(Wiene POV)
"You all ready?" Rayne the spider woman asked
We all nodded.
"Remember, absolutely no talking outside until we are in the safe zone, absolutely no fighting unless spotted. Am I clear?"
We nodded again and she broke the wall.
after a few moments of walking she then suddenly turned her head, like she saw something but she seemed confused about whether or not she actually saw it.
She eyed us with a look that said 'Let's hurry,'
We quickly walked down the cramped halls of the dungeon going deeper in, currently, we made it to the 21st floor and we planned to go to the 23rd.
My ears suddenly twitched "Umm...Rayne" I stopped walking and whispered super quietly.
"Shh,"
"I hear screams...Of others like us,"
Rayne stopped walking, "...What?"
I pointed to the upper left "Over there," we went forward and sure enough, the path split up, going forward to the left.
"I can hear them too..." She said, she then turned to all of us which were a War Shadow named Aude, a Hippogriff named Cliff, and a Foimore named Four.
She then got something out of her pocket when the scream was even louder.
"Follow," Still being as quiet as possible we all decided without hesitation that saving our comrade was more important than anything, we all likely knew this was a trap but went anyway.
Our bond with each other was far stronger than one could imagine, and even though I had just joined I felt like I'd been here for a long time.
The only thing I wished was that I could have spent more time with Bell, but he did promise we'd spend more time together so I just have to wait!
Knowing what we were getting ourselves into we all went to the screams, I had to stay in the middle of the group since I had no fighting experience and needed to be protected.
However, when I saw the horrible thing I saw when I entered the room...I wished I had been at the back so they could shield my eyes.
A harpy was crucified on a tree with Burning hot iron rods in her arms and legs, her exposed body was covered in cuts and bruises...and there was a white substance dripping onto her legs.
Everyone was shocked, Rayne was the first to break the silence as she quickly got the harpy down.
"Hey, Hey you're gonna be okay, I'm right here,"
She tried to comfort the Harpy but her eyes were scary, she seemed like being alive brought so much pain.
"R-Run...It's a trap,"
Rayne turned her head at the exit when we realized we had forgotten the one thing we all knew as soon as we walked in there.
The sight made us forget this was a trap.
"You...YOU BASTARDS!" Rayne yelled as she and everyone else readied their weapons.
"Woah, check out the knockers on that one! Dix, can we have fun with this one too?" One of the men asked who suddenly arrived from the way we entered.
"Do what you want, just don't harm the Vourvire,"
The man in the back was reading a book and tapping a spear against his shoulder.
Aude tried to get the jump on him by sneaking up behind him from his shadow, but before any of us knew it he was cut clean in two.
"CHARGE!" Rayne yelled in desperation.
The battle that followed terrified me to the core, everyone was getting hurt, cut, and stabbed while I was in the back, powerless to do anything. I wanted Bell to arrive, he would show up and save everyone.
I then saw a silhouette
My eyes glowed when I thought my Hero Bell had shown up, but it wasn't him. It was a girl with long gold hair.
"...Fuck," Dix muttered as he turned around.
(Ais POV)
'I'm disappointed in you Ais,' Those words rang in my head from the conversation I had yesterday.
When I was going to head dungeon crawling today I noticed a note on my floor right next to the door, likely slid under.
When I opened it, it read as follows 'If you really want to believe me go to the 20th floor. They should be leaving around 10 AM today to 3 PM and going to the 23rd floor. Should be around the northeast side of the dungeon. I also hope you go alone for this, thanks! -Bell'
I woke up earlier this morning since had to go dungeon hunting anyway and was on the 20th floor at 9 AM. From there I Kept trying to look around but didn't find anything. I had a magic item that told me the time of day and it was 2:30.
'I wish he told me exactly where...'
I then heard a wall breaking near me and when I traced it down I saw not monsters being born from the wall, but monsters leaving the wall.
These were indeed the monsters from the reports that used items and gear but they still looked like plane monsters to me. The one leading them, a spider girl seemed strong enough to the point where I had to be super far behind not to be noticed. Her senses were sharp since she nearly spotted me.
I kept staying behind having to follow the Hippogriff's footprints, even when they suddenly made a turn that went off to the side rather than down deeper in. I was far enough to the point where I couldn't even see them let alone hear them.
I was thinking about what I should do to get closer without them noticing when I heard a scream. It seemed to be a human scream so I ran faster, then I heard another scream, someone yelling 'You bastards,'
When I arrived I saw monsters and humans fighting.
The man with the spear quickly backed away knowing who he was dealing with.
"Sword Princess, as you can see we're just fighting monsters. If you'd like to help we'd be honored,"
The monsters and people never stopped fighting, or at least the monsters tried to stop but the humans kept fighting them to keep their human nature hidden away.
I pointed to the harpy
"Explain,"
"Their monsters, what does it matter we do?"
"...Fine, then at least explain That on its leg,"
"Maybe it's that time of the month for monsters or something, how should I know?"
I drew my sword "Thanks for helping out," The man said with a somewhat of conflicted smile.
I then kicked the spider woman in the stomach, making her hit a wall.
"Ach!" it yelled as she collided with it.
"Well? If you can speak I may consider saving your life," I said as I walked up to it.
The other monsters got distracted for a moment and because of that many got cut at that moment. Noticing this the girl seemed even more conflicted.
"If it helps Bell told me about you all,"
Her eyes widened but deciding to place her trust in him she opened her mouth.
"Please...Save us then,"
At that moment all the adventures fighting had been kicked to the wall.
"Hey, Dix what now?!-" One of the men screamed when he turned around to see no one there. "He...Ran off,"
'Really...I'm such a hypocrite,'
Just yesterday I said that I didn't care if a monster would talk or cry, I would kill it anyway. Yet here I am protecting these same ones.
Was it what Bell told me? Or was it something else?
"We must kill those adventurers," The spider girl said.
"No, we will not. Just because I saved you don't think that I value your lives the same,"
Even though I saved them the fact did remain that these were monsters, the same place that damned dragon is from.
"You really ok with letting us go sword princess? What if we report you protected these things?"
"You won't. You want to keep them a secret yes?"
"..."
"Leave,"
With that, they all got up and left.
"So...What would you like in return?" The spider lady asked
"?" I tilted my head
"Humans always want something in return for actions, even we are the same. What do you want?"
"...Nothing really, I only came here since Bell told me I may find you,"
"He wasn't supposed to tell anyone...But I guess you did save our lives. Thank you,"
"..."
I was still a little shocked, I didn't let it show but a monster showing thanks...It felt wrong to me.
(Bell POV last night)
Once I got home I went to work in the lab for a while and when I came out it was dark. I needed one piece of information to use for later but to do that I needed Fels or Hermes to show up. Preferably Fels but I didn't know how to reach him.
That was when I thought back to that feeling I felt like I was being watched when I first left the dungeon. If it's Fels we're talking about he may have invented a device to keep watch without me noticing. I'm always feeling Freya's gaze but I don't know if this other item blends in with her gaze or not. Still, it's worth a try.
"Fels, if you listening I'd like to talk. Please ring the doorbell ASAP,"
I waited for around 15 minutes when I heard the doorbell go off.
"How clever for you to notice you were being watched," Fels said as I opened the door, I walked outside.
"I didn't really notice so much as I figured out. Anyway, I need to know, when is the Xenos moving to their next camp?"
It was only natural for them to move everyone once in a while. Knowing this I planned to hopefully get Ais to meet them.
Fels told me all the information I needed thinking I was going to use it to know when to avoid the monsters when hunting.
He left and I went back to the lab to write a simple letter, for the hard part though sneaking into Loki's base.
I quickly went to the base again where the same two guards were.
"Hmm..." I could try a window but I should look around first for any opened windows or unlocked doors.
"Hey, Bell!" Tiona said from right behind me, I didn't even notice her.
"Again?"
"You tryna sniff Ais panties while she's sleeping?"
"What are you talking about?"
'Why are you even here anyway?' I wanted to ask.
She then noticed the letter in my hands, and her two brain cells formed an explanation.
"A love letter,"
"It's not a...It is a love letter, could you just slide this underneath her door for me?"
"Sure can!"
'Thanks love for brains,'
Now thanks that we're done I headed back home.
The plan was for Ais to meet at least one group of the monsters walking. If she meets one they'll likely notice her so she'll have to keep her distance but if she follows them all the way she should be able to see them and reach the safe point, at which case she'll at least understand they're intelligent if anything.
'Now...I can finally start to build you up, Ms. Hero,'