Chapter 91: An old man's worries...and Hephy's gift
The Dungeon was not all that lay beneath Babel. There were also several rooms and facilities, the full contents of which were privy only to top guild officials and specifically to the Guild Master or the Guild Head as some used to call him.
Shrewd would be the best way to describe a man such as him. And of course, he was very much disliked by his kind as elves were supposed to be the image of beauty. And yet he possessed a body more akin to that of a sheep than a dignified elf.
He was also a zealous lover of wealth, which was another thing that went against the norms of his race as elves did not care so much for such material things as other races did. And for all he was ostracised by his own kind for, he had an air of arrogance surrounding him and festering within his gut that made him look down upon other people, particularly half elves against whom he held discriminatory views.
But not even he dared to think himself above the true master of Orario, the man who had occupied the same seat, within the same room for a thousand years, in the most sacred place of all of Babel.
Most believed that it was Babel Tower itself that was the cap on the dungeon and which prevented the monsters from spilling out. But Lyze, as well as a few specific individuals and a certain minority among the gods knew better.
The true seal upon the dungeon which kept the monsters of its cesspits at bay was the sacred alter built over it long before Babel, and above which Ouranos ascended onto the throne he now occupied. And there the old man spent one millennium, constantly whispering prayers and negotiating with the Dungeon.
It was Ouranos who had truly saved Orario, for now at the moment. Having been the one deity to come to an agreement with the dungeon, convincing the chasm to hold back its wrath till an appointed time, it was fitting that Ouranos was the one who sat over it and kept a close watch over it.
That, paired with his status as one of the Primordials left no room for argument over who led all the gods down in Tenkai.
All the gods' influences were in accordance to their nature. King-like gods such as Zeus carried a certain charisma around them which made others respect him. Trickster gods like Loki were perpetually kept in sight and at arm's length because one could not tell what it would be that they would do next. Evil gods and gods of Darkness were observed with gazes like hawks provided everyone knew them exactly for what they were.
But Primordials were more than just gods, they were a force of nature and those closest to understanding their significance in existence, and the Laws by which all of Creation was bound by through the hands of the One.
As such, Ouranos was both feared and respected because of the simple aura he emanated. A born Elder and Ruler, more than a king or chief could ever be. And so, even Zeus, arrogant and boastful as he was, made sure to bow his head before the Primordial of the Sky and made sure to never underestimate him.
The fact that they were both Olympians as well provided more understanding between them. The Olympian pantheon was amongst the strongest ones of all, known for its power and how much it could exert its influence in the world they governed.
Ouranos was powerful even in Earthen mythology. Uranus of the Heavens and the Sky, and one of the very first Primordials spawned directly by Mother Chaos.
Lyze was of course quite knowledgeable about Uranus's mythology but it could not be necessary that the same happened here in this world. He remembered how in his old world, people theorized that the Dungeon was in actuality Gaia, Uranus's lover and in some (disturbing) iterations, his mother.
Be whatever it may, Lyze could not confirm this until all of Chaos and the Sphere it was connected to was at his command.
But regardless, for a thousand years, Ouranos had kept peace in Orario and prevented true nightmares emerging from the depths. But something was different now.
For as much as the gods had their powers sealed, they still were connected to their Spheres or their Domains as some would call it. The Sky was more than just the generic blue layers of atmosphere which protected the planet from the dangers of the sun's rays, it also encompassed the pathway between worlds and the Void.
9 years ago, amidst hard concentration in his prayers, Ouranos felt a crack upon the edge of their reality and something shifted in the works, disturbing the forces behind their designs.
He'd assumed it was the bored gods back in heaven messing around with their divinities and perhaps some other deity of the Sky was toying with the laws. It did not make him any happier but Ouranos could excuse it as long as the mortal world was left untouched.
But in extremely recent times, the Dungeon had been acting strangely. Pushing his senses to the most he could, the Primordial scoured every inch of the dungeon he was allowed to see but still he could not find what the problem was. His instincts as well as his rationale were telling him plenty though.
Something within the dungeon had put the monster spawning entity on edge and Ouranos felt the dungeon rerouting most of its energy to the middle and upper floors. There had been increased sightings of rare monsters and according to the reports delivered to him, an adventurer had claimed to have encountered two new monster types in the last fortnight alone.
For the past few days, all had been relatively normal as it could get and yet once again for some reason, the Dungeon had perked up and had become defiant to his whispers. But the odd thing was that whenever it did that, some calamity would happen and Ouranos would have expected it by now. Yet the dungeon was silent, too silent for his liking.
He didn't know what it was the Dungeon seemed to be tracking but he was eager to find out for a few reasons. Whatever it could be that the dungeon was being careful about, it could be used to their advantage in subjugating the abyss once and for all. It could also prove useful in helping the Xenos ease into society at some point.
On the other hand, Ouranos was worried about what it was that could make something as merciless and unforgiving as the dungeon take a few steps back. What if this thing proved to be more dangerous than the dungeon? Otherwise why would the Mother of Monsters be so on guard.
If only the old man knew. No Dungeon could compare to the True Mother of Monsters, to the sheer power and terror that was Chaos.
He was keen to find out.
"You have returned Fels." He rumbled in a low tone as a cloaked figure emerged from beneath the altar. "What have you to report?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary, my lord." Fels spoke as he lifted a gauntleted skeletal hand. "I have scoured every inch of the middle and upper floors, yet I find no abnormalities nor anything even remotely dangerous."
"Hmm." Ouranos said as he put a few fingers to his chin. "It does not add up. What is behind all these mysterious happenings?"
"I must add though that the Loki Familia have begun their expedition now. With a deep dive soon coming up, the Dungeon is bound to become more active than normal." Fels reasoned.
"Indeed." Ouranos said as he lowered his hand. "Perhaps by a stroke of good fortune, the Loki Familia will be able to root out the cause of this phenomenon. Are you certain that is all you have to say to me?"
Fels seemed to pause for a bit, as if he actually did have something to say. But the skeleton appeared to disregard it as bigger things were at stake than his own personal investigations.
"Nothing of any relevance at the moment Lord Ouranos." Fels said. "But can we not tell exactly what is coming for us. The Dungeon abandoning its usual behaviour surely bears some bad omens for us all?"
"That is yet to be determined." Ouranos replied to his servant. "But what I can say for certain that it is preparing something. And sometime soon it will strike. Hopefully when that inevitability comes round, we will pick up a new trail. For now let us watch...and wait."
---
"Rising Tornado!"
A whirlwind of dust swept away a pack of Hellhounds, the flames that had left their mouths also being swirled into the twister as the monsters were launched at the ceiling. A few splats and crunches later, the cores of the wolf creatures clatter to the ground.
Lyze turned his head to the side as a giant worm burst out of the wall with its mouth, its only visible aside from its slimy body, opened wide revealing rows of sharp teeth waiting to tear him to shreds before consuming him.
The boy scoffed and shot a weak fireball into its mouth and side-stepping out of the way. The grotesque creature squealed and struggled as it was cooked from the inside. A shockwave from Lyze's sword cleaved its head off and the monster disappeared into oblivion.
As it did so, a grotesque smell filled the air as the air trapped inside the monsters cooking gut was now released. Tsubaki grimaced and waved her hand in front of her nose.
"Pooh, that's gross." She said as she noticed Lyze not flinching. "Why aren't you bothered by it?"
"Believe me, I've smelled worse." Lyze said as he relaxed. Behind them was a wealth of cores, as well as the impression that a hurricane had come through the 16th floor. And honestly, it wasn't that far off the mark.
"Huh." Tsubaki stopped waving the smell away as the fumes began to rise to the ceiling and away from their noses. "Anyway, the 17th floor is all that's left now. It shouldn't be too long now before the others get here. Were you supposed to stop at this point, or are you clearing the next floor as well?"
"No I'm meant to keep going until before Goliath. There we're supposed to wait for at least the vanguard to get here." Lyze secretly used Chaos vision to penetrate the Dungeon walls and peer into the floors above. "They'll be here before long. Let's continue."
And so, master and pupil walked side by side down to the 17th floor with their weapons momentarily withdrawn. No monster was ever confronted on these stairs so there was little need to have their weapons out.
Tsubaki gave a side-eye to the boy beside her. She knew he was special and that he was no ordinary adventurer. And with his speedy level ups, she expected him to be some sort of insane prodigy. But the truth was far more than her expectations. Lyze had demonstrated power and strength as well as versatility beyond level threes and he fought with the same spirit as a first class adventurer.
Not once had she needed to help him in any way and never did he seem like he was getting tired nor was one monster was more powerful than the other. Each was swiftly dealt with. Some monsters were not even spared a glance, he killed them with his sword without even looking in their direction.
And this was someone who had only been in the Dungeon for a month. This level of nonchalance took years to achieve for most. Tsubaki didn't know whether to be impressed or a little afraid. She was quite fond of Lyze (despite his shenanigans) but she could see a point when some people described him as a freak.
People had seen how he handled himself in the dungeon, and those that voiced their displeasure were usually those whose confidence had taken a hit because of how easily Lyze had become accustomed to the Dungeon and it's bloodthirsty offspring. Obviously as a result, rumours flew around everywhere and because she was a weapon's dealer, she caught her own fair share of gossip.
Still...she put a hand to the pocket that was holding the special item. Such prowess perhaps proved worthy of Hephaestus's gift. As they reached the 17th floor and entered the giant hallway, Tsubaki put a hand on Lyze's shoulder to catch his attention. He made a questioning noise as he turned to face her.
The half-dwarf pulled something out of her pocket wrapped in rough cloth but Lyze recognised the shape of it. It was a small dagger in the wrappings and he raised his brow.
"What's this?"
"This is a present from Hephy." Tsubaki said. "It's both a celebratory gift for your level up as well as a thank you for bringing Moonlight metal to her."
"Did she really like it that much?" Lyze asked as he took it from her hands and gave it a once over.
"You bet." Tsubaki grinned. "When she gets her hand on a new metal or anything new withing smithing, she's over the moon and she does not stop smiling for weeks. It means a lot to her, so she wanted to return the favour by forging you this."
Lyze pulled a curious face before unwrapping the dagger. The oil lined cloth fell away to reveal a Greek dagger, made clearly out of moonlight metal. Just one look at it made one think it was generic knife but Lyze knew better. A closer inspection of it revealed how much of the metal had been beaten and compressed into this tiny blade and there were engravings along the edges. His expert eye screamed at him.
"Is this a GROWTH weapon?!" He asked in shock.
"Yep." Tsubaki said, popping the 'p' at he end of her sentence.
"B-but I can't accept this?" Lyze exclaimed trying to push it back to her. "They're already insanely expensive as it is. Being made of Moonlight increases the value tenfold!"
"You're going to take it and you're going to keep it." Tsubaki firmly said as she pushed it back to him. "She poured sweat and tears into making this thoughtful gift for you, so you should do the decent thing and accept it."
"But this is too much!" He persisted. "This is worth more than what my Familia makes in a single expedition!"
"So you'd better take good care of it then." She stated as she crossed her arms and tilted her head, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eye. "Imagine you rejecting this and Hephy got upset. She would probably be hurt...and we can't have that now can we?"
"...No we can't." Lyze conceded. "Still though...just...w-...(sigh)...fine." He said with a sigh of defeat. The dagger seemed to glow as if recognising that he had accepted it.
They were both disrupted by the sounds of walls breaking ahead of them and they turned to see a herd of minotaurs claw their way out of the walls and fix their angry gazes on them two.
"This is a perfect time to test it out then. Go on, show us what it can do." Tsubaki encouraged him. Lyze put Excalibur away and fully pulled the dagger out of the wrapping. The little blade shone beautifully in the dim lighting of the underground chamber. As generic as the shape and design was, that in itself was a breath taking charm somehow. It was a beautiful weapon.
Lyze held it in a reverse grip and channelled magic into it. As expected, he felt his magical energy hit another cluster of magical energy already within the blade that the Moonlight had sucked in from the surroundings. But, as if the knife was a tinderbox and Lyze's influence the spark, the energy in the blade seemed to ignite and a very thin coat of white flames covered the small blade. The blade seemed to glow with the light of the moon in this dark hole.
At the same time, Lyze felt somewhat lighter, as if he had dropped a bit of weight all of a sudden. As the minotaurs were upon them now with their stone weapons, Lyze had no chance to admire further and called upon Lightning magic to envelop his body. He shot off past the minotaurs, confusing the beasts before he landed on the wall. Pushing off with his legs, the boy began bouncing between the walls at insane speeds with the only indication of his locating being the arcs of lightning magic following him.
Minotaurs suddenly found themselves being sliced part and their severed bodies caught alight by the same flames that were around the dagger. The white fire instantly claimed them, turning their bodies into ash almost immediately. Lyze came to a stop before Tsubaki holding the dagger in hand.
The flames glowed brighter for a moment before dying out as Lyze felt the already present magical energy inside the dagger be used up.
"This dagger is amazing!" Lyze exclaimed. "It's so smooth and sharp. There was no air resistance at all. It rivals my Excalibur even. I'd be hard pressed to decide which of the two was better."
"What more do you expect of the Goddess of Smithing when she commits all her dedication to this?" Tsubaki smiled. "Well, now that you've seen it's so good, are you going to give it a name."
"I don't know." Lyze said. "I'm really bad with names."
"Just try. It is a legendary class weapon forged by a goddess. You can't just walk around with it and not give it a name."
Lyze gave her a pained look before looking back at the dagger and studying it. Despite how compressed it was, it was nice and light and it cut smoothly. Slashing with it while flying was easy as physics didn't even seem to register it. Examining it to the fullest detail, he realised something.
The shape of the blade was oddly reminiscent of a crane's beak to him for some reason. The colour of the blade as well was also similar to some he'd seen, and the blade was thin and long too. It was light and good for airborne use and it was dangerous when you were on the opposing end of it. Monsters fell before it like insects.
'Hang on. Cranes were considered birds of good omen by the Greeks weren't they?' Lyze thought to himself. 'And the god they were usually associated with was...'
Sometimes it seemed like the flow of the universe was one big plot of convenience. But even if it was a controlled simulation, Lyze believed he had the perfect name for it. Both an accurate description of what it resembled as well as a tribute to the one who forged it.
"Geranos." Lyze decided. "It will be called 'Geranos'."
"Ok?" Tsubaki said in an interested and confused voice. "Why that name?"
"Not important at the moment." Lyze said as he sheathed it into his belt. While still a little whelmed by such a generous gift, he was grateful. "By the way, do me a favour."
"What?"
"The next time you see Hephaestus, ask her if she likes Cranes."
"Cranes?"
"Yes, cranes. The birds."
"Yes I know that." Tsubaki waved hm off. "But that is just so random a thing to ask. What has cranes got to do with any of this?"
"Just ask her and you'll find out what." Lyze said as he pulled out Excalibur again. "I hear monsters spawning again further up ahead. Let' take them out."
Without waiting for a response, he took off without her, leaving the half dwarf to ponder exactly how much more weird he could get before she could finally understand him.
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