Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)
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pat.treon:/Keanu_Eugene
CHAPTER START---
Walking up to floor 18, the Trifecta expected to see the usually unoccupied forests of the safe zone greeting them. Their extra layers of protection were long stored away. Cracks and chips in Thalie's armor and Yang's gauntlets. His cloak was in tatters barely reaching halfway down his back with pieces of cloth missing from his and Welf's clothes. The silver plates of metal between the layers could be seen in some areas exposed through the tears if not broken themselves.
"What the fuck is going on..." Yang says. A look of confusion on his face as he sees an ocean of tents set up. As if an army was mobilized to challenge the dungeon all at once.
Taking a look around, Thalie easily saw different familia banners, the main tent at the center of it all proudly carrying the Ganesha familia logo.
Pointing to the tent she makes a simple decision, "let's just ask them," she says before walking forward, leading the way.
On their way to the tent, Welf notices people giving them uneasy looks. Not hostile in any way but simply unsure of how to greet their team. "Maybe something big is causing trouble in the dungeon. But then again we didn't see anything. Hephaestus would have called us anyway," the smith says.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Yang shakes his head, "that's not our problem. Let's just see what's up and head to Babel," he says as they arrive at the main tent.
Glancing at the stunned adventurers as he completely ignores the guards posted near the tent, he calls out to the obvious leader of this force. "Hey Shakti!" he waves at the woman, her head whips around to look at him.
Seeing his team approaching Shakti waves the guards away, the men and women were awkwardly standing around. Their job was to stop anyone from approaching the main tent...but these people weren't just anyone. She could certainly understand their inaction here.
"Elementalist, do you normally walk into another familia's campsite so casually?" she raises a brow at Yang, a small smile on her face much to the surprise of all but a few in her familia.
"Well, nobody bothered to stop me so figured we could just walk in," he says.
Already fed up with this conversation Thalie cuts in, "did the guild send you down here to hunt something?" she asks bluntly.
Turning her head to the woman, Shakti narrow her eyes dangerously, spitting out the woman's name with venom rarely found on her words, "Thalie..."
"Good to see you again," Thalie gives her a small smirk.
"Uh..." Welf looks between both women now openly glaring at each other before speaking up, "did we miss something here?"
Shakti immediately says her piece, getting right to the point. "Your 'friend' is a psychopath, she should be in chains," she growls out.
Looking at each other neither man is surprised in the least by this assessment, in fact, they only nod in agreement. "Yeah, we kinda figured after working and training with her. But why do you hate her?" Yang asks.
"She got into a bar fight and people died," Shakti says before turning to Yang, "lots of smaller familias are camping down here because of the ice storm beating Orario right now, they rather be shut in down here to at least keep making money. That's all, now can you please get her out of my camp," she says before turning on her heel and marching off into the tent.
Minutes later walking toward the tunnel to floor 17 Thalie is explaining her history with Ganesha familia to her team.
With a look of surprise on his face, Yang can hardly believe what he just heard. "So you got into a bar fight...killed 20 people---"
"26 people," she corrects him.
"Right...my bad, 26 people," he rolls his eyes at her. "Because one dude tried to grab your ass or something. Then Shakti wanted you executed...justifiably so for putting so many of her people in the ground..."
"And Hephaestus just bails you out," Welf says with a sour look on his face.
Rubbing his hand down his face Yang isn't even surprised, "fucking gods...Jesus Christ..."
"You've gotta stop saying that," Thalie reminds him. "Nobody knows what it means..."
---Yang's Apartment, Babel Floor 51...
"Please don't burn please don't burn please don't burn..." Freya chants as she looks at the tray of food being heated in the oven. Crossing her fingers and hoping for the best.
Looking over at the wall clock she checks the time, almost half-past eight at night. Glancing at the large window she can't see anything outside. The normally beautiful night sky and city lights are blocked by a screen of ice and snow. Blinding white even on the street level.
Cold enough that Ganesha called in help to bring firewood to the surface, some smaller familias simply chose to head down to the 18th floor so they wouldn't be trapped in their homes completely bored.
Wearing black leggings with a loose white t-shirt under Yang's hoodie she peers down at the floor. Looking past all the layers of Babel toward a soul stepping out of the dungeon for the first time in months. Her body begins to burn, yearning for him. Having him with her made her feel...whole.
Giving his soul a more scrutinizing look she sees something in it. Disappointment, doubt, such ugly emotions. Both dwelling in the shadow of something she's always admired about him, the dominant part of his soul. His ambition. Like a burning flame in his soul, but it frightened her more than anything else in this world.
That ambition was what would make him leave her. Ambition would take him away from her unless she can stop him. His ambition wasn't a flame, it was a sun that would consume everything for the sake of taking just one step forward on his damned adventure.
Frowning at her thoughts, a sad expression forms on her face. Her heart aches for a moment before confusion takes over her mind.
Thalie and Welf were both separating from Yang. While they took the elevator up the side of Babel he sped through the city.
Walking toward the windows she could look past all the ice and snow to the shattered planet-like soul that was leaping across the rooftops, toward its friends. She realized what he was doing.
Even now that little family she thought he owed nothing to anymore was on his mind. He was running to check on them, making sure they would be fine in this storm. Freya couldn't help but smile at this, how lucky was she to find a man so powerful, yet so gentle and caring.
A half-hour later as Freya is plating the food. Steak and potatoes on one plate with the sauce on the side for Yang and some grilled chicken and greens for herself she hears the door open. Followed by what she now knows is definitely her favorite thing to hear.
"Honey, I'm home!" Yang's voice calls out as he walks down the hallway to see her handling their food.
As he breaks the corner arriving at the kitchen she immediately pounces. Wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face into his chest. With a smile on his face, Yang gently wraps his arms around her to hold her close.
"Ya know, these moments are really nice. Especially after that expedition," Yang says as they both just enjoy the embrace.
"Mhm...you smell like ash and iron," Freya mumbles out.
"My life is blood and fire babe," he chuckles deeply as she breaks the hug.
"Go take a shower so we can eat," she says before craning her neck up to give him a kiss.
15 minutes later Yang and Freya are sitting in his living area enjoying their dinner.
"So you've been practicing cooking?" Yang asks, tasting the incredible flavors of the food on his plate.
"Mhm...but it's not been going too well so...I had my chef make this," she admits sheepishly.
"So we both suck at cooking huh, well shit. Guess practice makes perfect for both of us then," he says with a sigh.
"Ohh, inviting me on an adventure with you, that should be fun." Freya can't help but giggle at the thought. Like a thousand little chimes filling the room.
As they continue onward Freya can't help but focus on the tiredness in his eyes. He was awake but not all there throughout the night. Nothing he couldn't deal with himself, but she felt it was her duty to help. She wants to be the dutiful wife.
Not long after they ate and got all caught up. Yang finds himself lying in bed, his muscles sore from months of non-stop fighting in the dungeon. Constantly straining his magic and taxing his mind, his bed felt like heaven right now.
Taking off her pants and t-shirt Freya gently slides under the covers and nuzzles up to his side. Draping an arm across him to lay a hand on his chest, the calming thumps of his heart helping her find peace.
"How do you feel?" Freya asks. Her voice was soft as she traces small circles on his chest.
"Sore, exhausted---"
"Angry...disappointed maybe?" she asks.
"Just tired," Yang says. Taking a deep breath and looking down to see her eyes staring up at him. Not judging him, just worried.
"Babe, whatever makes you capable of ignoring my charm lets you lie to gods...but not to me. Why are you upset?"
With a deep sigh Yang looks away, staring up at the ceiling he speaks in a low voice, "the plan was to hit floor 70, the safe zone. We didn't even get to 68," he says.
"Mhm, what else?" Freya asks, obviously not satisfied with this answer.
"That's all," he says with finality.
"So smart and so blind," Freya says as she moves to straddle Yang, both her hands on his chest to hold herself up as she looks down at him with scrutiny.
"Blind?" Yang asks, not sure what she's talking about.
"Yang Shen, The Elementalist. You are the ultimate super rookie. Dear I say one of the most logical people I know when it comes to planning adventures, that's why I don't believe you," she says.
"Don't believe what?"
"That you're this...disappointed, simply because of results. You talk about animals as if everything that lives is precious, I doubt you're upset that you had to turn back to protect yourself and your team, so why are you upset?"
"I-I don't know. I just, I need to see my adventure through," he says hesitantly.
"Are you disappointed because your team couldn't go further?"
"No," he immediately bites out, narrowing his eyes at her.
Freya smiles at this reaction, proud of him for not blaming anyone else for this. "Then why are you so mad at yourself?"
"Because...because I, because I failed," he stutters out. Words trembling on his voice.
"YOU failed? Not your team, just you?" Freya asks.
"I failed at my job. I make the choices and they trust me with their lives in there, and I failed. I... I wasn't ready for that. I'm the Elementalist and it wasn't even a monster that pushed me back, that brought me to my knees. I've been winning non-stop since I got here, and the first thing that really beats me is...is---"
"The cold," Freya says for him, seeing the hesitation on his face as he turns his head to look away from her.
"If it was a monster...just get stronger and go fight. But this is just, I don't even know..." he mutters quietly.
Freya sighs at his hurt expression. Leaning down to cup his face and force him to look at her.
"You are a fine leader, even if you don't realize it. Nobody else can do what you did, in less than a year you've made it further than any other living adventurer in over a decade. You'll figure this out. Everyone stumbles and falls sometimes, but you...you'll always get back up. That's just the kind of man you are. Trust me, trust the judgement of a goddess, trust me as your woman when I say that," she says before leaning down and laying her head on his chest. Content with hearing his heartbeat calming down, feeling him lift his arms to hold her close to him.
"Thank you, I-I'll figure it out, I'll figure out what I missed," Yang says as he gently pats her back, leaning down to give her a kiss atop her head.
"It's ok. I don't ever want to see you doubt yourself like that, it hurts to see you like that. Because I love you Yang Shen," she says quietly. A whisper meant only for him.
"A. I-I---" he stutters out before she interrupts him.
"It's ok, I've waited eternity for you so I knew quickly, but you need time, time is all we gods have remember..." she says as they both try to get some sleep.
Holding Freya close they both drift off to the first truly comfortable sleep they've had in months.
Only now did Yang realise how much he really missed her. Thankful for having this woman to keep him on track, resolving himself to figure out what they did wrong on their expedition.
END CHAPTER---
I really love writing/reading romance...can you tell?