Disclaimer:

I do not own DanMachi or any of those series characters. Nor do I make any money off my writing.

Synopsis:

It's been six years since the fall of Zeus and Hera familias and the world has changed. It's a time where civilians and adventurers alike are terrorized by Evilus, a group that seems content to slowly seep the great city into a pool of chaos. And it's at this time that Gareth Landlock, high-executive of the Loki familia, stumbles across a six year old dungeon orphan in the middle of a crowded street.

Ch 8: Welcome to the Dungeon

Welcome to the Dungeon (Bell)

It was an entrance to the underworld. A central shaft fifty feet across that extended down into the body of the earth.

A staircase spiraled down the side of the massive hole, itself old and worn, yet still serviceable and wide enough for four dwarfs to walk comfortably shoulder to shoulder while wearing armor and carrying shields. Patches of regular illumination provided by magic stone lamps lit the path itself but only in their immediate area, and added to the places' overall dark allure.

The walls of the depression had an organic quality to them. More formed than made. And parts of the walls themselves shifted from jagged to crumbling rock faces that bespoke eras come and gone. And yet those walls stood in contrast to the winding staircase. That while worn from tens of thousands of steps, the staircase was still a noticeably recent addition compared to the walls themselves.

It was the beginning of a thousand songs and twice as many stories. The gates to the realm of monsters. It was the door to Orario's wealth, and arguably the most dangerous place in the world. It was the entrance to the dungeon labyrinth beneath Orario.

And it was packed with Adventurers.

Some were heading back from the dungeon, their bags heavy and filled with spoils. Others were just heading in, ready to brave the labyrinth once more. They were a motley bunch, without regards to the division of race, or sex, or experience level. The winding staircase that descended into the depths was the last great equalizer before stepping either into, or returning from, the dungeon. It was a rite of passage of sorts. Whomever wished to test their meddle had no other option but to pass through.

"Bell! Come o-o-on! Let's go!"

Bell was pulled down the path while the new, unfamiliar armor he wore clanked loudly with every step. Ais had grasped one gauntleted hand over his and had attempted to hurry off through the crowd, though the sheer number of bodies seriously impeded their progress.

Both youth's wore new suits of armor that shined in the lamp light with unmarred steel that easily marked the two as the dreaded 'greenhornes' Bara always spoke about. Not that anyone had given them trouble, but they had only gone a few dozen steps down the ramp so Bell assumed things could still devolve at some point.

The armor sets themselves had been gifts from Loki. "I'm not going to allow those nasty goblins to cut my two favorite children to pieces!" The goddess had joked when she had initially presented the sets to them a few days back.

For Ais, Loki had chosen a 'battle dress' style armor. The set had included the usual armor pieces such as gauntlets, grieves, elbow protection, and an impressive chestpiece which covered not only the front, but also the back of an adventurer in segmented plates. The legs of the battle dress had been replaced with two segmented sections that extended down from the bottom of the main chestpiece to protect Ais' sides, hips, and outer thighs. Loki had been especially ecstatic about the custom battle-cloth dress that she claimed 'completed' the ensemble. Ais at the time had been more than slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of attention Loki had showered on her.

In a slight contrast, the suit of armor Loki had picked out for Bell had been pretty usual. It had the same parts and pieces of Ais' battle dress except that the dress portion around the legs had been replaced with thigh armor Gareth had called a 'cuisse'. Practically in the same breath that Loki had been gushing over Ais in her new battle dress, she had also complained about the lack of interesting options for male adventurers. Still, the goddess had roughed up Bell's hair and gave him one of her usual winks that told him she was largely joking. Bell didn't mind, at least she didn't make him parade around her office in their new gear like Ais had been forced to.

And because both sets of armor were originally designed for Pallum adventurers, they fit both youths remarkably well.

Still, as the two of them tried to find a way through the mass of Adventurers walking down the path, Bell took his free hand and pulled at the gorget that encased his neck.

It wasn't that Bell's armor didn't FIT him. In point of fact, the armorer Gareth had taken both him and Ais to guarantee that not only did each set fit their current sizes, but that their sets could be modified to grow as they did. However, he still felt more like some silly beatle than an Adventurer going to face the great unknown. When he had confessed as much to Gareth the night before, the dwarf had simply let out a large belly laugh in reply.

"Let us get ya down there with something trying to stick ya back and see how you feel then." He had said.

Bell unconsciously checked the rest of his gear. Sword… ok, dagger… check. Finally, he gingerly felt at his belt to make sure the three metal orbs secured to its smooth leather were still tucked away safe and sound. He had been up late last night working on them and thought they would work… should work… though the design they were based off of seemed a tad temperamental at best.

But nothing could keep the wide smile off Bell's face as he looked around wide-eyed as he and Ais continued to descend into the hole set beneath the Tower of Babel. Until someone grasp him from behind and bodily pull him back.

"Whoa there you two! Hold yer minecarts, we'll get to the bottom soon enough."

Gareth deposited the two youths beside himself and Riveria, being sure to keep his one hand over Bell's shoulder to keep the youth from running ahead again. And because he was so close, Bell was just barely able to catch the slight wince that crossed his adoptive father's face.

Ahh... Bell thought. I guess dad's still hurt from the other day...

It had been over a week since the attack that laid Gareth in the Hospital and the dwarf had been unable to quickly heal with magic due to 'residual effects' of the explosion. From what Bell was told, some of the infernal stone fragments had embedded themselves in Gareth's skin and needed to be naturally pushed out of the surface. Bell had promptly stopped listening to the diagnosis after that. It shouldn't have taken more than a week or two, but after just two days and much to the consternation of Dian Cecht's captain and main physician, the Dwarf had decided to discharge himself saying that he would much rather spend his time off doing something useful then staring at the hospital's bleached white walls and ceiling.

"Gareth, is this really necessary?" Riveria mentioned, the small frown on her lips speaking louder than her actual words.

Gareth decided to answer the question Riveria hadn't actually asked. "I'm not gonna spend another day layin around in some stinkin bed just because a Dian Cecht doctor tells me to." Gareth grumbled. "Besides, I'm not gonna miss the youngins' first adventure in the dungeon."

It was the continuation of a longer argument the two of them had been having all morning.

Just before the four of them stepped off the bottom of the spiraling staircase to enter the labyrinth's first floor, there rang a distant war cry of a goblin causing both Ais and Bell to reach toward their weapons in alarm.

Gareth watched the two with a small smirk before he simply said. "Welcome to the dungeon."

—

"Is it always this crowded?" Bell wondered aloud as they passed another small group of Adventurers who were staring at the nearby walls.

Several times already, their little group had started to see some monster spawn and break through the Dungeon's stone walls. Not that any of the monsters would last long. As soon as a monster would claw its way out of the rocky wall, a half dozen Adventures would descend on it in a ragged flurry of weapon blows. It was a lot different then what Bell had ever expected from the instruction he and Ais received from Bara over the past couple weeks.

"No, no." Gareth chuckled. "Well, the top few levels perhaps. The deeper you go the more spread out the dungeon is, and the less Adventurers you'll see and run into."

Ais seemed to seize on the idea. "So can we start going deeper?"

"No" Riveria interjected.

"But!" Ais started. "Bara said we were ready! And how are we going to find any monsters to fight with everyone around?"

Bell thought that Ais had a point, the crowd in the tunnels of the dungeon's first floor could very well rival a backstreet of Orario. They were never really 'alone' around here. How were they supposed to get any experience if they spent MOST of their time just walking? Staying on the first floor at this point seemed like a waste of time.

"That" Riveria started, one finger raised in the air as if to prove a point. "Is not what I'm even worried about."

The high elf considered both youths for a second as they continued to meander down the tunnel, the sound of nearby combat in the background. "Do either of you know the path to get out of the dungeon right now?"

Bell and Ais briefly glanced at one another, unwilling to provide Riveria the reason for their restriction.

"And we are just on the first floor..." Riveria continued. "The maze gets more complex..."

"And dangerous," interjected Gareth.

"And dangerous…" Riveria repeated, nodding toward the dwarf leading their group. "...for every level we descend. We've gone over this before. You BOTH still have a lot of work to memorize the dungeon floor maps I've already assigned to you. When you can prove that you can make it home safely and timely, THEN we'll talk about diving deeper."

It took them a while to find a free spot on the first floor that was to Riveria's liking, but one of the side rooms just off the main path miraculously turned up to be free of anything except for a solitary monster that was crouching down in agitation to scrape their hands against the stone floor. The monster looked up sharply as the four of them entered, raising its small form off the ground. Bell stepped forward slightly, it was just like its description in the bestiary Riveria had them study. The large knobby head on a short body, covered in a grayish green mottled skin, strangely humanoid... but still twisted. It was a goblin.

The goblin raised knobby hands above its head showcasing a small array of rough claws that extended out of its fingers and looked menacing to Bell in the room's dim light. It let out a piercing cry that seemed out of sync with the smallish body it originated from.

"Alrighty Bell, you first." Gareth cried with mirth before giving the boy a lighthearted pat. "Show us what you've got!"

A nervous energy seemed to zip through Bell's limbs, from the tips of his toes to each of the hands which held the leather grips of dagger and sword.

It's just like in the training yard… Bell thought whilst tightening his grip on both weapons before relaxing again.

He released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Gotta breathe… Yep, breathing is good.

Bell hesitantly stepped forward a dozen steps and brought up his sword and dagger in the defensive position drilled into him over the last few weeks. Dagger in his left off-hand, held high and forward. The sword in his right main-hand held back in a slightly lower grip. This is exactly what he had been training for. So why did it feel like his heart was beating like a drum in his chest? Why did he feel sweat forming between his palms and the leather hilts of his weapons?

The goblin let out another ear-piercing cry before it lumbered forward, and as the distance closed, Bell could see the monster in greater granularity. The gray-blackish hide of the goblin seemed to gleam in the dull blue light of the corridor like wet leather… or if viewed at just the right angle… the shimmer of dark scales. Its beady red eyes glimmered slightly in the expanse of dark and black. Suddenly it wasn't just a goblin standing in front of Bell, it was a roaring shadow that had darkened a once bright sky.

"Bell lad! Remember your training, don't trip over yer own damn feet!"

Bell caught himself before he could do much more than stumble. No, he wouldn't let fear control him, he couldn't.

Advice from Bara replayed in the back of his head, "Monsters aren't the only danger in the dungeon... Most adventurers die because they allow themselves to get distracted..."

The goblin's red eyes widened and one claw lashed toward Bell at an awkward angle.

Bell caught and locked the claws against the dagger in his left hand, getting the motion he had practiced mostly right against the unconventional weapon. Even so, the goblin seemed very STRONG as the monster attempted to bore down on the young boy, drawing them both so close that the length of Bell's sword became an issue and inadvertently pinned the weapon between their bodies. Dagger and claw struggled against one other in a battle of wills and physical strength.

"Play to your strengths boy! You're not some farmer from a backwater village!" Another memory of Bara echoed in the back of Bell's mind. "You're an Adventurer of Loki Familia now. Always look for the opening."

Bell pushed against the goblin with the fist that held onto his sword hilt. And even though his dagger and the goblin's claw were still locked against one another, the motion caused the goblin to stagger back just enough, freeing the boy's sword arm.

"And if there isn't an opening..." The memory of Bara continued. "Well then, ya better make one."

The burnished metal of his sword gleamed as it descended and cleaved off the goblin's claw just above its right wrist, freeing Bell's dagger.

The goblin let out a scream that deafened Bell's ears, but that couldn't stop the sudden elation that resonated through the young boy's bones. Bell reversed the downward motion of his sword, fully intending to bring it around for a final backslash.

He was doing it! His first fight in the dungeon against an ACTUAL monster and he... and he... wait, WHAT?

The goblin's shrek descended into a gurgling mess just before a second sword burst through its chest and tore the goblin in two. Blood and other bits exploded from the impact, splattering against anything unfortunate enough to be close, one of which being Bell himself. Bell attempted to wipe the worst of it off his face before noticing the newcomer.

Right behind where the once goblin used to be, stood a girl just as messy as Bell himself. And her wide eyes, stark white against the gray and red gore, betrayed a certain level of evident shock.

"AIS!"

Her wide eyes blinked slowly once before finally focusing on the young boy. "I... um, sorry..."

Nearby, Riveria shook her head in disbelief before glancing to where Gareth leaned heavily against the wall, his laughter booming in the confined tunnel despite whatever pain the Dwarf may still had been experiencing.

—

Even though Bell was sure he wouldn't be able to get the stink of goblin mush out of his battlecloth until they arrived home, both youngsters were relatively clean within twenty minutes thanks to Riveria's preparations.

The cleaning cloths Riveria had pulled out of her bag were minor works of marvel. No matter how much gunk they cleaned, the towel itself never got saturated. Even the bits of monster mush that it took off vanished after being enfolded for a second or two. It tweaked Bell's curiosity, and he was still trying to puzzle out its secret, turning the cloth he was given over and over, until Riveria finally snatched the cloth out of his hands and started wiping him down herself. He winced every time the level 5 High Elf brushed the fabric against his cheek, forehead, or the bare skin of his arms. This thing wasn't a cloth at it. It had to be some sort of sandpaper!

And while Riveria was trying to rub away Bell's skin off his bones, she lectured them both extensively on their personal duties to uphold the Loki familia name, and how she wouldn't have either of them 'running around the dungeon like wild heathens'.

After Gareth calmed his bellowing laughter enough to help, he didn't exactly help the situation when he suggested the real heathens may be people who insisted on pushing their thoughts of cleanliness onto others.

When Bell was finally able to escape, he sat against the cavern's rock wall gingerly rubbing a hand over one raw and red cheek.

Ais hadn't said much since Riveria began scolding them both, and while Ais wasn't exactly the talkative sort it did stand out to Bell. Did she think that he would be angry about the goblin, or was she just embarrassed?

Riveria took the time to fold up both cleaning cloths before tucking them back into her bag and removing several other wrapped packages and called for a minor lunch break.

"Um... Bell? Here, this is yours." Head down, Ais' slightly damp, but once again blond, hair shaded over her eyes as she held out the wrapped sandwich.

Embarrassed then… Bell decided.

Bell looked up from where he leaned against the cool rocks. He stayed silent, not saying a thing until Ais finally raised her head enough to see the sly grin on his face. "Hum… is it monster mush free?" Bell wondered aloud, knowing that Ais would be able to pick out the slight teasing from the tone of his voice.

A small smile finally replaced the frown she had worn up till them, and Bell felt her uncomfortableness start to fade away until it vanished altogether. And good for it too. Bell didn't like the awkward distance between them anymore then he expected Ais did. It had always been so easy for him and Ais to get along.

"Well, I mean…" Ais said as she hooked one thumb down the cavern tunnel. "If you'd like I can find another goblin and..."

"Nope!" Bell said quickly before reaching forward to snatch his sandwich. "And if you ever try to feed me a monster mush sandwich I'll…" Bell tried to think of the absolute worst thing he could think of at that moment "...make you a monster mush Jangamarukun!"

Ais golden eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't..."

"Ehh no, probably not." And it was Bell's turn to be chagrined before he invited the golden haired girl to sit by him against the wall.

Just because the two youths were in the dungeon didn't mean that their lessons had been postponed either. The time between each first floor goblin being birthed from the dungeon walls was filled with more practical exercises then their usual book learning: weapon and armor maintenance in the dungeon, harvesting monster stones quick and clean, and a rudimentary knowledge base of small group formations for two, three, and larger group sizes. The last was a particularly difficult concept for Ais and Bell to grasp as they had no baseline for group tactics. It wasn't until Gareth suggested the bare basics of supportive fighting, covering for your partner's blind spots, that Ais and Bell seemed to fully grasp on the notion.

"Well..." Gareth drawled, making the word sound more like a sigh than anything else. "I hope their abundant enthusiasm is enough to make up for the lack of teamwork..."

Riveria clapped both hands together, getting Bell and Ais' attention. "Alright, make sure to pick up those monster stones! It's important to not leave any behind!"

It took a few hours before Bell ran back toward Gareth with a certain question on his mind.

"Gareth... why do the goblins only charge? They don't really defend themselves or anything."

"What? You were expecting him to react like someone on the training grounds? Didn't Riveria have you reading about dungeon monsters during some of your lessons?"

"Um, yea. But I still thought they would, I don't know... act similarly."

Gareth frowned and then nodded. "There will be times that some will. But remember this Bell, always be aware of yourself, your friends, your enemies, and your surroundings. ESPECIALLY in the dungeon."

Gareth pointed with one wide finder down the corridor where howls of newly born creatures bounced off the rough stone. "Each monster will attack you in new and unique ways, humans can be the same way too. Always be on your guard for the unexpected."

Gareth shooed the youth with one wide hand. Ais had fallen back to take a breather after her last kill and the dungeon wall was starting to spiderweb with telltale cracks. "Now go on! I think I see a goblin starting to pop out of the wall."

—

"Hey Old Man, shouldn't you still be in bed healing and being spoon fed jello?"

A small party of Adventurers strolled out of the shadows and resolved into Kaguya, vice-captain of the Astrea Familia, and two of her fellow familia members, Ryu and Lyra.

"Ya know Kaguya, I've already got an ear full from Riveria on the topic. And I'm not looking for more." Gareth fainted a scowl before it morphed into more of a genuine smirk. Kaguya made an art of worming her way underneath other's skin, and she seemed to take extreme pleasure in seeing the normally rugged Dwarf off kilter. So, he thought it might be best just to play it safe and not rise to her baiting. "How was the patrol?"

"Quick trip to the 18th's floor city, Rivira. One of the new tenants was causing a ruckus." Kaguya waved a single hand in agitation. "His name was Bors or something like that."

Ryu strode forward, bowing low. "I'd like to thank you, Sir Gareth. For your assistance with the assault a few days back in the warehouse. I am in your debt."

Kaguya attempted to shoo Ryu away. "Now don't go doing that Ryu. All you're going to do is inflate this old man's already too large ego."

"Hey! No need for that!" Gareth protested lightly. "A man likes a bit of recognition once in a while!"

Kaguya turned narrow eyes toward the dwarf, considering. "I bet they would, especially from young innocent elves that should already know better…"

Gareth sputtered as Riveria lightly placed a palm on his wide shoulder. "Word of advice Gareth, stop before you dig yourself into a hole."

By this time Ryu had frozen solid almost like she was a stone statue that sat outside of the manor house. But no statues would have been able to replicate the solid redness now found in the young elf's face.

"I think you may have broken Ryu, Kaguya..." Lyra said offhandedly from where she leaned against the cavern wall using one of her daggers to absentmindedly clean her nails.

Hoping to diffuse the situation, Gareth reached out to gently pat Ryu's shoulder. "I'm just glad that I... UMPH!"

Perhaps Gareth was more tired, or in more pain then the dwarf let on. Or he was simply caught off guard by the situation. Either way, the last thing Gareth thought would happen was for him to end up on his back… on the cold rocky floor… staring at a cold rocky ceiling.

Ryu, arms still outstretched from the completion of her throw, looked absolutely mortified.

Lyra took a final look at her nails before she slid her dagger away. "We're still working on her impulse control."

"It's a real pity." Kaguya sighed. "Age slows the reflexes and dulls the mind. You might want to…"

"I'm not old!"

"Is um... Bell here training?" Ryu asked hesitantly, hoping to get the conversation away toward LESS embarrassing topics then the fact she just threw to the ground one of Loki familia's High Executives.

The point was seconded by Lyra saying. "I heard the little messenger upgraded to be a full Adventurer."

Their questions were answered by the sound of metal on stone as ahead of them in the tunnel Bell cut through the neck and shoulder of a Goblin but misjudged the weapon's follow through and caught the rocky dungeon wall behind it with a sharp *TING*. The boy seemed momentarily stunned before he gave his arm a vigorous shake and turned around.

"OH! Hi guys!" Bell waved enthusiastically as he noticed the others.

"Bell! Watch yer back! Ya never know what the dungeon is going to throw at ya!"

And just as Gareth's warning faded a crack echoed from the far end of the cavern wall issuing out another goblin. Ais hadn't had time to look back at the newcomers and turned to face the gray skinned creature, Bell following close behind for support.

"That's Ais isn't it... '' Lyra spoke. Riveria looked over, surprised that it was the newest edition to their familia could be recognized on the spot. "Bell brought her round when he was still delivering messages. I gotta say, you're letting them in awfully young..."

Gareth shrugged. "The dungeon doesn't care one lick what an Adventurer's age is Lyra. You know that."

This was followed closely by Riveria's own cool tone. "Rest assured Miss Lyra, that we've made sure that they were well prepared before we allowed them to step into the dungeon. Lessons, training, gear. They are ready."

"Swords, books, and spells are all well in good Lady Riveria, but what needs exercising the most for Adventurers is what's behind their eyes and between their ears. Cunning will assist them far more than a fancy dagger."

Riveria forcefully straightened out the creases from her battlecloth robe, the icy coolness of her temperament spilling into the very motions. It was the mark of one that had taken offense at a comment but was polished enough to forgo a biting response. "I'm sure their lessons have and will continue to be more than adequate."

The group of seasoned Adventurers continued watching, the two youths trading monster spawns back and forth until a series of loud cracks and pops echoed down the tunnel in short succession, far exceeding anything up to that point. Multiple cracks simultaneously appeared on each wall surrounding the young Adventurers as five goblins broke through, biting and scratching, in a shower of rock fragments that showered upon the startled pair.

This was the ever present danger the dungeon represented. That even on this first floor, a place that was largely believed to be one of the safest places in the dungeon for new adventurers to learn and grow, Adventurers could find themselves facing insurmountable odds. Five goblins spawning at once on the first level? Unheard of. Adventurers around here would usually be lucky to find two spawning at once. It was lucky indeed that they had been watching over the pair.

Ryu's hand dipped down, gripping the handle of her sword and drawing it halfway from the sheath before she felt resistance on her sword that kept her from drawing it any further. "What...?"

"Wait..." Gareth said. "Let's see how they do."

Ryu slid her sword away, but made a point to not remove her hand from its handle. If something did go wrong she wanted to be able to intervene.

Ais and Bell moved unconsciously back to back to protect each other's blind spot. And as the goblins stepped in, they moved to counter.

"Sir Gareth... when did you say that Bell started training?" If someone would have told Ryu that the two adventurers in front of her had only been practicing for a few weeks, she wouldn't have believed them. But she knew Bell. Saw him more or less a handful of times every week for the past few months as he ran messages between their familias.

"Just over a month now." Gareth replied, pride evident from his tone even for those that couldn't see the slight up turning of his lips. Bell stepped backward, out of a goblin's swipe, before whipping his sword forward and leaving a deep chest wound. Bell retreated, leaving the goblin to stagger to the side before finally collapsing.

"Bara's work?" Kaguya asked, a hint of approval in her tone as Ais dispatched another.

"Yup."

"Fast learners." Lyra muttered before adding. "...the benefit of being young?"

"Perhaps…" Riveria began, her eyes zeroed in on their two youngest members. "And we still have a number of things to work on. One of which being teamwork."

Ais quickly turned and brought her sword down for a downward chop on a goblin between the two Adventurers just as Bell was in the middle of an uppercut. Their swords clashed, momentarily stunning and knocking them both to the ground, but also frightening the goblin from the screech of metal on metal who turned and ran headfirst into the opposing wall and collapsed into a heap.

Both youths quickly got back on their feet though, finding their individual rhythms as the final two goblins jumped into the frey.

"But sometimes…" Riveria said, narrowing her eyes at the young pair as something strange caught her eye. "They still find ways to surprise even us."

Ais was busy deflecting the nails of the goblin in front of her as the goblin that had just recovered from running into the wall rejoined the battle and inadvertently moved into her left blind spot. Bell, tangled with his own goblin and unable to directly intercept, pinched one of the small metal balls off his waist and flung it toward the ground between it and Ais. An audible metal 'clink' chimed in the corridor, distorted by its long acoustics, and the goblin was suddenly lost in a billow of dense, heavy smoke.

"Cursed mines..." Gareth drawled, riding the border between a fatherly pride and general disbelief. "One of em actually worked."

A small snort of approval was released from the pink haired Pallum. "Hey Ryu. Perhaps you should take a lesson from that little one." Lyra hiked a thumb in Bell's direction. "How long have I been telling you to diversify your equipment?

Ryu's hands tightened where they gripped her sword. The older Adventurer could be infuriating persistent about some topics... But Lyra rarely gave bad advice.

Unfortunately, the smoke bomb had also been a bit too close to Ais. Her original opponent, lost in the sudden surprise of seeing the dense bank of smoke roll their way, didn't even try to put up a defense as Ais pulled back her sword and thrust it through the spot where its core would be, shattering its stone and what power was holding its form together. Its form started to disintegrate into a fine black ash before they and the young girl were overtaken by the cloud of rolling smoke too. There was an immediate sound of panic from the hidden golden-haired Adventurer followed shortly by a sharp inhalation of breath and a series of harsh barking coughs. Ais staggered out of the dense smoke with her hand over her mouth, apparently attempting to prevent a second coughing fit.

But even as Ais fled, Bell strode into the smoke. And to the slight wonder of the Astrea familia who noted how he was weirdly unaffected by its effects. The dense smoke churned as the young boy waded into it. A few swipes later, and a goblin head rolled slowly out of the now dissipating smoke followed shortly by the grinning face of Bell Cranel.

"Gareth! Did you see that!" Bell called out, wiping down his sword before hastily attempting to resheath the weapon. "It worked!"

But in his rush, Bell's sword accidentally nicked another of the metal orbs on his belt causing it to fall and hit the ground with the same distinct metal 'clink'. Bell was once again surrounded in a thick cloud of smoke. Unfortunately, so too was Ais who hadn't moved much farther than where she had escaped the first.

Gareth let out a low chuckle. "Well, we're still working on his finesse... it might take a bit."

Bell ducked out of the second smoke cloud still grinning from ear to ear accompanied by a thoroughly disgruntled Ais who kept coughing like she might very well hack up a lung.

And while Gareth gave the boy a thumbs up, Ryu heard Lyra let out a surprise 'humph' before she strode up to Bell. Ryu knew the smirk of a smile the Pallum wore. It was the same one that Lyra had when she found something extremely interesting like a puzzle.

"Mind if I see one?" Lyra said as he held out her right hand.

By this point Riveria had moved onto Ais who had mostly recovered and was glaring daggers in Bell's direction.

"Yea sure..." Bell said as he pulled out another of the metal spheres from his belt, being sure to refrain from unnecessarily jostling it. "They can be a little easy to trigger…"

Lyra turned the device from one side to the next before she finally pointed to a thin strip of metal that protruded from one end. "Asfi's trigger design?"

Bell just nodded, mesmerized by the Pallum's scrutiny. She had known Asfi's work by sight. Asfi had given him three to try when he first visited a few days back.

"It was installed backwards..." Lyra mentioned as she manipulated the device in her hands. Pulling out several pins to disassemble the housing and then reassembling the device to show Bell his now glaring mistake. "See?"

Bell nodded as Lyra wrapped her arm around the young boy's neck causing said boy to blush furiously. "Ahh stick with me Bell and I'll show ya the ropes!" She poked Bell in the ribs. "Kalos must have taught ya some bad practices. Now tell me... what was that payload you used?"

"Lyra! You always told me to go away before!" Bell screeched, his voice cracking on the higher tones.

"Well, that was before you became more interesting." The Pallum let out a sly grin. "Not as interesting as Finn though."

Ais, who had finally stopped coughing, stomped over to her training partner before clocking the poor young man in the back of the head with one small clenched fist.

"Ais!"

"Stupid Bell... " Ais muttered as she stomped over to where their gear was and started rifling through her pack. "Stupid smoke..."

Telling time in the dungeon was always a difficult exercise as outside the 18th floor there was no physical tell of its passage. The wan blue light of the first floor corridors consistently illuminated its passages and monsters tended to spawn at undeterminable intervals. So no one was surprised as Riveria pulled out from her bag one of the most necessary tools in an Adventurers arsenal, a simple watch on the end of a leather band.

She took a moment to decipher it before saying. "Alright, alright. I think it's time to start heading back." Prompting both Ais and Bell to start packing up. Though there wasn't much since she and Gareth had carried the bulk of their supplies for this run.

Gareth hitched a thumb toward the Astrea Familia members, calling out to them before they moved on. "We're meetin back at the Hostess of Fertility to celebrate Bell and Ais first dungeon dive, yer welcome to join if ya want."

And as they finally parted ways, the three Astrea Familia members vanishing down a turn of the passage, Riveria turned toward their wards. "Remember what I spoke about earlier about being able to get out of the dungeon? Well, your practical lesson starts now."

So when they got to the first intersection and Bell and Ais started to question which tunnel they should take it became abundantly clear that neither of the youths remembered the route they took on the way in. That's when Gareth leaned over to Riveria and asked, "So, how long do ya recon we'll be walkin in circles until they find the entrance?"

Riveria sighed and almost felt the headache she knew would soon set-in, "We might be back in… a few hours."

Author's Note:

Hello there everyone, and welcome back! To be honest this chapter was ½ the content of what I had originally slated for chapter 8, however I liked where the dungeon section left off (it ended up being longer then I originally thought) aaaand I'm only part of the way done with the rest of the content I had planned. So… Voila! Here is chapter 8 and the 2nd part will be the new chapter 9. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I had writing it.

I'd like to give a BIG thank you to everyone that's followed/favorited and/or reviewed this story. I truly appreciate hearing your feedback.

Like always, please stay safe out there everyone. Sending good vibes and well wishes.