CHAPTER 129(A Familia Divided)

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)

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CHAPTER START---

On a gloomy winter morning in Twilight Manor, as the Loki Familia adventurers leave the cafeteria to go about their business Finn, Gareth and Loki stand on a balcony at the highest floor of the castle looking out over the courtyard.

Far below they see their second and third-class adventurers training, light sparring with each other, or practicing combat forms in their groups.

Most of the mages have been in the dungeon for two days already, escorted by the amazon twins and Bete to the middle floors to practice. Orario simply didn't have enough space for their artillery Elf squad to practice, Riveria trained them well and the destruction was proof of that.

"All the tabs are settled as of yesterday evening, we aren't in debt to Hephaestus or Dia Cecht anymore," Gareth says as they all continue observing the adventurers training below.

"Finally, that means I can start throwing parties again," Loki cheers, hopping up to sit on the railing, excitedly waving her arms about.

"Let's get our familia back in order before we start celebrating," Finn says. Immediately Loki frowns and turns her attention to him," we're currently down two first-class adventurers and the dungeon is so dangerous that we need to re-learn from step 1."

"Aye," Gareth agrees. "And our floor limit is definitely not 50 anymore. We barely made it there with enough resources to finish our quests...most of our quests," he recalls that they failed to collect Cadmus Spring Water.

"Exactly what I was getting at, we need to cut down expenses. The support familias aren't reducing prices to compensate so for now let's reduce the number of first-class weapons we keep on hand and focus on second-class weapons. They won't be as good but we aren't going past floor 39 unless our entire main team is back on track...with the exception of Ais," Finn says.

"How long are you gonna keep my princess benched Finn?" Loki whines, frowning deeply and failing to get any sympathy from either man.

"As long as I feel necessary, I don't know how long that is but at least until EVERYONE in the main team can work alongside her without just letting her die. If you insist on keeping her in the familia we need at least that much before I can put her back in the field," Finn explains. Gareth nods toward his friend, completely in agreement with him.

"Between Bete and Mama I dunno if they're ever gonna really forgive her... I hate seeing my babies like this," Loki whines.

"Did she let you in this morning?" Gareth asks Loki.

"Nope, had to leave it at the foot of her door again, I dunno what to do with her. She's always been so...perfect, everyone leans on her for support but, how do we support her?"

"I'd say ask the elves but...they've been acting strangely," Finn points out. "All but one at least," he directs their attention to one of the lower balconies.

On it, they see Ais and Lefiya. The blonde was currently shadowing the adventurers in the training field, swinging an imaginary sword as she wasn't allowed any weapons.

Lefiya was excitedly bouncing in place and being Ais's number one cheerleader as always.

"Jeez they've been attached at the hip since she's been grounded," Loki points out.

"It's gonna be a problem. And I'm not sure how to deal with it," Finn admits.

"Whaddya mean?"

"If Lefiya finds out the truth about Riveria, this whole thing could explode."

"Hmm, yeah. The only person Lefiya looks up to more than Ais is Riveria, if she finds out then everyone is gonna call for Ais's expulsion. I'd lose my favorite mortal..."

"Or you could lose your entire familia," Gareth points out.

With a deep sigh Finn can't help but look at Ais and frown, "this is quite a mess we find ourselves in, I don't foresee another expedition until next year so we have at least four months to get our affairs in order and redouble our efforts in training ourselves and the younger members."

"I'm gonna go see what they're up to, I trust you two to figure this out," Loki says as she can't hold back anymore. Seeing Ais training made her want to go get handsy with the girl. She hops down from the railing and walks inside, excitedly making her way to her favorite mortal, leaving only Finn and Gareth on the balcony.

"What are you thinking Finn?"

"Hmm," raising a finger to his chin and folding his arms Finn cast a scrutinizing gaze at the second-class adventurers in the courtyard. "I think we've been too compartmentalized on expeditions, for the sake of pushing floors we can't expect to find our level-up feats as easily as expeditions should allow. If we bring in the second-class adventurers...Raul's division, we could do much better against these new monsters. They have good archers, some mages and healers as well as a solid shield line. We could use them as close support..."

"Trading Exelia for safety on the deeper floors huh, I like it. I don't know if Bete will agree though."

"He's been beating himself up a lot since he got taken down first by Rajang, but he did save Tiona..."

"Yeah," Gareth gives a hearty laugh before he continues, "damn wolf pup blew his cover, now she knows he's really just a big softie that doesn't like to see people getting killed, girl is relentless with her teasing."

"At least we have that little thing bringing people together, it feels like everything else wants to pull our familia apart, did you find out anything about our executives?"

"None of them wrote or visited other familias, looks like everyone's staying at least."

"Good, that would be the worst-case scenario right now, let's tr---" Finn's words are interrupted by a newcomer to the conversation.

"Captain!" one of the guards calls out as he opens the door to Finn's office, "Yang Shen is at the gate, he wishes to see Lady Riveria," the man says.

"Bring him straight here," Finn commands, the man immediately runs off before the Pallum turns to Gareth," any idea what this is about?"

"Maybe he has a way to heal her, his team calls him 'Miracle Boy' right, this could be it."

"We've already gotten a few from him, one more would be nice..."

Minutes later Finn is sitting at his desk with Gareth standing by his side. Yang Shen stands before them with a bored and slightly sleepy expression.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Shen?" Finn asks.

"I just need to borrow Riveria's staff for like a day, just for Welf to study it a bit," he casually says, earning worried looks from both men before Finn responds.

"I don't think I've ever seen Riveria part from her staff, sorry but I don't think she---"

"I'm very convincing, and maybe you forgot but you guys kinda owe me," Yang reminds him.

"Hmm, alright," Finn takes a deep breath, "the truth is Riveria is going through a difficult time after the last expedition, she isn't willing to speak to anyone right now so it's more like I can't help you."

"Hmm, can you at least let me talk to her?" Yang asks, earning another cautions look from both men.

"It might help," Gareth says to Finn.

"Yeah, it just might be a miracle... alright we'll let you speak to her," Finn agrees.

A few moments later the three men find themselves in front of a private room on the top floor of the castle.

Looking at the tray on the floor Yang sees a plate of eggs and pancakes with a small bowl of fruit and a glass of juice, all under a clear plastic cover.

"Ok what the fuck is going on, is she ok?" Yang immediately asks Finn, clear concern in his voice as he looks at the Pallum.

"She...hasn't been out of her room in two weeks, Loki hasn't even been allowed inside but brings her three meals a day, we aren't sure what to do," the man admits.

"Right... the Elf problem," Yang mutters grimly.

"Elf problem?" Gareth asks, both he and Finn look at Yang in surprise.

Rolling his eyes at them Yang shakes his head," my gods you people are...just, let me deal with it," he reaches for the handle only to find the door is locked.

Taking a breath and knocking, he calls out to the woman, "hey dungeon mom, I'm coming in," he announces.

"Wh---" Finn's question is cut off as Yang casually breaks the lock and steps inside. Overcome by sheer surprise Finn isn't sure what to do until Yang stops and turns back to him and Gareth.

"Give us some space," he says before shutting the door on them.

Closing the door and turning into the room, Yang is greeted by a dark room. Curtains pulled to block the morning sun from shining inside, light green walls with bookshelves on both sides, a desk with stacks of papers messily strewn about with the chair still pulled out.

Beside the desk, he sees Riveria's adventuring robes and her staff as well as a few potions and scrolls.

Looking over to the bed he sees a mound of cloth rollover, still wrapped in the light green and white bedcovers the Elf's hoarse voice reaches out," why are you here?" she asks.

"Your familia sucks at suicide watch, you know that right," Yang says as he walks over and picks up her staff, taking the chair from her desk and setting it beside her bed. "I actually came for this..." he waves the staff around, admiring the nine Spell Stones in the intricately detailed head of the white enchanted wood staff.

Riveria doesn't even uncover her head to look at him, choosing to ignore him. Seeing this Yang decides to push a bit further to get a rise out of her.

"If I like how it feels, honestly, might as well just keep your staff fo---"

A hand reaches out from the covers and grabs the wooden staff as he waves it around, rising up slightly the woman's head peeks out to direct a chilling glare at Yang's smiling face.

"Hi," he says, the cocky smile not leaving his face as he finally got a reaction out of her.

Realizing she's been played Riveria releases the staff and sits against the wall on her bed. Still wrapped up in her covers, "please leave."

"What's got you like this. Is this because of that 'elves are perfect' crap?"

"It's not 'crap'," she mutters out, eyes looking down at the bed as a sad frown forms on her face.

Hearing her voice, Yang immediately makes a sphere of water and floats it over to her, "drink," his voice was stern. This was a command, not a request, and surprising ever herself the woman complied, feeling the water soothing her dry throat.

"Thank you," even now a princess couldn't forget her manners.

"So what happened, is this about the scars?" Yang asks, deciding to get to the point, not the most tactful approach but he was never much of a sweet talker.

"Can you fix me?" Riveria blurts out, finally raising her head to look at him.

Reaching out Yang gently holds her chin, moving her head slightly to get a better look at her, she jerks her head away but he easily controls her movements. His eyes narrow at her pale complexion, more pale than usual. Her cheeks were much thinner too, he didn't like this.

"Why haven't you been eating?"

Immediately she bats his hand away and turns away from him, "I've been eating fine," a pathetic lie.

"No, you haven't."

"I'm fine."

"No, you aren't"

"Why do you even care?!" She finally snaps at him.

"Because...because I, I don't know. I just figured I could. I'm not the kind of guy to make it my business to help people but you're right here and you helped me once remember."

"You saved my life before, you don't owe me anything."

"That's not why I'm doing this, now stop avoiding the question. What's going on with you, why aren't you eating?"

"Because... I don't deserve it," she says weakly.

"Says who?" He didn't even try to hide the anger in his words.

"Me," his anger immediately becomes confusion.

"What?"

"They will think I'm a...abomination, I can't be their princess anymore."

"I really hoped you would have been over this, you're powerful, dependable, smart, and beautiful... what the hell is the problem with you?"

"You can't understand, you aren't an Elf."

"Then enlighten me wise one," he shakes his head at what he assumes is about to be a nonsense explanation.

"Elves are the most recent race, created closest in image to the gods themselves, gifted in magic and longevity. We pride ourselves on that. Most elves still look down on other races and don't even let them touch them. That's what we learn growing up in the forests. I was different and ran off to Orario with Loki, other elves left after my example, they came from far and wide to join this very familia only because I was here...and now... now that's all over," she raises her left hand for him to see the still very present scars.

"So...you care so much about the opinion of a bunch of...pretty much racist...purist? Whatever, those kinds of people that you'd starve yourself so they wouldn't have to see you like this? Jeez, you're a handful," he rolls his eyes at her.

"You're supposed to be taking this seriously," she bares her fangs at him, not at all pleased with him making a joke of her situation.

"I honestly can't. You're all idiots, Falna literally makes you closer to godhood when you level up and your race is gonna turn its back on one of the only level 6 elves in the entire world, the most powerful mage and their princess no less, just because you have a scar. They're idiots, and your also an idiot because you let people who are so far below you that you can't even see them get into your head," he shakes his head at this ridiculous situation.

"You think this is a joke?" she angrily shouts at him, only getting a soft smile in response.

"Honestly, yeah. You're better than them in every way, and even with your scars you're still one of the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on, and trust me cuz I've seen ALL of your body," her eyes widen as a strong blush spreads across her face at the memory, Yang gets closer and holds her chin, making sure their eyes meet before he speaks. "The only thing I know for sure about you and your people is this, they don't deserve you as their future queen."

Hearing those words, Riveria is surprised for a moment before she feels her lips form into a small smile, her eyes become watery. Not out of sadness like the last week, but with joy. All she needed was people to stop codling her it seemed, she needed tough love and of all people someone from outside her familia delivered it. She felt a sudden surge of confidence and gratitude within her. Before she could realize what she was doing the woman leaned forward, rising up toward Yang's face.

Closing her eyes she aimed to crash her lips into his, overcome with all the colliding emotions of this conversation.

As she rises fully two strong hands grasp her shoulders, stopping her just a few inches from Yang.

While pushing her back gently and avoiding her lips Yang speaks, "Not that I don't want this to happen, because you're definitely one of the most stunning beauties this world has to offer, but aside from the obvious problem of me having a girlfriend, it'd be wrong to take advantage of you like this, sorry," he says with an awkward smile.

"Uh..." Riveria stares down at her lap completely lost. Her face bright red from embarrassment, she went in for her first kiss and was refused. But for good reasons. But that doesn't make it any less embarrassing. What was she feeling? What was happening? "I'm sorry," she bows, a royal Elf bows to a human.

"It's ok, can't say I wasn't tempted after all. So I assume you're feeling better now?" Yang asks, awkwardly rubbing his neck as he looks away, still playing with the staff in his other hand.

"I understand what you were saying, if my accolades aren't enough then nothing will be, right?"

"Exactly, glad you get it. The only thing that matters in this world, especially for people who enter the dungeon, is results. And of all the elves you get the best result, now eat and recover properly this time, I'll bring this back tomorrow princess," he says while getting up and placing the chair back at the desk, leaving the woman still wrapped in her blanket.

"Return what?" She asks, completely confused.

"This," he twirls the staff between his fingers before a white light envelopes it and stores it away.

"You...uh, please don't break it," was all her mind could come up with. Her precious staff was leaving her side for the very first time and she couldn't even formulate an argument. For some reason, she didn't feel the need to protect it from him.

"It's only for Welf to study it, nobody is even gonna use it, now get better soon princess," he says while walking out of the room.

Seeing him leaving and hearing his footsteps walking down the hallway, Riveria grabs one of her pillows and screams into it. Her muffled voice just barely makes it to her door but thankfully not to Yang.

Releasing all the embarrassment, sadness, and confusion in a fit of screams. Riveria flops down on her bed and stares up at the ceiling taking deep breaths.

"This was not the plan, you're a royal Elf Riveria," she speaks to herself, "battle scars are one thing...but feeling like this...for a human," shaking her head slightly to stop that mindset from surfacing once more. She takes a deep breath and gives herself a new goal. "Results, if my results are good enough, it won't matter who I'm attracted to, they won't have any choice but to accept me as queen," a determined look forms on her face as she finally has a new objective to walk toward.

As the excitement intoxicated her mind, she's suddenly sobered by a thought that she blurts out in three simple words, "oh no...Freya," she remembered she isn't the only one attracted to him, and someone was already at the finish line of this race that she isn't even sure she can start.

Little did anyone know that while Riveria and Yang were speaking, the goddess in question was sitting on the couch in Yang's living room with a bowl of fruit. The goddess sits completely still staring out at two souls as they converse. Her beloved shattered planet of a soul glows and shakes as if it tries to inspire a forest green soul with small dark cracks at the edges.

Looking at both souls Freya can see Yang's message finally getting through as the cracks in Riveria's soul begin to mend, they'd need time but eventually, they will disappear. She literally saw the moment he renewed the Elf's confidence in herself.

The goddess narrows her eyes dangerously as she sees what happens next however, the green soul reaches out with more than simply platonic affection, only to be gently let down. She sees the care Yang has for the woman, but it doesn't worry her, at least not at this stage.

A smile forms on her face, she knew he was loyal but seeing proof is always so heartwarming. But when she looked at the green soul closely, the affection never leaves.

The spark is there. Potentially the earliest steps toward the fire that is love. Freya immediately considered her options. Riveria is vice-captain of Loki familia. A difficult target but nothing Allen couldn't deal with himself.

Her murderous and hateful thought stopped in the next moment however, she saw the doubt in the soul. The very same doubt she felt for an eternity before Yang, the feeling that consumed her. The feeling that she could never be with the one she wants.

Her anger becomes empathy, in barely a moment an idea forms in her mind as she holds her midsection with a gentle touch...this was an opportunity.

END CHAPTER---

No, he isn't gonna heal her, I'm not removing the consequences of the plot just because she's hot.

#DungeonMilf #RiveriaBestGirl