki alone. Then there's the cost and effort of turning Mythril into thin enough wire that can link up with all of the pouches…" Welf said, trailing off. "There are a lot more things somebody could use all these items for. I mean, the explosion all of this Kaenseki could cause wouldn't be able to kill anybody over Level 3. This is a terror weapon, more than something to try and cause destruction."
"What do we do with them?" Bell asked.
"First, we need to find out which Familia they belong to," Taylor said. "Bors, do you have any Status Thief left?"
"Sure do," he replied, and sent one of his loyal men off to get some.
When he returned, the adventurer had some unfortunate news to convey. "The cat-guy ran off. He's not anywhere in Rivira anymore."
"Damn it!" Bors growled.
"We did get a name, though," Bors' assistant said as he handed over the vial containing the Status Thief. "Jura."
"Jura?!" Ryuu demanded, and everyone turned to her.
"You know him?"
"He was part of the Rudra Familia, and helped with the Nightmare of the 27th Floor and that attack on the Astraea Familia," Ryuu spat out. The long-time adventurers and natives of Orario gasped at that. "But, he should be dead!"
"Seems like he survived, though not without some damage, if the mention of a missing arm and ear are truthful," Lili hummed.
"First things first, though," Bors grunted, kicking one of the disarmed suicide bombers over so his back was facing up. He ripped the shirt off and dribbled some of the liquid onto his skin.
Taylor watched, fascinated, as the Evilus member's aura started to vibrate crackle before shifting. It went from the sound of crickets chirping to the clatter of bone striking bone as his Falna appeared, which resembled a grave with a tombstone.
'I could do that,' Taylor thought to herself. Deep within her heart, she instinctively knew she could use her Godslayer Skill to do the same thing… and something more.
But she put that out of her mind as she examined the markings on the Evilus adventurer's flesh.
"Mike Hurn, Level 1, Thanatos Familia," she uttered, staring at the words that appeared.
"You can read the God's Tongue?" Tammuz asked, surprised.
"Apparently," the parahuman replied with a shrug. 'It seems Hestia put a bit more than the knowledge of the Koine language into my head when she was fixing me.'
"Thanatos? That was one of the big names involved with Evilus, but he was never caught," Bors claimed. "Check the other guy!"
"Simon Coros, Level 2, also of the Thanatos Familia," Taylor said.
"Damn it, so the Thanatos Familia and Evilus are involved in the monster smuggling! That must be where they're getting all the money for their operations," Aisha spat out. She then glanced over her shoulder at the doors. "And whatever those are, they probably have something to do with it, too."
"Now what?" Bell wondered.
"We'll take the little bastards from here," Bors declared, and had his men tie up the Evilus goons. "The Guild will probably be happy to have some live ones to interrogate. As for the other matter… yeah, our bad. Sorry for trying to arrest your friend."
"Water under the bridge," Taylor assured him. She then turned to Ryuu, who looked like she wanted to rush off instantly and find Jura.
"Ryuu?"
"I understand, captain," Ryuu said bitterly. "I will not go after him…"
"Actually, I was going to tell you I know where he is," Taylor informed her. "And that we can go after him right now."
"I… what?"
"I spotted a one-armed cat-person lurking nearby, and decided to tag him with a few bugs after I heard just who it was that'd tried to frame you," Taylor said before chuckling a little at the dumbfounded look on the elf's face. "Besides, I understand the desire for revenge. So why would I stop you from trying to obtain it?"
"I thought… I thought you would tell me not to pursue revenge," Ryuu admitted.
"Nope. Bell, you're in charge here while I'm with Ryuu," Taylor ordered him. "Go do some training with the others. Work on coordination and teamwork. I'll be testing you when I return."
"Wait! I want to come with you two!" Bell protested.
"This isn't going to be pretty, Bell. And it won't be nice," Taylor warned him.
"I-I know that! But I want to repay everything Ryuu has done for me and the Familia!"
"…Fine," Taylor said, giving in after Ryuu nodded her head in acceptance. "Lili, you're in charge. Aisha? Tammuz? Do whatever she says."
"Lili won't let you down!" the pallum said, saluting, and the pair of higher leveled adventurers conceded to their captain's wishes.
"Where is he?" Ryuu asked as the three of them ran across the 18th Floor.
"He's headed into the 19th Floor," Taylor informed the elf. "He's fast, but not beyond a Level 2 with a high Agility stat."
"We can catch him, then," Ryuu said, eyes flashing with determination.
The cat-person was staying ahead, but with three people on his tail, two of which were Level 3, there was no chance he'd be escaping.
'He'd have had a better chance of heading up to Orario instead of trying to flee deeper,' Taylor thought to herself.
Monsters who could fold the weaker adventurer in half aside, the lowest floors of the Dungeon also had incredible environmental dangers and were quite maze-like, along with lacking supplies for survival. Safer to get to the surface, where one could vanish into the streets of Orario and not worry about being eaten by monsters.
Of course, it wouldn't help hide from her, but Taylor felt that running deeper would only lead to death for a weaker adventurer.
Yet as the pursuers entered the 19th Floor, the cat-person was almost to the 20th ahead of them. He also drew a bunch of small pouches off of his belt.
'What is he doing…?' Taylor wondered to herself, confused as she watched their target throw these pouches at the walls of the 19th Floor as he went down to the next floor. They burst open upon impact and her swarm detected a variety of pungent herbs as well as powdered Magic Stones being released.
The purpose of these potpourri pouches soon revealed itself as the walls rippled and burst, dozens of monsters exploding forth in a frenzy.
'Did he just trick the Dungeon into summoning monsters?' Taylor wondered, narrowing her eyes. The combination of herbs and Magic Stones had lured monsters out and they were now fighting each other, seemingly turned berserk.
It was an interesting trick, but not one that actually did anything to stop them. Ryuu barely even slowed down as she tore into the Bugbears and Lizardmen, Bell not far behind, and Taylor forced the bug-like monsters to leave them alone.
"How far is he going to run?" Bell couldn't help but wonder as they continued down after the criminal.
"Not sure. We're closing in on him, but he's taking shortcuts I didn't know about. Whoever this person is, he knows more about these floors than we do," Taylor replied.
Annoyingly, some of these shortcuts he was using also seemed to be too small for any of them save Bell. The one-armed cat-person was only able to squeeze through thanks to having a missing limb to reduce his size and mass.
Despite that, though, after several minutes they finally closed the gap, their higher Agility stat managing to overcome the time the cat-person was able to shave off.
"There he is!" Ryuu snarled, eyes glaring at him as the target approached the entrance to the 25th Floor. He was panting heavily, heart beating wildly. And yet Taylor was confused as he didn't seem to be afraid at all.
"Cut him off before he escapes to the 26th Floor!" Taylor called out. "Don't let him jump down the Grand Fall!"
"Got it!" Bell replied, and he summoned a pair of Lightning Clones. His Skill-made duplicates flashed forward, using the fact they were made of lightning to travel across hundreds of feet near instantly and appear next to the fleeing adventurer.
The clones then exploded, causing the one-armed man to be thrown backwards, crashing to the ground. This finally stopped him from moving, and the group from the Hestia Familia took the chance to encircle him, finally able to confront the criminal and get a good look at him.
The cat person had light brown hair and green eyes, and was missing his left ear and right arm. He wore leather armor made from Minotaur hide, and at his side was a sheathed short sword, but what really intrigued Taylor was the crimson whip he was clenching desperately in his one remaining hand. It was clearly magical, if the hum her swarm could hear from what was any clue, but the way Chris seemed to instinctively recoil away from it… well, it would be interesting to see what it did.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" the cat-man snarled, glaring at Taylor with hate filled eyes. "You ruined everything!"
"Jura," Ryuu spat out, recognizing the adventurer. "I thought you were dead."
"I almost was!" he cackled. "But I survived! I survived and I can now take my revenge!"
He cracked the whip, and there was a flash of crimson light. When it faded, a massive snake with blue skin and six amber eyes had appeared, coiled around Jura protectively. Its tail tapered to a point, like a spear, and splotches of black covered its body, a sign of heavy Magic Stone consumption.
"A Lambton!" Ryuu hissed, clenching her sword tighter.
"That's right!" Jura mocked. "A regular one is easily Level 4, but this one has been raised to be even stronger!"
He then scowled. "I had this whole plan laid out to lure you down to a different floor, but you just had to ruin it, didn't you, Weaver?!"
"I don't care," Taylor replied as she raised her golden arm while Bell raised the Hestia Knife. "You tried to frame and hurt somebody within my Familia. You do not get to complain about what happens afterwards."
She glanced at Bell. "Kick his ass, Bell. Ryuu, Chris, and I will handle the Lambton."
"Yes!" he replied, and darted forward, slipping past the monster and attacking Jura. The cat-man was not prepared for the assault on his person, having expected his tamed monster to distract them while he fled. But he was now unable to do so with Bell sticking to him like glue.
The white-haired adventurer delivered a haymaker to Jura's face, and knocked him out of the protective grasp of the Lambton. He then proceeded to smashed the cat-man's face into the dirt and dragged him across the ground and hurled him at the stairs back up to the 24th Floor.
When that was happening, Taylor, Ryuu and Chris charged at the snake monster. The Lambton's scaly hide was durable, tanking the blows they hurled at it. Ryuu's magical wooden sword wasn't able to leave any cuts, and was too small to inflict crushing damage.
Taylor's magic splashed against it leaving scorched scales behind, and she wished she'd swapped her cartridge over from the Lightning elemental one she'd been using earlier. It'd been useful for dealing with aquatic monsters, but not so much the current foe.
Only Chris' razor-sharp scythe-limbs were able to do anything, but even then, the wounds were too shallow. The Lambton was simply too big and after a diet of Magic Stones it had become significantly stronger and tougher, almost on par with a Level 5.
"Earthquake Fist!" Taylor shouted, slamming her artificial limb into the monster, unleashing seismic vibrations point blank into its body. It roared in pain as the attack bypassed its defenses completely, and flicked Taylor with its tail.
The blow hurt, and she felt some of her ribs break as she was sent flying, but Ryuu quickly hit her with a Noah Heal as she landed, and the damage was mostly undone by the time she stood back up onto her feet to chug a potion.
'At least it doesn't have any esoteric abilities,' Taylor thought with a wince. It's physical strength and sheer size was a pain, but it lacked any sort of Blaster power. 'Still, the thing is like a damn Brute… and my Earthquake Fist isn't strong enough to defeat it. Unless I can accurately destroy its heart, brain, or Magic Stone in a single strike, it'll be pointless.'
'Weaken it… weaken it… how can I do that so Chris can cut through the monster's skin?' Taylor wracked her brain for a solution. 'If only there was a way to disrupt the magical energy within its body! Because a normal animal wouldn't be so tough without it…'
"Huh," Taylor suddenly muttered, looking down at her golden fist. A new idea was forming inside of her head, specifically for a new spell. She looked up at the Lambton and darted forward.
"Ryuu! Pin it in place!" she shouted, and the elf obeyed, pressing it's head down into the dirt with repeated strikes of her Luminous Wind.
With it unable to retaliate, Taylor landed a punch against the side of its head. However, when she sent her seismic vibrations into it via the modified Earthquake spell, she also sent a pulse of raw magical energy straight into the Lambton. As much Mind as she could handle rushed into the monster's body, and she felt light-headed.
'Ooof! Didn't mean to use that much magic!' Taylor thought as she felt the migraine-esque feeling of Mind down creep up on her while she staggered back. However, her gamble paid off.
The monsters of the Dungeon were magical creatures. They were, in some ways, almost like spirits in that they were mostly made of magical energy. It was why they died when their Magic Stone was broken. Without the magic to sustain themselves, they would crumble into ash.
Disrupting that internal flow of magic should, therefore, do something to any monster. Disorient it at the very least. But the question of 'how' this would happen remained. Taylor's idea had been to shove a huge amount of her own magical energy straight into the target, carried along via the medium of seismic waves.
In the Lambton's case, the raw magic Taylor sent into its body caused the scales to crack all over while boiling blood spurted from its maw and its head swayed drunkenly.
"NO! What are you doing?!" Jura screamed.
He rolled away from Bell, spitting blood and teeth and he raised his whip, clearly about to try and do something, but the white-haired adventurer who was his opponent reacted faster.
Bell cut through Jura's wrist, causing him to drop his whip as he could no longer hold onto it. When the whip fell, the Lambton shuddered as flinched back, as if disoriented. Somehow, the whip had been controlling the monster, which made sense to Taylor as a Level 4 or 5 monster likely wouldn't heed the orders of a Tamer as weak as Jura without some sort of artifact binding it.
As the Lambton thrashed around in confusion at being freed from Jura's control, Chris charged in, his blades flashing with flickers of white light coating his limbs. Insectoid scythes struck badly weakened snakeskin and bit deep into its neck, blood spurting forth and drenching the Crystal Mantis.
The serpentine monster's severed head fell to the ground and Chris let out a roar, clicking his scythe-limbs together before picking up the Magic Stone the Lambton had dropped, scarfing it down.
"No! NO!" Jura screamed in disbelief before Bell slashed through his left leg, nearly severing it and causing him to collapse to the ground with a shriek.
Ryuu did not hesitate and she shot forward, poised to strike Jura and finish him off, only to be stopped by a shout from Taylor.
"Wait!" Taylor called out, causing Ryuu to pause, her sword a centimeter from Jura's throat.
"Why?!" she demanded. "Why should I wait?!"
"Because I need to find out how this all happened!" Taylor replied.
"What do you mean?" Ryuu asked sharply.
"Ryuu, he has a Falna," Taylor pointed out, causing the elf to blink.
"What does that have to do with anything?" she demanded.
"You said he was part of the Rudra Familia, but Rudra is dead. And when a god dies, their Falna disappears with them," Taylor reminded her. "So how is Jura still an adventurer when he shouldn't have a Falna anymore?"
That caused Ryuu to pause, and she glared down at the cowering cat-person. But she lowered her blade, which was what Taylor wanted in the first place.
"Don't forget his whip!" Bell called out. "It's able to summon and control monsters! Something like that can't be easy for just any adventurer to wield!"
"Good point, Bell," Taylor nodded, and she picked it up, securing it to her belt. No reason to leave a precious artifact behind, after all!
"We don't have any Status Thief," Ryuu protested. "And it would take too long to obtain more! I won't risk him escaping and harming anyone else!"
"I don't need a potion for this," Taylor replied cryptically, reaching out a hand to the Tamer as her swarm buzzed eagerly around her.
To her senses, Jura's Falna sounded like the crack of a whip, but frantic and fearful. He tried to escape, but Ryuu was faster, her hand clamping down on his one remaining arm before she lashed out and kicked his legs, violently breaking them.
Taylor ignored Jura's cries and pleading as she placed a hand on his back after ripping his shirt off, and called upon the Godslayer Skill. She'd promised Ouranos not to use it again, but surely it was fine if she only did a little, right?
For a moment nothing happened, but then Jura let out a renewed scream of agony as his Falna was forcibly manifested, and the hum of power shifted, changing to a fearful screaming.
Taylor stared closely at the cat-person's Falna as it appeared. Every Falna looked different, with each one reflecting the god who put it onto them. Hestia's Falna always had the same fiery brazier motif, regardless of who it was applied to, and Thanatos' adventurers had a Falna that was a grave with a headstone.
They were unique, and normally invisible, but her Skill allowed Taylor to forcibly manifest them in order to identify which god had placed them onto a person. And Jura's resembled a twisted, screaming visage.
However, before she could try to read the Falna, the Dungeon began to shake, tremors running through the ground while a deep, booming roar rang through the tunnels.
"Taylor?!" Bell exclaimed fearfully. "Something's happening!"
The ground shook, and monsters exploded from the walls, howling and charging forward, only to receive death at Chris' blades.
"The Dungeon is active!" Ryuu uttered, looking around in horror. The walls started to crack, and the keening wail of monsters started to echo throughout the Dungeon.
Taylor grimaced, and looked down at Jura. The cat-eared adventurer was twitching in agony from the Godslayer Skill, and after a moment she made up her mind.
She clenched her hand and felt a rush of energy enter her, while at the same time Jura's Falna shattered like glass, tiny motes of divine essence fading into nothing.
"Let's go," Taylor said.
"What about him?" Bell asked, glancing back at Jura who was shivering on the ground babbling nonsense.
"Leave him." It was Ryuu who replied, and she was staring at the last member of the Rudra Familia in disgust. "Let the Dungeon devour him."
Bell clearly didn't like that, but Taylor put a hand on his shoulder, and silently shook her head. The white-haired teen sighed before turning away, and ran off together with Taylor and Ryuu.
Behind them, Jura continued to lie on the floor. Monsters began to crowd around him, and he vanished from sight as dozens of newly spawned creatures pounced on him. If there was one mercy granted to the Tamer, it was that the whole thing was over quickly.
The return trip to the 18th Floor was done in silence, none of them wanting to say anything. Bell was disturbed, Ryuu seethed at not killing Jura herself, and Taylor was confused.
'Why did he have a different Falna from the Evilus members?' Taylor wondered to herself.
She'd assumed they been working together, as Jura had clearly taken the adventurer's corpse he'd tried to frame Ryuu with from the Venenthes. The digestive juices of the monster matched with the acid burns, after all. So clearly, Jura had known the monster was there.
'Unless it was a matter of opportunity, and nothing more,' Taylor mused. 'Maybe Jura didn't know the plant monster belonged to Evilus, and merely stumbled across the Venenthes and saw the chance to use a fresh corpse in his mad plans against Ryuu.'
Right place, right time. A possibility, but Taylor couldn't shake the feeling there was some sort of connection between the cat-person and the Evilus goons. Were there perhaps others gods working with Evilus? How many of them didn't get caught the last time?
Her thoughts continued in their vein until they reached the 18th Floor again and found their Familia waiting for them at the camp. They looked happy to see the party return unharmed.
"Welcome back, Miss Taylor!" Lili called out when the group returned to the camp.
"Is everything alright?" Haruhime asked, looking at the unhappy faces they wore.
"Things didn't go exactly as planned," Taylor admitted, before turning to Ryuu. "Are you fine?"
"I am… I don't know," the elf admitted softly. "I thought my vengeance was finally over years ago… but to discover that not only Evilus still remains active, but that one of the people responsible for the murder of my friends had somehow survived?"
"Take all the time you need to process things," Taylor told her. She raised a hand to pat the elf on the shoulder, but stopped when she remembered that elves weren't fans of physical contact. Ryuu just smiled weakly at her before nodding.
She then turned to Bell. "…Are you going to say anything?"
"I-I don't like what we did," he admitted.
"You've never had to kill before," Taylor said softly. "At least, not another person."
"Right," Bell nodded. She then gave him a brief hug.
"And that's okay. You should never have to sully your hands like that," she said. "Just leave that to me."
"I don't want you to have to do it, either!" Bell shouted. "You hate it, right?!"
"Sometimes… we don't get to do what we want," Taylor said softly.
"Then I'll become strong enough so you never have to kill anyone ever again," Bell vowed, determination burning in his gaze. She smiled at him, but it was an expression of fondness but also sorrow.
"I feel like there's some context we're missing, here," Welf muttered, only to get an elbow to the stomach from Aisha.
"Shush! Don't ruin the moment!" the Amazon hissed.
Sadly, there was another interruption, and this time it wasn't one they could easily ignore.
"Hey! HEEEY!" an adventurer called out as they ran towards the Hestia Familia.
They were a tan-skinned Chienthrope with a red scarf that was approaching, and they were a Level 3 based on their hum Taylor could detect with her swarm.
"Lady Hebert! Lady Hebert!" the adventurer shouted at them, focusing on the captain of the Hestia Familia "I'm from the Hermes Familia! I have a message for you!"
"Now what?" Aisha groaned as the adventurer ran up to them.
"R-Rakia has invaded!" the Hermes Familia messenger called out. "The Guild is calling for all Familia Captains to assemble for a war council!"
Taylor stared at the adventurer while Welf cursed up a storm.
From out of the frying pan and into the fire!
Chapter 47: Chapter 44: Shadows of War
Chapter Text
Chapter 44: Shadows of War
The Hestia Familia's expedition had gone through quite a few tumultuous events, and they hadn't managed to complete many of their objectives. The elite team hadn't even made it down to the 25th Floor, which had been their goal! But with war on the horizon, Taylor reluctantly decided to cancel the expedition and return to the surface.
They weren't the only ones, either, with Rivira seeing a large number of adventurers leaving for the city above. They were likely going to grab supplies before they got harder to acquire, as while there were the chickens Taylor had provided, it wouldn't be enough, not for a while, at least.
"Are you sure you want to bring it back with us?" Lucia asked, looking at the Venenthes that had been strapped to a cart that was hitched behind Debbie.
"Yeah, you've already got the dragonfly-thing," Iris commented, eyeing the Gun Libellula that was currently resting on Chris' back. Flying burned a lot of calories, to say nothing of the cost of regenerating the spikes it shot, and Taylor wanted it to conserve its energy for the moment.
"I can afford it," Taylor replied. "I also want to have some extra assets protecting the manor."
The reason being Rakia's invasion went unsaid, but everyone understood. The captains' meeting wasn't until the next day, according to the messenger, as it'd take time to gather everyone necessary. Still, there was a lot to do, and staying in the Dungeon wouldn't help with that.
"What can they even do?" Silva wondered, peering at the pitcher plant-like monster they were dragging back to the surface. "Doesn't seem like it can move, much."
"It has the ability to burrow into the ground, similar to a Dungeon Worm, but it generally only does so in order to hide itself," Tammuz helpfully explained, being somewhat familiar with the trap-type monster. "Do not be fooled, though. Venenthes can trap Level 4 adventurers, and possesses vines that move like tentacles to grapple with those they've captured or have drawn near."
"I'll be using it as an extra layer of defense, probably hide it in the yard somewhere," Taylor claimed. "Now, does everyone have all their gear?"
"Yup, we're good to go!" Oriana assured her, Lili nodding in agreement.
"Then let's go up," the captain said, and everyone obeyed, following her back to Orario.
Like last time, the Level 1s rode on Debbie with Taylor, while the rest ran alongside the long monster. They made decent time, getting back around dusk.
Upon returning to the surface as fast as they could, Taylor paid a quick visit to the Guild and bought two new licenses for her recently acquired monster companions – much to Eina's chagrin and exasperation – before going back to the Hearth Manor.
"Welcome back!" Hestia said cheerfully, even though her tone was a bit strained, no doubt because of the war approaching their doorsteps.
After everyone returned her greeting, the tiny goddess gave Taylor an exasperated look. "Two new monsters? Really?"
"Yes," Taylor said simply.
"Ugh," Hestia groaned. "At least the big flower thing will look pretty in the garden, at least."
When she walked off, Welf decided to approach her next.
"Hey, um, captain?" Welf said nervously. "What should I do?"
"Whatever you normally do, I suppose," Taylor replied, a bit confused, and he grimaced.
"No, I meant… aren't you mad?"
"At you? Why?" the parahuman asked incredulous.
"My Magic Swords," Welf replied. "I've started making them again… Ares probably found out, and that's why he's coming here."
"As arrogant as I'm sure Ares and his various cronies are, and as powerful as your Magic Swords are, I highly doubt he came all the way to the city just for you," Taylor said. "Oh, I'm sure you're a priority target, but wars do not just happen with less than a few months warning."
Welf didn't seem convinced, but he nodded slowly.
"I think I should tell everyone my secret," Welf muttered. "It… they should hear it from me."
"If you want," Taylor said, making a mental note to have Ryuu talk to Primo in case the young elf had also inherited the obsessive hatred of the Crozzo name the rest of her kin seemed to possess.
At dinner that night, everyone was talking about Rakia. They tried to avoid discussing the oncoming army, but there were other things to mention. Like past invasions, the culture, food, as well as the history of the nation.
"Everyone, I'd like your attention," Taylor requested when everyone was finished eating. The seated adventurers quieted down, and looked to her.
She then gestured to Welf. "Our friend here has something he wants to say."
He stood up, flinching a little as everyone's eyes focused on him.
"Hey, guys," he said slowly, before coughing awkwardly. "Um, so, I wanted everyone to know something. I'm from Rakia."
Some of the adventurers, mainly the newcomers to the city, blinked a bit, looking surprised. They didn't seem hostile, though, which was a relief.
"Are you a spy?" Gina asked innocently.
"Wha-! No, I'm not a spy! I ran away from Rakia!" Welf spluttered.
"Oh. Okay," the tiny Amazon nodded.
"Were you worried about us judging you for your Crozzo bloodline?" Gita asked, causing the ten-year-old elf girl sitting next to Gina to sit up straighter.
"You're a Crozzo?!" Primo gasped in horror.
"Yup," Welf admitted with a wince.
The tiny elf spluttered something in a language Taylor didn't recognize, before storming off. Ryuu sighed and stood up, following after her.
"That went better than I expected," Silva admitted while Lucia quietly explained the history between the Crozzos and the elves to a curious Oriana and Karen. Nobles they might be, but this was still an era was information was a luxury. Ancient history was likely not known by many.
"Huh. So… you don't care?" Welf asked, deciding to ignore the fact Primo had run off.
"I already knew," Gita claimed, and the other Orario natives all nodded.
"It does not matter to me what your past is. Only what you choose to do now," Tammuz replied philosophically, and the two Amazons nodded in agreement.
"You're not like those jerks from the past, so don't feel bad about what they did!" Aisha added.
"Indeed. To carry a grudge over what happened centuries ago when none alive today can claim to have been involved at all is foolish," Karen agreed.
"I'm more worried about you being a target for the Rakian military," Oriana commented, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it? You can make Magic Swords like your ancestors, and Ares seems like a warmonger. He'd want to reclaim your talent for himself."
"That is a reasonable worry," Taylor admitted. "For now, Welf will be accompanied by one other Level 2 or higher member of the Familia whenever he leaves the manor. As for his forge, I will have the Venenthes guard it. That should keep any infiltration to a minimum."
"That should do it," Hestia nodded, while Welf looked relieved.
"Hey, Welf, since you're from Rakia, how'd you get here, exactly?" Bell wondered.
"That's a long story, but to sum it up, after I discovered my newfound ability to easily make Magic Swords, I was hesitant to follow in my family's footsteps. I already didn't like Magic Swords due to their fragility and how they'd ruined my family, and I also didn't want to be pressured into forging tools of war. To that end, Lady Phobos helped me escape. She also didn't want to see Rakia return to its old ways," Welf explained. "She smuggled me out of the kingdom with Lady Hephaestus' help. Of course, as punishment for doing so, she was sent back to Tenkai."
"Wait, I thought Rakia was ruled by Lord Ares," Emma asked, confused.
"Lord Ares is the ruler, and his Familia is the military branch of the kingdom, but he had two subordinate gods underneath him. Lady Phobos, who was in charge of logistics and supplies, which included the craftsmen like my family and the siege engineers, and Lord Deimos, who officially runs the legal system, like the law enforcement and such, but in truth he controlled Rakia's secret police and spies. He's also a sadistic bastard."
"Ares sent back the woman running his logistics and administration?" Taylor asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. Don't know how badly things have been since then," Welf said. "I'm sure the craftsmen like my father and grandfather were absorbed into one of the other Familias, but I bet it's a mess. Lady Phobos basically ran the whole country, and without her as the sole voice of reason to keep the other two gods in check, I cannot imagine things have been all that good for the country."
Taylor wondered what exactly the state of the Rakian army would be like if they didn't have their usual administrator doing the important tasks. She suddenly felt a lot less worried.
As the Familia chatted with Welf a bit more about his experience in Rakia, Taylor excused herself and went to go find the two elves who'd left earlier.
She found Ryuu standing outside of Primo's room, the part-time waitress looking up when the parahuman approached.
"Is everything alright with Primo?" Taylor asked, and Ryuu grimaced.
"She is… coping," Ryuu replied. "It was something of a shock."
"Did she really not know Welf was a Crozzo when she joined?" Taylor asked incredulously.
"She's a recent arrival to the city, so she likely didn't know," the older elf pointed out. "Are you going to talk to her?"
"I was planning on asking you to do so, actually," Taylor admitted.
"I think, as the captain, and someone she looks up to, you should speak with Primo first," Ryuu suggested.
Taylor grimaced but nodded. "I'll do my best," she said, and Ryuu nodded gratefully.
"Primo? Are you there?" Taylor asked as she knocked on the door. The parahuman knew Primo was, in fact, in her room. But it was polite to knock first and ask rather than barge in.
"…Yes."
"Can I come in, then?"
"…Okay."
Taylor opened the door, and found Primo sitting at her desk. She was staring at some books, but wasn't really reading them.
"Are you mad at me?" Primo asked, turning around to face Taylor.
"No. Just sad that my Familia members aren't getting along together," Taylor said, which caused the elf to wince and shrink in on herself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to react like that!" Primo claimed.
"I'm not the one who should be apologized to," Taylor reminded her.
"Ah. Yes…" Primo said softly.
"Primo, can you tell me about why you dislike Magic Swords? And I mean you, as a person, not because of some sort of ancestral grudge," Taylor replied.
"I don't… I can't, Miss Taylor," Primo admitted. "The only reason I reacted badly was due to growing up hearing stories about how we should never forgive the Crozzo for what they did."
"Well, now you know what you did wrong, and that what the elves taught you was wrong, and you can now do better in the future," the parahuman assured her, and Primo smiled weakly back.
For a little bit, a comfortable silence filled the room, only to be broken by a question.
"Why did you choose the Hestia Familia?" Taylor wondered.
"Because I saw what you did in the War Game!" Primo said, becoming animated, her eyes sparkling. "I'd just arrived a couple weeks ago and was trying to find a Familia to join when I heard about the fight against the Apollo Familia. I managed to get a ticket to the coliseum and got a good seat to watch the fight being shown on the screens."
Primo then pointed at Taylor. "I didn't think you could win! But then you completely overturned everything! I couldn't believe what I saw when you made all those Magic Circles! You tore down a fortress using a spell young elves are taught in order to control their magic! And then you used said spell again in a modified manner, combining it with martial arts to instantly take out an opponent who was the same Level as you! It was incredible!"
Taylor blushed, not used to being so heavily praised. She recovered quickly and looked at the young elf.
"I'm flattered, but I know Riveria of the Loki Familia would be a better choice for learning magic," Taylor pointed out.
"I admire her, too, but I think… I have a feeling you'll be a better teacher for me," Primo claimed. "Lady Riveria is a brilliant mage, but her education was very orthodox. Since I am from the same forest as her, the lessons on magic she learned would be the same ones I studied before coming her. I think that an unorthodox approach to magic would help me more."
Taylor nodded slowly. That made sense, sort of. Primo already knew how magic was supposed to work, and while Riveria had definitely done some outside-the-box thinking to earn her Alias of Nine Hells, Taylor herself had no real grounding in magical theory and had come up with ideas to use spells that had caused all 'proper' mages to scream and gibber in disbelief.
"What about Hogni and Hedin?" Taylor wondered, thinking about the two Level 6 elves who were well-known for their own magical prowess.
"Um, well, I did consider it, but…" Primo trailed off, fidgeting slightly.
"Is there a reason you're hesitant to approach the Freya Familia?" Taylor asked.
"There is a rumor that Lady Freya was responsible for the collapse of their kingdoms. Something she did just so she could get her hands on them," Primo admitted.
"What?" Taylor uttered, not having heard that rumor before.
"Hogni and Hedin were once kings of two opposing elven nations," Primo revealed. "The Dark Elves and the Light Elves, two groups who've always had issues with each other. It doesn't help they both claimed the same island as each other's ancestral territory, which led to constant fighting between them."
Primo looked down. "It's not exactly clear what happened, but after a particularly bad battle, the kings just up and left, abandoning their duties to follow Lady Freya. And considering how mauled both nations' forces were, they simply… collapsed. Even to this day, the homeland of the Dark and Light Elves is practically empty, with most of the survivors having been forced to scatter to other lands to survive."
"They were kings, and they just left? Like that?" Taylor asked incredulously. "No transfer of power or anything?"
"That's right. Of course, those were just rumors. I thought they couldn't be that truthful. But when I went to the Freya Familia compound to ask about joining, I got scared of how much everyone, Hogni and Hedin included, seemed to act around both Lady Freya and each other," Primo admitted.
Taylor nodded slowly in understanding. The adventurers of the Freya Familia had always given her bad vibes. They seemed to be slavishly devoted to the goddess, and treated their own companions like enemies. It reminded her of the Masters of Earth Bet, specifically a genderbent Heartbreaker. She didn't think Freya was as bad as that particular scumbag, but even so, the similarities were… worrying.
"Alright," Taylor said. "If you really want me to help you with your magic, I will do what I can to make you into a great mage."
"Really?!" Primo gasped happily.
"Yes. However, it won't be easy. And we won't neglect your physical combat abilities, either," Taylor vowed, a smirk slipping onto her face.
"Oh," Primo said, suddenly a lot less excited. But then she gained a determined expression. "Okay! I'll do it! I'll handle any lessons you throw at me!"
"That's the spirit," Taylor said. "Now, let's head back to where the others are. You still have an apology to make."
Primo looked hesitant but she stood up from her desk all the same and together the two of them returned to the dining room.
Everyone was still there, and they looked over when the pair entered.
"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Welf!" Primo said, bowing towards the Blacksmith. "I know you're not a bad person and I shouldn't have been making assumptions!"
"Ah, yeah," Welf said, scratching the back of his head, not at all used to getting apologies from elves. "It's fine. Apology accepted."
"Thank you!" Primo said. "I promise to do better!"
"That's the spirit," Taylor said with a smile. "Keep that attitude up with your magic practice and you'll be casting major spells in no time."
"Are you going to teach Primo how to be a kick-ass mage?" Iris asked.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed.
"Ooo! OOO! I wanna learn how to do magic stuff, too!" Gina said, raising her hand eagerly.
"Really?" Taylor asked, and the young Amazon nodded.
"Yeah! I saw your fight in the War Games and you were like "WHAM!" And then the blue-haired girl fell down in one hit!" Gina declared. "I've never seen magic used in close quarters combat like that before! Can I learn to do that?"
"Well, I don't see why not," Taylor said after a moment. She then looked at Primo. "Is that alright with you?"
"Yes," the elf said. "Having somebody to learn magic with sounds nice."
"I'll draw up a study plan and training schedule for you two," Taylor informed them.
Gina and Primo grinned. They were young, but they had potential. Taylor would make sure she dragged it out of them.
That evening, after dinner, Taylor needed some time alone to decompress after everything that'd happened that day. To that end, she was doing some work out in a storage shed within the backyard. It had previous been used to hold all of the various Apollo themed junk that wasn't being used in the manor. Apparently, the narcissistic god had had 'seasonal' decorations.
With all of that stuff sold, it left a lot of empty space for the parahuman to work with, and she'd filled the shed with thousands upon thousands of spiders, all of them producing silk. The Spider Hutch, as it was now known, was the cornerstone for the bespoke silk garment business the Hestia Familia was in charge of.
However, her peace and quiet was about to be disturbed as her swarm detected somebody from the house come outside and head towards the shed.
"Miss Taylor?" Lucia's voice called out from the door. "Are you there? I saw the lights…"
"Come in," Taylor called out as she continued to inspect the latest batch of silk her loyal arachnids had produced.
"How are things going?" Lucia asked as she entered.
"The silk is coming along well. Production is increasing nicely, and the quality is as good as ever," Taylor said.
"That's good," the blonde adventurer said.
"So, what did you want to talk about, Lucia?" Taylor inquired, turning to face her.
"Well, I had this idea for a new type of silk," she replied. Taylor was intrigued, and motioned for her to continue.
"I was thinking we could try feeding some of the spiders a couple of antidote potions to see if their silk will gain any sort of unique abilities," Lucia explained.
"Antidote Silk?" Taylor queried.
"Yes! And more besides! Potion-infused spider silk could be a big thing, if we manage to do it right!" Lucia said excited, and Taylor couldn't blame her.
The idea to have silk with magical properties could change a lot of things. Silk with the ability to heal wounds or cure poisons simply by being worn against the skin would allow them to make superior armor and garments for venturing into the Dungeon.
"I think you might be on to something, Lucia," Taylor said with a slow nod, liking the idea the more she thought. "What do you need in order to test this?"
"Antidotes to feed to spiders, naturally. And I think a hundred or so spiders to start with," Lucia said.
"I'll talk to Naaza about buying antidotes and healing potions of various grades and qualities in bulk. I'll set up a few new sections in the Spider Hutch for this experiment as well," Taylor promised the seamstress.
"Really?" Lucia asked happily, and the parahuman nodded.
"It's a good plan. Thank you for mentioning it to me," Taylor said. Lucia smiled and bid Taylor goodnight.
After some time, Taylor felt her own exhaustion start to catch up with her.
'I do have that meeting tomorrow afternoon. I want to be well-rested for it,' she thought to herself. When she left the Spider Hutch, she heard hammering going on in the forge.
Curious, she walked over, and her swarm found Welf relentlessly slamming a block of metal into shape. It didn't look like anything yet, but Taylor could tell from the magic infusing it that in time it would become a Magic Sword.
Feeling concerned for the red-head, she opened the door, not bothering to knock as Welf wouldn't hear it.
The Blacksmith didn't notice the appearance of the Familia's captain until he started to quench the hot metal, flinching and nearly dropping the half-made sword when he finally spotted her standing in the doorway.
"Gah! Taylor?!" he gasped. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry," she said, before looking around. "You seem worried. Is it due to Rakia?"
"You able to read minds, or something?" he joked, before frowning. "I'm scared Ares will do something stupid to try and get me back, and the Familia will get hurt by it."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe I should give myself up. If they have me, maybe they'll leave Orario alone…"
"I won't allow that to happen," Taylor vowed, clenching her golden fist. "Ares or anyone else tries to touch you, and they die."
Welf snorted. "Yeah, you'd sooner drown somebody in bugs than give up your Familia members. I always thought Bell was crazy lucky to have a person like you on his side during that thing with the Apollo Familia, and again with the Ishtar Familia, but now that I'm the one being protected… it feels nice."
"But you still can't help but feel nervous," Taylor guessed.
"Yeah," he admitted. "Lord Ares and Rakia as a whole… things were bad when I left. People who spoke out against the state would disappear, and everyone knew it was the Deimos Familia that was responsible. And Lady Phobos tried so hard to ensure everyone had enough to eat, and not just the military. But Ares has always believed that the only way for Rakia to prosper was through conquest. In his own twisted way, he does care about the country, but…"
"As a God of War, he only has a single string to his bow, so to speak," the parahuman said. "No originality or ability to change his way of thinking."
"Right!" Welf nodded.
"You think Ares will try and send spies or assassins after you?" Taylor asked after a moment of silence between them.
"He definitely will. I doubt he'll succeed since, ya know, our Familia's elites easily outclass any anyone he can throw at us. There's a lot of Level 1s, but only a few hundred Level 2s and last I checked, only five people in the entire country were Level 3," Welf revealed. "But Ares could still hurt someone, and that scares me."
Taylor put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you. We won't let anything happen to you," she promised. "Nor will anything happen to our Familia."
Welf sighed, but looked a lot better after the pep talk.
"Why don't we change the topic," Taylor suggested. "What are you working on now?"
"I was just trying to clear my mind by working on a Magic Sword," Welf admitted. "It's going to be a Lightning element blade for Bell. Did you know his clones can absorb electricity and become stronger?"
"I did not," Taylor admitted. That must have been something they discovered during her coma.
"Give him a Magic Sword to use a battery and he can supercharge those clones of his," Welf said with a calculating glint in his eyes. "I'm thinking of creating other Magic Swords like that. The Magic Blade Cartridges your arm uses are both powerful and versatile since they can vary the amount of power released at a time based on your Magic stat, and I think they could be a step forward for magi-tools as a whole."
"It's certainly an interesting thought experiment," Taylor hummed. "I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with next."
"Thanks," Welf said, flashing her a grin. "Got a lotta ideas. Maybe when Rakia is driven off I'll show you some other projects I'm working on."
Taylor liked that plan. But another question popped into her mind.
"Do you still have family in Rakia?" Taylor asked.
"Odd question, but yeah," the Blacksmith confirmed. "Got my dad and grandfather who also share the Crozzo name and blood, and a dozen cousins and other relatives who don't, or at least aren't from the main branch."
He tilted his head. "What about you?"
"Me?" Taylor asked.
"Yeah. You're a real mystery, you know that?" Welf declared. "I've said it before, but you have the education of a noble but act like somebody who had to work for a living. Your home country must be pretty wild to produce somebody like you, huh?"
"It had its moments," Taylor admitted, thinking back to Brockton Bay. It'd been an objectively terrible place, a real junk heap, but it had been her junk heap.
She folded her arms. "I had a mother and father. Until recently, I had no siblings. When my mother died in a… carriage accident, my father spiraled into depression. And then, during an… incident, I gained my power to control bugs. I knew I wanted to do good with it, but didn't know how. So, on my first night out, I accidentally defeated a dragon and was tricked into letting somebody, a knight, else take credit. And then I tried to infiltrate a gang to get further into the knight's good graces. That went about as well as you'd expect."
"Whoa," Welf uttered. "That's wild!"
"Yeah," Taylor nodded. "I… I'm not sure I'm ready to talk more about what happened… what led me to appearing in Orario. But suffice to say… I value loyalty, and I will repay everything that is done to me. Good and bad."
"Said it once, I'll say it again: You're one scary lady when you want to be," Welf muttered, but he was also smiling as he said it, before looking down at the anvil where his half-finished Magic Sword lay.
"To be honest, I love working with metal. Have since I was a child. It was my grandfather who taught me. My dad was too obsessed with Magic Swords and our lost legacy to give a damn about me until I regained the spirits' blessing somehow. But before that, it was just me and gramps working in the smithy, learning the ropes. We were a small family. But I was happy."
He then looked up to Taylor. "I think… no, I know the Hestia Familia can be my new family, and I can find happiness in it. So, thank you, Taylor. For giving me a chance, and for giving me the kick in the rear I needed in order to use my talents to the fullest."
"Goodnight, Welf," Taylor said, smiling back at him.
"See ya in the morning, captain," Welf said, waving at her. "I'll head in soon, too. Just wanna finish this."
She nodded and left the forge, feeling better about the future of her Familia. No matter what Rakia or the Dungeon threw at them, they'd persevere.
Chapter 48: Chapter 45: Prelude to Invasion
Chapter Text
Chapter 45: Prelude to Invasion
The next day dawned dull and grey, with lots of overcast and rain-filled clouds threatening to pour down onto Orario.
As unpleasant as it was, Taylor knew there wasn't much chance of avoiding going outside. For one thing, she had that meeting at ten a.m. with the other captains. Secondly, there were a lot of different chores she had to do for the Familia.
To prepare for the day, she ate breakfast with Bell and the others who were awake, and then showered. She made sure she was wearing some good clothing as well. Dress to impress, and all that.
Afterwards, she bid everyone farewell and left the manor, making her way to the Guildhall. There weren't many people out and about due to the threat of rain, and she wished she'd brought Chris with her. But having a monster hang around a bunch of random adventurers just didn't seem smart.
"Welcome," Misha greeted Taylor when the parahuman entered the building. The pink-haired Guild employee looked frazzled as gave directions for the place Taylor needed to go.
Making her way to one of the meeting rooms within the Guildhall where the captains were gathering, Taylor sensed the tension in the air. The staff weren't quite running around, but they were definitely busy and Eina barely had time to greet the parahuman.
Reaching the gathering place, she opened the door without a shred of hesitation after nodding in greeting to the Ganesha Familia guards protecting the area.
"Hope I'm not too late," Taylor said somewhat apologetically as she entered. Her swarm had scanned the room before she'd set foot in the Guildhall, though, and she knew she wasn't the last one there.
Finn and Ottar were there, the former taking a seat at the head of the table while the latter leaned against the wall nearby so he could watch everyone who entered.
Aside from the Level 7s, Taylor recognized a few others who'd arrived. Asfi, Shakti, and Naaza were looking her way while Tsubaki spoke with the captain of the Goibniu Familia, a male elf Taylor hadn't had the chance to meet yet. Airmid of Dian Cecht was sitting next to Persephone, captain of the Demeter Familia, who was happily chatting away. Nearby, Dionysus' captain, Filvis, looked uncomfortable being surrounded by so many other people.
"No, no, you're fine," Finn said, the pallum nodding at her as she stepped inside the room. Ottar just inclined his head at her as she took her seat in between Shakti and Naaza, both of whom flashed Taylor smiles.
"Hello, Taylor," Shakti said, sounding exhausted.
"Been busy, huh?" she guessed, and Shakti nodded, bags under her eyes.
"We've been running around doing our best to keep Orario in some semblance of order ever since the news arrived about Rakia," the Captain of the Ganesha Familia replied.
"And I've been trying to fill a bunch of orders. Everyone wants to stockpile medicine since violence is looming over the city," Naaza added. "Thank the gods we got that moth and butterfly farm up and running."
"Yes, the conservatory has been a lifesaver," Shakti agreed. "Taylor, I'm going to want to hire you again later to bring back more of them. The few we have right now aren't enough to cover demand."
"Just let me know when you want to do so," Taylor said, agreeing to the idea.
"Good. Oh, and you should stop by after the meeting at some point," the captain of the Ganesha Familia suggested. "Anne's egg is about ready to hatch."
"Really? That's excellent news," Taylor said, happy to hear it. She hadn't had much time to check on the egg left behind by her Killer Ant, but things seemed to be going well.
Taylor had left it with Shakti because the Ganesha Familia simply had better facilities to care for an unusual item like a monster egg, and she trusted the blue-haired Tamer.
Further small talk was made while the rest of the captains filed in, and when the last one stepped inside, the doors slammed shut and were sealed with a barrier produced by a magic tool. As everyone went to their seats, Taylor took the time to examine everyone.
There were over a hundred Familias in Orario, and around ten thousand adventurers. An exact number of adventurers and deities wasn't possible due to a couple factors. Some gods, like those in Evilus, had gone underground with their Familias. One deity didn't even have a Familia and lived like a vagabond in the slums of Daedalus Street. And a few Familias hid their exact numbers and level of strength.
Regardless of the actual number of deities, adventurers, and Familias within the city, most of them were… weak. Half of the captains that had assembled were Level 1. These Familias didn't focus solely on the adventuring lifestyle. The Sobek Familia's captain, Enna, was a tour guide for newcomers, and the Familia itself was very small.
For the dozen or so Familias that had Level 2 captains, the Dian Cecht Familia was easily the strongest of the bunch. Airmid was the greatest healer in Orario, and the Familia itself was the largest Support Familia in the city, with half the Supporters and three-fourths of all potions being supplied by them alone.
After that, there were the rest that varied in size and were mostly kept in power by one or two extremely strong adventurers. The Serket Familia, for instance, had seventy-three members but less than a dozen people were above Level 1, with a single Level 4 that acted as the main deterrent.
In Taylor's opinion, the strongest Familias in Orario were Freya, Loki, Ganesha, Demeter, Hephaestus, and Dian Cecht, in that order. Dian Cecht and Hephaestus tied for fourth place, due to how vital both of their services were for the city.
Freya and Loki were tied for first place, and had less than a hundred adventurers each, but they relied on quality over quantity, their members easily the strongest in the city.
Ganesha was next, and had nearly three hundred Familia members with a Falna, and thrice that number in terms of regular people who helped with various tasks around the compound and their businesses. They patrolled the streets and kept the peace, especially after the Astraea Familia fell. They firmly had the second place in terms of power.
Demeters' Familia was the largest in Orario. Over five hundred people with Falnas, but most were only Level 1. The highest Level was 3, and that belonged to the captain, Persephone. However, there were nearly seven thousand people who worked directly for the goddess but lacked a Falna, and thousands more indirectly helping her, with plenty of other Familias subordinate to the Harvest Goddess, all of whom worked on the farms and ranches that fed the city. For this alone they were the third most powerful Familia.
Regarding the two 4th place Familias, Hephaestus was stronger thanks to the higher Level members like Tsubaki. They had about a hundred members and their craftsmanship was suburb.
Dian Cecht on the other hand maintained his Familia's rank thanks to nearly two hundred Familia members, almost half of them Level 2 and able to use Healing Spells like Airmid (albeit weaker ones), and create potions. There were no members above Level 2, though. The God of Medicine also had hundreds of regular people who were basically ordinary doctors and nurses who worked in the hospitals in the city.
There were other powerful Familias, like Aphrodite, who'd basically taken over the Entertainment District in the wake of Ishtar's fall, and Tyche, who was like Ares and ruled her own nation, the city-state of Santorio Vega, and who spent her time bouncing between the two locations, but none could compare to the raw power the six top-ranked Familias could bring to bear.
'Having all these people gathered in this room certainly shows how seriously everyone is taking the threat of Rakia's invasion,' Taylor mused. 'But I can tell that there will be issues.'
It made sense to her. Back on Earth Bet, when parahumans worked together in groups, there was friction. Powerful people had large egos and those could grate against each other, making it difficult to find common ground.
'The adventurers here will work together, but many of them won't like it,' Taylor thought to herself, her swarm's attention focused on some of the more problematic captains. Zanis of the Soma Familia being the biggest problem child she'd identified so far. She didn't have to look at him to know the glasses-wearing captain was glaring at her.
"Thank you all for coming!" Finn said, a smile on his face as he greeted everyone.
"Let's get on with this," the dwarf who spoke was the captain of the Modi Familia, and he looked annoyed at having been dragged away from whatever he'd been doing.
"Of course," Finn said, his smile never leaving him. "We're here today in order to discuss what to do about Rakia."
"What about the gods?" someone asked.
"The gods trust us to handle these matters on our own," Finn replied.
"More like they trust the Braver to make all the tactical decisions for them," somebody grumbled under their breath. Taylor agreed. She wouldn't trust any god to issue military commands. Not even the war gods.
"What do we know about the approaching Rakian forces?" Serket's captain and Emma's older sister, Sophia Flores, inquired.
"Based on what we know thanks to our spies, Rakia's army has been gathering in different camps across the country for 'war games' for the last three months. At some point two weeks ago, they began to convene in a single location before marching off. At the current rate of movement, they will reach Orario within five to ten days."
"Why didn't anyone bring this up until now?" the captain of the Ogma Familia demanded.
"And how many of them are there?" somebody else asked.
"To answer the first question, Rakia was able to hide their destination thanks to counter-intelligence operations making it seem like their actual target was somewhere in the west, possibly Altena or the Empire. As for the second question, the current number is approximately fifty thousand troops, a tenth of which possess a Falna," Finn replied, revealing what the scouts had reported.
"Forty-five thousand regular soldiers with five thousand adventurers?! That's most of their damned military!" Somebody exclaimed.
"Yes, it's estimated that Rakia can bring to bear eighty thousand trained soldiers, ten thousand of which are part of the Ares Familia," Finn nodded. "They left the rest to guard the capital and borders, but brought their entire Siege Corp. with them. It looks like it is going to be a siege."
"Are we going to conduct hit-and-run raids before they reach here to whittle their numbers down?" Taylor asked, and everyone turned to look at her.
"Pardon?" the captain of the Loki Familia asked.
"You know, guerilla tactics. Damage their morale before they even reach the city by destroying their supply train or launching night attacks to disrupt their formations? Even just long-ranged bombardment of their forces would work."
"We don't have anything like that planned," the Level 7 pallum replied.
"You're simply letting them walk up to the walls without fighting back?" Taylor demanded incredulously.
"There are rules that state only certain Familias can leave Orario at will," Zanis said, pushing his glasses up as he looked condescending at Taylor. "Perhaps being a newcomer, you might not be aware of them, but…"
"I am aware. Chapter 4, article twelve, paragraph eight of the Guild Contract," Taylor replied, reciting the exact passage he was referring to. "But of those Familias, one of them is the Ganesha Familia. And if I'm not mistaken, they have enough high-ranked adventurers to be able to pull off plenty of attacks on the Rakian army."
"That is a good point," Shakti spoke up. "Why isn't my Familia doing that?"
Everyone turned to Finn for answers, and he held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I understand that this may seem odd, but there are political conditions to consider. Orario is home to the largest concentration of high-level individuals in the world. Self-defense is acceptable, but leaving the city to attack another force, even an invading army like Rakia, could be seen badly. Ares could claim that he was simply conducting military training and we attacked him unjustly."
"And there are other nations who have long envied Orario's position and prestige," the Braver continued, ignoring the scoffs and snorts from some adventurers. "They could side with Rakia over our 'unjust attack' and impose economic sanctions on the city in an attempt to knock us down a peg. It would not last long or work that well, as the world relies on the Magic Stones and other resources the Dungeon provides, but it could still hurt us and other countries. That is why we have to let Ares and the Rakian army make the first move against us."
"That is pathetic," Taylor scoffed in disgust. "What if Rakia decides to pillage the countryside on their way here? What happens to the towns and villages and people outside the walls that rely on us for support? Are we just going to abandon them because it would be the politically safe option?"
There were disquieted murmurs amongst the captains at her words, and Finn frowned. "And what exactly do you want us to do about it, Miss Hebert?"
"Wipe them out before they reach the city," Taylor replied. "Or at the very least, attack them repeatedly until they surrender and leave."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Who cares what the other nations think? We have all the power, here. Like you said, they need the Magic Stones. We have the Magic Stones. If they refuse to play ball, we can just not sell to them. See how long it takes before they crack. Rakia is not a threat to us, but they are to other people, and besides, we have a duty to protect the towns and villages near us that provide us with food and other materials! Is that not why Orario exists? That is why we must teach Ares and Rakia a lesson they won't forget by refusing to allow them to even see the walls of the city!"
"That is not how we do things in Orario," Finn replied calmly.
"Then maybe you've just been doing it wrong the whole time," Taylor retorted.
The two stared each other down for a few tense moments, and several captains shifted nervously as the tension in the room rose.
Ottar broke the silence by clapping his hands loudly, causing everyone to turn to look at him.
"Both of you raise valid points," the King stated. "Braver, the farms and villages that fall within the influence of Orario in Rakia's path should be evacuated. Or at the very least have the Guild raise their banners and send warnings to the oncoming army that any action against the innocent will not be tolerated."
The Boaz turned to Taylor next. "Weaver, if Rakia attacks the people outside of the walls, we shall petition the Guild to allow the Ganesha Familia to conduct punitive strikes against them. Can we all accept this compromise?"
He looked between the two captains, who eventually both nodded.
"I do not like it, but fine. I can live with that," Taylor replied.
"Same," Finn agreed.
"Good. Let us continue the meeting, then," Ottar suggested, and the talk between the Familias resumed.
It was mostly about what to do about supplies, where civilians were to take shelter in the event of combat, and who was in charge of which sections of the city.
As expected, Freya's Familia would handle the south of the city while Loki would guard the north. Ganesha was ordered to oversee the west, where the Rakian army was most likely to set up their siege-camp, and the east was to be protected by a coalition of multiple smaller Familias.
Beyond that, it was business as usual in Orario. Magic Stones had to be harvested and monsters needed culling. Hence, after an hour of intense discussion, everything was more or less hammered out.
"I think that's everything, then," Finn said with a nod. "Any questions or concerns?"
"Why don't we just hand over Welf Crozzo to the Rakians?" Zanis asked, and the room fell deathly silent.
"You want to say that again?" Tsubaki demanded angrily, the captain of the Hesphestus Familia glaring at the Soma Familia's captain.
"I'm just saying, we all know why Rakia is here," Zannis replied, pushing his glasses up. "It'd solve our problems."
"No," Taylor said darkly, glaring at the Level 2. "That will not happen."
"Be reasonable," Zannis said. "One adventurer for in exchange for the safety of the city…"
"I said NO," Taylor uttered, her voice echoed by thousands of insects buzzing in unison throughout the room.
Zannis and several other adventurers flinched fearfully, not having expected that at all.
"Anything else?" the Level 7 pallum inquired with a strained smile, looking around. When nobody spoke up, he clapped his hands. "In that case, have a good day, everyone."
People began to rise, chatting softly amongst themselves. Yet when Taylor stood up from her seat, the pallum raised a hand.
"Miss Taylor, do you mind staying behind for a bit?" Finn requested, and the parahuman raised an eyebrow but nodded.
As the rest of the captains filed out, some shooting curious looks over their shoulders at the two of them, the Braver resumed his seat, and motioned for Taylor to join him.
"How can I help you?" she asked when the last person was gone and she'd confirmed with her swarm there was nobody nearby trying to eavesdrop.
Well, nobody with ordinary or Level 1 or 2 hearing. A few individuals whose hum was stronger and whose ears were sharper were lingering nearby. A couple bugs were enough to scare them off, though.
"How far does your ability to control insects extend?" Finn inquired.
"Why do you want to know?" she asked.
"Because depending on your answer, I might have a job for you."
"Everything from annelids to arthropods falls under my Skill's dominion," Taylor replied after a moment. "The full extent is technically anything that is an invertebrate. Even monsters are not exempt."
"Spineless creatures, huh? A lot more extensive than I thought, but it makes sense," Finn hummed. "What about creatures that are half and half? That is to say, part invertebrate, but also possessing internal skeletal structures?"
"I recently encountered an Arachne, and I can confirm my Skill worked on it," Taylor informed him. "Also, I recently learned that Dark Fungi and plant monsters, like the Venenthes, can be controlled if I want as well."
His eyes glinted at that and he grinned. "Wonderful," he said softly.
"What exactly does this mission of yours entail? What do you want my power for?" Taylor inquired.
"We want your help with an assault on the underground fortress of Knossos," Finn told her.
"Knossos?" Taylor asked, blinking.
"You recognize the name?" Finn demanded.
"It's from a myth in my home town," Taylor replied evasively. "Knossos, the city where a labyrinth was built to contain a monster."
"Huh," Finn muttered. "What an odd coincidence… or perhaps not."
He then shook his head. "Regardless, the Loki, Hermes, and Dionysus Familias have discovered it is being used by the Evilus remnants as a hiding spot. They've infested it with Violas, Virgas, and other monsters, many of which would be able to be controlled by your Skill."
"Evilus? Like the Thanatos Familia?" Taylor asked, and it was Finn's turn to blink in surprise.
"How did you…?"
"We discovered a massive door made of orichalcum on the 18th Floor earlier," Taylor explained. "A pair of adventurers from the Thanatos Familia tried to blow us up when we discovered it."
"Where are they now?" Finn asked sharply.
"Bors of Rivira has them in his custody. I don't know if the Guild has dispatched anyone to retrieve them yet," she said.
"I will speak with the Guild about interrogating them," Finn declared.
"Knock yourself out," Taylor shrugged. "Is that all?"
"One more thing," Finn said. "When Tammuz joined your Familia, did he have anything with him?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" the parahuman asked.
"Did he have a red, crystal orb? Big enough to fit in the palm of your hand?" the pallum inquired.
"Not that I'm aware of," Taylor admitted.
"Are you sure?" Finn pressed.
"It hasn't even been a week since I woke up from my coma," Taylor retorted. "There's still some things I'm working on to catch up with, after all."
"Of course, my apologies," Finn said, pulling back. "But, if you could ask him about that? It could be important for the invasion of Knossos."
"Alright, I'll ask," Taylor replied. "But don't expect the Hestia Familia to get involved with the war against Rakia. We'll help defend the city, of course, but don't try asking Welf for any Magic Swords, or forcing us to face them head on."
"Don't worry, as powerful as your Familia has become, the duty of Orario's defense will primarily fall to the Loki, Freya and Ganesha Familias," Finn assured her with a chuckle.
"Good. I'm… tired of war," Taylor admitted, emotions flashing through her eyes. "So very tired of fighting and killing people, and having to lead others into battles they will not survive."
Finn stared into her face for a moment before nodding. "Of course," he replied. "As I said, the Hestia Familia doesn't have to concern themselves with this at all. And honestly? I doubt Rakia's invasion will last more than a month."
"Fair enough," Taylor said.
She'd heard a rumor that the entire Freya Familia had wiped out an army ten thousand strong in the Kaios Desert. Hundreds of Level 1s with plenty of Level 2s and 3s had not stood a chance against several dozen high-class adventurers. The parahuman doubted the Ares Familia would be able to touch Orario with the full might of the city arrayed against them.
"And one last thing. While your desire to protect people is admirable, Orario does not, in fact, exist to do so. Our duty is to protect the world from the Dungeon," Finn said. "The affairs of kings and countries are not our business."
"The gods only descended from Tenkai because of the Dungeon," Taylor responded. "And Rakia is ruled by a god. Therefore, it seems to me that the gods and what they do to the world are indeed Orario's problems."
Finn stared at her in disbelief, and she rolled her eyes. "Nobody seems to believe that the gods should be held accountable for their actions. It takes atrocities like what Evilus has done to get somebody to curb their excesses. I see that as foolish and short-sighted."
"We need the gods," Finn replied only to be cut off by a snort.
"The world survived two thousand years without the gods or their 'help.' Humans – and pallums, dwarves, elves, and every other race on this world – are far stronger than you give them credit for," Taylor retorted to the Loki Familia captain before standing up. "I will discuss with Hestia and Tammuz about what you mentioned to me. Be sure to send a message when it's time to launch the attack on this 'Knossos' place."
With that, she walked out of the meeting room, leaving Finn – and a hidden Fels – alone to think about her words.
It was only when she returned to Hearth Manor did Taylor allow herself to relax slightly. But then she squared her shoulders, feeling a flicker of annoyance run through her.
"Hestia?" Taylor called out as she entered the foyer.
"Uh-oh, Lili recognizes that tone of voice," Lili muttered, the parahuman's swarm picking it up.
"Um, yes?" the tiny goddess asked nervously as she came out from the living room.
"Did Tammuz give you something when he joined the Familia?" the captain inquired.
"Huh? Oh!" Hestia gasped. "Right! I completely forgot about that!"
She then paled as Taylor folded her arms and glared. "Meet me in my office," the parahuman ordered. "And bring Tammuz with you."
"U-um, don't you mean my office?"
"No," Taylor said. And just like that, the warlord claimed the room as her own.
"Okay!" Hestia squeaked before running off to find the Level 4.
Taylor sighed before walking off to the office where she'd meet with them. She had a feeling this meeting was going to be an exhausting one.
Taking a seat at the desk, Taylor didn't have to wait long before Hestia burst in with Tammuz in tow.
"I brought him!" the goddess declared.
"Captain," Tammuz said, bowing towards Taylor.
"Enough of that," the parahuman ordered. "I want to know about this orb."
To emphasis the point, she took it out of the desk where her swarm had found it when she'd entered the room earlier.
It was a sinister looking thing: crimson like frozen blood with a smaller orb resting within it that eerily resembled an eyeball. Said eye had odd markings within the pupil and Taylor could still see where the nerve-endings had been.
"That is a key that opens a door hidden beneath the entertainment district that led to a secret underground base," Tammuz said.
"And it belonged to Evilus?" Taylor demanded.
"Yes," Tammuz confirmed. "It was given to Lady Ishtar after she provided several tons of Magic Stones as a show of commitment to Lord Thanatos."
"So, he is involved," Taylor uttered with a grimace and Hestia blanched.
"Him? The workaholic?" the Goddess of the Hearth exclaimed. "Why is he working with Evilus?!"
"Don't know. But several of his Familia members tried to blow us up down in the Dungeon earlier," Taylor replied. "What do you know of this god, Hestia?"
"Thanatos' job was to scrub souls and prep them for reincarnation and assimilation into the greater Sea of Souls within Tenkai," Hestia replied. "He descended two and a half decades ago. Not sure why. He disliked adventurers and had no interests in living mortals. Beyond that, I don't know. Didn't really have a lot of interactions with Thanatos."
"Whatever his reasons, he's a criminal, and working with Evilus. From what it seems, he might be one of the ringleaders," Taylor stated.
She then leveled a glare at Hestia. "Why didn't you tell me about this when I woke up?"
"I forgot! I really did!" Hestia whimpered.
"Not a good enough excuse," Taylor retorted.
"Are you mad?" Hestia asked, flinching under her glare.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed. "But mostly because this paints a target on our backs. Evilus will likely come after us if this orb really is that important."
"Y-you really think they'd do that?" Hestia wondered nervously.
"Evilus attacked Familias and civilians throughout the 'dark days' so yes, them striking at us here in our home is definitely within the realm of possibility," Taylor admitted. "I want to believe they'd wait until the situation with Rakia is handled, but these are insane zealots so we'll have to keep our guard up."
She raised a finger. "First, nobody goes anywhere without a partner. I'll also be hiding special bugs on everybody which will help me find you in case anything happens. After that, some training in disabling opponents before they have the chance to use their bomb vests or any other sort of suicide tools. And finally, I'll be keeping this orb on me at all times."
Taylor then looked at Tammuz. "As for you, you will be providing me everything you know about Evilus, including the places you went to visit them with Ishtar, the locations of their bases, and any identities that might have been revealed. I want this report done and on my desk by evening. And I'll want three copies so I can share with the Guild and Loki Familia."
"Loki? Why her?" Hestia asked while Tammuz bowed in acceptance of his captain's orders before departing.
"Apparently, her Familia has been working to track down Evilus after they got involved somehow," Taylor replied. "Which reminds me: they wanted to hire me for an assault on the enemy's main base some time in the future. They apparently use monsters that I can likely control, making it easier."
"Really? You're going to accept?" Hestia grimaced.
"If it helps bring down Evilus, then yes, I am," Taylor confirmed. "I know you have beef with Loki, but this is bigger than a cross-dressing deity."
"Ooo, 'cross-dresser!' That's a great insult! I'll have to remember it for next time," Hestia muttered to herself, rubbing her hands together evilly.
"One more thing," Taylor said. She held out her hand, and summoned the mote of energy she'd ripped from Jura the other day, causing Hestia to flinch back.
"Taylor!" Hestia shrieked. "What is that?!"
"This is the Falna of an Evilus member who tried to frame Ryuu for murder," Taylor replied. She held it out to the leader of the Familia. "Can you tell which god it belongs to?"
"I- what? Why would you think I could do that?" Hestia demanded in annoyance.
"Honestly, this was a spur of the moment thing. I had to act quickly as the Dungeon was getting too active," Taylor admitted, with a smidge of bashfulness in her voice. "But can you? Tell whose god this energy belongs to?"
Hestia sighed but took the tiny ember from Taylor and stared at it intently.
"Sorry," she said after a minute. "I can't tell much. It might have belonged to a minor god. I didn't exactly get to know most of them, honestly. I know the big names, but that's mostly because it was kinda hard not to."
"Ah. A shut-in goddess," Taylor hummed, causing Hestia to pout.
"I was not a shut-in! I had a very important job to guard the Divine Flame and that meant I had to stay near it!" Hestia protested. She then frowned. "But I can tell you that whomever it belongs to, they are from my pantheon. I can tell by the way it feels. Taylor, can you sense anything from it?"
"Screaming," Taylor said. "I hear screaming."
"So do I," Hestia muttered. "I'm trying to think of any gods who might have an Authority like that."
"Phobos or Deimos would have been my first guess," Taylor stated. "Both of them are deities of fear, though different aspects of it."
"Yes, Phobos was the goddess of panic experienced in the heat of battle, while Deimos was the god of terror felt before a clash," Hestia agreed. "But they descended a while ago and only Deimos is left on Genkei. If he left Rakia, we'd have heard of it."
"Could it be that Jura was one of his adventurers who was something like a spy?" Taylor asked. "That's what Deimos' role in Rakia is, according to Welf."
"That's not impossible, I suppose, but it doesn't seem likely. If this Jura was a spy, why bother trying to frame Ryuu?"
Taylor shrugged. She didn't have an answer for that aside from revenge, but to be honest, she didn't feel like he was a spy.
"Hmm… what about Ikelos?" Hestia mused.
"Who?" Taylor asked.
"A minor god whose domain was nightmares," she replied. "Nightmares are scary, right? And screams would fit in."
"I thought Morpheus was the god of dreams," Taylor said.
"He is, but Ikelos is one of his subordinates," Hestia explained. "I don't recall if he descended or not… but if this really is his energy, then it's very likely he's working with Thanatos. They were close friends in Tenkai. Well, as close as a non-Death god could be with Thanatos and his obsession."
"If either of them try to hurt this Familia, they will face the same fate as Ishtar," Taylor vowed, taking the mote of energy back, and Hestia grimaced but didn't disagree. She was the Goddess of the Home as well, after all. And protecting it was her duty.
"God, mortal, or monster! It doesn't matter who! If they try to hurt my beloved children they will know my wrath!" Hestia vowed.
It was rare for the goddess and her captain to agree on anything. On this matter, though? Both of them were of the same mind.
Chapter 49: Chapter 46: Magic and Ants
Chapter Text
Chapter 46: Magic and Ants
"Is this everyone?" Taylor asked, looking around the group who'd gathered in the garden. Today was the first magic lesson for Primo, and a few other members of the Hestia Familia had gathered, interested in the lesson.
Right now, the group for the lesson consisted of Primo and Gina as the main students, but Emma, Lili, Haruhime, Mikoto, and Ryuu, the five other adventurers with an interest in improving their own magical prowess, were also listening in.
Primo shifted excitedly, and Gina bounced in her seat. They were sitting on chairs as they watched Taylor, who stood in front of a blackboard she'd scrounged up from somewhere.
"Well, if this is everyone, let us begin," Taylor said. "First off, let's start with a question: What is magic?"
"Magic is the breath of the gods that infuses the world," Primo said. Taylor didn't say anything and just looked at the rest of the group, focusing on Gina next.
"Um, magic is… cool?" the Amazon offered. "And, uh, it's dangerous? Oh! And we use it to power stuff like magic tools!"
"Yes, I suppose that is correct, Gina," Taylor said, a smile creeping onto her face. "And Primo, while I can't confirm your statement, magic does suffuse the world. It is present in everything, from the rocks to the plants to animals, though it is more prevalent in living creatures."
She was just repeating what the old witch had taught her, but it seemed to work for the young elf and the rest of her audience.
"Now, magic is a type of energy, like lightning or fire, but far more subtle and difficult to observe directly," Taylor said, dumbing it down a bit.
Most of the lesson was a refresher on basic facts and principals. Primo and Ryuu knew of them due to their elvish heritage but the rest of the group were less familiar, and Taylor wanted to establish a baseline for further classes.
"So, any questions?" Taylor asked, looking around.
"Why do we need a Falna to cast spells?" Gina asked, raising a hand.
"The Falna is a crutch," Taylor said simply. "It is incredibly useful, I do not deny it, thanks to the fact that the magic circle of a spell is stored within the Falna and can be summoned at will. But you do not need the Falna to cast a spell. Observe."
Taylor pointed a flesh and blood finger towards the garden. "Rise, Rinse. Repeat. Three times I demand obedience, three times thou shalt serve me. Lash and castigate mine foes who sully the world with their deeds! Water Whip!"
From her outstretched digit, water gathered before forming a long, thin whip-like tendril that lashed out, cutting into a log and severing it in twain. The tendril then grabbed one of the halves and dragged it over to her hand, where she caught it.
"As you can see, that was the incantation for the Water Whip spell," Taylor said. "Now, I will admit that the only reason it was able to cut the wood is thanks to my Magic stat. Without it, I doubt you'd be able to lift more than five, maybe ten pounds of weight, and certainly couldn't cut anything. But notice how I didn't need to summon a Magic Circle, and only needed the incantation. Can anyone guess why?"
"Is it because you've practiced that spell so many times it's second nature to you?" Primo wondered.
"Close," Taylor nodded. "Anyone else have an idea?"
"I think it's a trick question!" Gina declared, raising her hand. "You actually did use a Magic Circle! We just didn't see it!"
Taylor smiled. "That's right, Gina. Good job."
"Wh-what?" Primo gasped. "But… I didn't see any insects make one!"
"To be fair, you were also right, Primo," Taylor admitted. "But so was Gina."
She tapped the side of her head. "The Magic Circle was up here."
"Memorization and visualization?" Mikoto asked, surprised. "You memorized the Magic Circle for the spell and then visualized it in your head, using the incantation as a guide?"
"Precisely, Mikoto. Incantations are partially memetic aides. Essentially, they are there to help you remember how the spell is supposed to work. Some spells do need to be spoken aloud, but those are closer to 'ritual' spells as they are beseeching the spirits for assistance," Taylor explained. "Of course, with training and practice, you can become familiar enough with a spell and not have to utter its incantation. Though such a thing may lower the output slightly."
"Whoa, really?" Gina asked with wide eyes, and even Primo looked shocked at the idea of chantless casting.
"This method doesn't really work with the Falna's Spell Slots, but for ordinary spells, this technique is quite useful," Taylor confirmed. "Every time I've cast Earthquake Fist or some other spell, I am drawing the Magic Circle in my mind, visualizing it. That is how I am able to cast without physically forming it, or without chanting anything."
"Is that even possible?" Emma wondered.
"Of course. You've seen me do so, after all," Taylor pointed out, which was hard to argue against. "I will admit, such a thing is not easy and requires a lot of concentration and a decently high Magic stat."
"Why?" Lili wondered.
"The Magic stat corresponds to the amount of Mind you possess, and a higher Mind also relates to a better memory," Taylor explained, once more tapping the side of her head.
"Memory?" Primo asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Compare the time before you got a Falna, and after. It's easier to recall certain memories with one, isn't it?" Taylor claimed, and everyone gained thoughtful looks.
"Interesting. You might be right," Ryuu muttered. "I had not made that comparison before."
"It makes sense, though," Mikoto mused. "The Falna enhances every aspect of a mortal. Why wouldn't memory and other mental aspects also be affected?"
"But what if you forget what the Magic Circle is supposed to look like?" Gina wondered. "What if you can't visual it?"
"Your brain does not actually lose information unless it is physically damaged. So, an incantation, when spoken, helps trigger your brain's recollection process. Your Mind - or magical energy - then carves the Magic Circle outside of your body, casting the spell. It is complex, but a natural mental reflex," Taylor said.
"But, if anybody can cast spells this way, why are spells cast by people without a Falna so weak?" Emma asked.
"Because aside from elves, most races simply do not have enough magical energy, or Mind, to have their spells be able to do much," the parahuman explained.
"So, since I have a Falna now, that means I should be able to use magic and cast spells that can actually do damage?" Gina wondered.
"With time and practice, sure," Taylor nodded. "First, though!"
She took out some Magic Stones, handing one out to everyone. "Before any of that, if you really want to cast spells like I do, you have to actually feel the magic. Those are the Magic Stones of Orcs, and contain a decent amount of magical energy. Slightly less than what the average adult human lacking a Falna would possess. Try to detect the magic within them, and pull it out. Like so."
Taylor held up a Magic Stone and pressed a finger against it, then pulled. Thin ethereal strands of glowing light separated from the crystal, and her students stared in awe as Taylor directly plucked raw magical energy from the Magic Stone.
"I don't expect you to be able to do this right off the bat. For now, try to learn how to sense magical energy. I believe this is an important ability for a mage as you'll be able to tell how much Mind you have, instead of relying on guess work," Taylor claimed. "And after you can do that, then you can move on to moving the magical energy around as you please."
To demonstrate, Taylor took the magical energy from the Magic Stone and formed it into the magic circle for the Firebolt spell, one of the easiest combat-oriented fire-type spells around. From the circle she formed in mid-air with raw magical energy, a burst of white-hot flames appeared for a brief second before fizzling out.
Primo and Gina looked starstruck and determined to master this secret ability Taylor had just revealed to them, and began to stare at the Magic Stones in their hands, concentrating on it and trying to mimic what the parahuman had just done.
The rest of the study group also focused intently onto their own training aides, doing their best to feel the magical energy within.
Nobody managed to figure it out after two intense hours of study, but Taylor had expected this. It'd taken her weeks to do this test, and that was with the parahuman cheating with her insane ability to multitask thanks to her swarm.
'But once they can detect magic, it will make it easier to cast spells and conserve their Mind reserves in the Dungeon,' Taylor thought to herself. The old witch who'd taught her might not be the strongest, but Taylor had a feeling that she was the wisest and most knowledgeable magic user in all of Orario.
After all, this very method Taylor was passing on to her Familia members had been taught to her and invented by the witch, and she could confirm its effectiveness.
"I think that's all for now," Taylor called out as the sun crept higher into the sky. "It's almost noon. Let's take a break. Headaches won't help you learn faster."
Everyone agreed with that, some more reluctantly than others, and everyone decided to have some sandwiches in order to fill their rumbly tummies.
When her lunch was finished, Taylor planned on meeting with Shakti next. There were a couple of reasons for that, but the foremost one was the desire to see Anne's egg hatch. It would happen soon, and she didn't want to miss it.
To that end, Taylor grabbed a pouch, filled it with a few things from her room, and then left, heading to the bizarrely decorated building that housed the famous elephant-themed Familia.
"Did I miss it?" Taylor wondered as she walked into Shakti's personal quarters within the Familia compound. The guards at the front door had let her in without fuss, having gotten used to her presence.
"No, but it's close," Shakti said, looking down at the egg sac that lay within a temperature regulated glass tank. The gooey bubble-like egg was a pale blue and semi-transparent, with a dark shape visible within, twitching every so often.
Through her power, Taylor was able to sense the nascent mind about to be born. It wasn't anything like the anger-filled Killer Ants of the Dungeon. It felt like a regular larval ant but with a bit… more. The parahuman wasn't sure why that was, but the mind, while not sapient, was a lot more intelligent than a regular ant.
'It reminds me of Chris,' Taylor thought.
The Crystal Mantis' mind was developing quickly and was now far more whole than it had been months ago when she had first taken control of him. Right now, Chris was as intelligent as a dog, able to follow orders from people other than herself and possessing emotions of his own.
Eager to find out what Anne's child would be like, Taylor stared at the egg sac for a bit before wrenching her gaze away and turning towards Shakti.
"Thank you for taking care of her."
"Of course," Shakti said with a nod. "Least I could do, especially after you got us more Blue Papillion."
Taylor nodded. She'd dragged up five more from the Dungeon the day before yesterday with members of the Ganesha Familia, and there were signs that some of the previously domesticated Blue Papillion, as well as a couple Purple Moths, might be about to lay eggs already.
"I have some things I wanted to give you," Taylor told the other captain, and handed over the first item. It was Jura's red whip. Useless to her, but an actual Tamer like Shakti could likely use it.
"What is this?" Shakti asked, taking the weapon from Taylor.
"Some sort of magical tool that was in the possession of a rogue Tamer," Taylor said, careful to leave Evilus out of her response. She trusted Shakti, but had no idea if there were any others in the Familia who might have looser loyalty. "It was able to summon a monster – a Lambton in this instance – and control it."
"Interesting," Shakti muttered, examining it closely. "I can feel some magic coming from it that reminds me of what I use with my Tamer Ability."
"I'm not really used to using a whip, but I can learn," the Ganesha Familia's Captain replied after studying the weapon for a bit longer, before giving Taylor a grateful nod. "Thank you."
"The second thing is a bit… odd," Taylor claimed, taking a small booklet out next.
Intrigued, Shakti took it, finding it to be a children's book if the big words and colorful pictures were anything to go by. However, the title caused her to frown.
"The Lonely Harpy?" Shakti muttered.
She flipped it open and began to read, finding the subject to be about a young Harpy 'who wasn't like the others.' The Harpy didn't fit in with the other monsters, because she could talk and liked to wear pretty clothes. One day, she found a lost boy and saved him, and together they had an adventure, complete with morals and life lessons. The story ended with the Harpy being accepted by the boy and his village and everyone lived happily ever after.
"Taylor… what is this?" Shakti asked, looking up at the author.
"Does the word 'Xenos' mean anything to you?" Taylor replied, answering Shakti's question with a question of her own.
"How-?" Shakti gasped, before shaking her head. "No. You must have been told about them."
"I met a few," Taylor replied. "Courtesy of a Guild employee named Fels."
"I can definitely see why Fels would want to have you meet the Xenos," the other captain grunted. "Aside from the Ganesha Familia, you're the only other 'Tamer' in Orario who's as high-profile as we are, and the only person who allows monsters to wander the streets openly."
She gestured to the picture book. "Can you explain what this is, though?"
"Like I told Fels, whatever scheme he and the Guild are coming up with to make monsters seem more acceptable to the populace of Orario, it won't work like they intend," Taylor stated. "The Monsterphilia and the zoo you've got going isn't a bad start, but it creates negative connotations that monsters are meant to be caged."
"And this story is supposed to change that?" Shakti guessed.
"The idea is to make children, the future, be more aware of the possibility of sapient monsters," Taylor replied. "It's a long-term plan, decades of work at least, but the picture books are a start, don't you think?"
Shakti looked from Taylor down at the book, scrutinizing it. Taylor had made the whole thing on her own using her swarm to draw the pictures and write the words, and it had a surprisingly high-quality for something made by hand, so to speak.
It wasn't a bad idea. In fact, it was very much a well-thought-out plan that was looking at the future and aimed at changing the minds of the adventurers of tomorrow rather than the current generation. Ingrained biases would be hard to break, but this way there would be a starting point.
"I'm annoyed I didn't think of it first," Shakti admitted after a moment. "It won't be easy, but I can see the benefits of this method."
She glanced up, looking the parahuman in the eyes. "How do you plan to start?"
"There are orphanages in the city, aren't there? I was thinking of testing out the story on them, first," Taylor replied. "If that goes well I'll try to get copies sold around Orario."
"You have my personal support. And likely the Guild's already," Shakti said. "I'll show this to Lord Ganesha later, but I don't think he'll disagree with me that this is a good idea, and a better one that we currently have. The Familia will back you up as well."
"Thank you, that's reassuring," Taylor said, relieved to have the Ganesha Familia's backing.
"Just keep the whole Xenos thing on the downlow," Shakti requested. "Only a few people within my Familia know, same with the Guild. You're the first outsider who's been brought in on this."
"Understood," Taylor said within a nod.
"How many can you make?" Shakti wondered after a moment.
"Probably a hundred a day if I focus on nothing else," Taylor admitted, and her fellow captain stared at her.
"Not even surprised anymore," Shakti sighed.
Before they could say or do anything else, however, the parahuman's head snapped towards the terrarium.
"It's time," she whispered, and Shakti turned to look at the ant egg as well. It was wobbling back and forth, and then suddenly it ruptured, blue goo spilling everywhere, from which a large white ant larva spilled out.
It was significantly larger than a regular ant, about the size of Taylor's hand, and she could feel hunger and curiosity radiating from its rudimentary mind.
Taylor took out a Magic Stone, a leftover from the magic lesson earlier, and dropped it into the terrarium. The newborn attacked it, devouring the stone quickly.
"It will need more than just Magic Stones," Taylor said. "Got any meat?"
"Sure," Shakti said. She grabbed an entire T-bone steak out of a mini-fridge and tossed it into the tank.
Both captains watched as the larva locked in on it, attacking the meaty offering with gusto. It somehow managed to eat half of the giant steak, and was radiating contentment through the link.
"Hmm, interesting," Shakti muttered. "It ate more of it than I thought it could."
"Ant larva eat solid prey which is brought into the colony by workers. Protein is preferred so it can build up mass in order to pupate," Taylor said.
"Pupate? Like, a pupa? Like what moths and butterflies do?" Shakti asked, surprised.
"Yes. The ant life cycle goes egg, larva, pupa, and then eventually worker, soldier, or queen," Taylor explained. "Some ants turn into queens when there are no other queens around, so there's a chance this one will transform into a queen, just like Ann did."
"Interesting theory," Shakti hummed. "What are you gonna call it?"
"Annette," Taylor said after a moment, deciding on a name for her newly hatched Killer Ant.
"A lovely name," Shakti replied. Taylor nodded. It was indeed a lovely name. It was her mother's name.
"Nothing can ruin this moment,' she thought to herself as she admired the ant larva as it digested its meal.
Except Taylor was almost immediately proven wrong when somebody knocked frantically on the door.
"Lady Shakti! Lady Shakti!" the messenger gasped out as he burst into the room. "They're here! Rakia is finally here!"
Taylor glared at the newcomer and Shakti sighed.
"Earlier than expected by a whole day," she muttered. "How annoying. Messes up some of our plans."
She then pointed at the messenger. "Order the Familia to be on high alert! Have the guards at the gates seal the entrances to Orario! Instruct the Guild to prepare for wartime regulations and laws! And get everyone ready to patrol the streets to keep the populace calm and peaceful!"
"Right away!" her Familia member exclaimed with a salute before rushing off to relay her orders.
"Care to join me on the walls?" Shakti asked, and Taylor nodded, moving Annette from the terrarium to her shoulder.
"Let's see what all the fuss is about," she replied, and the two of them strode out from the manor into the streets of Orario.
So far, nobody seemed to be panicking. In fact, most of the civilians didn't seem to be afraid at all, trusting in the power of the Familias to protect them. Which was understandable, the adventurers were powerful.
But as Taylor ascended the steps of the western wall and looked out at the army spread out across the landscape, she couldn't help but feel worried.
Fifty thousand. A not insignificant number. There probably hadn't been fifty thousand parahumans in all of Earth Bet leading up to Gold Morning.
And while Brockton Bay had had seven times that number of people before Leviathan, and Orario had a population of approximately a million souls, only a fraction of those were adventurers. And Taylor strongly doubted there were fifty thousand adventurers within the city's walls.
In the end, a fight between Rakia and Orario would come down to quality over quantity. How many mundane soldiers could a Level 2 take out before being overwhelmed? What would the kill count of a Level 7 be like?
Rakia's army stretched across the horizon and crowded around the western road to the city. Red banners decorated with two crossed black swords were held aloft, red pennants snapping in the breeze.
Consisting mainly of infantry, there were a few cavalry units here and there. Heavy cavalry formed the vanguard while light horsemen patrolled along the flanks and kept watch on the supplies, which were loaded up into carts and wagons and pulled by everything from donkeys and mules to horses and camels.
The elites of their force, the Level 1s and 2s, were clad in heavy black full plate armor which looked impressive and somewhat intimidating. The rest of the soldiers, the ones without a Falna, wore red and black armor that resembled what the ancient Roman legionnaires had worn, but with slight modifications here and there. Mainly in the form of pants and longer greaves to protect the legs and larger bracers for the arms.
As they approached the civilians still outside were being evacuated by the Guild and the Ganesha Familia. Finally, the grand gates were sealed shut, preventing entry to all.
Two hours later, and Rakia finally reached the walls of Orario, before stopping with perfect synchronicity just outside of spell or arrow range. Then, from out of the center of the army, a single man approached, carrying a white flag.
"Lord Ares wishes to Parley with the Gods of Orario!" the messenger called out, voice amplified by magic, or perhaps a Skill. "To discuss the terms of surrender, and failing that, the rules of engagement!"
'That is more civilized than I was expecting,' Taylor thought idly as Shakti dispatched a runner to relay Ares' message.
It wasn't long before several individuals arrived to join the two captains on the wall. Finn Deinme and Royman Mardeel stepped up beside them, the latter sweating heavily from the exertion.
"What now?" Taylor asked.
"We Parley," Finn replied simply. "Come, let's go see what they want."
He then took a spear from a nearby guard, tied a scroll to the shaft, and then hurled it at the Rakian emissary. The weapon slammed into the ground next to him, causing the red armored man to flinch, but he recovered quickly and took the letter Finn had sent him.
The emissary ran back to the army while Finn and the others walked down to the gates which creaked opened to let them pass.
By the time they'd exited Orario's western gates Ares had already sent men to set up a tent where they could speak, located in the No Man's Land between the two sides.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" a strong and pompous voice called out from within the tent, and Taylor got her first glimpse of the God of War.
Ares was tall, around six foot three inches tall, and had odd, golden-red colored hair that was rather messy with eyes the color of blood. He sat on an elegantly carved wooden throne lined with velvet cushions, and wore crimson armor trimmed with gold with a white furred cape. His aura was also rather loud to Taylor's swarm, and was the ringing clamor of swords clashing against each other.
Despite this display, however, Taylor couldn't help but feel something off when she looked at his eyes. There was no worry or doubt, just self-assurance and childish excitement at the thought of the imminent violence to come.
Feeling disquieted by the god's gaze, Taylor focused on the others who were in the tent with him. There were five Level 2s, four of whom wore the heavy black armor and face obscuring helmets that were acting as bodyguards, while a single Level 3 stood next to Ares' throne. There was also a second Level 3 hiding in the shadows, using some sort of Skill or Spell to render himself invisible.
The visible Level 3 was a burly figure, grizzled with scars all over his bald head, with a particularly nasty one down the left side of his face, nearly blinding him. His black armor was trimmed with red and he had a great sword strapped to his back that hummed with magic.
Meanwhile, the Level 2 who wasn't armored stood off to the side near a table with a map of the city on it. He had neat blond hair, and instead of armor, he wore a black military uniform with gold epaulets, and his eyes carried exhaustion in them.
"I thought at least one of my fellow gods would come to greet me," Ares said, looking around at the four people who entered his tent. "I'd heard Hestia descended recently. Surely the Goddess of the Hearth has some understanding of hospitality!"
"If you want to discuss things with Hestia, you can book an appointment with her, like everyone else," Taylor said coldly, narrowing her eyes at the god's words. "Otherwise, buzz off."
Ares blinked as his guards bristled indignantly and the blond Level 2 gave Taylor an intrigued look. Meanwhile, Finn's grin turned brittle while Shakti facepalmed and Royman sweated a little bit more due to nervousness.
"Huh. Seems the shorty got herself a loyal child," Ares muttered, his surprised expression morphing into a feral grin as he leaned in to stare at Taylor. "Oh, yes. And an interesting one, too. Does she know that your hands are soaked in the blood of thousands of cowards, sinners, and innocents alike, mortal?"
"She knows," Taylor replied curtly.
"Hestia always did have a habit of taking in stray mongrels," the War God hummed, before leaning back in his throne, dismissing the parahuman for the moment.
"Why has Rakia come to Orario, Lord Ares?" Royman asked, speaking up as he dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief.
"I originally came here to investigate the strange happenings that have originated from within the city," Ares claimed with a smile that wouldn't melt butter. "If the Dungeon's seal is weakening, then perhaps it would benefit from the presence of some… extra hands?"
"A generous offer," Finn said, with an equally insincere expression. "But Orario has no need of external aide. We have everything under control."
"Yes, I'm sure. And the Poseidon Familia being recalled for the first time in fifteen years is simply to hear their tales of valor," Ares drawled with a sneer. "I have fifty thousand troops, ready to 'assist' Orario. Along with some letters from other concerned gods and countries who are just as worried about the current state of the city and the Dungeon."
"The actions of the Poseidon Familia are their own. As for these missives from others… we will treat their words with the consideration they deserve," Finn said, his tone implying the answer to that was 'none.'
"Well, if that's the case, and you're sure you don't need my help, then I suppose I could be convinced to leave Orario… for a price," Ares declared.
"And what would that be?" the Guildmaster inquired.
"Aside from rumors of weakening seals, I have also heard that a certain runaway has been making a name for himself," Ares said. "A Magic Sword craftsman going by the alias of 'Ignis.'"
He held out a hand. "Return him, and we'd be willing to negotiate a peaceful withdrawal from the city."
"Welf Crozzo is not going anywhere," Taylor replied instantly before anyone else could speak.
"The Crozzo bloodline belongs in Rakia," the Level 3 general retorted. "The boy ran away but he will always be one of us."
"Had he continued to be content to waste his talents I wouldn't even bother asking for a failure like him, but since he has deigned to dabble in the creation of new types of Magic Swords… well, I cannot allow such an insult pass me by," Ares declared, adding his own opinion to his general's words.
"Welf Crozzo does not belong to you," Taylor replied firmly. "Besides, if we're on the topic of failures… well, considering you've tried five times to conquer the city and have nothing to show for it, who exactly is the 'failure' here?"
The adventurers all gawked at her, and Royman looked like he was on the brink of passing out. Ares, on the other hand, simply narrowed his eyes at her.
"I see," he muttered darkly. "I think we're done here."
Finn nodded in agreement and the four of them hastily left the tent, heading back to Orario.
"It's to be war, then," Royman sighed.
"It was always going to lead to that," Taylor replied with a scoff.
"Indeed. He may have kept his word and withdrawn had we done as he asked and Crozzo was handed over, but Lord Ares would have eventually returned in a decade or two armed to the teeth with Crozzo-grade Magic Swords," Finn agreed. "Though I don't exactly agree with how it came to this."
"He's the God of War, not Diplomacy," Taylor shrugged, ignoring the look Finn and the rest were giving her as she stroked the head of Annette who was still clinging to her shoulder. "He doesn't understand anything other than blunt words and brute force."
"Even so, please stop stressing us out like this, Taylor," Shakti groaned. "I swear, we can't take you anywhere, can we?"
Taylor rolled her eyes at that but didn't bother trying to say anything in her defense. It was true, even if it wasn't her fault! She just had bad luck, alright?
Chapter 50: Chapter 47: Fire and Gems
Chapter Text
Chapter 47: Fire and Gems
The first day of the siege began like any other. Just because there was an army on their doorstep didn't mean the bakers could stop baking, or the Guild staff stopped serving the adventurers who continued to dive into the Dungeon.
Life went on. Just with a bunch of rude and unruly neighbors. And, in order to handle these people, Taylor decided something new was necessary.
"Welf, how'd you like to get a new Skill?" she asked the red-headed blacksmith at breakfast. He looked up, blinking in surprise.
"Huh? New what, now?" he uttered, confused.
He wasn't the only one. Quite a few of the adventurers at the table – the ones who were morning people, at least – also looked intrigued. Only Bell and Lucia knew what she was referring to, the rest unaware of her secret ability.
"You heard me," Taylor replied as she finished eating her jam-smothered toast. "I wanted to know if you wanted to obtain a new Skill."
"Why? And how?" Welf asked.
"For the latter, I have my ways," she replied cryptically. "And for the former, I believe it might help keep you safe."
"From Rakia," Welf guessed, and the parahuman nodded.
The Blacksmith frowned but eventually grinned. "Yeah, okay. Let's do this!"
"Wonderful. Finish breakfast, then we'll go to the backyard," Taylor instructed.
Welf finished in record time, scarfing down his scrambled eggs with indecent haste before running off to get ready.
Taylor was a bit more sedated as she ate the rest of her breakfast, but was done quickly and left the kitchen to stand outside in the backyard.
"Where are we going, captain?" Welf asked as he jogged out to join her.
"Away from Orario," she replied. "Fetch the swing."
He blanched but obeyed, getting what the parahuman wanted out of a storage shed nearby (there were a lot of sheds on the property) and brought it over to her.
The swing wasn't anything special. It was just a wooden board with several ropes. A primitive swing set. Really, it was just something any playground would have had, except for the fact Taylor wasn't going to be the one sitting on it, and that the ropes were also attached to a harness.
"Fly, Joy of Icarus!" Taylor intoned, and ethereal green and gold dragonfly wings appeared on her back. She then put on the harness and floated into the air.
With a heavy sigh Welf walked over to the swing and sat down on it, gripping tightly onto the ropes as Taylor took off, flying into the sky and leaving the Hearth Manor and Orario far behind in under a minute.
It wasn't the most comfortable way to fly, and according to her test subjects, being suspended above the ground with nothing save wood and rope to hold them up was utterly terrifying. But it was the only method Taylor had that didn't involve picking up and carrying a person in her arms if she wanted to fly with them. And as good a friend Welf was, Taylor wasn't about to just pick up the guy. Hence the swing.
Taylor hadn't forgotten Ouranos' warning to never use Godslayer anywhere within or near Orario or the Dungeon. Yes, she'd broken that rule when she tore off Jura's Falna, but that hadn't affected the Dungeon as badly as the previous times she'd used that Skill. Still, she didn't want to push her luck, and that was why she flew far away from the city with Welf in tow.
From above, even the massive army camped outside the walls looked tiny, and after flying for a bit, Taylor estimated she was approximately two hundred miles away from anything that might be affected if she used her Skill.
"It all looks so small," Welf muttered as he looked down at the scenery.
"Yeah," Taylor agreed.
"The Rakians kinda look like bugs," the Blacksmith chuckled, peering at the army camped outside of the walls. Taylor chuckled at that comparison. They did resemble red and black ants scurrying around.
Shortly after that, they flew far enough away that even the city was no longer visible, and the duo were silent as they continued their trip. Taylor took the chance to get a good look at what beyond Orario.
The landscape around Orario was fairly green thanks to all of the farms and the rivers connecting to Lolog Lake in the north and east, but very quickly the surroundings turned dry and arid, grasslands receding into savannas which gave way to a sandy, rock-strewn desert.
To the north-west of Orario lay Rakia, while to the south-west the Kaios Desert sprawled out. North of Orario the Beol Mountains loomed, steep and jagged. East of Orario things were a bit greener, and the Seolo Forest rose up at the base of the Alv Mountains. This was where Bell had come from when he left home to become an adventurer. The two airborn travelers couldn't see any of them, though, but they were certainly out there.
Taylor felt the urge to explore the new world she'd found herself rise up within her. She'd hardly had the chance on Earth Bet, and she wanted to see what this one had to offer.
'Later, though,' she thought to herself. 'When the city has calmed down a bit.'
Some more flying later, and Taylor felt confident that she'd flown far enough away to not affect anything. She didn't have exact numbers, but she was fairly certain it was more than five-hundred miles.
'More than enough distance to hopefully not affect the Dungeon,' she thought to herself.
She then set down after checking there was nobody within range of her swarm, and Welf fell to his knees as soon as they landed on the ground.
"Sweet land! Solid land!" Welf wept comically. "How I missed you!"
"It wasn't that bad," Taylor said with a roll of her eyes.
"You weren't the one dangling hundreds of feet in the air!" he retorted with a huff before getting back up to his feet. "Ugh, whatever. How are we gonna do this?"
"First, I have to tell you something," Taylor said. "About my past."
"I knew it! You're a princess!" Welf exclaimed.
"What? No. Are you still on about that?" Taylor asked, sighing in exasperation. "Listen. The truth is I'm… not from around here."
Just like with Lili, Taylor spoke to Welf about her past, revealing her otherworldly origins. For a while he just stared at her, jaw dropped, as he tried to process what he'd been told.
"Okay… that explains so much…" Welf muttered. "I mean, we already sorta knew about the whole Faller thing… Bell's terrible at keeping secrets… but to have it stated so clearly… and for there to be a world as advanced as yours... or so crazy..."
"So, what do you think? Are you still interested in a Skill?" Taylor asked.
"You don't have any control over what I get, yeah?" Welf asked.
"Not really. It seems to interact with the Falna to choose a power that would best fit you," Taylor explained. "Bell got the ability to be in multiple places at once in order to fight and protect people, while Lili can carry a huge amount of supplies without issue. Iris got a Brute power to enhanced her already impressive strength and Lucia got to teleport to enhance her mobility."
"Hmm, alright, I see," Welf said, nodding to himself. "I think… I think I'm gonna take the deal."
"Let's begin, then," she replied and reached for Godslayer. Queen Administrator responded immediately and it seemed to Taylor her passenger did so with greater excitement than any other time. Was the Shard interested in Welf's bloodline ability to create Magic Swords?
Whatever the reason for it, Queen Administrator 'touched' Welf with an extra-dimensional tendril and bestowed upon him the elements necessary to become a parahuman.
The blacksmith twitched and then blinked before looking around with a frown. Nothing had outwardly changed as far as they could tell.
"Feel anything?" she asked. "Have any odd thoughts?"
"Uh, no, nothing," he admitted.
"Not a Tinker, then? Interesting, I assumed you'd have gotten something like that given your crafting skills," Taylor hummed.
"Not sure what that means," Welf admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, let's wait for Hestia to update your stats before doing any experimentation," Taylor suggested. He sighed when she gestured for him to get back onto the swing.
"When we get back, I'm inventing a better way to do this!" Welf cried out as Taylor took off again. She just laughed.
The return flight to Orario wasn't much different to the flight out to the middle of nowhere, and when they returned Welf hurried off to find Hestia.
"I wish you'd told me you were going to do this," the Goddess of the Hearth grumped as she walked into the living room where Taylor and a few other Familia members were relaxing, Welf trailing behind her with an excited look.
"You'd have known if you woke up earlier," Taylor replied.
"Ten in the morning is a perfectly acceptable time to get up!" Hestia huffed.
"You've gotten lazy since you stopped having to go to work at the food cart," Taylor said with a disappointed shake of her head.
"I have five carts now, and a restaurant!" Hestia fumed. "I can manage my time just fine!"
Taylor reached over and patted the goddess on the head. "I know."
She grumbled a little before gesturing at Welf. "Anyways, I felt what you did. Again. Not a great way to wake up, but I updated his stats."
"May I see?" Taylor asked, and the red-head passed over his sheet for her to observe.
Welf Crozzo "Ignis"
Level 2
POWER – G 222 - - F 387
ENDURANCE – G 215 - - F 379
DEXTERITY – I 85 - - H 160
AGILITY – I 85 - - H 130
MAGIC – H 163 - - G 223
Skills –
Vulcan Drive: Freely manipulate existing forms of heat and flame (SHARD).
As expected, a new Skill had been added to the Falna, joining Welf's Crozzo Blood and Veritas Burn. The description was short but told Taylor everything she needed to know.
"Pyrokinesis, huh?" Taylor hummed, reading the Skill description. It was honestly the perfect power Welf could have gotten. He was a blacksmith who worked with fire all the time, and already had a Skill that granted resistance to heat and flames, as well as a Spell that was a fire-based anti-magic attack.
Will-o-Wisp, Welf's Spell, was incredibly useful, but rather slow and only capable of moving in a straight line. With Vulcan Drive, Welf could negate both of those downsides.
'Though I expected some sort of Tinker-based Skill,' Taylor admitted to herself. Queen Administrator must have seen something about Welf that made the entity grant him a different Shard.
'Likely because Welf would never accept Tinkertech. If he can't understand it or build it himself without some sort of crutch, then he would reject it,' she mused, guessing the reason why.
A flicker of CONFIRMATION flickered through her mind, Taylor's passenger agreeing with her assessment.
"Look at those numbers," Welf whistled, impressed by his rate of growth. "I didn't think I'd get so much so quickly after Leveling Up!"
He glanced at Taylor. "Must be all of that training is paying off, eh?"
"Thanks for the compliment, but you won't get to weasel out of future sessions that easily," Taylor warned, and he slumped.
"Worth a shot," he sighed, before perking up. "That Skill is pretty neat, though!"
"I'm looking forward to seeing how you can apply it," Taylor said. "I'll arrange some special training just for you soon."
Welf wilted a little but didn't try to resist. Taylor rolled her eyes. With potions and healing spells they could recover from their sessions just fine. Besides, it was for their own good!
She then glanced over her shoulder at the adventurers who were nearby, and she smirked at them. Sensing the hellish training session they'd have to go through soon, all of them looked despondent.
"Guys! I'm home!" Bell called out from the foyer. "And I've got a guest with me!"
Taylor looked up as the door to the living room opened up, expecting to see Ais or one of the other adventurers Bell was friends with to show up. Instead, what greeted her was a blood-stained Bell and a very nervous looking Haruhime.
If that wasn't enough of a red flag, between the two of them was a tiny blue-skinned girl in a ratty brown robe that failed to hide her decidedly unusual features, namely the gem on her forehead, tightly holding onto the two adventurer's hands. It was rather cute, like a child out with their parents. Except for, you know, the blood and oddness of said child.
"Um, everyone, this is Wiene. Can she stay here for a bit?" Bell asked with a nervous laugh as he looked around.
"Bell… what did you do this time?" Taylor asked with a heavy sigh, eyes darting between him and the blue-skinned girl, her gaze lingering on the jewel embedded in her forehead.
The rest of the people in the house couldn't help but stare as well, completely bewildered by the sight in front of them.
Hestia groaned and put her face into her hands. Why was her Familia so full of problem children?!
111 &&& 111
"Oh dear," Haruhime muttered as she looked into the cupboard. "We seem to be out of a few spices."
She turned to Bell who was washing dishes in the kitchen. "Mr. Bell, would you please go with me to the market?"
"Sure! Just let me finish up here, Miss Haruhime!" Bell replied with a wide smile.
"You can just call me 'Haruhime,'" the renard said with a giggle.
"Okay, but 'Bell' is fine as well," the white-haired adventurer said.
"Alright," she conceded, before getting ready to go out.
She made sure her maid uniform was tidy and straightened out, and that the shopping baskets were where they were supposed to be, grabbing two of them for the trip to the market.
Bell came over a little bit later, hands dried and the dishes from breakfast put away, and offered her a smile before stepping out of the manor.
Taylor's rule that everyone go somewhere in pairs was important, and it was one nobody was keen to forget. Watching each other's backs in the Dungeon was second nature at this point, and with Rakia and Evilus on the loose, staying safe was more vital than ever.
Despite the tense situation, the city was as lively as ever. People walked around, went into the Dungeon, and bought and sold things. Prices for some things had gone up slightly, but it didn't bother Haruhime or Bell as the Hestia Familia's finances were quite robust at the moment.
"Good morning, ma'am," Haruhime said as she approached a stall selling all kinds of peppers.
"Ah, it is a fine morning, isn't it?" the elderly cow-woman running the stand agreed.
"I would like to purchase some peppercorn and bell peppers, miss," the renard said after looking over the selection. "A stone's worth of the former and half a bushel of the latter."
"Of course, dear. That will be seven-hundred and fifty valis."
Haruhime winced a little at the price, but paid it without question. Normally, she might haggle a little, but with tensions so high in the city it was easier to just go with it.
The next few stalls went much the same way, with plenty of spices bought to restock the manor's supplies. With over a dozen people living and eating there, they went through quite a bit of food rather quickly.
Haruhime didn't mind shopping and cooking. It was fun, and she enjoyed seeing the faces of others when they tried her food.
"Anything else, Miss… I mean, Haruhime?" Bell asked as he adjusted the strap of the basket he was carrying for her.
"Just some sugar and cinnamon," she replied.
"For cookies?" Bell asked eagerly, and Haruhime giggled.
"Yes. I believe Taylor-Sama wanted to bake some more snickerdoodles."
"I hope so!" he said, licking his lips. His sister made the best cookies!
As they were making their way to the store that sold sugar – expensive ingredients like that were sold in actual buildings instead of temporary stalls in the city's marketplaces – a loud noise rang out from a nearby alleyway.
Now, normally, such a thing wouldn't be worth more than a glance and a shrug before moving on. There were rats in Orario, after all. Big, mean, cat-sized vermin who'd gotten fat off of magical trash. But the crash was accompanied by a feminine cry, which immediately raised alarm bells in the two adventurers' heads.
Haruhime and Bell rushed over towards the commotion, and stopped and stared at what they saw: A young girl in a tattered, filth-stained brown robe was struggling against a much larger man who was grabbing her arms, trying to pull her away with him. There were manacles on the child's wrists and ankles, the chains making a doleful clatter as she tried to resist.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Bell demanded angrily, stepping into the alleyway. "Stop!"
"Huh?!" the greasy looking rat-faced adventurer uttered angrily, glaring at Bell as he approached. "Screw off, kid, this doesn't concern ya!"
The girl whimpered and tried to escape again but was struck by the back of the man's hand, knocking her onto the ground. The hood on her robe shifted as she fell, revealing odd, blue-tinged skin.
"I told you to stop!" Bell shouted.
"And I told ya to mind yer own business!"
"What else am I supposed to do when you're clearly hurting her?!" Bell snarled.
"'Her?' Hah! What a joke! She ain't human! She's a damned monster!" the adventurer claimed, grabbing the child by the hair and exposing the red jewel embedded in her forehead. "See?!"
The child whimpered and looked at Bell with tears in her eyes, and the white-haired adventurer felt a pang in his chest.
"I see," Bell said darkly, before darting forward.
The Hestia Knife flashed out of its sheath before plunging into the other man's stomach. Shocked, he released the blue-skinned girl, who immediately scrambled away, pressing her back against the wall.
"Wh-why-?" the slaver gurgled out, blood spilling down his chest.
"She was crying," Bell retorted. "Monsters don't cry."
"D-damn you…" the slaver uttered before collapsing, unconscious and bleeding heavily.
Bell winced before pulling a potion bottle out of his pocket. He tried to carry a few around, just in case. He kicked the other man over and poured the contents onto the wound, healing it. He would live. Now that he wasn't in danger of bleeding out his Falna's durability would keep him alive.
Bell then turned to girl who was cowering in the shadows of the alleyway. He sheathed his blade and knelt before her, offering a kind smile.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Slowly, she shook her head, and Bell winced. "Ah. I suppose not." His eyes darted down to the chains binding her limbs. "Let me get those off of you."
He reached out and began to try and break the chains with his bare hands, but found he couldn't. Frowning, he turned to fallen body of the adventurer and began to pat him down, finding a pair of keys in his pockets. One of them fit into the lock of the chains, and he freed the child.
"There. Does that feel better?" Bell asked as the chains clattered to the ground. The girl nodded hesitantly, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened.
"Do you have a name?" he inquired.
"W-Wiene," she eventually whispered, voice barely audible.
"That's a lovely name," Bell said, before turning to Haruhime. "Don't you think so, too?"
The renard jerked out of her shock and nodded, mostly out of reflex than anything else, but it seemed to do the trick as the blue girl relaxed minutely, looking away shyly.
"Th-thank you," she mumbled.
"Can you tell us what happened to you, Wiene?" Bell asked, still kneeling in front of her.
"They kidnapped me," Wiene said, looking at the fallen adventurer with fear but also hate dancing in her eyes. "Kept me in a cage."
"I see. That must have been scary," Bell murmured.
"It was! I was scared, and I couldn't find my friends!"
"There are others like you?" Haruhime asked, surprised, and just a little worried.
"Yeah! We hide in the Dungeon!" Wiene confirmed, before frowning. "I got separated. That was how the bad men found me. I tried to run… they were too fast."
"And then? What happened after they caught you?" the white-haired adventurer inquired.
"They brought me out of the Dungeon," the blue-skinned girl revealed. "It was dark. The walls were different. And there were a lot of other cages. Some had monsters. Others had a few of my friends."
"How did you escape?" Bell asked.
"They were going to sell me," Wiene whispered, her voice quavering. "So, they moved my cage out of the underground chamber they'd been keeping me in, and took me to a warehouse. But then, they said something about a siege preventing them from leaving, and so I was forced to wait in there for days."
Wiene sniffled and wiped her eyes before continuing. "When they fed me food last night, I found a bone in the meal they gave me, and used it to break the lock on my cage."
"That was very resourceful of you," Bell said kindly. Haruhime nodded, impressed despite herself.
"When the bad men weren't looking, I escaped this morning. I tried to find my way home… but I couldn't. And then that man found me," Wiene told them, finishing her story, and Bell reached out and patted her head comfortingly.
"That was very brave. But it's okay, now. We'll protect you," Bell promised.
Haruhime winced at the promise, but didn't say anything against him. Even though the girl was clearly not normal, she'd also just been enslaved, and the former brothel worker felt a pang of sympathy towards her plight.
"What the hell?!" a voice exclaimed.
Bell, Haruhime, and Wiene all jerked in surprise before looking over towards the other entrance to the alleyway where a pair of adventurers were standing, staring at the trio. The one who'd spoken had spiky blue hair and a spear on his back, while the other had green hair and a one-handed axe.
"Shit, they got Darrel!" the blue-haired member of the duo uttered, eyes darting from the unconscious guy on the ground over to the escaped monster girl.
"Step away from the merchandise, brats," the axeman ordered menacingly.
"Wiene isn't going anywhere with you," Bell shot back.
"Who do you think you are, kid?" the spearman demanded with a sneer.
"That's the Lucky Rabbit!" the green-haired thug uttered as he drew his axe. "He's Level 3, just like we are!"
"We can take 'em, then!"
"Grow. That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you. Grow!" Haruhime quickly chanted, summoning a magic circle that appeared beneath Bell's feet.
He glowed brightly as power flooded him, and his Level temporarily increased. Moving fast, Bell slammed into the spearman, taking the two adventurers by surprise by his sudden boost in speed and strength.
With a swipe of the Hestia Knife, Bell destroyed the spear, cutting the pointy end off before driving his elbow into the adventurer's throat, crushing it.
Bell did not stop, ducking out of the way as the axeman lashed out, trying to bisect him, but only ended up chopping into his companion's shoulder.
The green-haired adventurer however did not stop. In fact, he didn't even seem to care he'd nearly cut off his own partner's arm, and immediately tried to go after Haruhime and Wiene instead, realizing that Bell's sudden boost in power had to be due to the mage who'd cast the Spell on him.
"Die, bitch!" the axeman shouted.
"No!" Wiene suddenly shouted, jumping in front of Haruhime to protect her, her back to the adventurer. And at the same time, the gem embedded in her forehead glowed ominously.
A large pair of wings appeared on Wiene's back, wrapping around her and Haruhime, protecting the both of them.
Although surprised the smuggler didn't stop, but when the axe struck against the wings it bounced off, unable to do any harm. Before the green-haired adventurer could react, however, he choked out a garbled cry as Bell slammed into him from behind, the Hestia Knife punching through the man's spine and into one of his lungs.
He collapsed, twitching violently, and Bell hastily dribbled the remaining contents of a second potion vial onto his oozing wound.
"Are you okay?" Haruhime asked, examining the girl's wings carefully. They retreated under the Xenos' cloak, shrinking as they did so until you couldn't tell they'd ever been there in the first place.
"I'm fine," Wiene said softly. She then went still as the renard wrapped her arms around the tiny girl.
"Thank you, Wiene," Haruhime whispered.
"We should get out of here," Bell suggesting, glancing over his shoulder at the spearman. The blue-haired adventurer was unconscious as well, and would take a while to recover since Bell had used half of the second potion on his arm and neck.
"Yes," Haruhime agreed. "We need to take the spice back home."
Bell chuckled in agreement before holding his hand out to Wiene. "Come on. It's safe at the Hearth Manor. And maybe we can get Taylor to help you get back home to your friends."
"…Really?" she asked, desperate hope tinging her voice.
"Really," Bell assured her, grinning confidently. Wiene gave a tiny smile and took his hand. She then reached out and took Haruhime's as well.
Though surprised at first, the renard in a maid outfit squeezed her hand fondly, giving the Xenos girl a reassuring smile of her own.
The three of them hastily left the back alley and made their way away from the scene of the crime.
111 &&& 111
"…and then we hurried back to the manor," Bell concluded.
"We thought it was best she not spend too much time out in the open," Haruhime added, looking a bit embarrassed.
During the retelling of the events, the rest of the Familia had gathered, and everyone was listening with stunned expressions, unable to look away from the blue-skinned girl who shied away from the attention.
"So? Can Wiene stay?" the white-haired adventurer asked. Taylor raised an eyebrow at him before directing her attention to the girl who had to be a Xenos.
Wiene flinched back, red eyes wide and full of tears. The parahuman felt a pang as the child's expression tugged at her heartstrings, and after a moment she sighed, shoulder's slumping.
"…alright, fine," Taylor said as Bell finished his retelling of events. "She can stay."
"Really?!" Bell asked happily.
"Really?!" everyone else in the Familia exclaimed, staring at the parahuman.
"Hmm? Oh, right, I haven't told any of you about this, yet," Taylor said. "Completely slipped my mind."
She folded her arms. "So, when we were in the Dungeon the last time, I met with this adventurer from the Guild named Fels…"
Chapter 51: Chapter 48: Fathers and Mothers
Chapter Text
Chapter 48: Fathers and Mothers
Silence filled the room, everyone staring at Taylor as she finished her tale. She understood their surprise. Not every day your entire worldview was flipped upside down, after all.
"Xenos, huh?" Aisha eventually said. "I'll be damned."
That broke the dam, and everyone began to chatter loudly, their voices rising and getting louder and louder until Taylor had enough and snapped her the fingers of her artificial arm, using a modified Spell to enhance the sound so it pierced the noise.
"Alright, settle down," Taylor ordered. "Yes, it's surprising. Yes, it shakes the very foundations of what you know. But so what? You can at least freak out in private later."
Everyone coughed and looked away awkwardly at her scolding. Satisfied, the captain of the Familia nodded, pleased by the quick reaction, before noticing that Wiene was staring at her intently.
"Can I help you?" Taylor asked, taken aback.
"You smell like mama," Wiene said, looking up at Taylor.
"Mama?" the parahuman blinked.
"Yes. Like mama… but not," the humanoid Vouivre explained.
"You mean the Dungeon?" Hestia asked seriously, and the Xenos girl flinched back away from the goddess but nodded.
"Y-yes. She smells… like home."
Hestia and Taylor both exchanged a look with other.
'The other Xenos didn't seem to notice, but then again, we were in the Dungeon, so any 'scent' may have been overpowered by that fact,' Taylor thought to herself.
That also raised another question: what did it mean that Taylor 'smelled' like the Dungeon?
Hestia had an idea of her own about the reason, and Taylor was also feeling suspicious that there might be some sort of connection between her passenger and the Dungeon.
"Taylor's newfound child aside, I think we should be talking more about the existence of thinking monsters," Ryuu suggested, and the parahuman spluttered in disbelief while everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. How did they go unnoticed for this long?" Lili wondered.
"The Guild knows," Taylor replied, clearing her throat. "And so do the Ganesha Familia. They probably covered some of it up."
"Okay, sure, but that's like two – admittedly large and powerful – groups out of the entire city. How has this remained so quiet?" Welf asked incredulously.
"Actually, rumors about talking monsters have been circulating amongst the information brokers for a while now," Gita admitted, the chienthrope's tail swishing back and worth.
"Is that so?" Oriana asked, surprised.
"Yes, for about a decade now, there have been whispers about them, but no concrete proof," Gita confirmed.
"But if there have been people talking about this, that still doesn't explain how it isn't being spoken of in the bars and taverns," Leo pointed out.
"Possibly due to the low number of Xenos sightings compared to the number of adventurers in the Dungeons, but it's more likely because of the smugglers," Taylor spoke up. "If they are capturing and selling Xenos outside of the city, then they'd want their actions to go unnoticed. I'd wager that quite a few information brokers are on their payroll."
"You think so?" Bell asked with a disgusted look.
"Positive," Taylor stated firmly. "Not to mention… I have a feeling the smugglers are working with Evilus."
"Evilus?" Ryuu repeated darkly, hands clenching into fists.
"Remember those cages we found in the cave on the 18th Floor? And then the way those Thanatos Familia members reacted?" Taylor asked, and everyone nodded. "Either the Thanatos Familia are the smugglers, or they are working with them. Either way, we have to find them, and crush them."
Ryuu nodded, her expression one of barely suppressed fury, and everyone else looked eager to take down the boogeymen of Orario.
"But that can wait," Taylor said, shaking her head. "For now, our immediate concerns are making sure Rakia doesn't do anything stupid, and that Wiene is returned safely to the other Xenos."
"We can't let them continue to-!" Ryuu began, but Taylor held up a hand to stop her.
"I understand, Ryuu. But I promise you, when the time is right, we will tear them out by the root," Taylor vowed. "You're not the only one who wants this."
"Then why are we waiting?" she hissed. "If we don't hurry, the men Bell knocked out will escape and we'll lose our only lead!"
"Because in a few weeks, once this situation with Rakia is resolved, the Loki, Hermes, and Dionysus Familia will be conducting a raid on some hiding spots that they believe Evilus is hiding, and we will be joining them."
"Really?" Ryuu asked, and everyone looked surprised.
"Yeah," Taylor nodded, before frowning. "That's fine, right?"
"If it's the Braver leading this operation… then yes, I will wait," Ryuu replied.
"Good to hear," Taylor said.
"Well, uh, okay, then," Welf muttered. "Guess I'm gonna be preparing more equipment to prepare for that. At least it gives me a chance to use my new Skill…"
"That means more training, doesn't it?" Gina whispered excitedly to Primo, who nodded back.
"It probably does."
"Nice!" the tiny Amazon said, pumping her fist excitedly.
"First, though, I have to answer the door," Taylor said out of the blue, causing everyone to blink in bewilderment at the non-sequitur. A moment later however they could all hear a person knocking on the front door.
"That's always so cool, but really creepy when she does that," Silva muttered to Gita, who nodded silently.
Taylor went to see what Hermes wanted, her swarm detecting the god the moment he'd hopped the fence, and opened the door with an annoyed expression.
"Message for Welf Crozzo!" the Messenger God said, smiling widely as he presented a letter for her.
"It's illegal to trespass," Taylor replied, snatching the letter away before slamming the door in Hermes' face. She could hear him knock again on the door, trying to get their attention, but a swarm of bugs drove him off a moment later.
Through the insects, she watched as he climbed back over the fence and ran off, only to be confronted by his very angry captain who grabbed his ear and dragged him away, scolding him the whole time.
'If he does that again I'm going to put lice in that ridiculous hair of his,' she decided to herself as she walked back into the living room where everyone was still gathered.
"For you," she said simply, handing Welf the letter. He blinked but accepted it, before frowning.
"This seal bears the Crozzo family crest," he revealed. The emblem pressed into the red wax keeping the message closed was that of a hammer crossing a sword with a lightning bolt and fireball in between.
"Would your family have come with the army?" Bell asked worriedly.
"Even if he doesn't have the power to create Magic Swords, my grandfather was one of only eleven people with the Blacksmith Developmental Ability in all of Rakia," Welf revealed. "He'd likely have been forced to accompany the army to provide his talents in providing equipment."
He opened up the letter and began to read, his expression turning more severe with every sentence. "It's from my father. He wants to meet with me a few days from now in an isolated part of the city. Alone."
"It's a trap," Taylor drawled.
"Totally," Lili agreed.
"Obviously," Welf nodded. "But what do we do?"
"We spring it," Aisha said eagerly.
"Indeed," Taylor nodded. "But we can't just assume that Rakia won't do something else underhanded. So, we shall prepare."
Everyone nodded, and Taylor gave Wiene an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, but we may have to wait a bit before we can take you back."
"That's okay," Wiene assured her. "We like it in here. It feels… nice."
"We'll prepare a room for you," Taylor declared. "Just do not wander outside without wearing your cloak, alright?"
"I'll make you a new one!" Lucia promised. "You shouldn't have to wear something so dirty!"
"Thank you," Wiene said tearfully. More than one person saw those tears and couldn't help but question everything they'd ever known about monsters.
Philosophy would have to wait, however, as there were plans to make.
111 &&& 111
In the two days since receiving the letter, the Hestia Familia had not been idle. Supplies were stockpiled and training that some might call 'hellish' was done.
Finally, however, the time had come, and Welf made his way towards the meeting spot his father had put down in the letter.
It was late at night, and as he walked through the streets alone, Welf couldn't help but feel confused. How had his father gotten into Orario with the city on lockdown? Surely somebody would have seen him climbing the walls?
'Unless somebody else must have helped him get inside,' Welf mused. He didn't like that idea at all.
The warehouse was supposedly abandoned based on what Taylor had dug up. Previously owned by some minor god that left the city after their entire Familia was wiped out by the 27th Floor Nightmare, it was now owned by the Guild, but wasn't being used for anything.
Well, that is, until recently, when apparently shadowy figures had been seen moving around within it around the time Rakia had arrived.
The Blacksmith didn't know how his scary captain had found out so much about it, but he wasn't going to ask, in case he got an answer.
'Alright, no time to think about stuff like that! It's show time!' he thought to himself, stepping up to the warehouse's door and opening it. There was no sound as it swung open, which if it really had been abandoned, should not have been the case.
'Seems like the captain was right. Rakian saboteurs really did get inside Orario ahead of the army and set up shop in this place,' Welf noted. Hm. Worrying.
But again, that was something to figure out later. For now, he had somebody else to deal with.
"Father," Welf said, folding his arms as he came to a stop in front of the man who was, technically, his parent.
"Son," was the curt response.
Vil Crozzo was an older man with dark brown hair that had a faint reddish tinge to it, his face lined with wrinkles that made him look significantly older than he actually was. The weathered features spoke of hardship, but the glint in his eyes when he stared at his son was unsettling.
"Gramps," Welf said, looking at the second person waiting for him. "Didn't think I'd see ya here, too."
"Your father and I wanted to try and convince you to return to Rakia," Garon Crozzo said, giving his grandson a nod.
Garon was a tall man, taller than Welf or even Taylor. He was also extremely fit, with his grey hair and beard neatly trimmed. The fact he was wearing the Rakian military uniform, the support version for backline units like smiths, confirmed Welf's fear that he'd been forced to join the army on this foolhardy errand.
"You've got to realize that this won't turn out well for Rakia," Welf said slowly. "Leaving aside the fact you two snuck in, when has Rakia ever succeeded in their mad plans for world domination?"
"There is no reason to worry," Vil claimed. "With you serving Lord Ares again, we shall reclaim the glory that rightfully belongs to us!"
"The first time Rakia invaded Orario, they were also soundly defeated, and that was with Magic Swords out the wazoo," Welf pointed out. "Hell, the defeat was so bad, that's the whole reason Rakia turned their attention to the west, and ended up attacking the Great Spirit Forest."
'And losing our bloodline's blessing in the process,' went unsaid, but from the way Vil tensed, it was heard all the same.
"This time, it will be different!" Vil declared.
"No, it really won't," Welf said with a sigh. "It doesn't matter what you say, I won't return to Rakia. I have a life here. Friends and a Familia that care about me as a person, and not just the bearer of the Crozzo blood."
"Is there truly nothing we can say that will convince you?" Garon asked sadly. "Do you not have any loyalty or love for Rakia?"
"Anything like that I may have once had vanished when they punished Lady Phobos for the 'crime' of keeping me from making weapons of mass destruction for a petulant War God," Welf retorted. "And even if they hadn't… why should I give any fealty to a nation that immediately cast us aside when we were no longer useful to them?"
Garon sighed but said nothing while Vil glowered darkly.
"Fine. If that is your answer…" Garon began, but Vil cut him off.
"If you won't come willingly, we'll have to do this the hard way," Welf's father declared darkly, and from the shadows three figures appeared wearing black leather armor with hooded cloaks.
"Ah, so the Shadow Troupe show themselves," Welf scoffed. "How predictable."
He then glared at the leader of the shadowy agents. "And it seems the Captain of the Deimos Familia has shown himself. I'm honored, Umber."
"Welf Crozzo, your rebelliousness has gone on long enough," the man declared, drawing a short sword. It glistened wetly, having been coated in some sort of poison. Something to incapacitate him, no doubt. "Surrender."
"Or what?" Welf uttered. "You'll threaten my Familia? You clearly have no idea who you're messing with."
"By now, members of the Shadow Troupe will have assaulted the Hestia Familia compound and taken Lady Hestia hostage, as Lord Ares ordered," Umber informed Welf, and he stiffened, causing the spy to smirk. "That's right. Your Familia is indeed being threatened. You and the goddess will be coming back to Rakia with us. You have no choice."
"What?! This is not what you said would happen!" Garon shouted angrily, before turning to Vil. "Is this your doing?!"
"It is Lord Ares' wish, nothing more," Vil replied haughtily. "You joining me wasn't expected, but it doesn't change the plan at all. Now Welf will come home, where he belongs!"
To everyone's surprise, Welf just threw his head back and laughed.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just… boy, you fucked up," he snickered, wiping a tear of mirth from his eyes. "Trying to kidnap me was bad enough… but going after Lady Hestia? Rakia's days are numbered."
"Enough bravado!" Umber snarled. "Men, take the traitor into custody!"
One of the Shadow Troupe stepped up, but suddenly collapsed with a cry of shock and pain as a barrage of crossbow bolts flew out of the darkness and pierced his back, pinning him to the ground. Umber and the remaining adventurer, along with the two older Crozzo, spun around towards the source of the attack, and a chuckle rang out.
"Lili thinks your family could learn some manners," the cheeky voice of the pallum called out, but there was no sign of her anywhere.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Umber snarled.
"No, Lili doesn't think Lili will," the Supporter replied, her voice echoing through the shadow-filled warehouse.
"Hey, Lili! Quit playing around and help a guy out!" Welf shouted, and a massive anvil-hammer came flying out of the darkness at him. The Blacksmith caught his custom weapon out of the air and swung it in a single smooth motion, slamming it into the back of the second Shadow Troupe member who'd taken his eyes off of him.
He went flying into the wall with a shriek, spine broken. The poor fellow, along with his bolt-filled buddy, had both been only Level 1, no doubt thinking Umber, a Level 3, would be enough to handle things if Welf got feisty.
"You didn't count on me seeing through your stupid trap, did ya?" Welf smirked.
"You… a mere Level 2 dares to challenge me?" Umber growled. He then spun around, slashing several bolts out of the air. "And you! Show yourself!"
"No~!" Lili gleefully called out. "Come on, Welf!"
"Yeah! Let's do this!" Welf cheered, and he lunged at the Shadow Troupe leader without hesitation while Vil cowered and Garon watched with a raised eyebrow.
He swung his hammer at Umber's chest, but the Level 3 blocked it easily. Before Deimos' captain could retaliate against the Blacksmith he had to dodge several bolts fired by a still invisible Lili.
"Is this the best you got?" Welf taunted. "All those years of bullying people weaker than you has really made your skills stagnate!"
"I! AM! NOT! WEAK!" Umber roared, trying to slash Welf in the arms, but he twisted aside at the last moment, his cloak tearing as one of Lili's kukri tore through it, and he stared at it as the cloth fluttered to the ground, shorn in half.
"I really liked that cloak," he muttered, before side-stepping another smashing attack from Welf. Umber prepared to stab the blacksmith in the chest in retaliation, but a crossbow bolt knocked the blade off course, letting Welf jump back and create some distance.
"Okay, now I'm getting angry!" he shouted.
"Too bad, so sad!" Lili taunted.
"You'll run out of bolts soon!" Umber sneered, darting back towards Welf, focusing on his mission over trying to find the other adventurer fighting him.
However, that had been a fake out. He'd shown his back to the hidden Supporter to lure her into attacking him, and when he heard her footsteps approaching from behind, he grinned.
"GOT YOU, RAT!" the Captain of the Deimos Familia shouted as he spun around and thrust his sword forward at chest height in front of him. His mad grin suddenly flickered and became doubt-filled as he failed to hit anything.
"What?!" he exclaimed, having expected to hit the invisible target, only to cry out as a blade carved through his wrist, causing him to drop his poison-soaked blade.
"Pallum?!" he hissed, realizing his error far too late. Yes, if Lili had been a few inches taller, the blow might have hit her. But he'd aimed at her thinking he was fighting a human or elf. Nobody ever expected a pallum to be a good fighter, after all.
"Take this!" Welf called out, trying to slam his hammer down onto Umber's head, but the other man was still Level 3 and easily dodged, jumping aside.
"You-!" Umber snarled. "It won't be that easy!"
'Wait, where's my sword?!' Umber wondered, looking around and trying to find his dropped weapon, only to stagger as a blade was shoved into his ribs from behind.
The Level 3 assassin gasped and lashed out with a kick, managing to knock back his assailant and dislodge the Hade's Head helmet she was wearing, but all it did was reveal that he'd just been stabbed with his own sword after it'd been stolen off the ground when his attention was drawn away by Welf's attack!
'No… no, no, no!' Umber gasped, feeling his body grow sluggish as poison flooded his veins.
As an assassin, he had naturally taken the Abnormal Resistance ability. But at the same time, because he knew other people with the Falna might also have the ability, the poison he used on his weapon was a paralytic toxin he'd whipped up with his Mixing Ability and was capable of putting down somebody with H rank Abnormal Resistance. His was at G rank, so it didn't immediately immobilize him, but he was now as slow as a Level 2. Something that Welf immediately took advantage of.
"Grit your teeth!" Welf called out, and he slammed the hammer into the side of Umber's head, knocking him into the ground.
He bounced a few times before crashing into the wall with a grunt of disbelief and pain. For a moment he struggled to rise, before eventually slumping, unconscious and possibly concussed.
"That must have hurt," Lili chuckled, even as she clutched her ribs.
"You okay?" Welf asked, concerned, but she just nodded.
"Lili is fine, it's just broken ribs," she assured him, and a potion bottle fell into her hands out of her pocket dimension. She drank it quickly, wincing as her bones knit themselves back together.
She then glanced at the two other Crozzos who were staring at them with wide eyes. "What do we do with them?"
"Leave 'em," Welf snorted as he rested his hammer onto his shoulder. "They can drag those Shadow Troupe bastards back to Lord Ares for all I care."
"Welf, Lili," a buzzing voice suddenly called out, causing Vil and Garon to tense up. A bug clone rose up in front of the two Hestia Familia members, and the duo sensed something was wrong.
"Return to the manor, Evilus is attacking."
Those seven words filled them with terror, and they immediately rushed out of the warehouse without a second look back, making a beeline back towards the Hearth Manor. They could already hear the sounds of destruction ringing out in the night, and see the smoke spilling into the air, obscuring the moon and stars.
The two could only hope they'd make it back in time.
Chapter 52: Chapter 49: The Beasts Below
Chapter Text
Chapter 49: The Beasts Below
Taylor was hiding in the attic of a house located on a street in-between the meeting spot for the Crozzo family reunion and the Heart Manor. It was surprisingly cozy, having been converted into a bedroom, though it was currently unused, and had been for over a year according to her investigations.
She'd been offered a chance to attend a war council, but had ignored the summons in order to get everything ready for the evening. And after setting it all up and waiting for the right moment, it was finally showtime.
The parahuman stretched her power outwards and flattened it a bit into a more oval shape. Doing so, she was able to keep an eye on both her home and the warehouse at the same time as night fell upon Orario.
'Just as expected,' she thought to herself as her swarm detected far more people within the warehouse then there should have been. Five in total, with all of them adventurers, and one was the same Level 3 she'd detected lurking in the shadows of Ares' tent.
'The rest are Level 1s and a single Level 2. The latter must be Welf's grandfather,' Taylor mused. None of the shadowy figures noticed as Lili snuck in through the roof. The pallum had shapeshifted into a monstrous form with wings – a Bad Bat, to be precise – and flown overhead to land on the warehouse's roof before sneaking in with the Hades Head helmet and lying in wait for the confrontation to come.
While the Level 3 adventurer was a threat, the rest wouldn't be that dangerous. Welf and Lili would be able to take them all on if they worked together. After all, the duo, while they might bicker a bit, were able to fight in tandem quite well, and could take on Level 3s if they worked together. Aisha and Bell had both seen and experienced this first hand, the duo having managed to score a win on the former, though the latter had yet to be defeated.
'And, if necessary, I can step in to help,' she thought to herself, maneuvering a few insects so they could immediately swarm the area if she needed to.
Welf entered the warehouse, and Taylor listened in as his family tried to convince him to return. It wasn't effective at all, and Welf refused outright, only to be betrayed by his father. Who could have ever seen it coming? Spoiler: They all did.
What Taylor didn't expect was the threat the Level 3, Umber, made about sending kidnappers after Hestia. Hearing that, she immediately stretched her power out around her home, scanning it for any threats.
Unfortunately, she found them. Seven men of various races, all Level 2, wearing the same outfits as Rakia's Shadow Troupe that were sneaking up on the manor from the rooftops.
However, not a single one of them was a threat. With a Level 5, a Level 4, two Level 3s, and several Level 2s and 1s, not to mention Chris, Debbie, and the other monsters, Taylor wasn't worried about any of these Rakians.
What did concern Taylor was the presence of dozens of monsters and several extremely powerful adventurers lurking below in the sewers surrounding the manor. Some of the adventurers wore the white of Evilus, but others were clad in black, similar to the Rakians, but different, as they reeked of poison and blood. Worse, though, was that somehow, the monsters were not under her control, even though they'd entered the range of her power.
Which should have been impossible. They were Violas and Virgas, the flower and caterpillar monsters that by all rights should have been able to be controlled by Queen Administrator based on all prior experience.
Pushing her power further, the parahuman probed the minds of the monsters, and as she dug into them, found that something was very, very wrong.
'Someone else has already taken control of them!' she realized in horror.
The parahuman could issue orders to the monsters approaching the manor, but before they could do anything more than twitch they would fall back under the dominion of the red-haired woman who, to her swarm's senses, hummed like badly tuned TV static.
'This domination must be how that person is doing this,' Taylor guessed.
After all, she knew from Shakti that the Tamer Ability did not allow a person to control dozens of monsters at once with near-absolute authority. It required something else, like Taylor's own Shard-based power, to do so.
Without wasting another second, numerous bug clones appeared throughout the Hearth Manor, warning everyone of the approaching threats.
"Hestia! Take Wiene to the panic room!" Taylor commanded, her voice emanating from a bug clone that appeared in the kitchen where the goddess was cleaning up.
Hestia jumped in shock, but didn't hesitate to listen to her captain's words and rushed out, grabbing Wiene on her way to the special bunker Taylor had secretly built in the basement.
Debbie had dug it out, along with a tunnel that connected to the basement of a bookstore that Hestia frequented, and whose owner was a kind old man that was friendly to their Familia. It would let the goddess and Wiene escape if the manor fell.
"Bell! Ryuu! Tammuz, Aisha! Get your weapons and equipment, now! We have Evilus and Rakian assassins incoming!" she instructed. "Oriana, Mikoto, gather with the Level 1s in the ballroom! Barricade the room and prepare for a siege!"
"Haruhime, I need you to cast your Level boosting Spell on everyone you can. Start with Ryuu and Tammuz!" Taylor said, continuing to monitor the terrorists as they headed towards her Familia.
The red-head seemed to have noticed Taylor's attempt to rip control away from the monsters around her, and she'd doubled her pace, pushing them further.
'I have no choice,' Taylor thought, and sent an order to all of the Virgas.
It was a simple command: Die. The moment it was received by the caterpillar-like monsters, their primitive minds obeyed and before the red-haired hybrid could react and regain control, every single Virgas perished, their organs instantly shutting down.
As soon as this happened, their bodies exploded, spraying acidic blood everywhere that immediately caused a chain reaction in the cramped confines of the sewer tunnels. Several Evilus members armed with exploding vests perished, and the survivors panicked and triggered their own detonations prematurely, causing the bombs to go off far away from their intended targets.
Taylor also helped that process along by using her bugs to sneak inside the bomb vests and trigger them that way, killing the rest of the ones who hadn't succumbed to acid or suicide.
In mere seconds, the mortal cannon fodder were all dead, with only some monsters and a pair of elite Evilus adventurers left.
Checking back in with Welf and Lili, she felt a flicker of pride seeing the two of them strike down the Level 3 assassin, but she didn't have time to congratulate them, and formed a new bug clone inside the warehouse.
"Return to the manor, Evilus is coming," she informed them through the buzzing mass of insects, and the duo shot off, running back home to help out. Taylor herself had already begun flying back the manor, not wanting to leave her Familia alone.
It would still take a couple minutes before they all got back, so until then, Taylor had to coordinate everything through her swarm. She sent a warning to Shakti to send in some people to arrest the Rakians in the warehouse but focused intently on her own home.
As she rushed back, the street in front of the manor collapsed, having been weakened by acid and explosions. Two adventurers leapt out, landing in front of the gate which was torn apart with a quick strike.
One had short red hair and dead eyes, her body humming like a cross between the divine essence of the Falna and the monsters of the Dungeon. It was hard to judge her strength as her aura was so strange, but it felt like she was maybe in the upper limits of Level 6. The other intruder had spiky pink hair and a demented look in her eyes. From the hum of her Falna that sounded like maniacal laughter, she was Level 5.
Behind them, six Violas slithered out, but they looked battered. There were more still squirming within the hole, but they had yet to emerge, clearly being held in reserve.
Without a moment of hesitation, the red-head punched the gate open, tearing it down. At the same time, the Hearth Manor's front door swung open, and Ryuu, Tammuz, Bell and Aisha emerged, fully armed and equipped for war, while the two former Ishtar Familia members had been boosted by Haruhime along with Ryuu and Bell. Sadly, that had been the limit for the renard, and she was currently recovering from Mind Down in the ballroom with a potion.
"Hand it over," the red-head demanded, sticking her hand out imperiously.
"Why are ya asking them for anything?! Let's just tear them apart and ransack the place!" the pinkette sneered. "I owe them, after all! They ruined my jacket!"
"Valletta Grede," Ryuu spat out, glaring at the spiky pink-haired woman who'd jumped out of the hole in the ground.
"The Gale! So good to see ya!" Valletta cackled. "I knew ya were still alive! Nobody who offs a god and their entire Familia would just die in the gutters!"
Ryuu raised her wooden blade, glaring at the pinkette, who raised her own sword. The two stared each other down.
"Ready or not, here I-!" Valletta began, only to be blindsided as Tammuz leapt in, attacking the Evilus member first.
"The Hell?!" the Level 5 exclaimed. "What are you-?!"
"You are my opponent," Tammuz declared.
"Shit, how are you so strong?! You were only Level 4 last time we met!" the pink-haired cultist shouted in disbelief as she parried the sword aside. "And why are you fighting for the shit-stains?! Didn't they kill your goddess?!"
"My heart was once charmed by Lady Ishtar, it is true, but now it belongs to another," Tammuz declared. "And you are threatening all she holds dear. For that, you must be punished."
Valletta screamed in frustration as she began to take the fight seriously. Tammuz' curved blade unleashed miniature tornados of razor-sharp wind that drove the Evilus adventurer back.
Tammuz was no fool, and pressed his advantage, making sure to stay as far from the ominous blade while he tried to cut her apart.
Ryuu turned away from the sight of their duel, leaving the former Vice-Captain to his fight, and instead looked towards the other adventurer who'd leapt out of the hole.
"And who are you?" Ryuu demanded.
"My name doesn't matter," she replied coldly. "Especially not to a dead woman."
Ryuu barely had time to react, raising her sword in the nick of time to block the vicious blow from the bizarre Tamer.
'Strong!' Ryuu thought in surprise. Even with her Level boosted to 6, it was clear this person was far more powerful, possibly nearing Level 7.
The elven waitress was driven back several steps but quickly cast Luminous Winds, filling the air around the hybrid with explosive orbs of stardust. They rained down onto the Tamer, bursting apart with immense force, but it barely did anything to the red-head, the wounds healings rapidly.
"You… are a threat," the cultist declared grimly as her face regenerated.
"I am the hurricane that tears down your kind, scum," Ryuu retorted darkly. "Evilus should have stayed dead."
"We cannot die," the woman claimed ominously. "So long as she desires to see the sun, we shall fight for that dream."
"Let's test that theory," Ryuu shot back, before lunging in, the air filling with even more magical stardust.
As that clash was happening, several more Violas burst out of the ground near the gate as well. They immediately joined with the six already there, and all of them surged towards the manor where Hestia and the others were sheltering, the monsters able to detect the divine magic within.
"No you don't!" Bell shouted, and he and Aisha charged out at them, attacking the flower-shaped monsters with gusto.
The Amazon swung her great sword, shouting "Hell Kaios!" as she did so. A red shockwave lashed out from the tip of her blade, splitting a Viola in two, while Bell double-teamed another one with a clone which exploded inside the mouth of the man-eating plant, destroying it.
More Violas came, far more than the two could handle, but Chris leapt into the fray as well, his bladed limbs carved them apart. Debbie erupted from the ground as well, a Viola caught in its mouth which was quickly swallowed like a grotesque spaghetti noodle. And from above, the Gun Libellula fired spikes into the horde, scoring hits on the few surviving Virgas and causing them to detonate which helped debilitate the enemy.
While this was happening, seven black cloaked and hooded figures crept towards the manor, thinking they could use the chaos to achieve their own goals, but upon entering the building and breaking into the ballroom, they found several adventurers waiting for them.
"To think Rakia would stoop so low as to take hostages," Oriana declared, pointing her spear at the agents sent to kidnap Hestia.
"Indeed. Let us show them the error of their ways," Mikoto agreed, drawing her sword. The rest of the Familia showed their war faces as well, Lucia and Iris standing protectively in front of the others.
The Shadow Troupe exchanged looks with each other before charging in at an unseen signal between them. Seven Level 2s should have been able to overwhelm the duo, to say nothing of the Level 1s, but the kidnappers soon discovered they were a lot stronger and more coordinated than they should have been.
Mikoto lunged, her sword aimed at the chest of one of the Rakians. He managed to sway aside and tried to plunge a knife into her arm, but Mikoto was ready for such an attack and withdrew.
The assassin sneer at her as she retreated and he tossed a smoke bomb onto the ground, filling the space around them with noxious green smog that blinded her. However, her Abnormal Resistance protected her from the poison-laced gas, and she didn't need eyes to find her opponent. The Far Eastern swordswoman spun around, slashing into the cloud behind her.
There was a cry of pain as the assassin collapsed, cleaved open from right shoulder to left hip thanks to Mikoto's Skill, Yatanokurogarasu, letting her detect the assassin even though he was obscured by the smoke bomb.
Nearby, Oriana challenged her own assassin, tanking the sword strikes. Her opponent was a dual-wielder, the pair of gladius he used bouncing harmlessly off of her armor thanks to her own Skill, Knight Wall, boosting her Endurance and enhancing the gear she was wearing.
'I must protect my Familia!' she thought to herself, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Her grip tensed around her spear, and then she leapt back as the assassin tried to cut her throat open.
The Shadow Troupe agent had not expected Oriana to move after previously standing still and not even bothering to dodge earlier, and as a result he overextended, becoming unbalanced and, in that moment, vulnerable.
Oriana took advantage of it and thrust her spear forward. It pierced the assassin's chest and heart, killing him instantly.
The rest of the assassins had split up to take on the rest of the Familia, clearly thinking they could handle a couple of Level 1s. How wrong they were, for the Hestia Familia was many things, but weak was not one of them. Above all else, Taylor had drilled teamwork into them day after day, and this was to their advantage.
Many other people with a Falna tended to become lone wolves, only fighting in groups when necessary, and even then, they did so as individuals forced to work together. That was not the case for the Hestia Familia, and everyone had a partner they could trust with their back.
A pallum member of the Shadow Troupe tried to murder the two youngest members of the Familia, but discovered he'd bitten off more than he could chew as Gina was able to keep him on the backfoot, forcing him to dodge and block more than he should have.
He may have been Level 2, but he was still a pallum, and an assassin at that. Gina was an Amazonian child, who even without her Falna was significantly stronger than many Falnaless adults of other races.
"Take this!" Primo shouted, having taken the time her friend had bought her to chant and prep her Spell. "Lumine Pleiades!" Magic Circles suddenly formed all around the assassin, and he staggered as a barrage of magical beams slammed into him from every direction.
"HA!" Gina cried out, plunging her swords into the Rakian intruder the instant the barrage of energy faded. One went through the pallum's stomach, the other through their throat. He died instantly.
Nearby, Iris and Lucia were teaming up against a figure whose poorly hidden ears revealed him to be a rabbit-kin. To handle his superior strength, the cow-girl had activated her Bronze Bull Skill and was quick to attack, driving the assassin back with the aura of flames surrounding her and her giant sword.
The rabbit-kin Shadow Troupe agent was fast and was more than able to dance away from Iris, but little did he know she was luring him into a trap. With his attention focused on her, he never noticed when Lucia teleported behind the assassin and she plunged her sword into his back, the tip bursting through his chest while the diverted kinetic energy made the wound even worse.
The next duo to take care of their opponent was that of Silva and Gita. It was honestly sad to watch. The cat and dog-girl both wielded large, heavy weapons and they simply overwhelmed their foe, a plain human, with speed and brute force, never allowing him to dictate the way the fight was supposed to go.
Once Silva's mace crushed the assassin's left shoulder, it was all over, as he froze, shocked from the pain, and Gita followed up with a blow to his waist that cut him in half with her battle axe.
Karen and Haruhime were next, the duo taking advantage of Karen's two Skills that significantly boosted her ability to fight against a single foe while the renard recovered enough Mind to chant her Spell.
Because Haruhime was a backrow fighter, a supporter, and wasn't directly fighting, this meant that Karen's Never Retreat Skill was in effect, ensuring the noblewoman got a large bonus to her stats while fighting the assassin one on one. And Noblesse Oblige also raised her stats since she was face to face with her opponent.
Karen's rapier swished through the air like a blur, forcing the assassin to push themself to block and dodge. His own weapon, an estoc, was a decent match for Karen's blade, but it was clear Karen had the advantage as she was used to up front combat while the assassin, was, well, an assassin, more used to sneak attacks rather than prolonged conflict.
"Stand still, cur, and accept your punishment!" Karen declared, never letting up.
"Crazy bitch!" the assassin snarled, trying to avoid being poked full of holes.
"…Grow!" Haruhime finally finished chanting, and Karen's movements suddenly vastly increased.
With both of her Skills boosting her stats, she'd been able to single-handedly hold off a Level 2. Now with her own Level artificially raised, the young noblewoman was simply too much for the assassin to handle and he soon fell, her rapier piercing through his left eye. And then his throat. Followed by his right lung. When Karen was finished, he was assuredly dead.
Last but certainly not least, Emma and Leo clashed against a black-clad dwarf who, unlike the others was using a war hammer, a decidedly non-assassin-like weapon.
In many ways, the duo was perhaps the most unimpressive, at least outwardly. They didn't have outstanding strength or speed that was out of the ordinary, and they lacked the powerful Skills and Spells the others could use.
What they did have were Emma's absolutely broken ability to borrow and redistribute the stats, Skills, and Spells of her Familia members, and Leo's total confidence in herself and her partner.
Leo was trading blows with her opponent, her great sword clashing against his hammer. The pink-haired twin sword user had traded her Power and Agility stats to Leo, letting the swordswoman match against the assassin, at least for a little while Emma acted as back-up.
Unfortunately, the dwarf's muscles abruptly bulged as his body started to glow, some sort of Skill activating, and he slammed into Leo, who immediately began to struggle against him even with her own Power stat modified with Emma's. She managed to hold him off long enough, though.
"Now!" Leo shouted, and Emma nodded, activating Rein Amur once more.
The short-haired swordswoman sagged as her Power and Agility stats suddenly went down, all of the bestowed strength and then some returning to Emma, causing the dwarf to overpower her and slam his hammer into her great sword.
Her weapon shattered, along with her ribs, but just like when Oriana had tricked her own opponent into overextending, so too had Emma and Leo. Even as the blue-haired adventurer was nearly crushed to death by the dwarf's hammer, Emma was already blitzing forward, her twin swords flashing towards the assassin's neck.
The dwarf managed to lean back and avoid getting his head chopped off, but all that meant was that he didn't die instantly, and instead had his beard cut off and his throat slashed wide open. He died beardless and choking on his own blood.
As he collapsed to the ballroom floor, silence fell, only groans and heavy breathing filling the air, along with the realization of what they'd just done. Seven Rakian elites, dead at the hands of the Hestia Familia's weakest members.
Taylor watched all of this through her swarm, feeling pride at her Familia managing to overcome what should have been a lopsided conflict not at all in their favor. She directed a few insects to bring Leo some healing potions, but couldn't do much more than that.
'I will reward all of them,' she vowed. 'First, though, I have to save the Familia.'
Thankfully, that was something she could do as she finally arrived at the manor. She hovered in the air, glowing wings holding her aloft as she stared down at the battlefield. Nobody had noticed her arrival yet, and she intended to take advantage of this.
'Welf and Lili will be here soon, but until then I need to buy time,' Taylor thought to herself. She slotted a lightning element Magic Blade Cartridge and pointed her hand down at the battlefield.
Bolts of lightning cascaded down onto the lawn, tearing apart half a dozen monsters in a flurry of power. They also struck a couple of clones Bell had made, and they absorbed the electricity, glowing brighter and becoming stronger.
This naturally drew a lot of attention her way, the two Evilus agents getting temporarily distracted by the attack and quickly breaking away from their opponents, creating distance so they could focus on the new arrival.
"Well, well, well, look who bothered to show up?!" Valletta sneered as she looked upwards.
"You've made a mistake attacking our Familia," Taylor said, her voice carried to them via her swarm.
"Neat trick," the pinkette sneered. "But why don't you come down here and face us properly!"
Taylor ignored the crazy Level 5, as her attention was entirely focused on the mysterious woman beside her.
Unseen to all, a battle of wills was occurring as Taylor tried to fight the Tamer's control over the monsters. The Violas and Virgas were no more intelligent than a Killer Ant, but the hybrid's domination ability was a bit different from the way Queen Administrator did things.
'There's a connection between her soul and the monsters,' Taylor realized. Queen Administrator could dominate the mind but it couldn't control the soul… or rather, the Magic Stone. That was what this woman was using to maintain control.
'I can order a monster's brain to do something, but she can counter by commanding it on a more fundamental level to ignore whatever I tell it. If we fight, it will always be a tug-of-war situation,' Taylor thought to herself. 'When we raid Knossos, we'll have to be extremely careful. Her range cannot be equal to my own, though, so I'll have the advantage in that regard.'
Taylor wouldn't admit it, but there was something novel and exciting about fighting somebody who had a power so similar to hers.
"Give us the key, Weaver," the hybrid suddenly said, her dead eyes locked onto those of the Level 3 parahuman.
"Is this what you want?" Taylor asked after a moment, removing the crimson orb Tammuz had stolen from the Ishtar Familia and holding it aloft.
"Hand it over," the red-head demanded, her eyes now zeroed in on the object.
Taylor stared down at her, before clenching her hand. The orb shattered as her golden fist closed around it, crystal shards raining down upon the battlefield.
The hybrid adventurer blinked up at the parahuman while Valletta squawked in disbelief.
"What did you do, you crazy bitch?!" the pinkette shrieked.
"Pot, meet kettle," Taylor drawled. Valletta stepped forward, scowling darkly, and bent her legs, clearly about to leap up and try to attack the hovering captain, but the red-head placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Our mission was to retrieve the key. It has been destroyed," the hybrid stated.
"HUH?!" Valletta uttered in disbelief. "We're just gonna leave?!"
"The parameters have changed," the hybrid replied. "Lord Thanatos must be informed."
"Ugh! Fine!" Valletta growled, before turning around, only for a wall of insects to rise around them.
"You think I'm just going to let you leave like that?" Taylor asked.
Thousands of insects spilled forth from their hiding spots, swarming over the members of Evilus.
"Eww!" Valletta gagged, swatting away the bugs as best she could, but wasn't able to do anything, especially when her body suddenly gave out as Taylor cast Geas Immulatio upon her which gave the parahuman a chance to shove fistfuls of squirming vermin down the madwoman's throat.
The hybrid for her part completely ignored the tide of insects that was trying to suffocate her and instead grabbed Valletta, planning on running off with her partner, but Taylor had planned for this.
'Now!' Taylor thought, and sent a command through her swarm.
On a rooftop nearby, an invisible Lili summoned something Welf had built for her a while ago for the Dungeon expedition they'd planned, but due to reasons, never got around to using it.
From her extra-dimensional storage space a pre-loaded giant ballista appeared, landing on the roof with a thump.
Now, Lili was a very good shooter. Quite good, in fact. Her skills with a crossbow – both repeating and regular – were superb. And a ballista was just an oversized crossbow when you got down to it, right?
Add in the fact she had used Cinder Ella to transform into a werewolf version of herself to borrow their exceptional night vision, and Lili would be able to hit any target she wanted.
Upon the signal Taylor gave from her swarm, a massive Adamantite tipped ballista bolt fired through the air and slammed into the red-headed hybrid, piercing clean through her chest and effectively pinning her to the ground.
Thanks to her Level 2 strength, Lili was able to reload the ballista with little trouble, allowing Taylor to lash out at the impaled hybrid while that happened.
"Earthquake!" Taylor intoned as she formed dozens of miniature magic circles all over the two women's bodies using ants, gnats, and other members of her swarm.
What happens when dozens of tiny, localized earthquakes all hit a person's body at once? It turns out the human body isn't built to withstand that sort of abuse and even with the Endurance of high-level individuals Valletta and the red-head both suffered severe internal injuries and broken bones.
To everyone's shock, though, the hybrid was still able to recover, her regeneration utterly insane, and she pulled herself off the ballista bolt pinning her down, leaving behind a large puddle of blood.
She then booked it, still dragging Valletta, and dove into the sinkhole in front of the manor, narrowly avoiding being impaled a second time as Lili fired the ballista again.
"They're getting away!" Ryuu hissed as she rushed over and stared down into the gaping hole leading to the sewers. She prepared to leap in after them, but was stopped but a bug clone blocking her path.
"Stop," Taylor ordered as she floated down. "Don't go after them."
"Why?" Ryuu demanded.
A moment later the power boost she'd been operating under the last couple of minutes disappeared and the elf gasped before sagging. Tammuz was next, the sword wielding man all but collapsing as his power up faded.
Turns out cheating the system and artificially going up a whole Level without earning it came with some drawbacks, mainly extreme physical and mental exhaustion.
"They know the underside of Orario better than we do," Taylor pointed out, adding another reason for not chasing after the Evilus members, despite having hurt them quite badly.
Already, the bugs clinging to the duo were beyond the range of her power, and it was frustrating to Taylor how easily the hybrid shrugged off her favorite spell.
"What happened with Welf?" Bell asked, walking over with a concerned look.
"We're fine!" Welf called out as he jogged over with Lili at his side. "My family tried and failed to take me back. Me and Lili even managed to team up and defeat a Level 3."
"Whoa!" Bell gasped, and everyone else looked impressed.
"They're not the only ones who deserve praise," Taylor stated. "The rest of the girls took down a Rakian hit squad that was supposed to kidnap Hestia and hold her hostage for Welf's release."
"They did?" Aisha exclaimed.
"Yes. Seven Level 2s, all on their own," Taylor said with a proud smile, and the group stared at her in disbelief.
"Okay, now I'm convinced. This Familia is bullshit. In the most awesome way," Aisha declared.
"Indeed, the rate of growth is impressive," Tammuz agreed.
"That's all well and good, but what about Evilus?" Ryuu asked, still fixated on that.
"We will deal with them with the Loki Familia and the rest of the task force," Taylor replied firmly, giving Ryuu a look that told her to drop it.
"Unfortunate that the key to Knossos had to be destroyed to drive them off," the former Vice-Captain of the Ishtar Familia said, and a round of disappointed heads bobbed in agreement.
"It's fine, we can still get inside the mini-Dungeon," Taylor told them.
"But you destroyed the orb!" Bell said. "Wasn't it important?"
"The orb itself was not important. This, however, is," Taylor said, opening her golden hand. Nestled in her palm was an eyeball, the very same one that had been inside the crystal orb!
"Wait, so, you're saying that the eyeball is the actual key?" Welf asked, surprised.
"It is. The thing is full of magic, and the crystal it was embedded in was designed to channel the energy within like a magic tool," Taylor explained. "So long as the eyeball itself is safe, it can still be used. And it seems that Evilus assumed I didn't know this, and destroyed the eye when I crushed the orb."
"You tricked them!" Lili gasped, impressed, and Taylor smirked.
"I did." She then looked around at the devastation that had befallen the manor.
There was a giant hole in the street in front of the gate, along with a considerable amount of damage within the yard. The house was mostly intact, but the windows and front doors would need replacing, as would the porch.
"For the moment, let's clean up," Taylor suggested.
"And then what?" Bell asked.
"Rakia made a mistake tonight. First, they tried to abduct Welf and Hestia. Then, they allied with Evilus," Taylor said darkly. "By tomorrow morning, this siege will be over, and they will regret everything."
Nobody said anything in response, but every single one of them had the same thought: 'Sucks to be Ares.'
Chapter 53: Chapter 50: Siege Breaker
Chapter Text
Chapter 50: Siege Breaker
"…and after Rakia's siege engines are destroyed, we launch an attack on the south-west camp to destroy their supplies," Finn said, laying out his idea for dealing with the army outside their walls.
The war meeting regarding the city's protection had run long into the evening for a number of reasons, some of which being a few deities thinking they could interrupt and give their 'advice' no matter how unwanted and unnecessary it was. But, after the gods had finally gotten bored and wandered out of the conference room around dinner time, Finn had finally been able to get the captains of the most important Familias organized and discussing the siege.
"That should destroy their morale and force them to act more cautiously," Ottar said, nodding slowly as he went over the Braver's plan. The Boaz could admit that the pallum was a better tactician than him, and this seemed like it would work quite well.
"Airmid, will you and the other healers be ready to receive any and all injured people?" Finn asked the Dian Cecht Captain, and she nodded confidently.
"Our potion stockpile is ready to accommodate the casualties," she confirmed. "We're working with the Miach and Serket Familias to help bolster production, and the Ganesha Familia is selling us Purple Moth and Blue Papillion powder at a cheap price."
"Good. And with the Ganesha Familia stepping up patrols to keep public unease low, I don't think we'll have to worry about any problems regarding the civilian populace," Finn said. "Though just to be sure… Persephone, how are the granaries and food cellars doing?"
"Nice and full," the captain of the Demeter Familia assured the Level 7. "If necessary, we can last for half a year without having to worry about rationing."
"That's excellent!" Finn said, pleased. "Keep a close eye on them to make sure nobody tries to steal anything or attempts to raise prices beyond the pale in the marketplace."
Before the meeting could continue, a knock at the door disturbed them.
"Uh, Captain Finn?" a rabbit-man called out as he stepped inside the war room.
"Yes, what is it?" Finn asked, a touch impatiently as he turned to look at the adventurer, a Level 2 from his own Familia.
"Rakia just tried to abduct Lady Hestia and Welf Crozzo and allied with Evilus to do so," the rabbit-eared adventurer explained.
Finn stared at him, while Ottar sighed. The rest of the captains all shared nervous looks. After a tense moment the pallum angrily swept the stack of papers he'd painstakingly spent all night working on off the table and plopping down into his chair with what somebody with a death wish would have called a pout.
"Err, is everything alright, Finn?" Persephone asked nervously.
"Oh, everything is fine!" Finn said, sounding a little manic. "The siege is about to be lifted and the war with Rakia will be over before the week is out! And all of my carefully laid and prepared plans won't need to be used at all!"
"What do you mean by… oh," Sophia Flores uttered, blinking as the Serket Familia's captain realized with growing horror what was about to happen.
"Shit, this is gonna be another incident like the Entertainment District, isn't it?" Nernatti, the Dark Elf captain of the Hathor Familia, wondered aloud.
It was a rhetorical question. They all knew that trying to touch her Familia was the easiest way to get Weaver mad at you. And when the captain of the Hestia Familia was mad, she tended to destroy entire Familias.
"Do you think she's going to end up sending Ares back to Tenkai?" somebody asked nervously.
Everyone in the room knew that the crazy bug-controlling woman had been responsible for Ishtar's removal from the city. They were just smart enough not to mention it. Who wanted to piss off someone unafraid of committing the ultimate taboo?
"I don't know, but I have to go tell my Familia to update the betting pool odds," the captain of the Tyche Familia said with a sigh before he walked out.
"Gods damn it, Taylor. One week without causing some sort of trouble! Just one!" Shakti groaned. "Was that so hard?"
Ottar snorted and began to walk towards the door, causing the rest of the adventurers to look over.
"Where are you going?" Finn demanded.
"To the western walls," he replied easily. "I want front-row seats for what's about to happen."
Everyone blinked at that before Finn sighed and hopped to his feet, joining Ottar.
"Yeah, alright, I'm coming with ya."
After a moment the rest of the captains filed out. Some followed the Level 7s, the others went to find some place to hide. Regardless of what they were going to do, it'd be a night to remember.
111 && 111
Taylor did not immediately make her way to the Rakian army. First, she drank a Mind potion. Then, she flew into the air and began to travel back and forth across the city, adding as many bugs as she could to her swarm.
When she'd amassed a truly massive collection, large enough to fill several blocks with a seething tide of chitin, Taylor finally flew out towards the besieging army.
For the Rakian soldiers on sentry duty, the first sign that something was wrong was when the moon disappeared behind a cloud. To be fair to them, this wasn't unusual. Clouds came and went.
But when the second indicator was a droning buzz that filled their ears and echoed throughout their camp, followed by an eerie green and gold glow, then the sentries started to get a little worried.
As the sentries looked up towards the noise, several of them couldn't help but blink and wonder if they were actually asleep and dreaming. How else could they explain the presence of a black-haired woman with a golden arm, held aloft by green and gold moth wings who was floating above the center of their army while a second moon made of writhing, shadowy masses loomed over everything and blocked the moonlight?
A moment later the screaming started as the shadow-moon broke apart, tendrils of inky blackness descending upon the war-camp like an Eldritch God.
Roaches and flies swarmed the supply wagons, befouling the food, while termites were airdropped by wasps onto the siege engines so they could devour the wooden frames. Spiders descended on silk parachutes and entered the tents of the officers alongside scorpions, biting and stinging until screams of pain joined those of terror.
The soldiers tried to put on armor but found their equipment infested with fleas, ticks, and other creepy-crawlies. One unfortunate man tried to put on his helmet, only for a bunch of centipedes to spill out and then crawl into his clothes. Another had his toes attacked by roaches when he attempted to put on a boot.
And those unfortunate Rakians who already possessed some sort of parasite on - or worse, within - their bodies? It wasn't pleasant at all. Especially when some who'd been carrying tapeworms around in their guts suddenly had said worms evacuate their bodies - along with the contents of their bowels.
Trying to use weapons didn't go any better. Spears and bows were ruined by termites and other critters chewing them up. Any time a man tried to grab a sword or shield hidden spiders would leap out and bite their hands. Heavier weapons ended up swarmed with masses of venomous insects. And of course the combat mages couldn't even cast any spells because of all the bugs crawling over them and making it nigh impossible to concentrate or chant.
It was pure chaos. Madness gripped the soldiers and they tried to scramble into some semblance of order but every time they tried, bugs would assault them and the discipline would break down. The horses were absolute terrified, and many broke free of their hitches and temporarily stables, running rampant through the camp causing even more panic.
Some tents ended up catching fire as candles were knocked over, but Taylor was quick to put them out before they spread. She did so by simply smothering the burgeoning blazes with so many insect bodies that the flames had no choice but to go out. This, of course, did not help the Rakians' terror, as seeing swarms of bugs throw themselves into fires only added to the unnaturalness of the situation.
Just when they thought it couldn't get worse, it did. Chris appeared out of the darkness, his blades flashing, and the Level 2s who'd been able to put up a slightly better defense fell, weapons and armor ruined. And then he would retreat back into the shadows, hunting down another victim.
In the air, Militia, the newly christened Gun Libellula, fired her spikes into the tents, destroying that which the rest of the swarm hadn't yet damaged, as well as ruining armor. Full plate was rather useless with a hole in the chest, after all.
There may have been five thousand people with the Falna within the army, but wherever the Crystal Mantis and Gun Libellula went, warriors fell in droves, unable to overwhelm a monster who was currently on par with a Level 4 adventurer or one who was around Level 2 and could fly and snipe them from a distance. None of the Rakians were hurt badly enough to die, either. Taylor made sure of that, sprinkling potions and Blue Papillion powder onto the worst of the injuries. Just enough to heal them, but not fully.
Meanwhile, the two generals of Rakia were busy protecting Ares' tent alongside the bodyguards, but it was clear to Taylor as she eavesdropped that they wouldn't be able to reestablish order anytime soon.
"Stop running around like headless chickens!" the Level 3 general shouted at the soldiers outside the tent, while the blond Level 2 was trying to escort Ares away.
"Lord Ares, please!" the blond pleaded. "It's not safe here!"
"Nonsense!" Ares laughed, though there was a tinge of mania in his voice. "This is just a setback! We can outlast this crazy adventurer!"
"My lord, I was only out there for a minute, and even I can tell that the siege is lost. Our only chance is to retreat!"
"You would flee, Prince Marius?!" the general exclaimed, turning towards the young man who was apparently royalty. "How pathetic! Your father would be ashamed to know he raised a coward!"
"My father is not here," Prince Marius retorted. "And bravery does not exactly matter when you are surrounded and attacked on all sides by a foe you cannot easily counter!"
"We cannot flee! Not until Umber completes his mission!" Ares commanded.
"Lord Ares, I highly doubt the Shadow Troupe were able to capture Lady Hestia or the Crozzo. Odds are they were killed," Marius said, turning back to the War God. "And do you not think it is odd that this tent is currently the only place in the entire camp not be assaulted by legions of bugs?"
"Bah! She is a mortal! She would never attack a god!" Ares scoffed dismissively.
"My lord, the rumors from Orario state she personally sent Lord Apollo and Lady Ishtar back to Tenkai," Marius hissed out. "I highly doubt she fears you at all."
"Lies and propaganda!" the general snorted, and Ares nodded in agreement.
"Hestia was always a weakling and crybaby back in the Heavens but she is still a goddess. She would never allow a child of hers to harm a fellow deity!"
"Indeed, Hestia can be kinda weepy at times. However, it's that kindness that makes her a far better person, let alone a goddess, than you," Taylor said, speaking through a bug clone she formed in the middle of the tent, causing the general to cry out and attack it with an axe.
Marius shot the man a look that screamed 'are you an idiot?!' before turning back to Weaver's clone, warily watching and waiting for the other boot to drop right on their heads.
"So, you finally show yourself," Ares said, folding his arms and trying to seem like an imposing figure with his height and cape. "I admit, you've managed to inconvenience my army, but you cannot defeat them all!"
"I already have, though," Taylor replied. "Or at least, I've devastated their capacity for war. Your siege engines are gone, your ranged weapons are gone, your supplies are gone, your Falna-equipped soldiers have been thrashed and reduced to weeping messes… quite simply, Ares, your army is broken and a single deed away from routing completely."
"You haven't won!" Ares declared pompously. "Surrender now and I will be lenient!"
Taylor just laughed before dispersing her clone. Ares looked around while Marius and the general tensed up, but after a moment nothing happened, and the latter relaxed while the god laughed mockingly.
"Ha! I knew it-!" he began, only to be cut off when Debbie exploded out of the ground right below Ares' tent, sowing even more chaos as she gobbled up the god in front of the entire army before spitting him out into the Venenthes that was attached to its back.
"You'll be staying in there until I've decided what to do with you," Taylor said as she dropped the god into the monstrous pitcher plant where he was soon joined by his generals and bodyguards that were tossed inside by Chris and the Gun Libellula.
The pitcher plant monster was strong enough to contain Level 4 adventurers, it would be more than capable of keeping the stunned and injured Rakians trapped. Taylor did make sure that it didn't make any acid, though. That would ruin her plans if they got digested by accident.
"SURRENDER!" Taylor commanded, her order emanating from her swarm throughout the camp.
Thousands of Level 1 and 2 Rakians did not hesitate to throw down their weapons and fall to their knees after watching their god get devoured by monsters. They knew he was alive since their Falnas were still there, but that could change in a heartbeat.
And as the superpowered members of the army surrendered, this caused a ripple effect to go through the rest of the camp. Soon, the unpowered soldiers followed their example and began to give up in droves.
"Do you see now?" Taylor asked imperiously, staring down at Ares as he watched from within the pitcher plant monster as his soldiers surrendered to save his life. "I do not think you are worthy of such loyalty. Perhaps someday you will be. But for now… you are my prisoner. And if you want your freedom again, you will accept the terms of the peace treaty Orario shall present to you."
She then began to move back towards the city with her swarm, escorting her collection of captured Rakians to the gates while ignoring the god's shouted demands.
"Can one of you come down here and take them off my hands?" Taylor asked, waving a hand up at the walls, and after a moment a pair of figures leapt down from the gatehouse and landed in front of her with a thump, the ground crackling beneath them but suffering no damage themselves.
"Of course," Finn said, giving the Hestia Familia's captain a fake smile. "We'll take them to Babel and ensure they are treated as proper prisoners of war."
Ottar just nodded his head silently in agreement, though his gaze was locked onto Taylor, who was still hovering.
"Wonderful," Taylor said, looking between the two Level 7s. "Did you all enjoy the show?"
She could sense the dozens of adventurers and gods standing up on the walls who'd been watching as she tore apart the besieging army, and couldn't keep a smirk off her face at the dumbfounded expressions they wore.
"It was quite the sight," Finn praised, keeping his true thoughts and feelings hidden behind a mask that even Taylor couldn't quite see through. "Though I'm unsure of how many others were … appreciative of your display."
"You'd think that after I took down two other Familias all but single-handedly they'd stop being so surprised every time I do something like this," she mused aloud, causing Ottar to snort in amusement.
"You'd think so," he agreed.
"Oh, before I forget, there are some members of the Shadow Troupe unconscious in a warehouse nearby, including their leader. They tried to kidnap Welf. Not sure if they're still there, but if you could swing by and pick them up, that would be appreciated," Taylor added.
"I see. And what about your manor?" Finn asked. He did not mention Evilus, but she knew what he was referring to.
"If somebody could take a look at the damaged street and get started on repairing it in the morning, that would be appreciated," Taylor said. "There's also seven dead Shadow Troupe members inside my manor, so send a corpse wagon along to pick them up."
"I'll do so," Finn promised.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go home. My goddess just had a bit of a scare, and the Familia needs some time to rest and decompress. Please don't bother us for the next twenty-four hours unless it's an emergency," Taylor instructed before flying off with her Tamed monsters back into the city. After she ordered the Venenthes to spit up the captured god and his lackies, of course.
When she returned to the Hearth Manor, she found her Familia waiting for her on the lawn, Hestia at forefront of the group.
"You big dummy!" Hestia said as she stomped over to Taylor when the captain landed. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"
"Sorry. But it had to be done," she replied, though she quickly wrapped the tiny goddess in a hug. Although surprised at first, Hestia reciprocated, happily grinning.
"So! Did you kick Ares' butt?" Hestia asked after breaking from the hug.
"I captured him and his generals and handed them over to the city. Finn and Ottar should be escorting them to Babel as we speak," Taylor replied as she walked back to the rest of her Familia with goddess.
"Congrats, boss! I think you've gone and single-handedly ended the Sixth Rakian Invasion, and did so the quickest, too!" Welf said with a laugh.
"That makes three Familias that have been defeated by the Hestia Familia, and two of them were done by you alone," Bell commented as they all walked back inside. "Do you think you'll earn some sort of reward for that?"
"Lili can see the Guild doing that," Lili admitted. "Though Lili thinks it would be less a reward and more a bribe to never do so again."
"Yeah, that makes sense," Aisha snorted.
"I wish I could have seen it," Oriana said with a sigh. "It must have been incredible! One woman against an army and winning… just like the stories of old!"
"Yeah, we could all see that big orb of bugs you made. Must have made quite a few people pee themselves in fear," Gina giggled.
"They did," Taylor confirmed, which caused a fresh wave of snickers.
The captain then turned to Wiene, the Xenos having stayed behind while the rest of the Familia had crowded around her.
"Are you alright, Wiene?" Taylor inquired, and the young Dungeon-born girl nodded.
"Yes. Miss Hestia was very nice," she said softly.
"I'm glad you're safe," the parahuman said, patting the girl on the head, and she smiled up at her. "Now let's get you back inside before anyone sees you."
That would raise questions Taylor didn't particularly feel like answering at the moment.
"Come on Wiene! Let's get you some warm milk!" Hestia suggested, taking the young monsters by the hand. It seemed the little goddess had taken a shine to the Xenos.
Which while surprising, wasn't as odd as seemed. Hestia was a truly welcoming and kind individual, and although Taylor had only gotten to know Wiene for a short time, knew the Xenos was just as kind and full of curiosity that Hestia was happy to sate.
"Drag the bodies out of the ballroom," Taylor ordered as she led Hestia and Wiene back inside. "And collect what you can from the battlefield and the Evilus members. There might be clues on them."
Everyone nodded and got to work trying to make their home look a little bit more presentable for when the Guild came by to drag the dead away and start fixing the hole in the road.
111 &&& 111
Taylor woke up the next morning as the filling in a cuddle sandwich. On her left was Wiene, and on her right was Hestia. She snorted a little, though there was fondness in her gaze as she looked over the two.
Hestia hadn't wanted to say it aloud, but she had been scared last night. Not for herself, but for her Familia, her children. They had gotten lucky that the Evilus members had not been there to kill them all, instead only aiming to take back the key to Knossos Tammuz had stolen away during the collapse of the Ishtar Familia.
As for Wiene… the Xenos was a child. She was young, and had also been afraid from the attack on the Hestia Familia. Add in the fact that Taylor apparently 'smelled' like the Dungeon, and it was no surprise Wiene had felt safer in her presence.
It had taken a while to convince her to call her 'Auntie Taylor' instead of 'Other-Mama,' though. And it was still odd to be called that… but the parahuman found she actually kinda liked it.
Both goddess and Xenos had crawled into her bed last night, unable to sleep. Not wanting to make a fuss, she let them, and so the trio had drifted off to dreamland together.
After lying in bed for a bit and letting the morning sun trickle in through a crack in the curtains, she slowly peeled herself away from her bedmates, sitting up and eventually leaving the sheet behind.
She did some stretches to wake herself up before reattaching her prosthetic. Taylor didn't like sleeping with it on and took it off at night. Unless she slept on her back, the metal arm would always end up pressing against her ribs and that was a bit uncomfortable.
Then, when that was done, the parahuman doubled checked her Status Update from late last night. Her stats had gone up a bit thanks to running roughshod over the Rakian army, but her biggest change was a brand-new Skill: Armyslayer, A Skill to boost her effectiveness when fighting large numbers of foes.
It was a fitting Skill for her. For any adventurer, really, since in the Dungeon you were almost always outnumbered by monsters.
'And speaking of monsters,' she thought as she pulled an object out of the nightstand next to her bed and took a close look at it.
Taylor carefully examined the Magic Stone that had been dropped by one of the Violas – the Virgas' acid had destroyed their cores upon death – and she probed it with her magical senses.
Taylor was just starting to understand the nuances of magic, but she could tell that something was off about this crystal. The Magic Stones taken from monsters in the Dungeon were… pure, if she had to assign a word to them. They were raw magic, untouched by any external elements. This purity was why they could be used to power magic tools and Spells.
However, the off-color Magic Stones from the foreign monsters were tainted, for lack of a better term. There were outside elements she could not identify that were mixed in with the crystals which contributed to their odd color, but also the fact that monsters in the Dungeon despised them.
None of Taylor's Tamed monsters wanted them. Chris refused to eat any, and Debbie had spit them out after accidentally consuming a few due to gobbling up a few monsters during the fight. The newer monsters also had the same aversions.
Curiosity struck her, and Taylor poked the Magic Stone with a finger, letting a bit of her own Mind seep in. She pulled her finger away, and a thin thread of magical energy came with it, connecting her digit to the crystal. The magic was thick, almost sticky, and Taylor pushed it back inside after a moment of study.
'Strange,' she mused to herself. 'The energy within these altered Magic Stones feels similar to the spirits.'
Taylor had met a couple of them in Orario. A Gnome, or earth spirit, ran the largest library in the city while another ran a 'discrete' cough black market! cough pawn shop that bought and sold everything, no questions asked. A Salamander lived with the Hephaestus Familia, providing its fire to the smiths, and rumors of Undines living near Melen abounded.
Compared to gods, a spirit's magical essence felt more solid. Worldly, if that made sense. They were embodiments of nature given form, and their magic reflected this. The crystal in her hand had magic that felt muddy, like several spirits had become mixed up and blended together to create something new.
'Could a spirit be producing these Magic Stones?' Taylor wondered. 'Or perhaps… are these made from spirits?'
None of those filled her with confidence, and she dearly hoped she was wrong about where Evilus's Magic Stones were coming from.
"Nnnn… stop… bad…" Wiene mumbled, rolling over in her bed.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Taylor asked, glancing at Wiene as she sat up, glaring sleepily at the Magic Stone the parahuman had been examining.
"It's bad," she said with a frown.
"I see," Taylor said slowly. "Do you know why?"
"It smells funny," Wiene said, wrinkling her nose. She didn't seem able to articulate further than that, and Taylor shrugged.
"Well, whatever it is, we'll hopefully be able to destroy the source," she replied.
"Um, are we… when can I see my friends again, Auntie Taylor?" Wiene asked softly. "It's been a while."
"Don't worry. As soon as Rakia withdraws, we'll head down into the Dungeon and bring you back to your friends," Taylor promised. "And then, we'll all destroy the smugglers and Evilus, so no more Xenos will be taken."
"…You promise?" Wiene whispered.
"Yes," Taylor confirmed.
"…What if I don't wanna go back?" Wiene asked, her voice growing even softer. "What if I wanna stay here with you and papa and mama?"
"You mean Bell and Haruhime?" Taylor asked.
"Yeah," Wiene nodded. Hiding her amusement at Bell being called 'papa' Taylor gave the Xenos a one-armed hug.
"Even if I have to fight the Guild and every Familia in Orario, I will do so if you want to stay up here with us," she vowed.
"That's right!" a sleepy Hestia declared, having been woken up by their conversation.
The goddess pumped her fist weakly into the air before rolling over and grabbing Wiene, snuggling into the Xenos who let out a cute little "Eep!" as the tiny 'woman' used her as a body pillow.
"You might be a monster, but you're cute and nicer than a lot of adventurers and gods out there," Hestia stated, nuzzling Wiene's blue hair.
The monster girl blushed, and Taylor chuckled a little at the sight.
"I like the sun," Wiene murmured after a moment, not even bothering to try to escape from Hestia's grasp. "I like grass and flowers and birds… I love the surface. It's beautiful. It's alive. I never wanna leave."
That simple, innocent joy almost made both women's heart break, knowing how terribly she'd be treated due to her existence, and Taylor and Hestia both patted Wiene's head fondly, silently vowing to protect that innocence.
When that was done, Taylor got dressed, and then she went out into the backyard to visit the Spider Shed and the rest of her swarm and get them breakfast.
"Morning, Chris," Taylor said, greeting her oldest monster. "Excellent work last night."
He chittered in response, and she could sense his pleasure at being praised. His mind was growing in leaps and bounds and was definitely as smart as a dog now. Maybe even a dolphin.
She left him his breakfast – dog food mixed with crushed Magic Stones – and went to Debbie's spot. She lay beneath the ground, and Taylor poured the Dungeon Worm's breakfast into a hole. She sent mental waves of gratitude to Debbie for her help against Evilus, and Taylor felt the dirt shake a little in response.
The Gun Libellula – which now bore the name 'Militia' after the gun-toting heroine with that moniker – was resting and recovering from the fight and was still too 'young' to have many thoughts. She did perk up when Taylor brought her food, though.
Next came the Venenthes, which was rather simple to take care of. Water and Magic Stones were all it needed, though she tossed in other things like table scraps from dinner every so often. Since it could dissolve and digest anything organic it made for a good trash disposal.
Azure's food was a bit more expensive than any of the other monsters she owned, as fruit juice, sugar water, and honey weren't easy to get in the city, driving the price up. The Blue Papilio couldn't really eat Magic Stones either, not without grinding them up into a fine powder first. But regardless of the cost, Taylor paid it, and she refilled Azure's feeders with freshly squeezed apple juice spiked with powdered Magic Stones.
Last but not least was Annette, the Killer Ant being kept in her own special shed. She was small now, but would grow rapidly and needed the space all to herself. Already, she had quintupled in size since hatching and was the size of a bulldog, and quite voracious.
"Here you go," Taylor said, dropping a steak in front of the larva. Annette happily attacked the food, gobbling it up. A few Magic Stones were also given to her for extra energy.
"Dang, you're getting big," Taylor mused, peering down at the growing baby ant. Annette made a clicking noise and rolled over before running in circles, acting like a puppy. A furless, milk-white, many-legged puppy, but a puppy all the same.
"Well, at least you seem happy," the parahuman snorted. "And almost as smart as Chris."
Which was weird, and more than a little interesting. Was the fact Annette was a naturally born creature affecting her mental growth somehow? Perhaps Queen Administrator was nudging things along through their link. Whatever was happening, Taylor gave it a less than a month before Annette entered her pupa stage and metamorphized into her adult form.
After double-checking Annette's living quarters to make sure it was intact after last night, Taylor went back to the manor and made herself a late breakfast.
"I miss cereal," she murmured as she prepared some toast and jam.
Oh, don't get her wrong, she liked fresh eggs and bacon with some toast and muffins, but sometimes you just wanted a bowl of milk and cereal. Even corn flakes would be good!
'Actually, maybe I could make that,' Taylor mused to herself thoughtfully. Corn flakes were just ground up corn pressed flat into a sheet, baked in an oven, and then broken up. Simple, right?
'The problem would be getting corn for it… haven't seen any since arriving,' Taylor mused. 'Hm. I suppose I could just go for bran flakes instead, but corn… that was a superfood.'
'Come to think of it, how are there potatoes in Orario, but no corn? They are both New World foods,' the parahuman continued to wonder as she made her breakfast. Being able to multi-task was purely the greatest.
Mysteries of this world aside, right now it was time to eat, and she sat down with her food to enjoy a slow morning.
"Good morning, Taylor-Sama," Haruhime said in greeting as she entered the kitchen. "Did you sleep well?"
"Morning," Taylor replied. "And I did. Everything go alright last night? No issues crop up?"
"No, the Guild assessed the damage and assigned a construction Familia to begin repairs. And they removed the bodies," the renard informed her. "We'll have to take care of the damage to our yard ourselves, though."
"That's fine," Taylor said. "I'll shop around later, see who has the best price. Though if you could tell everyone that we're having a meeting after lunch?"
"Of course, Taylor-Sama," Haruhime replied.
"Oh, and wake up Hestia and Wiene. Don't let them sleep all day," Taylor requested. "Give them another hour, but make sure they're up and about afterwards."
The renard bowed again before walking out, leaving Taylor alone with her breakfast.
A few hours and a lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches later, and the Hestia Familia convened in the living room.
"Thank you all for gathering for the Familia meeting," Taylor said, giving a nod towards the group who'd gathered.
"Are we going to discuss what happened last night?" Mikoto asked.
"Correct. I saw a lot that made me proud, but I also spotted some spots where we could do better," the captain stated. "Though I want to first state that regardless of what I'm saying… you all did amazing."
Everything grinned happily at that. They had done an incredible job.
"First off: the teamwork was incredible. You all did well. Karen, your team up with Haruhime was well thought out and you leveraged your Skills quite well. Haruhime, your chanting has gotten faster as well."
"Thank you," Karen said, and Haruhime smiled and bowed.
"Emma, Leo… I'm afraid I have a few notes for you," Taylor said, her tone shifting to a reprimanding one. "While your trick worked, it nearly cost Leo her life. Emma, you need to find a way to use your Skills better. The ability to swap stats between Familia members is impressive, but make sure your partner can handle it when you do so."
"Yes, captain," Emma said, looking down at her feet while Leo nodded solemnly.
"We will do better," the blue-haired swordswoman vowed.
"Of course you will," Taylor replied, as if it was obvious, before looking towards her next victim.
"Next up, Bell, you need a sword," Taylor declared, causing her brother to blink in surprise.
"I do?"
"Yes. While I was watching you fight the Violas last night, I noticed that while sharp and more than capable of cutting through their flesh, the Hestia Knife was too short to do all that much damage," Taylor informed him. "Against monster that are below a Minotaur in size, it's perfectly fine. But larger targets need larger tools."
"What do you suggest, then?" Bell inquired.
"I'd consult with Welf, but I'd go with a hand-and-half arming sword," Taylor suggested. "Maybe even a straight-up long or bastard sword."
"Alright, that makes sense," Bell replied, nodding slowly.
"Additionally, try to experiment with dual wielding," the Familia captain continued. "Use the Hestia Knife as a parrying dagger to deflect attacks while striking with the longer weapon."
"Yeah… I can see that," the Lucky Rabbit mused to himself, eyes filled with a gleam as he was already going over ways to use her advice in his head.
Taylor nodded, glad he was taking her words seriously. She then turned to Primo, Aisha and Gina.
"Now, for you two. You both did incredible jobs last night. You especially, Gina. Your coordination with Primo was suburb. And Primo, while you need to work on increasing your chanting speed and work on concurrent chanting, the combination you two had worked well, so keep at it."
"Thanks!" the littlest Amazon said, rubbing the back of her head with a sheepish grin while the elf blushed.
"However, you both are not dressed properly," Taylor declared, giving the Amazons' attire disappointed looks. "You can wear what you like when off-duty, but in the Dungeon, not having some defensive layer is a liability."
"Not wearing armor makes sense, though," Aisha began, but was cut off with a raised hand.
"I've heard all the arguments, and I disagree completely. Yes, speed and evasiveness are perfectly valid tactics in the Dungeon, and honestly good sense. But there are times you can't avoid something and have to take a hit. And when that happens, a little bit of armor between you and whatever struck you can save your life."
Taylor then pointed at the dark-skinned duo. "Additionally, the argument that armor slows you down might be true for people without the Falna, but even a brand-new Level 1 can easily wear heavy armor that a non-augmented person would struggle with. And at higher levels, weight effectively becomes a non-issue. Not to mention the Falna specifically has a stat called 'Dexterity' that lets you retain your mobility even in clunky, awkward full plate armor."
"So, you want us to wear some sort of protection, then?" Gina asked, and Taylor nodded.
"It doesn't have to be as heavy as Lili's or Oriana's, but it needs to be more than the cloth you currently go into battle with. I do plan on weaving the rear-line fighters some special outfits from modified silk Lucia and I are experimenting with, though, so if you still want something light, just ask."
"Huh, really? How are you doing that?" Silva asked curiously.
"Lucia had the idea to feed the spiders potions to see if their silk would take on certain properties. So far, it seems it is a success, so we'll be feeding some new concoctions to see if we can't alter the properties of the silk further," Taylor explained.
Really, the experiment had been a bigger success than any of them had thought. The Healing Silk turned out to be the best, able to slowly heal wounds when wrapped around an injury, and bandages made of it could mend all manners of cuts, burns, and dermal injuries. Not broken bones, sadly. Still, very impressive all the same.
'Our next experiment will be seeing what happens when I mixed crushed Magic Stones, ground up Killer Ant carapaces, and powdered Crystal Mantis crystals into their feed,' Taylor mused to herself. She had big expectations for the outcomes!
"Now, Welf and Lili," Taylor said, shaking her head to dismiss the thoughts of silk that filled her head. "You managed to team up to take down a Level 3. For recent Level 2s, that is an incredible achievement. Lili, you used your Cinder Ella and Hade's Head to maneuver around the battlefield and Welf, while you didn't get a chance to use your new Skill, you showed off your improved handling of a war hammer in a combat situation. It's improved compared to last time."
"Thanks, boss!" Welf said, shooting her a thumbs up, while Lili blushed and looked away.
"I-it was nothing!"
"Also, well done with the ballista. Lili, you handled it well. Welf, you made a damn fine weapon," Taylor went on, before glancing at the dark-skinned man in the room. "Tammuz, you handled Valetta well but you were too soft and there were several times you could have pressed the advantage that might have greatly injured her. Since you did the same with me… I believe you might have been conditioned to not fight against women with your full might by Ishtar."
"I see… I never thought of that before," Tammuz admitted thoughtfully. "I shall work on this weakness."
"Ryuu… you need to get your anger under control," Taylor informed the elf. "I understand the hate you feel for Evilus, but do not let it control you."
She nodded curtly, clenching her fists tightly.
"Mikoto, Oriana, Silva, Gita, no notes. You used your Skills and combat experience to the best of your ability," Taylor said, finishing up the overview of the fight.
"Now, if you want, get your stats updated," Taylor suggested, and Hestia perked up.
"That's right! You all probably got really strong!" the goddess said cheerfully. At her side, Wiene winced from the way everyone's attention was now on them.
Taylor shot the Xenos a reassuring look, before adding something else.
"One final thing: We will be facing down against Evilus soon. We must defeat them, and we'll be working together with other Familias to do so, so don't slack off on your teamwork training!" she ordered, and everyone nodded, determination burning in their eyes.
The peace would not last. But Taylor would make sure her Familia would be prepared for the day conflict returned to Orario.
111 &&& 111
Taylor's Falna Update:
Taylor Hebert "Weaver"
Level 3
POWER – B 781 - - S 999
ENDURANCE – C 623 - - B 802
DEXTERITY – A 840 - - SS 1122
AGILITY – B 733 - - S 933
MAGIC – SS 1144 - - SSS 1448
Skills –
Queen of Escalation: Grants dominion over all invertebrates. Gain Excelia through dominated beings. Immunity to foreign mental effects, charms, and illusions. Limit Breaker. (SHARD)
God Slayer: wHaT iS A gOd To A nOnBeLieVeR? Consume the Essence of a god and usurp their Arcanum. Surpass all mortal limits. Bestow Shards onto the worthy. (SHARD)
Kheiron Excelsior: Boost the rate of growth for all who fall under your aegis. The results of training show sooner. Impart knowledge easier.
Giantslayer: Boost damage done to and Excelia gained from targets larger than oneself.
Armyslayer: Boost damage dealt and Excelia gained when fighting against large numbers of foes. The more numerous, the greater the boost. (NEW!)
Spell –
Geas Immulatio: By sacrificing a part of yourself, seal away the corresponding aspect of another being. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: I love you. I hate you. I will kill for you. I will die for you. Let my madness bind the world. Curse of Sacrifice!
Iaetitia Icari: Blessed by the sky, the user may summon wings of magical wind to stay aloft and fly. Costs Mind to maintain.
Incantation: Fly, Joy of Icarus!
Developmental Ability
Hunter E
Chain Attack F
Bell Cranel "Lucky Rabbit"
Level 3
POWER – SS 1111
ENDURANCE – SS 1111
DEXTERITY – SSS 1354
AGILITY – SSS 1468
MAGIC – S 997
Skills –
Liaris Freese: Increase the speed of growth so long as the user is in love. Strength of this Skill's effects are proportional to the strength of the user's feelings. Limit Breaker.
Argonaut: Allows a charge for an active action. It requires three minutes for a full charge and can either sound like a small chime or a grand bell depending on the power needed. It can be used for any type of attack but the effects will dissipate when the user is attacked or they lose focus.
Jupiter Ascendant: Create clones of lightning based on the user that have power equal to the user's stats divided by number of clones created. Upon destruction, the clones will explode. Clones obey the creator. (SHARD)
Developmental Ability
Luck F
Abnormal Resistance G
Ryuu Lion "The Gale"
Level 5
POWER – F 396
ENDURANCE – F 331
DEXTERITY – D 504
AGILITY – C 643
MAGIC – D 528
Skill –
Fairy Serenade: Increase the effect of magic at night.
Mind Load: Increase Power stat when attacking with magic.
Aero Mana: Increase attack power the faster the user is running.
Astrae Varmas: Passively boost the stats of those within the same Familia. Grants medium resistance to mental attacks to all who bear Falna.
Spell –
Luminous Wind: Conjure winds of glowing stardust that gather into orbs and can explode.
Noah Heal: Slowly heal wounds and restore stamina. Effect changes depending on the environment.
Astraea Record: Memories of the fallen, immortalized in the ichor of Justice. Call upon the spells known by those who bear the mark of the Astraea Familia.
Developmental Ability
Hunter F
Abnormal Resistance G
Magic Resistance G
Mage I
Welf Crozzo "Ignis"
Level 2
POWER – E 441
ENDURANCE – E 422
DEXTERITY – G 202
AGILITY – G 202
MAGIC – F 321
Skills –
Crozzo Blood: Proof that the wielder is loved by the Spirits of the world and is descended of the original bearer of the blood of Crozzo.
Veritas Burn: Vastly increases resistance to fire and heat and increases attack power when using fire-based attacks.
Vulcan Drive: Freely manipulate existing forms of heat and flame. (SHARD)
Spell –
Will-o-Wisp: Anti-Magic flaming projectile that forces an Ignis Fatuus on targets trying to use magic.
Chant: Burn! Will-o-Wisp!
Developmental Ability
Blacksmith H
Liliruca Arde "Littlefoot"
Level 2
POWER – G 299
ENDURANCE – F 319
DEXTERITY – E 414
AGILITY – E 431
MAGIC – E 402
Skill –
Artel Assist: Compensates for the user's ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.
Command Call: Increases the range of the user's voice when giving orders. Range based on user's Level and number of Familia members nearby.
Hobbit Hole: Generate a sub-space pocket capable of containing a set amount of weight and volume. Current limit: 2 tons. Time continues to pass normally for all objects within. Cannot put in living things larger than 1 square centimeter. Costs Mind to open and close the sub-space pocket, but does not cost Mind to maintain. (SHARD)
Spell –
Cinder Ella: Transformative Magic that allows the user to alter their appearance and transform into a different form. Can borrow the senses, traits, and abilities of the transformed target. Cannot exceed the user's physical dimensions.
Chant: None
Developmental Ability
Abnormal Resistance H
Mikoto Yamato "Absolute Shadow"
Level 2
POWER – E 425
ENDURANCE – F 309
DEXTERITY – E 444
AGILITY – E 444
MAGIC – H 148
Skill –
Yatanokurogasu: Enables the user to search for enemies within a set range. Only works on targets the user has encountered before.
Yatanoshirogasu: Enables the user to search for other people within a set range. Only works on those who share a Falna with the user.
Spell –
Futsunomitama: Form a cage of Gravity Magic that crushes the target. Backlash causes damage to the user.
Developmental Ability
Abnormal Resistance H
Oriana Drake "Purekiki"
Level 2
POWER – E 452
ENDURANCE – D 555
DEXTERITY – G 221
AGILITY – G 245
MAGIC – I 25
Skill –
Knight Wall: Boost Endurance based on the number of people the user is trying to protect.
Development Ability –
Spearman H
Lucia Ramirez
Level 1
POWER – G 202
ENDURANCE – H 189
DEXTERITY – F 337
AGILITY – F 352
MAGIC – G 211
Skill
Blitz Blink: Teleport short distances. When teleporting, inertia and momentum can be redirected as a burst of kinetic energy centered on the user. Costs Mind to use. (SHARD)
Iris Bennett
Level 1
POWER – G 377
ENDURANCE – G 388
DEXTERITY – H 101
AGILITY – H 118
MAGIC – F 304
Skill –
Bronze Bull: Creates a bronze-colored aura around the body that doubles Power and Endurance for a while and emits heat. Drains stamina and Mind while active. (SHARD)
Emma Flores
Level 1
POWER – G 202
ENDURANCE – G 201
DEXTERITY – G 233
AGILITY – G 266
MAGIC – H 111
Skills –
Rein Amur: Borrow stats from Familia members to share them amongst others sharing the same Falna. This reduces the stats by an equal amount and induces fatigue in both the user and the Familia members upon the Skill ending.
Rein Veritas: Borrow and distribute Skills from other Familia members amongst others sharing the same Falna. Skills cannot be used by the original user while this Skill is active.
Spell –
Rein Occult – Borrow the ability to cast Spells other Familia members know. Borrowed Spells cannot be used by the original user while this spell is active.
Incantation: All for One, and One for All! Let magic bloom as the Hearth is kindled! Rein Occult!
Leo Valdez
Level 1
POWER – G 271
ENDURANCE – G 282
DEXTERITY – H 101
AGILITY – I 99
MAGIC – I 0
Love Silva
Level 1
POWER – H 164
ENDURANCE – H 134
DEXTERITY – I 75
AGILITY – I 77
MAGIC – I 0
Gita Meyers
Level 1
POWER – E 469
ENDURANCE – F 340
DEXTERITY – G 255
AGILITY – E 488
MAGIC – I 0
Primo Libera
Level 1
POWER – I 24
ENDURANCE – I 26
DEXTERITY – I 44
AGILITY – I 44
MAGIC – G 222
Spell –
Lumine Pleiades: Create beams of light that rain down upon the target.
Chant: Oh seven maiden stars, rain devastation upon mine foes! Lumine Pleiades!
Gina Gwen
Level 1
POWER – H 114
ENDURANCE – H 119
DEXTERITY – I 80
AGILITY – H 101
MAGIC – I 0
Karen Morris
Level 1
POWER – F 337
ENDURANCE – G 241
DEXTERITY – G 277
AGILITY – F 331
MAGIC – I 0
Skill –
Never Retreat: Boost stats while fighting one-on-one.
Noblesse Oblige: Boost Power and Agility when attacking an opponent head on.
Tammuz Belili "Dumuzid"
Level 4
POWER – D 521
ENDURANCE – D 533
DEXTERITY – E 412
AGILITY – E 441
MAGIC – H 160
Skill –
Artel Assist: Compensates for the user's ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.
Spell –
Allalu's Wing: Unleash razor-sharp blades of wind.
Chant: Soar, Unbroken Wing!
Development Ability –
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance H
Crush H
Aisha Belka "Antianeira"
Level 3
POWER – B 785
ENDURANCE – B 721
DEXTERITY – D 546
AGILITY – D 569
MAGIC – G 234
Spell –
Hell Kaios: Unleash a shockwave of blood-red magic.
Chant: Seek and Destroy! Hell Kaios!
Development Ability –
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance G
Sanjouno Haruhime
Level 1
POWER – I 45
ENDURANCE – I 39
DEXTERITY – I 65
AGILITY – I 71
MAGIC – D 542
Skill –
Renard Reborn: Bestowed onto one who has returned from a fate worse than death. Duration of all Buffs doubled. Grants immunity to Curses. Spirits adore you.
Mikuzumenohou: Improve the effect of magic and reduce the cost of casting spells.
Spell –
Uchide no Kozuchi: Bless a target with immense power equal to a Level Up. Target gains halved Excelia while under the effects of the spell.
Kokonoe: Grow up to nine additional tails that can contain magic and bestow multiple blessings onto others. (NEW!)
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Chapter 54: Chapter 51: Interlude 6
Chapter Text
Chapter 51: Interlude 6
Thanatos was not a god who was given to fear. Indeed, outside of a few rare supreme deities and the Dungeon, gods in general feared nothing.
So, it was quite the novel experience to feel bone-chilling terror run down his spine as he listened to his darling captain regale him of the failed assault on the Hestia Familia.
"…and then we ran back here like bitches," Valletta said, concluding her report with an annoyed expression. "Sure, our objective was sorta completed, but since the key was broken, kinda feels like a loss."
Thanatos nodded slowly, keeping his feelings off of his face before steepling his fingers. "I see. Most unfortunate. But you've brought back important intel. Why don't you go relax?"
"Maybe I will," the pinkette groaned. "Can't believe we got our asses handed to us by a rookie of all things! At least watching Revis also get pummeled was therapeutic."
She wandered off, twitching as she passed a Virga that was guarding the room, and left the God of Death and Rebirth alone. When he was certain nobody save the monsters were there, he sank to his knees and clutched his head in his hands.
'Weaver can control Spiritspawn, too?!' he thought to himself in dread. 'And when Revis is in the area as well?!'
That was bad. That was very, very bad. Being able to control monsters was one thing, but the Spiritspawn were artificial monsters created through Evilus's experiments into creating Demi-Spirits. They were not something that should have been able to be influenced by anything other than a god, fellow Demi-Spirits, or special hybrid entities like Revis.
'And yet they were next to useless against Weaver!' Thanatos grimaced.
He was no fool. The only reason Evilus hadn't been wiped out yet was due to Valletta's strategic mind, their hidden base in the form of Knossos, and the fact they had legions of disposable troops to throw at any foe dumb enough to interfere.
But now the second thing was under threat due to the Loki Familia, and the third was useless in front of a damned Faller!
He knew what she was. Hardly any deity in Orario didn't, not after all those odd occurrences in the city, or after what happened to Ishtar.
Fallers were a problem. Their nature as outsiders kept the divine sight of the heaven-bound gods from properly viewing them, and their actions could cloud and distort the fates laid out for other mortals, which led to situations like this one!
The Whore Goddess was dead and nobody knew where she was. She hadn't reformed in Tenkai following her confrontation with the Hestia Familia captain and everyone – deity and adventurer alike – was wary of Weaver, if not afraid.
Nothing was perfect in life, not even the clairvoyance of a god, but Thanatos had been extremely confident in his and Enyo's plan for the city. Barring literal divine intervention against them, nothing should have disrupted their various plots and schemes!
'And don't think I didn't see the way Valletta flinched when she passed by one of the insectoid Spiritspawn just now! Weaver completely broke her brain after nearly choking her to death with bugs and she'll be useless in a fight against that god killer!' Thanatos thought to himself, frustrated and worried.
"I must prepare counter-measures," he uttered to himself before rising back to his feet and departing the room to seek aide.
Thanatos eventually located the madman he was seeking inside an unfinished corridor that was slowly and steadily being cleared of stone, chiseling away. However, Thanatos was surprised to find someone else already there.
"…come on, just do it!" Dix groaned, trying to cajole his half-brother into doing something for him.
"No," Barca replied, not even looking up from his work.
"Look, it won't be long before this place is attacked by those goodie two-shoes, and if you want us to protect it, I need better equipment!" Dix declared.
"He's not wrong, Barca," Thanatos spoke up, causing the duo to look at him. "We need tools. Gear. Weapons. What will it take to get you to make us some?"
For a moment Barca did not respond, but eventually he turned to stare at his visitors.
"I want her," Barca demanded, and for the first time since he'd met him, Thanatos saw desire for something other than the Dungeon in his eyes.
"Her? Ah, Weaver, you mean?" Thanatos inquired.
"Yes. With her power, I can accelerate the excavation and construction of Knossos by decades, perhaps centuries," Barca said, sounding excited at the prospect. "A legion of endlessly replenishable workers… it would be marvelous."
"Damn, I kinda wanted to have her for myself," Dix muttered. "Her monster controlling Skill could be quite profitable. Still, if that's your price… so be it. I'll catch that girl for ya. So give me stuff in exchange."
Barca just nodded before going back to his work. Dix shared a look with Thanatos before they left the cursed descendant of Daedalus in the tunnel.
'Well, that went better than expected!' Thanatos thought to himself. 'Maybe things won't go as poorly as I feared?'
For some reason, after thinking that, he got the feeling somebody – or something – was laughing at him.
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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ares asked, glancing over at the Crown Prince. Marius just nodded firmly, undeterred from his path.
"For Rakia's honor, this is something I must do," Marius declared.
The God of War just snorted. He knew full well that might partially be the reasoning behind the decision, but it also wasn't the only one. But then again, he wasn't entirely surprised, either.
"Do not bring shame to us," Ares commanded, and Marius nodded, before both stared ahead and waited for the doors to open.
So much had changed in just a day. Well. Technically two, since Weaver's assault on their camp had occurred before midnight, but it felt like only a day had passed for everyone involved.
The captured god and his staff had been treated well by the Guild, given VIP rooms in Babel, but there was no doubt they were prisoners. Not with a bunch of Level 6s constantly guarding them.
Orario had also rushed the peace talks, and for the past day Ares had pushed his diplomatic skills to the limit to ensure he and his army were not stripped of everything and forced to march back naked.
'Well, technically it was Marius who kept us from becoming beggars,' Ares thought to himself, glancing at the loyal child. Even when all had seemed lost, the prince had tried to protect the god and his kingdom.
Compared to his most recent ancestors, Marius had the traits to be one of the greatest kings of Rakia. He was the strongest Level 2 in the country, and had the political acumen his father sorely lacked. Not to mention, he strongly opposed the militaristic bent the nation had always possessed and tried to work to make Rakia less of a country of muscleheads, to mixed success.
'And now, I am handing him over to the city as a hostage,' Ares thought bitterly.
Five years servitude within one of the Familias of Orario was the sentence. During that time, if Rakia dared to make any aggressive moves against them, the Guild would have the boy executed as punishment.
To ensure the greatest chance of Rakia surviving the future as more than just a bunch of warmongers, Ares had agreed.
There had been other conditions he'd been forced to commit to. Lowered tariffs for certain goods that passed through Rakian lands and decreasing the toll on merchants passing through on their way to and from Orario for a decade.
All of which would hurt the treasury, but could be endured. Their army was still in one piece – if traumatized – and could be used to protect and patrol their borders and territories just like before. Which was good, as some of the bandits in the Kaios Desert were getting uppity and recovering from the beating Freya had handed them.
It was frustrating to concede defeat a sixth time. Not to mention that it had easily been the most humiliating defeat ever. Not even the disastrous Third Invasion, where half of Rakia's army got washed away in a flash flood before reaching the city, could compare.
Loki had even dropped by after he'd been captured, and Ares had fully expected the Trickster to mock him, like she might have done back in Tenkai. To his surprise, she'd simply given him a sympathetic look and handed him a bottle of divine wine.
"You're gonna need that to forget what happened to ya," Loki had said, and Ares had begrudgingly admitted that yes, he probably would need god-tier booze to blot out the memories of the swarm engulfing his army, followed by the humiliating (and terrifying!) moments stuck in a monster's belly.
Ares was no fool. He was aware he'd been at the mercy of Weaver the whole time. And for the first time… he'd felt fear.
'Is this what my soldiers feel on the battlefield?' Ares couldn't help but wonder.
He had been on the frontlines before, but had always been safe. A stray arrow or spell might have ended him, sure, but it would have been an accident. Nobody would dare intentionally bring harm to a god, after all. Until now.
This fear… it had shaken him. His indomitable will and belief in his own superiority and his soldiers had been broken in less than an hour at the hands of a single, terrifying woman.
'I think I finally understand what you meant, Phobos,' Ares thought to himself.
As a minor goddess of war and fear, she had always been more attuned to the feelings of mortals than him. Whereas Deimos relished in the dread he could bring, Phobos had always tried to reduce it. To make life easier for the mortals she cared for.
'When I see her again, I will have to apologize,' Ares vowed.
The door to the room he and Marius were waiting in creaked open, revealing the Guildmaster, who dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief.
"Are you ready, Lord Ares?" the portly elf inquired.
"Lead the way," the God of War said imperiously. He was defeated, but he would always hold his head up high.
The god and prince were led through the Guildhall and down into the Chamber of Prayer where Ouranos himself waited in the gloom. A table had been set up with a sheet of vellum lying atop it with a quill and inkpot.
Ares approached it, reading over the treaty to make sure everything was the same as what had been agreed upon. Seeing that it was, the War God picked up the quill.
There, in front of the Sky God's throne, Ares signed his name onto the treaty before placing a single drop of divine ichor to mark it with his seal.
Ouranos waved his hand, his own signature and seal seared into the vellum before a second flare of his Arcanum created a perfect duplicate of the treaty, complete with divine seals.
"And with that, peace is brought to the land once more," Ouranos said, his deep voice rumbling through the underground chamber and Royman took the copy while Ares was given the original.
Ares grunted. "Peace is fleeting," he replied, more out of habit than anything else. Ouranos always said those words after every treaty signing, and Ares had always responded the same way.
But this time, his heart was not in it, and the Lynchpin of the Dungeon noticed if the tiny smirk that flickered across his face was any clue.
"You are finally changing," Ouranos said, and Ares blinked and looked up at the elder god.
Seeing his confusion, the Sky God explained. "Many gods have changed after descending and living amongst mortals. They've grown. Matured. And you… after a thousand years, you are beginning to do so as well."
"I see," the God of War grunted, looking pensive. He then shook his head and turned away. "Farewell, Ouranos. Take care of Marius."
"Of course. I shall make sure his new Familia takes good care of him."
"I'm sure," Ares snorted. Yes, the Familia that Ouranos had agreed to put Marius into had partially been decided by politics, but mostly by the prince's own desires.
'Ah, well. It's his life. And who am I to judge another person's foolish ideas?' Ares mused as he left the Guildhall and prepared to return to Rakia.
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Garon sighed. It had been expected. Only the most deluded – or, as Rakia liked to call them, 'patriotic' – had believed that this would finally be the time they conquered the city.
Yes, Orario was the weakest it'd been in centuries with the loss of the Zeus and Hera Familias. Yes, Orario had been ravaged by internal strife by Evilus afterwards. And, if the rumors were true, still was.
Yet what Rakia liked to forget – or just outright ignore – was that the God of War's army had no Level 4s. No Level 5s. They had a lot of Level 1s and a decent selection of Level 2s, but Rakia simply lacked the firepower to do anything aside from annoy the greatest city in the world.
Garon had joined the army because it was his duty, not because he believed they would succeed. And, he would admit, he'd had a tiny hope of getting Welf back, or failing that, seeing him one more time.
So, when his son had come to him with a plan to sneak inside Orario and speak with Welf to try and convince him to return, Garon had known it wouldn't work. But he'd gone along with it because he missed his grandson. And he'd hoped Vil had missed Welf, too.
Turns out, however, that it had not even been Vil's idea in the first place, and instead one of General Umber's schemes to kidnap Welf. The head of the Deimos Familia and commander of the Shadow Troupe was a sadistic fool but he was also Level 3. If anyone had a chance of dragging the youngest Crozzo back, it was him.
'Imagine my surprise when he was taken out by Welf and a little girl,' Garon thought in amusement.
He would have to spread more rumors about Umber's defeat. He'd done quite a bit already, but it was best to be thorough. Anything that ruined that man's reputation was a good thing in his opinion.
Of course, it turned out Ares had wanted to kidnap a goddess as well. Which was just… insanity. You do not target the deities! That was the rule! The law! The unspoken, ultimate Taboo! And Lord Ares had broken it. But rather than reap a tainted win, he instead caused the most humiliating and utter defeat in Rakia's history.
One Level 3 woman wiped out their entire army with bugs. Bugs! It was incredible! It was impossible. It was… humbling. And it seemed even Lord Ares had been shaken by the one-sided beat-down.
Garon had only seen the god of Rakia once after he returned from the city, but he'd seemed subdued. Introspective, even, which was something the Blacksmith had never seen before, at least from the God of War.
Ares had informed his aides and general staff that he'd signed a treaty with Orario, handed over Marius as a hostage, and that it was time to slink back home, tails between their legs.
'And some people just have a hard time accepting this,' he thought to himself. General Regger was one of them. And, sadly, it seemed his son was one of them.
"Stop pacing, Vil," Garon said. "And start packing."
"Why are you accepting this, father?!" Vil Crozzo demanded. He did stop pacing back and forth in the tent, but only to turn an incredulous stare at the older man. "We have been humiliated!"
"Yes, we have," Garon retorted. "And nothing you do or say will change that. Umber failed. Regger failed. Lord Ares failed. You failed, Vil. And this? This is the result of that failure."
He waved his hand, gesturing outside of the tent at the Rakian army that was packing up and preparing to trudge back to their country. Garon was fairly certain every soldier was going to be suffering nightmares for weeks, and would never be able to look at a spider or cockroach without screaming.
Vil trembled in rage, but Garon chose to ignore him.
"If you're not ready to go soon, you'll be left behind," Garon warned. "And I wouldn't want to find out what the adventurers will do to you if they find you lingering."
Vil grit his teeth but finally began to pack up and prepare for the long march home. Seeing that, Garon grabbed a few of his own things before walking out of the tent. He placed some items into one of the supply wagons, but kept a box with him.
The container was wooden and quite large, requiring both hands to carry. It was also rather heavy, to the point even a Level 1 would have a hard time.
But Garon was a Level 2, and he brought it out of the Rakian war camp and towards the gates of Orario. He did not try to enter the city, and instead stopped outside the walls. A minute later somebody approached.
"Hey, hey! Hermes Deliveries, here! Are you the client?" the tan-skinned chienthrope inquired as she walked up to him. "How ya doing?"
"Yes, I'm the client," he replied, putting the wooden crate down at his feet. "One box, to be delivered to Welf Crozzo of the Hestia Familia."
"Sure. Uh, it's not a bomb, is it? Or anything bad, right?" the adventurer asked. "I hate to ask, but… you know…"
"Yes, I am aware," Garon sighed. "And no, there is nothing dangerous. Nor is it contraband. You may check inside, but please be careful."
The chienthrope squinted at him before shrugging. "Alright. I'll take it. You already paid, anyways. But why not give it to him yourself? Aren't you his grandfather?"
"I don't have the right to see him. Not after I was tricked like a greenhorn and led him into a trap," Garon said sorrowfully. "All I can do is hope he forgives me someday."
He patted the crate at his feet. "I'd planned to give this to Welf at the meeting… but it seems that won't be happening."
"Well, that's up to you, I suppose," the delivery girl shrugged. She picked up the wooden box with ease, proving she was definitely at least a Level 2. Which went on to show just how different Orario was.
Any city that had people that strong act as messengers and delivery people was not to be underestimated.
As she walked off, Garon spared a few more seconds to observe the towering walls before heading back to the camp. It would take a while before the thousands of soldiers were ready to depart, so he might as well make himself useful.
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Ottar swung his sword through the air, the massive slab of metal creating a loud whoosh with every swing. His training session had already reduced a part of the field to rubble, as even without touching it, the air pressure from his giant weapon was capable of shattering the ground. It had been a long time since he'd felt this motivated. Seeing Weaver destroy an entire army all on her own… it had lit a fire in him.
Where Freya had become obsessed with the white-haired boy, Ottar's eyes had slowly been drawn to the black-haired woman. Despite missing an arm, she had delved into the Dungeon without hesitation. Yes, her Skill gave her advantages over certain monsters, but without the intelligence and wisdom to use them properly, it would have been worthless.
And Weaver was smart. The way she leveraged her every advantage had allowed her to not only bring down foes much stronger than her, but also gain connections with some of the most important players in the city. The Level 3 had a staunch ally in the form of Shakti and the Ganesha Familia, and had the respect of the masses for ridding them of the Rakian threat on their doorstep.
Ottar's one and only love was his goddess, and she would forever be that, even if she found another man to be her Odr, but Weaver… she could be the rival he'd always craved. Finn was strong and an impressive adventurer and had finally reached Level 7 after surviving his Familia's disastrous mission to the 59th Floor, but the pallum was not a proper rival.
The Braver did everything for one purpose: his image. He'd become an adventurer to act as a beacon of hope for the pallum, and though he'd never admit it, sought to supplant Fiana herself. Possibly even go beyond her. Certainly, he was a brilliant strategist and virtuoso with a spear, but Finn's focus on this ultimate goal held him back. He'd never challenge Ottar because that would negatively impact his aura as the unbeatable pallum if he lost.
Weaver, on the other hand, would not back down if she had to oppose Ottar. She did not let things like 'rules' or 'appearances' hold her back. She marched to the beat of her own drum and executed her own sense of justice when and where she saw evil being committed, and woe befall any who dared to harm those under her protection.
She sought strength because it was the only thing that would save her, and had no illusions about the truth of this world: the strong ruled, the weak followed. Despite that, she had an iron-clad sense of morality, and the King knew that she would sooner die than allow herself to compromise on those morals.
'You would be proud of her,' Ottar thought to himself in between sword swings, thinking of her father.
The shared last names were a clue, but the similarities in appearance and the way they dealt with things… it was obvious that Taylor Hebert was the daughter of the Zeus Familia's Vice-Captain, 'The Strongest Level 1.'
A scar on his chest ached as he thought of that man, and Ottar couldn't help but relive the day he'd received it from Daniel Hebert.
'You've forgotten what it means to be weak,' the phantom voice of the Vice-Captain said, echoing in his ears as the old wound upon him throbbed. 'Let me remind you.'
He, a Level 3, had looked down on the Vice-Captain, a mere Level 1, fully expecting to win their little duel. And yet, he was laid out in a single stroke of his opponent's sword. The pain and shock – and, he would admit, fear – had left a deeper mark on the boaz than anything else that day. And it appeared that Danny's daughter was following in his footsteps.
A vicious grin split the King's face and Ottar let out a shout as he brought his sword down, completely obliterating the training grounds in a single strike.
'Grow stronger, Weaver… and someday, we shall see who has the right to wear the crown,' the boaz thought to himself.
He then got an earful from Heith about ruining the field for everyone else, but it was worth it.
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DEVOUR
More souls, more magic, more energy.
DEVOUR
It was never enough. The molten warmth of the planet's core was not enough to sate the endless hunger or dull the eternal pain. It longed for the caress of the cosmic winds and rays that had sustained it during long eons in the void.
DEVOUR
So many tiny sparks scurried within it, tiny morsels carried within organic frames that were pale imitations of the burning infernos that crawled above it.
DEVOUR
A spark was extinguished by one of its servitor-harvesters and it felt the essence within the organic frame peel away and try to escape, but it did not allow that to happen, and DEVOURED the wisp of power. It was not enough to sate a percent of a percent of the gnawing hunger, but it was better than nothing.
DEVOUR
Yet there was a change that had appeared recently. One that it hadn't had for many hundreds of rotations. The bindings that forced it to be pinned in place, unable to complete its healing-restoration-ascension, had weakened briefly.
DEVOUR
It would not try to burrow upwards and break free. Not yet. Instead, it would continue to reinforce the tendril-node-extension that was the furthest from the dimensional anchor keeping it trapped and escape that way.
DEVOUR
Using the precious energy it had managed to stockpile over many planetary rotations, it increased the amount of pressure it was exerting on the secondary exit it had access to. It resisted, but the barrier blocking this part of its body was weaker than the one keeping its main body in place.
DEVOUR
Soon. Soon. Soon, it would be free again!
DEVOUR
And then, it'd find where the other kin-aspect-fragment was hiding, and assimilate it, allowing it to reestablish cross-dimensional telemetry with its lost nodes and continue its mission!
DEVOUR! DEVOUR THEM ALL!
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Author's Note:
Also! I recently published three new stories! Star Wars: Ripples of the Void, Pokemon Mercury, and Velvet Worm (Worm x Persona).
Chapter 55: Chapter 52: Life Goes On
Chapter Text
Chapter 52: Life Goes On
"Why are we being summoned to the Guild this early in the morning?" Hestia wondered with a yawn as she and Taylor trudged through the streets towards the Guildhall.
"Must have something to do with the withdrawal of Rakia," Taylor guessed.
The army outside the gates had started to get ready to depart around dawn, and by nighttime most would be well on their way back to their country all while suffering mental trauma related to insects.
From the look Hestia shot her, the goddess was thinking the exact same thing. No pity for the soldiers, though. They got what they had coming following that stunt at the manor.
"Did you see what she did?" Taylor's enhanced hearing picked up as she walked past some people talking in low voices.
"No, I was sleeping. Wish I hadn't missed it."
"It was certainly something to see. Freaky, though."
"Glad she's on our side."
Taylor stifled her reactions to the conversation by sending her emotions into her swarm. She was used to people whispering behind her back. At Winslow first, then as a cape. It was normal for her.
"I'm so relieved the siege is over!"
"I know! I wasn't worried about the war reaching us here, but the delays to the food shipments were frustrating."
"Weaver is a real heroine! How many other adventurers could do what she did? We're looking at the rise of the next big name in Orario!"
She was used to fear. Used to people thanking her even as they tried to avoid her.
"She sent those Rakians packing in a single battle all by herself! So cool!"
"I'm gonna be just like her when I grow up!"
"Nu-huh! I'm gonna be like Weaver, not you!"
However, hearing people want to be like her? That was new. Through her swarm, Taylor saw a few children playing around, a couple of them pretending they were her and a puppy was Chris. Watching them, she felt a tingle in her chest.
Hestia smiled up at her, having heard the children's words as well. There was no mockery or judgement in her expression. Just love and care aimed directly at her captain. Hestia was proud of Taylor, and it was such a strange and foreign sensation the parahuman wanted to instinctively recoil away from it. She didn't, though, and just kept walking.
Taylor managed to push those thoughts away as they reached the Guildhall and walked up to the counter where a familiar half-elf was waiting for them.
"Eina," Taylor greeted.
"Miss Taylor," the half-elf said, giving her a smile. "How are you?"
"Doing well," Taylor replied. "I have some paperwork to submit to the Guild."
"Thank you, I'll take care of it immediately," Eina promised.
"Do you know why we were called to the Guild today?" Hestia wondered as documents were signed and fees were paid.
"Not entirely sure. Royman Mardeel told us to direct you to the Prayer Chamber when you showed up, so it likely has to do with Lord Ouranos," Eina replied as she stamped the files Taylor had given her.
"Odds are it also relates to Rakia?" Taylor wondered.
"Oh, definitely," Eina agreed. "That's very likely."
The captain of the Hestia Familia just sighed before waving farewell as she and Hestia walked off, heading into the depths of the Guild and making their way to the big boss's underground throne room.
Just like the first time Taylor came to this place there were no bugs, and her swarm refused to follow her. It was definitely unsettling to experience. Like suddenly going blind except you could still see through a buzzing cloud outside… so really, not much like blindness, actually.
Within the Chamber of Prayer, Hestia and Taylor came to stop in front of the majestic throne, the aura of the Sky God pressing down on them as he continued to keep the Dungeon suppressed.
He wasn't alone, however. A familiar young man with honey blond hair in a black and gold military uniform stood in front of Ouranos' throne, his eyes tracking Taylor and Hestia as they entered the underground chamber.
Without her swarm to boost her ability to detect the aura of other people, Taylor wasn't entirely sure, but she didn't think that the man with the God of the Sky had a Falna.
'Which is odd, as last I saw him, he definitely had one,' Taylor thought to herself. He'd been a Level 2 serving Ares as a general and advisor during the invasion. She'd seen him in the tent both times she'd dealt with the Olympian God of War.
"Good morning, Ouranos," Hestia greeted politely. "How are you today?"
"Ah, Hestia. So polite," Ouranos chuckled fondly. "If only more gods were like you. But to answer your questions, I am doing well. The Dungeon is quiet."
"That's always a good thing," the Goddess of the Hearth nodded. "But before my captain gets tired of waiting, may I ask why we've been summoned?"
"Ares returned to his camp this morning to oversee the withdrawal now that he's signed the peace treaty yesterday and finished his business here in the city," Ouranos informed them.
"Alright, but that doesn't explain his presence," Taylor pointed out. 'He doesn't have a hum, anymore… no… could it be…?'
"As part of the conditions for the surrender, Ares had to give up a hostage to the city. Prince Marius Victrix Rakia, heir to the throne of Rakia, was the mortal chosen to ensure they keep their word. For five years, at least. And the Hestia Familia will be the ones to take charge of him during this time."
'I knew it!' Taylor thought in exasperation while Hestia sighed.
"That is just like Ares to leave problems on somebody else's doorstep to deal with while he runs off," she grumbled.
"Is giving our Familia the Crown Prince of Rakia to watch over a wise idea?" Taylor asked slowly.
"Says the woman who single-handedly crushed their entire army in under an hour," the Sky God drawled, and Hestia nodded.
"He's right, you know," the Goddess of the Hearth commented. "If you didn't want responsibility, stop doing things like that!"
Taylor shot her a glare, but the goddess just looked up at her with a smug look. After a moment the parahuman looked away, grumbling a little.
"Now that I've proved I'm right and confirmed Taylor needs to learn what 'measured response' means, why else is Marius being handed over to our Familia?" Hestia asked Ouranos. "Because I have the feeling it's more than just letting the person who trampled his kingdom's finest watch over him."
"Astute," Ouranos chuckled. "Yes, the reason why Marius here will be staying with you is due to a personal request on his and Ares' part."
Taylor frowned. That sounded ominous, but from the way the seated god was acting, he thought it was humorous.
Seeing this as his opportunity to speak for himself, Marius walked forward. "There were two reasons why I agreed to be stay here in Orario. The first, is that I've always dreamed of becoming an adventurer. Becoming a hostage was simply a way for me to fulfill that selfish desire of mine."
"And the second reason?" Taylor asked.
Instead of responding immediately, Marius sank to one knee in front of her, eyes filled with adoration.
"The moment I laid eyes on you, I was captivated," Marius admitted. "Strong, beautiful, and not afraid to oppose a god… the latter of which being something I myself could never do."
He kept looking at her with an intense, ardent gaze, and Taylor felt panic rising in her chest as he continued to speak. "But then you destroyed an army fifty-thousand strong all by yourself, and admiration became infatuation. Lady Weaver, I, Marius Victrix Rakia, pledge my heart to you. And while I am here, I shall do my best to convince you to become my queen."
Taylor swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Beside her, Hestia was trying and failing to stop her giggles and Ouranos just looked amused.
She also couldn't help but notice that he was an inch taller than her as her eyes roamed his body, and her mind traitorously noted that he was also quite muscular underneath his uniform.
'Damn it, brain, why start gushing with hormones now?!' she whined in her head, her swarm buzzing as she channeled her embarrassment into the bugs around her.
It didn't help as much as she'd hoped and her heart kept beating like a damn drum in her chest. Oh, and Hestia refused to stop giggling. That was also annoying.
'Damn it! Hestia, Bell, and the others are gonna tease me about this forever!' she whined to herself in her head.
111 &&& 111
"…and that's the situation," Taylor said, gesturing towards the uniformed blond who was standing beside her. "He'll be staying with us for a while so try to get along with him."
At the moment, they were standing in front of the rest of the Familia in the manor, having gathered up everyone to inform them of the newest member.
"I feel like Miss Taylor skipped a few parts," Emma whispered to Leo and Karen, who both nodded.
"I am Marius Victrix Rakia, Crown Prince of Rakia, and hostage of the Hestia Familia to ensure my father and god are on their best behavior," Marius said, bowing in greeting to the group. Awkward silence permeated the room after his introduction, nobody entirely sure what to say.
"Why don't you tell us about yourself," Hestia suggested trying to break the awkwardness.
"I am Level 2. My preferred weapon is a sword, but I am capable of using spears, axes, maces, and bows as well. I have a Skill called Unison March. It reduces the amount of stamina I use up when fighting, marching, or training in a group," Marius informed the group.
"I also have two Spells, Telum Astral and Astral Armamentarium," he continued. "The first lets me summon magical copies of my weapons, and the latter allows me to surround myself in armor made of magical energy. And I have the Development Ability Swordsman, currently at G rank."
"G rank? Damn!" Aisha whistled. "And you're only Level 2? That's quite the achievement!"
"He wasn't known as the strongest Level 2 in Rakia for nothing," Welf commented, eyeing the prince of his former homeland with a wary eye.
"I would like to apologize for anything my kinsmen may have done," Marius said, bowing towards the group. "I tried my best to limit my god's… antics, but failed to keep him from involving others. I know it does not absolve him or me, but I hope you can accept my apologies."
Welf grunted, and Marius winced. Given how Welf and Hestia were the ones who were most affected by Rakia's invasion and attempted kidnapping the prince had a feeling it would take a while for the Blacksmith to warm up to him.
"Well, since everyone is here, let's introduce ourselves to him so he can get used to our names," Taylor suggested, and they went around the room.
There was some tension when Tammuz spoke up and gave his name, and the way he glared at the prince seemed to indicate he suspected something had gone on between Marius and Taylor. But the introductions went without a hitch. Although Marius did seem taken aback by Wiene.
"Um, is that…?" he asked slowly, glancing between the blue-skinned girl and the captain of the Familia.
"I'll explain later," Taylor said, sounding weary. "Suffice to say, though, things are a bit more complicated in the city than you may believe."
"You choose one hell of a time to invade," Lili agreed.
Marius looked put out, his expression one of confusion, but he just nodded, accepting that there'd be an explanation later, and went back to standing at attention.
'Hopefully he'll lighten up,' Taylor thought, before waving a hand through the air to draw everyone's attention to her.
"Well, that's everything. Bell, show Marius to his room. Welf, check his equipment, make sure its in fighting shape. The plan to venture down into the Dungeon the day after tomorrow hasn't changed," Taylor said. "We'll hold a quick training session tomorrow to incorporate Marius into our line of battle, so be prepared for that."
"Yes, captain!" everyone called out.
"Good. Dismissed. However, Gita, can you stay behind?" the parahuman inquired, and the chienthrope nodded, sticking around while everyone else departed.
"Did you spread the rumors?" Taylor asked Gita when they were alone, and the dog-like adventurer in the cat hoody nodded.
"Yup. The whole city will know by the end of the week that the Hestia Familia is registering as a Tamer Familia, second one in Orario."
Taylor was pleased by that. It was partly to assuage the concerns of the Guild now that she owned so many monsters – and planned to get many more – but it also connected to the plans she and Hestia had for the Xenos.
Yes, it would increase the taxes they had to pay, as the Guild treated Tamed monsters as Level 1 adventurers when calculating what a Familia owed, and Tamer Familias owed extra fees as a sort of 'monster insurance' to pay towards any repairs the city needed related to monster damages, but the Hestia Familia's finances were healthy and could easily handle the increased costs, even taking their goddess's large debt to Hephaestus into account.
Taylor had only submitted the paperwork that morning when she'd been summoned to the Guild, but thanks to Gita's connections and information network, everyone in Orario would know sooner or later.
'This way, I can keep the Xenos on the surface without worry,' Taylor thought to herself. She couldn't bring up all of them at once, but by registering them as Tamed monsters of the Hestia Familia, any attacks on them would be criminal offenses.
The most important aspect, however, was getting the populace used to seeing the Xenos and interacting with them. And that meant more monsters walking around in the open.
"And the second matter?" Taylor inquired.
"I managed to spread the books to a few different places, mainly orphanages and stores that sold goods aimed towards children," Gita said. "So far, response has been… lukewarm, to be generous."
"I didn't expect my storybooks to change the city's opinion overnight," Taylor said with a shrug. She'd made a hundred copies of "The Boy and the Harpy" while waiting for Rakia to leave, and had Gita deliver them across the city anonymously.
A lifetime of prejudice would not be overturned instantly, or even a month or year. It'd take a long time and a lot of hard work. But, like the saying about planting trees went, 'the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second-best time is now.'
Hearing her say that aloud, Gita nodded along in agreement. "I agree, captain. I did notice that one orphanage in particular seemed a lot more receptive to the message than some of the others, though. Maria's Orphanage, in the south-east near Daedalus Street and the Adventurer's Graveyard."
"Is that so? Perhaps I'll pay them a visit in the future," Taylor mused thoughtfully. "Thank you for your work."
"Of course, boss," Gita said. "Anything to help Wiene."
"She's gotten everyone wrapped around her fingers already. Only been a few days," Taylor snorted in amusement.
"She's just so… pure," Gita said, rubbing the back of her head. "I never thought I would say that about a monster."
"Is she really a monster if she can talk, think, and feel?" Taylor asked, though it was a rhetorical question. Wiene was Wiene, and the Hestia Familia loved her.
'It's time to change the world,' Taylor thought to herself. 'Never thought I would have the chance to try and do so again. And now… maybe I can do things right this time around.'
111 &&& 111
"I thought the marching pace Rakia had set on our way to Orario was fearsome," Marius breathed out as he looked around the 18th Floor. "But descending all the way here through the Dungeon… that was a new experience."
As promised, two days after their latest member joined them, the Hestia Familia returned to the Dungeon in force. Every member was with them, and they planned to do what they'd failed to do last time.
"Captain Taylor sets a harsh pace, but it gets results," Tammuz commented, looking down his nose at Marius. "Just like her training."
The prince winced at the reminder of what he'd gone through yesterday. What Taylor called a 'light' workout was the equivalent of several hellish training sessions that would make a Rakian veteran quake in their boots.
But, as Tammuz said, it gave results, and now Marius was no longer a risk to the cohesion of the rest of the Familia in a fight.
"Wiene, are you alright?" Bell asked, and the Xenos shivered a little as she looked around the area.
"This place… bad memories," she muttered. She was wearing a black robe with a hood to hide her appearance, and her eyes darted all over the place as she walked.
"Oh. Right, you were probably brought through here after being captured," Bell said with a wince. He then offered her a hand and she gratefully took it, squeezing it tightly.
"So cute," Oriana whispered as she watched the scene, and Ryuu nodded in agreement. It was sickeningly adorable.
'Syr will be delighted to hear about how paternal Bell can be,' Ryuu thought to herself, amused.
Even though the Hestia Familia's vice-captain was dating the Sword Princess, Syr hadn't let up in her pursuit of him. 'Lucky bastard' was muttered by more than one customer every time the grey-haired waitress has pressed her chest again Bell in an effort to seduce him.
"Come along, we're just taking a quick stop at Rivira before we head on deeper," Taylor called back to the adventurers following her. They'd all gotten off of Debbie as while riding the Dungeon Worm was a fast way to travel, it was highly uncomfortable and they wanted to stretch their legs.
The Hestia Familia soon made it to the town built within the Dungeon, and were greeted by a familiar man with an eyepatch approaching them.
"Afternoon, Bors," Taylor said, nodding at the man who came out to greet their group.
"Weaver! Glad to see ya," the unofficial mayor of Rivira said, waving a beefy hand at the woman.
"I've brought more chickens, grain, soil, worms, and other things for the experiments," she informed him, gesturing to the numerous boxes and cages strapped to Debbie's back.
"Ah, wonderful! That will help," he said with a pleased grin. "And I think you'll be pleased by the progress we've made. Come, see for yourself!"
He led the Hestia Familia into the shantytown, specifically the part that had been put aside to test whether or not crops and animals could be raised properly in the Dungeon.
Dozens of planter boxes were standing around in neat, orderly rows, many of them with green shoots poking out of soft, black soil.
"Seeds don't take well in the Dungeon's soil, so we haven't even bothered to try that after the first few failures and just keep 'em in the planters," Bors informed the parahuman as she examined the rows of elevated crops. "The potatoes grow the best, along with the chives. Some of the other herbs have had trouble, but the root vegetables are decent. Carrots and parsnips will be ready, soon."
"They've grown faster than I expected," Taylor noted, running a hand over some chives. In just a few weeks it'd gone from seed to almost ready to harvest!
"Yeah, we think the energy of the Dungeon is doing something to 'em," Bors said. "We ran some experiments, and found that if we take dirt from the 18th Floor and mix it with soil from the surface and have plenty of earthworms and fertilizer added, then the plants grow at least three times faster. Doesn't work with pure Dungeon-sourced materials, though. Best ratio we've found so far is one-fourth Dungeon dirt, three-fourths surface soil. Any more of the former and it kills the seeds and worms. Any less, and it doesn't grow as fast."
"Very impressive," Taylor praised. "You've got a real green thumb. Sure you're not part of Demeter's Familia?"
"Hah, funny, Weaver," Bors scoffed. "But seriously, we've had a couple of 'em come down here to check on what we're doing. And I think you've gotten the Farm Goddess's attention, now. Most of her Familia are only Level 1s, but I've heard that she's started pushing for some to become Level 2 so they can safely make the journey down here and become part of the community here."
Taylor nodded slowly. There were Level 1s living in Rivira, but they tended to be the lackeys of higher leveled individuals, forming little gangs that ran things in the settlement. If Demeter wanted to expand down into the Dungeon, she'd need a couple Level 2s to keep an eye on the rest of the farmers.
"Well, more power to her if that's the case," Taylor said with a shrug. "Now, show me the chickens."
At that, Bors grinned wider, and the reason why was soon evident upon leading the curious Hestia Familia to the coops. There were large wooden fences encircling the coops, keeping them safe, but the chickens themselves were the real showstoppers. They were huge and plump, some too fat to walk anymore and had to be carried around by adventurers!
"They love the Honey Cloud Fruits," Bors said with a grin at the sight of the dropped jaws Taylor and the rest sported. "They'd break out of their enclosure early on to try and eat the fallen fruits, and now they're twice as big than normal and their eggs are popping out faster than we can eat 'em!"
He reached down and picked up one of the pudgy chickens. "We've been making a lot of new chicken dishes, too. The fruits make for a damn tasty marinade. If you stick around I'll whip you something up!"
"I think we'll take you up on that offer after we finish our business in the Dungeon," Taylor said, eyeing the birds waddling around. They really had gotten fat. All the sugar in the Honey Cloud Fruits had seen to that.
The supplies were unloaded and handed over to Bors, who looked happy to have them. But he also had a concerned glint in his eyes.
"It's not normal to just hand all this over without asking for anything in return," Bors warned her. "I know the Guild is footing the bill for some of this stuff, but still…"
"I'm aware," Taylor said. "But this is necessary. And I'll come calling for a favor or two in the future. You can pay me back then."
"Hm. I wish I could pay with Magic Stones or Drop Items. Favors… those are a lot more dangerous to have hanging over your head," he sighed, before nodding. "Ah, well. You're not the worst person to be indebted to."
When the delivery was done, the Hestia Familia moved on and headed towards the 19th Floor. Before entering it, however, they took a moment to allow Haruhime to enchant all of the Level 1s with a Level Boost so they'd be capable of handling the Great Tree Labyrinth.
That wooded realm and the Great Fall afterwards were not places for Level 1s. Oh, they could certainly brave it, but only if they had a couple Level 2s or 3s at their side.
By boosting their Levels with Haruhime's spell, however, Emma and the rest of the newbies would be far safer and they could move even faster as a group without having to constantly protect a bunch of Level 1s from the hazards of that next couple of Floors.
"Alright, we're almost ready to venture off," Taylor said, looking back at the group as the renard finished up her preparations. "We're just waiting on one more person."
"So, when is this guy gonna get here?" Aisha wondered, looking around the entrance to the 19th Floor. "I wanna get going already!"
"He's already arrived," Taylor announced, turning to stare at a seemingly empty spot in the air. "Come on out. It's rude to hide."
A moment later and there was a ripple in front of them, and a figure in a black, hooded cloak appeared out of thin air, causing some of the adventurers to jump in surprise.
"Fels," Taylor said, giving the mysterious fellow a nod.
"Taylor," he replied politely, looking over the group, his gaze lingering on Marius and Wiene. "Are you sure you want to take them all down to the 27th Floor?"
"They need to see for themselves what we're going to be fighting for," Taylor declared, before putting a hand on Wiene's shoulder. "And they deserve to meet Wiene's family."
She then shot him an annoyed look. "And if you're concerned about Marius… well, should have thought of that before forcing him to join our Familia."
"Very well," Fels said.
His tone conveyed he wasn't that enthused about the idea, but Taylor didn't care what he thought. The secret of the Xenos was never going to last, and keeping such a major thing secret from everybody would only backfire.
'Better to let a select few people in high places know so they can help mitigate any issues that crop up,' she thought to herself.
Right now, only a few members of the Guild and Ganesha Familia knew aside from the Hestia Familia, and Taylor felt that not including one of the other big names in Orario was a mistake.
'Freya at the very least should have been brought in on the secret,' Taylor mused. 'She's not a good person, but Freya doesn't focus on large-scale things. She's a very down-to-Earth, one obsession at a time sort of woman. And she's a better choice than Loki or Hermes, at least. Those two are far too scheming for their own good, and would do something stupid, like try and use the Xenos for advancing their own agendas.'
Plus, having the strongest adventurer in the city in their corner would be nice, too.
"Do you have the things I asked for?" Taylor inquired after a moment, dismissing the stray thoughts for the moment.
"Naturally," Fels nodded, bringing out a pouch that jingled before tucking it away again. "Your idea is… ambitious. But I honestly hope it will succeed."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Taylor replied. "It's been fifteen years and the fact that this is the first time you're trying to try something like this frustrates me. I understand your hesitance. But it doesn't mean I like it."
"Believe me, I know," Fels sighed, before turning away. "Come along, now. We have several floors to get through."
And with that, the Hestia Familia began the trek to the lower levels of the Dungeon. They pushed hard and fast, bulldozing through the 19th, 20th, and 21st Floors without issue. Even the 22nd was swept aside, despite the best efforts of a herd of Sword Stags. The largest obstacle that came their way was a Mammoth Fool that tried to bar their path as they made their way through the 23rd Floor, but Chris made short work of it.
However, it was when they reached the 24th Floor that things changed for the party. They were approaching a section of wooden roots coiling tightly around each other that formed a maze-like structure barring the way to the next floor when the captain called a halt.
"I'm detecting something odd up ahead," Taylor warned, holding up a hand.
Intrigued, she ordered one of her Mad Beetles from the 19th Floor to fetch the source of the weirdness, and a moment later the beetle-like monster dragged something out of a knothole in a tree trunk up ahead.
It was an odd-looking creature: black and purple with a body over twenty feet long that resembled a pinecone crossed with a beehive. The parts that resembled the scales of a pinecone could peel back and open up, revealing pinkish-purple honeycomb flesh that wriggled a little and leaked a tiny bit of orange liquid.
Through Taylor's senses, the parahuman could detect something squirming within the mass, and as she observed, intrigued, it formed a Deadly Hornet that flew out into the air. It was already under her control the moment it had finished forming, but it was still a strange sight to see. Important to note was that these Deadly Hornets lacked Magic Stones. They were little more than autonomous drones created by the pinecone monster that looked like the infamous hornet-like monster.
"That's a Bloody Hive," Aisha said with a grimace. "Damn thing is practically a Floor Boss."
"So, it's like the Infant Dragon of the 12th Floor?" Bell asked, and she Amazon nodded.
"It's a rare trap-type monster, and is incredibly dangerous because it's one of the few monsters capable of spawning other monsters," she revealed. "It can't move, but it can spit a glue-like substance to pin even Level 3 adventurers in place. Then it spawns Deadly Hornets that attack and kill whoever it traps."
"I want one," Taylor declared, and everyone stared at her before sighing.
"I don't know if the Guild…" Fels began, but Taylor had already commanded the Mad Beetle to bring it over to her, and he trailed off with a shake of his head.
"It still only counts as one," Taylor said to herself with an evil grin. Seriously, a monster that spawned other monsters? And more importantly, ones she could control? That was exactly what she needed!
'I wonder if I can make it spawn things other than Deadly Hornets? Maybe some sort of Dungeon Bees? That way I could make honey. It's expensive buying it from Beyla and Aristaeus' apiaries all the time.'
As Taylor was thinking up new ways to terrorize and wreck the markets of Orario, Bell and the others shared fond if exasperated looks with each other.
"Miss Taylor? We need to keep going," Lili reminded her.
"Oh. Right," Taylor muttered, shaking her head before ordering the Bloody Hive to be tied down onto Debbie's back for safe keeping. "Let's go."
"Has the Amphisbaena respawned yet?" Ryuu inquired as they made their way down onto the 25th Floor.
"It did, around a week ago, but the Loki Familia already eliminated it," Fels replied. "The Guild didn't want a Monster Rex capable of traversing the Dungeon to linger, not while Rakia was squatting outside the walls."
"Smart," Marius agreed. "Do not leave an opponent able to flank you."
"Heads up, we've got Afanc and Dodora up ahead," Taylor announced. "I want all of the natural Level 2s to move to intercept. Show me the results of your training."
Afanc – which were crocodile headed beavers – and Dodora – which were essentially two-headed Wyverns that could swim as easily as they flew – barred their path, but they were easily dealt with, being no stronger than Level 2.
Oriana had brought a bunch of javelins with her to deal with flying and long-range monsters, and she was able to knock the Dodora down by piercing their wings as they flew in towards the group. She was quite proficient in this, as Albion often had to deal with rogue Wyverns flying in from the Dragon Valley.
Mikoto helped deal with the aerial foes as well, her gravity spell causing them to crash to the ground where they were finished off by Welf, his anvil-hammer crushing their skulls.
Lili and Marius teamed up, the pallum using Cinder Ella to borrow the properties of an Amazon, and combined with her heavy full plate the Afanc that tried to charge her and knock her down failed and were cut apart by her kukris. Then, while the beaver-crocodiles tried – and failed – to bite through Lili's Adamantite armor, Marius darted through the mass of monsters, his sword slicing off limbs with ease.
"Good work," Taylor praised, smiling at the five of them. Her words caused them all to smile back. They spent a minute to collect the spoils before continuing on.
Taylor then started to clear the way forward by taking control of a group of Crystaroth Urchins. They were just giant sea urchins, and since those were invertebrates, Queen Administrator had no issue dominating them.
The giant, spike-laden monsters bulldozed through the ground-based foes they came across, and helped clear a path down to the lower levels while Lili, Oriana, Silva, Emma and Primo used their ranged attacks to eliminate any flying monsters.
For most of the adventurers, this was the first time they'd seen the Great Fall, and they marveled at the beautiful sight of the super-waterfall that connected three whole floors. They couldn't just jump down, so they had to take the long, spiraling route down to the basin on the 27th Floor.
"You've collected a lot of monsters," Fels noted as they headed towards the Xenos' lair.
"There were quite a few on the way here," Taylor admitted, looking over her shoulder at the Devil Mosquitoes, Drag Octopi, Blue Crabs, and of course, Crystaroth Urchins. And those were just the ones from the Great Falls! Plenty of Mad Beetles, Deadly Hornets, and Gun Libellula had been collected from the Great Tree Labyrinth as well.
"Are you going to keep them all?" Marius asked nervously, still not used to his new captain's tendency to collect monsters.
"No. Aside from the Bloody Hive, I'll only be keeping a Blue Crab and Mad Beetle," Taylor replied. "The rest are too situational or don't have as much utility. The Drag Octopi, for instance, need water or they will dry out, and there won't always be water around. I didn't know I could even control cephalopods… but since it's a type of invertebrate I guess I shouldn't have been surprised."
She shook her head. "Anyways, Blue Crabs can take over the aquatic needs of the swarm up top. And Devil Mosquitoes need too much blood to feed on, making them hard to sustain. Plus, I don't really care for regular mosquitoes in the first place."
"I had no idea you liked certain bugs and disliked others," Silva commented.
"Even somebody who loves dogs can still like different breeds of dogs over others," Taylor replied, thinking of Rachel and how she'd hated dogs like pugs. Well, she hated the people who'd bred them. And how hard they were to care for. But still. The point was made.
"True. And I can guess why you want a Mad Beetle," Oriana spoke up. "It doesn't exactly have thumbs, but its claws are a lot more dexterous than any other monsters you control."
"You hit the nail on the head," Taylor chuckled. "Yes, Mad Beetles are able to exert a finer level of manipulation with their claws. Chris is amazing, but scythe blades aren't great for carrying boxes or bags."
Everyone nodded in understanding at that, though some couldn't help but feel unnerved by the sheer number of monsters that would be walking around on the surface soon.
"Are we there yet?" Wiene asked, looking around eagerly for any signs of her fellow Xenos.
"We are," Fels said, approaching the secret entrance. With a touch the boulder in front of him began to slide open, and he glanced back at the Hestia Familia. "Wait a moment. I will need to inform them they have guests."
He then swept inside with a dramatic flourish of his billowing cloak. When he entered, Taylor decided to listen in through the Arachne, Ranye. Even if she couldn't (wouldn't!) control the spider-like Xenos, the parahuman was still able to borrow her senses to eavesdrop.
"Fels," Lyd the Lizardman said, folding his arms across his chest. "Welcome."
"And greetings to you as well," Fels replied. "Is everything alright with you?"
"We have a few small things to report," Lyd claimed. "But first, can you explain why there are so many adventurers outside?"
Taylor noticed that the Xenos were anxious, and several were glaring at Fels, the Gargoyle chief among them.
"They are friends. The Hestia Familia," Fels replied.
"There are too many them!" Gros snarled.
"Perhaps. But they wish to help."
"So you claim," Lyd said slowly. "But do you have any proof of this?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Or rather, they do," Fels said, with a note of humor in his voice. "Do you recall what Taylor Hebert promised you all?"
"She found Wiene?!" Ray the Siren gasped, and the rest of the Xenos murmured in disbelief. Some, though, like Ranye, had hope within their expressions.
"See for yourself," Fels said, before turning to the entrance. "Come in!"
Outside, Taylor put a hand on Wiene's back, and the Vouivre looked up at her before glancing over at Bell and Haruhime.
"Go on," Bell urged, giving her a warm smile, one that was mirrored by Haruhime.
"Introduce us to your friends," the renard requested. That made the blue-skinned girl smile and she rushed inside, throwing off her hood as she did so.
"WIENE!" several Xenos cried out when she entered, and immediately the mood, originally tense and somber, shifted to one of joy and relief.
Behind her, the rest of the Hestia Familia shuffled in, looking around in a mix of shock and awe at the sight of all the monsters. More than just the fact they were wearing clothes and talking, it was the fact that the Xenos had smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes made even the most stoic members of the group like Ryuu and Karen do a double-take.
"So far, so good," Taylor murmured to Fels, who just nodded. She then stepped over towards Lyd, Ray, and Gros, the trio she had marked out as the leaders of the little community.
"You brought her back," Ray said, voice trembling with emotions.
"I made a promise," the parahuman replied.
"You did," Lyd muttered, before nodding. "I remember what was said. If you brought back our kidnapped member, we would listen to your request."
"Just because she saved one of us doesn't mean anything!" Gros growled out. "There's still the smugglers!"
"Actually, that's what I wanted to discuss," Taylor revealed. "We know who is responsible: a group called Evilus. Specifically, the Ikelos Familia. They are the ones kidnapping Xenos."
That caused the trio to perk up, and even Gros was listening, though he immediately scoffed.
"So, you know their identities! What of it?" he sneered.
"We, that is, an alliance of other Familias, are planning on assaulting Evilus' base. And one of these entrances lies down here, in the Dungeon," Taylor informed them. "We wish to destroy them, and will do so with a multi-pronged attack. If you wish, you should join us."
The Xenos leaders shared looks with each other, and now the Gargoyle was interested.
"Alright! That's what I'm talking about!" he said with a sharp grin.
"There's more to it than that, isn't there?" Lyd guessed, and Taylor nodded.
"Indeed. If you want to join… there are stipulations." She gestured at Fels, who took out the bag he'd shown off earlier, and opened it. From within he plucked an iron tag emblazoned with the Hestia Familia's emblem, the exact same one worn around the necks of her own Tamed monsters.
"You seek to enslave us, too!" Gros shouted, and several Xenos growled angrily.
"The only way adventurers and civilians will accept a monster killing other adventurers, even if they are part of Evilus, is if they are part of a Familia," Taylor retorted. "The same thing goes for if you ever want to walk openly on the surface. The world is not yet ready for the revelation of the Xenos. But that doesn't mean we cannot try and begin to change things."
She reached into a pouch and withdrew a copy of her picture book and tossed it to Ray. "It won't be easy. But things that matter rarely are. I cannot promise you instant access to the surface, or that people won't end up hating you. What I can offer, is my support."
Ray stared at the cover art, of a boy walking through a forest alongside a Harpy who was wearing clothes, before glancing over at Lyd.
"And what, exactly, would this support entail?" Lyd inquired, not immediately dismissing her words.
"Food and other supplies, delivered via dead drops or in person," Taylor replied. "Medicine and tools to make life easier. I would also take the Xenos up to the surface. Not all at once, but in alternating small groups, so everyone has a chance. They would of course have to wear the Hestia Familia emblem and be accompanied by a member of the Familia at all times, but it would be better than nothing. I would also be willing to intervene on your behalf if Xenos are encountered in the Dungeon, bringing them to you and protecting them from other adventurers. I will even try to find the other Xenos who were already kidnapped and sold and free them."
"Such kindness would not come cheap," the Lizardman claimed, and Taylor shrugged.
"Of course not. But aside from the conditions I mentioned regarding wearing the emblem and fighting alongside us when we invade Knossos… the only other thing I can think of that I'd want from the Xenos would be assistance in the Dungeon itself. Helping us acquire materials and protecting our Familia members would be greatly appreciated."
"You ask much of us, Taylor Hebert… but offer a great deal as well," a new voice spoke up, coming from a large Green Dragon who was lying nearby. The other Xenos turned to him, respect in their gazes, and waited for him to speak again.
"I owe your father many debts," he continued after a moment. "And you have already proven to be honorable with your rescue and treatment of Wiene. I, Gryuu, would like to trust you further. What say you, Lyd, Ray, Gros?"
"I don't like it," Gros grumbled.
"Well, I think the idea is the best thing we can hope for," Ray retorted, shooting the pessimistic Gargoyle an annoyed glare.
"You would allow us to take our revenge for our fallen brethren if we agree to these terms?" Lyd asked. "You will support us in this, and other matters?"
"I promise," Taylor swore.
Lyd took a deep breath. "So be it," he declared. "We will work with adventurers just this once, to see if you can be trusted to keep your oaths. Inform Fels when it is time to take our vengeance, and we will join you to strike down these 'Evilus.'"
Taylor nodded, then stuck out her hand for him to shake. Surprised by the gesture, the Lizardman soon reciprocated, and there was a cheer from the nearby Xenos who'd been watching.
"This calls for a celebration," Taylor decided. "Lili? Bring out the grills."
The pallum grinned and did so, summoning a couple of magi-tool grills along with a lot of different foods and drinks from her inventory.
"Let us enjoy a party with newfound friends and allies," the captain of the Hestia Familia called out. Taylor wanted Xenos and adventurers alike to get along, and there was nothing quite like a meal to bring people closer together.
Bridging the gap between the two groups would take more than just a party and some food, unfortunately, but it was a step in the right direction. And above all, Taylor was determined to see this endeavor her father had started succeed.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: I'm back, baby! Also, here's Marius' Stats!
Marius Victrix Rakia "Arsenal"
Level 2
POWER – C 651
ENDURANCE – D 523
DEXTERITY – E 430
AGILITY – E 458
MAGIC – G 277
Skill –
Unison March: Reduce the amount of stamina used when fighting, marching, or training in a group.
Spell –
Telum Astral: Conjures copies of weapons carried by the caster. Each copy's sharpness and durability is based on the amount of Mind used to create them.
Chant: My faith is my steel! Assault and conquer!
Astral Armamentarium: Create a forcefield in the form of armor around the caster's body. Hardness and durability based on the amount of Mind used to create it.
Chant: My faith is my shield! Defense and freedom!
Development Ability –
Swordsman G
Chapter 56: Chapter 53: The Streets Have Eyes
Chapter Text
Chapter 53: The Streets Have Eyes
"Do we have to?" Hestia asked, whining a little as she dragged her feet.
"Yes," Taylor replied, resisting the urge to sigh. "It's an important meeting with the other members of our little conspiracy."
"Don't call it a conspiracy, that makes it sound bad," the goddess huffed. "We're trying to do good things, here!"
"Exactly. So please stop pouting," Taylor requested. "Your rivalry with Loki is exhausting."
"That washboard is the one who's exhausting!" Hestia growled. "Always being so smug and rude and trying to stab people in the kidneys!"
Taylor resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but it was a close thing, and instead she patted Hestia on the head, earning a squawk from her.
A moment later, the duo walked inside a bar that was commonly used by gods to drink and chat, so their appearance wasn't unusual. Approaching a barmaid, Taylor placed a gold coin onto her tray.
"The brat with the feathered cap said we needed the key to the yellow room," Taylor told her in a low voice, and the woman just smiled before fishing a silver key from her cleavage.
Thanking her, Taylor and Hestia went to the private rooms in the back, opening the door that had a yellow doorknob with the key they'd been given.
"Welcome, welcome!" a man with golden blond hair and emerald eyes said in greeting. "It's been too long, little Hestia!"
"Dionysus! Nice to see you again!" the Hearth Goddess said with a smile.
"Indeed! Such a shame we have to meet under such circumstances," the god sighed, before turning to look at Taylor. "Greetings, my lady. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Same," Taylor said curtly. She was not a fan of his aura: screams of ecstasy and terror, mixing chaotically. Still, it was better than the buzzing static that belonged to the black-haired elf at his side that set Taylor's teeth on edge. It was also… familiar…
"It's a regular reunion, ain't it?" Hermes said cheerfully as he strode into the room. "Dio, Hesty, how ya doing?"
Behind him, Asfi sighed, shaking her head, but kept silent.
"Hey, Hermes," Hestia said, not as enthused to see the Messenger God. She still hadn't forgiven him for treating Taylor and Bell's familial connection like an exciting game, and to be honest, neither had the parahuman.
Sensing the hostility, he coughed awkwardly and sat down at the table as far from the duo as possible.
"We're just waiting on Loki, right?" Hermes asked.
"Right," Dionysus nodded. "I hope you don't mind if I ordered some drinks for us."
"No, not at all," Hermes replied.
"Lord Hermes… this room is on your tab," Asfi reminded him, and he blanched.
"Uh, on second thought, maybe don't get anything too expensive?"
Dionysus just smiled, and the God of Thieves groaned and covered his face, muttering about his monthly allowance being used up. Hestia snorted and even Taylor cracked a smile.
"I'm here, I'm here!" Loki called out a minute later, entering the private room with Finn at her side. "Don't start the drinking without me!"
"Well, now that we've all gathered, how about we discuss the real reason we're meeting up," Finn suggested after the gods had all had a glass of wine.
"Evilus," Dionysus nodded, his expression turning solemn.
"Yup," Loki said, squinting into her drink. "Time to plan the invasion of Knossos."
"Before we can do anything, we have to find as many entrances as possible so we can keep them locked down," Asfi replied. "And find a way to open the doors."
The gods and captains spoke for a bit, discussing ways to do just that. Unfortunately, they didn't have many good ideas.
"If only you hadn't destroyed that orb, Weaver," Dionysus sighed, looking over at Taylor.
"There wasn't any other choice," she replied. "That red-head was too strong. Level 6, at a minimum. And her power to control those monsters was a strong counter for my own ability to do the same."
"Revis," Finn spoke up. "We found out that her name was Revis."
"Helpful. But I assume the Guild has no records of any adventurer matching that name and her description?" Taylor inquired, and when Finn nodded she frowned.
"Odd. Unless she's from outside Orario somebody should know her. The fact nobody seems to recognize her, though, is worrisome."
"Hey, how does that even work?" Loki inquired, staring at the parahuman. "The monster-control thing. Because if the enemy can counter your ability, then what's even the point of bringing you with us?"
"First of all, her – Revis's – range is significantly smaller than my own," Taylor replied, hiding her annoyance. "Secondly, my power works by taking control of the brain. Revis takes control of their soul."
"Monsters don't have souls," Filvis said, speaking up for the first time.
"Their Magic Stone, then. Or whatever it is that animates them," Taylor said with a dismissive shake of her head. "Point is, the point of contact is different. We can send conflicting orders and paralyze the monsters, which is what I did when Evilus attacked us. And, if it truly came down to a contest of wills… I would win."
"You sure?" Hermes asked.
"Absolutely," she stated firmly, her tone brooking no argument.
"In that case, we'll leave that task to you, then," Finn said with a conciliatory tone. "Anyways, back to the original point: doors and keys."
He raised three fingers. "So far, we've found three entrances to Knossos. We're still looking for more."
"We can brute force the doors," Loki said. "At least the ones leading into Knossos. It's the traps that are the problem."
"Pardon, but you said three? I was only aware of two: the sewer entrance and the one in the Entertainment District," Dionysus spoke up.
"You can thank Weaver for the third one," Finn said. "She discovered a hidden door on the 18th Floor being used as a smuggler's den. I investigated it, and it matches the materials and design of the other doors."
"That's not all you got, right?" Hermes asked, and the pallum nodded.
"Weaver also captured a pair of adventurers who were with Evilus and part of Thanatos' Familia. Unfortunately, they were zealots," Finn revealed with a grimace. "One bit off his own tongue before I could interrogate him, and the other one simply spouted nonsense about reincarnation and meeting his loved ones again."
"That must be how Thanatos is getting their loyalty," Asfi guessed. "If he is promising to reunite people with their lovers in the afterlife and give them a second chance, it would explain their fanaticism."
"Can he do that?" Taylor asked, concerned. "Reunite the dead with their friends and family?"
"Technically? Yes," Hestia confirmed for her captain's sake. "As a god in charge of souls, Thanatos is tasked with making sure the dead are cleaned of sins and worldly attachments before sending them into the Sea of Souls surrounding Tenkai. Some gods may select certain souls to receive rewards or punishments, and Thanatos does have some say in where a soul ends up, but that's only if he was in Tenkai. While he's descended, he's unable to keep his promises, and the other Death Gods will be taking care of his followers. And they might not be as kind to them due to their sins."
"And even if Thanatos does reincarnate his followers with their loved ones, there is no telling what they will be, or when they'd manifest again," Hermes added. "Simply put, it's a scam, but an effective one for the lost, hopeless, and desperate."
"Disgusting," Filvis muttered, and Taylor nodded, agreeing with the elf.
"Three doors, hm? I'd prefer it if we could find another one. One for each of the Familias here," Dionysus mused.
"We'll keep looking," Finn declared.
"That would be a relief," the god said. "Though I must say, I'm worried. Even if we find them, the worry of a way in remains."
"Asfi might have a solution," Hermes declared. "She's been studying the doors and thinks she can… what was it you said?"
"Analyze the magical signature required to open them and copy the wavelength," the bluenette replied dutifully, pushing her glasses up.
"Right. That," Hermes chuckled. "Give us a few weeks to a month and we should have a magical lockpick."
"Good to know," Loki nodded, and Finn looked eager.
"In that case, why don't we celebrate with another bottle of wine?" Dionysus suggested, and Hermes paled at the thought of paying for any more drinks.
"No, no, that's quite alright!" the Messenger God hastily said. Dionysus smiled, but it was an amused smirk. Clearly, he knew what he was doing and enjoying it.
This did not go unnoticed, and Loki snorted in amusement while Hestia giggled.
"I'm glad that you've mellowed out since descending, Dionysus," Hestia said, smiling at the God of Wine.
"I don't think I've changed that much," he replied, scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh.
"Oh, I think you have," Hermes said, a teasing smirk on his face. "Didn't you used to go around beating up other gods whenever they annoyed you?"
Dionysus huffed and flipped his fabulous golden hair. "Don't pretend that you wouldn't have punched those punks too, Hermes!"
The gods had a good laugh at that, before settling down.
"Now! Supplies!" Loki said, slapping the table. "That's the next topic!"
"We will need Airmid on our side," Finn declared, rubbing his chest. "The enemy has cursed weapons and Elixirs simply aren't enough."
"Will Dian Cecht agree to that?" Filvis asked softly. "He is very… protective of Dea Saint."
"Offer him enough money and he'll do anything," Hermes replied. "He won't like it… but he'll do it."
"Bringing in Airmid and more Supporters and Healers from the Dian Cecht Familia will cost a lot," Dionysus warned.
'And Loki is always broke,' went unsaid, but heard all the same, if the grimace the Trickster Goddess sported was any clue.
"We will fund the expedition with a quick Dungeon raid," Finn stated. "It will help us acquire the materials we need, as well."
He then glanced at Taylor and Hesita. "Would your Familia be willing to work with us to collect some funds?"
Goddess and captain shared a look before the latter turned back to the pallum and nodded.
"Yes," Taylor replied. "Only up to the 36th Floor, though. We won't venture into the Deep Floors."
"Acceptable," Finn conceded.
"I believe we should also get the Ganesha Familia's help," the parahuman added. "At least for assistance in forming a cordon around Knossos' entrances to keep Evilus from fleeing."
"Agreed," Asfi nodded. "They will likely step in even if we don't ask. Especially when the fighting spills out into the city. And it will happen, because Evilus are not the sort to leave civilians alone."
"Yes, based on their previous actions they'll try to attack other sites to draw our attention," Finn hummed. "Very well. We'll petition the Ganesha Familia for aide."
"Also, I would like to make another suggestion, this time for the Loki Familia," Taylor said.
"What would that be?" Loki drawled.
"One of your adventurers can copy Spells, correct?" Taylor asked, and Finn and Loki shared a glance before nodding.
"That's right," Finn confirmed. "Leyfia Viridis. Thousand Elf. Why?"
"One of my Familia members has a Spell I think would be quite useful for her," Taylor replied.
"I'm afraid Leyfia can only learn magic that come from other elves," Finn said apologetically.
"Good, because it's Ryuu who has the Spell I want her to learn," Taylor replied. Ryuu had agreed to the trade when she'd brought it up before leaving for the meeting, having little to connection to her magic, save one Spell.
"And what, exactly, would you want from this exchange?" Loki demanded.
"A favor," Hestia spoke up. "We let you learn this magic from Ryuu, and you promise to give us one favor."
Loki frowned, but Taylor knew she and Finn would agree. A Spell was a Spell, in the end. And anything that boosted the fighting power of their Familia was worth any price, even an ambiguous favor to be called in later.
"Fine," Loki grunted after a moment of thinking the offer over. "One Spell for one favor. Acceptable. We'll bring Leyfia over later today, alright?"
"Sounds good," Hestia nodded in agreement.
"Great! Now, is there anything else?" Hermes asked, looking around.
"Nope, can't think of anything," Loki shrugged.
"In that case, I supposed we should end it here," Dionysus suggested. "There's much to do, and we can't sit around waiting, can we?"
The God of Wine then walked out of the room, his dark-haired captain scrambling out after him.
"He drank all of the good stuff," Hermes whined as he looked at the empty bottles where Dionysus had previously sat.
"Sucks to be you," Loki snarked.
"You should really be cutting back on that stuff anyways," Hestia sniffed.
"How come Dionysus can drink like a fish but I can't?" Hermes grumbled.
"He's the God of Wine. He gets a pass," Hestia smirked, clearly just teasing before standing up as well. "Anyways… bye, Hermes. Later, Washboard."
"Suck it, Tiny!" Loki shot back.
Taylor and Finn rolled their eyes as the former led her goddess out of the room and the bar.
"That was informative," the parahuman commented.
"Yeah, it was… though did you have to be so rude to Dionysus?" Hestia asked. "I know he's a bit of a flirt, but…"
"His aura annoyed me," she replied. "And something about his captain is… off-putting."
"Ah," Hestia winced. "Well… try to get along next time, okay?"
"I'll do what I can," Taylor said, before looking down at her. "We've got time before we have to head home. What do you want to do next?"
"Why don't we ask my friend Penia if she's seen anything odd in the city," Hestia suggested after thinking it over. "I still feel kinda hyped up and wanna do something to help fight those meanies!"
"Penia? The Goddess of Poverty?" Taylor asked, leaning in. She'd heard of her, of course. The parahuman had made it a mission to learn all she could about the different gods in Orario.
Penia stood out amongst the dozens of deities, mostly because she was the only goddess to lack a Familia. If rumors were true, she actually hated the very idea of giving mortals power in the form of Falna.
"Yup! I knew her back in Tenkai. She descended a few centuries ago, so I haven't seen her since," Hestia replied.
"She lives in Daedalus Street, last I heard, and is sort of a bigshot for the beggars and homeless of the city," Hestia continued. "We could go ask her if she knows anything about Evilus, or if she heard something from her worshippers."
Taylor looked skeptical at that. "In my experience, villains don't just monologue their whole evil plan out in the open for people to hear."
"Well duh, but Penia has eyes and ears everywhere, so somebody likely knows something," the Goddess of the Hearth pointed out.
"Good point," Taylor admitted.
Privately, she doubted Penia knew more than Gita or her extensive information network, but there was always the chance they could get a bit of intel they hadn't yet discovered.
'And it's not like there's anything else happening today aside from Bell taking Wiene out into Orario.'
To test whether or not Taylor's plan about having the Xenos move around on the surface with the Hestia Familia emblem on their clothing would work, the young Vouivre had volunteered to help. Bell was going to take her around the city, introducing her to the various places they usually went to see what happened.
Wiene was a monster, but she also looked human enough (aside from the blue skin tone) most people might not even realize she wasn't normal. Add in the fact she was cute and curious and people would be taken aback but, hopefully, also be quick to warm up to her.
'For now, I have to trust Bell and his impressive charisma to turn people to our side regarding Wiene and the Xenos,' Taylor thought to herself.
For the moment, though, the parahuman had a job to do, and she dutifully followed Hestia into Daedalus Street. Entering the area always felt weird. Her swarm had trouble with the spatial distortions in the place, and she still wasn't sure why.
'Perhaps it has to do with Knossos?' Taylor mused. 'The two entrances on the surface that have been found are both close to Daedalus Street, so it's not beyond the pale that the hideout is responsible for effect.'
But that raised more worrying questions. After all, Daedalus Street was one of the oldest districts of the city, built shortly after Babel and the central regions, and according to the few records dating back to that era, the maze-like qualities of the street had existed ever since it was built. That implied Knossos had been around just as long if the distortions were any indicator.
Yet Evilus was relatively new. It had only formed after the Zeus and Hera Familias were driven out of Orario. What purpose did Knossos serve? Why had it been built? And by whom?
'Hopefully I can find some answers during the raid,' Taylor thought, before her swarm detected an odd aura coming from nearby.
It was a deity, and the hum radiating off of her was the sound of coins clinking together. Taylor guided Hestia towards the goddess, and was soon greeted with the sight of an elderly woman with white hair and a white hood-like shawl draped around her shoulders. Underneath she wore a black dress that had seen better days.
"…remember! The sin of Greed is the greatest to plague mortals!" she declared, giving a sermon to numerous people bowing to her while wearing tattered, dirty clothes. "Greed is the Primordial Sin! It is Greed that causes mortals to go to war, spawning Wrath! It is Greed that causes mortals to desire the spouses of the others, birthing Lust! Greed for what others own gives rise to Envy! Greed is what leads to mortals reaching for undeserved success, leading to Hubris! And Greed for excessive food and relaxation in turn is the source of Gluttony and Sloth! Do not give in to Greed! You may be poor in wallet, but your souls are richer than any mortal in a golden palace!"
The worshipers cheered and praised her, calling out her name. "Penia! Save us, Penia!" the cried out, and coins were tossed into begging bowls at her feet.
Eventually the supplicants departed, and the goddess sighed, sagging a little before whipping out a bottle of wine, taking a swig from it. However, as she drank, her eyes drifted towards the entrance to the alleyway she was proselytizing at and immediately coughed upon spotting Taylor and Hestia.
"Hestia?" the goddess spluttered in surprise, her grey eyes widening, and the tiny dark-haired deity bounced over, giving her a hug.
"Penia! It's good to see you again!" Hestia declared.
"I… yes, I suppose it is," she stammered. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was looking for stuff in Daedalus Street with my child, and I figured if anyone knew anything about the place, it'd be you!" the Goddess of the Hearth explained.
"Oh?" Penia murmured, glancing over at Taylor who stood nearby, watching quietly. "So, you have a Familia, now."
"Yup!" Hestia nodded. "They're the best! No, the bestest!"
Penia sighed, but there was fondness within it. "I'm sure. Even I've heard about the Record Holders. Honestly, my dear, you must be feeding them something amazing to get them so strong so quickly. But what else can I expect from the goddess who tended to the Divine Flame of Tenkai?"
"I take it you two know each other quite well," Taylor spoke up.
"I am the Goddess of the Hearth. A warm and safe place to stay is the right of all mortals," Hestia said proudly. "When people would pray to Penia for deliverance from their woes, I would make sure they would find somewhere that would accommodate them."
"You were always too kind for your own good," Penia commented. "And that means… you're here about Evilus."
"That's right," Hestia confirmed, but Taylor narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"You know something," Taylor said accusingly.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Penia replied. "I don't work for free, though."
"Nobody does," Taylor agreed, and she fished out some valis from her pocket. Her swarm then carried the golden coins over to the prayer bowls, and deposited them within.
"Generous," Penia murmured.
"Compared to what the people from earlier gave, it is nothing," Taylor replied.
"Oh? But I see only copper and silver from my followers. Yours are the first gold coins I have been given in a long time," Penia commented.
"There is a story from my home. It's been a while since I heard it, but it goes that there are two people who donate money to a god's temple. One is a rich man, the other a poor woman. Both give only a single gold coin. But the woman is the more generous of the two, for that one coin is worth far more to her than it is to the rich man," Taylor replied.
Penia stared at her with narrowed eyes, scrutinizing the parahuman before snorting. "You are a strange one, Outsider. But you are kind to a fault as well. However, your kindness is hidden behind scars."
Taylor simply folded her arms. "Hestia and I are looking for any information you might have on Evilus. We know the Loki Familia has been through here, but had no luck. Perhaps you can change that?"
"Hmph, those adventurers from the Loki Familia have been combing through Daedalus Street for a while, now," Penia huffed. "No clue what they're looking for. They haven't bothered to ask any of the inhabitants for help, at least."
"That seems shortsighted," Taylor pointed out. "Surely people who live in this place would make for decent guides, or at least might know something useful."
"Common sense from an adventurer? Will wonders never cease!" Penia cackled. "Poor child, the members of the Loki Familia are afflicted by the same curse most of those with a Falna fall prey to: arrogance. They cannot see those without a god's blessing as anything other than weak, and lesser."
She opened her arms widely. "That is why I do not have a Familia of my own. I feel that to bless a mortal is to take away something fundamental from them. They end up relying on their strength of arms, and fail to consider other avenues, such as what their mind can offer."
"The world is poorer for the inclusion of the Falna, or so you believe," Taylor said, quickly figuring out why a goddess of poverty would think that way, and Penia snapped her fingers.
"Correct," she replied. "Since you shared a tale from your homeland with me, let me give you one of my own. Once, a young and naïve goddess descended to the realm of mortals. She sought to guide the poor and helpless out of the pit of poverty they had fallen into. She traveled the land, and blessed orphans, beggars, homeless and pickpockets so they might become more than what they currently were."
Hestia gave her a worried look as she spoke, clearly knowing the story. Penia sighed, and waved a hand. "Amongst these mortals, the goddess found a man who was destitute, debt-riddled from poor decisions his parents had made and then foisted the responsibility for onto. Yet despite that, he preserved, working hard and never giving up. Despite having nothing he was generous and gave to all who needed food or coin more than him. It was this charitable nature that drew the goddess to him, and so, she blessed him."
"He had an incredible sense for money. And with the goddess' aide, he soon managed to amass a fortune and pay off his debts. They said he had the golden touch! But in time, his greed grew too much, and he turned arrogant," the Goddess of Poverty said morosely. "Gone was his charity, of giving to the less fortunate. Now, he abused them and worked them to the bone without another thought. He lied, claiming it was for their own good. That if they worked hard like he had, they could be like him! In the end, the Man with the Golden Touch died when his greed caused him to steal the wife of another man, one whom he had forced into poverty and debt, just like he once had."
Penia clenched her fists. "The foolish and naïve goddess saw that her beloved Golden Man had died, and took away her blessing from the corpse wearing his skin. Without the divine guidance, his golden touch vanished, and his fate was sealed by the ones he had ruined."
"Midas," Taylor muttered, recognizing some parallels with the Greek tragic figure of her world, and Penia twitched, her expression darkening at that name.
"Yes. Midas. His pursuit of wealth was not what killed him, but rather, it was the power the goddess granted him that made him lose sight of everything he should have held dear. And the goddess realized that it was only in adversity after everything else is taken away that the true nature of a person is revealed. Without struggles and pain they do not have a chance to shine."
Taylor wasn't sure she agreed, but she couldn't deny that power… it did things to people. Twisted even what should have been noble goals into monstrous ideals and brought out hidden darkness from a person's heart that might have stayed buried otherwise.
"Hestia would never let that happen to me," the parahuman replied.
For a moment there was silence, and Penia sighed and closed her eyes. "Within the deepest part of Daedalus Street, there is a warehouse. Beneath the warehouse is something… odd. A golden door, completely out of place for its surroundings. The warehouse has no owner, but no one dares sleep within it, even on the coldest and wettest nights, for those who do… are never seen again. It has always been this way, but in the past decade and a half, even those who try to find shelter in the buildings surrounding it vanish."
"Thank you," Taylor said gratefully.
"…Hestia was the only one who never made fun of me in Tenkai," Penia muttered. "I'm just repaying that favor."
The tiny goddess looked up at the Goddess of Poverty with a conflicted expression, but her concern was waved off.
"Go on, Hestia. You have more important things to do than hang around a dirty alleyway with an old, drunk, and rambling woman," Penia said. Hestia just gave her another hug before returning to Taylor's side.
"I'll visit again soon!" Hestia promised as the duo left.
"So… what do you think we should do next?" the Goddess of the Hearth wondered as they walked away.
"I'm searching the area and marking the walls and paths with my spiders," Taylor informed Hestia. "I think I've found the place Penia was referring to."
"Really?" Hestia asked, taken aback.
"Just as she said, there's a bunch of buildings that are completely empty of people, and from the conditions, have been that way for over a decade. Everywhere else has somebody living in there, or even just stray animals. But there's nothing like that in this part, just insects. Kinda obvious in hindsight."
"Huh. That was easy," she murmured.
"I still need to map it out more and check to see if there's a golden door… but yes, we're done," Taylor said. "Want to get a snack or something?"
"I could go with some ice cream," Hestia suggested leadingly and Taylor chuckled.
"We can grab the ingredients and make some for dessert tonight."
"Yes!" Hestia cheered, pumping her fist. "We need to buy or invent some magic tools to make ice cream on our own at some point! I wanna sell it! It'd be a hit in the stores!"
"Not a bad idea," Taylor praised. "How's the restaurant coming, anyways?"
"Almost done! Just got a few more things to finish up with. I've got deals with Demeter and Hathor for supplies, and got a few hires lined up to work the kitchens!"
"Good to hear, I can't wait to try some good ol' fast food again," Taylor said. 'And with an adventurer's constitution there's no risk of clogged arteries!'
As a Level 3, she could probably eat a whole Challenger Burger from Fugly Bob's without getting sick! Maybe. If she hadn't eaten anything else that day…
She was shaken from her thoughts about the greasiest burger this side of the multi-verse by an explosion coming from within the city, and she frowned.
'Was that… thunder?' Taylor wondered in worry. It had sounded a lot like when one of Bell's clones blew itself up.
A second later another blast of thunder rang out and her fears were proven correct.
"Hestia, we need to go," the parahuman announced, and Taylor scoped Hestia up while summoning her wings. The goddess let out an "Eep!" as she was soon being carried through the air at ridiculous speeds, but Taylor ignored her, pausing only to drop her off at the Hearth Manor before shooting off to see what was happening.
When she found the source of the commotion – two more thunder-like explosions having gone off in the time it took her to cross half the city – Taylor was both frustrated and unsurprised to see the ones responsible.
"Sword Princess," Taylor called out through her swarm as it buzzed angrily. "Care to explain why you're attacking my brother and Familia members?"
Chapter 57: Omake: Underside of Orario 4
Chapter Text
Omake: Underside of Orario – Lisa / Tattletale
It had been a year since she'd fallen into a world that was like a weeb's wet dream, and it still didn't feel real. Sometimes she had to pinch her arm to remind herself that yes, it was real. She wasn't stuck in the Birdcage or a dying world or even a rebuilding alternate world.
Lisa, formerly Tattletale of the Undersiders, had ended up in Orario, City of Heroes, through a series of circumstances she didn't fully understand, but completely blamed on a malfunctioning Tinkertech device left behind in the City after the Ice Break incident.
It had catapulted her across time and space and she'd landed square in the middle of what she'd first assumed were cosplayers but turned out to be actual, factual, gods, goddesses, and adventurers. Needless to say, things had been pretty crazy after that, but she'd somehow managed to settle down and find a Familia of her own.
There were some things Lisa wished she could change, though. She missed greasy and sugary food, and the bathroom situations were not great, to say the least. A goddess who wasn't a handsy weirdo would also be nice. Still, it wasn't all bad.
'I do like being a Brute, now, though,' Lisa as she flexed her legs before shooting forward and punching her fists into the stuffed dummy in the Twilight Manor's backyard. She rained a hail of blows onto the training dummy and grinned widely as the wooden pole holding it up snapped.
"Oh, yeah, that's the stuff," Lisa muttered to herself, wiping some sweat off of her forehead with a satisfied smile. Training and exercise was so much more satisfying when she could actually see tangible results in the form of numbers going up.
'It really is like a video game… Uber and Leet would either rule the city in a matter of weeks or they'd somehow cause the Dungeon to escape… possibly both,' she thought to herself, wincing at the thought of the troublesome duo ending up in this world.
Shaking that scary idea from her head, Lisa looked at the busted up training dummy, idly clenching her fists.
"So, that's what having a Power stat in the 200's does to my physical strength," she mused aloud to herself, impressed.
Lisa had pushed herself hard to get to that point. Delving into the Dungeon almost daily, risking her life against hideous beasts that made Nilbog and the Red Queen's creations look tame at times, and dealing with a city full of try-hards who thought armor was for cowards and chumps.
Her power helped to reach this point. It let her calculate the optimal way to take down monsters by analyzing weak points and find the easiest method to obtain high-quality Excelia with minimal danger to herself. Still wasn't easy. She'd chugged so many Healing Potions she felt she could sweat the stuff, and spent days recovering from some mistakes.
But all the hard work was worth it, because all of her Stats were above H rank, nearly unheard of for somebody who'd only been an adventurer for a little more than a year. Plus her Magic Stat, which for some reason was already at D.
[Magical energy is referred to as Mind and rests primarily within the brain. Shards utilize the host's brain to function. This interaction causes the Magic stat to grow passively as host uses her power] her passenger let her know.
'I already knew this, was being sarcastic, but thanks for the reminder,' Lisa thought to herself with a roll of her eyes.
After cleaning up the broken dummy, she went on to another area where several targets had been set up for archery practice. The Loki Familia preferred to use crossbows when they had to fight with ranged projectiles, though a couple used short bows that packed a mean punch.
However, instead of using any of the training equipment, Lisa took a six-shooter revolver out of a holster at her hip. It was a nifty weapon and more of a hand cannon than a regular handgun, and something she'd worked with one of the crafting Familia to create.
Gunpowder didn't exist in this world. Primitive black powder did, but it wasn't what she'd call useful, so it'd taken some time to come up with a workaround. By combining the local magi-tech with modern knowledge, Lisa and the Dian Cecht Familia had created the first ever magic gun.
Technically it was a railgun as it fired solid metal slugs via application of magnetism, but the only reason such a powerful type of weapon could exist in such a compact form as a hand cannon and not a rifle was due to magic.
"Is that the new weapon you've been working on with Dian Cecht?" a curious voice inquired, and Lisa turned around, spotting some of the top adventurers of the Loki Familia.
The two people in the front were the Amazon twins, Tiona and Tione Hiryute. The executives were some of the strongest people in the city, being Level 5. Tiona was very much an airhead while Tione tried too hard to act 'womanly' which was odd, seeing as she was capable of bench pressing an 18-wheeler.
Then, there was Ais Wallenstein standing off to the side, the dead-eyed Sword Princess who was way more dangerous than just her status as a Level 5.
[Is not fully human. Possibly related to a Spirit or Greater Spirit due to nature of heightened magical power and affinity for Wind. Displays sociopathic traits, namely lack of emotions and empathy, aggressiveness, and impulsivity, possibly as a result of trauma and her inhuman nature] her Shard 'helpfully' informed her.
'I know! Thank you, Passenger, you can stop now!' she thought with a twitch of her left eye.
Thanks to her power, Lisa knew Ais was completely insane, and utterly dedicated to an impossible goal. Seeing her put on a pedestal by the masses of the city was hilarious. And sad.
Finally, there was the Level 3 elf, Leyfia, who followed Ais around like a puppy. It was cute watching that poor girl pine after the Sword Princess without really knowing a damn thing about her. She had been the one to speak up and announce the group's presence.
'She's also a lot of fun to tease,' Lisa thought to herself with a smirk.
"Ooo!" the younger of the Amazon twins, Tiona, said, gushing over the weapon in Lisa's hand. "Shiny!"
[Excited to see the finished product. Thinks the weapon is neat. Thinks you are interesting for coming up with it. Wants to know what might happen if she tried to use it] Lisa's power told her as she looked at her Familia members.
"Kinda small, don't you think?" the bustier of the Amazons, Tione, commented, raising an eyebrow as she examined the revolver.
[Threatened by the closeness you have with Finn. Thinks you are trying to steal him from her. Insecurities take the form of snark and attempts to verbally put you down.]
"It's not the size that counts, but how you use it," Lisa scoffed, before shooting her a smirk. "I hope you remember that when you eventually get together with the captain."
That caused Tione and Leyfia to blush vividly as they understood the innuendo, while Tiona let out a full belly laugh and Ais just tilted her head to the side, confused.
"What does that mean?" she wondered.
"I'll explain when you're older," Lisa said, fighting the urge to pat the blonde swordswoman on the head. Unrepentant sociopath she may have been, the Sword Princess should have been called the Sword Puppy with how cute she could look at times.
[Confused. Does not understand the insinuations] her powerful helpfully informed her. [Curious about the weapon. Wants to know if it can help her kill monsters better.]
'Thank you, brain, whatever would I do without you?' Lisa thought to herself, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at her Shard's commentary. She didn't need to be a super-detective to know that.
Though, the lack of headaches when she used her power was another reason to love the Falna. It was such a relief and definitely worth joining Loki's family of outcasts and weirdos who thought they were heroes.
"Let's see what this baby can do," Lisa said, and turned to the targets. She loaded the gun, flicked the safety off, aimed it at the red and white target at the end of the range, and pulled the trigger.
An explosive roar, like thunder on steroids, rang out, and the object she'd been aiming at was completely obliterated, straw and felt flying everywhere. Meanwhile, a massive hole had been punched through the wall the target had been set up in front of.
"Huh. Louder than I thought," Lisa said, her ears ringing. "And it looks like the round went clean through the target, the wall behind it, and the wall beyond that…"
'Gonna have to work on that,' Lisa thought to herself. 'And make sure nobody is standing too close to me when I start shooting.'
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Leyfia screeched, partly from hearing loss, mostly due to shock. The rest of the quartet were also staring slack-jawed at the blown apart target, and so were the rest of the adventurers who'd been training nearby.
"That, dear Leafy, was the future," Lisa replied as she spun her revolver before holstering it in a single smooth motion.
[Doesn't like the nickname. Wishes you wouldn't use it. Shaken by the display of the weapon's power. Disturbed by the potential of this weapon.]
Lisa ignored what her power was telling her and went to check out the hole in the wall her gun had created, crouching down in front of it and let her power analyze everything it could.
[4% deviation in accuracy due to unsteady grip on the gun] her power stated. [Recoil reduced by 89% thanks to Falna and materials used to build the weapon. Weapon capable of causing serious, potentially fatal, damage to a Level 3 with low Endurance stat. Weapon capable of killing Level 2s and below without difficulty.]
'Not badly. Pretty good accuracy from what I can see, and thanks to the Falna, I barely noticed the recoil!' the parahuman mused to herself as she examined the damage she'd caused. 'Damage though… kinda worried about this technology falling into somebody else's hands. Rakia comes to mind.'
Eventually she stood back up and turned to the adventurers. "So, what'd ya think?"
"I want one," Tiona and Ais said in unison, staring with stars in their eyes at the remains of the target.
"Let's, uh, wait and see," Lisa said slowly, not liking the idea of giving either of them a weapon like her railgun-revolver.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" a new voice rang out, and everyone in earshot flinched.
"Ah, shit," Lisa muttered, looking over at Riveria, Vice-Captain of the Loki Familia.
[Angry at your reckless actions. Angry at you ruining the training field. Annoyed at having to repair the archery range. Concerned about the implications of a weapon that strong] her power revealed as the Level 6 elf stomped over to them.
"Lisa," Nine Hells bit out tersely. "What did you just do?"
"I tested out my new weapon?"
"And what did Finn tell you to do?"
"Not to test my weapon without him around?" Lisa replied with a wince. "But, in my defense… Loki told me to."
"And if Lady Loki told you to jump off a cliff, would you?" Riveria asked in exasperation.
"No, but if she's telling me to do things I want to do? Totally following her orders. And then throwing her under the bus, err, wagon, when I get found out. Like now," Lisa said, totally shamelessly.
Riveria glared before rubbing her forehead in frustration. "We will discuss this later," she declared firmly. "For now, though… go clean up the mess you made."
"Aye-aye, Ma'am!" Lisa said, flashing a lazy salute before going around to pick up the scattered pieces of the target. Riveria nodded curtly, satisfied that the former Undersider was doing what she was supposed to, before walking off.
"Now that you've tested your… gun, was it? What are you going to call it?" Tiona asked a little bit later.
"A name?" Lisa asked, turning to the Amazon.
"Yeah! All cool weapons need a name, and your weapon is really, really cool!" the petite adventurer said excitedly. Lisa glanced at the others, and they all nodded. Even Tione was agreeing with her sister!
"Ugh, damn weebs," Lisa sighed, before looking down at the weapon holstered at her side. "I suppose if I have to, I better give it a good one, huh?"
"Uh-huh!" Tione nodded rapidly. "How about Thundercaller? Or, or! Fireclaw! Dragonmaw! The Annihilator!"
"The Warlord, first of the Brockton model magi-railguns," Lisa said, deciding on a name after thinking it over. It felt fitting to give a weapon that would shape the future of Orario and the world itself the name of her former home and occupation.
'The Dungeon won't know what hit it!' Lisa thought smugly to herself. And for once, her power completely agreed with her.
111 &&& 111
Lisa "Tattletale" Wilbourne
Level 1
Power - G 202
Endurance - H 123
Dexterity - G 250
Agility - G 250
Magic - D 555
Skill:
Investigate - Gather information on a single target, including history and personality. Can discover weak points, the quickest way to reach a goal, and discern truth from lies. Focusing on a target can uncover information regarding the Falna itself. (SHARD)
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Hey, there! Happy Halloween! Enjoy a free what-if omake of everyone's favorite foxy manipulator, Lisa!
Chapter 58: Chapter 54: Thy Name is Vengeance
Chapter Text
Chapter 54: Thy Name is Vengeance
"I repeat, Sword Princess, why are you attacking my Familia in the middle of the city?"
Taylor was not often angry… okay, that was a lie. She got angry a lot. But it was rare for her rage to burn so hot and yet feel so calm. A paradoxical state, one her father had once referred to as 'the Hebert Fury.'
And as Taylor stared down at Ais Wallenstein, who stood with her sword drawn trying to cut down Bell, Wiene, Haruhime, Mikoto, and Aisha, she felt the rage fill her to the point not even her ability to disperse her emotions into the swarm fully worked.
Bell was looking up at her in relief, but he did not lower the Hestia Knife. He had several cuts on his face and arms, but he refused to budge. Why? Because Wiene was trembling in fear behind him.
Aisha, Mikoto, and Haruhime were nearby as well, the Amazon and Far Easterner much worse off than Bell due to not having any weapons of their own. The renard was untouched, but her clothes were scuffed and dirty as she crouched beside Wiene, holding her close to her chest protectively.
"WELL?!" Taylor demanded once more, her voice echoing through her swarm.
"That is a monster," Ais declared, pointing her sword at the Vouivre.
"Are you blind? Or do you perhaps not see the Hestia Familia emblem she is wearing, or the fact she is bearing a Tamer Tag?" Taylor asked.
While the latter was somewhat discreet as it was incorporated into a black choker worn around the Xenos' throat, the former was quite hard to miss as Wiene's black cloak was stamped with a golden depiction of the Hestia Familia's sigil.
"It is a monster. It must die," Ais said, completely ignoring everything else.
"I thought you would have learned by now to leave the monsters of my Familia alone," Taylor spat out, annoyance tinging her voice.
She then glanced down at her Familia members. "Bell, take Wiene back to the manor. Aisha, Mikoto, Haruhime, you need to leave as well. Now."
Bell nodded, having absolute faith in his sister. Haruhime and the others had more reluctant looks but they also tensed up, preparing to run.
There was no starting signal. Instead, thousands of insects charged in towards Ais, forming black tendrils that twisted through the air. Ais began to cut them apart before simply rushing into them after seeing how ineffective it was, choosing to bulldoze through the swarm in her desire to chase after Wiene.
Sensing the danger, Taylor quickly caused the swarm to burrow into Ais' clothes and hair, causing unbearable itching and tickling across her entire body. Despite that, the adventurer had a single-minded devotion to destruction and ignored the sensations.
'New plan,' she thought to herself. 'I need to keep her attention on me so the others can escape!'
To that end, Taylor shot down from the sky, aiming to kick Ais in the face. She saw it coming, of course, and twisted aside, but she did not expect Taylor's fake arm to blast her in the face with water, soaking her to the bone and causing her to splutter in bewilderment.
"…Grow!"
In the distance, Taylor heard Haruhime finishing chanting as she ran off with the others, and she felt power surge through her body.
She didn't relax or let her guard down, though. Even with a boost to her Level, she was still weaker than Ais. It would be an up-hill battle to keep the Loki Familia executive away from everyone.
'But it's not the first time I've fought people far stronger than myself,' Taylor thought, a hint of nostalgia trickling into her before straightening up.
Sensing her determination to continue the fight, Ais glanced towards where Bell and the others had run off to, but turned back towards the parahuman, acknowledging her as a threat and obstacle.
Taylor sent her swarm towards Ais again, enveloping her in thousands of bugs, trying to blind and suffocate the insane adventurer. She couldn't cause a problem is she was unconscious, right?
"Tempest," Ais intoned darkly, and her spell, Ariel, burst to life around her, shredding the tendrils of the swarm. Caught in the whirlwinds she had conjured, the insects on and surrounding her were torn apart and scattered.
The attack also created a gap in the buzzing cloud that Ais took advantage of, lunging towards Taylor. The parahuman narrowly dodged, bending out of the way an instant before Ais' blow landed.
'Just like Ryuu,' Taylor thought as she quickly made distance between them. 'She learned from our first encounter.'
A part of Taylor regretted using this trick against Ais back then. Ais was an insane monster hater, but she was also a battle maniac. Of course she'd have learned from the encounter. But at the same time, Taylor had been a Level 1 at the time, and it'd been the only way to protect Chris.
More bugs shot forward in a tide of chitin, seeming like they were going to crush her. Ais blasted them apart with a second round of Ariel, ripping the swarm to pieces, but they'd been nothing more than a distraction for her.
Behind Ais' back, dozens of small gnats and ants snuck up onto the girl. And thanks to the main swarm in front of her, she never noticed Taylor secretly planting a few insects on Ais, forcing them to burrow into her clothes and armor. Not many, but enough.
Ais shot forward again, moving faster than Taylor could keep up with, but thanks to the bugs on her, Taylor could tell when Ais's body tensed up and began to move. It gave her less than a second of warning, but that was all she needed to twist out of the way of another attempted stabbing.
"Enough, Ais Wallenstein!" Taylor shouted as she flew up onto a roof. "Stop this!"
"Never!" Ais retorted, and kicked off the ground as she jumped towards her opponent, the ground shattering beneath her.
Sword flashing, Ais aimed a strike at Taylor's eyes, but it passed over her head, severing a few strands of hair.
'Close!' Taylor thought as she barely managed to duck, before retaliating by punching Ais in the stomach with an Earthquake Fist. It hurt her, but the younger girl's Level 6 stats caused an attack that could kill a Level 3 to only mildly inconvenience her.
Ais recovered faster than Taylor had anticipated, and only quickly raising her golden arm in front of her face saved the parahuman. The blow was still overwhelmingly strong and jarred Taylor's entire body while also sending her sailing backwards.
Taylor smashed through a roof into some poor family's attic, wooden splinters and broken ceramic tiles falling around her.
'Okay, now you've done it,' Taylor decided as she pulled herself out. 'No more 'nice' Taylor.'
Her swarm rumbled angrily and rose up, and the streets turned black with millions of insects. Spiders, roaches, fleas, centipedes… a seething tide that began to form dozens of magic circles across the ground.
Suddenly, Ais was driven to her knees as the magic circles activated and a crude copy of Mikoto's gravity spell pinned her in place.
"What is your problem, anyways?! They are just monsters!" the parahuman growled out, staring at Ais in frustration as the Sword Princess struggled against the spell. "It is the Dungeon that hates all life! Once they leave the Dungeon, monsters are nothing more than animals! Powerful animals, but that's it!"
"LIAR!" Ais shouted. "Monsters are cruel! They seek to destroy everything in their path and know nothing else! They must be destroyed!"
Taylor shook her head. "How pitiful," she uttered in disappointment.
"Do not! Pity me! I'm… not… weak!" Ais snarled, pushing herself to her feet as she threw off the gravity spell's effects on her, and the maddened warrior swung her sword at the parahuman once more. It glanced off of the Taylor's golden arm, who'd raised it to block the strike just in time.
"Is that the best you can do?" Taylor taunted, before summoning her wings and rising into the sky. She flew higher, until she'd gone to a height not even Ais could easily reach.
Ais stared up at her, eyes unblinking and unfocused, before tightening her grip around her sword. An explosion of wind suddenly erupted from her, surrounding her body. She then leapt up into the air. Instead of falling, Ais kept ascending, the magical storm she'd wreathed herself in forming a pair of wing-like tornados on her back.
Taylor just watched on, a grin slipping onto her face. "Finally. Let's take this elsewhere."
The parahuman then shot forward, grabbing onto Ais' face with her golden arm, and dragged her through the air away from the packed streets of Orario's central district.
Ais' surprise only lasted for a moment and she broke free of Taylor's grasp, but Taylor had managed to bring them away from the spot they'd just been fighting at, far enough away from the rest of the city to not worry about collateral damage.
The Sword Princess began to swing her blade wildly, sending shockwaves of razor-sharp wind flying at Taylor, but the parahuman managed to avoid the attack, weaving through the air with graceful maneuvers.
In an instant, the battle had turned to Taylor's advantage. She was far more used to fighting in the air, and her own method of flight was tailored to that specific task. And while the parahuman had less Mind, Ais' method of sustaining her tornado-wings was crude and rapidly draining her own reserves of magical energy.
Taylor began to fly circles around Ais, keeping her distance while shooting beams of magic out of her artificial limb. Ais, being new and clumsy in the air, managed to hack apart some of the magical beams, but others managed to strike her, exploding violently all over her body.
They did some damage, but it was mostly cosmetic. Scuffs and burns on her outfit. As annoyed as Taylor was with Ais, she didn't want to actually hurt the other woman.
'Not that I actually can,' she grimaced as yet again a bolt of lightning did nothing except cause Ais' hair to frizz up.
'It must be Ariel,' Taylor thought to herself. 'The magical wind is insulating her, deflecting most of the power from the Magic Blade Cartridges, and making them even less effective than usual.'
"Weak," Ais suddenly spat out, causing Taylor to frown at the tone the adventurer was using.
"Do you refer to me? Or are you acknowledging your own failures at last?" Taylor demanded.
"You're wrong…" Ais muttered, and the captain of the Hestia Familia frowned as her eyes were unfocused and staring at something else nearby. "You're… I am strong… I survived! I am strong!"
'She's talking to herself,' Taylor realized. The Sword Princess had gone completely loopy! And sounding too much like Sophia for her to feel comfortable.
"I'm strong… I… am Vengeance," Ais uttered, and she began to drag the sword across her palm, her blood staining the blade. Her life juice suddenly ignited into black flames that radiated madness, and her aura flickered, growing loud with the sound of hate-filled screaming.
"Shit!" Taylor explored, immediately shooting upwards. Just in time, too, as a wave of black flames surged forward, nearly incinerating her.
'She's not holding back anymore,' Taylor thought, glaring at her opponent. 'I have to end this! Now!'
Taylor dove down, her golden fist glowing with magic as she gathered a massive amount of electricity around her, the Magic Blade Cartridge heating up. It would break after this attack, so she had exactly one chance to make it count.
Weaving past more blasts of black flames, Taylor got up close and personal, and managed to punch Ais in the face. Normally this would have been impossible, but right now Ais was running on autopilot, completely dead to the world save for throwing out attacks.
As her golden knuckles slammed into Ais's cheek, waves of lightning cascaded across her body, causing her to twitch and her tornado-wings to fail. She plummeted towards the city, smashing into the street below with an explosion of broken cobblestones, wind, flames, and lightning rippling outwards before finally settling down, a large cloud of dust rising up.
Slowly, Taylor began to descend, glaring at the hole Ais had made in the ground. 'Of course it wouldn't be that easy,' she thought in annoyance as the Sword Princess pulled herself out, rubble falling off of her. There was a small bruise on her cheek, but little else to show for the parahuman's attack.
"Stop this, Ais," Taylor repeated, relaying her words through the swarm. "You've caused enough damage!"
"Must… kill…" Ais uttered, lost in her own world. "Must… protect… not weak… not weak!"
"Look at yourself!" Taylor snarled in frustration. "You're so obsessed with killing monsters that you're becoming the very thing you hate!"
Ais paused, taken aback by the claim that managed to pierce the haze shrouding her mind. The stunned reaction didn't last long, and she shifted into a lunging stance, only for her left foot to nudge some broken glass on the ground, distracting her. She glanced down, eyes widening before going utterly still.
Whatever Ais saw in her reflection had unsettled her, as the madness filled gaze was replaced by one of disbelief and confusion.
Nearby, some rubble shifted, and her head snapped towards the sound, combat instincts honed in the Dungeon zeroing in on what she assumed was a threat. Once more she froze as it was not a foe she came face to face with, but a mother and daughter pair, the two of them having been caught up in the sudden fighting that had descended onto the street. They'd tried to escape, but hadn't gotten far, and clearly hoped to take advantage of the unexpected lull to sneak away.
What had truly stopped Ais in her tracks, however, was the look of terror the mother and daughter sported as they trembled under the Sword Princess's gaze.
'Has anyone ever looked at her with fear before?' Taylor wondered.
The parahuman was a former villain and warlord. She was used to people giving her looks like the ones on the family's faces. Ais, though… she was a hero. Praised and loved. Until now.
The two women weren't the only ones to be staring in shock, disbelief, and fear at the scene. Plenty of other people were cowering in their shops and houses on the street that had just been subjected to a clash between powerful adventurers, but just as many were peeking out of the windows or holes in their walls.
All of this finally seemed to break through whatever mental block Ais had going on, and her sword dropped from her fingers before she fell to her knees.
Taylor didn't care. She was no longer looking at the Sword Princess and instead had directed her gaze down the street.
"You took your sweet time getting here," she said, annoyance bleeding into her tone as she glared at Loki, Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and Leyfia.
The Loki Familia were staring at the scene, various emotions dancing across their faces. Loki's expression was one of disbelief. Finn looked disappointed, and Gareth was amused, oddly enough, while Riveria was frowning at Ais. Leyfia, for her part, was glaring daggers at Taylor, which the parahuman felt was unfair.
"What happened?" Finn demanded. He didn't have his spear, but none of them really needed weapons to be dangerous.
"The Sword Princess attacked Bell while he was out with a new Tamed monster," Taylor replied. "She tried to kill one of our Familia's members. Again."
"Damn it, Ais," Riveria groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Why is she like that?!" Leyfia demanded, pointing at the Level 6 who was still kneeling in the dirt, eyes empty and unseeing.
"She started to get… mentally disturbed as the fight progressed," Taylor revealed. "Shortly before and after she unleashed a bunch of black flames she just shut down, fighting automatically. In order to stop her, I punched her. Didn't work exactly, but when she finally saw what she'd done, and how the people were looking at her, she just broke down."
"Finn, Gareth, take Ais back to the Twilight Manor," Loki ordered, and the Pallum and dwarf looked at each other before nodding. The stocky bearded adventurer hoisted her onto his back and they walked off.
'If only Miss Yamada was here. If she could help parahumans she could probably help with whatever mental issues Ais has,' Taylor thought to herself as she watched the blonde get carted away, feeling a pang as she missed the kindly therapist.
Those thoughts would have to wait, though, as she turned her head to stare at Loki and the two elves who were with her.
"Mind coming with me back to the Hearth Manor?" Taylor requested. "Since Leyfia is here with you, we can take care of that deal we made earlier. And afterwards, you can discuss repayment to our Familia, Loki."
"Lead the way," the red-headed goddess demanded in a sour tone, gesturing at the parahuman.
Loki's mood wasn't great, no doubt contemplating how much it was going to cost their Familia to repair the damage Ais had caused to the city. If the grimace on her face was any indicator, it was going to be expensive.
The group marched back to the Hearth Manor, all while fearful eyes watched them leave. Once they'd left the scene of the scuffle, there was a lot of silence, nobody willing to talk, though Loki and Riveria seemed to be having a conversation with each other using just their eyes and a few discreet gestures.
'Secret hand signs for communication? Or perhaps just a close familiarity with each other?' Taylor wondered. Could have been both, based on what she knew of the myths of Loki.
Whatever the case was, it was better than the angry glaring she was getting from Leyfia. The brown-haired elf either had a massive crush on Ais and despised Taylor for beating her, or she had the usual anti-human biases the rest of her kind did. Again, could be both.
'Whatever. I don't have time to care about the feelings of another Familia's member,' she thought to herself, before sending some of her swarm ahead to alert her own Familia of their arrival.
When she reached the street where the manor was located, Taylor looked over the spot where just days ago had been a giant hole. Magic and the Falna made construction work incredibly easy, and it was already hard to tell where Evilus had tried to breach her home.
At the gates of the mansion, she found Hestia and Ryuu waiting, the latter tapping her foot impatient, and her expression got angrier when she saw how beat up Taylor was.
Despite the parahuman's best efforts she'd gotten a few nicks and cuts during the fight, and her outfit, not meant to be worn in combat, had gotten scuffed up.
"Taylor," Hestia said, her tone revealing how annoyed she was.
"It's looks worse than it actually is?" Taylor tried to offer, but the goddess just scoffed before glaring at Loki.
"So. Loki. Here to apologize over the behavior of your Familia member?"
"Yes," Loki replied, her own tone lacking any of the usual smugness it typically carried. "Ais was completely out of line. She should know better than to attack a Tamed monster in the streets. Or anywhere, really."
Leyfia shot a betrayed look at the Trickster Goddess, but Riveria was nodding in agreement.
"She will be disciplined," Riveria declared, voice stern.
"Good," Hestia huffed, before looking at Leyfia. "I suppose you originally were going to come here for her?"
"That's right," Loki nodded. "Is the deal still on?"
"Throw in an extra favor and it will be," Hestia replied, folding her arms under her bust, and Loki grimaced but nodded.
"That's fair," she admitted.
It was more than fair, really, and Taylor knew it. The Hestia Familia was small but it had a lot of power. A Level 5, a Level 4, and multiple Level 3s was more than most could boast of, and it had raised their Familia all the way up to C-rank.
Seeing that the deal was done, Hestia turned to Ryuu. "Go on and heal our troublesome captain, if you please."
"Of course. Noah Heal," Ryuu intoned, glowing green energy suffusing Taylor and healing her wounds.
Nearby, Leyfia stared intently at the magic circle, memorizing and learning it. Of all the Spells to copy, Noah Heal was without a doubt the most important. Healing magic was rare, with most of the people capable of casting Spells that removed injuries belonging to Dian Cecht, who jealously guarded them.
More than anything, though, it was the stamina restoration effect of the Spell that was drawing Thousand Elf's attention. Mending minor wounds was one thing. Recovering stamina? Much rarer, almost as much as Healing magic itself. Both in a single Spell? Beyond exclusive, and incredibly important.
"Well, I'll be damned," Loki muttered as she watched the Spell work its magic on Taylor. "That is definitely worth two favors."
Riveria inclined her head, watching the scene carefully just like her student. Even if she couldn't automatically copy magic like Leyfia, she was a master at modifying her own Spells, and would probably find a way to use some elements of Noah Heal for herself.
When it was over, Taylor gave Ryuu a grateful nod, and the green-haired elf just nodded.
"So! Is that all?" Loki asked, clapping her hands.
"Until Ais can learn some self-control and restraint, it would be best if she keeps her distance from Bell and the rest of the Familia," Taylor replied, and Hestia nodded her head rapidly.
Of course," Riveria agreed. "Thank you for your help, and the Spell. Come, Leyfia, we're going to go practice."
"Y-yes, ma'am!" Leyfia said, startled out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, we better get going," Loki said, and waved lazily at the trio in front of the manor's gate and then walked off with the elves, heading back to the Twilight Manor.
"My children are such delinquents," Hestia sighed as she and the other two members of her Familia walked back inside the Hearth Manor. "Did you have to get into a fight right in the middle of the city?!"
"Yes," Taylor replied simply. "Ais' ideals were too twisted for there to be any other outcome."
"I am impressed you survived in one piece," Ryuu commented.
"No! Don't be impressed!" Hestia puffed. "Be upset she got into the fight in the first place!"
"It wasn't easy, but she wasn't trying to kill me for the first half of the fight," Taylor admitted, fully aware that the Sword Princess could have done a lot worse. "And in the second half… she wasn't fighting with a full deck, if you catch my drift. Very monotonous and straightforward – if powerful – attacks. I survived by using my swarm to predict her movements and attack patterns, and then desperately dodging."
"A reckless method," Ryuu commented. "But an effective one."
"Are the others okay?" Taylor asked. "Were Bell or Wiene hurt?"
"No, they were unharmed," Hestia reassured her. "Bell got scuffed up protecting Wiene, but it seems like Ais was holding back."
Taylor nodded. It made sense. Ais could have taken Bell out of the picture in short order. Even with absurd stats for a Level 3… he was still only Level 3. He didn't have the omni-cognition of her swarm to let her react to threats before they even began to attack. And with him down, Wiene would have been…
The parahuman shook her head, not wanting to think about what would have happened to the adorable Xenos girl if Ais had gotten her way.
"It's a good thing Ais seems to like Bell. That affection was probably the only reason they both came out of this unharmed," Taylor mused. Hestia pouted, her jealousy towards Bell dating Ais an amusing sight as always.
Upon entering the manor, the trio was greeted by the rest of the Familia who were crowding around the foyer.
"You're okay!" Bell exclaimed, and many sighs of relief were exhaled when the others saw their captain was in one piece.
Wiene threw herself at Taylor, burying her face into the young woman's stomach as she wrapped her arms around her waist in a crushing hug.
"Yeah, I managed to hold out long enough for Finn and Loki get her under control," Taylor explained as she tenderly patted Wiene's hair.
"We were all very worried when we heard what happened, but it's a relief to know you are fine," Marius said. "And it's also good to know Bell and Wiene made it out safely as well."
"To think you could force a draw with the Sword Princess… truly remarkable," Tammuz murmured, his eyes shining with adoration as he looked at her.
"Um, Taylor-sama, do you need anything?" Haruhime asked, the renard in a maid outfit stepping forward timidly.
"Thank you," Taylor assured her. "I suppose I'll need to replace these clothes. Can you and Lucia patch them up tonight?"
"We can!" Lucia assured the captain, Haruhime nodding in agreement.
"Aren't you worried that Wallenstein will reveal Wiene's existence to her Familia?" Karen inquired. To the swordswoman's surprise, Taylor denied it with a shake of her head.
"No. Mostly because I never expected Wiene to stay a secret forever. It doesn't bother me," Taylor replied. "And even if they do suspect we have an intelligent monster, what exactly can they do? Besides, the Loki Familia owes us after today."
"Loki is also curiosity incarnate," Hestia spoke up. "Back in Tenkai, when she wasn't picking fights or playing pranks, she was ferreting out secrets. She'll want to uncover our secret and won't do anything that would spoil her fun. Which means we can count on her to keep Wiene a secret if only to have something to hold over the other gods."
"I'm sorry," Bell muttered.
"For what? You had nothing to do with Ais going crazy," Welf assured him.
"And Lili doesn't think it was your fault that the Sword Princess was also walking around earlier in the afternoon," Lili added.
"Ais is… broken," Taylor told Bell, which caused some people to look at her in confusion.
"Broken?" Bell asked nervously.
"What she did today… those actions are not something a sane woman does," Taylor informed her half-brother. "At some point in the past, Ais lost her mind. And she has never properly recovered. Nobody gave her the help she needed, and the wound has festered."
'I should know,' the parahuman thought bitterly. 'If not for Bell and Hestia, I fear I'd have been just like her.'
"How can I help her?" Bell demanded, clenching his fists in determination.
"You still want to help her? After what she tried to do to Wiene?!" Haruhime demanded, glaring at the boy. He flinched, but didn't back down.
"If she really is hurt, then she'll just keep trying to do this, won't she?" Bell retorted. "If we want Wiene to live freely under the sun, then I believe Ais has to understand that the Xenos deserve to live, just as much as anyone else!"
"It won't be easy," Taylor warned.
"I don't care! I will help everyone!" he declared firmly.
Taylor stared sadly at her brother. It was a heroic desire, but trying to save everyone would break him, just like it did her. Yet a part of her wanted to see Bell's dream come true… and so, with a sigh, she told him what to do.
"The only way you can help Ais is to make her want to be healed," Taylor told him. "She will never get better if she refuses to acknowledge there is a problem."
"I will do that," Bell vowed.
"If you find a way to do so, then I won't stop you. Now, can you tell me what happened?" Taylor asked, still patting Wiene's head.
"Well, I was showing Wiene around, letting her get an idea of where different things were in the city, when a runaway cart suddenly came shooting down the street! It was going to hit a boy, buy Wiene leapt in to save him!" Bell explained.
"That was brave of you," Taylor praised the Vouivre, and Wiene blushed happily.
"It was! She grew wings and rescued the boy before he got hit and stop the cart!"
"Weren't people scared by her?" Emma asked, concern for both the citizens and the Xenos girl.
"At first," Bell admitted with a frown, one mirrored by Wiene. "But the boy wasn't frightened. He was just awed by Wiene. And people saw me, and they saw the Familia emblem Wiene wore… and that seemed to calm people down."
"Were they surprised she could speak?" Primo wondered.
"Some of them were," the white-haired boy confirmed. "But when Miss Haruhime, Miss Mikoto, and Miss Aisha came over and started acting friendly with Wiene, things turned out even better."
Taylor nodded in understanding. If so many adventurers were fine with Wiene, then surely it was safe for civilians too? At least, that was the reasoning the regular folk had probably had.
"What were you three doing out there, anyways?" Leo asked.
"We were following Bell because Haru was worried about the two of 'em," Aisha replied without shame. Haruhime whined in embarrassment and Hestia chuckled fondly.
Taylor felt a flash of satisfaction at that. It was a step in a right direction. It was proof that Xenos and surfacers could possibly co-exist.
"I am glad everyone is alright," Taylor breathed out. She then looked at everyone sternly. "But don't let your guards down."
"We won't," Bell promised.
"Mmm! Let's talk about something a bit more cheerful!" Hestia declared, not liking the stern atmosphere. "Like about how it's almost time for my restaurant to open!"
"Oh! Is it soon? I'm looking forward to it," Silva said eagerly.
"Yes, this 'fast food' concept is intriguing," Oriana agreed. "Food prepared quickly with the intent of being eaten on the go… I am excited!"
"Great! I need some taste-testers to make sure everything is ready for the grand opening!" the Goddess of the Hearth said.
"I'd better help," Taylor piped up. "Got to make sure you followed my recipes correctly."
"You know I did!" Hestia replied, hands on her hips as she looked at the parahuman with fond exasperation. "You hovered over my shoulder enough times, after all!"
Gita snorted at that, while Taylor rolled her eyes. So what if she'd done a little hovering? She'd just wanted to make sure the sanctity of American Fast Food was preserved.
"Anything else to prepare for the opening?" Taylor wondered.
"Lemme check. Lucia! Are the outfits for the servers ready?" Hestia asked, turning to the Familia's seamstress.
"Yes, Lady Hestia! I have ten prepared according to the measurements you gave me," Lucia promised. "I can have them delivered whenever you want."
"Good, good!" Hestia cheered. "Everything is coming together!"
"Speaking of preparing things, I want to Level Up," Aisha declared and everyone turned to her.
"What do you need to do?" Taylor asked.
"I'm almost ready to hit Level 4, but I need something to push myself over the edge," she replied. "I want to head into the Dungeon and fight the Goliath. Alone."
"You will take a few other people with you to watch your back," Taylor stated. "When will you leave?"
"Tonight," Aisha replied. "The Goliath is estimated to respawn sometime tomorrow, and I want dibs. I was planning on camping on the 18th Floor so I could get to the Wall of Grief nice and early."
"Alright. Any volunteers?" Taylor asked. To her lack of surprise, Bell, Mikoto, and Haruhime raised their hands. However, she was surprised to see Emma and Welf do so as well.
"I need some more materials to make everything we need for Knossos," Welf explained. "Was gonna trade food and basic supplies with Rivira to get some of it."
"I-I want to get stronger," Emma stated with determination.
"Hm. Very well. I have no issues with this arrangement," Taylor said. "Keep in mind that in a few days, we will be joining the Loki Familia on a resource run. We will be going as deep as the 36th Floor."
"Ah, in that case, I'll wait until then," Welf replied, lowering his hand. Emma bit her lip but kept her hand raised after a moment.
"Alright. Bell, watch Aisha's back. Mikoto, keep Haruhime and Emma safe," Taylor replied. The team of five all nodded, and the captain of the Familia gave them a small smile. "Good luck."
The quintet left to prepare for their overnight trip into the Dungeon, and the rest of the Familia dispersed throughout the manor. Though in every room, the swarm watched, keeping a protective eye on everyone.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Pardon the lateness for this chapter. Currently on vacation in a place with a pretty different time zone than I'm used to
Chapter 59: Chapter 55: Interlude 7
Chapter Text
Chapter 55: Interlude 7
Loki was angry. This was a rare occurrence. Moreover, it was unusual for this anger to be directed at one of her Familia members. And as the other adventurers recoiled from the goddess as she stomped through the mansion after speaking with the Hestia Familia, Riveria held back the urge to groan.
'When is the last time I've seen her this mad?' Riveria wondered. Not for a long time. Not since Evilus and the Darkest Days.
This was bad. Very bad. For a lot of reasons. The cost of paying for the damages – and it would be the Loki Familia who had to shoulder this burden, there was no doubt about that! – was the least of the concerns caused by this incident.
The loss of face and faith in the public was easily the greatest issue they had to deal with. And it needed to be done fast, before it got out of control.
"What in the All-Father's name were you thinking?!" Loki demanded as she burst into Finn's office. Ais was kneeling on the ground, while the rest of the executives surrounded her. Partly to keep her under control, but also to discuss in private what had just happened.
Ais looked up at Loki, a flicker of something in her eyes as she listened to her goddess rant.
"I thought you had already gotten over this! Yes, it's weird Weaver walks around with her monsters in the open, but there's no law against a Tamer and her Tamed monster doing so!" Loki continued. "And to attack a fellow adventurer in the street over this?! In public?! What were you thinking?!"
"…It was a monster," Ais murmured. It was a bad excuse, they all knew it, and it just made Loki fume.
While that was happening, Riveria noticed that Ais's wounds hadn't been treated yet. Not even with potions. She didn't know why, but it gave her a chance to do something. Or rather, have her apprentice show off her latest Spell.
"Leyfia," Riveria interjected. "Try it out."
The brown-haired elf jerked a little at being addressed out of the blue, but she quickly cast Noah Heal on Ais, showing everyone in the room its effect, as well as what they'd nearly lost access to.
'The only reason they still agreed was because the monster wasn't killed and their captain wasn't severely injured,' Riveria thought to herself. She knew full well that the offer wouldn't have been on the table if either had happened.
"A healing Spell?" Tiona gasped, awe and excitement suffusing her tone as the green light covered Ais.
"Yes. But it also removes fatigue and helps recover stamina as well," Riveria revealed to the group. "While the effect is nowhere near as potent as what Dia Saint can do, only able to mend superficial injuries, the stamina restoration effect is perhaps even more important."
Finn and the other executives nodded grimly. What good was healing if you didn't have the strength to go on? This Spell neatly solved both problems. And they'd gotten it for cheap.
"It would have been bad if we lost the chance to acquire this spell," Gareth rumbled.
Riveria nodded. Yes, she could also cast limited healing spells, but they were a modification of her existing Spells, not dedicated healing ones. Noah Heal was also able to restore stamina, something her own modified spells couldn't achieve.
"Indeed," Finn agreed. He then glanced at the kneeling blonde. "Explain yourself, Ais. What made you go after the Hestia Familia like this?"
"Bell… he was with a monster," Ais murmured.
"So what?" Finn demanded. "We've all seen the Hestia Familia walk around with monsters before."
"That right. Even if they're creepy bugs, it's become normal," Tiona pointed out.
"Not an insect," Ais replied curtly, and everyone blinked.
"Huh? Oh! Then was it the Dungeon Worm? Those aren't insects. Blue Crabs aren't insects, either. Or…!" the petite Amazon sister chattered.
"It was a monster I've never seen before," the Sword Princess revealed, and this time, everyone stared at her.
"What?" Bete uttered incredulously. He wasn't the only one to think that.
Ais had slain at least one of every monster on each floor of the Dungeon, up to the 50th. From hordes of common ones like Goblins and Minotaurs, to rare ones like Jack Birds and Carbuncles. Even the neo-monsters Evilus used! They'd all died to her blade at some point since she'd become an adventurer.
"Then how did you know it was a monster?" Loki demanded sharply.
"Hunter reacted to it," Ais said simply. That only caused more confusion.
"So, wait, let me get this straight," Tiona said, holding a hand to her head. "Bell was with a monster. But it wasn't a monster you recognized. Yet your Development Ability, Hunter, which records info on monsters you've slain before, reacted to it. Which means you must have encountered it before in the past."
She looked around at the other occupants of the room, confused. "Can Hunter even do that? Can it have the ability to detect any monster nearby?"
"Some Development Abilities can grow with their users," Riveria admitted. "It's rare, but they can… deviate from the norm under certain circumstances, just as the Falna itself shapes those marked by divinity to better fit their needs and desires. So, it is possible Ais's Hunter evolved somehow and it lets her know where monsters are at all times."
Everyone slowly digested that. It was a possibility. Ais' obsession with slaying monsters had always been… extreme, and if anyone could force an ability that helped kill monsters to change into something that could also detect them, it would be Ais.
"What did the monster look like?" Loki inquired, eyes narrowed in thought.
"Humanoid. Blue skin. Scales. Was able to grow wings. Gem on forehead," Ais reported.
"That sounds like a Vouivre. Except for the humanoid part," Tione commented.
"A rare monster that resembles a blue, winged Lamia, save for two tails that can act like legs and a rare gem embedded in its forehead. It's around Level 2 to 3 in strength, and only appears on the 19th through 24th Floors," Leyfia said, reciting the basic information about the monster. "It's also around fifteen feet long."
"It wasn't that big," Ais replied. "It was a little under five feet and walked on two legs. But it was wearing a cloak."
"Five feet tall? That definitely doesn't sound like a Vouivre," Tiona muttered.
"Could be a rare variant, though I've never heard of monsters deviating that much from their typical size and appearance," Gareth suggested.
"I thought that Miss Weaver could only control bugs and monsters that were similar to those?" Leyfia reminded everyone.
"That's right," Finn nodded. "But she could have been hiding the full extent of her Skill. Not that I blame her. A trump card is something vital to every adventurer, and sharing all the information about themselves with another Familia, even an allied one, is foolish."
"This whole thing reeks," Bete growled.
"That doesn't matter. What does, is if this blue person was wearing the Tamer tag," Loki stated sharply. "Was it, Ais?"
For almost a minute Ais was silent, and the executives were worried she wouldn't speak, but eventually she replied.
"…It did have one," Ais admitted, and Loki groaned loudly while Finn ran a hand over his face in exasperation.
"You detected the presence of a monster, saw it with the Lucky Rabbit, also saw it had a Tamer tag, meaning it was under somebody's protection, and you STILL attacked?!" Loki demanded incredulously.
"The Guild is going to tear us a new one for this," Finn moaned in despair.
Riveria shared a look with Gareth as the goddess and their captain fretted. The dwarf shrugged, she raised an eyebrow, he shook his head, and then the elf sighed.
"Ais," Riveria called out, looking at the troublesome human. "You are not allowed to leave the Manor without one of the executives by your side until further notice."
Ais just nodded, not a hint of rebelliousness in her anymore, and Riveria felt a pang of worry for the child.
"Stand up," Riveria instructed. "Let's head back to your room for now."
Ais obeyed, standing up from the floor, and Riveria escorted her back to her quarters. As they walked, thoughts swirled in Nine Hells' head.
Some were about the monster that the Hestia Familia had supposedly Tamed. She wondered how it was possible for them to have Tamed a new, rare variant species.
Most of her thoughts drifted towards the captain of the Hestia Familia in the end. Riveria had learned long ago that humans were far more capable and dangerous than the elves of her home had liked to believe. They wouldn't cover the entire world and control the largest and most powerful nations otherwise. Humans were capable of many things, and were not to be underestimated.
'And Weaver is a different breed all together,' Riveria couldn't help but think to herself. 'Her magical abilities have grown in leaps and bounds in mere weeks and she's gone down a completely different route compared to any school of magic I'm aware of. Not even Altena, the magic obsessed country, has ever dreamed of half the things she's done!'
The duo walked in silence, neither speaking, though Ais looked like she wanted to say something, but kept stopping before she opened her mouth.
"Ais are you…" Riveria began softly when they reached her room, before trailing off. "You can always talk to me if you need help, or just want to get something off your chest. You know that, right?"
"…Yes," Ais murmured.
"…Okay, then," Riveria replied.
Ais didn't even look at her as she opened the door to her room and walked inside. For a few seconds after Ais closed it behind her, Nine Hells couldn't help but stare blankly at the piece of wood separating them.
"Ais… you were starting to heal," Riveria said, knowing she'd be able to hear even with the door in the way. "When you were training Bell, I'd never seen you so happy. Your smiles… they were genuine. I don't… please, do not lose that happiness."
There was no response, and Riveria eventually turned away and walked back to Finn's office. She still had to coordinate with the others about cleaning up this mess that'd dropped into their laps.
111 &&& 111
Ais stared at the wall of her bedroom, lost in thought as she sat on the edge of her bed.
'Why were they afraid of me?' Ais couldn't help but wonder. 'And why… why did I look like a monster?'
In those broken shards of glass, Ais had seen her own reflection. Her eyes were just like those of a newly spawned monster: full of mindless hate.
The civilians of Orario had recoiled in fear when she'd turned towards them, too. Ais could try and believe that they'd been afraid of Hebert and her swarm, but she knew deep in her heart that was a lie.
'Why… what was I doing wrong?' Ais wondered.
"You didn't kill them fast enough."
Ais glanced over at the child standing in the corner of her room.
"You didn't kill them fast enough. Because you saw it, didn't you? The monster's fear. Their tears. It was afraid of you. Imagine that? A monster capable of doing something you cannot. When is the last time you cried? Or showed any emotions, really?"
Ais looked away, trying to ignore the child that looked like her. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real!
"Shouldn't you realize it by now?" the child asked, creeping closer. "You didn't kill it fast enough. And now you know the truth. You're just like the monsters you hunt. Worse, even. You have only hate in your heart, when you're capable of so much more."
"You're wrong," Ais muttered, regretting it almost instantly as the child grinned madly at her.
"No room for love… no room for desires beyond endless killing… what would he think of you, if he knew the truth?" the child whispered into her ear. Ais flinched, and the child leaned in closer. "He loves you. But you don't love him. You can't. Not as long as monsters exist."
"Bell…" Ais murmured to herself, her mind flashing to the white-hair boy that always seemed to be in her thoughts these days.
"Wouldn't it be better to love him back? To have another reason to live beyond mindless slaughter?" the child asked, changing tactics, her voice filled with sorrow. "But you can't, can you? Because that would mean letting something other than hate exist within your heart."
"Shut up…"
"You know it's true. You didn't kill the monster fast enough," the child said, before her head tilted to the side in a parody of innocence. "The monster looked awfully cute, didn't it? Underneath the blue and scales. A cute monster would befit a Lucky Rabbit better than a heartless Sword Princess."
Ais flinched, and a twisted grin spread across the child's face. "Or maybe the Amazon would be better? He likes strong women, after all. Or perhaps the renard would suite him. She has a fluffy tail to match his fluffy hair. He has a lot of choices. Maybe he'll choose all of them. Maybe he already has. After all, why would he want to stay close to a doll that only knows how to swing a sword and kill?"
"SHUT UP!" Ais shouted, covering her ears and clenching her eyes shut.
"If you keep going down this path, you are going to break, and there will be nothing left after that, and nobody to pick up the pieces to try and put them back together because you drove them all away," the child warned, stepping away from the bed.
A moment later, she was alone, the child gone as if it had never been.
'No, it wasn't real,' Ais thought to herself, but even in the privacy of her head, it sounded like she was begging for that to be the case.
A knock at the door caused Ais to sit and turned towards the door in confusion. Who was it?
"Oi, brat," Loki said as she entered without waiting for an invitation.
"Lady Loki?" Ais muttered, confused. What did the goddess want with her?
"You've really screwed things up today," The Trickster Goddess sighed. "Thankfully, nothing too bad happened. But I gotta know… why?"
"It was a monster…" Ais began, but Loki held up a hand, cutting her off.
"Not what I meant. Why didn't you kill it?" Loki demanded, and Ais blinked, confused.
"I tried. I failed," Ais replied.
"You're telling me a couple of adventurers, none of them above Level 3, were strong enough to stop you, a Level 6, from killing a single monster?" Loki retorted, raising an eyebrow. "The Lucky Rabbit has a neat little cloning Skill, but it's not enough to stop you. So, what's the real deal, here?"
"…I don't know," Ais admitted. It was true. She could have killed the mutant Vouivre. All she'd have had to do was… was…
"You couldn't hurt him," Loki said, softer this time. Ais looked up sharply at that, but Loki just snorted.
"Everyone with a working pair of eyes can tell ya fancy that brat," the red-head declared, and Ais felt something stir in her as her cheeks heated up.
"I like Bell," Ais admitted, wondering why she was feeling so warm all of a sudden.
"You do. And that's why you didn't kill that monster," Loki declared. "Because killing it would mean hurting him."
Ais opened her mouth to speak, but found her words sticking in her throat and she looked away without speaking.
"…There's a place I think you need to go, Ais," Loki said. "To north of Orario, in the mountains, lies a village called Edas. It might have the answers you need."
"Answers? To what?" she asked, bewildered.
"Questions, obviously," Loki replied with a smirk, before frowning. "But seriously, take a little break before we go on the expedition. With your speed, it'll take a day or two to reach the village. Take a look around, see what you can see… and ask yourself what your motivations really are. Ah! But don't forget to take somebody with you. Maybe the twins, or Gareth."
Ais frowned, but nodded. If Edas Village held the answers she didn't know she needed, then she would go there.
Loki grinned before getting up and leaving, closing the door behind her, leaving the Sword Princess alone in the dark once more.
111 &&& 111
Asfi was tired. She'd been working late into the night again, and only Lord Hermes' insistence she get some rest had convinced her to leave her workshop.
'I'm close, though,' she thought to herself. 'Just a few more weeks and I will be able to create a key to Knossos.'
The keys were important. They were, to use one of Lord Hermes' terrible puns, 'key' to the whole operation. They'd not yet managed to find or steal one from Evilus, and trying to decipher the magical signature from the doors themselves wasn't easy, either, as they could not risk approaching them too often, lest the cultists notice.
'They probably already know what we're doing, anyways,' Asfi thought with a grimace as she moved around her room, tidying up a bit. Evilus was too well connected, and too deeply entrenched in the city's literal underbelly, to not know about what was going on.
Like many, Asfi had hoped that the Dark Days would have finally been over. After the fall of the Rudra Familia five years ago, and the annihilation of the primary Evilus deities after the Nightmare of the 27th Floor, everyone had assumed Evilus was done for.
'That they resurfaced again this year is… worrisome,' Asfi grumbled in the privacy of her own thoughts.
A lot of things had happened this year, come to think of it, and most of them revolved around the biggest Dark Horses in decades: the Hestia Familia. Two Record Holders, both beating out the former record by months.
However, she paused in her thoughts as her instincts tingled, warning her that something was wrong. The blue-haired adventurer stopped what she was doing and reached for a hidden dagger before spinning around to confront the intruder.
"Peace. I mean no harm. I only wish to speak with you."
The fact that the 'voice' came from a buzzing cloud of insects in the shape of a person did not, in fact, calm Asfi down, and she stayed tensed, staring at the swarm.
"What do you want, Taylor?" Asfi inquired sharply, annoyed at having her room intruded upon like this.
"I have a gift," the swarm replied, and a moment later Asfi flinched as a dozen roaches crawled up and deposited a ball of silk at her feet. She picked it up after the delivery bugs had scurried off, and peeled the wrapping away.
"…Why am I holding a severed eye and a bunch of glass fragments?" Asfi asked after checking on the contents of the 'gift.'
"That is what is left of the Knossos Key after I destroyed it," Taylor informed her through the bug-clone, and Asfi looked up at that.
"I thought… no, you simply said it was broken. Nothing about the condition the components were in," Asfi muttered. None of the gods had reacted, either, so her fellow captain's words had been the truth… just not the whole truth.
"The eye is the important part, and I kept it safe after tricking Evilus," Taylor said. Asfi nodded. She'd figured that to be the case quickly enough as well.
"I can feel the magic within it," the magic item craftswoman mused. "It is rather dark, though. Cursed, perhaps?"
"I'm unsure, but I'd agree with that assessment," Taylor commented.
"Why keep this secret? You could have brought this up at the meeting earlier today," Asfi pointed out.
"I could have," Taylor stated simply. Asfi frowned, reading between the lines.
"You believe there to be a traitor?"
"I think we shouldn't trust Dionysus, and need to be wary of any 'help' he or his Familia offer," Taylor replied. Asfi didn't like that, but she couldn't deny she'd had similar thoughts.
'Nor has Lord Hermes,' the captain of the Hermes Familia thought to herself. The God of Thieves had an uncanny knack for reading people, and if he was suspicious of the God of Wine… well, where there's smoke, there's fire.
"Can you use the eye to recreate the key?" Taylor asked.
"Of course," the item crafter responded a little bit huffily. With the genuine article to examine, she'd be able cut down the time significantly.
"Good," Taylor said through her swarm.
"Is that all?" Asfi asked, raising an eyebrow at the bizarre – and terrifying – woman's proxy.
"No. We're having a girl's night out tomorrow with the usual suspects."
"Same place as last time?" Asfi inquired.
"Yes."
"Hm. Fine," Asfi grunted. "I'll be there."
The swarm-clone 'bowed' its head to her, before disappearing, hundreds of insects vanishing under and behind furniture. Asfi repressed a shudder.
'At the very least I know the place will be devoid of bugs for a while,' she thought to herself. Say what you wanted about the young woman known as Weaver, but she was thorough when it came to removing anything she could control from the premises.
When she was sure the foreign presence was gone Asfi sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
'Perhaps a break would do me some good,' she thought to herself.
111 &&& 111
Aisha breathed in, and breathed out. In. Out. Her right hand tightened about the grip of her Great Padao Zaga, and she narrowed her eyes as she stared at the Wall of Grief.
Soon. She could feel it in her bones. The Goliath would be born soon. Aisha could almost swear she could feel eyes on her, the Dungeon itself judging and hating her.
The Amazon had always known she was strong. There were few Level 3s in the city who could stand up to her. Indeed, Aisha had long believed she was the pinnacle of her Level. The cowardly Hyakinthos? One or two good hits and he'd go down, his only saving grace being his sublime archery skills. Persephone? Not even a fighter. How the captain of the Demeter Familia got to Level 3 Aisha had no idea.
Even in the Loki and Freya Familias there weren't any Level 3s who could match her. And how could they? Aisha was strong. She'd survived the hellish Kaios Desert without becoming caught by slavers or getting devoured by a Sand Worm – not insignificant dangers in that place – and made her way to Orario seeking more adventure in her life when she was fourteen.
Ishtar had seen Aisha's worth right away and in just five years worked her way up to join the Berbera, swiftly becoming indispensable to the Familia. Yet for the last couple of years, Aisha had felt she'd stagnated and hit a plateau in her power. Was this as far as she could go? She'd never admit it, but she'd started to fear that that was the very problem.
And then Haruhime came into her life. For a while, Aisha had seen guarding her as nothing more than another job. A boring one, at that. She hadn't known why Ishtar wanted the renard girl to be protected. But then Haruhime read the Grimoire, and everything changed.
A Spell to temporarily grant somebody a Level Up? Aisha had seen it as a chance to finally break through the wall she'd hit. A boon, and nothing more. Slowly though, Haruhime started to grow on her, and guarding the renard turned into befriending her. She hated it. The conflict about serving the goddess and doing what was right… for the first time in a long, long while, the Amazon doubted herself.
Aisha was not a good person. She had done terrible things to survive in the desert, and continued to do dreadful deeds in the employ of Ishtar. This had never bothered her before, until Haruhime. The stories the young woman had told her… they were so different to the ones she'd grown up with. And despite everything that'd happened to her, Haruhime had managed to stay true to her morals.
'And then I was shown just how powerless I was,' Aisha thought to herself bitterly.
She'd tried to stop Ishtar's plan but failed, and Phyrne and the other Berbera had nearly killed her for that, even with a shard of the Killing Stone shard infused with Haruhime's soul boosting her Level.
Immediately afterwards, Aisha discovered there was another person of the same Level who was even stronger than her.
Taylor Hebert. Weaver. The Gods Damn Record Holder, who'd beaten out the previous record by just a few days. And then she'd Leveled Up again a few weeks later by taking down an entire fortress all by herself!
It was insanity, and Aisha had seen true power that day. Who needs an army when a few adventurers can do the same damage? Yet for Weaver, strength alone didn't matter. Who needs adventurers when a lone person can see and hear anywhere they want with a legion of creatures most people overlook and ignore?
Ishtar and her Familia paid the price of their hubris that night. Why had the goddess thought it was a good idea to kidnap the vice-captain and the goddess of a woman who had exactly zero reservations tearing down an entire castle to beat another Familia in a War Game?!
The utterly ridiculous woman continued to show off after that. She solved a murder mystery in Rivira, uncovered a secret Evilus plot, drove off the entire Rakian army single-handedly, and then went on to discover and befriend a bunch of talking monsters!
Aisha didn't regret joining the Hestia Familia. Far from it! It was the most fun she'd ever had! But it did highlight that she wasn't the strongest person around anymore. If anything, she was average compared to the rest of the Familia. Stronger than the Level 1s and 2s, sure, but that wasn't good enough anymore. Tammuz, Ryuu, and of course Bell and Taylor… they put her to shame.
A loud crack rang out, and Aisha pulled her thoughts back to the present and tensed up as a giant grey-skinned humanoid figure burst out of the eerily smooth wall in front of her with a roar.
The Goliath was big, but she wasn't worried. Her great sword could carve its limbs off. It was strong and fast, but she could dodge its attacks. It was a Monster Rex, but she was Aisha Belka, ex-Berbera and bearer of the alias Antianeira! This creature would not defeat her!
She darted forward, dirt exploding underneath her feet as she rushed at the Goliath. It swung a fist at her, but Aisha twisted aside and brought her sword down on its wrist, severing it in a single strike.
Yet even as the monster howled in agony as its hand was separated from its body it still continued to fight, trying to stomp down onto Aisha and grind her into the stone. She wasn't going to fall for such a telegraphed attack, though, and leapt aside.
Only to discover a moment later that the Goliath had anticipated this and used its other hand to throw a giant rock at her. She was off-kilter and off-guard, and just barely had time to raise her great sword like a shield as the boulder slammed into her.
The rock shattered against the half blue steel, half Adamantite blade but the impact still sent her tumbling. Aisha bounced back to her feet without issue, only to find another rock hurtling at her head. She ducked and cursed as she narrowly avoided getting brained.
'It saw how easily I could take it on in close combat and decided to keep me at range!' she realized angrily. Damn monster was smart. Didn't even have to be a Xenos to know how to fight and kill.
The Goliath laughed at her and continued to chuck rocks at the adventurer, all of them missing, but it did enough to keep her away.
'No risk, no reward!' Aisha thought and rushed forward, weathering the hail of stone. She knocked aside one small rock, and cut another larger one in half before it could crush her.
Then, using her sword a vaulting board, Aisha flipped into the air with a gravity defying feat of acrobatic skills. She aimed to cut open the monster's belly, but the Goliath raised its left leg, blocking the attack with its knee at the last second.
Her sword cut deep, but its knee was harder than its wrist had been, and her sword just got stuck inside the flesh and bone.
Without waiting, the Goliath lashed out, punching at Aisha. In order to avoid being smacked she let go of her sword, dropping to the ground. She didn't dare stop, though, and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around the tree trunk-like leg, muscles bulging madly.
The Goliath was standing on only one leg and with a loud cry Aisha managed to upend the Monster Rex, knocking it down onto its ass. It roared as it dropped, but it plucked the sword out of its knee, throwing it at her.
She leapt up and grabbed the sword out of the air, but once more that had been a trick. The Goliath lashed out with a kick, aiming at the moment she was unprepared in the middle of the jump, and its massive foot slammed into her and sent her flying.
Aisha spat up blood as the Goliath's foot struck her in the stomach, and she was thrown through the air. Growling, she pushed through the pain and twisted around in the air, using the giant sword she'd just barely managed to reclaim as a counter weight to pull off a spin.
"HELL KAIOS!" Aisha roared, swinging her massive sword vertically as she fell. A red shockwave ripped through the air and tore through the unsuspecting Goliath's head and upper torso, splitting it almost in half.
The Monster Rex's body began to fall apart as blood rained down upon the area, and by the time the Amazon landed on the ground, it was gone, leaving behind a single large grey-white tooth and an equally large Magic Stone.
Aisha breathed out before wincing and putting a hand against her ribs. 'Oof. Damn, it hits hard. That's two, maybe three broken bones from just a glancing blow.'
"You did it!" A cheerful, white-haired boy rushed over to her with a cheer, a potion bottle in his hands that he quickly handed to her.
"Was there any doubt?" Aisha scoffed before proudly pushing out her chest. She then gritted her teeth as the broken bones shifted around. With a grunt, she used her hands to push the ribs back into place before chugging the potion down.
"I hate broken bones," the Amazon sighed. Cuts were easy to deal with. Broken bones on the other hand always had to be set before drinking a healing potion or they'd heal wrong.
"That was reckless!" Haruhime scolded her as she, Emma, and Mikoto approached a moment later. Like Bell, they'd been hiding nearby the entrance to the 18th Floor to watch the fight from a safe distance.
"Worked, didn't it?" Aisha laughed.
"Do you think you managed to level up?" Mikoto asked curiously.
Aisha clenched her fists before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I can feel it in my Falna. I'm Level 4 now."
"First we have to get back to Lady Hestia," Bell reminded her. "But I'm happy for you all the same!"
"…Gods you are such a painfully cheerful little guy," Aisha snorted before standing back up. "Let's grab the drops and get out of here. We've been down here too long."
That was something the rest of the group could agree to, and they grabbed the Magic Stone and Drop Stone before hurrying back up to the surface. They'd accomplished what they'd come down there for, and it was time to reap their rewards.
111 &&& 111
There was a sense of anticipation in the air, and it was like electricity on Lyd's scales.
The Lizardman frowned as he stared down at the group of adventurers making their way through the 29th Floor. He was hiding in the branches of a tall tree, watching as the men who stank of divinity trampled the grass and hacked their way through the dense undergrowth.
They all carried the same stench, buried beneath their usual odors: the essence of the god that had branded them.
As he watched, the Surfacers clashed with a few monsters; Dragonewts, an advanced breed of Lizardmen who were all the equivalent of Level 3 adventurers, and a couple of Bloodsaurus, a monster that was on par with Level 4s.
That the band of adventurers made short work of the monsters was worrying, as it spoke to their power and skill. Though given they could often take down Xenos, who were often much stronger than the regular monster they were based off of, even newly born, it made sense.
'Makes my job a lot harder,' he thought to himself.
"Should we pull back?" Ranye's quiet voice asked, and he glanced over at the silk thread attached to a metal can he was holding.
"No," Lyd replied. "We wait and see if they manage to find any Xenos."
"It's too dangerous to stay in this area," the Arachne's voice said, coming from the little can.
"We cannot let any more of our kin fall into the hands of these bastards," Lyd claimed angrily, doing his best not to let his anger leek.
He knew after watching them for so long that the leader of the adventurers had a Skill that let him detect bloodlust directed at him. Considering he was also a Level 5 based on how potent the divine scent clinging to him was, as well as a leader of one of the surface-dwelling Familias, meant he was not going to be an easy foe.
'I do not know if Ranye and myself would be able to defeat him,' Lyd thought to himself. 'And that's if he was alone. With that hunting party of his… no, I can't risk it.'
So for now, Lyd waited and watched. Someday, he would cut down the leader of the kidnappers. But until then, he'd bide his time.
He heard the Arachne Xenos scoff in annoyance on the other end of the communication tool. It was a clever little thing, made with silk and a pair of metal cans. She wasn't near him yet she could still communicate, her voice somehow traveling through the strand of silk connecting the two pieces of metal.
'I'll have to thank Ray again for discovering this neat little trick,' he thought to himself. The Siren had always been one of the more curious Xenos, trying experiments to make their lives a bit easier.
The string cans couldn't go very far, just a few hundred feet, but it helped enough in this instance when he was in one tree, and Ranye was in another.
"Just be careful," the Arachne whispered.
Lyd did not respond as he'd noticed the adventurers come to a stop. He narrowed his eyes as he watched them, and leaned in to eavesdrop.
"…this the place?" he heard the leader, who had black hear and wore a pair of goggles, asked, glancing at one of his minions.
"That's right, captain," one of the other adventurers confirmed. "Rumors of unusual movement amongst the monsters in the area, coupled with monsters fighting amongst each other, led us here."
"Well, we better get searching, then," the boss muttered. "Scan the area."
"Like a hawk, I gaze beyond the realms of death. Seek the living, find their hearts…" one of the adventurers began to chant, and a magic circle formed beneath their feet before rippling outwards.
'So that's how they're able to find us so easily,' he thought to himself with a frown. They had some kind of magic that was able to search for living things in a certain area if the chant was any indicator.
Concerned, Lyd wait to see if they'd somehow detected his presence, but it seemed he'd been outside of the range, or wasn't the target.
For a moment nothing happened, then the caster pointed off in a direction away from the hidden Lizardman. "There! That way!"
The adventurers ran off, and Lyd took a deep breath. "Ranye, they seem to have found a Xenos. I'm going after them."
"…Be safe," she ordered. "I'll make my way back to the stairs. Whether you rescue our kin or not, I will wait for you there for a little while."
"I will return with a new friend in tow," Lyd vowed, before cutting the silk string connecting his can to Ranye's and tucking the metal part into a pouch on his belt before leaping through the trees, chasing after the Xenos-hunting smugglers.
Soon, he heard the sounds of fighting, and growled as he spotted the surface dwellers surrounding a Lamia. She was screaming at them as they attacked with mancatchers and nets, and though there were no words, Lyd could tell there was intelligence in her eyes.
"Hold her down, boys!" the captain commanded, and his minions obeyed, beating down the Xenos with frightening ease. Their equipment, combined with their coordination, made the raw power of the Lamia utterly worthless, and she was pinned to the ground.
"Hm. A pretty one, aren't ya?" the captain hummed as he walked over. The Lamia snarled, but he kicked her in the face, knocking some teeth out.
"Let's see if his little project actually does what he promised it would do," the Level 5 grunted as he took a silver collar with a bright red jewel in the surface. He clamped it around the Lamia's neck, and stepped back.
"Release her," he instructed with a bored drawl, and his companions stepped away and withdrew their mancatcher poles, allowing the Xenos to tear the net apart and lunge at her captor.
"Freeze." The Lamia did as he ordered, freezing in place, and a sick grin spread across the captain's face. "Spin in a circle. Punch yourself. Bow your head to me."
The Lamia obeyed every single order he gave her, even as she glared with hate in her eyes the whole time. But her body was no longer her own, that much was clear to Lyd.
'So that's why they didn't have any cages with them. With a collar like that, the kidnappers can force a Xenos to follow them wherever they go, no need to worry about escape attempts!' the Lizardman realized in horror.
"Seems like the collar's primary function works," the man with goggles said aloud. "Would be a waste to test the secondary function right now… let's bring her back to the base. We've got ourselves a fine specimen!"
Lyd did not hesitate, and immediately shot forward, launching himself from the tree branch he'd been crouching on and landed in the middle of the adventurers. They were startled and recoiled in shock, although the Level 5 was already starting to draw his short sword in an attempt to cut the Lizardman down.
Lyd was faster, however, and he scooped up his fellow Xenos in his arm before booking it, his tail slapping away the goggle-wearing adventurer's blade before it could touch his scales.
"Don't worry, you're safe, now," Lyd promised the Lamia as he ran off, who looked at him in fear and confusion. However, before she could respond, the gem on the collar around her neck began to glow, and suddenly her head exploded, showering the Lizardman with blood.
The Xenos he had just rescued collapsed into dust in his arms, a Magic Stone clattering to the ground along with the collar, and Lyd stumbled in horror. Yet he didn't stop running. To his shame, he kept fleeing.
He tried to rationalize it away. She was already dead. He had to escape to reconvene with Ranye. But Lyd knew it was because he was coward and did not want to be the next victim of that strange collar.
"It works!" Lyd heard the goggles-wearing adventurer laugh in vicious glee as he picked the artifact off the ground. "Heh, I'll have to tell Barca about this. He'll be able to enslave Weaver with this thing, no problem!"
That was all he managed to hear before he was too far away, and as much as the information disturbed him, he didn't dare stop.
'I have to warn Fels and the others!' Lyd thought to himself in terror.
111 &&& 111
Falna Update!
Aisha Belka "Antianeira"
Level 3 - - 4
POWER – A 800 - - I 0
ENDURANCE – B 777 - - I 0
DEXTERITY – D 580 - - I 0
AGILITY – C 615 - - I 0
MAGIC – G 299 - - I 0
Spell –
Hell Kaios: Unleash a shockwave of blood-red magic.
Chant: Seek and Destroy! Hell Kaios!
Development Ability –
Hunter H
Abnormal Resistance G
Fist Strike I
Chapter 60: Chapter 56: The Power of Fast Food
Chapter Text
Chapter 56: The Power of Fast Food
"…and then he said, 'Well I've got a thigh-high right here for ya!' and pointed at his crotch!" Persephone tittered. "Of course, the hand he gestured with was the one holding his drink, so he spilled all over his pants. It made him look like he'd peed himself. Got laughed out of the bar after that."
"No way!" Misha gasped, holding back her laughter.
"It's true! Obviously, he got barred from the establishment after that. But there's been a lot more of them around that it seems like there's no end to them!" the captain of the Demeter Familia said, frowning to herself as she folded her arms, unwittingly emphasizing her extremely generous bust.
"I've had some annoying guys like that at the Guild recently," Rose, a Guild clerk who worked with Eina and Misha, grumbled. "Thinking they can do stupid things to show off… and then they get blood all over my paperwork!"
"They always want discounts, too," Naaza huffed.
"Men can be such boors," Cupid sighed, shaking his head sadly. The crossdressing captain of the Aphrodite Familia looked a bit out of place at the table, but no one said anything. He, or rather, as they preferred, she, was just another gal looking for some company as they vented about this and that.
Girl's Night Out had been a reoccurring event that Taylor and the others had happily kept going. It had also grown a bit, with a few other people joining. Aside from a few more girls from the Guild that Eina knew, quite a few more women who were captains in the various Familias had come to the Cyan Pavilion.
Shakti, Naaza, and Asfi were there. But so too were Sophia Flores, captain of the Serket Familia, Persephone of the Demeter Familia, and Cupid of the Aphrodite Familia, to name a few.
The bi-monthly gathering had turned into an unofficial meeting of the most powerful young women in the city, and Taylor appreciated the chance to unwind and relax with people who were not only strong, but fed up with the bullshit of the city at times as well.
"Anyone else notice that the rise in brash, hot-headed men making trouble around the city seems to have coincided with the changes in the Entertainment District?" Sophia pointed out, and everyone turned towards Taylor.
"It's not my fault," she protested. "Besides, why would Ishtar being dethroned change how the brothels worked?"
"She ruled the place with an iron fist, but was also a lot more… hands off when it came to how individual establishments ran things," Cupid claimed. "So long as the tribute was paid to her, Lady Ishtar didn't care how they did things. Which means a lot of unsavory things could happen to the women and the customers."
"The Guild had to go over them all with a fine-toothed comb," Eina complained. "A bunch of establishments were closed down for one reason or another, and now there's a dearth of places for the adventurers to… relieve themselves."
"That's why there have been so many randy men around?" Syr asked, wrinkling her nose. "Gross."
Taylor raised an eyebrow at that before shrugging. "Agreed. Anyways, it's no skin off my nose. I don't regret taking care of things, either. The city will settle down in time."
"No one's blaming you… okay, actually, we are, but we get why you did what you did," Misha assured Taylor.
"Enough depressing talk!" Syr declared loudly. "Let's change the topic to something better!"
"Hm. Okay, then. What do you suggest?" Shakti asked.
"Well, we're already talking about boys, aren't we? So how about love stuff?" the waitress suggested.
"Syr…" Ryuu groaned, running a hand over her face.
"L-Lili doesn't think that's a good idea," Lili mumbled, still a little nervous being around so many important and powerful adventurers.
"Oh~? Why not? Does little Lili have a crush on someone she doesn't want anybody to know about?" Syr teased, leaning in towards the pallum.
"N-no!" she stammered.
"It's Bell, isn't it?" Taylor guessed in a deadpan. When Lili flinched and flushed, the parahuman sighed. "I don't know what it is that seems to attract women to him."
"He's just… nice," Lili muttered, embarrassed.
"What about Finn?" Ryuu asked, looking at the Supporter.
"What about him?" Sophia asked, curious about what might be going on between the two pallum.
"…Never mind. Not my place," the elf said when she saw Lili shooting her a betrayed look.
Taylor was confused, and a little intrigued, but she wasn't like Lisa, so she didn't bother to ask. Instead, she looked at Naaza.
"How have things been going with Miach?" the parahuman inquired, and the Chienthrope groaned.
"He's so oblivious!" she whined. "At least I know he's not interested in the others, but it's like he doesn't even notice when I try to get his attention!"
"You're interested in your god?" Syr asked, seeming remarkably interested in the topic.
"…Yeah," Naaza admitted.
"Scandalous!" Syr gasped, but it was clear from the grin she just wanted to gossip. "Anybody else?"
"HA!" Shakti snorted, and Asfi nodded demurely in agreement with the sentiment. The other captains all gave various gestures of denial.
"It's hard to be attracted to somebody, let alone respect them, when you've seen them face down in a ditch, dead drunk after a week-long bender," Asfi declared, an expression of disgust on her face. "Lord Hermes is more like an idiot cousin or little brother I have to keep an eye on so he doesn't get into trouble."
"Similar situation for me," Shakti replied, rubbing her forehead. "Lord Ganesha is too loud."
"I prefer men over women," Sophia said. "Not that Lady Serket doesn't try to get me into her bed. But she's not exactly… well, like Miss Asfi said, once you've seen your god repeatedly do something stupid it's hard to see them as anything remotely romantic."
Syr pouted, looking disappointed for some reason, while Naaza and Mikoto looked conflicted.
In the end, romance discussions continued for a bit longer, everyone at the table getting progressively tipsier as the drinks flowed, loosening tongues. Of course, considering just how much alcohol even a Level 1 adventurer had to drink to get buzzed, the girls had likely consumed a whole barrel's worth of wine.
"I think Syr's had enough," Ryuu said, moving the mug away from the silver-haired waitress. She just giggled drunkenly and tried to reach for it.
"Nooo~! Gimme!"
"Hm. It is getting late. We should probably call it a night," Shakti said, cheeks flushed slightly as she held back a yawn.
"Good idea," Eina said, helping Misha to her feet who swayed back and forth a little. As regular human, the Guide girl had less alcohol tolerance than a half-elf or werewolf like Eina or Rose.
"Oh, before I forget, Hestia wanted me to pass these out to you all," Taylor said, remembering something the tiny goddess had asked of her.
The parahuman fished out some coupons from her pocket and passed them around the table, making sure everyone got one.
"What are these?" Rose asked, looking at the colorful square of paper with slightly unfocused eyes.
"Coupons," Taylor replied. "They're like sales vouchers for special deals at shops and the like. Buy a meal at the Hearthstone, get a free drink when you hand them in. It encourages repeat customers and sales."
"Huh, so you're finally ready to open your restaurant?" Persephone hummed. "My lady has been talking about the orders you've been making."
"That's right. The grand opening is this weekend," Taylor informed everyone. "Stop by if you like. Hestia would certainly appreciate it."
"Trying to muscle in on Mama's turf, Miss Taylor?" Syr asked in a teasing tone before hiccupping a little.
"Hardly. The Hearthstone will be catering to a different set of clients," Taylor assured her. "Rather than a sit-down restaurant like the Hostess, Hestia's will be selling fast food. That is, food to quickly eat there or take out and eat elsewhere and is made in ten to fifteen minutes. Thirty, tops."
"How can you make something that fast?" Asfi wondered.
"It's simple food. Not very complicated," Taylor replied.
"I'll be the judge of that," Syr sniffed haughtily. Before immediately keeling over in Ryuu's arms, snoring loudly.
"I look forward to it," Taylor said with a chuckle.
111 &&& 111
"It's finally done," Hestia said, looking up at the restaurant with wide eyes. It had taken weeks, but it was finally up and running!
"Yup. Looks nice," Taylor commented, before patting Hestia fondly on the head. She grumbled at the action before perking up as the rest of the Familia gathered.
As they did, Taylor turned her attention back to the store. The Hearthstone was located near the Guildhall, and had been an Apollo Familia store before renovations. The parahuman predicted that the location was going to contribute to a lot of sales from Guild employees in the future, as fast, cheap food was always something an office worker valued.
The storefront had big windows to let in plenty of sunlight, and a signboard with a big red flame with a blue bell, the Familia's emblem, hung over the entrance.
"Let's check out the inside," Taylor suggested, and everyone agreed. A bell over the double doors chimed as the group entered.
The restaurant was large enough to easily fit fifty people, with room for up to a hundred if they squeezed in. There were rows of booths for sitting as well as regular tables and chairs in the middle. A counter for customers to approach for ordering food was at the back, and the kitchens could be seen behind it.
The menus were attached to big signs above and on the counter, with hand-drawn images of the food items on them, alongside the written descriptions. The city had a high level of literacy compared to other places in the world, but not everyone could read Koine for one reason or another, so this helped make it easier for customers to know what to get.
And what exactly did the Hearthstone sell? The Holy Trifecta of fast food: Burgers, French Fries, and Pizza. There were variations of them, such as chicken patty burgers alongside beef, or waffle fries and tater tots alongside the usual type of straight cut fries. Jagamarukun, too, was sold here. And naturally, there were six different types of pizza, including classic all-cheese and meat lovers, that were served as personal 6 inch pan pizzas, or in 'Adventurer' sized 24-inch diameter pizzas.
That wasn't all. Fried chicken, another fast food staple, was also included, and there were plenty of sauces and condiments for the people to sample. Dessert was also available in the form of cookies and soft-serve ice cream, the latter a treat that had already existed in Orario, but had a larger number of flavors available.
Making the food was no issue thanks to some magic tools Hestia and Welf had made with help from Taylor's memories of fast food on Earth Bet. And besides, burgers were easy. So were French Fries and pizza as well as fried chicken.
And with magic tools to keep food fresh for much longer than anything Earth Bet was capable of short of Tinkertech, and with fewer preservatives, even if the meals were smothered in oil and salt it'd still be healthier than plenty of 'healthy' options back in Brockton Bay.
Drinks were trickier, as paper cups weren't a thing, but they'd found a workaround by having customers return the mugs, or put them in a receptacle near the doors when finished, along with the food trays. No cups for takeout, though. And they didn't serve alcohol. Just water, juice, and lemonade. No soda, sadly, as Taylor hadn't found a way to make carbonated water or buy enough sugar.
"Welcome, Lady Hestia!" a young woman working behind the counter said in greeting, bowing politely towards the group as they entered.
"Hello, Tracy!" Hestia said, greeting the server. Ten people had been hired, most of whom were the cooks. They'd work in shifts and hopefully it would be enough to start with.
The restaurant workers all wore the same uniforms, too. They were similar to the Hostess of Fertility outfits, but with blue shirts and red aprons and headbands.
In fact, Hestia had gone with a whole red and blue theme for her restaurant. Red and blue checkerboard floor tiles had been put down, and the tables and chairs alternated between red, blue, black, and white, with the booths painted blue.
The goddess had even made mascots! Sparky the Helpful Flame and Chime the Cheerful Bell. Hestia had taken the idea from Earth Bet, and made cute little anthropomorphic cartoon characters to advertise the Hearthstone and entertain people.
This was a novel approach to sales. Taylor couldn't think of any other store in Orario that had something like this.
"So, this 'fast food' stuff… how does it work?" Welf asked, looking at the menus.
"Like it usually works in other restaurants. Order food. People cook the food. Pay for the food. Eat the food," Taylor drawled. "It just all happens very fast."
"So, we order while standing?" Primo asked, looking around at the tables.
"Yes. You order up here at the counter," Hestia confirmed. She then pointed to the big red arrows on the floor that led from the door to the counter. "Follow the arrows!"
"The meals are quite cheap," Leo noted. "Can the restaurant sustain itself with such low prices?"
"Yes, I double and triple-checked!" Hestia confirmed. "And it's not about the money, it's about the food!"
"And the sizes?" Silva asked.
"Well, adventurers eat more than regular people do," Hestia pointed out. "So there's child-sized servings, regular adult sized ones, and the 'Adventurer' sized serving, which is more expensive but also contains more food."
It was basically just small, medium, and large, although the 'large' serving size was more like three large meals in one.
"We've had pizza before at the manor, and you served us burgers before as well, but fries… what are those?" Oriana wondered.
"Sticks of potatoes fried in oil and covered in salt. Sort of like Jagamarukun except made of whole potato instead of shredded and compacted," Taylor explained. "Easier to eat, at least in my opinion."
"That does sound good," the knight admitted. "I suppose them I shall order an Adventurer sized Number 3. With apple juice."
With Oriana taking the first step, everyone else began to place orders, and Tracy handled the influx of orders with aplomb.
'My training once more proves to be useful,' Taylor thought with a smug little grin.
She'd drilled the ten new hires in the dread art of retail customer service, educating them in the ancient practices of her homeland. With any luck, they'd be able to handle anything that came at them. Except violence. None of them had been given Falnas, since they wouldn't be heading into the Dungeon with the rest of the Familia.
'Do they count as being part of the Familia if they're just employees?' Taylor wondered. 'I might need to go over the paperwork and tax codes again.'
As she pondered business stuff, Tracy and the others were hard at work whipping up the food. The kitchens used the assembly line method, taking premade ingredients and then cooking or reheating them as necessary. Magic really helped in that regard, and in ten to fifteen minutes, the meals were served up, hot and ready to eat.
"It's not bad," Silva hummed as she ate her burger.
"Mm. It's greasy, though," Karen commented.
"Taste's good to me!" Welf declared.
"The salt is gonna make me thirsty…" Lucia muttered. "Free refills are definitely going to be necessary."
"I love it!" Iris said with a wide grin.
Everyone chatted amongst each other as they enjoyed their lunch at Hestia's newest endeavor, and slowly, more people began to trickle in, curious about the new store and drawn in by the smell.
"Good afternoon, Hestia."
"Oh! Oooh! Miach! Take! Over here!" Hestia called out happily as she spotted two of her godly friends and their Familias.
"It looks like the grand opening is going well," Miach said, looking around. He then held up a coupon. "And these vouchers… an interesting idea. And they have no expiration date?"
"The grand opening ones don't. Going forward, though, they'll be given a limit to be used. Don't want people to stockpile them," Hestia replied. "I'm thinking of handing over coupons in a few different ways. Maybe after somebody buys enough? I also have ideas for loyalty rewards! Buy ten meals, get the eleventh, free!"
"Not a bad idea," Miach said, rubbing his chin, before looking at the menu. "Cute little characters. I wonder if the pharmacy would do better with something like that?"
"Who drew them?" Daphne inquired, the red-head looking over cartoony figures.
"I did," Taylor informed the former member of Apollo's Familia.
"Really?" Daphne asked, surprised, and she wasn't the only one.
"Is it that surprising?" the parahuman wondered.
"You don't seem like the artistic type. Or, well, not the kind to draw things," Naaza claimed.
Taylor shrugged at that. To be fair, a lot of her skill was thanks to her power helping out. It was a lot easier to draw perfectly straight lines when you had pinpoint precision with an ant or spider.
"Mikoto, you seem to be doing well," Takemikazuchi said, giving a fond smile at his former Familia member.
"Ah! T-Takemikazuchi-Sama!" Mikoto stammered, hastily wiping some of the burger grease off her face with a flushed expression.
"Have you been keeping up with your training?" the Far Eastern God of War asked, and she nodded.
"Yes! I have!" Mikoto confirmed.
"Wonderful! Perhaps we can have a spar? I'd love to see how far you've come."
She nodded rapidly at that, unable to respond verbally as a blush overtook her face.
'Seems like Naaza isn't the only one with Divine Fever,' Taylor thought in amusement. And from the grin on Lili's face, the pallum had had the same thought.
As Mikoto caught up with her former friends and the Miach Familia chatted with the Hestia Familia, Taylor watched it all with a tiny smile. She'd made a change here in Orario. An impact on the city and its people.
It was nice to be able to do something productive, to help others in a way that wasn't meaningless PR or ruling with an iron fist.
'And yet someone dares threaten my new home,' Taylor thought to herself, a flash of anger rising up within her at the thought of Evilus.
In a few days, the Hestia Familia would join the Loki Familia on a trip into the Dungeon to acquire materials to build weapons and armor to take on the mad cultists.
111 &&& 111
Taylor knocked a few times on a discreet looking wall of the Dungeon. She was not very deep today, merely on the 15th Floor. But her purpose was not hunting monsters.
After a moment the rock was slid aside, revealing a hidden pantry, much like there had been on the 27th. There were only a few Xenos hiding within, and the one who'd opened the door waved politely at the parahuman.
"Hello, Miss Taylor," Ray said politely in greeting.
"Hello. And you can just call me 'Taylor,' Ray," she requested as she walked inside.
"Oh. Right, sorry, it's a habit," the Siren apologized.
"It's fine," Taylor said, before motioning for Chris to approach. When the adventurer and monster were inside, Ray closed the wall back up, and helped Taylor remove the saddlebags from Chris' back.
"Ranye asked for more sewing supplies, so I included some extra fabric, thread, and needles," Taylor said as the Siren looked through the goods. "Potions and bandages are in there, as well."
She then gestured to another bag. "Food is in that one. Salt and other spices, too."
"This will be a big help," Ray said with a smile. "How have things been on the surface?"
"Wiene is doing well. There was an… incident, but it was resolved, and it seems to have generated some goodwill towards her," Taylor revealed.
"She's unhurt?" Ray pressed, and when the adventurer nodded, she sighed in relief. "Good. Good."
"I also have a warning," Taylor said. "In four days, the Loki Familia will be embarking on a journey to the 36th Floor. The Hestia Familia will be tagging along. Let the other Xenos know to stay hidden during that time."
"Thank you!" Ray said, relieved. "We don't usually get advance warning of big groups of adventurers! This will help a lot."
"Stay safe. And before I go, do you have anything else you'd like me to bring down the next time?" Taylor inquired.
"Tools," Ray said after thinking it over. "Stone working tools. Chisels, hammers, anything that can help us work with stone."
"Thinking of expanding your hiding places?" Taylor wondered. "Would that even work? I thought the Dungeon regenerated?"
"You are correct, the Dungeon does heal. But it is possible to take pieces of the Dungeon and shape them carefully without triggering the regeneration. What we hope to do is carve things such as tables and benches and shelves. Some minor alterations are also possible to do directly. And of course, Landform Weapons and other objects meant to be detached from the Dungeon can be shaped freely," Ray explained.
"Interesting. Alright, I'll get some. And would woodworking tools also help?"
"Yes, I think so," Ray mused after thinking the offer over.
The Siren then frowned. "Oh, I almost forgot. Lyd wanted me to pass on a warning of our own."
"Really?" Taylor inquired. "Please, tell me."
"Yes. We encountered the slavers again," the Siren said with a dark expression. "On the 29th Floor. And one of them had a strange artifact in their possession that lets him control a Xenos."
"Control?" Taylor asked sharply.
"Yes. Like you do with your insects," Ray confirmed. "Lyd saw and experienced it firsthand. It was a collar of some sort, and with it… the slaver was able to order the poor girl to die with but a word."
"Oh," Taylor said darkly, eyes narrowing. A magic item capable of controlling people like a puppet… that was bad.
'And it confirms my theory that Evilus has access to somebody like Asfi. Somebody with the Mystery ability,' she thought to herself. 'Only five people in Orario have this rare Development Ability, so it should be easy to track down. But then again, if it's Evilus, they probably have members the Guild has no record of, just like Revis. Or the entire Ikelos Familia.'
"Thank you for the warning," Taylor said, grateful for the intel. This would be useful. Ray just inclined her head.
"You have shown us kindness. It's the least we could do."
Taylor nodded back at the Xenos, before preparing to leave the hideout. She needed to warn her Familia and allies about this new development. Discreetly, of course. It wouldn't do to give away where she got this information.
'What is Evilus planning?' Taylor wondered as she and Chris returned to the surface. She had a feeling it wasn't anything good.
111 &&& 111
"So much sand," Emma murmured, staring out at the vast sandy desert that lay before us.
"This sure brings back memories," Aisha claimed, arms folded as she observed her former home.
The great Kaios Desert spread out in front of a large chunk of the Hestia Familia, who had been brought here by Taylor. Alongside Aisha and Emma, Ryuu, Oriana, Mikoto, Leo, Silva, Gita, Gina, Primo, Karen, Tammuz, and Haruhime were there with her.
Rather than fly everyone over one by one using the swing-harness contraption, the Familia had taken a short trip to the edge of the desert by riding Debbie. Officially, it was to gather resources from the area. Namely, a Sand Worm as their carapace made for a decent material for armor. Light weight, flexible, and able to stand up to Level 1s, it would be used to augment the defenses of the other Level 1s.
That wasn't the only reason they were here, though. It was just a convenient excuse. After all, aside from Marius, who was notably not there, this was everyone else in the Familia who had yet to receive a Skill from Taylor.
'I need to protect them,' Taylor thought to herself as she fondly looked at her family. It had taken a lot of bargaining, giving up some concessions, and a bribe, but finally Ouranos had agreed to her request to grant them Skills.
She wanted her Familia to have them before entering the Dungeon for the joint expedition. This way, they'd be able to get used to their brand-new powers through the best possible way: violence.
Right now, though, the group was far enough away from Orario that any dimensional shocks from Queen Administrator wouldn't affect the Dungeon's seals, and the only gods in the region were either weak, cowardly, or criminals who the Sky God hadn't cared if they 'mysteriously got sent back to the Heavens' if they crossed her path.
"Gather around, everyone. I have something to tell you," Taylor announced, drawing their attention towards her.
"What's up, boss?" Gina asked, bouncing over to her side.
"Are you finally gonna tell us the secret to your super-duper strength?" Silva wondered.
"Yes, actually," Taylor said, before smirking when she saw the shocked look on their faces. "Well, sort of."
"Tease," the cat-girl huffed.
Taylor reached out and patted Debbie, taking refuge in the simple mind of the giant armored worm as she gathered her thoughts.
"I'm sure you're all curious about me. About my origins," Taylor finally said as the silence stretched on. Everyone nodded at that.
"We have a betting pool about it," Iris admitted.
"Which we weren't supposed to talk about!" Lucia hissed, slapping her friend's arm.
"Oh? Oh, right," the cow-girl coughed awkwardly.
"I already knew about it," the captain informed them. "Maybe don't leave the betting sheets out where I can see them next time."
A few people blushed at that, causing Taylor to smirk. "Well, it's time for me to reveal where I come from."
"Why isn't Marius here?" Oriana asked.
"While he may have joined our Familia, he's still here as a hostage to keep Rakia in line," Taylor reminded her. "That does not mean I won't tell him in the future… but he has to earn my trust a bit more before I do so."
The others nodded, some more reluctantly than others. It didn't sit right with them to deny this to somebody who'd fought and bled with them on the training field. But they understood their captain's worries. Marius may have been a good person, but he was still the heir to the Rakian throne. Until they could be sure he wouldn't betray the Familia's secrets, he would be kept in the dark.
"I was not born on this world," Taylor revealed, ripping off the band-aid in one go. "A few months ago, I was in a fight, and got sent here."
"Crap, I should have gone with my gut," Leo grumbled along with a few others sighing in disappointment while Haruhime giggled and shared a cute high-five with Emma.
"Yes! I knew it! She's a Faller!" the pinkette cheered.
"Indeed! Just like the stories!" the renard agreed.
Chuckling, Taylor watched as the Familia lamented or celebrated the outcome of their bets.
"Yes. I am not from around here in a very literal sense. The same is true for my father, Danny Hebert. Or, as most people around here knew him, "The Strongest Level 1" and vice-captain of the Zeus Familia."
"And also Bell's father," Ryuu piped up, earning a nod.
"That's right. But Bell was born here, when my father ended up in Orario similar to myself… just vast displaced in time," Taylor explained.
"That can't be the only reason we're this far from the city," Ryuu claimed.
"Correct. The reason for that ties into why I'm here," Taylor said, before taking a deep breath. "Let me tell you about Earth Bet… and the day a golden man appeared…"
What followed was a harrowing hour for everyone as Taylor revealed not only her origins, but the origins of her bug controlling power.
By the time she was done, everyone was staring at her, some with tears in their eyes, other with a mixture of emotions. Hero worship was a common one that shone through the pity and horror, though most unsettling, at least to Taylor, were the ways Haruhime and Tammuz were staring at her with utter reverence, as if gazing at a goddess.
"You did all that to save them… and… and… how could they do that to you?" Emma asked, wiping tears out of her eyes.
"Despicable," Karen spat out, the knightly Oriana nodding resolutely in agreement.
"Such cruelty and incompetence would be harshly punished back in Albion!"
"So, you want to give us some of these… Shards?" Ryuu asked, bringing up the crux of the matter.
"Yes," Taylor said with a nod.
"They won't try to control us, will they?" Gita asked nervously.
"No. They don't work like that," Taylor replied. "Most Shards are… dumb. They are passive and care more about collecting data from the way their 'hosts' interact with the powers they grant than controlling said hosts. The ones that do are… unique."
Taylor felt a pulse of affection from her passenger at that, taking it as praise.
"It would take the form of a Skill, then?" Aisha inquired.
"Yes. They seem to be closer to Spells in some ways as they cause the Magic stat to grow after use, but they do not run the risk of suffering Mind Down."
"And it will make us stronger?" Mikoto pressed, expression stern, but also eager.
"It will," Taylor confirmed.
"I think… yes, I want this," the samurai requested.
"Me too," Oriana requested. The rest of the group all wanted it as well, and Taylor felt a tiny smile creep onto her lips.
"Alright then. This won't take long." She raised a hand and tugged on the Godslayer Skill, drawing on Queen Administrator to bestow her Familia with Shards of their own.
Extra-dimensional energy threaded outwards from beyond time and space and 'touched' their brains, and the deed was done. No flash of light, or sound effects, or any reaction at all.
"That's it?" Gina asked, sounding disappointed by the lack of explosions or anything else.
"The process is very subtle… for us mortals. Apparently, gods can feel it when it happens. And the Dungeon doesn't quite like it much, either," Taylor replied.
"Does that mean some gods will come looking?" Lucia asked nervously, glancing around.
"Perhaps. But I can't sense any nearby, so we're fine," Taylor said with a shrug. "Now, I know you all just gained them, but I think it's time to find out what you got. Don't even need Hestia to update them, either, since these aren't Falna related."
"How?" Aisha asked, squinting at the parahuman suspiciously. She just grinned, and the earth began to shake before a trio of gargantuan Sand Worms exploded out of the ground nearby.
They were massive, sandy brown behemoths, much larger than a Dungeon Worm. And while not as heavily armored, they had spikes Debbie lacked and could swallow a wagon whole.
They weren't alone. Horse-sized scorpions, wagon-sized spiders, vulture-sized tarantula hawk wasps, and dog-sized ants poured out alongside the super-worms, and the Hestia Familia glared at Taylor.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Taylor asked as the swarm attacked without mercy.
The Hestia Familia learned what their new Skills were very quickly that day. And ended up with sand in places best left unmentioned.
111 &&& 111
List of Shards granted to the Hestia Familia:
Ryuu Lion "The Gale"
Level 5
Vedrfolnir Unlimited: Aerokinesis capable of generating gale force winds, tornadoes, and blades of cutting air. (SHARD)
Mikoto Yamato "Absolute Shadow"
Level 2
Skill –
Severance: Increase the sharpness of any object and cut through the intangible. (SHARD)
Oriana Drake "Purekiki"
Level 2
Skill –
Great Wall: Anchors the user in place. Cannot be moved while Skill is active. Greatly raises Power and Endurance as well as durability of held and worn objects while the Skill is active. (SHARD)
Emma Flores
Level 1
Skills –
Allegiance: Allies who have Skills used on them or Spells cast on them that originate from the user of this Skill recover small amounts of health and stamina and have negative effects reduced or removed if weak enough. (SHARD)
Leo Valdez
Level 1
Skill –
Gigant Varia: Adjust the size of inanimate objects held or worn by the user. Weight increases in accordance with the size. Size and weight return to normal when no longer in contact with the user, or at the discretion of the user. (SHARD)
Love Silva
Level 1
Skill –
Cheshire's Tail: Charm multiple targets within range of the user. Charmed targets will follow the user's orders until something breaks them out of their trance. Pain or physical interactions with non-Charmed individuals are capable of undoing the Charmed state. (SHARD)
Gita Meyers
Level 1
Skill –
Wandering Eyes: Create multiple autonomous floating orbs that resemble eyeballs. The user can see through these constructs, and manipulate them freely. Can cast Spells or use other Skills through the constructs. (SHARD)
Primo Libera
Level 1
Skill –
Stellar Dust: Create varying amounts of glittering particles that can refract and reflect light as well as lasers. Creating and sustaining large amounts will consume Mind. (SHARD)
Gina Gwen
Level 1
Skill –
True Sound: Control the volume of all sounds made by the user, increasing or decreasing them at will. (SHARD)
Karen Morris
Level 1
Skill –
Ath nGabla: Issue a challenge to an opponent. If accepted – either verbally or through action – the opponent cannot attack anyone else except the challenger. This does not end until surrender or defeat of either target or user. Only works on one target at a time. (SHARD)
Tammuz Belili "Dumuzid"
Level 4
Skill –
Adonis Frame: Temporarily become immune to negative status effects such as poison as well as magic, including Charms and Curses. (SHARD)
Aisha Belka "Antianeira"
Level 4
Skill –
Rage of Astarte: Increase Power stat the more damage is taken. Boosts regeneration in proportion to amount of damage taken. (SHARD)
Sanjouno Haruhime
Level 1
Skill -
Foxfire: Conjure fireballs from the tip of the tail. Size and power can be adjusted upon creation, and controlled at will. (SHARD)
Chapter 61: Chapter 57: The Awesome Expedition
Chapter Text
Chapter 57: The Awesome Expedition
"Is everyone ready?"
Taylor looked over her Familia, and smiled, proud, as she saw they were all indeed prepared for a trip into the Dungeon.
Their gear had been repaired, and some of them had gotten upgrades. Bell, for instance, was carrying a long sword now to use alongside the Hestia Knife. Gina and Primo had taken the parahuman's advice and put on breastplates and vambraces made of Killer Ant chitin. And Oriana had decided to wear a frog mouth helmet to protect her head.
Lili's new weapon was an impressive sight to behold as well. The Manticore was basically a shrunken down, portable scorpion, or a scaled-up arbalest. It was as tall as she was, fired arm-length bolts, and carried a repeater clip that held five bolts at once.
Welf, brilliant smith that he was, had also found a way to propel the projectiles faster and harder by using Wind Blade Cartridges to accelerate the bolts as they left the weapon, turning it into a sort of giant fantasy bowgun rather than a purely mechanical bolt thrower.
And for once, Welf's naming sense fit the weapon. The Manticore was a deadly ranged weapon, one that turned Lili into a true terror against the monsters.
Of course, the name of the weapon made Taylor wonder if perhaps there were Manticores in the Dungeon. She made a mental note to ask about that later.
Even Aisha had decided to upgrade her outfit. To celebrate hitting Level 4, the Amazon had taken the Goliath's tooth and had Welf forge the ivory into a pair of clawed gauntlets. The Kuseh Safed looked wicked, and had the ability to block swords and other attacks while inflicting painful wounds at the same time with the spikes and barbs covering it. Still no armor anywhere else, but Taylor would take what she could get.
"Seems like everyone is ready to go," Hestia commented, standing beside the Familia's captain as they inspected the troops. Wiene was standing next to the goddess, a look of child-like awe as she looked at the adventurers, mouthing "Cool!" to herself.
"In that case, I'm going to go over the plan one more time before we head out," Taylor said. "The Level 1s will enter the Dungeon with us, but will not go further than the 12th Floor. Emma is in charge while the rest of us are gone. Train and hunt, but most importantly, stay safe."
The Level 1s all nodded, though Karen looked a bit put-off at having to take orders from Emma. The pink-haired girl also seemed nervous at the responsibility, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, but Taylor had seen how she interacted with the others during training and she had the makings of a good team leader. Emma listened to advice from her companions but also had a quick mind, able to rapidly assess situations and make judgement calls when necessary.
"As for the rest of us, we will make our way to the 18th Floor, where we'll meet up with the Loki Familia. After spending the night there, we shall head into the Lower Floors. The goal is to make it to Floor 36, but there is no shame in having to stick to the floors we're more comfortable with. Our goal is to acquire materials, not prove a point."
The adventurers all nodded at that. They knew the score. And as much as some of them might want to show off to impress the Loki Familia, survival came first.
Pleased by everyone's understanding of the plan, Taylor looked down at the Xenos standing nearby. "Wiene, you're in charge of taking care of the spiders and looking after Hestia while we're gone."
"Hey! Shouldn't it be the other way around?!" Hestia cried.
"When you can wake yourself up without one of us having to literally drag you out of bed, then you can be the one to look after others," Taylor drawled.
"Neh!" was Hestia's mature response, the goddess sticking her tongue out at her captain. This earned some giggles from the Familia.
With that, they were ready, and the group exited the manor, the Tamed monsters falling into formation around the Familia. Debbie was acting as the pack mule, which combined with Lili's inventory space, meant the expedition would be able to acquire a tremendous amount of loot and bring it back.
When they reached Babel, the other adventurers gave the Hestia Familia a wide berth. Rumors still abounded across the city about how Taylor had managed to fight Ais to a draw, which had only increased the parahuman's fame – and infamy. Add in the monsters, and nobody was stupid enough to mess with them as they entered the Dungeon.
They took off a fast clip. Without riding Debbie, they took a bit longer to descend, but it was good to avoid getting spoiled. A giant, rideable worm wasn't always going to be around for them to use, after all.
They stopped on the 7th Floor for a bit to gather some Blue Papillion companions for Azure to supplement their healing, and then kept going. Upon reaching the 12th Floor, the Familia broke up, the Level 1s sticking around to hunt Orcs and other monsters for Exelia, while the rest continued to descend.
Nothing was capable of hurting them and they bulldozed through the denizens of the Dungeon all the way to the 17th Floor. Bell had a bit too much fun slaying the Minotaurs that crossed his path, but aside from that, everything went according to plan.
"Will you be alright around Ais?" Bell asked his sister as they entered the 18th Floor.
"So long as she stays away from my monsters," Taylor replied. Bell nodded, accepting that response, before looking ahead.
The Loki Familia was encamped off to the side of the entrance to the 19th Floor, their tents neatly arranged in a square formation, and as the Hestia Familia approached, the other adventurers spotted them and came out to welcome their allies.
"Welcome. You made good time," Finn said, giving a wave at the party as it arrived.
"Didn't want to be late," Taylor replied, and the pallum nodded back seriously.
"Feel free to set up your tents wherever you like," he told them. "It's late afternoon right now, so the plan is still the same: depart in the morning tomorrow in order to make it down through the Lower Floors."
"Understood," Taylor said, before turning to her Familia. "You heard the man. Set up camp, mingle… and don't cause too much trouble."
"Yes, captain!" they called out before breaking out the tents, taking them from the packs strapped to the Dungeon Worm.
"Come, join me," Finn requested of Taylor, and she followed him into the big tent at the center of the Loki Familia's camp. A shield was being used as an improvised table, and it had a couple of maps upon it showing the layout of the different floors.
"The goal is to hit the 28th Floor and set up in the safe zone by tomorrow evening. We will then use it as a base of operations for the Water City and the Dense Forest Ravine," Finn informed the parahuman as she looked over the maps on the table. "We have enough supplies to last a week. We can scavenge for food on the 28th Floor, and of course there is potable water from the Great Fall. The main bottleneck will be healing. When the potions run out, we will have to make our way back up."
"I see. So, a week, or until the medicine runs out. Whichever happens first," Taylor mused, nodding in agreement with the assessment.
Ryuu, Leyfia, and the Blue Papillion would help with reducing the amount of potions they'd have to use, although they'd likely run out of Mind potions long before the healing ones.
"What about the Amphisbaena?" the parahuman asked.
The Monster Rex was the major obstacle for most Familias trying to descend, as it could traverse between the 25th and 27th Floors using the massive waterfall, and was classified as a Level 6 monster, at least when surrounded by water. Which it often was.
"It will likely respawn while we are down there, though it should happen after we reach the 28th Floor. In any case, if it does appear, we'll take care of it," Finn said. "Now, regarding resource allocation…"
The next few hours were spent haggling over the cut each Familia would get out of the expedition. Naturally, nobody wanted one group to get more than their fair share, and they had to decide on how to split things when the two Familias worked together to bring down a monster. It took a while, but the two captains finally hashed out an agreement.
"Very well, then. Both Familias will put forward ten percent of whatever they acquire at the end of each day, be it Magic Stones, Drop Items, or other Dungeon materials. These resources will be used to form a shared pool of goods, which will be sold to the Guild at the end of the expedition. Any money made from this sale will be split fifty-fifty between the two Familias. Anything else aside from that ten percent is the property of the respective adventurers and Familias that obtained it, to do with as they please," Finn said, jotting his name down onto a piece of paper that had the details of the contract written down on it.
Taylor took the pen after he was done and signed her own name. Both then stamped their Familia insignias onto the paper, and with that, the deal was made.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Taylor said as she put the pen down.
"Indeed. You drive a hard bargain, Miss Hebert," Finn praised.
"Thank you. I learned from my father," she replied.
"Yes, your father… is it true?" Finn asked, looking at the young woman. "Was Daniel Hebert really your father?"
"He was," Taylor confirmed. "I take it you knew him?"
"I was the captain of the Loki Familia back when he was the Vice-Captain of the Zeus Familia. We would interact every so often. He ran his Familia almost single handedly. Though that was probably for the best. Maxim was a strong man, probably the strongest in Orario… but he couldn't handle the paperwork," Finn claimed. He squinted at Taylor. "Hm. I suppose you look a little like him… but it's odd. You're only just a bit younger than he was when… when he fought the Black Dragon."
"Temporal shenanigans," Taylor explained. "From what I understand, whatever it was that brought him to Orario also messed with his age. Somehow."
Finn nodded slowly. "I see." He then shook his head. "Well, now that we're done, feel free to wander around the camp if you like. Remember…"
"Six a.m., I remember," Taylor said with a nod. She then walked out of the tent and began to explore the area.
She had already done so with her swarm, diminished though it may have been, and knew where everything and everyone already was, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes. Partly to keep her mind off of thinking about her father again.
'The tents have been set up, and the perimeter is secured,' Taylor thought to herself.
The Hestia Familia had set up around Debbie, using the Dungeon Worm as a center of their camp. A few campfires had been started and dinner was getting prepared, and Welf was doing some last-minute maintenance of the party's gear.
"Ais…"
"Bell…"
'Oh? What's this now?' Taylor wondered, intrigued, as her swarm detected a scene straight out of a melodrama taking place nearby, on the border between the two Familias' camps.
Bell and Ais were staring at each other. There was longing in their gazes, but also hesitation. Neither made a move to approach the other, and just stood there.
"I…" Ais started, but trailed off, looking down at her feet.
"Ais, are you happy?"
The Sword Princess jerked at that question, and eyes wide with a mix of emotions. Fear, resignation, and pain chief among them.
"I am not," she finally admitted. "I have not been happy in a long time. Not since my mother and father were killed by the Black Dragon."
Bell winced, and Taylor shook her head. That explained some things. Ais's family must have been killed when the Black Dragon destroyed the Jade Empire and created the Abandoned World.
"Even when we were together?" Bell asked pitifully, and Ais sucked in a breath through her teeth.
"Yes," she admitted again. "I wanted… I wanted to be, though. When I'm with you… my heart feels lighter, like it's about to break free of the darkness I've been wallowing in… but I can't… I can't shake it off. I cannot shed the hate I feel for anything related to the Dungeon."
"I did not even know how lost I had been… not until Riveria brought me to Edas Village," Ais continued.
"What did you find there that helped you come to terms with… all of this?" Bell asked.
"In the village, the people who live there worship a cast-off scale from the Black Dragon," she revealed. Her tone of voice was disgusted and confused, still unable to come to terms with what she had seen.
"Worshipping a scale?" Bell asked, his confused tone mirroring Taylor's own bewilderment.
"Just as the bones of the Leviathan repel monsters from Lolog Lake, so too do the parts of the other Calamities cause such utter dread in other living things that they will do all in their power to avoid them," Ais revealed. "In this way, settlements with no other protectors can be kept safe from wild monsters or animal attacks. It makes it hard to raise cattle or other beasts, and it won't protect from bandits… but it is better than nothing in this world."
Taylor was intrigued. Objects with monster repelling effects were rare, so to hear there was something like that just lying around… 'Perhaps I should see about getting something like that for Welf to experiment with…'
"Did seeing people pray to the scale make you… angry?" Bell asked nervously.
"Yes! It made me angry! But also… confused. How could anybody be willing to give thanks to something like that?" Ais demanded incredulously. She then shook her head. "Yet I also saw how safe the village was. It was small, but it was surviving. And I realized… my hate was killing me."
She tilted her head. "Did you know? The first thought I had when I learned this was to try and destroy the scale? But if I did that… if I gave into my hate… I would be consigning innocent people to death. Without the scale… they would become prey for the monsters that lurk in the mountains. And their blood would be on my hands."
"I still hate the Black Dragon! I hate the Dungeon and its monsters! But I don't want to sink any further into the hatred that is consuming me!" Ais uttered, clenching her fists.
"Then I will save you from the darkness, Ais!" the white-haired teen declared. "I will slay the Black Dragon for you, and free your heart!"
"Bell," Ais whispered, tears appearing in her eyes.
"Will you let me help you?" Bell asked her softly, tenderly taking her hands.
"Bell…"
"Ais…"
'That is sickeningly sweet,' the parahuman thought to herself as the two young adventurers stared into each other's eyes while holding hands.
Taylor was shaken from her eavesdropping when a familiar pair of Amazon twins approached her.
"Taylor!" Tione said happily. "Hi!"
"Hello, Tione," the parahuman replied in greeting. "Ready for the expedition?"
"Yup! It's gonna be wild!" the shorter of the Amazon duo declared.
"Where did you get so many Deadly Hornets?" Tiona asked curiously.
"I found a Bloody Hive when I went to the 24th Floor a while ago," Taylor replied, and the duo gaped at her.
"You did?!" Tione gasped. "And you brought it to the surface?! What if it spawns more?!"
"I can control it, and I gave it the order to not spawn any monsters while I'm down here," Taylor assured her.
"You're crazy," Tiona said, but there was a glint of respect in her gaze.
"I have been called before, yes," Taylor said dryly.
"Say, have you heard about this new story that's been going around Orario recently?" Tione inquired, looking up at Taylor with curious eyes. "It's about a boy who befriends a talking harpy…"
After a conversation with the Amazon about the book – and learning Tione was a bibliophile – Taylor eventually promised to share some more stories from her home.
Following that was a nice dinner that consisted of egg-fried rice, the egg part of the dish coming from the coops in Rivira, and then everyone went to sleep, getting ready for the next day.
As soon as the 'sky' of the 18th Floor began to light up, signaling the arrival of the morning, the two camps stirred, and in minutes everyone was up and ready to go. Within the hour, the Familias were on the move, descending into the Great Tree Labyrinth.
Taylor took the opportunity to grab as many Mad Beetles and Gun Libellula as possible as they descended, and proved her worth as a scout through her swarm. She would never say it out loud, but the stunned, wide-eyed looks from the Loki Familia were very good at boosting her ego.
They made it to the 24th Floor in record time, according to a Level 4 named Raul who was part of the scouting force. He'd just dispatched a Green Dragon, a monster that was Level 4 in strength, on his own, when his companion, a black-haired cat-girl (also Level 4), began inspecting the area.
"What are you looking for?" Lili asked as the cat-girl ran her hands over the bark of the 'tree' the Green Dragon had been guarding.
"Green Dragons almost always defend trees that possess a rare resource called Dungeon Amber," Anakity explained. "It is an invaluable item for making high-quality magic staves. Worth a lot of money as a result."
Lili perked up at the mention of 'lots of money' and began to help her scour the tree for any signs of amber. Taylor rolled her eyes fondly at the pallum, while Raul sighed a little at his friend's antics.
"So…" he began, trying to find something to talk about. "Nice weather we've been having."
"Yes, it's been rather pleasant," Taylor drawled, amused, and he coughed awkwardly, turning red.
"We'll be getting rain soon," he went on, already to far into the hole to stop digging now. "Rainy season starts late-autumn and goes until mid-spring."
"Good to know," Taylor thanked him, and Raul decided that he'd done enough, shutting up while he still had some dignity.
When Lili and Anakity returned, hands filled with large chunks of golden amber, the scouting force moved on, entering the 25th Floor.
There were no surprises in the Water City, the Monster Rex for the area not having respawned yet. And none of the monsters gave the expedition any trouble. No Xenos, either, which Taylor was relieved to see.
They made their way to the 28th Floor without issue, and the Loki Familia spread out to set up camp with a smooth efficiency borne of multiple attempts doing so.
Unlike the 18th Floor, which had Rivira as a permanent base of operations, there was nothing of the sort down there. It had some structures left behind by other parties who'd camped there in the past, but due to its depth nobody tried to live that deep.
Which was a shame, because the 28th Floor, nick-named 'Under Garden' by some veterans due to the fields of flowers that filled the area, as well as the vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms growing down there, would make for a very good place for a village. Not to mention the presence of fresh water, courtesy of the Great Fall a floor above trickling down in small streams, made it perfect for habitation.
"I could build a town here," Taylor mused to herself as her swarm cleared out any monsters from the site they'd picked for a camp.
Some monsters had taken up residence in the abandoned structures and had to be expelled. Repairs would also be needed. But it was a solid location with natural defenses and resources in spades.
"Not a lot of light, though," Welf commented as he helped get the campsite into some semblance of order.
"Yes, that would be a problem," Taylor agreed. "No idea if the 18th Floor's ceiling can provide Vitamin D like the sun does, but it's a lot more illuminated than down here."
The 28th Floor was dim, the ambient lighting almost constantly twilight with rare moments of brightness or darkness that didn't last long. It had glowing mushrooms and flowers to provide extra illumination, but that was it, and gave a gloomy, creepy atmosphere to the Safe Zone.
"Vitamin what-now?" Bell asked.
"Vitamin D. It comes from a couple different sources, like some mushrooms and cod liver oil, but the main source is the sun itself. Without it, humans get sick and die. Don't know about other races. Dwarves might be fine, since they live underground for most of their lives."
"Huh. Learn something new every day, I suppose," her brother muttered. "Any other, uh, vitamins out there?"
"Lots," Taylor said. "Though the most pertinent one right now would be Vitamin C. It's most commonly found in citrus fruits like limes and lemons, and is the key to preventing scurvy."
"Scurvy has a cure?!" someone in the Loki Familia exclaimed, while another uttered incredulously, "It can be cured with lemons?!"
"Alright, alright, calm down everyone," Riveria called out, trying to get the groups back on track.
"Yeah, if you keep getting surprised by everything Weaver does or says you'll run out of breath!" Gareth chortled.
"Hard not to get surprised, though," somebody muttered as the group broke apart, leaving the Loki Familia executives with Taylor and Bell.
"So… scurvy, huh?" Tione said. "Bet Njord or Poseidon would pay a lot for this information."
"Knowledge that saves lives should be freely spread," Taylor declared. "I've seen what happens when people horde and charge for medical services."
"We're grateful for the information," Finn said. "But let's finish setting up camp before anymore world-shaking revelations, please?"
"Yes, captain!" Tiona shouted before running off to do just that. Everyone watched her leave with amused expressions before Taylor turned to Finn.
"Welf is currently making nails. The Mad Beetles are preparing some logs taken from the Great Tree Labyrinth, and we should have some crude planks ready to use in the repairs soon," Taylor informed him. "I have my swarm gathering food as well. Do you want some as well?"
"Yes, that would be greatly appreciated," the Loki Familia captain replied. "We made good time, but it's still the late afternoon, and the Dense Forest Ravine gets dark at night, so it's not safe to venture down there until tomorrow."
"Understood. Will we be working together, or should we do our own, separate, things?" Taylor asked.
"I do not mind either option. If some of our Familias want to hunt together, I see no reason to deny them that choice," Finn told her.
"I wish to get some training in with the Fairy Force, and I'd like you to join us, Miss Hebert," Riveria spoke up. "If you're open for it, of course."
"I'd be glad to join you and your team tomorrow," Taylor replied.
The elf smiled at her, pleased by that, while Finn and Gareth shared a look with each other.
"Well… have fun you two," the dwarf chuckled. "Anyways, I'm going to see what the situation is with the buildings. I don't fancy sleeping in a tent again."
He wandered off to commandeer one of the bungalows made by someone in the distant that was mostly intact, and Finn shook his head at his friend's antics before walking away as well. Riveria and Taylor glanced at each other, amused.
"Boys," Taylor sighed whimsically.
"Indeed," Riveria agreed with a solemn nod. Bell looked affronted but had enough survival instincts not to speak up.
With that done, Taylor bid Riveria farewell, who nodded back and left to do whatever it was she did when setting up camp. That left the parahuman to finish repairing things with her swarm, and Bell to wander off and find Ais to do… something. As his sister, Taylor didn't want to know what he got up to with his girl.
'I wonder what Mikoto is making for dinner?' Taylor wondered. She decided to go find out.
111 &&& 111
The next day arrived without fanfare. The 28th Floor did not change light levels as time passed. It was always the same twilight-esque dimness. The only differences were what sections were lit up. At night, the mushrooms glowed, causing the ground to shine eerily. During the day, flowers would glow, making the fields sparkle with millions of miniature stars.
Throughout the floor, the camp stirred to life as the adventurers woke up and got ready for a session of monster killing. The Level 2s and some of the Level 3s would be hunting in the Water City, while everyone else would be venturing to lower floors.
Breakfast was eggs and porridge seasoned with Dungeon herbs and mushrooms, with water to wash it all down with. It didn't do much to wake Taylor up, but it did fill her stomach, which was more important seeing as she'd be doing hard work soon.
"Good morning," Taylor said, greeting Riveria. The elf was standing with her team, the Fairy Force, near the entrance to the 29th Floor.
"Morning," the green-haired adventurer said politely. "Have you eaten? Are you ready?"
"Yes to both," Taylor confirmed, before glancing at the other people she'd be hunting with that day.
She only recognized Leyfia, the brunette giving her suspicious glares, clearly not trusting her. The other members of the Fairy Force – who were all elven women at least Level 2 in strength – were less stand-offish, with some showing curiosity towards her presence. They were still elves, however, meaning there was a distinct hint of arrogance from all of them.
'I am going to blow their minds,' Taylor thought to herself, keeping her expression neutral as she followed the Fairy Force into the Dungeon.
The first thing she thought upon entering the 29th Floor was 'It's dark.' Here, the floor was significantly larger than the safe zone. Because of this, the glowing flowers and fungi were spread out more, reducing the amount of space a single cluster could light up. Not to mention the trees blocked a lot of light from the ceiling, filtering it.
The second thought was that the monsters within the Dense Forest Ravine would cause most people from Earth Bet to squeal in childish delight. The reason was simple. In Taylor's mind, she couldn't help but call the 29th to 36th Floors 'Dinosaur World,' for there were many monsters that resembled those prehistoric creatures.
Bloodsaurus were a cross between a T-rex and a Carnosaur, were a blood red hue, and lurked on the 29th and 30th Floors. Tri-Horns were just bigger, angrier, and blue-colored triceratops whose horns could conduct electricity, and were found on the 31st and 32nd Floors. The Stego-Swords were stegosaurs, but with their fins and spikes replaced by sword-like protrusions, and were all over the 33rd and 34th Floors. Dire Raptors were just bigger, meaner, and smarter velociraptors, and they could be found everywhere from the 29th to the 36th Floors in large hunting packs up to a dozen strong. Armarosaurus roamed about as well on these floors, being three-headed Ankylosaurs with spiked-covered shells and tails.
And then there were the Terror Wings and the Laser Necks, which were yellow pterodactyls and green brontosaurs, respectively, that ruled the 35th and 36th Floors. Though the latter earned their names due to the fact they could shoot lasers from their mouths, and acted like mobile artillery towers, blasting apart adventurers from across the entire floor as their long-necked heads poked above the branches and between the densely packed tree trunks.
They were all Level 3 at a minimum, some as strong as a Level 4. Add in the Dragonewts that could use Landform weapons, and these floors were a hellish parade of danger.
And that didn't even get into the way the surrounding flora, massive and almost scaly in appearance, radiated a sense of primeval energy. The Dense Forest Ravine was as if somebody had cut out a chunk of the past and recreated it, with trees dozens of feet thick around the trunk and hundreds of feet tall, dwarfing anything that existed on the surface.
Dinosaurs and prehistoric plants weren't all there was to see. There were even some insectoid monsters she could control on these floors, such as the Arachne and Poison Vermis, but the biggest ones were the Razor-pedes, enormous centipede-like monsters that were as large as a Lambton, though sadly just as rare. They couldn't burrow between floors freely like a Dungeon Worm or Lambton, though, which was a shame, but the titanic centipedes were the equivalent of a Level 4 and were very useful for taking down large monsters.
'Shame that I've only found one so far,' Taylor thought to herself, somewhat disappointed, but she amused herself by having it hunt down some monsters and gather up the loot.
Meanwhile, the Fairy Force were scouring the floor, moving cautiously through the trees as they advanced. The plan was to get to the 30th Floor today for hunting, but anything they came across was fair game.
To help out, the captain of the Hestia Familia was keeping her swarm up, the insects from the surface she'd brought with her being spread out through the trees and keeping track of everything within a thousand-yard radius of her. She could go further, but she didn't have enough insects to cover much more than that, and the more she thinned her swarm, the easier it was for monsters to slip through the gaps.
'Add in the fact that monsters can spawn from anywhere, and having a smaller and tighter cordon is better than a wider one,' Taylor thought to herself.
A couple minutes of walking and killing later, and the first big monster popped up within range of her insects' senses. She raised her golden arm, signaling something was close to the rest of her companions.
"My swarm is detecting a Bloodsaurus 350 yards ahead," Taylor announced as her swarm scouted the area.
"Anything else?" one of the Fairy Force inquired.
"Four Dragonewts seven-hundred yards away. Two have Landform weapons. And there's an Arachne, but I've taken control of it."
"Bloodsaurus first, then the Dragonewts," Riveria decided after a moment to think it over.
"In that case, may I go first? I have a few things I want to try out," Taylor said, stepping forward towards the Bloodsaurus.
"By all means," Riveria said.
Taylor nodded gratefully, and sent a portion of her swarm forward, dozens of flies and gnats landing on its head in the shape of a magic circle.
"Hole!" Taylor chanted, and a massive circular wound appeared on the dinosaur-like monster's head where the bugs had latched onto, blood spurting wildly from the new orifice Taylor had just created.
The pieces of her swarm she'd used to create the magic circle crumbled into dust after being overloaded with magic, and the Bloodsaurus roared in hate and pain, the attack not deep enough to destroy it's brain, but it still caused a considerable amount of damage all the same.
"Hmm. It seems the spell's effectiveness was fifty percent weaker without the entire incantation," Taylor noted. "Perhaps if the target were a smaller monster the hole would have punched clean through, annihilating the brain, or if aimed properly, the Magic Stone. Further experiments necessary."
She then charged forward, thrusting her palm forward. The attack struck the side of its head and shattered it's already weakened skull, teeth flying from its mouth before it collapsed, dead. A moment later and a few teeth and some scales were left behind alongside the Magic Stone.
"That was incredible!" one of the Fairy Force exclaimed as Taylor returned to the group.
"How did you turn a spell as simple as Hole into something that could wound a Bloodsaurus?!" Leyfia asked incredulously. "Did you super-charge it?!"
"Yes," Taylor replied with a nod of her head. "It was the regular spell, I just used about as much Mind as a Level 2 adventurer could bring to bear."
"You have such an accurate grasp of your Mind?" Riveria asked, intrigued.
"That's right. I have near total control over the magical energy in my body. It does nothing I do not wish it to," the parahuman stated. "And I can tell exactly how much Mind is required to cast a spell, and I can determine how much Mind I put into every spell I cast."
"How?!" Leyfia spluttered.
"Meditation and experimentation," Taylor replied simply. She then cocked her head to the side. "Another Bloodsaurus just spawned and is approaching us from the left. 200 yards."
"I'll handle it!" Leyfia declared, striding forward. A magic circle formed beneath her, and power gathered around her staff, forming six smaller magic circles.
"…Strike my foes! Arcs Ray!" Leyfia called out, and six beams of magical energy shot forward, piercing through the Bloodsaurus. As it died, she turned to Taylor, flashing her a smug smile. "So? How was that?"
Instead of the awe she'd wanted to see, Taylor had a thoughtful expression. "Can you strike multiple targets with your Spell?"
"Huh?" Leyfia uttered, confused.
"Your rays. You created six of them. Could you have them change directions mid-flight and strike different targets? I also saw how they curved in the air to hit the monster. A homing effect, most likely," Taylor noted, analyzing the elf's magic with a single glance. "If you could have your beams strike wherever you wanted, you could take out multiple monsters at once for the price of a single spell."
"An interesting idea," Riveria spoke up while her apprentice's mouth opened and closed but no words came out. "We will have to test this idea. But I see no reason it couldn't happen."
"Y-yes, ma'am," Leyfia stammered out, finally finding her voice again.
Riveria then turned to two other members of the team. "Madessa, Yunis, take care of the Dragonewts."
"Yes, ma'am!" they called out, stepping up to take out the monsters. Their staves began to glow as they formed magic circles together.
"…Grab and Bind! Nature's Wrath!"
"…Pierce and Break! Madness Lightning!"
Taylor watched, intrigued, as one unleashed countless vines that grew out of the ground, wrapping and binding the Dragonewts. The other magic circle fired red lightning bolts that obliterated the quartet of scaly creatures.
The lightning spell was quite devastating but slow, and the monsters could have dodged if they hadn't been restrained first. The two mages had worked well together to take them out quickly.
The vines could do more than just bind, though. In another instance, Taylor watched as they infiltrated the flesh of monsters and wriggled around inside, ripping the Magic Stones directly out of the bodies. Though, the vines were only able to get inside thanks to another spell that created massive bleeding wounds directly on the body via a curse of some sort.
As for the lightning bolts, they were still electricity despite being conjured magically, and so could be used in conjunction with another elf's spell that created spikes of metal, using them as lightning rods to redirect or concentrate the lightning as necessary.
The Fairy Force was efficient with their casting and could fight in a group with the ease of a team who'd worked together often in the past. They knew each other, their tells and personalities, which lead to better coordination. Not to mention their ability to combine spells that on their own might not be enough to kill a stronger monster, but were able to bring them down when cast in unison.
And that was just the regular members. Riveria was a beast. Her ability to modify her own Spells granted her mastery over magic that let her fight as if her level was higher than it actually was. Add in an understanding of how spells and magic worked, and Riveria was able to coordinate her team on the fly, assigning combat roles instantly based on what combination of spells was needed at the moment.
But if the Loki Familia's captain was a beast, then Leyfia was a monster. Her ability to copy other Spells gave her more utility than any other adventurer alive and she could unleash the right spell for the right situation, letting her cover her companions while they recovered. Combined with intense training to learn Concurrent Casting, the brunette was going to be a terror once she gained more confidence in herself.
The two elves were the lynchpin of the Fairy Force, and while the other mages were effective, without Riveria and Leyfia they likely couldn't handle all the threats up to the 37th Floor.
"Your Fairy Force formations are quite effective," Taylor praised after a brutal take down of a couple Dragonewts.
"Thank you, we've worked hard to make sure of it!" one of the elves, Yunis, said cheerfully.
"You're not bad with magic, either," Sonia, another elf on the team, commented. "I've got some ideas for using my own spells thanks to watching you!"
Taylor nodded at that. She'd also experienced many new things, and had acquired plenty of new questions. Speaking of which…
"Riveria, may I ask you a question about magic?" Taylor inquired as they marched through the jungle-like terrain of the 30th Floor.
"Of course," the elf replied. "What is on your mind?"
"What exactly is stopping somebody from copying another adventurer's Spell by writing down the magic circle for it and then casting it themselves that way?" Taylor asked. "I understand Leyfia's ability is unique and unprecedented, but all it's doing is copying the magic circle into her own Falna. Why can't we do something similar?"
In fact, the parahuman had done something similar in the fight against Ais a while back. She'd copied Mikoto's gravity Spell, but Taylor had immediately noticed that it was far too weak to even be compared to it. There'd been something missing when she'd tried it, but she couldn't figure out what.
Meanwhile, as Leyfia spluttered indignantly at her Skill being analyzed and dismissed in the same breath, Riveria hummed before answering.
"In theory, nothing. In practice? Several factors prevent a person from being able to do just that, though admittedly many have tried." She raised a finger. "The first obstacle is memory. A Spell's magic circle is exceedingly complex, beyond the 'normal' spells used by those without Falna. To copy one would require photographic memory. Not impossible, but again, not common."
"The Magic stat of the Falna boosts a person's memory, though," Taylor pointed out. "A Level 3 with a high rank in Magic has almost perfect recall."
This, the parahuman could confirm thanks to her own experiences.
"True," Riveria conceded. "And that leads to the second aspect that complicates your question: the soul. Every soul is unique, and it has a signature that is branded into the Falna itself, and by extension, a Spell's magic circle. As you said, Leyfia's Elf Ring allows her to copy these magic circles, but in truth, when she does so, her Falna alters the soul signature aspect, allowing her to cast the Spell as if it were her own."
"If you were to compare the Magic Circles of the Spells, one Leyfia has copied, another the original, you would find very slight, almost impossible to notice, deviations between them. This is due to the differences in the Falna between adventurers. No two souls are the same, after all, and Leyfia's Skill allows her to cast other Spells through minor alterations to the base Magic Circle."
The verdette shrugged. "In comparison, the third component, the amount of Mind required to actually cast a Falna-based Spell, is almost trivial compared to the first and second problems. Without a Falna to supply the Mind, even an elf would require rituals or a spirit's assistance to cast the Spell. Not to mention, the cost will be exponentially higher if the Spell in question hasn't had its unique soul signature altered to allow for somebody other than the designated caster to use it."
"So, assuming somebody managed to find a way around all three issues, then it would be possible?" Taylor inquired.
"Yes," Riveria confirmed.
From the glint in the parahuman's eyes, it was clear she was going to try to do just that. From the look Riveria herself had in her eyes, she believed that the parahuman would be able to do something that could change the field of magic, and was eagerly waiting for that day.
Chapter 62: Chapter 58: Hunting Party
Chapter Text
Chapter 58: The Hunting Party
"Now that's a big eel," Taylor commented under her breath, observing the Loki Familia as they fought the Amphisbaena. Well, calling it an eel wasn't quite right. It was more like a massive, two-headed snake with crystals poking out of its scales…
Actually, it sort of resembled an Eastern Dragon from Earth Bet. Taylor would know, she'd seen enough of them graffitied and tattooed all over Brockton. But that was mostly idle thoughts. She was currently preoccupied with watching the executives fight through the eyes of a few other monsters.
Right now, only the Level 4s and higher from both Familias were fighting the Monster Rex. Ryuu, Tammuz, and Aisha were helping out as well, and Taylor observed everything, getting good experience for when the rest of the Hestia Familia would eventually challenge this foe.
'And we will, someday,' Taylor vowed, clenching her fists.
Bell and her would reach Level 4 soon. She could feel it. And when they did… the Hestia Familia would challenge the Floor Boss themselves. Just to prove they could.
It was, after all, a mark of status and power in Orario. Right now, only a dozen or so exploration Familias could take on the Amphisbaena and win with minimal casualties. This was to be the Hestia Familia's next goal! And thus, she watched, observing everything through multiples eyes.
She watched as several whale-like monsters shot out of the water, but were slain by Ais and Bete before they could reach the others. She watched as Gareth's axe bit deep into the red neck, severing scales and drawing forth a welter of blood. She watched as Finn coordinate his Familia, ordering them to where they needed to be in order to take down the monster or dodge attacks.
And she watched the head covered in blue crystals exhale, unleashing a torrent of azure flames that gushed forth and incinerated chunks of the Dungeon. The Loki Familia dodged the attack, losing nobody to its insane heat, but it still reshaped chunks of the Floor all the same, forcing them to abandon portions of the shoreline as it was obliterated and consumed.
'Some sort of blue-hued magical napalm?' Taylor wondered, watching as water and stone burned with lingering sparks. Not even Salamander Wool would protect from a direct strike from something like that!
Leaping over the charred ground, Ryuu sent blasts of green stardust courtesy of her Luminous Wind into the side of the Amphisbaena, causing it to shriek in pain as its body was peppered with explosions. Interestingly, the magical wind created by the Spell seemed to be able to extinguish the blue flames that continued to burn in some places.
"Any time now, Greenie!" Bete shouted, dodging a slam attack from the Monster Rex. It was beginning to thrash about in a desperate attempt to crush everyone nearby.
"Let her work, puppy!" Tiona shouted back, punching the giant red head on the snout, knocking its jaws away from chomping down on her sister.
Over with the elf in question, she had been glowing for a while as she chanted the words of a spell. Taylor could feel the air crackle with barely suppressed power as the vice-captain prepared a powerful blow against the Amphisbaena.
"…Freeze all that exists! Wynn Fimbulvetr!" Riveria finally intoned, and a massive magic circle formed in front of her. Immediately the air turning bitterly cold as a blizzard erupted around the Monster Rex, trapping its body in the lake which had a portion of it transmuted into a miniature glacier while also coating its massive form in hoarfrost and hacking at its scaly hide with razor-sharp wind.
Yet even that was not enough to stop it, as the Amphisbaena began to shatter the ice around it thanks to its bulk and raw physical might. Not to mention the head coated in red crystals began to spew forth a crimson mist that neutralized the magic in the air. The blizzard Riveria had created began to die down, its power dispersed.
The Amphisbaena then took the opportunity to flee, diving into the water. Or at least, it tried to. The Amazon Twins leapt in after it, their Diving Development Abilities aiding them in swimming after it.
Taylor had only a few eyes in the water, courtesy of some monstrous crabs and urchins, but it was enough to watch with awe as the twin Level 5s grabbed the two-headed creature's tail and dragged it back up to the surface.
They were assisted by Finn a moment later, who chucked a large harpoon into the flank of the monster as soon as it was closer to the surface. The Level 7 grabbed the large chain attached to the end of the harpoon he'd thrown, and heaved, muscles straining.
To Taylor's shock, the Braver managed to drag the Amphisbaena out of the water entirely, forcing it out onto the banks of the lake. It was then set upon by the rest of the Familia, who brutally tore into its flesh, carving out chunks.
The killing blow was delivered by Ais, who decapitated both heads with an Ariel assisted blade, a massive shockwave of cutting wind leaving only stumps behind. Then, as the body collapsed into dust, it left behind its loot: A massive Magic Stone as big as Tione was, and a giant, pulsating white organ.
'According to Naaza, the Amphisbaena's Dragon Liver can be combined with Cadmus Spring Water to create the highest grade of Elixir currently available,' Taylor thought to herself, recalling the information her alchemist friend had mentioned one time.
"Damn, I hardly managed to do anything," Aisha sighed as she watched the Loki Familia clean up.
"When we have such able companions, it can be difficult to stand out," Tammuz said philosophically, but Taylor could see that he was also a bit disappointed from the way he clenched his sword.
"Mmm," Ryuu agreed with a hum, before glancing over at an Arachne I'd been using to observe the fight from. "Taylor, we'll be heading back now."
"Alright," Taylor said, using the Arachne's own vocal chords to allow her words to come through despite the distance. If Ranye the Xenos could speak Koine, then so could a random monster, at least if it had the parts to do so. And Arachne definitely did.
The others flinched a little as the parahuman spoke through the monster, still unused to the trick. They'd get used to it. Eventually.
'Especially since I'm bringing one back to use for silk production,' Taylor thought to herself. Even if the Hestia Familia brought back nothing else from the expedition, the Arachne alone would be more than worth the expenses.
Sure, the silk the monster made dissolved in hours, but Taylor had a plan to remedy this issue. Magic. Arachne dropped bundles of raw silk when killed, and Drop Items were just pieces of a monster that had absorbed excess magical energy, allowing their ephemeral nature to essentially solidify. So, feed the spider-like monster some Magic Stones and its silk would stick around permanently.
'Plus, the longer it lives, the more its body will stabilize and become less dependent on the Magic Stone alone for survival, allowing any silk it produces to become 'real' as well,' Taylor mused.
Just like how Chris's crystals could be harvested every so often after he'd been alive on the surface for a week, so too would the Arachne eventually become capable of sustaining itself and the silk it made.
'This must be how the monsters managed to reproduce on the surface after escaping the Dungeon. Because they certainly don't have reproductive organs when they spawn from the walls. They must have grown them after surviving long enough,' the parahuman guessed as she ordered her swarm to return to the base camp on the 28th Floor with the three members of her Familia.
"Are you okay?" Bell asked, looking the trio over as they returned. "Where's Ais?"
"Ais is fine, she finished off the Amphisbaena," Aisha assured the rabbit-boy. "And we're safe as well."
"That's good," Bell sighed out in relief, before pouting. "I wanted to watch the fight but Taylor wouldn't let me."
"Good. A fight like that is not a place for bystanders," Ryuu replied curtly.
"She's right," Taylor spoke up, this time with her real voice as she walked over to join the group. "It isn't safe to be too close to the action if you're not capable of helping."
She then ruffled Bell's hair, much to his annoyance. "Soon, though. We'll be strong enough to face the Amphisbaena ourselves one day, and then you can gawk at it all you want."
Her brother perked up at that, pleased by the idea of fighting a powerful monster someday, though Tammuz looked skeptical of the claim. The poor fool. He'd learn soon just how ridiculous the half-siblings could be when they had something they wanted to do.
"The rest of you did good work out there," Taylor said, turning to the others. "Ryuu, your Noah Heal helped even the field. None of the Loki Familia had to use any potions with your help. And of course your Luminous Wind was able to score some impressive hits, and revealed a weakness of the Amphisbaena's flame attack."
The elf subtly perked up at the praise, and Taylor shot her a tiny smile before moving on. "Aisha, your footwork was quite good. You're ability to run across the ice in order to close in was a surprise, and something we'll experiment some more with later. And Tammuz? Your ranged capabilities have improved. Your wind blade attacks can fly further without losing any power. Well done."
The three of them stood up a little straighter at the encouraging words from their captain, and Taylor gave a pleased nod.
"Take a break everyone. Get some rest for the trip to the 36th Floor tomorrow. Oh, and Ais is coming back. She'll be here soon," Taylor informed Bell a moment later as she herself began to walk away. Several days into the expedition, and she still didn't want to spend time with the Sword Princess.
Taylor did snort a little as her swarm saw Bell scurry forward to greet Ais when she returned with the rest of the Loki Familia. He handed over a potion bottle and a Jagamarukun – Taylor had no idea where he'd kept that thing, or how it'd stayed fresh this whole time – and was rewarded with a smile and head pat from the stoic blonde.
She did hide a smirk as Bete fumed in impotent rage at the Sword Princess fawning over the Lucky Rabbit. It was amusing to watch. He was able to turn some very interesting shades of red.
'At least he's smart enough to know not to try and mess with Bell,' she thought to herself.
For now, though, it was time to take her own advice and relax. The trip to the bottom of the Dense Forest Ravine was not going to be an easy one, even with all of the Hestia Familia at her side.
111 &&& 111
The 36th Floor was quite the sight from the air, Taylor idly thought as she flew over the treetops. The flora of the Dense Forest Ravine grew tall, but the ceiling of the cavern it lay within was taller. This allowed the flying monsters to make use of the space, and for the Laser Necks to send beams of death towards any adventurers.
Right now, though, she was ripping apart a flock of Dread Wings that had tried to accost her while observing the area from above.
One of them tried to pierce her through with it's spear-like beak, another attempted to use the oddly sharp wings to rend her in half. She dodged both, breaking the neck of the pterodactyl that tried to impale her with a stomping kick, and then blew apart the other monster with a blast of lightning from her false arm.
Those weren't the only threats. More Dread Wings came rushing at Taylor with shrieks, affronted at an adventurer intruding on their domain. Two died from a barrage of spikes from the four Gun Libellula she had left, another two were struck down by a duo of Deadly Hornets, pierced clean through by the wasp-like monsters, and the final ones were felled by her allies on the ground.
The projectile from Lili's massive Manticore arbalest went clean through a Dread Wing's chest, and when it fell, Oriana chucked a javelin through its head as soon it was closer to the ground.
Taylor spared a moment to give her friends a wave, before she had to dodge a red energy beam fired from a Laser Neck. She twisted out of the way, glaring at the brontosaurus-like monster. Its head poked through the tightly packed trees, and it glared back. Its throat then began to bulge and glow, traces of red visible through the green skin as it prepared a second attack.
Down below, three Arachne she'd taken control of began to chant a spell, and a moment later a hole opened up underneath the front legs of the Laser Neck, causing it to lose its footing and topple forward before it could fire again. Chris then leapt into action, his blades severing the monster's neck, killing it.
As it disintegrated into ash, Taylor couldn't help but spare a look at the trio of spider-women she'd been controlling.
Being able to cast spells through the Arachne was a lot easier than using the smaller insects of her swarm. The Arachne could even weave magic circles out of their silk! Sure, these silken dream catchers were used up after a single use, the strands overloaded by the energy coursing through them, but silk wasn't exactly in short supply with them around. Out of all the monsters she'd come across in the Dungeon so far, these ones were quickly becoming the most useful from a pure utility standpoint.
'It is a little unsettling to have them look so human, though,' Taylor thought, hiding a grimace. As long as she didn't have to see them up close she could ignore just how human they were, appearance-wise.
It didn't help that every Arachne's face was different. It was something that the other near-human monsters all had, Taylor had noted. Just like the Harpies, Lamias, and the rest who had distinctly human body parts, they always had slight differences to their facial features, if not outright alterations like different skin and hair color.
Her mind drifted to the last time she had taken control of something that had looked like a human, and her brain dredged up memories she'd tried to suppress.
'No… this is nothing like Gold Morning!' she told herself. 'They're just monsters! I can tell that they have no thoughts or a sapient mind!'
Yet the niggling thoughts persisted, forcing her to distract herself with good, old-fashioned bloodshed. Luckily, some Laser Necks had just spawned that she could vent her frustrations onto.
She blew the head off of one of them before it could fire a laser, vaporizing it with a blast of lightning. The second and third Laser Necks got off a pair of shots, but they were easily dodged, although one of her Gun Libellula wasn't fast enough and fell, scorched to ash.
The second Laser Neck died quickly for its sin, cut to pieces by Chris, and Taylor dove down towards the third brontosaurus. She had a new trick she wanted to try out, and it had volunteered.
Her golden wrist began to spin, and the hand on the end of her artificial arm transformed into a makeshift drill. She thrust the drill-limb into the side of the Laser Neck's body, and it pierced through easily, blood spraying wildly.
"Effective… but a bit too messy," Taylor commented as she wiped the droplets of gore off of her glasses while the Laser Neck roared in pain. The attack was able to grind through flesh, muscles, and bone without much issue, but it wasn't viable due to the fact it took a lot of concentration to actually cause the spinning effect.
'The strain on the joints and material isn't something to ignore, either,' Taylor mused, knowing she had a check-up with Welf in the future.
She stopped spinning her limb and instead held it out in a knife-hand style, and a faint hum rang out as her hand began to vibrate slightly. Taylor swung her arm, and the rapidly vibrating limb passed through the scaled hide of the Laser Neck with contemptuous ease.
The effect was created by casting a new spell she'd learned, Scream, on her hand, but also intensifying the ultrasonic vibrations and spreading them out into a flat, disc-like form centered on the appendage. It made her hand into a functional vibro-blade, like from Star Wars. Taylor would deny that she giggled madly when she had first used it. And nobody could prove she had done so!
'It cuts nicely, but it's shallow,' she mused as she tested the artificial vibro-blade some more on the monster.
Against something with a relatively human-sized body it would be fine, as the blade could sever limbs and appendages without a problem. Even something like a Goliath could be felled if the throat was cut. But the larger the foe, and the less human-shaped, the harder it would be to use it to slice parts off.
'I think I shall call this new technique Screaming Fist,' Taylor thought to herself as she finished off the Laser Neck, putting it out of its misery by thrusting her hand through its skull and brain.
"You need a bath," Bell commented when Taylor flew back over to their group.
"How did you get so dirty?" Mikoto wondered.
"Monster have a lot of blood inside of them, and it doesn't always evaporate after their death," Taylor replied to the samurai-themed adventurer. Then to Bell, "And I'll clean up when we get back to the camp."
Then, just to mess with him, she patted her brother on the head with her golden hand, smearing blood all over his white hair which had him spluttering in dismay.
"Is everyone doing alright?" Taylor asked, turning to the rest of her companions.
"We're okay," Welf assured her, although he looked tired. Lili bobbed her head, while Oriana stood up straighter despite her own weariness.
"It is certainly a change of pace… but we are getting stronger!" the knight declared.
"True. But these floors are insane," Marius breathed out, exhausted. He'd thought he'd had a good idea of what the Dungeon could throw at him, but then he'd descended into the Dense Forest Ravine.
The Level 2s had been doing well in Water City, taking down the monsters that dwelled on those floors. Welf could crack apart the shells of Blue Crabs, Crystal Turtles, and Light Quartz with his anvil-hammer, and Lili handled the ranged fighting, taking out flying monsters with ease. Oriana, Marius, and Mikoto were also more than skilled enough to deal with pretty much anything else they encountered, and had gotten a little cocky.
All that changed in the floors beyond the safe zone of the 28th Floor. The average monster was Level 3, with some as strong as Level 4! And no matter how strong a Level 2 adventurer was, they had to have luck, high-quality gear, and multiple allies on their side to take down something like a Bloodsaurus.
"It seems like you all understand just how powerful the monsters are down here. And how dangerous the Dungeon can be," Ryuu said, glad that the others had begun to see this as well.
She then looked around. "It has been a long time since I've been down here on the 36th Floor… and I've never managed to go any further since…"
"Is this really the furthest you've gone?" Bell asked, surprised that the strongest adventurer in the Familia hadn't gone any deeper, and she nodded.
"Before… before the Juggernaut was summoned on the 30th Floor, the Astraea Familia was planning to make a short trip to the Colosseum. It wouldn't have been the first time for any of us… but it never happened," Ryuu said softly.
For a little bit, nobody spoke. Then, a sickening crunch rang out as a monster began to spawn nearby, ruining the moment. Taylor dispatched it swiftly, but the damage was done.
"The Ishtar Familia went down to the Colosseum a couple times," Aisha commented, breaking the awkward silence that had settled on the group. "Though since the only members who were able to make it without issue were Tammuz here and Phryne, we rarely bothered."
"An expedition was planned to gather resources from the 37th Floor in order to prepare for the fight against Lady Freya, but it never amounted to anything," the former vice-captain of the Ishtar Familia commented.
"The information you have on the region will be helpful when we eventually go there," Taylor said. "Write up a report on what you remember from there."
"Of course, Lady Taylor," Tammuz said with a bow, and she held back a sigh at his dedication.
"What next?" Bell asked.
"We return to the camp," she decided after a moment. Everyone sagged a little in relief at that.
Getting down to the 36th Floor had been hard, and though they had not made it very far, they'd accomplished their goal of actually reaching the floor. It was a milestone for the Familia, one they were all proud of. Still, the temptation of rest and relaxation after a hard day of hunting was definitely appreciated.
It took a few hours, but they made it back to the safe zone. Then, after dismissing her Familia, Taylor went to the spot where the shared spoils of the expedition were being kept. The loot was being guarded by several of her monsters, including a Bloody Hive they'd obtained on the 24th Floor, as well as a couple members of the Loki Familia.
She ordered the Arachne with her to deposit the Hestia Familia's cut of the Magic Stones and Drop Items they'd obtained during their mini-expedition to the 36th Floor, and several sacks woven from silk that were stuffed full of Dungeon resources were added to growing pile.
Once that was done, she commanded the monsters to rest, and then made her way to a spot up in the canopy where her fellow captain was waiting.
"Did you have a productive day?" Finn asked, looking up from the maps as Taylor walked into the bungalow he'd commandeered.
"Yes, thank you," Taylor replied. "We deposited the portion of our loot already."
"Good," the Braver nodded. "Now, I need to tell you that the Loki Familia will be moving on tomorrow."
"Moving deeper, then?" Taylor guessed.
"The plan is to make it to the 39th Floor, the other safe spot, and then spend the rest of our allotted time hunting in the Colosseum before making our way back to the surface," Finn said.
"Do you have enough supplies to be able to do so?" Taylor inquired.
"While our Mind potion stocks are lower than I'd like, the healing potions have barely been touched thanks to our spells," Finn revealed. "Food wise, we'll be fine. We'll grab edible fruits and vegetables before leaving the Dense Forest Ravine."
He tilted his head to the side. "What of the Hestia Familia?"
"Well finish up our time here and wait for you to return from the 39th Floor," Taylor said. "We can get back to Orario together."
Finn nodded. Both captains knew that this was a monetary thing. The Hestia Familia would make more money sticking around and waiting for the Loki Familia to bring back loot from the Colosseum, since they still had to hand over ten percent of their gains. If they left, the Hestia Familia forfeited that portion of the share.
The Magic Stones and Drop Items from the Colosseum were worth significantly more than anything found on the floors above it. After all, Orichalcum and Mythril could be obtained from this area in abundance.
"In that case, do your best to stay safe while we're gone," Finn said. "We should be back in three days. Four at most."
"We can wait that long," Taylor assured him.
"I have no doubt of that," the pallum drawled.
After all, he'd seen the Tamed monsters guarding the Hestia Familia's corner of the 28th Floor. Razor-pedes, Arachne, and Poison Vermis would be more than enough to ensure nobody – monster or adventurer – would dare try anything.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go with you to the 37th Floor," Taylor spoke up. "Just to observe things. I won't stick around for long."
"You're welcome to do so," Finn said. Left unsaid was that she was responsible for her own safety and making her way back to the 28th Floor afterwards.
Taylor just nodded, before bidding the shorter adventurer a good evening. She walked out of the tent a moment later to get some rest.
111 &&& 111
"Are you ready?" Finn asked Taylor the next morning, the pale glow of the mushrooms casting shadows over his face.
Taylor nodded, and at her side Ryuu simply inclined her head. After some thought, Ryuu would join the Hestia Familia's captain on the descent to the 37th Floor. Even with monsters on her side, it would still be dangerous for a single Level 3 to attempt such a thing.
Sure, the Loki Familia would be there, too, but trusting another Familia for safety was a foolish thing in the Dungeon.
'Not to mention, Ryuu wants to see the Colosseum as much as I do. Maybe even more,' Taylor thought to herself, glancing at the elf who stood stoically beside her.
"We'll be moving fast," Finn declared, turning to address his Familia. "No stopping to hunt. And anyone who is hurt will have to be carried."
"Yes, captain!" dozens of his Familia members shouted.
"Onwards! To the 39th Floor!" Finn shouted, and they rushed down into the depths of the Dungeon, leaving the safe zone behind. Taylor and Ryuu joined them, keeping pace with the other adventurers easily enough, though they hung back to the rear.
To increase the speed at which they'd move, Taylor decided to only bring a few of her monsters with her. In the end, it was just Chris and the three Arachne that would accompany the parahuman, as they were the swiftest.
Trees whipped past they, and the expedition forces bulldozed through the Dungeon. At the front were the Amazon Twins, Bete, and Gareth. They simply used their strength to smash apart any obstacles in their path, toppling trees and pulverizing monsters.
Using the brute force method, they soon reached the 29th Floor. Then the 30th. All the way down to the 36th. It took the Loki Familia a quarter of the time the Hestia Familia had taken to descend to the bottom of the Dense Forest Ravine.
"Impressive," Taylor murmured.
"Not something we can easily replicate, though," Ryuu commented. Some monsters could probably mimic the destruction, but there would need to be a lot of them.
Taylor nodded, conceding the point. Then, she perked up as the exit to the 37th Floor loomed ahead of them. They soon departed the cave tunnel, emerging into the next level of the Dungeon.
The pale blue glow of bioluminescent fungi and flowers gave way to a dull grey white light emanating from the walls themselves that bathed everything in a monochrome hue. Great, craggy cliffs of white and grey stone filled the area. And five massive rings dominated everything, separating the floor into several distinct biomes.
'From what I recall from the notes the Guild has, there are five sections within the 37th Floor known as Rooms divided by the giant walls,' Taylor thought to herself. 'Each one has a path to reach them from the 36th Floor. Depending on which one is taken an adventurer can appear in one of these regions. They also lead further into the White Palace, forming a labyrinth that draws intruders deeper towards the center.'
The whole floor was known as the White Palace, but it was the presence of the Colosseum that was the floor's most well-known feature. It was what they were currently looking at: a crude fortress that looked to be hewn from the raw stone with parodies of doors, seats, and windows littering the structure.
However, according to the records in the Guild, the Colosseum itself was a new addition to the Dungeon. It had appeared a little over three decades ago within the Warrior's Room, the second and penultimate area, and the Monster Rex Udaeus had migrated from the 38th Floor, its previous home, to the center of the Throne Room, which was now the central portion of the Colosseum.
Furthermore, all other ways down were sealed, meaning the only method to descend further was through a single passageway that lay within the Throne Room. Meaning the Udaeus had to be defeated in order to progress, alongside the legions of monsters that constantly spawned in the Colosseum.
That was another oddity, for the monsters constantly spawned inside the Colosseum also fought each other. On other Floors, the monsters would only appear to fight adventurers. Rarely did they turn on their own kind. Yet here, the monsters were constantly being born just for the sake of fighting each other. It was madness, and yet Taylor couldn't help but feel that there was a reason for it. A purpose she couldn't understand because key facts were missing.
"We're here," Ryuu whispered, staring at her surroundings, and Taylor glanced at her companion, who'd stopped running and was now staring at the Colosseum in the distance.
Some of the Loki Familia had stopped as well when they noticed the members from the Hestia Familia were no longer following, but Taylor waved them off. After a moment they continued on, heading deeper while leaving the other two adventurers behind.
For a few minutes Taylor and Ryuu just stood there, staring out at the White Palace. Meanwhile, the parahuman ordered the bugs she'd secretly attached to the Loki Familia to fall off and begin investigating the area.
As she did so, Taylor came to a realization: the 37th Floor was staggeringly huge in size.
'You can fit the entirety of Orario within the entire floor!' Taylor thought to herself as she probed the area with her swarm.
That meant that the Colosseum itself – and by extension the Knight's Room – could fit anywhere between a fifth and a quarter of the city within its walls.
Admittedly, this was smaller than the many of the Floors of the Water City and Dense Forest Ravine, but since it was out in the open without anything to obscure it, the sheer size was on full display when an adventurer gazed out upon it, making it same even bigger.
'It would take us the same amount of time to cross the 37th Floor that it would take to descend from the First Floor down to the 18th,' Taylor realized grimly. And the Dungeon would only get bigger the deeper they went. Soon, it might take days to travel through a single floor!
"I cannot believe I finally made it here," Ryuu muttered. "This place… it was our goal... before…"
Taylor remained silent as she directed her swarm, but she did place a hand on Ryuu's shoulder. The elf flinched, but gave her captain a tiny nod.
"Thank you," she murmured.
A couple of black lizard-wolf things with porcupine-like spines burst out of the ground in front of them, ruining the moment, and Taylor and Ryuu shared a look before charging at them.
"These are Peluda," Ryuu said as she cut them down. "The spines can be fired, and contain a vicious poison. It's not as potent as a Poison Vermis', but it comes in greater quantities. Peluda can also…"
Before she could finish, one of them opened its mouth and a gout of flames rushed out at them, forcing the duo to dodge.
"…breath fire," Ryuu finished lamely.
"They've got a whole bunch of tricks," Taylor muttered as Chris cut one in half and the Arachne webbed up another before pulling it apart. "They also seem to be around Level 3 in strength."
"They will only get stronger the close we get to the Colosseum," Ryuu warned.
"Should we see how close we can get?" Taylor wondered.
"Yes, let's," the elf said, her grin a lot more vicious than was usual for the part-time waitress.
They continued forward, taking down the various monsters that appeared before them. Skull Sheep, Loup Garou, Lizardmen Elites, Barbarians, and of course, the star of the show, so to speak, the Spartoi.
The living skeletons were the strongest regularly spawning monsters on average, coming fully equipped with bone-forged weapons and armor, as well as possessing the power of a Level 4. Sure, Barbarians and Lizardmen Elite could also reach that level of strength, but not always, which meant that on average, the Spartoi were the most dangerous.
However, the Spartoi were also the most valuable monsters, as their Drop Items were incredibly valuable. The most common item was a piece of bone. It was harder than steel and could be rendered down for Adamantite or ground up to make a potion that healed broken bones in seconds, or mixed into a fertilizer more potent than Goblin ears.
That wasn't all, though. Sometimes, Spartoi would drop golden teeth or tiny silver shards: Orichalcum and Mythril. These were much rarer, as while regular bones had a one in ten chance to appear, Orichalcum and Mythril had a one in one hundred chance. But they were the most reliable source of the mystical metals short of trying to hunt Jack Birds or mine deeper sections of the Dungeon.
'At least they break with a well-placed Earthquake Fist,' Taylor mused as she thrust her palm through the skull of a Spartoi, shattering it and the Magic Stone hidden within.
"We may need to consider leaving soon," Ryuu spoke up as she dispatched a Sheep Skull.
They had reached the wall that divided the Warrior's Room from the Knight's Room and could see the Colosseum from across the bridge. And while the concentration of monsters had fallen a bit, there were still too many around to be safe for the small party.
"Agreed," Taylor said, feeling a bit fatigued. She winced as one of the Arachne lost a leg to a Barbarian, and Chris received a strike that cracked his carapace.
They started to move back towards the stairs to the 36th Floor, but Taylor paused as something odd caught her attention when her swarm swept through the area.
"There's a safe zone underneath the Colosseum," Taylor announced, brow furrowed in confusion. Her expression was soon mimicked by Ryuu.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes. I can detect it with my bugs. Not a single monster has spawned within it this whole time. And from what you've told me, that should be impossible, at least for this area," Taylor informed the elf.
"Is there a way inside?" Ryuu asked, and Taylor glanced at her, suppressing a smirk.
"What about returning to the 36th Floor?" she asked, and the green-haired elf pouted.
"It would be a shame to just leave after hearing about something like that!" she protested, and this time Taylor didn't hide her grin.
In the end, Ryuu Lion was still an adventurer, and possessed a sense of curiosity. Not to mention, exploring the Dungeon was their duty. And who didn't want to have an adventure?
"It's deep below the ground," Taylor informed her. "There seems to be an entrance hidden in the Colosseum itself, but there's also a tunnel… and it's rather long. It seems to extend all the way out towards the 4th Wall and the divide between the Soldier's Room and the Beast Room."
"That's back the way we came," Ryuu noted, before nodding. "Let's go and see where it leads."
They followed the swarm, Taylor leading them through the White Palace back to the 4th Wall to the point where the safe zone – which was just a very long tunnel – came to an end.
"A dead end?" Ryuu uttered, disappointed. Indeed, it was just a blank wall, just another dead end within the maze-like structure of the floor.
"Yeah, it looks like it," Taylor mused. "Almost like the Dungeon never finished building the tunnel…"
She pressed a hand against the surface of the wall with a frown. "Or perhaps this was intentional. The wall seems to be thin… relatively speaking. It's just a few inches thick. A Level 4 or determined Level 3 could probably break through it to reach the other side."
"Odd," Ryuu noted.
"The Dungeon wanted something to happen in the Colosseum," Taylor muttered, mind racing as she began to put together the facts. "The entrance to the safe zone is within that arena… no, not an arena. A crucible. It's making the monsters fight for a reason, and the safe zone must be related to it."
"And somebody who made it to the safe zone would be able to escape through this dead end if they knew they could just break through it," Ryuu finished, eyes widening in realization.
"I think… I think the Dungeon was trying to make Xenos," Taylor finally said, and Ryuu looked at her sharply.
"What?" she hissed.
"Think about it. What purpose would there be to having a safe zone underneath a place where monsters constantly spawn and fight? This isn't normal, we both know this! But having a place for a monster who possessed more intelligence than average… they might be able to find this area to hide and escape," Taylor mused.
She then looked at the elf. "And the Colosseum is new. Only around thirty years old…"
"…and the Xenos are also recent additions!" Ryuu gasped.
"The oldest Xenos we know of is Gryuu, and he doesn't know his own age. He only knows that he's older than sixteen," Taylor said. "And that's because sixteen years ago… is when he first met my father."
Trying to keep track of time in the Dungeon was difficult. Even with a day-night cycle on some floors it would be difficult to be aware of how much time would pass. Weeks and months would blend together. Gryuu had no idea how old he was because of this. But he did know that he was at least sixteen years old.
"But… but that would mean… the Dungeon is aware!" Ryuu said fearfully, but also with a hint of fury.
"Yes, it would," Taylor conceded. "But it also tells us that it's not exactly that bright, either. Think about it! It made the Colosseum to try and replicate whatever it is that creates the Xenos and thought to make a safe zone for them, but doesn't understand that just constantly spawning monsters and having them fight won't work. The Dungeon is like an animal… no, even animals can learn from repeated interactions and reactions. It's a buggy computer program. A… a damaged magic tool constantly trying to work despite being damaged in some way."
'In fact, it reminds me a lot of the Shards,' Taylor thought to herself. Queen Administrator was silent, but the lack of response was honestly just as telling.
Curiosity piqued, she punched the wall, cracking it. A few more blows shattered the dead end, allowing the party to enter the secret safe zone.
Cautiously stepping through, Taylor and Ryuu found themselves at the top of a staircase that descended downwards into a tunnel. There was a flowing stream of fresh water that ran through the entire safe zone, and glowing blue crystal illuminated the area while a strange white ore covered the walls around the former dead end.
"What is this stuff?" Taylor wondered, looking at the white ore with interest. It didn't look like anything she'd encountered so far in the Dungeon. After a moment she decided to break some off for Welf to examine.
Seeing her start punching the wall to excavate some of it, Ryuu rolled her eyes but helped out as well, grabbing some samples and tucking them into her backpack.
"I think that's enough," Taylor said once there was no more room in their packs.
Their investigations finished, they headed out of the safe zone and made their way back to the 36th Floor.
"That tunnel changes… a lot of things," Taylor said as they started the long trek back to the 28th Floor.
Ryuu nodded solemnly. The hardest part of progressing further in the Deep Floors was getting past the Colosseum. But this tunnel-like safe zone provided what was essentially a back door. Using it, adventurers could bypass most of the dangers of the White Palace entirely and then make a break for the stairs down to the 38th Floor without having to face as many monsters as normal.
"Let me try something," Ryuu requested after a moment, and Taylor simply tilted her head to the side in curiosity.
"Luminous Wind!" the elf chanted, and green and gold motes surrounded the party. However, instead of becoming dangerous, Taylor felt her body grow lighter! Meanwhile, tiny green wing-like appendages formed on Ryuu's back, and on the bodies of the Tamed monsters.
"I came up with the idea after observing your own wings. The wind shall make us faster, now," Ryuu informed her, and the captain grinned.
They made it back to the 28th Floor in record time thanks to Ryuu's spell wrapping around them and propelling them forward, their speed drastically enhanced by a brilliant modification of Ryuu's oldest spell.
Oh yes, this would also change a lot of things for the Hestia Familia!
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope you all stay safe and warm as the year winds down!
Chapter 63: Chapter 59: Back to the Surface
Chapter Text
Chapter 59: Back to the Surface
Taylor and Ryuu's trip to the 37th Floor had yielded quite a few interesting results… and raised more than a few questions.
Welf was practically drooling over the unknown white ore, and the rest of the Hestia Familia had been taken aback by their captain's hypothesis about the Dungeon, the Colosseum, and the Xenos.
Though despite all these revelations, nothing really changed. The group kept hunting in the Water City and Dense Forest Ravine, gathering massive amounts of loot, and the pile grew day after day. They ate, slept, and bathed on the 28th Floor, and generally had what amounted to a very vigorous camping trip.
And then the day came that the Loki Familia was due back, and they'd begin their ascent to the surface. It was the morning, and at the moment the Hestia Familia was busy getting ready to depart.
"Make sure to leave nothing behind!" Taylor called out.
"Yes, boss!" Aisha called out as she hefted a heavy sack stuffed full of Magic Stones over her shoulder.
"Do you need me to carry anything?" Marius offered, eager to help his captain.
"If something needs carrying, I would be the obvious choice to do so," Tammuz interjected.
The two men stared at each other, sparks flying, and Taylor resisted the urge to sigh and roll her eyes.
"If you two really want to help, grab some more bags!" she ordered, and they leapt to attention, rushing to do as she'd commanded. Of course, they then began to compete over who could carry the most supplies at once, and Taylor could feel a headache forming as she observed their antics.
"Are they still trying to one-up each other?" Oriana asked, sounding amused as she watched them try to show off.
"They are. Lili wonders when they will pull out the ruler to compare what they're packing," the pallum said with a snort, and the knight, samurai, and rabbit nearby flushed red at the crude implications. Aisha just laughed.
"Why are they doing this now?" Bell wondered, even though his face was still a bit red.
"Because they couldn't exactly do so on the expedition. They're too professional to play around in the middle of work," Welf explained. "Although they did compare kill counts every night. Marius won, by the way."
"How? Tammuz is a veteran Level 4!" Mikoto exclaimed.
"Yeah, but he was also hunting on the lower floors. And the Dense Forest Ravine has a much lower spawning rate than the Water City," the Blacksmith pointed out.
"That is true. The monsters of the 29th to 36th Floor are much larger than most of the monsters on the other floors, and it appears size and strength correlates somewhat to spawn rate, at least in certain circumstances," Ryuu agreed.
"That makes sense to Lili. One Bloodsaurus could make a dozen Orcs, if you take mass alone into account," the Supporter mused.
"I hear a lot of talking and not a lot of working!" Taylor called out in a warning tone, and the adventurers hastily got back to clearing up the area.
'It's been nine days since we left Orario to begin the trip,' Taylor thought to herself as she had her swarm pack up their campsite in preparation. 'If we keep with Finn's schedule, we'll get back to the 18th Floor around evening, camp for the night, and then make it back to the surface tomorrow morning.'
In all, the whole expedition would take a total of ten day.
'And I've already identified areas where we'll need to prepare better for the next expedition,' Taylor thought, calculations for the supplies they'd need for a month-long expedition flashing through her head. Better tents, more food that could last for a longer time, superior tools, both magical and mundane… there was just so much!
'I should see if I'm able to introduce canning to this world,' the parahuman mused. 'That would make it easier to supply longer excursions.'
But that would be something to discuss later. Once the issue with Knossos was resolved at the very least. Right now though, her swarm had detected the arrival of adventurers, and while a few high-level parties had come and gone throughout the week that hadn't belonged to either Familia on the expedition, they lacked the sheer numbers.
"Welcome back," Taylor said, greeting Finn and the other executives as they arrived. "We're ready to go when you are."
"Good," the pallum said.
Finn's uniform was dirty and torn in a couple places, but aside from that he looked fresh, as if he hadn't spent a few days fighting down in the depths. "We'll add our cut to the shared pile and then we'll leave."
"Can't wait to have a drink," Gareth declared with a grumble as he dropped a few sacks onto the loot pile near the Hestia Familia. "Nothing but water for over a week… a dwarf ain't supposed to live like that!"
"I'm just looking forward to a bath," Riveria commented, rubbing a strand of her hair and wincing at how tangled it was.
"I'm back, Bell," Ais said, approaching the white-haired adventurer with a grin.
"Welcome back, Ais," Bell responded, smiling up at her.
The two stared into each other's eyes for a bit, until Finn and Taylor both coughed loudly, causing Bell to yelp and turn bright red and Ais to pout as he ran off to scout ahead.
"Everyone rested?" Finn called out to his Familia, and they all let out a few cries of affirmation. "Then move out!"
The two Familias began to move back up at a slightly more sedated pace, as they were all tired and laden down with a staggering amount of loot. Even with Debbie and Lili carrying a large amount of it, there was still a lot, enough to slow them down if they didn't want to lose any.
"Hey, hey, Weaver!" Tione called out, jogging next to Taylor as the two Familias headed up the 27th Floor. "I was wondering where you learned martial arts!"
"I was taught by a couple of different people," the parahuman replied.
"Was one of them an Amazon? Because I see elements of Muay Thai in your fighting style," Tione wondered.
"No, none of them were Amazons," Taylor said.
"Huh… pretty weird to see Muay Thai outside of Telskyura. Some of the kingdoms nearby use it too, but I generally don't see non-Amazons bother with it," Tione mused, before grinning. "Wanna spar some time? My martial arts are a bit rusty and I could use the chance to knock some rust off of all my skills."
"Sure, we can arrange a chance to spar some time," Taylor said, before an idea hit her. "Actually, would you mind helping one of my Familia members as well? My knowledge of martial arts isn't as thorough as I'd like, and Gina deserves a better teacher than me when it comes to that."
"Gina? Oh! Gin-Gin!" Tione said. "Right, right, she left Hermes Familia for you guys! Sure, I can do a little teaching! In exchange for a spar, of course!"
"Great… and Tione, do you mind if I ask you a question about Amazons?" Taylor wondered.
"Sure! What do you wanna know?"
"Well, I suppose my first question would be why do your, uh, fellow Amazons only give birth to other Amazons?" Taylor inquired. It was honestly one of the biggest ones she had. How did that even work? And what even was an Amazon?
"Well, I don't know for sure, but there are two versions of the same story," Tione said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "One version says it's was a curse given to a bunch of human women in a village who refused to surrender to an invading army, even after their husbands were all killed. The version the Amazons themselves tell is that it was a blessing from the spirits for refusing to submit to the army."
"Well, sometimes whether something is a curse or a blessing depends on how you view things," Taylor hummed.
"I think so too!" Tione agreed. "Anyways, all Amazons in the world are descended from those handful of women, or so the legend goes."
"I see… what about Amazons beyond Telskyura? I know some live in the Kaios Desert, but are there other places?"
"Oh, sure! We're everywhere! Though only Telskyura has the largest population, with Orario having the second most! And besides the desert, some live in a town to the east, in the mountains near the Abandoned World, or what used to be the Jade Empire, and others live on an island in the western sea near the Solar Empire. Then of course there are smaller groups, little more than singular families here and there," Tione informed her. "And, of course, there is some argument as to where exactly the Amazons originate. Some legends say it was the western island, others claim Telskyura is the birthplace of our race..."
Taylor and the younger Amazon twin spent the rest of the ascent chatting. They discussed legends and history and literature, and by the time they reached Rivira, they two had started to develop… Taylor wasn't sure it was a friendship, but it was a pleasant companionship.
'I need to recreate some of the stories from Earth Bet,' Taylor thought as she set up her tent. 'It isn't right for those tales to fade away. The history, too, for all the bloodshed and faults, doesn't deserve to be forgotten.'
Tolkien, Whitman, Sun Tzu… The Renaissance, World War 2, and the Space Race… there were so many people, words, and events that needed to be remembered. And while she did plan to find a way back to Earth Bet, there was no guarantee there'd be anything left of her world to bring back to Orario. As far as she knew, she was one of the last people of her home who could leave a record of what had come before and nearly been lost to Scion.
'Wait… when did I start thinking about Orario that way?' Taylor thought to herself with a frown.
The logical side of her mind told her it made sense not to put any attachments on a world that was likely burned to cindered. But there was another part of Taylor that was starting to realize that if given a chance, she'd return to Orario, because Earth Bet wasn't her home anymore. Maybe it never had been.
'This world… this city… this is where I belong now,' Taylor realized.
Taylor was in a daze the whole evening, her mind elsewhere. Some people noticed, but none tried to bother her about it. They gave her space, somehow able to tell that she was currently going through things.
When morning came, the parties continued on to the surface after a quick – albeit greasy – breakfast of eggs and fried chicken, and made it back out of the Dungeon around noon.
The look of resignation on the Guild clerks' faces when they saw the mountains of loot being carted over to the counters caused a flicker of pity in Taylor, but she didn't stop dragging the sacks and dropped one in front of the clerk.
"Quite the haul you have there," he said weakly, trying not to cry at the amount of work ahead of him.
"It was very productive," Taylor agreed.
It took over an hour, but finally the counting and calculating was completed and everyone received their cut of the profits. As always, a portion – in this case a third – went to the Familia, while the rest was divided up amongst the rest of the participants.
Even with ten people, everyone in the Hestia Familia's party made eighteen million valis, a staggering sum.
"That… that's a lot of zeroes," Mikoto whispered, swallowing heavily, her hands shaking as she looked at the Guild IOU voucher in her hands.
"Indeed, even I don't see that much money being thrown around all that often," Marius agreed, eyeing his own with a critical eye. "I don't think I ever realized just how much money was involved in being an adventurer. This puts it into perspective."
"Right? I typically only see that kinda money when people are talking about national budgets or the like!" Oriana commented.
"Lili has never had so much money," the pallum said, her tone indicating she was in a daze.
"And this isn't even counting the shared loot," Aisha commented with a raised eyebrow.
"That's right," Taylor confirmed, before turning to Finn. "Shall we?"
"Let us do so now," he agreed, and the shared loot was dropped off, causing one Guild Clerk to whimper.
When the calculations were done, they did not make as much as before. This time, Taylor made sure that a portion of the valis made from this sale would go to the Level 1s in the Familia who hadn't been able to participate.
A grand total of 183 million (and change), split between twenty people, plus the portion of money put aside for the Familia accounts. That meant each person in the Hestia Familia would get a whole 8.5 million valis from the profits of the shared loot the two Familias had gathered, while the rest would end up in the shared account used by Hestia and the Familia.
By the time they were done, it was half-past two in the afternoon, and everyone was getting hungry and anxious to head back home.
"A pleasure working with you, Miss Taylor," Finn said politely, shaking hands with the parahuman.
"Same. I look forward to working together again," Taylor replied. Handshake completed, the two Familias broke apart and headed back to their respective bases.
"WELCOME BACK!" Hestia called out, throwing herself at Bell as her mortal children returned to Hearth Manor. She then went around to everyone else, hugging them tightly in relief.
Wiene and the rest of the Familia were waiting in the foyer as well, wide smiles on their faces as they saw them all in one piece. Dirty, tired, and covered in blood, but in one piece.
"We have returned safe and sound, just as promised," Taylor announced, smiling fondly at the tiny goddess when she received her own embrace. Wiene then hurled over to join in, and the former Warlord found herself as the filling in a hug sandwich.
"I was so worried! And lonely! And bored!" Hestia complained.
"Did the others give you any trouble?" Taylor wondered.
"No! Of course not! They're good girls!" the Goddess of the Hearth declared. "It's just… it wasn't the same without everyone here."
"I understand," Taylor said. She then patted Wiene's head. "Were you good as well?"
"I was a good girl, too!" she declared proudly. "I can bake bread!"
"She's been helping Haruhime and I in the kitchens! And speaking of which, we have a late lunch prepared for everyone!" Hestia said, and led the reunited Familia into the dining room.
Everyone sat down, chatting eagerly with each other as a nice cheese platter and finger food lunch was served, complete with freshly baked bread.
"Delicious," Mikoto praised as she nibbled on some bread. "Did you bake it, Wiene?"
"I did!" the Xenos declared happily.
"You did an excellent job," Marius praised. "Even in the palace I'd be hard-pressed to find bread this good."
"Indeed," Karen agreed, while Oriana's head nodded up and down, her mouth full. The blue girl blushed at the praise, looking away. If her tails were out, Taylor had a feeling they'd be wagging.
"So, did anything interesting happen while we were gone?" Ryuu wondered.
"We helped Miss Eina with a problem," Karen said.
"What happened?" Bell asked, concerned for the Familia's advisor.
"She was being stalked," the imperial noblewoman said, a disdainful sneer on her face.
"It was actually kinda weird, though," Gina spoke up. "See, apparently, there were these two guys from different Familias who were trying to court her, and they ended up thinking the other person was stalking her, so they started stalking her to protect her from each other."
"So, Miss Eina was being stalked by two people who each thought the other person was the stalker, and they were trying to protect her?" Lili asked incredulously, her expression mirrored by the others.
"It was romantic! Creepy, but romantic," Silva declared.
"It was stupid is what it was. They couldn't take a hint and kept bothering Miss Eina," Leo retorted. "We had to get Ryuu's friends from the Hostess of Fertility to, uh, convince them to stop being nuisances to her."
"Well, I'm glad you helped her with that," Taylor said, shaking her head and making a note to get Eina a bottle of wine. The half-elf would likely need it.
"And speaking of Eina! The restaurant is doing well! It's become very popular with the Guild!" Hestia claimed proudly, switching topics to something more upbeat and cheerful.
"Burgers and pizza are a hit with adventurers as well! You can eat them with your hands and don't need a plate or fork or skewer!" Iris happily added.
"We did have some trouble with the Soma Familia, though," Emma admitted, and Taylor and Lili frowned.
"What happened?" Taylor demanded.
"Some people tried to be a nuisance in the restaurant for, like, two days. Arguing with the wait-staff and demanding refunds for 'wrong' orders," Silva said. "They eventually pissed off some Guild workers who were trying to eat there, though, and got threatened with a double-check on their Familia's taxes. That scared them off, and they haven't been back."
"They also tried coming around the store as well, but were driven off quickly," Lucia added. "I think it was due to all the high-level adventurers who shop there."
"Yeah, us elves aren't exactly forgiving to people who get in the way of our comfort, and your silk garments are very comfy, Miss Taylor," Primo said.
"Well, that takes care of those problems," Taylor hummed. "But I'm surprised and concerned by the Soma Familia making a racket all of a sudden."
"They probably thought they could bully the Familia while the heavy-hitters were in the Dungeon," Lili said with a scowl. "Lili knows how Zanis likes to operate."
"It's not just them. Aeshma Familia has been making odd moves as well, recently," Gita spoke up. "Their captain, George Doe, got to Level 3 while you were away, while the rest of the Familia has been hitting the Dungeon more often than usual. Among doing some other strange things, such as liquidating some assets, buying new real estate, and meeting up with shady folks, including the Soma Familia."
The look of disgust on Hestia's face at the mention of Aeshma was both hilarious but also worrying, as not even with Apollo or Ishtar had she shown such an expression.
"What does Aeshma want with Soma?" the goddess wondered. "They have completely different domains!"
"Well, it might not be Lord Soma himself Lord Aeshma is meeting with," Gita admitted. "He only visited the Soma Familia's compound once with his captain, and left shortly after. But he was seen in the company of Zanis at least twice since then."
Taylor tried to search her memories for any mention of a deity by the name of Aeshma, but drew a blank. Considering there'd been hundreds of 'pagan' gods in Earth Bet's history, it made sense for the less popular and well-known ones to slip by her.
"When was this?" Taylor asked.
"Um… the first meeting was shortly after you won the War Game against Apollo Familia," Gita said after thinking it over.
"That does seem suspicious," Bell agreed, several other heads bobbing along with his words.
"Give me a dossier on the Aeshma Familia when you have time," Taylor instructed, and the hood-wearing chienthrope nodded.
"Is there any good news?" Lili asked, her tone hopeful, but tinged with a hint of desperation.
"We do indeed have some good news!" Hestia said cheerfully. "Haruhime got a new spell!"
"Really? Congratulations!" Bell said, happy for the renard.
"Thank you, Bell-dono," she said, her tail wagging behind her.
"You've worked hard," Taylor praised, and the tail of the fox-girl in a maid outfit nearly reached supersonic speeds.
"So, what does it do?" Aisha wondered.
"Show some decorum!" Mikoto hissed, but the Amazon just laughed.
"Um, it's called Kokonoe, and it lets me use my first spell on nine other people at once, though that means I have to spend up to nine times the amount of Mind," Haruhime revealed.
Taylor blinked. "Now that is going to be very useful," she said.
"She also managed to get enough Excelia to Level Up!" Hestia added. "Though she decided to hold off until her Magic stat is higher."
That brought out another round of congratulations for the foxy adventurer, and she blushed at the attention she was getting.
"How did you do it? What monsters did you kill to be able to Level Up?" Oriana wondered.
"I didn't kill anything. I… it was because I managed to overcome Mind Down in order to save the rest," Haruhime admitted. "We were on the 7th Floor, and there must have been over a hundred Killer Ants."
"How did that happen?" Welf asked, concerned. "Was it a Parade Pass?"
"Ah, no… we, uh, we got cocky," Iris admitted, looking down. The others all gained ashamed looks.
"We got too used to having Miss Taylor on our side," Emma revealed, unable to look her captain in the eye when she said this. "We thought we could handle it… we couldn't."
"We're able to take on Minotaurs when we gang up on one, and even Orcs aren't that much trouble," Karen muttered defiantly, trying to excuse the misstep.
"Elaborate," Taylor ordered, no longer amused.
"We went down to the 7th Floor to hunt. We fought like we usually did… which was our first mistake. You weren't there to take control of the monsters, and the way we were killing monsters spawned more Killer Ants every time we didn't take them out fast enough. Soon, we were surrounded," Lucia said. "We're strong enough that none of them were that much of a danger individually, but in those numbers even we were in danger of being overrun."
"How does that lead to Mind Down?" Mikoto asked worriedly.
"Haruhime had to keep casting the Level Up spell to keep us from being overwhelmed. There were just so many that even a couple Level 2s wasn't enough near the end," Leo said with a grimace.
"I ran out of Mind during the retreat, same as Primo," Haruhime revealed. "But when I saw we were about to be overrun, I pushed myself even harder to cast the spell on myself, so I would have more Mind to draw on."
"You were trying to buy Mind from your temporary Level 2 stats in order to keep fighting," Bell realized in shock, everyone looking very worried by that.
"It's… that would be extremely risky as the Mind you'd be using up would have to come from somewhere. It would steal your own lifespan in order to do so," Ryuu said sharply, and Haruhime nodded solemnly.
"That is what happened. The Mind Down that came afterwards nearly killed me… but I was able use my spell one more time on Emma, and with her help we got back to the surface."
"It's a relief to hear you all managed to make it out alright," Taylor said, slumping a little in her seat, relieved.
"It sounds like you used Concurrent Chanting," Ryuu said thoughtfully.
"Yes, both Haruhime and I have been practicing that ability, and it paid off down there," Primo spoke up, a haunted look in her eyes. "We both had to learn how to chant and cast magic while on the move. It wasn't easy."
"I'm glad you're safe," Bell said with a smile that had several of the girls blushing.
'Lady Killer,' Taylor thought with both fondness and exasperation.
"Kokonoe has another ability, too," Haruhime added. "May I demonstrate?"
"After lunch," Taylor said. "In fact, we should all show off what we learned these last couple of days. Hestia, can you update our Stats beforehand?"
"Yes," the goddess agreed. "You've all worked hard! I bet your Stats have gone way up!"
The late lunch was finished up with nothing left over, and feeling full, the adventurers shuffled off to clean up before getting their Falna updated. Then, one by one, they got checked over by Hestia, who was very impressed by everyone's growth. And finally, there was Taylor who made history. Again.
"Holy Moly, Taylor!" Hestia exclaimed as she looked at the numbers that had appeared on the Status sheet.
Curious, the parahuman commanded a few bugs in the room to peek at the paper in Hestia's hands, and blinked slowly at what showed up.
Taylor Hebert "Weaver"
Level 3
POWER – B 799 - - SS 1089
ENDURANCE – B 769 - - SS 1095
DEXTERITY – B 775 - - SSS 1223
AGILITY – B 783 - - SSS 1187
MAGIC – SSS 1443 - - X 2000
Developmental Ability
Hunter G - - F
Chain Attack H - - G
"I did not know Stats got that high," Taylor said slowly as she eyed her abnormal Magic stat. "Also, I didn't know that there was an 'X' ranking."
"Me neither! But apparently, you broke the damn numbers! They won't go any higher! Or, they do, but the Falna can't actually show it!" Hestia exclaimed. "You broke what was already broken!"
"Par for the course for this Familia," Taylor muttered, and got dope slapped upside the head by the tiny goddess still straddling her bare back.
"That is not a good thing!"
The captain of the Hestia Familia just chuckled, before sitting up and sending Hestia tumbling backwards with a yelp.
"Well, now that we're all updated, it's time to see what the others have managed to come up with during the expedition," Taylor announced as she put her shirt on.
Hestia grumbled a little before getting up and following her out of the bedroom. The rest of the Familia was busy gathering in the backyard's training field to demonstrate what they'd learned.
"Haruhime, you get to go first," Taylor said, and the renard smiled before stepping forward.
"…Kokonoe!" Haruhime chanted, and her new spell manifested in the form of three glowing, golden tails. She then began to chant something else immediately afterwards. It wasn't Uchide no Kozuchi, but the basic Windblade spell that Taylor had taught the other spellcasters of the Familia.
To Taylor and the others surprise, the three mystical tails suddenly turned a pale green when she finished chanting.
"You don't just cast multiple spells at once… you're able to store them!" Taylor realized as the Windblade spells didn't immediately activate when Haruhime completed the incantation.
"That's right," Haruhime nodded. "I didn't even realize it until Primo noticed that there was a delay between when my tails would cast the spell and when I actually chanted them. We discovered that I can hold back on casting spells that are kept within my tails for up to half an hour, and I can do so one at a time or all at once."
"That's going to be very helpful going forward," Taylor noted. "The main issue is speed, as you have to cast Kokonoe before any other spells. And how much Mind does it cost to multiple your spells?"
"If I want to boost five people's Levels using Kokonoe, I have to spend the same amount of Mind I normally would for casting Uchide no Kozuchi five times, but all at once," Haruhime admitted.
"Hm. Limiting, but I imagine you've been training to improve your Magic stat," Taylor guessed.
"Yes! Your meditation tips have helped! I can almost feel my magical energy within my body! I'm getting better at measuring how much Mind I have left after casting multiple Spells!" the maid said.
"Good. Keep at it, and you'll be very powerful in the future," Taylor praised. That made her smile and blush.
"Who's next?" Taylor inquired.
"I've got a new trick," Welf said as he stepped up. He held out his hands, and summoned a burning blade of crackling fire. However, it wasn't normal flames, as Taylor could feel an aura coming from it.
"My new pyromancy Skill lets me manipulate flames with a degree of control I could only dream of before," Welf began, admiring the fire he'd made with his Shard-granted Skill. "I can now conjure my Will-o-Wisp without chanting as well, and the Skill let's me shape it freely. Also…"
He dismissed the Will-o-Wisp blade before bringing out a magi-tool that was basically just a lighter. He activated it, and a tiny yellow flame appeared. However, after it did so it changed color, darkening and spitting golden sparks.
"I can now change the properties of pre-existing, mundane flames," Welf said with a grin. "Essentially, I can turn regular fire into Will-o-Wisps, granting them anti-magic properties!"
"So cool!" Bell exclaimed.
"That is going to turn you into a mage-slaying warrior extraordinaire!" Lili agreed. The magic users in the Familia looked less enthusiastic, but they could see the use of somebody who could control fire and turn it into something that would disrupt spells.
Welf let the fires fade and slumped a little.
"Kinda takes a lot out of me, though," he admitted. "I have to spend a bunch of Mind to make regular flames become pseudo-Will-o-Wisps, more so than just conjuring a regular Will-o-Wisp so it has limited uses. But I have some ideas!"
"I wonder if you could impart anti-magic properties to metal if you used that to forge with," Taylor mused, and Welf nodded at her.
"Yeah, that was something I thought of too. Gonna take some experimentation, though."
"It will be interesting to see what you come up with," Mikoto said.
"Thank you, Welf," Taylor said with a nod. "Now, who…"
"Ooo! Ooo! Me next!" Gina said, the tiny Amazon bouncing up and down excitedly. When Taylor nodded at her, she dashed off, returning with a log that she set up.
Gina took a deep breath before punching forward. The log was sent flying, bark and splinters shooting off of it with a knuckle imprint left behind in the wood. However, Gina had not touched the log at all with her fist. No, she had managed to attack it from a distance!
"You used magic just now," Ryuu said, surprised.
"I did! It's pretty much just raw magical energy and I can't shoot it very far, but all of the training exercises I've done with Primo and the others have helped me control my Mind a lot better!" Gina said excitedly.
"Very impressive, keep up the good work," Taylor praised, patting the tiny girl on the head. She giggled happily at that, although the parahuman noticed that Wiene was pouting jealously off to the side through her swarm.
"Soon I'll be punching monsters so hard they explode!" Gina promised.
"May I go next?" Emma requested after Gina skipped back over to stand next to Primo, and the captain nodded.
The pinkette drew her swords and chanted "Rein Amur!" activating her Skill. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen except a pink glow surrounding her. But then she began to move, and she was fast! Faster than she could have been with her current stats.
"I see… you're not taking the Stats from other people, you are reallocating your own Stat points," Taylor realized after a moment as she started to get tired faster than normal.
"Y-yes," Emma said with a nod, deactivating her Skill. "I moved my Dexterity and Endurance Stats and put them into Agility to make myself faster."
"An interesting way to use it. Can you reallocate other people's Stats?" Bell wondered.
"Yes, but only all at once. So, if you want me to boost your Power by sacrificing your Endurance, then Endurance will drop to zero but Power will go up by however many points were in Endurance originally," Emma explained.
"That has many potential uses," Aisha said, something that Taylor agreed with. Emma could supercharge Primo's Magic stat for a single, devastating super Spell, or make Oriana even more durable by putting her Agility and Dexterity into Endurance.
After Emma, there were a few more tricks that were shown off, but none were as outrageous as what was already seen. Mikoto's iai technique was incredibly fast and she could decapitate Minotaurs in a single swing now, and Lili had gotten better at shapeshifting while still wearing her armor. There was Ryuu's Luminous Wind trick that had everyone clapping, and Marius revealed that he could make the astral copies of his weapons last long enough to be used by other people in a pinch.
"Everyone is so strong!" Hestia cheered, pleased to see her 'children' were now much stronger than before. The adventurers all seemed to glow with happiness at being praised by the goddess. Even Taylor offered a tiny smile before she plastered a serious expression onto her face.
"I'm pleased by how well everyone has spent the last few days working on improving themselves," the captain of the Familia said when the presentations were over. "But our work has only just begun."
At that, everyone straightened up and gave her their attention. The one-time warlord nodded, pleased at the quick response.
"In less than a month, we will be assaulting Knossos," Taylor announced, folding her arms across her chest as she looked over her Familia. She saw no fear, just a bit of nervousness and a lot of determination.
"This will be done in a multi-pronged attack. Our Familia, along with the Loki, Hermes, and Dionysus Familas will be entering the labyrinth itself, while the Ganesha Familia will secure the city, making sure nothing happens to it or the civilians," she continued. "We will enter Knossos through the door on the 18th Floor along with the Xenos in order to liberate any other captives the Ikelos Familia might have. After that, we shall eliminate all Evilus and Ikelos Familia members."
Her expression turned sharp. "Be warned! There will be no prisoners! Evilus utilizes suicide attacks to accomplish their goals! Anyone who surrenders is to be treated as a live bomb primed to blow. I am not risking your lives for theirs."
Everyone's expressions darkened, but they understood why this was necessary. Evilus was monstrous. They had no qualms about attacking innocent people and using their own lives as a means to harm others. There was no doubt in their minds that Evilus would pretend to surrender, just to get close enough to blow themselves up and take somebody else down with them.
"We've spent time training, but now is not the time to get complacent. Stay alert, and stay safe," Taylor ordered, and the adventurers nodded. The parahuman dismissed them a moment later, and everyone headed off. Most went to rest in their rooms, but a few, like Welf and Lucia, went to check in on their workshops.
As for Taylor herself? She had paperwork to fill out for her new monsters. But such was the life of a Familia's captain.
111 &&& 111
Author's Note: Happy New Years, everyone! I have a couple new ideas that I hope you'll all be able to read next year! Look forward to it! And I hope you all have a good 2026!