(Saturday, 21/11/1058)
(3rd person PoV)
The Loki Familia's expedition was now finally coming back from the dungeon's deep depths. While they did not achieve their goal of going to the 60th, they were content with coming back at all. Not to mention, larvae that melt your weapons, not dealing with that, thank you very much. They valued their equipment.
Finn was quick to decide on a strategic retreat once he realized their weapons would be gone if they insisted on going on, something that would have cost them both time and vast amounts of money in the long run.
While on their "leisure" walk entering the 17th, they were faced with a minotaur horde. It was a room filled to the brim with them.
Carillon thought it over many times as they descended the floors, many more on their way back up. He knew that they were going to eliminate them all before someone died.
Carillon found himself reaching a conclusion of leaving the situation be.
Tiona, who was clinging to him for comfort over her melted weapon, flew into a berserker rage along with Tione. They started ripping minotaurs apart with their bare hands, making the minotaurs flinch and flee up the floors in a panic to survive.
"Ais! Take a group with you and dispose of the minotaurs before they hurt anyone!" Finn issued his order as they moved to stop the horde from funneling out of the room while the unit led by Ais went ahead.
Ais's unit consisted of her, Bete, Carillon, Raul and Anakitty.
"Bete, left" Ais said with her soft voice, barely heard over the wind brushing past their ears as they ran after the minotaurs. She sensed a minotaur to the left and sent Bete after it.
Sending Raul and Anakitty to two right tunnels separately, Ais was left with Carillon.
Ais spared Carillon a glance. While she was generally stoic, she has feelings. She wanted to congratulate Carillon on finding the friend he left to find and on meeting his twin he so loved.
Observing his facial features, Ais found him to be anxious, dreadful even.
'His brother might be up there, somewhere in the upper floors'
"Go ahead, Carillon" Ais said softly. "Your brother"
Carillon looked at her, moved by her choice of words. He bottled up his emotions as he dashed ahead of her.
Ais continued to move alone as she had to pay close attention to the quietest of sounds and noises, not allowing for a single minotaur to be mistaken as another monster and reach an unfortunate bunch before she killed it.
(The 4th floor)
Bell was staring down the stairs leading to greater darkness.
Bell was very excited about trying his strength against that of a monster of the next floor. He was already strong enough for monsters of the 4th to feel like nothing more than rabble to him. Carillon made sure to drill something into him as children, a fighting style centered around knives and short swords. Bell was expert enough, bridging the gap and more with expertise alone.
Bell turned around to look at the wolves accompanying him. After playing with Ouros for a while, he learned quickly that the wolves were very smart, enough to understand words directly as they were spoken, not as simple, static commands with unchanging meanings.
"Should we go down?" Bell suggested.
Ouros and Platina shook their heads.
"Pretty please?" Carillon's corruption, stacked on top of Zeus's own, made Bell more than willing to weaponize his cuter facial features to his advantage. He miscalculated a little this time, forgetting that wolves eat rabbits when presented with them. He recoiled away when Platina's eyes bore holes into him, hungry for a bite before she shook herself out of it.
"Seriously, though" Bell sighed. He kicked a pebble, looking down. "I was looking forward to it for a moment there"
Ouros and Platina remember what Henryk said. They should deny it only once. If Bell wanted it so much as to ask twice, go with what he wanted. That was what Henryk told them to do.
As Carillon finally reached the stairs to the 5th, he heard the thundering sound of a minotaur's hooves hitting the ground with might, a rush, a pursuit he knew.
Carillon felt like his insides wanted to squeeze themselves, to find an out of his body that started to feel tightly bound in his own skin.
'Bell!' Carillon found new strength with which he sprinted faster than he should have been able to. If he focused, he would have noticed his falna starting to glow slightly, visible through the clothes on his back.
Carillon ran as quickly as he could.
{Awaken, tempest} He heard a voice behind him as the wind around him picked up.
Carillon continued running in silence as Ais finally caught up, covered in the blood of three minotaurs she slaughtered. They ran side-by-side until they were in view of the minotaur.
'How I want to call your name, to tell you that you're safe!' Carillon thought, recognizing the risk of distracting Bell and letting him trip and be killed by the minotaur before they made sure he was safe.
Carillon and Ais both saw the duo enter a side-tunnel, no longer hearing any forceful or hurried steps.
"Hurry!" Carillon shouted through the wind around them, knowing what that sudden stillness meant.
Ais nodded before dashing off, reaching the turn of the tunnel and going in. Ais came upon the minotaur raising its weapon on Bell.
'If I kill it now, the weapon will still fall on him' Thought Ais as she skidded behind the beast, cutting the back of its knee with a pull as she went past it. 'I should throw it off its feet first'
The minotaur fell to a knee and was forced to lean forward abruptly, holding its hands to the ground to avoid falling on its face. Ais's actions served their purpose, with the weapon not falling on Bell.
"Are you all right?" Ais asked Bell with her sight trained on the minotaur. They both saw as Carillon finally rounded the corner. He jumped at the monitaur's head, stabbing the spear through its skull and pinning it to the dungeon floor.
"Bell!" Carillon barreled past Ais, going to hug Bell and reassure both him and his twin that they were both safe.
Bell was snapped from his marveling of Ais's beauty. Well, only for a moment. Ais turning around, the way her silky, golden flowing hair moved, the beauty of her facial features, and the worry in her eyes directed at him; she enchanted him anew.
Bell was robbed of his mind again, absent-mindedly hugging Carillon back with such sluggishness that Carillon was left feeling alone with the other piece of his soul, his other half, in his arms.
"Bell, you..." Carillon held Bell by the cheeks, snapping him from his second daze.
Bell turned both red and pale at the same time. He looked away, not knowing what to say. Bell was embarrassed and flustered unlike any other time in his life.
"I have been forgotten by my twin~" Carillon's revenge came in strong, making Bell turn completely red with the teasing voice Carillon used. The poof of minotaur ash was forgotten in that scene.
"IYYEEEEAAAAAA!!" Bell screamed his lungs out as he began to run off, too flustered to remain there. Carillon held him by the collar as Ais was too puzzled to do anything in this situation.
'Did I scare him?' She was hurt. She thought that she scared off such an innocent rabbit, that she made him feel fear. She did not like that.
"Let's walk out of the dungeon together" Carillon gave Bell another look over. He noted that while Bell was not covered in blood from head to toe like in the anime, he still got some blood on his trousers.
"..." Bell nodded, face redder than the blood on his clothes.
Everyone finally noticed the slightly-hard-to-hide silver wolves hiding in the opposing tunnel, poised to strike, making a move to follow Bell. They were ready to pounce on the minotaur's back had Ais not arrived that very moment. Carillon welcomed the extra company, especially since Bell came in with them. He should get out with them as well.
Ais stood there. 'But scared people don't turn red, do they?' She thought, wondering what he was feeling. Although, it must be noted that Ais felt great relief upon thinking that Bell was not fearful of her.
"Rabbit" Ais said in a whisper. She has not caught what she said, but little Ais did. Little Ais committed that to memory for later.
Bell and Carillon walked out, Carillon preparing himself mentally for what is to come. He was fully ready to face the full force of Riveria's nagging about not leaving the expedition without reason.
The brothers chatted as they walked to the guild, Carillon finally bidding Bell farewell as he had to go back and rejoin the expedition.
(Line Break)
The expedition was finally back together after they managed to dispose of all minotaurs that were present on the 17th.
"Carillon Cranel" Carillon's blood froze solid inside his veins. It was the bone-chilling voice of none other than Riveria Ljos Alf. What followed was a journey back to the surface with lots of words of caution, instructions, reminders, and many other things that Carillon supposedly needed to hear. Riveria only stopped when Ais told her that she allowed Carillon to escort his twin brother back to safety, washing the blame off of his actions.
The expedition started heading up the floors, crossing the 16th briefly without much trouble.
It was on the 15th that they came upon the bizarre sight of someone battering a fleeing minotaur with a wooden staff.
"Come here you lowly beast!" The adventurer took a one-step dash, catching up to the minotaur, delivering a strike to its head that made it lose balance. He looked over the monster as it attempted to stand up, hitting it again every time it did, making it fall to the ground again.
What made the party stop was that Riveria herself stopped to observe what was happening. The adventurer in question has hair and eyes as green as the forest and ears as long as hers. He, however, was massive in comparison to her.
The adventurer killed the minotaur in disgust, visibly tired and spent entirely, sweat gleaming in the dimly lit dungeon.
'The fuck?!' Carillon thought as he looked at the high elf.
They observed as the elven man took out an intricately designed knife, one with symbolism etched onto the sheath and the blade. It was one that was only given to high elves by other high elves in Alf's Royal Forest.
'But I recognize everyone who is that old. Not to mention, a high elf with a beard and a body like that is unusual. I would have remembered him had we met even once' Riveria was unsure of how to act.
Was he a person sent after her by her father, king Larfal? Or was he just a resident of the royal forest like many others? Riveria did not know if her father would even bother to send someone to bring her back after all these years, yet here they were, with her suspecting the man of being given such an order.
As for the elves, they were gazing in reverence and awe at the sight of another high elf beside Riveria.
After pocketing the minotaur's magic stone, the man finally took notice of their presence. He walked closer and knelt in front of Riveria.
[It is a pleasure for this Theron to gaze upon our princess for a second time] (Elvish) He said without lowering his head.
[I don't remember meeting you back then] (Elvish) Riveria nodded in acknowledgement of his courtesy. She also gestured for him to rise with her hand. [Mind reminding me?]
[As you wish, Princess Alf] (Elvish) Theron said, standing up as Riveria wished him to. [This Theron's gaze fell upon your back once. It was when you were leaving the royal forest]
Theron looked at another minotaur that was just birthed by the dungeon.
[If you would allow me, princess] (Elvish) Theron said as he brandished his staff again.
Riveria, not liking the treatment, stuffy and filled with what others used for pretenses, but knowing the stubbornness of a high elven noble, went along with the etiquette drilled into her since childhood. She gestured for him towards the minotaur, which was approaching them now.
Theron removed a glove from one of his hands before the minotaur got closer.
{O, embers of a sacred forest burned, spread across this earth
Illuminate, o, embers, purify the soil dirtied by invader blood, and temper the hearts of your children
Unfurl, bloom of light, and deliver your searing judgement upon this foul trespasser} Theron's hand and the latter part of his forearm started burning, though he seemed unbothered. {Ira Dryadis} A bloom of verdant flames crashed into the rushing minotaur, halting its advance as its skin blistered and caught fire. Theron put his glove on before walking leisurely to where the minotaur was attempting to rub the fire away, failing as the fire came back from other burning patches of skin and fur.
Upon seeing Theron approaching it, the minotaur struck down with its arm, delivering a blow filled with its agony.
Theron struck it below the forearm, stinging it a bit as he made use of the rebound of the strike to strike its neck with the butt of the staff, which was launched with the might of the minotaur's attack coupled with Theron's own.
The minotaur stumbled sideways, almost tripping on its own feet. It quickly caught itself, shaking its head as the fire finally went off.
When it looked forward, it was welcomed with a thrust aimed at its throat. It had no time to react with anything aside from throwing its arm at him.
The minotaur's fist connected with Theron's side, throwing him aside as he coughed up some blood and held his side. With a pained face, Theron got up and smashed the minotaur's muzzle just as it was done massaging its throat, having experienced a coughing fit after the last strike it received there.
This time, the minotaur was slower than to react to the strike. With a crack, the minotaur's muzzle was visibly broken. It cried in pain before doubling over as Theron delivered another blow to its core. Kneeling to curl around the affected area, it presented Theron with a perfect chance to strike its head, which he did. The minotaur fell to the ground, limp, taking one last look at Theron as he unsheathed his knife.
"What level are you, Theron?" Riveria was worried. No matter the first impression, he was a fellow high elf and an innocent currently. In her good-natured self, she found worry for his safety.
"Still Lv.1, lady Riveria" Theron's change in voice and mannerism threw Riveria's mind into total disarray, along with many an elf who experienced the same. "Also, I thought you might be a lot more observant" He said with barely held-back laughter, the previous grace of elven royalty forgotten.
"Henryk?!" Both Riveria and Carillon screamed in shock.
"Loki was just as surprised when she knew I explained the idea to her" Henryk said. "I truly became one, a high elf, at least by race" He confessed, though the elven party members already started pointing their weapons at him, their previous reverence turned into just as much justifiable rage.
"Did you..." Riveria gestured for the elves to lower their weapons while pinching the bridge of her nose. "really become a high elf?" She sighed. The revelation that he could change races was a long way coming. She already thought of that when considering his magic, ever since he taught them about DNA and how it works.
"I did" He smiled. "I got a spell and a skill, a skill which Loki said only high elves could have manifested. The skill's effects area secret, though" He said with a finger on his lips, a shushing gesture.
"Come with us, Henryk" Riveria gave him a glare. "We have a lot to talk about, from you killing a minotaur as a level 1, to speaking fluent Elvish, to the knife that you shouldn't have had in the first place" She stretched her hand over with an even tenser glare. She was asking him to hand over the knife.
[Your wishes are my commands, princess] (Elvish) Henryk said as he handed her the knife, making sure he left a lot of room for Riveria's hand to hold onto it with. He watched with glee as her brows twitched. [I will remain a high elf until my third magic slot is filled, princess]
[Silence!] (Elvish) Riveria was starting to get annoyed, bringing an image back to the forefront of Ais's mind, an image that was engraved with chains and lots and lots of water. Ais stepped away from Riveria with a deathly pale face.
'I hope he knows how to swim while restrained' Ais prayed for him.
Futura and Prata showed up once Henryk told them to. They accompanied him in the shadows to make sure that he did not die fighting a minotaur. It helped with the first few as he almost made them go insane and become enhanced species through rage alone.
Henryk just remained out of reach the entire time, evading attacks and striking where he found room to.
(Flashback)
(Shira's PoV)
"Shira, we have to talk about this" Henryk sighed. It was a heavy sigh that washed over me with anxiety.
"What is it, Henry?" I gulped. 'What's making him so serious first thing in the morning?'
I wanted to ask him about it, why he was quiet for the entire morning routine, why he was so animated and didn't feel like he was focusing on what was in front of him. I truly did, but I decided to let him be and ask him after going out of the room and changing scenery. If it was in the room, it would be better to move out of it before talking about the subject.
"I'm gonna do something very outlandish. I just wanted you to know so you don't wonder where I'll be for the coming day or two" He said, dead serious and deep in thought as he held his interlocked fingers over his mouth.
'What will he do?!' I could feel my blood turn cold, my fur flaring up, and my tail thrashing.
"Oh, I forgot to give you details on that" He said, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
'Oh, yeah. With the tension of what he did yesterday, it eluded my mind that he sometimes forgets to add the more important details when he first says something' I sighed in relief, only to then choke on my sigh as I remembered that this is Henry. I don't know if his next course of action might be dangerous as well, details or not.
"I want to use my magic to..." Henry explained to me what he wanted to do and I listened. It downed on me, that Henry was willing to take on the full force of the elvish hatred that this would incur.
No reason could veer him off his goal to spite the elves with a "prank".
(3rd person PoV)
Henryk visited Loki's office, telling her what he wanted to do. She welcomed it with a sinister smile, giving her approval and full support for his endeavor.
(Flashback End)
(Henryk's Diary, Saturday, 21/11/1058)
Future me, I'm starting with the thing most important for current me to note right now. I had to do it across multiple steps, but I managed to switch races completely after consuming many mind potions and absorbing mind from many magic stones to change my genetic material and cell representation little by little.
Also, my efforts paid off. I was already running around the entire day yesterday to fitch clothing fit for an adventuring high elf, and my choice was apparently very fitting.
In addition, the imitation knife I asked Welf to make in secret was very convincing. Lady Riveria noted how different it looked upon closer inspection, though it looked very much like the real deal upon first glance. Only one who saw the real thing up-close before would realise the difference.
It was very worth it to spend the entire morning learning minotaur attack patterns. With their naturally slow movement for their strength, I could manage to get through the fight with lone minotaurs. I did have to stay away from minotaurs that patrolled together, though. I wasn't that reckless as to face more than one at once.
For the remainder of our trip back, and throughout the day, the elves stared at me with conflicted eyes, sometimes glaring with clear intent to cause harm, and others with confusion, before stopping altogether and trying to forget.
Lefiya confessed under pressure (Honestly, it didn't take much. It seems that she caved in more for the high elven appearance than anything else), they weren't certain what to do. As I have become a high elf, confirmed by Loki, they didn't know how to treat me. They couldn't treat me like a human, as I've become elven royalty. Yet, they also couldn't treat me as elven royalty as I have been human until today morning.
No matter the chaos, I plan to do as I said. I'll remain a high elf until my third magic slot is filled. I had to force that bastard third slot open with my magic! It made me go unconscious for an hour, costing me precious time! It also consumed the magic stones I gathered with the wolves' help yesterday, especially prepared for the occasion. I originally planned to revert back to a human, or whatever I had become with a tail. The deciding factor for me to remain a high elf stemmed from getting magic simply for becoming one. If anything, I might ask Loki for a grimoire, fully ready to be indebted to her. Staying in the familia has been a choice I made pretty early.
I told Shira and she said it's fine, as long as I grow back my tail. She was hyper-focused on me getting back my tail. Well, luckily for her, I kept the tail and the fur on my arms and legs, along with the most important refined mind core. She was pleasantly surprised to find me wrapping mine around hers when she thought I didn't have it. With me wiggling my eyebrows smugly at her, I burst laughing when she started cutely pouting at me with her arms folded.
Oh, I almost forgot to add this in, but a nervous little elf approached me. He asked if I was gonna act like I did before or if I'd live with dignity befitting high elves. I don't know why, but I wanted to meet this one's expectations. Maybe it was because this elf looked particularly young, or maybe it was because there was a budding respect in his gaze.
I assured him that, as long as I remain a high elf, I'll carry myself with that dignity. That did include the fact I would have to hide my tail in public.
Lastly, I discovered the timer on minotaur rage. The timer is about 16-17 minutes. One almost became an enhanced species, almost being a key word here. Futura and Prata helped me take that one down. I kept pushing them to the time limit of 15 minutes each time after the first.
(Line Break)
Name: Henryk Williams
Familia: Loki Familia
Level: 1
STR: SSS1591 → SSS1999
STA: SSS1684 → SSS1999
DEF: SSS1707 → SSS1999
AGI: SSS1475 → SSS1999
MAG: SSS1821 → SSS1999
(AN: See author's thought below for an explanation of this)
Magic:
Incrementum Imperium
Ira Dryadis (Wrath/Rage of the Dryad):
Magic that represents the retaliation of nature's highest spirits.
Jade-colored flames burst forth, engulfing enemies in spiritual, non-magical fire.
Chant:
O, embers of a sacred forest burned, spread across this earth
Illuminate, o, embers, purify the soil, dirtied by invader blood, and temper the hearts of your children
Unfurl, bloom of light, and deliver your searing judgement upon this foul trespasser
Skills:
Kefalés Tou Tyfóna
Yfirgangr
Álfareglusál (It directly translates as Royal Elf Spirit, but I personally interpret it as Elven Royal Spirit):
Provide a moral boost to elves present.
Enhances the elves' parameters while active.