[Bitter Irony]
Licia exhaled sharply as a clawed hand came inches from grazing her cheek. She turned, thrusting her dagger into the belly of an Imp as it flew past her, gutting and turning its leap into a sprawling tumble. A screech from behind caused her to step to the side and lash out with her sword, decapitating another Imp as it tried to jump onto her back.
The hoard was thinning. An Imp lunged from her left; she pivoted, letting it pass her before driving her sword through its spine. Another two descended from above, and she rolled beneath their claws, coming up in a crouch that let her slash across both their bellies in a single arc. Dark ichor sprayed across the dungeon floor, and the creatures collapsed into dissolving piles before they could even screech.
A fourth Imp tried to flee, but Licia’s thrown dagger caught it between the shoulder blades before it made it three steps. She stepped up to it, reaching down to wrench the blade out of its back, twisting as she did so to make sure that it died a painful death.
The Dungeon fell quiet as Licia stood amongst the fading remains of the ambush, weapons held loosely at her sides. Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths, and her face remained stormy despite her victory. She waited for more monsters to follow, but none did. Gritting her teeth, she sheathed her weapons harder than necessary, leaving the leather swaying violently at her hips.
“Woah.”
Licia turned as the rest of her party finally joined her. There were only two of them: a tall boy a few years younger than her with shaggy hair and a soft face, and a Pallum with narrow features and a mischievous expression that only grew as he saw the slaughter that Licia had just wrought.
“Looks like someone forgot to save some for the rest of us,” the Pallum said lazily as he surveyed the dissolving remains. “You’re hogging all the fun, Licia.”
Licia glanced back at the dissolving monster remains, a slightly guilty look on her face. This was supposed to be practice for Artus, but she’d gone and killed all of the enemies before they even showed up.
She turned to the spear-wielding boy. “Sorry, Artus.”
“I was lost in thought,” Licia admitted, sheathing her dagger with less force than before. “They snuck up on me.”
Rin as he crouched down, plucking one of the magic stones from the dissolving remains and slipping it into his pocket. “Looks like it was their mistake, then.”
Licia opened her mouth to protest at his greed but stopped herself. She closed her mouth and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
It wasn’t worth the argument. Not today.
“Are you alright, Licia?” Artus asked. He shifted his spear from one hand to the other unsurely. “You’ve been off today.”
“I’m fine,” Licia said, which wasn’t a total lie. She was a bit frustrated and angry, but fine.
Unlike Tanya, she thought.
Licia’s mind drifted to her blonde-haired frowned as they resumed their journey across the Tenth Floor. The image of Tanya lying on the floor, marked with golden vines and face twisted in agony as she forced words of prayer through clenched teeth—it refused to leave her.
She just couldn’t wrap her head around it. This poor girl had been tormented across two lifetimes by a god simply because she had refused to worship him. Licia didn’t understand how, nor was she sure she wanted to, but it certainly put things in perspective.
No wonder Tanya had been so hostile to the very concept of joining a Familia, or even gods in general if this was what gods were capable of when they didn’t get their way.
“You’re brooding again,” Rin grouched. “If we’re going to do this, can’t you at least pay attention? You’re the Level Two here, aren’t you supposed to be the responsible one? What’s up with you, anyway?”
“I’m fine,” Licia repeated, though the words came out more sharply than she intended. She caught Rin’s raised eyebrow and sighed. “Right. You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She forced her attention outward, letting her senses expand to take in the moment and the Dungeon around her. She was in the lead this time, she couldn’t afford to let herself get distracted.
She squared her soldiers and moved to the front of the pack, eyes scanning the walls and nearby halls for any sign of trouble. Artus fell into step on her left and Rin on her right, just as she spotted something. A group of Killer Ants, just up ahead at a junction between three corridors.
“They haven’t spotted us yet,” Artus whispered. “What should we do?”
Licia thought about it. She was the fastest and strongest of the group, while Artus had the most reach thanks to his his height and his spear. Rin wasn’t very big or strong, but his bow and steady aim made him excellent rear support.
“I’ll draw their attention,” she decided. “The group isn’t very big, so I’ll take them head on and thin out their numbers while herding them in this direction. Once they get close, Artus can jump in. Rin, you’ll watch his back and pick off the stragglers. If we’re quick enough, they won’t have a chance to signal more and cause a swarm.”
Artus nodded, his expression nervous but serious. Rin simply pulled his bow off of his shoulder, wordlessly nocking an arrow to prepare for the oncoming melee. Despite his mouthy nature, he knew when to act serious.
Licia unsheathed her weapons. “On my mark,” she whispered.
The Killer Ants milled about the junction, their legs and mandibles clicking in that unsettling way that always made Licia’s skin crawl. There were six of them visible, maybe more further down and out of sight.
Taking a deep breath,she burst toward them with explosive speed, closing the distance before the monsters could register her presence. Her sword carved through the first Ant’s carapace before it even turned to face her. The second managed a reflexive snap of its pincers, but Licia slid beneath the attack and drove her dagger up into its throat.
The remaining four finally reacted, surging toward her in a cluster of clicking mandibles and thrashing legs. Licia fell back, leading them exactly where she wanted them to go.
Artus lunged from the side, his spear punching clean through one Ant and skewering another behind it. An arrow whistled past Licia’s ear, burying itself in the eye of a fifth Ant that had tried to flank the spearman. The final Ant broke left, but Licia was already moving, cutting it down before it could escape.
Silence fell over the junction, and Licia straightened, rolling her wrists as she watched the monsters dissolve around them.
“Good work,” Licia said, sheathing her swords. “You didn’t panic this time, Artus. You’re getting better.”
Artus ducked his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite his best efforts to look stoic. “Thanks, Licia.”
Rin was already scavenging through the dissolving remains, his small hands plucking out magic stones with practiced efficiency. Licia watched him work for a moment before turning her attention back to the corridors ahead.
“We should keep moving. Let’s keep going until we hit the next floor, then turn back. That should be good enough for today considering how packed these floors have been.”
The party fell into formation, with Licia taking point once more. This time, she stayed focused on the moment, keeping her focus on the Dungeon and its dangers and off of the girl who couldn’t seem to catch a break. Still, even as she scanned the dungeon walls and listened for the telltale sounds of approaching monsters, a thought persisted in the back of her mind like a splinter beneath the skin.
“I’m going to kill him”
I’ll help her, Licia vowed silently. Whatever it takes.
~~~
Tanya would be the first to admit that the decor of the Twilight Manor was much more tasteful than anything she had seen Apollo put up. Marble was traded for stone and garish white was swapped for more homey colors that maintained a far classier look.
Even the room she was sitting in was ostensibly much more welcoming. Though her mood was unfortunately no better for it.
Tanya sat primly on the edge of her chair, back straight as a rod and hands folded neatly in her lap. A fireplace crackled softly in the corner of the room, casting dancing shadows across the walls. Bookshelves lined the opposite side, filled with various pieces of literature that actually seemed to have been used.
It was, by all accounts, a comfortable waiting room. Tanya was not comfortable.
She had been left here for nearly twenty minutes now, waiting for Loki to arrive. Twenty minutes wasn’t an egregiously long time by any means; she had waited far longer for far less important meetings in her former life, after all The issue was that the idle time gave her mind entirely too much opportunity to wander.
And wander it did, straight toward the thoughts she’d been trying to avoid since yesterday.
The seal on her back throbbed faintly, a distant echo of the agony it had caused her. Loki’s blessing had suppressed it significantly, but it was still there, a parasite clinging to her soul, waiting for the moment she let her guard down.
It’s contained, she told herself for what felt like the dozenth time. He can’t get to me.
For now.
She couldn’t believe she’d landed herself in this situation. Even the intrusive mental effects of the Type 95 paled in comparison to the collar that bastard had lashed so tightly around her neck. And the only saving grace was that another master held the leash.
Some improvement.
Tanya’s jaw tightened as she forced her thoughts away from that particular spiral. Self-pity was a luxury she couldn’t afford, and wallowing in the injustice of her situation wouldn’t change a damn thing.
The real question was: what came next?
She was part of the Loki Familia now. Willingly or not, the reality was that she had been bound to another deity’s organization. The circumstances of the agreement might have been different, but the end result stayed the same.
The door to the room opened, pulling Tanya from her thoughts. Loki stepped through, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.
“Sorry about the wait,” the goddess said, moving toward the chair across from Tanya. “Had to take care of something.”
Tanya took a deep breath, pushing away her tension as the goddess took a seat. When she spoke, her tone was calm and belied none of the anger she was feeling.
“Quite alright. I’ve waited longer for less important meetings.”
Loki paused and eyed Tanya for a moment..
“You’re upset,” the goddess observed.
Here, Tanya let a bit of anger slip through. “That easy to read, am I?”
“Not at all,” Loki replied, and didn’t speak further on the matter.
The goddess settled into her chair, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back. “You might be happy to learn I spoke with Ouranos about our shared interest.”
The name stirred something in Tanya’s head, and not just the notion of an ancient sky god.
“The founder of the Guild?”
“That’s the one,” Loki nodded.
“I imagine that was an interesting conversation.”
“You could say that,” Loki replied, her fingers drumming against the armrest of her chair. “As you can imagine, he was pretty upset by the news.”
“That’s reassuring,” Tanya muttered. “Did he have any insight into who Being X might be?”
“No such luck, unfortunately,” the goddess sighed. “Ouranos was one of the first gods to descend but that doesn’t mean he knows everyone who came after him. He doesn’t have a clue who your Being X is.”
Unfortunate but not unexpected. It was entirely possible that he wasn’t even from this realm, especially given Being X’s propriety for hopping around worlds at a whim. The entity had always operated outside the boundaries of whatever world he inserted himself into; why would this one be any different?
“And what of the woman he has recruited? The former Soma member, Azalea.”
Loki snapped her fingers. “That, I was able to get a lead on. According to Guild records, her status was reinstated, which is something that can only be done by another god. So more than likely, she’s joined his familia.”
The words were expected, but the news still caused Tanya’s heart to sink ever so slightly.
“Yet Being X has not registered with the Guild? Is that not illegal?”
“Not technically,” Loki shook her head. “The Guild oversees the Dungeon and the adventurers who delve inside it, not familias as a whole. The only ones who are required to register are the adventurers themselves, not the gods who oversee them.”
Tanya’s brow furrowed as she processed this. “So a god can claim children, form a familia, and operate entirely outside the Guild’s purview so long as those children don’t set foot in the Dungeon?”
“There’s other factors involved but yes,” Loki confirmed. “There’s nothing illegal about a god claiming children just to grow a family. Some gods do exactly that. The only time the Guild comes into play is when it comes to magic stones or inter-familial disputes, usually in the form of War Games.”
“I didn’t realize their hold was so loose.”
“It’s by design,” Loki replied. “The Guild was formed to regulate the and contain the Dungeon, not police every god who descends to the lower world. There are several familias outside of Orario itself that the Guild doesn’t even know about.”
Tanya pressed her lips together. “So Being X could be building a small army of zealots, and the Guild has no legal authority to intervene.”
“Well obviously that would be a problem,” Loki chuckled, before her expression turned serious again. “And so is what he did to you. Unfortunately, there’s not much the Guild itself can do about it because they don’t know who he is.”
Tanya’s fingers curling against her knee was her only sign of frustration, though inside she was boiling at the notion that this situation was going to last.
“What about the seal?” Tanya asked, trying not to sound too desperate. “Is it possible to get rid of it?”
Loki paused and got a weird look on her face. She looked remarkably like a child who had just broken something expensive and was debating whether or not to deny the existence of said thing.
“Maybe,” Loki said slowly. “I just need to talk to someone first.”
Tanya stared at Loki, waiting for the goddess to elaborate. Loki stared back, her expression closed off. The silence stretched.
“Well?” Tanya finally prompted, unable to keep the edge from her voice.
Loki waved a hand dismissively. “I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. For now, there’s something else we need to discuss.”
Tanya’s jaw tightened but she took a deep breath.
“Very well,” she said, forcing her voice to remain even. “What did you want to discuss?”
“I want to update your status,” Loki said. “I gave you my blessing but I never read your status. We should do that now so we can see what we’re working with.”
Tanya raised a brow “is that necessary? I assumed I would be starting at zero considering I was just... blessed.”
“That’s true, but it’s still good to know. Besides, don’t you want to see if you have Magic or a Skill?” Loki prodded.
Tanya didn’t particularly care either way, but she supposed it would be good to know.
“I suppose so,” Tanya said. “When do we do this?”
“Now works,” Loki shrugged. “Unless you had other plans?”
Tanya gestured at the room around her. “I seem to be at your disposal.”
Loki snorted, rising from her chair. “Come on then. Lift your shirt or take it off and lie down. We’ll do it right here.”
Tanya did as asked and soon enough, Loki was crouched above her just like last time.
“Just hold still,” Loki said, and Tanya heard the crinkle of paper before something was pressed onto her back, separating her from the goddess’s palm. “And try to relax. This shouldn’t hurt like last time.”
Shouldn’t, she says. Taking a deep breath, Tanya forced her body to loosen, though the lingering memory of what Loki’s blessing had felt like when it clashed with Being X’s seal made that difficult.
A pleasant warmth spread across Tanya’s back, entirely unlike the searing heat she had experienced the day before. It was almost soothing, like sinking into a hot bath after a long day. She felt a heat at the base of her neck as Being X’s seal tried to flare up, but Loki did something and soon it was quelled. The entire thing was over in a few minutes
“All done,” Loki announced, lifting her hands away. “You can sit up now.”
Tanya pushed herself upright, reaching for her shirt. “That was significantly more pleasant than last time.”
Loki hummed in acknowledgment, already studying the paper she had pressed to Tanya’s back. Her eyes moved across the transcription, and a smirk settled across her face.
“Well?” Tanya prompted, pulling her shirt over her head. “What does it say?”
Loki didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she studied the paper for another long moment before letting out a breath that sounded equal parts impressed and troubled.
“Like I said, definitely worth it,” Loki said, turning the paper around so Tanya could see it.
Tanya’s eyes scanned the transcription, taking in the neat script that had been etched onto her very soul.
Tanya Degurechaff
LV 1
STR: 0
END: 0
DEX: 0
AGI: 0
MAG: 0
Magic:
Mana Conceptualization
Skills:
Devoutest Prayer: When the user prays to their God with faith in their heart, their stats are increased.
Tanya stared at the paper, her eye twitching. What kind of sick fucking joke...
“If it’s any consolation, it’s a pretty good Skill,” Loki said, though her tone suggested she knew exactly how Tanya felt.
Tanya didn’t respond, staring at the paper intently. This clearly had Being X’s influence all over it.
“Reusing old tricks, eh bastard?” she murmured, more to herself than to Loki.
“What was that?”
Tanya shook her head. “Nothing important.” She handed the paper back to Loki. “So my stats are zero across the board and my only Skill is essentially useless to me. Is there anything else, or is that the full extent of my shortcomings?”
Loki took the paper, her expression thoughtful. “I’ve never seen a Magic like this before. Mana Conceptualization? Does it mean anything to you?”
“In my previous world, magic was cast by channelling mana into mathematical equations,” Tanya explained. “I’ve been using the same method since I arrived.”
“That’s not how magic works though,” Loki pointed out. Tanya just nodded, unsure how to explain it because frankly, she wasn’t sure either. Magical theory had never been her strong suit; she was just good at using it.
Loki hummed, tapping the paper against her knee. With a thoughtful expression. Then, unexpectedly, she reached out and patter Tanya on the head.
Tanya flinched, her eye twitching at the contact. “What are you doing?”
“You’ve been through a lot, my child,” Loki murmured. “Would you mind telling me about it?”
“I suppose I can,” Tanya said, slowly brushing the woman’s hand away. “If you refrain from calling me that ever again.”
Loki’s lips quirked, but she inclined her head in acknowledgment. “Deal.”
The goddess settled back into her chair, crossing her legs and folding her arms in a posture that suggested she was prepared to listen for as long as it took. Tanya remained where she was, half-turned on the chair, her hands resting in her lap as she gathered her thoughts.
Where did one even begin?
At the beginning, I suppose, Tanya thought, before beginning to recant her unique relationship with lthey cycle of ife and death and the entity that seemed intent to meddle in it.