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A Wizard In The Dungeon City [Danmachi]

Corvac wasn't sure how he got into this situation, but he's now in another world, a familiar one, but still another world. He's lost, alone, and utterly confused with what to do, save what an old man told him while he was adrift; find a familia, and dive into the dungeon. It's risky. It's dangerous. But, it's something to do. Ain't got much else to do in this new life of his, so best make something of it, even if that'd find him just another lost soul to the maw of the Pit. Orario is a melting pot of culture and races from all corners of Genkai. Corvac will find that this melting pot draws all kinds. Many will be friendly to another outsider in this city of outsiders. Others see just another soul drawn to a city of sin, ready for exploitation. He'll need to keep his wits about him, if he wants to survive in this city of the gods. The Dungeon provides to all; wealth, fame, challenge, strength, and fortune. Its a trap, one that draws a sinful kind. The Dungeon is a battle ground, one Corvac might be a bit too willing to dive into; yet, he has no choice. For Orario's claws have sunk its bite into his heart, and now he has a bond that needs to thrive, and he is all that stands in the way of his future's demise. Here is a tale of a young man that sought to make a sense of life. Gifts were given and potential was allotted. He'll find love, responsibility, and must strive to uphold his virtues while indulging in his sins within this world he feels is always adrift. \---/ Authors Foreword: This novel is an SI-OC with Slice-of-Life elements, gory and descriptive action scenes, and a developing Original Character cast. Cannon Characters will be interacted with, but only when it makes sense for the MC to do so. He won't be chilling around with the Loki familias' Executives as a Level One. He'll do that when he's around their level and can interact with them as equals. This means that I'll be incorporating Original Familias and characters for Corvac to interact with. Cannon familias that are lower level will also be interacted with (Take being the only one that comes to mind, but I don't like many of their characters and will insert my own arc of Far Eastern familias). There will be a general plot beat being established of 'life stuff - combat scene - 'fun' slice of life - growth - character interactions - introduction/foreshadowing of elements that may be future enemies or allies - interactions/combat - maybe an interlude - loop. (I write in third person omniscient so I bounce perspectives often and don't make it clear who is gathering the narrator's information. This leads to possible instances of an unreliable narrator who purposely gives incorrect assumption and observations. There is also a lot of dialogue of Corvac talking to himself in the first person. This is him being analytical and thoughtful.) Falna Note: Any and all discussion on Corvac's growth rate, how he obtains certain skills or magics will be ignored brutally. The Falna functions on warped logic of 'souls' 'stories' and 'desires'. Magic also needs to be 'studied', which makes no sense when a person can only have three total spells in the setting and that magic is usually granted by Grimoires or racial benefits (fuckin' knife ears getting all the cool toys). Anyway, Corvac's falna is bullshit and was largely created via a CYOA prompt and my own creativity. I effectively rolled up a Danmachi DND sheet and just added cool spells and skills I thought would be interesting.

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8 Chs

Chapter Four: The Crow's Wizard

'Been a week already, huh.' Corvac thought idly as he walked into the Guild, ready for his appointment with Rose Fanett. She was his current go-to advisor, the dower werewolf as he learned her race was called from various custom and cultural books.

Rose was a twenty eight-year-old werewolf that had a bit of misanthropy - that term wasn't directed at humans but more broadly towards all mortal races - towards adventurers. Perhaps he was using that term incorrectly, as misanthropy was simply 'a dislike of humans', and the more correct term would be 'cynical'. Although that also didn't work as Miss Rose also wasn't truly distrusting of people; just beaten down by the constant deaths, such that her capacity and willingness to extend empathy and sympathy towards those that classify themselves as Adventurers is stymied.

'Ah, she's Jaded.' Yes, that term worked. It described her attitude well, although not perfectly. She didn't have that bone deep apathy yet, she still worried, but it was a twisted and hateful worry.

'Look at me, psychoanalyzing someone I could hesitantly consider a growing friend.' He rolled his eyes. Rose was a bit of a mess mentally, and his one semester of Psychology wasn't going to be unraveling that mess of well warranted, if masochistic worry. Rose, in his opinion at least, just wasn't fit for the job as a Guild Advisor. Too much empathy in that heart of hers locked away in a scarred and wounded soul.

'Oh well. Not really my problem.' Corvac sat down in the lobby, glancing over and watching as the red-head walked over and sat down primly across from him.

She then set down a clip-board and pressed it towards him. He picked it up and his eyes started strolling along the list of names.

"These are the names of the familias that I think you'd do well within. You've stated that you wanted to join an Exploratory familia, so I've discounted ones that focus on Mixing or Smithing." Rose stated as she crossed her legs.

Corvac went over the list, eyes instantly crossing off the Freya Familia. 'Freya is a love Goddess, who is publicly known to be capable of mind control. Fuck that noise.'

Then glanced at the Loki familia. "What are my chances of joining the Loki familia?" Corvac asked.

Rose frowned, "Slim. They're gearing up for an expedition this year, so you'd likely join the support team, but even that is a stretch considering you'd be a level one. They're likely going to recruit next year to make up…losses."

Corvac grunted and moved on. His eyes turned down to the Takemikazuchi familia. 'Fuck if that isn't a mouth full.'

"The Takemiku. Fuckin' hell. Take-mika-zuchi," He spat, drawing an amused giggled from Rose, "familia. Tell me about them."

"A Far Eastern clan, I don't think they'd take a 'foreigner'. They also don't seem to employ what many would consider a mage, employing Shrine Maidens, their own version of the magic focused archetype."

Corvac hummed, not really wanting to join a familia where he'd be even more of an outsider than he already was. At least fantasy land was Western and Orario was powerful enough to not need to deal with nobility or politics outside of Familia stuff.

Corvac continued reading through the list, before pausing. He blinked and re-read the name, "What about Morrigan?" He asked.

His advisor hummed, "Ah, I know her. She migrated south from the far northern Isles surrounding the Dragon Valley's. She's just visiting, and I'm unsure of her familia's strength."

Corvac hummed and leaned back, rapping his fingers on the wood of the chair he was in. "Do you know where she resides?" He asked.

Rose stood up and beckoned him. She then sorted out the Goddess's address, an inn on the northern side of the city, next to the industrial district in fact.

"I'll likely be back." Corvac said, "Who knows with the whims of Gods, right?" He asked with a chuckle.

Corvac hit the streets and navigated through the throngs of people. He soon arrived at a rather shoddy looking inn and ventured in, he drew the attention of the keeper.

"Looking for a Goddess named Morrigan, she here?" He asked.

The man was largely built and gave a gruff affirmation, "Yeah, up the stairs, room three."

Corvac bowed his head and rose up the creaky stairs, soon finding the room. He knocked and heard movement.

The door creaked open and he was met with a dull and apathetic single eyed stare. Eye shadow framed the gray eye as it looked at him blankly.

"What can I do for you, stranger?"

Corvac smoothed his robe with one hand, standing a bit taller. "I was wondering if you were recruiting."

The one visible black eyebrow rose. "What did the guild tell you?" She asked.

Corvac frowned somewhat, but answered, "You were from the Northern Isles bordering Dragon's Valley and you were visiting Orario for an unknown reason. I was hoping that stay would be a bit more permanent?" He asked with his best smile.

He heard a deep sigh, before the eye left the door and he heard movement.

'She walked away, but left the door open? Invitation, or dismissal?'

Corvac used his staff's head to push the door open, greeted with the rather drab interior of the inn's room. Sitting on the bed cross legged was a woman that made him swallow, and knew right away that this was a war goddess, because holy shit were those abs made to grind steel. She wore little else save an ornate black and gold loin cloth that dropped down to her knees. Golden anklets hung from her feet supported on her thighs, with her nails painted black. For her torso she wore a strange bra(?), it was a single vertical strap that was supported by a black collar around her neck and what he assumed to be a back strap. They did little else than support very generous assets and hide the nipple. She had black messy raven hair that dropped down to her waist and twin earrings of black onyx plates set in rings of gold. Her lips were gray and black, same as her eyes. Her skin meanwhile was pale, not even showing a bit of blue veins despite that fact.

Corvac cleared his throat, "Should I have waited for you to get dressed?" He asked.

The goddess snorted, "It's hot here. Used to the northern winters."

Corvac hummed, "Yes, my robes do get a bit steamy at times. I try to come out when it's cooler." He said as he stepped into the door frame. He used the butt of his staff to sling the door back, a soft click as it shut sounding out. He gave a bit of a chastising gaze, "Not strut around like one of those…Amazons."

He heard another snort, "A prude, are you?" She asked.

Corvac rolled his eyes, "I'd rather not walk around with a hard-on all day, thank you very much."

He saw her smile, "Ah, a closet pervert."

"A healthy young man." He retorted.

She chuckled, before sighing, "You came here to become my child, yes?"

Corvac's lip twitched, "Do we have to call it Child? I know you're thousands of times my own age, but this… adoption is rather strange, is it not?"

She giggled, "It pokes at those with bigger egos, always a reminder that despite your power, you're still just a child in our eyes."

Corvac hummed, "Effective, to an extent I guess. Feels a bit patronizing, but I guess that's the point." He leaned up against the wall, tired of standing like a fool, staff crossed on his chest and he used it to rest his chin on its head. "I'll get over it." He grinned, leading the topic back.

The woman sighed and narrowed her eyes at him. She blinked, almost surprised, and then became fascinated.

Corvac's hands moved to cover himself, feeling a bit violated at how intensely she was staring at him suddenly.

She suddenly blinked, before grinning at him, "Oh, you have potential. You are certainly something unique, although I doubt that bitch in her tower will notice unless she gets a good look at you." She rose and strode over to him, grinning like a cat who caught the canary.

'What an overused phrase. More like a starving artist that finally found inspiration.' Corvac mused as he pushed off against the wall and stood more firmly.

"I've never seen a soul of your kind before. Constantly changing colors, one could only call it organized chaos, although it does tend to focus on darker colors. Dark violets, cold blues, toxic greens, oh and is that a hint of bloodlust." The Goddess laughed. "My, I wonder what your soul will look like, how bright it'll shine!" She walked over to him and took one of his arms into her hands. She first inspected the robe with curious eyes.

"Hmm, ah, very fine robes. Protection against fire, cold, magic resistance, and increased mind regeneration."

Corvac didn't know that, and mentally filled it away when he wasn't mentally panicking at the suddenly touchy-feely goddess that was living up to her title with her looks.

Morrigan pushed up his sleeve, at first to inspect the ring on his finger, but then caught sight of his tattoos. "Oh?" She inspected the ring first, her smile growing wider. "Anti-Status and Curse! This could sell for at least half a billion valis." Corvac gulped, more at her smile than the wealth on his finger.

Her eyes then turned to his tattoos, black fingernails ghosting along his arm as she inspected the runes and iconography playing out on his skin. "My, this is an amazing work of art and magic. Protection against a single fatal attack." She looked up into him, "Who gave you these tattoos? They are masterfully applied."

Corvac shrugged, "I'm not exactly sure. I'm a bit…ignorant right now on a lot of things, including my past."

The goddess furrowed her brow, "Amnesia?"

Corvac frowned, "I guess? Less missing memories and more lost. Very lost."

The goddess' eyes brightened, "Ah! That was the aspect that was missing! Your soul is lost." She stared unseeingly into his eyes, a bright smile on her face as if she was just enlightened to another detail on a masterwork art piece. Corvac drew the impression that Morrigan was a rather strange death god, similar, but utterly different to his preconceptions of Freya.

She then turned to look at the staff on his chest and a gasp left her mouth.

"A living weapon." She whispered, "How do you have all of these items? They'd cost billions!"

Corvac scratched his cheek, "I found them in a cellar."

She blinked uncomprehendingly.

"I woke up in a cellar, no clear memory on how I got there. There was a goblin raid, I didn't really know that at the time, but I was initially going to wait whatever was going on out. Eventually I psyched myself to venture out, then made my way here. Just going with the flow of things right now."

The goddess hummed, "Interesting. Would you happen to have any other mystical items of absurd value?" She asked with a joking tone.

Corvac hummed, "Well I have my backpack and satchel." He held them out. "They hold things."

She deadpanned. "Yes. They hold things."

Corvac pulled out a beer keg. Then another one. Then a mead keg. He grinned smugly, "They hold things."

Shock was on her face, clear as day. "I have my satchel and backpack which do that, then I also have a flask that can only hold one liquid, but a theoretically infinite amount. Not really sure how to check. I just held it in a clear stream for a few hours, and it seemed to always keep filling."

He then tapped his ears, "I'm not really sure what these do." He said, referencing his earrings.

The goddess drew out of her shock and inspected the earrings. Corvac watched as her cheeks and ears reddened. "Oh my." She whispered, before she froze looking at the item. "Oh…fuck." She whispered even softer, if somehow harsher.

"That sounds bad." Corvac said. "Are they cursed?" He asked casually.

She shook her head violently, her own earrings whipping around along her black locks. "No! Erm, I mean no. Uh. They're earrings that'll adhere to your ears. They…grant a variety of sexual enhancing enchantments." She mumbled.

Corvac coughed. "Ah. Well then. That doesn't sound so bad. Guess my first time'll be fun?" He chuckled.

She nodded distantly, staring at the earrings. "Uh, they also provide…fertility. Lots of fertility magic."

Corvac frowned, "Fraid I don't quite want kids right now." He mumbled. "Maybe in a few years though? A daughter'd be nice." He fantasizes.

Morrigan blushed, "You can choose."

He blinked, "Gender?"

She nodded.

"Huh. Cool. Uh, this doesn't seem like a big deal. What's with the reaction?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and a wave of a hand.

Morrigan twirled a bit of hair with a finger and looked to the side. One gray eye turned to stare at him, "They can have a divine…reproduce."

Corvac frowned, "Okay?"

She sighed, "Gods can't reproduce."

"Ah. Well then. Hush hush and I'll loan 'em to ya' when you want a kid?" He asked with a skeevy smile.

Morrigan blinked, "Y-you'd just…" Unable to process that…generosity.

Corvac shrugged. "Hey, I'm a cool guy. I mean, if I lost 'em, I lost 'em. I'm pretty loaded down stairs, and I'm motivated to learn how to use it. I mean, what if I take them off and suddenly I'm all dick no lick? Shit'd be embarrassing."

Morrigan had an unreadable expression on her face for a moment, before she processed what he just said and started to laugh. Corvac cracked a grin and started to chuckle as well.

Once the laughter had died, although the smiles were still alive, Corvac decided to ask a serious question.

"So, am I in?"

Morrigan shook her head ruefully, "I'd be dumb not to."

Corvac smiled. "Wicked." He leaned his staff against the wall and started to derobe, having read about this in the books. He divested everything, saved his pants, kicked off his boots, before walking over to the bed.

He laid down, and unable to resist, took an inhale of Morrigan's scent.

'Blackberry bushes…like home.' He thought, reminded of the many Oregan blackberry bushes he'd play around as a child.

He felt weight on his thighs and forced his muscles to relax, yet failed to not flinch slightly when he felt slightly cold hands run along his back.

"How's it look back there? I'm afraid I've not been able to inspect my back. The tattoos are rather…new."

Morrigan traced along the ink with black nails, "Many runes and circles. They look nice."

Corvac hummed in response, the two going silent as Morrigan revealed a silver needle, an item most all gods carry with them. She pricked her finger before a splash of blood dropped down. Corvac gasped as he felt the hot liquid on his back start to burn a bit.

Morrigan watched as the man's tattoos conformed and twisted to make room for the Falna. At the center of his back, a crow peered up at her atop a crooked tree. Clutched in its claws was a long paper, worn and frayed by age, and written on that paper in small writing; his Falna.

"Do you have any paper?" She asked.

Corvac grunted, "My satchel. Reach in and think of a book. There are two. One is my art book, the other is blank. Rip out one from the blank one."

Morrigan hummed in an accent and removed herself from his back. She strode over and reached in, pulling out two books that made her eyes widen.

"Grimoires?" She asked.

"Yeah. Forgot about those."

She opened them and found them blank, save for one that she flipped through and found marvelous sketches and inked drawings of landscape and detailed human and animal anatomy.

She put the sketch book back into the bag and ripped out a page before returning to Corvac's side.

"I never did get your name." She said as she pressed the page down against his back.

A glow resounded from the Falna clutched in crow's claw, and she removed the page, inspected the far larger text of the transferred blessing.

———————————

Corvac Forwitch

Level 1

STR: 001

END: 001

AGI: 001

DEX: 001

MAG: 001

Developmental Abilities:

-

Magic:

Chaos Bolt: A bolt of chaotic energy, one that takes on a random offensive effect.

"Chaos Bolt!"

(V,S,M) An eight pointed star of blackened iron. Not consumed upon cast. Must be worn or presented in some way.

Wyldfire: Call forth the green flames of Wyldfire, a toxic flame that corrodes metal, poisons wounds, and consumes everything in its path to spread as much destruction as possible. Wyldfire often has bizarre effects, at times freezing wounds, or burning the very lifeforce of those it licks with its flames.

"Wyldfire!"

(V,S,M) A pinch of powdered emerald dust and black powder. Consumed upon cast. Must be on person.

Skills:

Chaos Wizard: Magics ignore magical resistance and nullification effects. Certain magics require material components to cast. Caster can move while casting.

Arcane Mind: Mind is a measurement of 'mental fatigue' in a magic user. MAG is the amplifier of power applied to Mind spent in a spell. Feel only half as much mental fatigue when casting magic compared to other mages. Unlimited Spell Slots. Learn Magic by using magic.

Black Magics: When slaying a foe with magic or a magical item, the more painful and drawn out their suffering leads to increased Excelia gain. Every slain enemy causes the slayer to recover wounds and fatigue, both magical and physical with the more gruesome deaths leading to greater recovery. If well-rested and uninjured, one gains extra Excelia.

Hermit's Solitude: Greatly increases one's excelia gain when fighting alone. Scales according to Level difference and can increase further if outnumbered.

———————————

"Name's Corvac. Corvac Forwitch." He said, jerking the goddess back to awareness as she zoned out at his Status.

She still didn't move from his back, utterly enthralled by his skills and magic. Moreso his skills, rather than his magic.

Before she even knew what she was doing, she'd ran her fingers along his back and watched as the crow sitting atop the crooked looking tree bent down and took the paper in its claws into its beak. It then flapped its wings and flew off the tree's branch, disappearing into the 'distance', before vanishing all together.

Morrigan had just locked Corvac's Falna, preventing anyone without a Status Thief to peer into his Status.

She unsaddled her newest child, the young man sitting up and reaching out in askance for his Status. Morrigan almost reluctantly passed the sheet over to him, the man inspecting the status with steady nods, but little surprise or shock.

"Black Magics, huh. What does that say about me?" Corvac muttered. "And Hermit's Solitude? Shit, I'm a solo-mage, that's like, bad." He sighed, mind racing for a solution to this problem.

Mages in Orario were very much considered 'glass-cannons', and with his Skill, Chaos Wizard and general load-out, Corvac was subconsciously putting himself into that archetype. Yet, as he read his Skills a bit more, Corvac mused that he might be capable of grinding out decent warrior level Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance before leveling up.

'Staff's tough. I guess I'll go full barbarian and start swinging it around. Hell, maybe I'd even get something cool like Battle Wizard or Warrior Mage if I keep it up.' Corvac thought idly.

Corvac glanced up to the suddenly pensive and silent Goddess, her eyes lost in thought as she stared down at the paper in his hands.

"Pen- Valis for your thoughts?" Corvac asked.

It broke her out of her fugue, the goddess looked up at him. "Corvac." She tasted the name on her tongue. "Do you…have any idea how utterly insane that status of yours is?"

He frowned, "Uh…no?" He hadn't really studied up on what skills and abilities his fellow adventurers obtained, figuring that it was random or all unique. He remembered something about the author of the light novels comparing adventurers to gacha rarities. With levels of talent corresponding with rarity cards or something similar at least. With that in mind, he sort of figured that it was all up to the cards.

'Did I win the lotto?' Corvac wondered as he glanced back down to his skills and magic.

He felt that it was pretty good, all said. Chaos Wizard's material component cost seemed to be made up with the ability to move while performing his verbal components, and the busted anti-magic nullification.

Arcane Mind was a good skill as well. He wasn't really sure how many spell slots a person had, although he did remember that there was one elf that had nine. Having more than that must be rare. The reduction to his Mind and the little definition of what Mind and the Magic stat was useful. Then there was that hidden little bit of 'learning magic by using magic'. He wasn't really sure what that meant, but it had to be good, right?

The real 'go-getter' in his opinion would be Black Magics, which would heal and recover stamina for him so long as he killed stuff brutally. Corvac was never the type to flinch away at blood or gore, although he did have a bit of Cardiophobia, but that was unrelated. He hoped he could exploit the skill to gain larger amounts of Endurance related Excelia, as in his mind that was going to be the hard one to level up.

Endurance just seemed risky to level up if it leveled up like it was Heavy Armor in Skyrim. Taking damage to level up that stat seemed dangerous, and he hoped that it'd gain points if he used Black Magics to grind in the dungeon for exceptionally long periods of time. Less enduring wounds, and more enduring in terms of stamina or something along those lines.

He was really just grasping as best he could. He'd need to formulate effective grinding methods for all his stats if he wanted to see optimal growth.

His last skill was the problem child.

Mages were, as far as he could tell, meant to function inside a party. Protected while they chant and then let loose what were effectively a party's trump card.

'Well, I don't really subscribe to that medium, now do I? I have quick chant skills, and Black Magic will allow me to heal. If I get good at bashing skulls in with my staff I'll be a warrior self-healing mage. My growth rate should allow me to grind up the necessary stats to achieve those two roles.' Corvac thought, liking the idea of being a badass wizard who's more likely to cave a skull in with his staff than waste magic on a worthless enemy. The dungeon was less a sprint and more a marathon, and even with his stamina restorative skill it'd be wise to conserve as much stamina as possible. 'Not to mention I'll gain more EXP the more well-rested I am.'

Corvac was drawn out of his thoughts by a snap flashing in his vision. He blinked and turned to face an amused goddess. She shook her head, "Well, child of mine, do you have any plans?" She asked.

Corvac blinked, "Um, what do you mean?"

Morrigan sighed, "You are my only child, Corvac." She said softly. "I have no true familia."

Corvac just nodded at that and drew into his thoughts again, 'No familia, which means no real support, but also no competition or unsightly egos or attitudes I need to deal with. Also, by means of seniority and my seemingly above average Falna, I'm Familia Captain. Which means I get some say on who joins. That also means I'm back to square one in needing to find a place for us. Due to Hermit's Solitude, I'm not really in the market for getting any for party members. I don't need a supporter with my satchel either. This is honestly an ideal start, if ignoring that I'll need to spend most of my wealth on a house for me and Morrigan. But, that's what the dungeon is for. A level one squad earns an average of 25,000 a dive, and I plan on really grinding it out in the dungeon so I'll likely earn that amount if I work hard enough daily.'

A cough drew him out of his thoughts, "Sorry. I was just thinking of logistics." Corvac stated as he stood up and started getting dressed and ready for more bureaucracy.

"Logistics?" His goddess asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

"We'll need a home. I have around six-hundred thousand in the back, give or take a bit more. I've checked the markets and a good house near walkable eateries and Babel usually costs around eight-hundred thousand in today's market. With the Dark Period having ended Orario is getting a bit of a population boom from trade, immigration, and a baby boom; so the housing market is roaring. I'll be capable of spending my full wealth on a house instead of needing to fork over fifty thousand what with us being a registered familia inside of Orario and thus granting myself citizenship." Corvac ranted as he slung on his satchel over his robes. He patted himself down with one hand as he grabbed his staff. He felt a brief thrill of panic as he couldn't find his phone or earbuds in his pockets, before he realized he didn't have those anymore.

"I want a badass house though, so the real price will likely be in the nine-hundred thousand range, but I'll see if I can't negotiate a payment plan. With my status and your reaction to it I'm likely a bit above the average adventurer party who makes the average twenty to thirty thousand vails a dungeon run. I hope to at least earn twenty thousand a run, and I'll run it daily as a ten to twelve hour job if I can push myself. That's a-hundred and forty thousand a week, and seven million, two-hundred and eighty thousand a year. I can't yet factor in drop item loot luck, and my own personal growth in delving more profitable floors. That and I'll likely try challenging myself by trying to find these 'monster pantries'; they seem like good mob farms." Corvac stated as he flared his robe's lining and triple checked he had everything on him.

He turned to see a radiant looking goddess, a massive smile on her face as she practically glowed with enthusiasm.

"Erm, you okay there?" Corvac asked, almost concerned at this cheerful attitude that looked strange on the gloomy looking woman.

Morrigan seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly pushed down the bright smile, but couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes.

She waved her hands, "No, no, I'm fine. Just…I feel like I just hopped out of a well."

Corvac's brows furrowed. "Toad in the well? What's that got to do with what I just said?"

Morrigan's smile died down and her eyes darkened. "Just seeing the other side of mortals, one who isn't an ignoramus coward whoreson." She spat.

Corvac leaned back a bit, surprised by the sudden venom in her voice. He quickly connected the dots and sighed, "Ah, betrayal? Can't say I'm experienced, but I hear it's like frostbite on the heart and poisons the mind." He stroked his chin, "Once bitten, twice shy?" He ventured.

Morrigan looked at him with strange eyes, and shook her head, "You have strange wisdom about you, but yes." She rubbed her arm, almost shyly. "My former familia in the north was a ragtag group of survivors and people struggling to face the northern pits. Minor dungeons, similar to Orario's and just as vast. They are not sealed like Orario's Dungeon, spawning great amounts of wyverns, drakes, and foul creatures living in the darkest caverns; giving the peaks their name."

"Dragon's Valley." Corvac muttered, garnering a nod from Morrigan.

"Furthermore, the political climate within the valleys and their surrounding islands is…hostile. Very hostile. Odin's einherjar and valkyries rule the central peaks with an iron fist, dictating and enforcing brutal laws and managing the many entrances of the pit hidden throughout the mountainous peaks. He wars with Ra and Hel often, and they in turn crush and recruit smaller familias in the area. Their tribes of mages and warriors constantly fight, and the snowy peaks bleed red all for it. My islands drew their attention as we grew in power, and Odin gave the ultimatum; join or die." She sighed, biting her lips as she struggled with something.

"Perhaps I give my former…children too much grief, but it burns. It always burns to know that they abandoned me, even if it was to save their lives."

Corvac rubbed his chin as he took that in. "Would you expect me to die for you?" He asked in an utterly monotone tone. Morrigan's eyes snapped up to see neutral dark blue eyes.

She frowned, before shaking her head no. "The situation was different." She stated. "We were a family. We'd strived and survived in the harshest of environments, we warred and feasted, we lived together, we died for one another. There was a bond that tied our…my people together. A bond they sold." She took a deep shaky breath to reel back the emotion that was leaking into her voice. Vulnerable and weak emotions.

Corvac hummed, closing his eyes and nodding. "I'd hope to one day forge a similar bond with you, Morrigan." His eyes opened and cold determination showed themselves to the goddess. "For if one day that bond does truly form…"

The goddess watched as the roiling and turbulent soul of her child shivered, a black hate infected the riotous blood-reds of his bloodlust; a firm earthen brown encrusting the toxic greens of cunning wit and violet madness, showing the notable aspects of loyalty embedding itself in his soul. "I think I'd be willing." His blue eyes glittered with a bit of amusement, "It'd be a good death. Better than most." He sighed, "But, the true faces of men only show themselves when the dice are cast. Don't get your hopes too high." He grinned.

Morrigan closed her eyes, shutting herself from his soul as she took a shaky breath. She opened them and met the sight of a patient smile of a young man, "Come now, we have paperwork to do." He chuckled, enjoying the slight slouch of posture the woman took when he mentioned it.

Morrigan nodded and underneath her bed she drew out a cloak, dark and black and one obviously made for cooler weather. It had raven feathers decorating it. She shucked it on and glanced out of the window, grimacing as it was mid-day. "We should hurry, I don't want to be stuck in the heat for long."

Corvac chuckled, "Skin burn?" He asked.

She grimaced, "Easily."

He nodded, "I'm a bit similar, although that's just because I'd rarely come outside." He sighed, "Was a bit of a writer, but now look at me." He chuckled. "Ready to start crushing skulls and blasting things to giblets for a living."

Morrigan snorted as they made their way to the guild, passing people as they made small talk.

Corvac made half-truths of what he wrote, stating he liked writing about Magic and Technology, his allusion for Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels.

Morrigan meanwhile noted he also was a good artist, to which Corvac replied that it was a new talent he'd discovered.

Corvac asked if she had any hobbies, to which she spoke animatedly about weaving and embroidery, noting that his own robe was a masterwork.

Their conversations came to a halt as they arrived at the guild, and with a deep breath, he entered; ready to register for another life.