Aurelius was seen lying on the ground of a room. The room itself had stone interiors all over, typical of what one would expect deep inside the dungeon. The walls, the floor, even the ceiling, everything was made of cold, hard stone. The place gave off a silent, eerie stillness, like time itself had stopped. It was quiet, save for the soft sounds of breathing that echoed faintly in the chamber.
He, along with Tiona, was still on the 20th floor. They hadn't moved from where they collapsed. After all, they had both passed out from the strange gas that spewed out from the vines they had fought earlier. That gas came out suddenly, catching them off guard just as they thought the battle was over. One moment they were triumphant, and the next, their vision blurred, their legs gave out, and everything went black.
Now, the two of them were peacefully sleeping beside each other, their bodies resting against the cold dungeon floor. Their faces were calm, relaxed, as if in a deep and dreamless slumber. Small, steady snores came from both of them, soft and rhythmic, almost matching in pace. For now, they looked at peace, far removed from the chaos that had brought them here. Despite the dungeon's usual tension and danger, this moment was oddly quiet, as if the dungeon itself had paused to let them rest.
One of the two then twitched, possibly waking up from their slumber. That person was Aurelius, as his closed eyes slightly frowned, his expression tightening as consciousness returned.
"Ugh," Aurelius groaned, a sharp feeling of a headache seeping into his skull like a dull pulse. His brows furrowed deeper as he winced, then slowly pried his eyes open. His vision was blurry at first, adjusting to the dim lighting as he stared straight ahead from his laying position. "Where the heck am I?"
With some effort, he pushed himself up, his body feeling heavy and stiff. He sat upright on the rocky surface of the room, the jagged stone beneath him not exactly the most comfortable place to wake up on. He groaned again as he stretched his sore arms, then blinked a few more times while taking in the strange environment.
"A cave?" he muttered to himself in confusion, his tone a mix of disbelief and uncertainty as his gaze swept across the stone walls. The air was cool and damp, and faint echoes could be heard from deeper inside. He the a fire at the center of the cave room, gently giving the both of them warmth. "How the heck did I get here? Wasn't I last at that terrorist gal's location?" Aurelius questioned, scratching the side of his head as he tried to piece together the last bits of his memory. His face twisted into a more annoyed expression as he dug deeper into his thoughts. "What even happened back there…?"
Then something clicked in his mind, someone important was missing.
"Where's Tiona?" he suddenly asked out loud, his tone shifting into urgency.
He quickly turned his head, scanning the cave more frantically, his heart starting to race. Panic crept in as he imagined the worst. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow, scanning every inch of the area with growing dread. His hands pressed on the stone floor as he shifted his position, ready to bolt up at a moment's notice.
After several tense moments, his eyes finally landed on a familiar figure. Across the room, lying peacefully against a relatively smooth rock, was Tiona. Her chest rose and fell in steady rhythm, her expression calm and untroubled in her sleep.
Aurelius let out a deep sigh, his shoulders dropping as the tension left his body. His hand ran through his messy hair as he leaned back slightly.
"Glad that she's okay," he murmured, a mix of relief and lingering worry in his voice. "Or that whole talk about being allies with the Loki Familia would've gone straight down the drain."
He grimaced at the thought, his face twisting into discomfort. The idea of the Amazon dying under his watch, or worse, gone missing has sent an unpleasant chill down his spine. He exhaled sharply, his eyes still on her sleeping form.
"This is gonna be a pain," he muttered, already feeling the headache return as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. "What the hell happened after everything went black…?"
After some thought, Aurelius finally remembered. Just before he lost consciousness, he caught sight of three figures rushing toward his and Tiona's direction. What exactly those figures were… he didn't know. Their shapes were vague, indistinct, almost like shadows in a dream. However, from the way they looked, he could make a guess, one that stemmed from a faint, blurry memory.
'Aren't they… the Xenos?' he thought to himself, eyes narrowing slightly as a particular image resurfaced in his mind. An avian figure, a flying creature that resembled a bird-human hybrid soaring through the dim dungeon hallway. That image alone was enough to stir a conclusion from the corners of his memory. 'I guess that girl brought back her friends...' he assumed, his thoughts starting to fall into place. 'It's safe to summarize they were the ones who brought me and Tiona here.'
Aurelius continued to run those thoughts through his mind, piecing together bits of memory and instinct. Could it really be true? That both of them were saved by the very monsters that gained consciousness? Those passive, intelligent, and conscious beings known as the Xenos? He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the possibility kept circling in his mind like a whisper in the dark.
As he kept theorizing, a voice echoed out, slicing through the silence and catching him off guard. It came from one of the darker, shadowy corners of the cave, carrying a rough yet oddly composed tone.
"It seems like you're awake, human," the voice said, its tone reverberating throughout the rocky chamber, reaching every corner like the low roll of thunder.
Aurelius immediately turned his head toward the source of the voice, his instincts kicking in as caution settled deep in his chest. His eyes scanned the shadows carefully, slowly adjusting to the cave's dim lighting. From the darkness, a figure emerged. Tall, scaled, and unmistakably not human.
Or rather… it wasn't a person at all. It was a monster.
A red-scaled Lizardman stepped out from the darkness, each footstep echoing softly against the stone floor as he slowly approached. Its presence wasn't particularly threatening, at least not at the moment, but it was still enough to make anyone cautious.
Seeing the figure clearly, Aurelius felt a quiet wave of relief wash over him internally. But outwardly, he feigned a more guarded expression, not wanting to appear suspicious about his already existing knowledge of the Xenos. Instead, he raised his guard, body tensing up as if preparing for battle. His stance shifted just slightly, just enough to seem like he was bracing for an encounter.
The Lizardman stopped in his tracks, visibly startled by the sudden show of hostility. He lifted his hands in a placating gesture, stepping back slightly as he hurriedly spoke.
"Relax, relax! I'm not hostile!" he said, his voice rising in panic. "We saved you! You and that girl… you were both passed out when we found you yesterday!"
Although Aurelius already knew of their identity, he kept up the act. His eyes widened as if in genuine surprise, and he dropped his stance just enough to let the Lizardman see a believable reaction.
"Wait a minute… you can talk?!" Aurelius exclaimed, his voice layered with surprise, almost comically so. His acting wasn't perfect, but it was enough to sell the role of someone ignorant of their saviors' true nature.
"Yes! We can talk!" the Lizardman responded quickly, clearly relieved that the human was at least listening now. "We're not your enemies! I promise, we just wanted to help you. We saw you lying there, both of you, and carried you here so you could rest safely."
As the Lizardman spoke, he gestured toward the nearby figure of Tiona, still lying down and unconscious. The sincerity in his voice was hard to miss, and the slight tremble in his words made it clear that he genuinely meant no harm.
Aurelius nodded slowly, his face taking on a look of dawning understanding—still playing the role of someone just now piecing everything together.
"So… the one I saw running toward us back then… that was you?" Aurelius asked, his tone softening just a bit. "When I lost consciousness, I thought… I thought we were about to be eaten or dragged away by monsters."
He then tilted his head, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.
"But there were two more with you, weren't there?" he continued. "One looked like a gray figure… and the other, someone flying. A bird-man of some kind, gliding through the hallway. Where are they now?"
The cave fell into a brief moment of quiet, as Aurelius's question lingered in the air. The titan's expression shifted into one of mixed curiosity and cautious interest, still wary but no longer entirely hostile.
The Lizardmen then moved out of the way, seemingly wanting to let someone through from behind. And sure enough, he did. The ones that came from behind them were two monsters. One had grey, scale-like skin covering his entire body, complete with wings that resembled those of a gargoyle. The other was a bird-lady, her hands shaped like wings, feathers stretching out in place of fingers.
Aurelius, knowing very well who the bird-lady was, instantly recognized her presence. He lowered his guard completely and act calm, though surprise was still etched across his face. He squinted slightly, eyebrows furrowed as his mind raced. Then, unable to contain his shock, he exclaimed loudly, pointing toward the bird-lady.
"Wait, I know you?! Aren't you the one who we saved?"
The bird-lady, seeing this and catching wind of Aurelius' shock, let out a gentle chuckle. Her expression softened as she nodded in confirmation, acknowledging his words with grace.
"Yes, indeed," she replied, her voice calm and pleasant. She bowed slightly before the titan, her wings fluttering faintly as she lowered herself. "I'm very thankful for you two saving me back there. If not for you two, I would've already died then and there. You arrived just in time."
Straightening her body again, she looked at Aurelius warmly, a small smile gracing her face that made her feathers shimmer slightly under the light. There was a gentle sense of admiration and respect in her eyes, as if seeing an old friend or a savior.
Aurelius, seeing the gratitude in her expression, couldn't help but burst into laughter as his usual carefree tone returning in full force.
"Haha! It's nothing, really!" he said, waving a hand dismissively. "We would've helped either way if we saw someone in trouble! That's just how we roll!"
A wide, goofy grin spread across his face, sincere and unbothered.
He then looked past her, turning his gaze toward the two monsters standing beside her, the Lizardmen and the gargoyle-like being. Tilting his head in curiosity, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are they both with you?"
The bird-lady turned her gaze toward the two, glancing at them with a knowing look before letting out another chuckle. She gently lifted her winged arms in a presentational gesture, almost like she was introducing companions to a host.
"I am one as well," she replied, her face calm, yet slightly amused at Aurelius' confusion.
Aurelius, feigning shock like a stage actor performing for an audience, widened his eyes and gasped dramatically. He stared at her wings with awe, clearly fascinated by their structure and beauty.
"You are?" he said, voice filled with mock disbelief, though clearly entertained. With a small bounce in his step, he stood up straighter and took a few steps closer to her, eyes scanning her wings in detail.
Once he arrived before her, he leaned forward a little, inspecting her wings more closely. His eyes moved from her feathers to the joints, then to her overall form, almost like he was studying the uniqueness of her entire being. He circled slightly around her, checking every angle with the curiosity of a child discovering something new for the first time.
The bird-lady, caught off guard by the inspection, blinked in surprise. A faint pink hue crept across her cheeks as her composure began to crack. Having a man suddenly looking at her body so closely made her shift slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
"U-Um..." she muttered, her voice low as she tried to hide the blush forming on her face. "I-I'm sorry, but... I'm a bit uncomfortable with what you're doing."
Aurelius, realizing what he was doing, snapped out of his stupor as if jolted by lightning. He quickly backed off a little, a sheepish look forming on his face as he rubbed the back of his head.
"O-Oh! My bad," he stammered, his words tripping over themselves. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just... really fascinated by how unique you look."
The bird-lady, noticing his sincere expression, lifted her two winged arms and made a gesture akin to an apologetic shrug. Her eyes softened again as she tried to ease the tension.
"It's fine!" she said, her voice a little hurried, clearly not wanting him to feel too bad. "I know that you're curious about how we look, so... it's understandable."
Her tone was gentle, apologetic even, but also forgiving, conveying a kind of empathy and openness that soothed the awkward atmosphere. There was a silent understanding between the two as the moment settled, leaving behind only the soft flutter of feathers in the air.
The Lizardman, clearly uncomfortable from the awkward tension lingering in the air, finally decided to break the ice. He awkwardly raised his hand and said, "H-How about we introduce ourselves! I'll go first."
The Lizardman straightened up a bit, puffing out his chest slightly as if preparing for a grand speech. "I am Lyd. A Lizardman," he said with a cheery tone, trying to lighten the mood as his tail flicked behind him.
He then gestured toward the feathery woman standing beside him, her presence calm and elegant despite the atmosphere. "This is Ray. A Siren," Lyd introduced, stepping aside slightly to give her space.
The Siren gave a graceful little bow, her wings folding in gently as she acknowledged Aurelius with a serene smile. It was a silent but respectful gesture, and even though she said nothing, her greeting felt polite and welcoming.
Lyd continued on with the introductions, his tone still bright. He then pointed to the last figure among them, a rugged-looking gargoyle who stood with his arms crossed and a scowl painted firmly across his face. "And lastly, this is Gros. A Gargoyle," Lyd said, his voice just a little hesitant now.
Gros didn't offer much of a greeting. Instead, he scoffed in annoyance and looked off to the side, clearly unimpressed or maybe just uninterested in socializing. "Hmph," he uttered, his arms remaining crossed, not even sparing a glance toward the titan in front of him.
"Hehe, he's a bit shy really. Don't mind his attitude," Lyd said with a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. He then turned back to Aurelius with a friendlier look. "So, what's your name?" Lyd asked, pointing at the large figure in front of him.
Aurelius, having watched the whole exchange with a bit of amusement, raised his thumb and pointed toward himself with a confident grin. "The name's Aurelius. A human… and an adventurer," he said, his voice carrying a proud yet casual tone. His eyes then turned toward the Amazon sleeping peacefully beside him.
"And the sleeping beauty over there is Tiona, also an adventurer," he added with a small chuckle, as if used to the nap she's having this moment.
Lyd and Ray both nodded in understanding and acknowledgment, their expressions more at ease now that introductions were done. Gros, however, remained distant as his eyes wandering elsewhere as though the conversation didn't concern him at all.
After the names were exchanged, Aurelius leaned back and relaxed, stretching his arms for a bit before patting the ground beside him. "Come on, you three. Sit down. There's no need to keep standing like statues. It's tiring after all," he said invitingly, offering them a casual smile. "Or do you guys not feel fatigue as monsters?"
Gros was the one to respond, clearly taking the remark a little personally. "Hah! As if! We can stand all day if we want," he said with a mocking tone, shooting Aurelius a sharp glare that only lasted for a second before he looked away again.
"Gros, that's not nice," Lyd immediately interjected, his tone a bit firmer now as he turned to his stony companion and gave him a light chop on the head. "Be nice to the one who saved our brethren here."
Gros grumbled under his breath, clearly displeased by the scolding. He muttered something incoherent and looked away again, this time walking off to the corner of the cave, his stone-like footsteps echoing slightly as he sat down alone, away from the group.
"Again, I'm really sorry for his behavior, Aure-cchi," Lyd said apologetically, though the sudden nickname caught Aurelius a little off-guard. The Lizardman chuckled lightly at his own wordplay as he plopped down beside the titan with a small thud, finally taking a load off his legs. Ray followed soon after, silently taking a seat beside her comrade, her presence still gentle and composed.
Aurelius, seeing the two now sitting, let out a small sigh of relief. Things were starting to feel a bit more casual.
Then, after a moment of silence, he decided to ask something that had been on his mind ever since this strange encounter started—something a bit sensitive, but something he felt he had to know, even if he kind of already suspected the answer.
"So… may I ask?" Aurelius began, his voice slightly hesitant this time. "Why is it that you guys can talk like this? Not to be rude, of course! I'm just curious, that's all."
He looked at the three—well, two—Xenos with genuine interest in his expression. Despite knowing some bits and pieces, especially from vague memories of season 3, it was better to hear it directly from them. Just in case. There was no harm in having clarity for the sake of the future.
Ray glanced at Lyd quietly, seemingly letting him take the lead on this one. Lyd tilted his head a bit and gave a soft smile, looking at Aurelius with calm understanding in his eyes, ready to answer the human's question, and perhaps hoping to bridge the gap between their two worlds just a little more.
Lyd took a moment to gather his thoughts, his usually cheerful demeanor softening as his eyes wandered slightly to the flames dancing in the center of the cave. The firelight flickered across his scales, casting moving shadows on the wall. A silence settled between them, not awkward, but thoughtful.
"Well," Lyd finally spoke, voice quieter this time, more serious, "we weren't always like this… not exactly."
Aurelius leaned forward a little, resting his forearms on his knees as he listened intently.
"We're monsters, yes. Born from the Dungeon like all others," Lyd explained, his tail curling behind him as he continued. "But… somewhere along the way, something changed. We… changed. We began to feel more than just the instincts that told us to fight, to kill, or to survive."
Ray nodded gently beside him, her expression distant, almost melancholic. "We began to think. To question. To dream," she added softly, her voice smooth and melodic, like a gentle breeze gliding across still water.
Lyd smiled faintly at her words, then turned his gaze back to Aurelius. "It was terrifying at first. Imagine waking up one day and suddenly knowing you were… more. That there was something beyond the hunger. That maybe you weren't just a monster anymore."
Aurelius stayed quiet, his brows slightly furrowed as he absorbed the weight of those words. He looked at Lyd, at Ray, and even glanced briefly toward Gros, who still sat away from the group, brooding in silence. The gargoyle's wings twitched slightly, perhaps indicating he was listening too.
"It didn't happen to all of us," Lyd continued, now poking a stick at the fire, making sparks scatter. "Only a few. A rare few. We call ourselves the Xenos."
"Xenos…" Aurelius repeated the word under his breath, as if testing its weight.
"Yeah," Lyd nodded. "It means 'stranger' or 'foreigner' in Ancient Script. We didn't pick the name ourselves, but… it fits. We're strangers to this world. Outcasts, even among our own kind."
Ray spoke again, her eyes now watching the flames. "We were hunted, by other monsters, by adventurers… even by those who once claimed to protect peace in Orario."
Lyd clenched his fist, a flicker of anger passing through his usually bright expression. "They didn't understand us. Still don't, for the most part. All they saw were monsters who could speak. And that was enough to paint targets on our backs."
Aurelius finally let out a breath, his expression now unreadable. A mix of concern, disbelief, and something else, perhaps guilt. He scratched his head, feeling a bit of that weight pressing down on him.
"That's… heavy," he muttered. "I won't lie. I didn't expect all that. Not like this." Said Aurelius, sympathizing with them.
Lyd chuckled a little, but it was dry and tired. "Yeah. Most don't."
"I mean, I had a vague idea," Aurelius admitted, tapping his temple. "But hearing it straight from you guys? It hits different. Makes me feel like maybe… maybe we humans have been too quick to judge."
Ray gave him a gentle look. "Understanding takes time. And trust."
"And both are in short supply these days," Lyd added with a small sigh.
There was a brief pause in the conversation as the fire crackled between them. Even Tiona stirred a little in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent before shifting into a more comfortable position, still fast asleep.
Then, finally, Gros's voice broke through the silence.
"You talk like he's one of us," the gargoyle grumbled from his corner, not even bothering to look their way. "He's not."
Lyd turned to him, frowning slightly. "Gros…"
But Gros wasn't done. "He's an adventurer. A human. No matter what he says, he's still the same as the ones who hunted us down in the past. So don't get comfortable."
Ray's gaze fell to the floor, her wings folding tighter against her back.
Aurelius didn't react harshly. He just looked at Gros with a calm, unreadable stare, then slowly stood up. His footsteps were steady as he walked toward the gargoyle, not with hostility, but something else. Determination, maybe.
He stopped a few steps away from Gros, then sat down cross-legged on the ground, making sure they were at eye level.
"I won't ask you to trust me," Aurelius said calmly, his voice low but clear. "And I don't blame you for feeling that way. If I were in your position, I'd probably say the same."
Gros scoffed but didn't interrupt.
"But I am here. I'm listening. And if nothing else…" Aurelius raised his hand, palm open, "I'm not your enemy. Not unless you give me a reason to be."
The cave fell into a quiet hush once more. Gros didn't respond right away. He just stared at the fire from the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable.
Lyd blinked, visibly surprised by Aurelius's approach. Then, slowly, a wide grin spread across his face.
"Well," Lyd said, a little chuckle escaping him, "you're definitely not like the other humans I've met."
Ray smiled too, albeit faintly, her feathers rustling slightly as she relaxed her posture.
Aurelius just gave a shrug. "I get that a lot." Aurelius said, as he remembers the time his goddess scolded him for being indifferently reckless.
A few quiet moments passed after Aurelius's words, the warmth of the fire crackling gently between the group. The cave seemed to breathe with them, silent, but alive with tension just beneath the surface. Gros didn't respond, but he also didn't walk away this time. That, in itself, was something.
Then suddenly, a low groan broke the stillness.
"Uuuugh… my back…"
The Amazonian warrior stirred from her resting spot, rolling over onto her side with a dramatic grunt as she stretched her arms over her head. Her eyes cracked open slowly, blinking against the firelight that now illuminated the dim cave.
"Ahhh, what time is it?" Tiona mumbled, still half-asleep as she sat up and rubbed one eye lazily. "Wait… where are we again?"
She blinked a few times more, her gaze slowly adjusting. She turned to her left and saw Aurelius sitting cross-legged in front of a lit fire. Then her eyes drifted to the side and landed on the Lizardman and the bird woman sitting not too far away. She the looked towards the gargoyle who isolated himself from the other three. Finally, her gaze snapped back toward Aurelius.
"W-Wait, why are we surrounded by monsters?!"
Aurelius turned his head calmly, greeting her with a grin. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty. Took you long enough."
"Don't 'Sleeping Beauty' me! What the heck's going on!?" Tiona shot up to her feet, fists raised in a battle-ready pose as her instincts kicked in. Her wild eyes darted between the Xenos, especially Gros, who raised a brow at her aggressive posture.
Lyd quickly stood up, flailing his arms to defuse the tension. "W-Wait! Wait! We're not enemies!"
"Yeah!" Ray chimed in with a soothing tone, her wings twitching slightly at the sudden rise in tension. "Please, calm down. We're not here to fight."
Tiona squinted suspiciously, not lowering her guard. "Talking monsters? What is this? some kind of dream?"
Aurelius stood up casually, brushing dust off his pants. "Nope. No dream. Just a cave, some talking monsters, and a very grumpy gargoyle."
"Grumpy who?" she muttered, glancing at Gros, who snorted and looked away.
Aurelius walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tiona, relax. They're not hostile. I talked to them already. They're not like the others."
Tiona blinked again, her expression softening only slightly. "Not like the others?"
"They can speak. Think. Feel," Aurelius explained as he turned toward the three Xenos again. "They're called Xenos. Monsters who are… well, more than just monsters."
Tiona lowered her fists, though her brows remained furrowed in confusion. "You're telling me… these three aren't trying to eat us?"
"Nope." Aurelius answered.
"…And we're not in some weird illusion from a monster like a Nightmare Chimera or something?"
"Still nope. Though, I don't know what that is."
Tiona's eyes narrowed as she stared at Lyd and Ray, who both looked a little nervous under her intense gaze. She then turned to Gros, who met her stare with equal intensity. The two locked eyes for a long moment.
"…Tch. Whatever. If Aurelius says you guys are cool, then I'll trust him," Tiona finally said, letting her arms fall to her sides as she let out a sigh. "Still weird though…"
Ray let out a soft sigh of relief, while Lyd gave a visible exhale, his shoulders slumping a little.
"Thank you," Lyd said, bowing his head slightly. "We didn't want to cause any trouble."
"Yeah, yeah," Tiona mumbled, plopping back down on the ground with a huff. "But you guys better not try anything while I'm asleep again. Or else."
Lyd chuckled sheepishly. "Of course, of course. No funny business, promise."
Aurelius grinned, sitting back down beside her. "See? Told you everything was fine."
"Still weird…" she muttered again, crossing her arms with a pout. "First time I wake up and see a lizard, a bird, and a rock staring at me like it's normal."
Ray tilted her head slightly. "Is that… offensive?"
"I dunno," Tiona replied bluntly, "Is it?"
A brief silence followed, and then Lyd burst out laughing. "Ahahaha! You're funny!"
Tiona blinked in surprise, then chuckled a little too. "Well… I try."
Aurelius leaned back, watching the firelight bounce across everyone's faces. The atmosphere had shifted again, lighter, calmer, even comfortable. The tension was still there, yes, but it wasn't the kind that made your chest tighten.
He glanced over to Gros, who still kept his distance but hadn't walked away again. A small victory.
And just like that, a strange gathering had formed in a hidden corner of the Dungeon. A human. An Amazon. And three monsters who were more than what they appeared to be.
"Guess this night just keeps getting weirder," Tiona said as she leaned against Aurelius's shoulder.
"Yeah," Aurelius nodded. "But not in a bad way."
As the fire crackled quietly in the center of the group, a peaceful silence slowly settled among them. It was one of those rare Dungeon moments where everything didn't feel like life or death, just people, or rather beings, simply existing together.
Tiona leaned slightly back, arms stretched behind her as she tilted her head upward, gazing at the jagged ceiling of the cave. Her brow furrowed slightly, her lips twitching as if searching for a word on the tip of her tongue.
"…Hey," she suddenly said, breaking the quiet.
Aurelius turned toward her with a curious look. "Hm?"
She squinted, deep in thought, then sat up straight, her eyes narrowing toward Ray. "Wait a second…"
Ray blinked, looking back at the Amazon with a puzzled expression. "Yes?"
Tiona pointed a finger toward her, leaning in slightly as recognition slowly crept into her expression. "You… you're that Siren."
Ray tilted her head, unsure.
"The one we saved," Tiona continued, her voice growing more certain, "Earlier. When we fought that lunatic redhead with the blade, right?"
Ray, hearing her recognition, chuckled softly, amused by the antics of the Amazon in front of her.
"Yes, I am," Ray said, her tone light as she offered a slight bow despite her sitting position. She followed up, her voice a little softer this time, "And I'm very thankful towards you. Words can't fully describe how grateful I am."
Tiona waved her hand casually, brushing off the gratitude with a grin.
"No, no! We just did what was right, that's all. We couldn't just let you die like that! Especially knowing who that bitch was, there's no excuse for us not to help," she said with conviction in her voice, clearly not wanting any praise.
Ray gave a small nod in response, realizing that any further words of thanks would only be denied by the passionate Amazon. Instead, she kept those words close to her heart, letting her actions speak the rest.
Time slowly drifted by, as all five of them, well, four if you didn't count the still grumpy Gros, sat together and spoke leisurely. There was no rush, no pressing danger at the moment. Just laughter, banter, and stories shared under the soft, flickering light of the chamber. They exchanged their experiences, one after another, with an almost nostalgic fondness. Tales of past dungeons, narrow survivals, wild encounters, and moments that shaped who they were today flowed freely like a stream.
Even Gros, though grumbling in his corner, seemed to be listening in, occasionally letting out a grunt that could be mistaken for either disapproval or agreement.
But the peace didn't last.
A voice echoed softly through the cavern. "Well, it looks like you people are having fun."
All heads turned instantly toward the source of the voice. From the shadows emerged a slender figure draped in a robe that obscured almost every inch of his being. His presence was subtle, but there was a strange chill that followed his words. The voice was undoubtedly male, but distorted, mutilated, as if tampered with or forced through something unnatural.
The mysterious person stepped a little closer, his movements calm and deliberate. "Greetings," he spoke again, voice raspy but polite. "I am an ally to these monsters. And I hold no hostility towards any of you." He gave a respectful bow, though the hidden nature of his form made the gesture feel eerie.
Tiona instinctively stepped forward, raising her guard and planting her foot with force. Her body shifted, ready to leap into action at the slightest twitch.
"And how exactly can we tell that you're not lying?" she asked, her tone sharp, eyes narrowing suspiciously. She didn't like surprises, especially ones cloaked in mystery.
Just before the tension escalated further, Lyd stepped in with his usual calm demeanor.
"It's fine, Tio-cchi," he said reassuringly. "He's right. This guy… he's helped us plenty of times already. We trust him."
Tiona blinked, glancing toward Lyd, then back at the robe-covered figure. Her expression still carried concern, but she eased slightly, lowering her stance just a little.
"Hmph... fine," she muttered, still not convinced but willing to hold back, for now.
Before she could say more, the robed entity spoke again, his tone shifting to something more serious.
"Though I would love to continue this conversation and get to know each other better," he said, pausing for a breath, "there is something urgent I must bring to your attention."
Aurelius, who had been calmly observing the whole exchange, leaned forward slightly, curiosity, and concern, surfacing.
"What urgent request?" he asked, his expression now tinged with confusion and worry.
The robed figure remained silent for a moment, letting the gravity of his presence settle before he finally spoke.
"It concerns the 18th floor," he said plainly, the words heavy with weight.
At the mention of the 18th floor, both Aurelius and Tiona immediately tensed up. Their expressions changed. No more smiles, no more ease. A silent alarm had gone off in both of their minds. That floor wasn't just any place, but, it was where their comrades were.
Aurelius wasted no time. His voice turned cold and serious.
"What kind of problem?" he asked, his tone now urgent and filled with concern. "What happened up there?"
The robed man paused again, his concealed face making it hard to read his emotions. But when he finally did speak, his words chilled the room like ice.
"The 18th floor," he began slowly, "has summoned two irregular Goliaths. They've already begun wreaking havoc across the entire level."
Silence.
Aurelius and Tiona both widened their eyes, the weight of the news slamming into them like a hammer. Their minds raced with dread, thinking of their friends, their comrades, and the absolute destruction two irregular Goliaths could bring.