Aiz still hasn't returned from her expedition.
I'm starting to get worried, but I have full faith in her. If anyone will make it back, it's Aiz.
We are all in the common room of the Hearth mansion, enjoying our morning tea. Lili has been working diligently on a plan for our next descent, and I do admit I'm ready to return to the dungeon.
"How far down should we go?" Lili asks, and Welf raises a hand to his chin.
"Bell? What do you think?" He turns towards me, and I hide my face with the teacup. I want to give an honest answer, but fear and excitement take over. I want to return; I want to get stronger! But are we ready to start exploring the lower levels? Can we survive the deep floors?
"I... uh..." I'm struggling for words, wanting to blurt out a level like I've given thought to this very question. But with the recent events with Aiz, Freya, and the deep levels, I'm scared to throw out a random number. The possibilities of the dungeon are ever changing, and after getting a taste of the pure horror and despair that awaits, I think I want to play it safe.
"How about we try to descend to 25?" I know very well that everyone defeated the floor boss on level 27, but are we ready to relive that memory yet? Yes, I would be there this time and we could share in the pain and happiness together. But how would everyone react, seeing it again after all this time?
Lili writes something down and then turns to me, a smile on her face. "I think that sounds like a good plan. Let's go to 25, and then see how we feel." She writes down a couple more notes, probably on my hesitancy, and then closes her book.
"Let's go tomorrow!"
Tomorrow? Do they know I've been worried? Maybe this is their way of trying to take my mind off Aiz.
Hestia clasped her hands together as her smile beamed, "I believe in you!"
Behind her excitement I could see she felt the same way I did. As much as she wants to encourage us to keep going, she doesn't want to repeat the past.
Neither do I.
火
After breezing through the upper and middle floors, we decided to rest in the safe zone for a day before continuing.
Before nightfall we all had dinner together, but nothing compares to Mia's tavern.
Even if we are in the safe zone, I'm still on edge.
We walk back to the inn and say our parting words, but instead of returning to my room, I want to wander. I've been here before, and there is something I want to do this time.
The crystals above shimmer even in the darkness, illuminating a path through the forest. I can't remember exactly where the clearing is, so I let my feet lead the way.
Before I find what I was truly looking for, I find myself at the large tree that serves as the protector of the safe zone. Before moving on, I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes, letting the wind carry my plea for Aiz's safety.
Trusting that my words will find her, I move on to try to find the clearing. I'm not sure how much time has passed, but after I felt like I was truly lost and decided to turn around, I found it.
The clearing in the dark.
The sandy grave with various rusted weapons sticking out of the ground.
I set the bag I'd been carrying on the ground and dropped to my knees, feeling an overwhelming presence. Even in the dead of night, I can feel their warmth radiating like the sun on a windless day.
Rummaging through the bag I find the broken weapon that Ryu had used when we were stranded on the deep floors. I've kept it, hoping that one day I could pay my respects to her friends that no doubt saved us from our demise.
I took out a piece of the goliath cloth that had saved me and stabbed the broken weapon into the dirt with the goliath cloth scrap wrapped around its handle.
I closed my eyes tight and clasped my hands together, whispering to the luminous winds of our tale, the adventure that not only changed me but saved Ryu.
After explaining everything, I finally opened my eyes and smiled as if I was seeing each of them in the flesh.
"You saved her. She was so eager to join all of you, and you saved her..."
I felt tears well up in my eyes and start to fall into the sand beneath my hands. "I will protect her, even though it's normally the other way around. But... Thank you... Ms. Ryu... deserves to live!"
火
"Bell! Wake up!" Welf yelled as he pulled my foot from under the blanket into the cold morning air.
"What..." I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I rolled over and propped myself up on one arm.
Welf grabbed my hand and ripped me from the comfort of my bed, before pacing in a panic.
"What is it?" I scratched the back of my head feeling a creeping worry set in. This wasn't like Welf, this is something I would expect from Lili... but not Welf.
"It's... the sword princess..."
Terror filled my eyes as he grabbed my hand and led me out of the room. I felt empty, uneasy and nauseous as we pushed through the crowds to the bulletin board at the edge of the city.
Her picture was posted on the board, and as I read it my hands covered my mouth before I dropped to my knees.
Aiz Wallenstein – Missing
Reward – 500,000 valis
YOU ARE READING
Perfect Dark | Danmachi
Fanfiction*Light novel spoilers* She took everything He lost everything Will he be saved before he turns into the villain?
