Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)
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CHAPTER START------
---Day 6 of Yang's Training on floor 18...
Dungeon, Floor 18...
Within the tunnel from the lower floors entering to the 18th floor, a group of adventurers could be seen walking through the entrance and officially returning to the 18th floor safe zone. As the group enters the brightly lit massive forested cavern knows to all as the safe zone, they could see the small town on the cliff above them across the lake. Looking at the group however they could be seen with cuts and bruises as well as quite a few burns whilst all sporting exhausted looks on their faces.
Finn: "So, camp here for a bit and relax at the lake or return to the city."
Bete: "Honestly a nice bath back in my room would be perfect right now, and if I go into another lake I might just snap."
Tiona: "Agreed, I've had enough lakes for a while, stupid Hydra."
Lefiya: "Yeah but we killed it at least right."
Tione: "Easy for you to say, I was the one that almost drowned."
Lefiya: "Oh, uh, sorry."
Riveria: "let's just head to the sur...face. Uh, I think your boyfriend is still here."
As everyone looked in the direction Riveria was facing they saw a figure hovering in place above the far shore of the lake with flames blazing around their body.
Lefiya: "Yeah looks like it... HEY, HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND! Since when are you teasing me?"
Finn: "His flames look, hotter?"
Bete: "Yeah less orange more bright yellow huh, guess training paid off."
Tiona: "Let's go say hi, maybe he's heading up too. Besides I'm sure Lefiya can't wait to see him, hmmm lefiya."
Lefiya: "Ugh let's just go say hi already."
Slowly they all begin making their way around the lake towards the far shore. As the Loki familia team makes their way along the shore to the far side of the lake they can't help but notice that the lake is slowly moving. What would normally be a completely still body of water has a small current visible to their trained eyes running through it in a small area.
Moments later they rounded upon a small clearly recently made cove area with a person floating in the middle of the area 50ft from the shore.
Lefiya: "Hey Yang we're back!"
Slowly Yang opened his eyes and rose until he was lying atop of the water as if it were the floor before he sat up and replied.
Yang: "Hi, one sec I'll be right over."
Yang quickly rose to his feet on the surface of the water before walking over the Loki familia, as he sauntered over he began talking.
Yang: "You guys wanna join me for a swim or just passing by?"
Finn: "We just came by to say hello."
Tione: "Awe captain don't you wanna go for a swim with me?"
As Tione spoke Lefiya slowly had a blush rising to her cheeks as she took a moment to observe Yang who was wearing just his shorts leaving his sculpted body bare for all to see. Noticing her blush he couldn't help but tease the young elf girl.
Yang: "The waters heated while I'm in here Lefiya so this is your best chance."
Lefiya: "Uhhh, maybe another time yeah. Uh, Finn what did you want to ask him?"
Yang: "Let's head back to my small camp first, follow me alright."
As he finished speaking Yang turned on his heel and began walking to the other side of the man-made cove, signaling for everyone to walk behind him. Lefiya quickly noticed what he meant and with a hesitant step placed one foot onto the surface of the water before following him across. Seeing their teammate moving across prompted everyone to follow quickly behind her but not without some slightly dazed and amazed looks on certain faces as they processed that they were in fact walking on water.
As the group leisurely walked across the water they approached the shore to see a small tent with what appeared to be a 5ft circular stone table with a circular ring bench around the entire thing. Casually yang approached the table and slung his legs over the bench taking a seat.
Yang: "Well get comfortable and let's catch up, how did the lower floors treat you guys?"
Slowly everyone took a seat around the table with Finn sitting directly opposite Yang with Riveria and Tione at his sides.
Finn: "Well, they weren't kind. We only made it to the 31st floor before we had to come back here. There was a situation we weren't prepared for."
Yang: "A monster that strong?"
Finn: "Uh, no. More like an environmental problem."
Ais: "Lava..."
Yang: "Yikes, at least you made it out."
Riveria: "Just barely. The dungeon should repair the stream eventually but we decided to turn back as rations are running low anyway. The water floors were a bit stressful. New monsters and all that."
Yang: "Hmmm, I'm actually glad you brought that up. Hephaestus gave me a list of some, items. All of which are on the lower floors and I was hoping I could cash in on that offer you made me before Finn, how about it?"
Finn: "Well, I can't make any promises until I know what you want and then Loki would have to agree of course."
Yang: "Hmm, if I'm being honest with you. I'd rather go solo but Hephaestus probably won't let me from the vibe I got when she spoke. It's a bit dangerous and all that. My targets are the 27th Floor monster Rex, the Valley floor for a new material that I'm not even sure where it comes from. And a black sword. Thoughts?"
Loki Familia: "....."
Finn: "You're insane, you do know you're level 3 right?"
Yang: "Yes I know it's a tall order. All I'm asking for is a little help with the 27th-floor boss. You don't need to get involved unless things take a turn for the worst. Eventually, I'll be strong enough to do the rest myself. Finding the material somewhere on the valley floor could take months down here so I can't ask you all to do that."
Finn: "So you want us to be your emergency backup? Have you read the updated files for the 27th-floor boss?"
Yang: "No but I heard it was a 2 headed dragon, right?"
Finn: "It still is but, it's, different now."
Yang: "Different?"
Riveria: "We got a glimpse of it before we went to the 28th floor. It's larger and has what appears to be other, appendages now, there was also at least one small hydra with it at the time. Things have changed a lot. Not to mention the water currents are much stronger now along with new monsters making those floors even more deadly. And you want to fight there?"
Yang: "My magic doesn't discriminate, that includes myself. It hurts me as well as my enemies but it also hurts my gear. That boss can be my armor."
Ais: "Is that why you had burnt armor before?"
Yang: "Yeah hellhound gear doesn't last at all honestly."
Tione: "Why not just buy the materials?"
Yang: "Well even if I could afford it, I'd have to buy them every time I destroy a set with my magic. I'd rather know how to get it myself."
Finn: "IF Hephaestus and Loki agree to this plan then I don't see why not. But I need verbal confirmation from Hephaestus. I cannot take anyone especially someone outside of my familia into the lower floors just to throw him to a boss and hope for the best without the goddess's permission."
Yang: "I understand, but don't worry, I really wanna live. My magic is awesome and I just got it. I need to live to see how powerful I can be when I'm at your level."
Lefiya: "Uh, Yang, that can take years or an entire lifetime so just keep that in mind ok."
Yang: "Meh I feel like I'll catch up. Just watch me."
Lefiya: "Hmmm, alright then you'd better prove it."
Finn: "Is that the only reason you have for getting stronger?"
Yang: "No but it's the one that I can act on now at least."
Finn: "Alright," 'That's a vague answer, I should ask Lefiya about that later '. "I'm gonna head to the town, we should get to the surface before it gets late, when you speak with Hephaestus she will contact Loki. Have a good day Yang."
Yang: "Yeah you too Finn."
Tione: "Hey Tiona, Riveria, Ais, let's give Lefiya some time to catch up and head to the town."
Riveria: "Yeah let's."
The members of the Loki familia quickly said their goodbyes to Yang and left him and Lefiya on their own at the table. Whilst Yang was calm and appeared to think nothing of it Lefiya was a tomato red mess sitting a few feet away from him.
Yang: "I don't like you being this far, one sec."
With a wave of his hand, Yang slid across the bench until he was only a foot away from her shoulder with the help of his air element.
Yang: "That's better. So how did the lower floors really treat you?"
Lefiya: "Uh, well it's a lot tougher than before all the new monsters of course. Some of the new ones are really strong and can rush us so Ais has to save me a lot more than she did before," 'I'm so useless'
Yang: "More than before?"
Lefiya: "When I get scared I freeze up, when I saw you fighting the goliath it was amazing. We're on the same level and you didn't look scared and you didn't even need help. I, I wanna be like that too, like Ais, but when everything is moving around you and so many things are going on it's hard to focus and not panic."
Yang: "Hmm, yeah I get it, honest. Just between you and me, the only reason I survived the floor 1 event wasn't that I was brave, or strong. It's because I was desperate."
Lefiya: "Desperate?"
Yang: "To survive. I knew if I didn't fight I would die. If I didn't win I would die. So my mind acted on its own and I fought and won, somehow. You won't really have that problem because you have Finn and the others to help you so instead of focusing on everything around you, just focus on one thing and do that. Then when that's done move onto the next problem and the next until eventually your all that's left standing."
Lefiya: "You make it sound easy. Hmmph."
Yang: "Adorable, do you know the pros and cons of my kind of magic?"
Lefiya: "Uh, well I've never seen you chant and you never have to use the same spell so aside from hurting yourself it's perfect right?"
Yang: "Well true except you forgot why chants exist. I read a bunch of books describing spells for me to copy. Some of the big ones had chants, I guess it's because bigger spells need guidelines which is where chants come in. So even if you are scared, if you follow the guidelines properly it works. My magic doesn't have that so If I'm too afraid or excited my magic can react and bad things can happen. When I fought my way down here the first time I used lots of potions and got hurt a lot. The worst situation I was in is where I had one working arm and the adrenaline in me had me bouncing from wall to wall slamming into them to keep me moving. Now if that happened I'd know to just try to hover around but when I got scared or worried I couldn't keep a flame for me to hover in place, because that needs me to be calm."
Lefiya: "Hmmm I see. So just stay calm and focus on the spell,but that's easy to say until monsters are rushing me."
Yang: "True, but do you trust your team?"
Lefiya: "OFCOURSE I TRUST THEM!"
Yang: "Then what do you have to worry about, they will protect you so just focus on casting."
Lefiya: "Uh, yeah I know but I can't really help it sometimes."
Yang: "Yeah it's hard to just decide to not be afraid but I'm sure you will get there. Hey if you guys are heading to the city now, wanna have our date tomorrow evening?"
Lefiya: "Uh, yeah sure, where?"
Yang: "Meet me at 'The Vintage Harvest' tomorrow and we'll have a great time."
Lefiya: "Alright I'll see you then, I should go find my team they might be waiting on me right now."
Yang: "Hmm, yeah, I'm gonna finish up today's training early so I can talk with Hephaestus when I get back. I'll see you tomorrow Lefiya."
Lefiya: "Bye Yang."
After saying goodbye Lefiya quickly caught up to her team with a blush still on her face and prepared to make her way back to the surface.
---Meanwhile...Freya Familia Building...Freya's office...
A soft knock was heard on the door as a cat-eared young man walked in to see Goddess Freya sitting at her desk with her familia captain Ottar standing behind her.
Freya: "What did you find out?..."
END CHAPTER---